After my soul traveled to ancient times, I don't want to be cannon fodder

"May I ask, my Lords, how could our Chief Secretary, at this critical moment, rush to Qinghe with a few dozen men and dare to exterminate our clan?"

"My master was away from home, working diligently for the court, yet he was wrongly accused..."

When Zhang Ping said this, all the Black Dragon Guards stepped out and knelt on the ground with him.

"Your Majesty, the Chief Officer has always obeyed the Holy Orders. Without Your Majesty's will, we would never dare to act rashly. These Black Dragon Guards are Your Majesty's Black Dragon Guards and only work for Your Majesty."

"Your Excellency is braving the bitter cold to investigate a case, yet you are being accused of such unwarranted crimes by these gentlemen. Your Majesty, I refuse to accept this!"

"Yes, I don't accept..."

All the Black Dragon Guards knelt on the ground, pleading for justice for their master!

Emperor Yong was silent for a moment, then he shouted towards Ning Yuanfeng: "Without any evidence, you slander me in public. Ning Yuanfeng, you are really going backwards as you grow older..."

Ning Yuanfeng smiled bitterly. The Qinghe Cui family was his in-laws' family. He was indeed so anxious that he lost his mind and actually questioned them in public.

Thinking of this, Ning Yuanfeng knelt on the ground and pleaded guilty: "I am guilty, please forgive me, Your Majesty..."

Emperor Yong snorted coldly and did not respond.

Ning Yuanfeng then bowed to the Black Dragon Guards kneeling on one side and said, "Brothers, I apologize here..."

Zhang Ping glanced at him calmly, then bowed in return: "Master Ning, you are too polite. It's not too late to apologize after my master returns!"

Ning Yuanfeng: ... "Yes... Ning must come personally to apologize to Master Qi!"

"I think you gentlemen are going too far by blaming the Qinghe Cui family's extermination on the imperial court without any evidence, even though you haven't investigated the facts."

Zhong Ning sat steadily on the high platform, tapping the table lightly with his jade fingers, with a smile on his face.

"Master Qi is my father's man. If you doubt him, you are doubting my father!"

"Besides, the Qinghe Cui family is an aristocratic family that has stood for a thousand years, but their foundation and power are not limited to the court. Doesn't that mean they have no connection with the martial arts world?"

"I heard earlier that the eighth-rank warrior hired by the Qinghe Cui family, Gao Jin, and several other seventh-rank masters were all obtained from the martial arts world."

"Why, when something happened to his family, you all threw dirty water on the imperial court? Do you think that I and my father are easy to bully?"

"Or do you think that because you are born into an aristocratic family, you are above the imperial power, and want to personally accuse me and my father of a crime?"

Zhong Ning's voice was light, and with just a few words he changed the direction of the situation.

The ministers who had just knelt on the ground and begged Emperor Yong to thoroughly investigate the case and never let the treacherous villain go were now all kneeling on the ground and trembling.

Minister of Works Ning Yuanfeng said: "Your Majesty, we were careless in our words. We were not as disrespectful as Princess Zhaohua said. Please forgive me..."

Minister of War Pei Zhou: "Your Majesty, we have absolutely no such intention!"

Censor Zhou Qingshu said: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I never meant that!"

Everyone knelt on the ground and shouted: "We have absolutely no such intention..."

Emperor Yong snorted coldly, then stood up and left with a flick of his sleeves.

The palace banquet ended in such a disappointing manner.

After it was over, the ministers did not dare to leave. They all went to the door of the Qinzheng Hall and knelt, waiting for Prince Yong to calm down.

Murong Xin looked at all this with a pale face. In the past, she had only heard about how Zhong Ning controlled these ministers, but she had never seen it with her own eyes.

Now we know that the reason why Zhong Ning can have such a status today is not because of Emperor Yong's love and respect, but because of her own methods.

In front of her, I am just a newbie who can be killed at any time.

If she didn't still have some sisterly affection for me, I'm afraid that if I took action, I would end up in an irretrievable situation.

Cold sweat broke out on Murong Xin's palms.

She suddenly realized that even if Zhong Ning was a fake princess, she was no longer someone she could afford to offend.

It’s not that Zhong Ning needs his father, but that his father needs Zhong Ning.

She will never be able to achieve this level of strength.

Murong Xin even wondered what she would do if it was Zhong Ning who was going to marry tomorrow?

Yes, she is a martial arts expert with a cunning mind. I am afraid that she will easily provoke everyone's anger against Xirong, or even take action herself and kill him directly.

She never forces herself to do anything.

She will only take the lead.

She is different from me!

With this understanding, Murong Xin no longer felt jealous when he looked at Zhong Ning. All that was left was regret and guilt!

The Queen Mother who was sitting on the high platform did not say a word the whole time. She had been defeated by Zhong Ning many times and did not dare to provoke him again.

She also wants to live a good old age.

But the eldest princess on the side was different. She sneered and thought to herself that they were just good at verbal battles.

Even if she was really capable, she could only bow down in front of her aunt.

.......

In the Qinzheng Hall.

Emperor Yong looked at Zhong Ning with a gloomy face and asked, "Does the annihilation of the Qinghe Cui family have anything to do with you?"

Zhong Ning was so calm: "No!"

"That's better!" Emperor Yong's voice was icy. He then looked at Zhong Ning's straight back, his eyes slightly shifted, with a hint of worry in his eyes, "If this is really your doing, I'm afraid even I can't protect you..."

Zhong Ning rolled his eyes and said speechlessly, "Father, you are the ruler of a country, but you are too cowardly. If anyone dares to come, I will chop him into pieces!"

Emperor Yong:.......

The veins on Emperor Yong's head were throbbing, and he couldn't help but hold his forehead and smile bitterly.

This child is really too arrogant!

Zhong Ning's voice continued:

"Father, what are you afraid of? With a ninth-rank master like me here, and the gunpowder developed by Lu Xingzhou, do they dare to move forward?"

"Even if they refuse to move forward, I have no intention of letting them go. I am just trying to frighten them first and then settle the score after I pacify the four barbarians..."

As Zhong Ning spoke, he took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, on which was a list of the spies reported by Zhao Yingpu.

Zhong Ning spent some time and had someone secretly observe the list, and only handed it over after confirming it.

We can't just do whatever he says. What if he kills the wrong person?

Emperor Yong took the list and saw the pawns of the aristocratic families who were appointed and placed in various palaces.

Although it was only a part of it, he was also angry that there were so many of the other side's spies around him.

"I have been feeling unwell recently and still need to rest more. After the Spring Examination, I will do as you said before..." Emperor Yong sighed heavily.

"It just so happens that the Qinghe Cui family occupies 70% of the land in the three counties surrounding Qinghe. Now that his entire family has been wiped out, it's time to take back the land!"

Zhong Ning's voice was brisk, and he was eager to try.

Emperor Yong glared at her unhappily, "You're quite open-minded. I'm afraid that doing so will cause dissatisfaction among the ministers in the court..."

"Who cares whether they are satisfied or not... Anyway, the people are gone, and the land should be nationalized..." Zhong Ning continued.