The Empress traveled through time and space, and she fought for supremacy in the troubled times

On the third day after Yun Zhi received the good news, the army returned to Qingyun County.

Today's Qingyun County is very different from before. The city wall was demolished and rebuilt a distance away from the outside. Its area has doubled.

The population, also due to the influx of refugees, has reached over 6,000 people.

After welcoming the soldiers back, they gave the soldiers who died in battle a grand funeral, and then they were rewarded according to their merits.

Everyone who went on the expedition received more or less rewards, and the most exciting thing for them was the appointment of an official title.

Dozens of people were given official titles this time.

Among them, Wang Hu killed the most enemies, so he was specially appointed as a captain. Although Duan Yao's combat power was not as good as Wang Hu's, his combat power was also extraordinary. In addition, his familiarity with the terrain in the early stage reduced casualties, so he was appointed as a captain.

In addition, there are also Sima who manages logistics, centurion, squad leader, and other official positions.

After this victory, Yun Zhi announced a period of recuperation and slowed down the attack, slowly encroaching on the surrounding counties with Jiading Prefecture as the center.

At this point, Jiading Prefecture slowly lay dormant, waiting for the opportunity

On the other side, Prince Gong’s Mansion.

Prince Gong Ji Lingyan clenched his hands tightly, and the bulging blue veins on his temples were clearly visible.

Due to extreme anger, his eyes bulged slightly and his chest rose and fell rapidly.

He picked up the paperweight on the desk and threw it at the man in black kneeling below.

"waste."

The jade paperweight hit the man's head and soon blood started flowing.

"This subordinate deserves to die."

Looking down, I see the person who seems to be burying himself in the ground.

"You truly deserve to die. I ordered you to kill Ji Xun, and now, after all this time, he's still safe and sound. And now, you've left evidence for him to exploit. Now, what are people in the world saying about me?"

"This subordinate deserves to die."

After a moment, Ji Lingyan suppressed the anger in his heart and became the humble gentleman and kind man in the eyes of the world again.

"Go and accept the punishment yourself."

"Yes."

Not long after the man in black left, a man in a light blue robe walked in.

Looking at his face, he looks gentle and elegant.

Looking at the paperweight at his feet, Zhu Yuanhe picked it up, held it in his hand, and walked slowly to him.

"Your Highness, why should you be so angry? You can just say that Ji Xun was the one who staged the incident, or that someone else instigated it. Given your image in the eyes of the world, they will naturally believe you."

Prince Gong Ji Lingyan often gave alms and was considered a rare good man in the eyes of the people of the world.

He placed the paperweight on the desk. "As for those traitors, whether they believe it or not is up to them."

"It's Yuan He, why are you here?"

Ji Lingyan looked at the man in front of him. This man was his good friend and also his strategist.

"I heard the prince is furious. Come and take a look."

As he said this, Zhu Yuanhe smiled slightly.

When this matter was mentioned, Ji Lingyan's face was filled with anger again. "How can I not be angry? What a bunch of useless people. They can't even handle such a small matter."

"In that case, let him go for now and deal with him later."

There was no other way except to put it aside for now. Ji Lingyan looked at the capital city through the towering red walls and pavilions.

After a moment of silence, Ji Lingyan looked at Zhu Yuanhe, "What's the news over there?"

"It's business as usual."

"It's a shame that a reckless man like him has been able to take this position."

Zhu Yuanhe was naturally disdainful of Wang Yi. "It can only be considered that he got lucky. It's useless to rely on luck without strength. Let him sit for a few years."

In fact, when Wang Yigang captured the capital, if several forces had united, he would have been in trouble.

But these people are not easy to deal with. If they unite, who knows if they will stab them in the back before the rebels can take them down.

Such a person should never be made an ally.

Therefore, they all tacitly agreed not to mention an alliance, were suspicious of each other, and checked and balanced each other, which gave the rebels some breathing space.

It’s not so easy to win now.

Zhu Yuanhe changed the subject and started talking about other things. "Your Highness, have you decided what to do next?"

"Why, Yuan He, do you have any good plan?"

The two of them have been together for more than ten years. After hearing what he said, Ji Lingyan knew that he had some good plan.

as predicted.

"Ha, I just heard some news, I don't know if it's true or not, everything is up to His Majesty to decide."

"Yuan He, just say whatever you want."

"Now we should prioritize expanding our power, so let them fight each other for now. However, I heard that Marquis Xiaoyong is critically ill and I'm afraid he won't live long."

