"Sisi, where's my snuff bottle?"

Ji Chengjue asked while fastening his official robe belt.

In Great Yan, princes were usually granted the title of Prince of the Blood, with fixed-style python robes prepared for them. However, throughout history, any ambitious prince preferred wearing official robes rather than python robes, as it signified holding a position in the imperial court and not being a purely idle and parasitic royal.

The Sixth Prince had always held the position in the Guanfeng Ministry of Revenue. Holding the title of Prince while simultaneously holding the rank of Minister would make him appear overly greedy and break the rules of the game. Therefore, Ji Chengjue, as both a Prince and the actual controller of the Ministry of Revenue, typically wore a sixth-rank official robe when attending court or working in the yamen. However, certain specific designs were deliberately removed, making it practically a blank slate.

But Ji Lao Liu rather liked this attire, finding it comfortable and unrestrictive.

It was the same reason Zheng Boye disliked wearing golden armor; the more dazzling and eye-catching the clothes, the more inevitably their comfort would be compromised. The same applied to python robes.

Ji Lao Liu figured dragon robes probably weren't comfortable to wear either.

"Husband, you're taking your snuff bottle today?"

Today was the day of the Third Prince's funeral.

Because the Third Prince died saving the Emperor, His Majesty decreed a state funeral.

"Yes, why wouldn't I?"

"Here."

He Sisi handed over her husband's favorite chalcedony Buddha's hand snuff bottle.

Ji Chengjue pulled out the stopper, took a sniff, closed his eyes, then slowly opened them, exhaling deeply.

The focus of a snuff bottle was never the contents, but the exterior; it wasn't for use, but for handling and showing off.

Ji Lao Liu got into Zhang Gonggong's carriage. Inside, breakfast and two pieces of white cloth were prepared for the day.

Tying the white cloth around his arm and forehead, Ji Chengjue leaned back against the carriage wall.

As the carriage passed through the street, the aroma of meat wafted over, the smell of fried dumplings.

"Zhang Banban, buy two portions of fried dumplings for me to try."

"Yes, Master."

Zhang Gonggong stopped the carriage, bought two portions of fried dumplings, and handed them over.

Ji Lao Liu ate with relish, finishing just as the carriage reached the palace gate.

As he got out of the carriage,

Zhang Gonggong anxiously reminded,

"Master, your mouth, oil."

Ji Lao Liu smiled, wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his official robe, then flicked his sleeve behind him, gazing at the majestic palace gate before him, his eyes slowly narrowing.

The ministers attending court today all wore white cloth. Normally, a prince's funeral wouldn't be this grand, at least, not affecting the civil and military officials of Yanjing.

In the past, when someone in the palace or the imperial family passed away, everyone would at most abstain from banquets for a couple of days.

"Third Brother, Third Brother..."

The Fourth Prince, supported by two eunuchs, wailed as he approached the palace gate.

His carriage was parked further away than usual, so the walking distance was longer than before.

Ji Chengjue turned to look in the direction of the voice, then stood there, facing his Fourth Brother.

"Third Brother, Third Brother..."

Fourth Prince Ji Chengfeng staggered over,

Then,

He saw his Sixth Brother,

Just looking at him, looking at him, looking at him, looking at him...

Ji Chengfeng suddenly felt a little uneasy.

He didn't know where this emotion came from, but it was truly present in his heart.

"Fourth Brother."

"Mm, Sixth Brother."

"You're overdoing it."

"..." Ji Chengfeng.

The farewell dinner had already been eaten.

The feelings of parting were all in that night's wine.

After the incident, Ji Chengfeng hadn't considered the possibility of foul play in the Third Prince's death? No, to be precise, how could there not be foul play in the Third Prince's death!

He had long obtained some information from the Ministry of War that the Emperor intended to launch another national war;

Then,

The Third Prince was released,

Then,

The Third Prince died saving the Emperor.

Such a coincidence?

How could it be such a coincidence?

At the same time, he recalled that night, the night after the Third Prince came out of the Lakeside Pavilion, when the brothers gathered to drink and "clean the dust" for the Third Prince;

The Crown Prince didn't come, only sending wine;

Logically, according to the Crown Prince's usual habits, he wouldn't give up this opportunity to show his benevolence and brotherly affection.

