Chapter 1 Defining the Sea

The Earl of Dinghai, named for "Stabilizing the Sea and Calming the Waves," signified his responsibility for protecting the capital.

Before, he was stationed with troops outside the city. Now, he was to garrison troops inside the city.

Seemingly just moving in and out of the city walls, it actually elevated his true power and status.

This also reflected Ji Chengjue's magnanimity.

To dare to place someone who once tried to kill him at his side to be responsible for his safety demonstrated great courage.

If it were an ordinary person, faced with this kind of "repaying evil with kindness," they might have burst into tears of gratitude, knelt down and repeatedly shouted, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great kindness," vowing to do their utmost to repay the Emperor's grace.

But Li Liangshen did not do that. He was surprised, yes, and moved as well. The new Emperor's arrangement did indeed make him feel admiration.

However, what Li Liangshen wanted was to be sent out, to lead troops and fight on the frontier.

He had guarded the capital region for several years; was he supposed to continue guarding it?

The Marquis of Zheng, who was eating fried dough sticks, spoke up,

"What the Earl of Dinghai wants is to lead troops into battle."

Since Ji Laoliu (Sixth Son Ji) wanted to bestow favor upon Li Liangshen, it wasn't convenient for him to continue vying for him.

Fortunately, while the Marquis of Zheng desired Li Liangshen, this "thorn in the side," it wasn't so urgent.

So, at this time, he might as well do Li Liangshen another favor, helping him along, after all, he didn't really have any deep hatred for Li Liangshen.

"Oh, is that so?"

Ji Chengjue looked at Li Liangshen.

This time, Li Liangshen finally spoke,

"Replying to Your Majesty, this humble general hopes to achieve merit on the battlefield!"

Only with something to ask for is there respect.

The way to control subordinates is actually very simple. If you can give the people below what they want, even if you can't give it to them now, at least you have to paint the pie, so that you can dangle it in front of them.

This time, Li Liangshen had completely softened.

"That's easy. Wasn't the Capital Garrison already torn to pieces? You can integrate it, train it well again, and tidy it up. Two years, perhaps. Our Great Yan is currently in difficulty, and I must first find a way to feed the people.

One year to recover, one year to accumulate strength.

Two years later, I plan to start using troops. I promise you, at that time, I will let you lead troops. How about that?"

This was the Emperor, speaking to him in a negotiating tone.

Li Liangshen kowtowed and said,

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great kindness."

"Alright, Earl of Dinghai, step down. Fourth Brother."

"Your Majesty, I am here."

"Hand over the duties."

"This subject obeys."

"Fourth Brother, have you had breakfast yet?"

"This subject has eaten."

"In that case, I won't keep Fourth Brother any longer."

"This subject takes his leave."

"This subject takes his leave."

Ji Chengfeng and Li Liangshen left.

The Fourth Prince breathed a long sigh of relief; the burden on his shoulders was finally lifted.

Eunuch Wei also breathed a long sigh of relief; he had been truly nervous earlier.

Ji Chengjue then sat back down, looking at Zheng Fan, who was still eating there,

and said,

"What you meant earlier was that you wanted to take him away?"

"That's right." The Marquis of Zheng was very frank.

"I kept him."

"You can keep him if you want."

"You have someone who uses a sword by your side. I must have one by mine as well."

"Heh, childish."

"Seriously, I used to think that Li Liangshen was arrogant and had a bad temper. I really hated him to death. But now, the position is different, and I feel that with such a bad-tempered person in charge of the capital's defenses, others can't reach in so easily. I can sleep soundly at night.

At least, one thing is certain: he dares to kill a prince, but he wouldn't dare to kill the Emperor. He is, after all, a genuine Yan person."

"Mm."

The Marquis of Zheng took a sip of porridge and ate some pickled vegetables.

"Why don't you ask me why I wanted to use your sword to kill him last night, even though I want to use him?"

Zheng Fan didn't cooperate, so Ji Laoliu could only set up his own punchline.

"Killing him once and bringing him back once means no one owes anyone anything. Only then will I truly feel comfortable, and then I can use this person."

"Those words should be mine."

"I said them for you, it's the same."

"Zheng, I am an Emperor now, you have to give me some face."

"Come, open your mouth, eat a fried dough stick."

"I'm full."

