My reborn husband and son are thinking about how to kill me every day.

If there is still a fight between the two, there is no need for her to rush into action at this time.

If she could wait for the right opportunity to strike, she might only need to invest a small number of troops to achieve greater results.

Ji Yunshuang did not express her thoughts, but instead asked Pang Jinghuan how many people they had brought into the city and where they were.

Since he was preparing to surrender, Pang Jinghuan had made preparations before he came.

Ji Yunshuang didn't ask, but he was already planning to tell her.

Therefore, he confessed to everyone without much hesitation.

He assured them that he had given them orders not to act rashly before receiving his own command, and that they had not done anything so far.

Upon learning that many of them were attending classes at Jixian Academy, Ji Yunshuang asked him about his experience and whether there was anything he didn't understand. She told him that if he had any questions, he could ask her, and she could answer them for him.

Looking at Ji Yunshuang's amiable expression, Pang Jinghuan felt uneasy. He wondered if Ji Yunshuang truly trusted him or had other plans.

He was sweating profusely.

Ji Yunshuang noticed his nervousness, so she moved the tea, pastries, and fruit to the table and gestured for him to ask, saying, "If you feel too nervous asking me, you can ask the teachers at the academy."

Now that classes have been running for so long, Ji Yunshuang has already selected the best students to serve as teachers in the academy.

Only problems that even the academy's teachers couldn't solve would be brought to Ji Yunshuang for advice.

But at this moment, Pang Jinghuan didn't hear what Ji Yunshuang was saying at all.

His head felt like it had been struck by lightning.

He had only one thought in his mind: the rumors outside were true, and His Majesty was truly a god!

How did she manage to conjure up so many exquisite dishes?

Is there some kind of organization involved?

His eyes subtly scanned his surroundings, absolutely certain that there were no traps or mechanisms. Those things really had just appeared out of thin air.

Shocked, he felt only relief. Thank goodness he had realized his mistake and turned back from the wrong path.

There is no such thing as going down a dead end.

If he doesn't come to his senses and surrender to her, and instead spreads rumors to slander her, isn't he going against the gods?

He stammered and bowed to Ji Yunshuang, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I have already asked the teacher about the parts of the lessons I didn't understand in the academy."

Ji Yunshuang seemed oblivious to his nervousness and piety, and continued to speak to him calmly as before, even asking about his previous positions in the court.

Pang Jinghuan answered nervously. Although Ji Yunshuang did not grant his request to lead troops to capture King Qi Jing in the end, she did not assign him any position because of his voluntary surrender.

But when he left the palace, he felt inexplicably satisfied, feeling that he had been valued by His Majesty and that as long as he continued to serve His Majesty, he would have a bright future.

After Pang Jinghuan left the palace, Ji Yunshuang sent people to investigate the people he had mentioned. Indeed, as Pang Jinghuan had said, they had not done anything to harm her.

Liang Zhonglin asked, "Your Majesty, what should we do with these people?"

Ji Yunshuang said, "Have someone keep an eye on them. As long as they don't cause any trouble, we don't need to worry about them."

"Yes!" Liang Zhonglin replied, then added, "Should I instruct my subordinates to be careful during the checks to prevent any more loopholes from slipping in?"

"Go and make arrangements to let them pay attention, but don't make too much of a fuss and cause unnecessary tension among the residents. If you find anyone suspicious, make a note of it and report it discreetly, then arrange for someone to keep an eye on them."

As Ji Yunshuang spoke, she felt that a separate department related to this should be established.

"Let's set up a separate department! Let's call it... the Ministry of National Defense! From now on, all matters related to this will be handled by the Ministry of National Defense."

Liang Zhonglin had gotten used to Ji Yunshuang setting up departments they had never heard of before on a whim.

Although the names of these departments sound strange, it was precisely because of these peculiar departments that Daqi quickly got on the right track.

He immediately followed Ji Yunshuang's instructions and began to organize the establishment of the Ministry of National Defense.

*

At Zhenxi Pass, King Qi Jing had lost even more weight, and he was anxiously awaiting news.

But neither the people he sent to Beiguan nor those he sent back to Qiongdu returned with any news.

Grand Tutor Li had a bad feeling and said, "Your Majesty, the soldiers we sent to Beiguan to mobilize troops may have encountered some misfortune on the way. We must make other plans as soon as possible."

