Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

The lights are just coming on in the Jinyang Palace.

The former bedroom of the Jin Emperor has now become Chu Ning's headquarters.

On the golden nanmu pillars of the hall, the black bird flag of the Chu State replaced the gray wolf pattern of the Jin State. Under the candlelight, the hall was magnificent, but there was a strange coldness.

When Yun Jianye stepped into the hall, the melodious sound of stringed instruments was ringing.

He was dressed in indigo official robes, with his hair tied up with a jade crown, and had a gaunt face. Although he was just a civil official, there was a calm demeanor between his brows.

On both sides of the hall, the Chu generals and the officials who surrendered from Jinyang were sitting at different tables. When they saw him come in, everyone had different expressions.

The Chu general nodded in greeting, while the Jin general lowered his head to drink with flickering eyes.

"Yun Qing is here."

Sitting on the main throne, Chu Ning was wearing a moon-white brocade robe, a jade belt around his waist, and a smile on his handsome face, but one could not tell whether he was happy or angry.

He raised his hand to signal, and the eunuch immediately added a rosewood desk to the left.

Yun Jianye stepped forward and bowed deeply: "Your Highness, I am Yun Jianye, and I pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"No gift."

Chu Ning gave him a false support and said with a smile, "It's been a tiring journey, Yunqing."

"I dare not complain about the hardship of serving His Highness."

Yun Jianye answered respectfully, but his eyes swept across the hall.

Jia Yu was not present, and the expressions of Jinyang's old ministers were even more intriguing.

Chu Ning seemed to see through his thoughts. He raised his glass and took a sip of wine, then said slowly, "Today's banquet is held to welcome Yun Qing, and secondly..."

He paused, and glanced at everyone in the hall: "Jin State has just joined, and there is a lot of work to be done. I would like to entrust Yun Qing with full authority over the government affairs here."

As soon as these words came out, the hall suddenly fell silent. Some of the old officials in Jinyang tightly grasped their wine glasses, while others secretly exchanged glances.

Yun Jianye was shocked and quickly stood up and saluted: "Your Highness, I am overwhelmed by your kindness. However, Jin has just been established, and I am afraid that I am not talented enough and have failed to live up to your trust..."

Chu Ning chuckled and raised his hand to interrupt: "Yun Qing is too modest. Yang Xingye acted aggressively. Although he offered Jinyang, it aroused public resentment. And you——"

His eyes were deep: "He is good at soothing the people's hearts. He is the best person to govern this place."

Yun Jianye took a deep breath and bowed solemnly: "Since this is the case, I will do my best to stabilize Jin and live up to your trust!"

Chu Ning nodded in satisfaction, and suddenly changed the subject: "However, I'm sure Yun Qing has heard about the recent assassination of Yang Xingye."

Yun Jianye's expression was stern: "I have heard that Lord Jia is investigating."

"good."

Chu Ning tapped the table with his fingertips, and said in a slightly cold tone: "Jia Yu has been sitting still these days, not because there has been no progress, but because he is waiting - waiting for the right opportunity to catch the assassin and the people behind him in one fell swoop."

Yun Jianye's heart skipped a beat and he vaguely understood something.

As expected, Chu Ning leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice: “When the time comes, I will leave the credit for capturing the assassin to you.”

Yun Jianye looked up suddenly and met Chu Ning's deep gaze.

"The old families in Jinyang are deeply rooted and it is difficult to win them over by just appeasement."

Chu Ning said meaningfully: "Take this opportunity to establish your authority, so that you can achieve twice the result with half the effort when you implement the decree in the future."

Yun Jianye's chest felt hot, and he immediately stood up and knelt, his voice trembling: "Your Highness has planned this for me, I... I will never repay you even if I die!"

Chu Ning stood up, helped him up personally, and said in a gentle voice: "Yun Qing is my right hand, why do you have to do this?"

The two smiled at each other. Music began to sound in the hall and dancers came in gracefully. Their fluttering sleeves concealed the countless undercurrents in their gazes.