Hearing this, Ji Lingyan became interested. "Oh? Didn't I hear that he's always been very strong? Besides, the Marquis of Valor is only sixty, right?"

"Indeed, but I've been fighting for years and have a lot of old injuries. Now it seems like those injuries have recurred and I'm bedridden. Besides..."

Zhu Yuanhe leaned casually against the wall, with a slight smile on his lips and a cunning look in his eyes that didn't match his appearance.

"Your Highness knows that the Marquis of Xiaoyong values ​​power as his life, and for many years he has not submitted a petition to enthrone his son as the Crown Prince. Now that he has fallen ill, I'm afraid all hell has broken loose."

He suppressed the smile on his face and said, "If we attack now, I think it will be easy to capture the fiefdom of Marquis Xiaoyong."

"By then, we will still be afraid of those traitors. Whether it's Ji Xun or Wang Yi, they can easily get rid of him."

Their eyes met, and after a moment, Ji Lingyan laughed heartily.

"Having Yuan He here is truly a blessing for this king."

The news is indeed true.

But what they didn't expect was that the civil strife in the Marquis of Xiaoyong's Mansion would end so quickly.

Or rather, there was no chaos at all.

By the time they sent their troops out, everything was over.

The result was naturally nothing.

In the Marquis of Xiaoyong’s mansion, in the Marquis of Xiaoyong’s bedroom.

Qi Yanan sat aside, looking at his bedridden father coldly.

At this time, Marquis Xiaoyong, who was lying on the bed, slowly opened his cloudy eyes. After adjusting to the light, he turned his head and was about to call someone in to serve him.

Then I saw my youngest son, Qi Yan'an, who had been sitting there for who knows how long.

"It's Yan An. When did you come? You're just in time. Bring the medicine to father."

"medicine?"

Qi Yan'an glanced at the bowl of medicine placed not far from his hand. It was no longer steaming because it had been there for a while.

"Yes, that's the bowl of medicine. Bring it to me, father."

He picked up the bowl of medicine, chuckled, and stood up, but did not walk towards Marquis Xiaoyong.

He threw the bowl of medicine directly out of the window and turned around and walked back.

He looked at Xiaoyong Hou and shook his head, "Father, there is no medicine."

Seeing his actions, the Marquis of Xiaoyong, who was lying on the bed, became angry and his face turned red.

Then came a series of coughs.

He stroked his chest again and again until he calmed down.

He glared at his son in front of him and said, "Rebellious son, this Marquis is your father. This is how you treat your father. How can this Marquis treat you well?"

Qi Yanan walked closer to him step by step, "Okay?"

"Father is so kind. He just told me that he would make me the crown prince, and then he turned around and said the same thing to my good illegitimate elder brother, cutting off my wings just when I was about to grow stronger."

"Heh, this check and balance tactic is really well used by father. I wonder what father was thinking when he saw us brothers fighting each other?"

Looking at the man who clenched his fists and wished to eat him alive.

He laughed, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Father must be very pleased. We are being controlled by you like puppets."

Qi Yan'an moved closer to him, looking down at him, the coldness in his eyes deepened.

"Father, you often say that I'm like you. Well, I am a little bit like you. I'm just as cruel and ruthless as you."

"But father, you forced me to do this. If I am not a father, then I am not a son."

He took out the dagger he was wearing and said, "Father, let me, your son, escort you on your journey. It will be considered as my filial piety."

Looking at the approaching dagger, Marquis Xiaoyong shouted hoarsely, "Someone come, someone come!"

Qi Yan'an played with the dagger in his hand, quietly enjoying his cries for help.

From the initial excited shouting, some doubt in the eyes, and finally to dead silence.

"When did you take control of the Marquis' Mansion?"

"When? Father, don't you think this illness is very serious?"

At this moment, everything was clear. Marquis Xiaoyong stared with his eyes wide open, as if he would be angry to death at any time.

He stretched out his index finger tremblingly, "Rebellious son."

This time, Qi Yan'an didn't waste any more time talking to him. He picked up the dagger in his hand and stabbed it towards his neck.

"Father, it's time to go."

I glanced at the person lying on the bed without even closing his eyes.

Qi Yan'an threw the bloody dagger on the ground and walked out of the house without looking back.

At this time, the butler of the Marquis Mansion, who had been waiting outside, came to greet him, "My Lord."

"Packed up."

"Yes."