And Lao Liu,

That night, he uncharacteristically cursed the Crown Prince for not coming,

Calling him cold-blooded,

Calling him cruel,

Calling him ruthless,

In hindsight,

Ji Chengfeng suddenly realized, was Lao Liu really cursing the Crown Prince, or was he cursing someone else?

Fifth Prince Ji Chengwen accompanied the Earl of Pingye out of the capital. Because he woke up late, the Earl of Pingye didn't wait for him, so he hurriedly chased him out of the city.

Therefore,

Ji Chengfeng didn't even have anyone to talk to. When Lao Wu was around, he wouldn't feel so lonely.

Now that Lao Wu wasn't here, he suddenly felt helpless and flustered.

And this feeling reached its peak when he saw the calm and composed Ji Chengjue.

So,

You all guessed it,

And he was the only one kept in the dark?

Thinking of Lao Wu's words "useful" and "useless" before leaving the capital, Ji Chengfeng suddenly felt that Lao Wu might have guessed something long ago.

This feeling of being completely isolated was really bad, and the realization that he was actually an intellectual wasteland was really difficult for the always proud and arrogant Ji Chengfeng to accept.

But he had to forcibly hold down his head and make himself accept it.

Actually,

Ji Chengfeng's tears today weren't entirely fake. He really cried, not acting, nor applying ginger.

However, he wasn't crying for Lao San, but crying for himself.

Thinking that,

His father killed one of his own sons, who was also of his kind, Ji Chengfeng;

And the other brothers were able to predict this result in advance, but he was only aware of it after the fact;

They were all born of the same father,

Why?

Ji Chengjue lowered his eyes slightly,

And said calmly;

"Men of the Ji family shed blood, not tears. Show some promise."

It was very impolite for a younger brother to speak to his older brother like this, but it sounded normal coming from Ji Chengjue, and Ji Chengfeng listened normally.

He wiped his eyes,

And forcibly calmed his mind.

Ji Chengjue walked past Ji Chengfeng and walked onto the official road outside the palace gate.

Ji Chengfeng turned his head curiously, looking behind him.

There,

A group of young officials walked together. Unlike the other ministers, these young officials wore red cloth, symbolizing joy, instead of white cloth, symbolizing sadness and mourning.

They were not silent, nor did they mourn. Their faces even carried smiles.

Laughing loudly, they walked over together.

Ji Chengfeng recognized many of them. Most of them were officials who had passed the imperial examinations in recent years.

"Bold, how dare you be so presumptuous and rude!"

During court sessions,

There were eunuchs responsible for order both inside and outside the palace gate. They held leather whips and waved them when the palace gate opened for court, and they were also responsible for maintaining order.

However, the latter was usually rarely heeded, because officials who could attend court would care about their status and not dare to lose decorum.

However, today was the day of the Third Prince's funeral. The ministers who arrived earlier were all mourning, but only this group came wearing glaring red, laughing continuously.

The leader of this group was Hu Zhengfang, who had risen the fastest among the officials who had passed the imperial examinations in recent years. At a young age, he was already a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. This was due to his own diligence, and also naturally due to Ji Chengjue's influence.

Hu Zhengfang faced the eunuch who was scolding him and the others,

And laughed loudly:

"May I ask, Gonggong, where is our presumptuousness?"

"Today, His Majesty decreed a state funeral for the Third Prince. It is a time for the entire country to mourn, yet you..."

"Get out of the way!"

Hu Zhengfang suddenly took a step forward, his chest almost touching the eunuch's body.

The eunuch subconsciously took two steps back, immediately realizing that he had lost face, and immediately raised the whip in his hand.

Just then,

The eunuch's hand was grabbed by a hand from behind. He turned his head angrily, then looked stunned, because the person who grabbed his hand was none other than the Sixth Prince, Ji Chengjue.

"Sixth Prince, you, you this, you this is..."

"Ask clearly before speaking. They are all pillars of the country and would never do anything groundlessly. If someone is wronged, this whip will be impossible to take back."

The eunuch was shocked when he heard this.

Of course, he knew how closely knit these officials who had passed the imperial examinations were, and he also understood that in a few years, in the Great Yan court, the proportion of these officials would inevitably increase.