Ji Chengjue rubbed his brow and said, "Wait, the news that the Grand Secretary was assassinated by the barbarians will be spreading soon."

"Of course. The barbarians are ferocious and wicked. Their delegation in the capital plotted to assassinate the loyal Grand Secretary of Xu, a pillar of our Great Yan, at night. It's hateful, extremely hateful!"

The Marquis of Zheng said with righteous indignation.

"Wei Zhonghe." Ji Chengjue looked at Wei Zhonghe.

"Replying to Your Majesty, Lord Lu has already sent someone to inform this humble servant that he has detained the members of the barbarian delegation in the Honglu Temple lodgings."

The Vice Minister of the Honglu Temple was Lu Bing.

"Mm."

The Marquis of Zheng said to Ji Chengjue,

"Your Majesty, I request to lead troops to punish the barbarians and avenge this national humiliation!"

"Good, the Marquis of Pingxi is loyal and courageous, truly a great fortune for me and a fortune for Great Yan!"

The two exchanged glances, then smiled.

Zhao Jiulang was already dead, and it was not worth being sad for a dead person.

"Later, I will hold a grand court assembly," Ji Chengjue said. "The Grand Secretary's matter will be entirely blamed on the barbarians."

"This play is wonderfully acted," the Marquis of Zheng praised.

What is a businessman?

It is being able to completely squeeze out the value of a person, whether he is dead or alive. That is what you call a genuine businessman!

When Ji Chengjue said "the barbarian delegation assassinated the Grand Secretary,"

the Marquis of Zheng, who was equally skilled in this way, instantly understood Ji Laoliu's idea.

Blame the barbarians for the Grand Secretary's death.

He, Ji Laoliu, directly became the new Emperor ascending the throne during a time of "national crisis and turmoil."

Then,

he would fiercely denounce the barbarians at the court assembly gathered because of the Grand Secretary's death!

The new Emperor was not lacking in means, nor was the new Emperor lacking in connections.

What was the new Emperor lacking?

Reputation!

The reason why the Yan Emperor was able to become the true supreme ruler of Great Yan was partly due to the centralization of power through the trampling of aristocratic families, but the fundamental reason was the repeated victories in destroying countries and expanding territories, which forged the supreme and sacred nature of the Yan Emperor's dragon throne.

What he, Ji Laoliu, wanted now was to forcibly stir up the Yan people's hatred and fear of the barbarians. This was the accumulation of centuries of blood feuds, an ineradicable shadow.

In Great Yan, the barbarians were the original sin of everything.

Provoke them,

incite them,

issue an edict, vowing to wipe out the barbarian royal court to avenge today's hatred!

In the capital, there were actually quite a few people who could know the truth about the Grand Secretary's death.

After all, how did the barbarian delegation mobilize the Jingnan Army to cooperate?

After all, what was the meaning of the soaring sword intent last night?

Those who were truly qualified to know would definitely be able to know. How could it be so simple to smother a Grand Secretary to death in Yanjing City?

Moreover, the Marquis of Zheng did not make any excessive arrangements or concealments in this matter, only seeking speed and his own enjoyment, and did not pay attention to any details at all.

But it didn't matter.

It was enough to make most people believe that it was done by the barbarians.

The common people would directly believe that it was the barbarians who had drawn their swords against Great Yan, giving Great Yan the most serious provocation!

Suppress before promoting,

this move was very good.

First, raise the tone very high, pile up the grief and hatred,

and finally,

when the news of the great victory against the barbarians came,

the new Emperor

would truly achieve "ascension to the throne"!

It should be known that the merit of destroying the royal court was no less than annexing the entire Jin state.

It was most appropriate for the Emperor of Great Yan to crown himself with military achievements.

In fact, what was being played here was a time difference, attributing the achievements of the late Emperor to himself.

Of course, it could also be said that the late Emperor deliberately left the crown for the new Emperor.

"Zheng Fan, tell me the truth, do you think this battle will go smoothly?"

"What, are you still a little nervous?"

"I have never been on the battlefield to fight."

"Let me put it this way, I don't think there's any reason to lose."

"Are you so sure?"

"The veterans and iron cavalry of the Zhenbei Army have been patrolling the edge of the desert for many years, and they are extremely familiar with the climate and geography.

The Zhenbei Marquisate has been operating for a hundred years, and must have driven countless nails into the barbarian tribes in the desert long ago.