King Jing of Qi was already anxious, and hearing Grand Tutor Li's words made him even more agitated.

He only discovered after reviewing his troops these past two days that only half of the soldiers at Zhenxiguan were usable, the other half being old, weak, sick, or disabled.

These elderly, weak, sick, and disabled people are simply not fit to go to the battlefield!

So, his troop strength hasn't increased much.

In addition to this, what drove him even more crazy was the severe shortage of soldiers and food at Zhenxiguan.

The severe food shortage in Zhenxiguan was also inextricably linked to him.

Because he harbored resentment towards Wei Chengfeng, he often embezzled military rations allocated to Zhenxiguan. He worried that if Wei Chengfeng had more military rations, he might develop other intentions.

He often delayed allocating provisions to the troops stationed at Zhenxiguan. His subordinates, seeing which way the wind was blowing, would change their minds.

Seeing that he didn't value Zhenxiguan and even deliberately made things difficult for it, the subordinates treated Zhenxiguan even worse.

The military rations that should have been delivered to Zhenxiguan in July were repeatedly delayed. Later, soldiers at the front lines contracted the plague, which then spread to the State of Qi.

The State of Qi was in chaos, and no one cared about transporting military supplies to Zhenxi Pass anymore...

Looking back now, King Qi Jing felt nothing but regret. Why hadn't he transported more military provisions to Zhenxi Pass back then?

Now, his first priority is to find a way to solve the problem of military rations.

He suppressed his agitation and asked, "Grand Tutor, what do you think we should do now?"

After bowing to King Jing of Qi, Grand Tutor Li said with a grave expression, "Your Majesty, this old minister believes that we should send people out again to spread the news. The people we sent out before have not yet returned with any messages, I'm afraid something has happened!"

King Qi Jing rubbed his temples and said, "Arrange a few more people!"

Thinking that Pang Jinghuan might have betrayed him, he instructed: "Arrange for those with families here, local people from Zhenxiguan are fine, as well as soldiers in the army who can't go to the battlefield, to go out and arrange for them. Promise them that after the matter is accomplished, they will be promoted and given the imperial surname."

Grand Tutor Li agreed and entrusted the matter to his trusted confidant. In his view, spreading rumors was merely one of the methods used to attack Ji Yunshuang, and the least important of all the tasks.

The most important thing now is military strength; how to defeat Ji Yunshuang.

King Jing of Qi was also thinking about this problem. He was unwilling to risk borrowing troops from neighboring countries, so he wanted to attack Ji Yunshuang in another way.

Considering Ji Yunshuang's identity, he focused his attention on the Zhou Emperor and Prince Rui.

He sent General Yao with troops to attack the Zhou Kingdom because he understood that the Zhou Kingdom was fragmented.

All three princes wanted to become emperor, but after the crown prince died, the throne was passed to the crown prince's legitimate son.

The young emperor was too young for the three vassal kings to submit to.

Several vassal kings have amassed troops and engaged in petty actions.

He was confident that he could conquer the Zhou state because he saw that several people wanted to amass troops and rebel.

Initially, everything did indeed go according to his plan. It was only later, when a dark horse emerged from under Prince Rui's command, that the situation changed.

Both Prince Duan and Prince Xuan are gone.

Now, only King Rui and the young emperor remain in the Zhou state.

Prince Rui would never want to see the people he had nurtured turn against him. He slowly moved the black pieces in front of him with his fingers, his thoughts becoming clearer and clearer.

The news of Ji Yunshuang's ascension to the throne in Daqi must be relayed to Prince Rui and the young emperor of Zhou.

Once both sides learn of the news, they will certainly take immediate action.

He summoned his personal guards and instructed them: "Send a message to the spies we have planted in Zhou, and let them know that the Ji family has declared themselves emperors in Qi."

The guards immediately obeyed and went to carry out the order.

Then, King Jing of Qi summoned someone and gave several orders in succession.

In addition to sending people to sow discord between Ji Yunshuang and Prince Rui, causing them to fight amongst themselves, they also sent people to contact the deputy general who had accompanied General Yao to attack the Zhou Kingdom.

He wrote a personal letter, in which he explained how Ji Yunshuang used the plague to harm the Qi Kingdom, causing them to lose their families and lives, and expressed his gratitude to them. He also offered various conditions.

If they could inform the soldiers of this news and bring them back to join him in dealing with Ji Yunshuang, he would promote them and grant them titles and ranks...