If he had lashed out with the whip earlier, the dignity of the palace would have been protected, but his little life would probably be lost.

The eunuch's gaze towards Ji Chengjue was filled with gratitude.

He hadn't really thought about it, the one who could truly mobilize these officials wasn't the Sixth Prince in front of him?

This wasn't a secret in the Great Yan court. In previous court disputes, many of these officials had served as Ji Chengjue's pawns.

Ji Chengjue looked at Hu Zhengfang and said loudly:

"Give me an explanation."

Then,

Hu Zhengfang and the officials behind him who were wearing red sashes bowed and saluted together.

Hu Zhengfang began to shout:

"How has our Great Yan preserved its eight hundred years of ancestral heritage?

It is through the endless battles of generations of Yan land's sons against the barbarians and other countries that we have been able to protect our ancestral temples to this day;

Our Great Yan's tradition,

Whenever foreign enemies invade,

Those who die in battle receive a joyous funeral;

Those who send off the dead wear red sashes;

Singing loudly: 'You go first, you go slowly, you wait for us, you set out the wine, you lay out the mats, we will come immediately!'"

Hu Zhengfang looked around,

Pulled up the red sash on his body,

Raised his arms,

And shouted:

"Now, the Chu slaves have not given up their treacherous intentions, sending assassins to commit heinous acts. Fortunately, His Majesty is blessed by the heavens, and fortunately, the Third Prince was supremely sincere and filial, ensuring the safety of our Great Yan's sovereign!

However,

Since the Chu slaves have unsheathed their blades,

How can we Yan land's heroic men continue to sit by and do nothing?

Third Prince, you go first, Third Prince, you go slowly, Third Prince, you wait for us, Third Prince, you set out the wine, Third Prince, you lay out the mats..."

The next moment,

The young officials behind Hu Zhengfang shouted in unison:

"We will come immediately!"

This momentum truly made the palace gate seem to tremble slightly.

This was the heroism of Great Yan.

Ji Chengjue's gaze slowly swept over them,

For a long time,

Ji Chengjue removed the white cloth from his body,

Reached out his hand forward,

And said:

"Are there any more red silks?"

Hu Zhengfang stepped aside, and the people behind him also stepped aside. There, there were more than a dozen men pushing a cart full of red sashes, waiting.

Ji Chengjue stepped forward, took out a red sash, and wrapped it around his body.

Then,

Ji Chengjue pointed to the ranks of ministers waiting outside the palace gate,

And said:

"Distribute them, I will bear all the consequences. Today, we will hold a joyous state funeral!"

The officials who had passed the imperial examinations began to distribute the red sashes with laughter,

Most of the ministers had already been infected by this generous atmosphere, and without hesitation, they removed the white cloth from their bodies and replaced them with red sashes.

Great Yan,

Regardless of its finances or its national treasury,

What you can't deny is,

Great Yan is now the veritable number one power in the East!

For eight hundred years, the iron cavalry of Great Yan has defended the East against the barbarians, instilling a spirit of confidence;

And since the current Emperor ascended the throne, the triumphant victories in successive foreign wars have brought the Great Yan people's sense of honor and pride to a peak.

The common people are like this,

Naturally, the officials are even more so!

In fact, entering the court as an official, to gain a name in history, the simplest method is... to advocate for war.

There were also some ministers who clearly knew that this matter was not so simple.

Some high-ranking officials had received advance notice that a national war would be launched, and then the Third Prince was assassinated, and the assassinated Third Prince had just been released from the Lakeside Pavilion not long ago.

Really,

Such a coincidence?

But when Zhao Jiulang took the red sash handed to him by Ji Chengjue and put it on, all the ministers outside the palace gate had changed into red sashes.

The instigation of the Jinshi officials,

The Crown Prince's instigation,

Coupled with the Prime Minister's final decision,

They simply didn't give the ministers outside the palace gate a second choice.

Whether willingly or with some hesitation, they all put on red silk, and a state funeral instantly became "joyous."

Everyone was talking and laughing, some were even singing Yan land's folk songs, although somewhat forced, it created a lively atmosphere.

Ji Chengfeng stood silently behind Ji Chengjue. He knew that all of this was arranged by his sixth brother.