Moreover, there are no cities to defend in the desert, so the iron cavalry can gallop for thousands of miles, which is very satisfying.

And now, counting the days,

what the old barbarian king and the little prince of the barbarians should be receiving now is the news of the late Emperor vomiting blood at the grand banquet.

In a few days, it will be the news of the late Emperor's death.

It's hard not to believe in this kind of deception.

With this preparation, with this foundation, with the Prince of Jingnan personally leading the troops;

Your Majesty,

even if I am more cautious, even if I want to tell you calmly: do not underestimate any enemy;

I'm sorry, I can't do it.

I just feel that

this barbarian royal court is already a marked roasted pig, and it all depends on how to cut it up and divide the meat next."

"I believe in the two princes, and I also believe in the last arrangement my father made before his death, but you must know that if I release the wind today, and if the news that comes back in a few days is not a great victory, then my dragon throne will be unstable from the very beginning."

The Marquis of Zheng reached out and took the tea from Eunuch Wei, taking a sip.

Isn't it normal for the monarch's prestige to rise continuously when popular sentiment is stirred up and contradictions are shifted to the outside world, but to collapse if they lose?

Of course, these words could not be said directly.

Zheng Fan knew that Ji Laoliu was a little nervous now.

Holding the teacup in his left hand, he placed his right hand on Ji Chengjue's shoulder,

and patted him,

saying,

"Don't panic."

Ji Chengjue turned to look at Zheng Fan, watching the Marquis of Zheng blow on the teacup and slowly sip it.

"Even if something really happens, I can just take a trip myself and completely flatten their royal court for you;

After all,

I am the Marquis of Pingxi."

…

The Pixiu was galloping.

On both sides of it, several Zhenbei Army sentry cavalry appeared, following it as it advanced.

They didn't recognize the person on the Pixiu's back, but they recognized the Pixiu.

In this world, there were only four Pixiu that were publicly displayed: their own Prince's, the Prince of Nan's, the First Prince's, and the Marquis of Pingxi's.

Looking at the white hair on the man on the Pixiu's back, his identity was obvious.

But precisely because of this, these sentry cavalry were even more nervous.

They couldn't intercept him, they couldn't investigate him, they could only follow him.

Then, more and more sentry cavalry followed, and they actually formed a team, like his personal guards, helping to protect him.

Ahead, a military fortress appeared.

This was the main fortress of the Zhenbei Army's Li Yuanhu's military garrison, with more than 30,000 troops stationed there year-round, and was the force guarding the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion.

The sentry tower on the military fortress had seen this scene early on. It was rare to see so many outposted sentry cavalry returning together, and the Pixiu running in the sentry cavalry circle was too conspicuous.

"Wooooooo!!!!!!"

The horn sounded.

The gate of the military fortress was opened,

and then,

cavalry galloped out on both sides of the gate,

and in the middle,

a phalanx composed of shield-bearers, spearmen, and crossbowmen quickly pressed forward.

True iron cavalry was not only good on horseback, but could also form formations to fight after dismounting.

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

The spears were raised in formation, and the crossbows were drawn.

The Pixiu under the Prince of Jingnan stopped, its mouth open, its tongue sticking out, panting heavily.

It was truly tired, even the Pixiu couldn't withstand such a terrifying long journey from the capital to the desert in one go.

The Yan Emperor's guess was correct, Li Liangting had fallen behind.

The Prince of Jingnan had arrived first.

The sentry cavalry originally surrounding both sides were pushed aside, and replaced by two teams of Zhenbei Army knights.

In the middle was the military formation, and on both wings was the cavalry.

The Prince of Jingnan looked around. The spear formation was fine, just standing there, but the cavalry on the two wings should have drawn their swords to face the visitors, but under that person's gaze, they all lowered the blades of their swords.

How could the Zhenbei Army soldiers not have heard of the Prince from the Jingnan Army?

The two major cavalry field warfare military groups of Great Yan were, in the eyes of outsiders, the twin walls of the empire, but in the eyes of their own people, they were actually rivals and competitors.

In the early years, Great Yan only had the Zhenbei Army. In recent years, the Jingnan Army's reputation had long surpassed it.

They were naturally unconvinced, but knowing that the visitor was likely to be that Prince, they did not dare to show this kind of unconvincedness and deliberate embarrassment openly.