The banquet ended in a joyful atmosphere.

Yun Jianye was also arranged to live in a large house in the city.

At dawn, east of Jinyang City.

Yun Jianye pushed open the vermilion lacquered door, and the morning breeze wrapped in the coolness of early autumn blew in his face.

He took a deep breath, and the alcohol from last night's palace banquet had dissipated, replaced by a heavy sense of responsibility on his shoulders.

Behind him, ten armored guards stood with their swords drawn, their iron boots making dull sounds as they stepped on the bluestone slabs.

"Let's go to the granary in the north of the city first."

Yun Jianye straightened the cuffs of his indigo official robe and asked the Jinyang guide beside him, "I heard there are still refugees gathering there?"

Just as the guide was about to respond, there was a sudden crisp sound of breaking pottery jars from the street corner.

"Who is it?" The leading guard suddenly pressed down the hilt of the knife.

The next second, a sudden change occurred!

The street vendor who was selling steamed pancakes overturned his wooden cart and pulled out a sharp short knife from under the steamer.

The old farmer carrying a basket of vegetables threw away his shoulder pole, revealing three crossbows hidden at the bottom of the basket.

There was even a woman holding a baby who threw the "swaddling clothes" to the ground - it was clearly a dummy stuffed with straw!

"Protect your lord!"

The captain of the guards shouted loudly, and the iron shields instantly formed a semicircle.

Almost at the same time, three crossbow arrows "bang bang bang" hit the shield, and the tail feathers trembled violently.

Yun Jianye was pushed back three steps by the guards, and his official hat was even tilted a little.

His eyes widened in anger as he pointed at the black-clad men rushing in from all directions and said, "You are assassinating an official of the imperial court in broad daylight. Do you still have any respect for the law?"

The answer came from a whistling axe.

"clang!"

Sparks flew from the iron shield, and the shield-guard groaned and fell to his knees.

The assassins were obviously well-trained. Six of them fought in close combat with knives, while four of them roamed around the perimeter and shot arrows.

Two people even took out clay pots from their arms and threw them to the ground - with a "bang", pungent smoke instantly filled the entire street.

"It's a smokescreen! Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

The captain of the guards shouted at the top of his lungs, but saw a flash of cold light in the smoke. He dodged sideways but his shoulder armor was still cut, and blood immediately soaked through his shirt.

Yun Jianye was choked and coughed repeatedly, and his official boots tripped on the threshold and he almost fell.

He watched helplessly as a guard was stabbed through the chest by three long knives at the same time, and the hot blood spurted onto the "No Cheating, No Fraud" sign on the street.

What’s even more terrifying is that some people in the distance had already looked out, but no one rang the gong to warn them - this shows the attitude of the people in Jinyang.

"Enter the mansion! Close the gate!" The captain of the guards pulled Yun Jianye back.

The last two guards fought desperately to resist the pursuers, and one of them even rolled into the thick smoke holding the assassin. Soon, the dull sound of a sharp blade entering flesh was heard.

The moment the vermilion lacquered door slammed shut, a crossbow arrow was nailed to the door panel, only three inches away from Yun Jianye's throat.

"Hold the bolt!"

Yun Jianye tore off his bloodstained official hat and personally carried a porch column across the door.

There were sounds of hurried footsteps outside the courtyard wall; the assassin was obviously looking for another entrance.

"grown ups!"

The head guard, his face covered in blood, handed over a sword: "There is a corner gate in the backyard, I will protect you..."

"No need."

The veins on Yun Jianye’s hand holding the sword popped out: “I want to see who is so eager to kill me!”

Before he finished speaking, three dark shadows climbed up the east wall.

The captain of the guards drew his bow and shot down one man with a whoosh, but was then approached by the other two.

Just as the steel knife was about to chop down, Yun Jianye suddenly grabbed the teapot on the stone table and threw it hard!

The scalding tea was poured on the assassin's face, and as he screamed, the captain of the guards cut off his wrist with a knife.

But the other man's steel knife chopped Yun Jianye's neck fiercely!