That Hu Zhengfang was originally Lao Liu's confidant in the officialdom.

If it were in the past, Ji Chengfeng felt that he would definitely be impassioned, although he had never had a good relationship with Lao San since he was a child. To be precise, Lao San was not close to any of his brothers due to his personality.

But even so, they were still brothers after all;

And Ji Chengfeng, like the First Prince, had more military background, so he naturally wanted to take the initiative to seek war in order to gain the opportunity to lead troops.

But now,

But right now,

Ji Chengfeng couldn't get excited.

He suddenly felt that this sixth brother was like a vulture, the brother's corpse was in front of him, he didn't feel sad, but went to devour the flesh on the brother's body.

Ji Chengfeng was scared,

Before,

He didn't think so,

He naively thought that he was actually not bad, and he also had a chance to compete for that position.

Even after the fall of the Sanshi Deng family, Ji Chengfeng still had confidence, he could lie dormant and wait for his own opportunity.

But at this time,

He found that the gap between himself and this brother in front of him was really too big.

His father's cold-bloodedness, using his own son as an excuse to start a war, had already made Ji Chengfeng feel extremely terrified;

But this brother of his was like the same person as his father, even if they were blood relatives, as long as they had value, they would try to squeeze them out as much as possible.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three whip sounds,

The palace gate opened.

A group of ministers wearing red silk stepped into the palace gate.

On the white brick surface of the palace, a dazzling red flowed.

Ji Chengfeng subconsciously followed Ji Chengjue's footsteps and walked inside, and then he saw the Crown Prince standing there.

The Crown Prince was still thin, he stood there, seemingly waiting for his two brothers.

No,

To be precise,

He was waiting for Lao Liu, it had nothing to do with him.

Ji Chengjue walked up to the Crown Prince and saluted.

The Crown Prince stood there, without responding, just said lightly;

"A grand gesture."

"There's more." Ji Chengjue said, "Now, the people should be starting to gather at Xizhi Gate."

The Chu people sent assassins, attempting to assassinate His Majesty, the Third Prince sacrificed himself to save the Emperor, and died under the assassin's knife.

The Chu people's viciousness and the Third Prince's filial piety, with these few things as the theme, the teahouses, markets, and students of Guozijian and other schools took the initiative to spread the word, so that this matter was already known to everyone in Yanjing City.

And the anger belonging to the Yan people was also ignited in an instant.

The Yan people were too proud.

Their iron cavalry had suppressed the barbarians for a hundred years, so that the little prince of the barbarian court now had to lower himself and call himself a junior;

Their soldiers had defeated the Qian people, tens of thousands of iron cavalry went all the way south, drank horses by the Bian River, so that Shangjing, in addition to prosperity, also had a touch of soldiers and iron;

The Three Jins knights, who once thought they were also the strongest cavalry in the world, were directly defeated by the Yan people's iron cavalry; the unbridled savages were also driven out!

Looking at the Jiang River under Yupan City, the blood of 40,000 Chu people's Qingluan Army was used to irrigate the Yan people's joy and pride!

Yan Kingdom, Yan Kingdom's court, Yan land's people,

They were used to going from one victory to another,

The inertia of victory was like a wheel,

If they were invincible,

Who would hate war?

"You did a good job." The Crown Prince said.

The Crown Prince knew that many of the big bosses behind the industries in the capital were his sixth brother in front of him.

"It was Father's good arrangement, keeping the spirit for ten days, just to find out the murderer before the funeral."

Ten days,

It was enough for a gust of wind to blow back and forth several times.

In fact, it was not only the people under Ji Chengjue's industry who took action, but also the people from the Secret Intelligence Division.

At this time, a group of people walked out of the palace gate again, wearing ancestral armor, under the leadership of Da Zongzheng, entered the palace from another palace gate and gathered here.

They were the royal family, the nobles.

Some of the royal family and nobles could no longer lift their knives, or they had never served in the military or the court, or they didn't even come to court on weekdays.

But today, they all took out the armor and weapons that their ancestors had worn and had been enshrined in the ancestral hall for many years.

Of course,

The royal family and nobles' team, in terms of momentum, was tragic, but in terms of feeling, it was a bit of a dying year.

