Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

Weiyang Palace, Imperial Study.

Jiang Mengxuan paced back and forth, feeling extremely nervous.

Ji Yuxi's early return to court was something she hadn't anticipated.

If she returns to the palace before the house is confiscated, it will be very difficult to confiscate it.

The issue of maternal relatives is the second problem Jiang Mengxuan has had to face since ascending the throne.

Over the years, thanks to the favor of the late emperor, the Ji family's influence has spread throughout the north and south of the country.

In particular, his elder brother, Ji Yuxi's biological son, the Third Prince Jiang Chong, who ruled the Shu region and was enfeoffed as the King of Shu, always harbored resentment over his own ascension to the throne.

According to a secret report from the Jingwei Bureau, Jiang Chong expanded his army to 300,000 in Shu under the pretext of resisting the infiltration of the Xia Kingdom, which seriously threatened the central imperial power.

If the relationship with the Empress Dowager is not handled carefully, the State of Chu could very well descend into a prolonged civil war.

Jiang Mengxuan doesn't have much power at hand right now, and she's unsure how to deal with the Empress Dowager's challenge.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Ye is requesting an audience outside the palace."

"Announce it immediately."

Ye Mo hurriedly entered the imperial study, and his first words were: "May I ask, Your Majesty, how is the confiscation of property progressing?"

Jiang Mengxuan: "I have already instructed the Imperial Guards and the Jingwei Division to work together to make up for the shortfall. It only takes one day."

That's far too harsh; it's simply impossible to clean up the assets of the offending aristocratic families in the city so quickly.

Ye Mo shook his head: "Never mind, Your Majesty can copy as much as you can. The Empress Dowager is about to enter the capital, and I estimate that she will only have one or two hours at most."

Jiang Mengxuan was very unwilling. Giving away the money she had just obtained to Ji Yuxi would only make the power of the maternal relatives stronger.

But what can we do now?

"Minister Ye, you've worked hard this time."

"Your Majesty, please don't say that. Before his death, the late Emperor entrusted this old minister with the task of assisting Your Majesty."

As the head of all officials and deeply trusted by the late emperor, I will naturally do my utmost to help Your Majesty secure the throne.

Ye Mo's words can be seen as a statement of his attitude to Jiang Mengxuan.

Unfortunately, Jiang Mengxuan couldn't trust Ye Mo's words at all.

Her preconceived notions made her unable to believe that the powerful prime minister before her would actually stand by her side.

"Your Majesty need not worry. Even if the Empress Dowager returns to the palace, the old ministers and the Six Ministries will not easily allow her to interfere in the confiscation of property."

For now, Your Majesty's priority is to appease her and try to comply with her wishes; other matters need not be considered for the time being.

Jiang Mengxuan sighed softly: "Prime Minister Ye, I believe in you."

In fact, she didn't have much hope for it.

……

The Empress Dowager's carriage moved slowly forward and soon arrived outside the South Gate of Jinling.

Looking through the carriage curtain, Ji Yuxi shook her head: "It's been more than a year since I last returned. Now that I'm back, everything has changed."

at this time……

"Driver in front, stop the vehicle and submit to routine inspection!"

Shen Lang's voice suddenly rang out in front of the carriage.

Ji Yuxi frowned: "Who is this person, daring to block my carriage? They must have a death wish! Xiao Chunzi, tell the guards to make way immediately!"

"Yes, Queen Mother."

The eunuch Xiaochunzi immediately started shrilly with a hoarse voice and limped toward the city gate.

Outside the city gate, a squad of heavily armed guards stood watch.

Shen Lang, who was at the head of the group, stood with his hands behind his back and looked at the huge convoy in front of him with a cold gaze.

However, Xiao Chunzi, relying on the Empress Dowager as her backer, did not take Shen Lang seriously at all.

Upon meeting, she immediately flashed her delicate pinky finger and said, "How dare you! Don't you know whose car this is? How dare you block my way? Are you out of your mind? Get out of the way right now!"

Shen Lang replied coldly, "The martial law in the city has not been lifted. Anyone entering or leaving must show their identification. Please show your identification!"

