Chapter 21 — Royal Regret

His Majesty gave him a golden card, allowing him to enter the Eastern Palace after recovering. Tieu Thua Canh heard the story and personally prepared the ceremony to take him to Hanh Vu Institute. The list of ceremonies is as long as running water. Medicinal herbs, ancient books, jade weapons, bow and horse tools, and even a personal seal he had treasured for many years. After reading it, I only kept the medicinal materials and books. The remaining things were sent to the hospital intact. Tieu Thua Canh quickly arrived. He was still standing outside the door. Over the years, that copper lock got old then replaced, replaced then old again. From the initial irrepressible anger to the patient silence later on. But he still couldn't enter. He asked from the door: "Why did you return it?" I sat down in the hallway, turned over the bag of toiletries for Tieu Nghien. "If you want to give Tieu Nghien a token, keep it." "If you can't use it, don't take up space." He suppressed his anger. "That personal seal is a token of trust given to him by the king." I raised my eyes to look at him. "If the prince wants to give a token, he can give it himself." "But whether he accepts it or not is his business." Tieu Thua Canh was silent for a long time. "Shen Lenh Nghi, you must keep him away from you." Is this strange to this king?" I smiled. "Your words sound like you're blaming me." "But over the years, when he was sick, who guarded him?" "When he read books, who invited you?" "When he was humiliated, who demanded justice?" "When he was assassinated, who ran to the medical clinic holding his bloody shirt?" There was no sound outside the door. I continued to say: "Father and son's separation was not taught by a single sentence from me." "It was raised by the Royal family year after year." Tieu Thua Canh's breathing became heavier. He seemed to want to say something. In the end, he just said: "This king will make up for it." I shook my head. "There are things that miss the moment and it's no longer about making up for it." "It's about disturbing." As soon as these words ended, there was silence outside for a long time. Then the footsteps went away. Tieu Nghien leaned against the window, his face still white. He asked in a low voice: "Mother, am I too cold?" I walked over and closed the small window for him. "You're not cold." "You only know that the fire is late and can't warm you immediately." He lowered his eyes. "But in the end, he's still his father." I looked at him. "You can respect him." "You can also give him a chance." "But you don't need to warm your heart to fulfill his regret." Tieu Nghien nodded. After two months of recovery, he returned to the palace. That day, the Crown Prince personally sent someone to pick him up. Tieu Thua Canh stood in front of the palace gate, wanting to see him off to the car. Tieu Nghien performed a thank you ceremony. Then turn around and help me get into the car first. The whole palace's servants saw it. Tieu Thua Canh's hand stopped in mid-air and did not come down for a long time. I don't turn back. Because from the day Tieu Nghien called me mother, what I wanted was never turned away. I want it to be able to move forward. 20 When Tieu Nghien was seventeen years old, the northern border broke out in war again. The barbarian tribe bypassed the border, robbed food and burned warehouses, and the border cities continuously issued reports for three days. On the court, they quarreled in a group. There is a peace owner. There are people who fight. Some people just remember not to let the fire reach their front door. Tieu Nghien stood on the throne and presented three plans. The first plan is to stabilize the salary line. The second plan is to mobilize the people. The third plan is to divide the troops to cut off the enemy's retreat. When he spoke, his voice was not high but every sentence hit a vital point. His Majesty was silent for a long time and then asked if he dared to follow the army north. The whole electricity was silent. When I heard the news, the tea cup in my hand shook slightly. Xuan Dao was so impatient that his eyes turned red. "The little master's body has only been in good health for a few years. The wind and snow in the northern border is so heavy, how can he bear it?" I didn't say anything right away. In the evening, Tieu Nghien returned to Hanh Vu Vien. It wore royal clothes and stood in the courtyard like a mature pine tree. I looked at it and suddenly remembered the child with the hand

cold as ice under the old eucalyptus tree of Thanh Tinh pagoda. Then he said he might not live long. Now it wants to go to the coldest, most dangerous place. He knelt in front of me. "Mother, the child wants to go." I asked: "Have you thought about it?" "Have you thought about it?" "Not to prove yourself?" "No." "Not so that the Royal Family can see with different eyes?" He raised his head to look at me. "No." "The child wants to go because the generals on the northern border need salary, need people, and also need someone to turn what they say on the court into reality in the snow." I looked at it for a long time. Finally, he helped him up with his own hand. "Let's go then." Xuan Dao stood next to her and shed tears. Tieu Nghien's eyes also turned red. I fixed his collar. "Remember." "Returning alive is more important than making achievements." He said hoarsely: "Baby remember." The night before the expedition, Tieu Thua Canh arrived. He stood outside the courtyard gate, holding an old sword in his hand. "This is the sword this king used when he was young." "Let Nghien Nhi take it with him." Tieu Nghien walked to the door and received the sword. "Thank you, father." This is the first time he proactively called father. Tieu Thua Canh's eyes suddenly lit up. But Tieu Nghien's next sentence suppressed that light. "The child came to the northern border this time because of national affairs."