This was normal,

In fact, Zheng Boye was also a nobleman, but what was he doing?

Even if they didn't compare with the Earl of Pingye, in fact, most of the royal family and nobles who could make progress served in the military, and those who stayed in Yanjing City were indeed mostly old, weak, sick, and disabled.

"Is this your doing, Second Brother?"

Ji Chengjue knew that because he had taken the royal family and nobles' salaries and food, his reputation was extremely bad in their eyes, so they naturally took the initiative to lean towards the Crown Prince.

This was human instinct, and it was also the instinct of a group.

Of course, Ji Chengjue certainly knew the consequences of doing so, but he still chose to do so.

Not to mention public opinion first,

Serious officials looked down on this group of "national parasites." In addition, Ji Lao Liu didn't issue silver notes to the officials, so the worse Ji Lao Liu treated the royal family and nobles, the better his image could be with the officials.

The civil servants in Qian country often took the initiative to touch the nobles, just to find a chance to spit on them and scold them as "national parasites."

Although the atmosphere in Great Yan was not as exaggerated as in Qian country, after the cavalry trampled on the clans, in the court, either they were new Jinshi or they were born as commoners. Everyone and the nobles were naturally opposed to each other.

It was worthwhile to offend this group that couldn't be brought to the table, and then push this group of pig teammates to the Crown Prince's side.

"Sixth Brother, you're laughing at me."

"Let's work together for national affairs."

The Crown Prince nodded,

And said faintly:

"Lao San has already left."

Lao San had already left, so let him leave with more value.

Lao San had already left, he could leave, if we didn't cooperate with Father and didn't listen, Father could let us go with Lao San.

Killing a chicken to warn the monkey, people at least kill a chicken.

What about Father?

At this time,

Emperor Yan, wearing the Son of Heaven's sword, walked out of the main hall, followed by Wei Zhonghe.

In an instant,

The whole audience was silent.

Even Ji Chengjue and the Crown Prince immediately walked to their respective positions.

Emperor Yan stood on the imperial steps, his stern gaze scanning the audience. He stood there alone, like a mountain standing in front of him. This was the Emperor's power.

"What are you all doing, ministers?"

Hu Zhengfang didn't speak, because at this time, he didn't have the qualifications to speak.

At this time,

Stepping forward,

Was the Prime Minister.

Zhao Jiulang walked to the bottom of the imperial steps,

Took off his official hat and placed it on his side,

Then,

He knelt down slowly:

"Your Majesty, the Chu slaves are deceiving people too much;

What's wrong with the Third Prince?

What's wrong with Concubine Ming?

What's wrong with Your Majesty?

What's wrong with Great Yan?

What's wrong with our eight hundred years of ancestral temples?

Now,

I beg Your Majesty to issue an edict to send troops to attack Chu!"

In an instant,

Behind Zhao Jiulang,

Civil and military officials,

Nobles,

All knelt down,

And shouted in unison:

"I beg Your Majesty to issue an edict to attack Chu!"

"I beg Your Majesty to issue an edict to attack Chu!"

The sound was thunderous!

Emperor Yan opened his mouth and said;

"My Great Yan is now, the national treasury is empty."

Ji Chengjue knelt forward and said loudly:

"Father, how difficult was it for our ancestors to start their business, how difficult was it for our predecessors to guard their business, it is more difficult than countless times now!

Our ancestors gave us bones and blood,

Our predecessors gave us essence and soul,

Bones and blood cannot be humiliated, essence and soul cannot be abandoned,

Although the national treasury is depleted,

My Great Yan's men have thick blood and enthusiasm,

Since ancient times,

Yan land has never lacked generous people!

I am willing to reduce my salary to supplement the front, but I beg to attack Chu, break its Ying capital, and destroy its ancestral temple!

Men of Yan land,

Let's go to the national crisis together!"

Behind,

The entire court of civil and military officials, nobles, and royal family shouted in unison:

"I am willing to reduce my salary to supplement the front, Yan land's men, let's go to the national crisis together!"

Emperor Yan clenched his fist,

Walked down the imperial steps,

And kicked Ji Chengjue over,

Ji Chengjue was kicked down, his forehead hit the steps, broke open, and bled, but he immediately knelt back.