"How dare you! You deserve a slap..." Xiao Chunzi perked up immediately upon hearing this. "This is the Empress Dowager's carriage. How dare you obstruct it?"

"I really don't know how many heads you have, daring to offend the Empress Dowager!"

"Empress Dowager? What Empress Dowager?"

Unexpectedly, Shen Lang did not back down at all.

"I have no eyes for His Majesty! I have no regard for the Empress Dowager or anything like that. I'll say it again: anyone wishing to enter the city must present their identification documents. Everyone must disembark and undergo inspection!"

"Great job, that's really good!"

Xiao Chunzi didn't expect that Shen Lang would still be so arrogant after invoking the Empress Dowager's name.

"You actually dare to disregard even the Empress Dowager! You've got some nerve!"

"Have you said enough? If you have, please show your identity. If you don't, even if the King of Heaven himself came, you won't be allowed into the city today."

"You, are you really not afraid of death?"

"You dare to threaten me?"

Shen Lang's eyes suddenly turned cold, which startled Xiao Chunzi so much that she shivered.

But when she thought of herself as the Empress Dowager's confidante, Xiao Chunzi forced herself to be tough: "You, you actually dare to block the Empress Dowager's carriage, you are simply lawless!"

"My servant is the Empress Dowager's eunuch; do you know the consequences of offending me!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang took two steps forward, stopping only half a step away from Xiao Chunzi.

A powerful sense of oppression swept over me.

Xiao Chunzi swallowed hard, then gestured with her delicate fingers, saying, "What, what are you going to do? I'm warning you... Ah~"

Before he could finish speaking, the eunuch cried out in pain.

Shen Lang snapped Xiao Chunzi's fingers and tackled her to the ground.

"You've got too much to say, bastard. I asked you to show your ID and you still dared to talk back? What gives you the nerve to act so arrogantly in front of me, you spineless bastard? Do you really think I wouldn't dare touch you?"

The eunuch covered his fingers and rolled on the ground.

The cries of agony quickly drew the attention of many martial artists who jumped off the convoy and approached Shen Lang.

"Aim the rifle!"

At the same time, Meng Gong gave the order, and more than two hundred 98K rifles behind Shen Lang and on the city wall all aimed at the martial artists.

After quelling the Nanjing turmoil, these Imperial Guard soldiers had an unprecedented level of trust in their rifles.

When facing martial artists, they had already overcome their fear.

"How dare you! You're just a lowly gatekeeper, how dare you assault the Empress Dowager's eunuch? Aren't you afraid of death?"

"The Empress Dowager is the mother of the current Empress. How dare you block her carriage? You are truly courting death!"

Wangyue and Lianxing questioned Shen Lang in unison.

At the same time, he glanced at the "fire sticks" in the hands of the new soldiers out of the corner of his eye, feeling very disdainful.

Do they think they can threaten martial artists with just these pipes? I really don't know what they're thinking.

"Empress Dowager? Heh."

Upon hearing this, Shen Lang smiled.

"The Empress Dowager is praying for the late Emperor at Qingyu Peak, so why would she appear here?"

"You dare to impersonate the Empress Dowager? Your crime is even more serious! You must be spies from an enemy country. You must all be taken away for rigorous interrogation!"

"How dare you slander the Empress Dowager! You will die today!"

"Impersonating the Empress Dowager's entourage and daring to threaten court officials—I'd like to see who dies first!"

After speaking, Shen Lang drew a dagger from his waist and, with extreme speed, passed by Wang Yue and Lian Xing before they could react.

jingle--

With a clear, ringing sound of a wind chime, two jets of blood immediately spurted from Wangyue and Lianxing's necks.

"The Great Void: Starfall".

The unexpected scene shocked everyone inside and outside the city gate.

All the attendants around the Empress Dowager were dumbfounded when they saw this scene.

Did this gatekeeper really dare to kill the Empress Dowager's trusted confidant?

Or in front of the Empress Dowager?

After Shen Lang dealt with the two martial artists, he immediately raised the dagger in his hand and shouted four words in a deep voice.

"Take them all!"