Yes, everyone could guess who the visitor was, but without going through that procedure, they had to pretend not to know.

They had to intercept him as they should,

but inevitably, they were much more polite. Like the previous batch of sentry cavalry, according to reason, those who trespassed within a certain distance of the military fortress could be directly shot as spies.

But not a single sentry cavalry dared to release an arrow.

It wasn't fear, but respect.

The soldiers of the Zhenbei Army here did not admire the Jingnan Army, and even, whenever they were free to gossip, they would have to disdainfully ridicule the so-called Southern Army:

What are the Qian people? What are the Jin people? What are the savages? What are the Chu people?

Compared to the barbarians,

they are not even Luans!

But looking down on the Jingnan Army did not mean that they dared to be disrespectful to the Prince of Jingnan.

At least they were holding the bowl of rice of soldiers, bearing the name of the Zhenbei Army. Although they were only hearing rumors, everyone knew in their hearts that the contemporary military god of Great Yan must be a peerless figure.

"Who comes, trespassing on the military's important area is a capital crime!"

A captain spoke up to ask.

The Prince of Jingnan raised a token,

His Jingnan Prince token was given to Zheng Fan before he left the capital. What he was holding up now was the Zhenbei Prince token.

The Zhenbei Army still habitually called it the Marquisate token. Seeing the Marquisate token was like seeing the Marquis.

"This Prince is holding the Zhenbei Prince token, and has come to take over this fortress first!"

Seeing the Marquisate token, and the visitor claiming to be "this Prince", the procedure was over.

The captain who had checked the Marquisate token earlier hurried forward, and whispered,

"General, it is indeed the Marquisate token, and this person should be the Prince of Jingnan."

The Marquisate token could not be faked;

the Pixiu could not be faked;

the white hair was also there;

most importantly, the temperament of this person.

To put it bluntly, the Zhenbei Army naturally respected their own Zhenbei Prince, but everyone had to admit in their hearts that this Nan Prince was indeed more like a great marshal in terms of power and prestige than their own Prince.

Li Yuanhu snorted,

gently pushed away the captain in front of him,

mumbling, spitting out a mouthful of saliva,

said,

"Heh, can just anyone come and directly take over this general's camp? What a joke.

The Prince of Nan, right?

This general,

doesn't know him."

"Buzz!"

In the next moment,

the Prince of Jingnan flew up from the Pixiu's back,

and then,

fell straight down towards Li Yuanhu, who was standing in front of him.

Li Yuanhu was not surprised but happy,

and shouted,

"Good, come on!"

The Prince of Jingnan's figure landed,

and he punched down.

Li Yuanhu also punched back up with the same force!

But at the moment when the fists of both sides were about to touch,

Li Yuanhu suddenly felt the stagnation of the surrounding aura and the terrifying pressure that could make his scalp tingle.

Under duress,

he punched upwards twice.

"Bang!"

The Prince of Jingnan's single fist fell,

Li Yuanhu blocked with both fists.

In an instant,

the Prince of Jingnan's figure stood motionless in mid-air,

and Li Yuanhu's figure shook violently!

Then,

the Prince of Jingnan retracted one fist,

and then punched down with the other.

Li Yuanhu, who had already used both fists, was equivalent to giving his all in the first round of confrontation. At this time, he had no way to forcibly gather strength to punch again, but he hesitated to dodge for a moment.

After all, in the competition between warriors, whoever retreats first concedes and loses.

The Prince of Jingnan's second fist came down,

still hitting Li Yuanhu's two fists,

Li Yuanhu's aura and blood were directly scattered, and his face bulged, as if it were a water bag forcibly beaten by external force.

The first punch tested fist strength;

the second punch tested the smooth flow of aura and blood in the body;

Li Yuanhu, standing below, had his body paralyzed after taking two punches from the Prince of Jingnan.

Then,

the Prince of Jingnan's original downward punching posture was corrected in mid-air, and one foot was firmly placed on Li Yuanhu's shoulder.

It seemed light and breezy, revealing a sense of ease, as if hitting you was just for the sake of hitting you.

"Boom!"

A loud noise came;

Li Yuanhu was kicked over and fell face down on the ground,

Tian Wujing's figure also landed, but one of his boots was still on the back of Li Yuanhu's head. The result of the confrontation was settled.

"Do you recognize me now?"