"You rebellious son, do you know that Chu is a great country? My Great Yan has been fighting for years, and the people are already exhausted. If we start another national war, how can you let my people live?

The people are my people. Today, I only lost one son, but I don't want my people to not have enough to eat and every family to wear mourning clothes!"

The Crown Prince knelt forward,

Kneeling down,

And said loudly:

"Father, I beg Father to move to Xizhi Gate and see the hearts of my Great Yan people!"

Zhao Jiulang raised his head,

And shouted:

"Prepare the carriage, Xizhi Gate!"

Wei Zhonghe's face showed panic,

His job, how was it snatched?

And His Majesty, hasn't issued an edict yet, this Prime Minister, dares to forge an edict in front of the Holy One!

But Duke Wei immediately showed a generous look,

And said loudly:

"Prepare the carriage, Xizhi Gate!"

"You are presumptuous, presumptuous!"

The officials, civil and military, royal family, nobles, and forbidden army, surrounded Emperor Yan and came to Xizhi Gate.

When Emperor Yan's Golden Crow Dragon Banner was erected on the palace wall of Xizhi Gate,

The people outside Xizhi Gate, who could not see the end of the crowd, boiled.

At first, they just shouted loudly,

Some were shouting Long live His Majesty,

Some were shouting to kill the Chu slaves,

Some were shouting to avenge the Third Prince,

In the end,

The shouts of countless people gradually converged into one place:

"Attack Chu!"

"Attack Chu!"

"Attack Chu!"

"Attack Chu!"

Under the city wall, there was a pile of firewood.

A group of old men with crutches stood next to the firewood pile.

The scene,

Immediately quieted down.

"The Chu slaves are deceiving people too much, His Majesty pities our people and cannot bear to expend the national strength to attack Chu, but I want our Yan land's people to always stand up straight to the outside world. These words, even if they go down to the underworld in the future, they dare to say to their ancestors: the descendants have not tarnished your reputation in the slightest!

I am already seventy years old, if I were thirty or forty years younger, I would definitely put on armor and buy horses, and follow my Great Yan Black Dragon Banner to let the Chu slaves taste the sharpness of my Great Yan's machete!

If I were twenty years younger, I would definitely enter the civilian labor camp, transporting grain and fodder for my Great Yan soldiers, feeding horses, setting up camps, and setting up stockades!

But I,

I'm already too old,

This body can't do anything anymore.

The only thing I can do now,

Is to walk into this fire, saving my old mouth, so that the children in front can eat more food, so that they can have the strength to kill the enemy!

Your Majesty, I'm leaving,

Your Majesty,

Attack Chu!"

The firewood pile was lit,

The old man walked straight into the fire.

Then,

One by one, the old men first knelt down and shouted "Attack Chu" three times to the Golden Crow Dragon Banner on the palace wall of Xizhi Gate,

After that,

They took the initiative to walk into the fire.

They did not want to be a burden!

On the palace wall of Xizhi Gate, the Crown Prince turned his head to look at Ji Chengjue, who was standing next to him.

Ji Chengjue shook his head slightly,

This was not his arrangement.

So,

This was really spontaneous from the people and the old men of Yanjing City after ten days.

Because now it was not only the officials who knew that the national treasury was empty, but the people had also been informed that His Majesty, due to the empty national treasury, could not bear to continue to squeeze the people's power to send troops to attack Chu.

Watching the old men walk into the fire one by one, either screaming or laughing;

Under the Golden Crow Dragon Banner,

Emperor Yan held the palace wall tightly with both hands, his fingers were already bleeding, and his face was full of tears.

At this time,

The officials who had ascended the palace wall together knelt down again:

"I beg Your Majesty to send troops to attack Chu!"

"I beg Your Majesty to send troops to attack Chu!"

Under the palace wall, the forbidden army knelt down:

"Please Your Majesty send troops to attack Chu!"

"Please Your Majesty send troops to attack Chu!"

Outside the palace wall,

The people also all knelt down:

"Attack Chu!"

"Attack Chu!"

"Attack Chu!"

Emperor Yan let out an angry roar,

Pulled out the Son of Heaven's sword,

Raised it high,

And shouted:

"Today, I have decided to attack Chu. If we don't break Ying capital, we swear not to return!"