My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

Upon seeing this, Prince An's confidence soared even higher.

The officials in the capital were indulging in prosperity and comfort, enjoying their leisure time, and knew very little about the affairs of the border regions.

Even though the emperor had some doubts, he dared not easily touch this prince who held a great military power, for the sake of stability in the court and peace on the border.

Prince An continued, "My return to the capital this time is also to report this grave situation to Your Majesty. Zhenbei City is the gateway to the northern frontier of our Great Xia Dynasty; its safety is directly related to the foundation of the nation. I dare not be negligent in the slightest."

Then he changed the subject, his tone becoming somewhat threatening: "If the military supplies are insufficient, the city walls are not repaired, and the military pay is not sustainable, how can the soldiers be expected to defend the land with peace of mind? Once morale is low, the Rong tribes may take advantage of the situation and invade, and the consequences will be unimaginable."

The emperor sat on the dragon throne, his face almost expressionless.

He sneered inwardly. At this moment, Prince An was still emphasizing these things. Did he really think that he wouldn't dare to touch him?

He was already aware of Prince An's greed and disloyalty.

As for the Rong tribe's greatly increased power?

Sorry, the land has been ravaged by a rain of swords, and corpses lie everywhere.

But Chu Lengyu was able to find out about military pay and smuggling so easily, while the secret guards have been completely unsuccessful all these years. Does he have a bunch of good-for-nothings supporting him?!

The emperor had already issued an imperial edict, intending to send his four good-for-nothing sons to Zhenbei City for training, and to take this opportunity to secretly investigate the matter of military pay.

With Chu Lengyu's help, a lot of trouble has been saved.

But the emperor still did not change his mind; he sent the princes to the border to gain experience and demoted Governor Sun to accompany them.

Thinking of this, the emperor had a thought. If the recent bandit uprisings were inextricably linked to Prince An, then wouldn't Governor Sun's merit in eliminating bandits also be questioned?

“Prince An, I am well aware of your loyalty,” the Emperor said slowly, with a hint of something unfathomable in his voice. “But I also believe that the Great Xia has a vast territory and countless soldiers, all of whom are devoted to serving the country. Even without you, Zhenbei City will remain as solid as a rock and as impregnable as a fortress.”

Upon hearing this, Prince An was startled, as if he had been doused with cold water, which sobered him up somewhat.

He had not expected the emperor to respond in such a way, which dispelled his concerns and reliance on the emperor.

He hurriedly defended himself, saying, "Your Majesty, I have been in Zhenbei City for many years and know every blade of grass and tree there like the back of my hand. If I were not personally in charge, I am afraid it would be difficult to deal with the sudden invasion of the Rong tribes."

The Emperor smiled slightly, as if he had already seen through Prince An's thoughts: "Prince An, I have seen your contributions to Zhenbei City, but you have worked so hard all these years, and you don't even have a family yet. I have decided to send a new general to Zhenbei City to take over the city's defenses, so that you can have some time to rest and start a family."

Prince An's expression instantly became complex and difficult to discern. He clearly knew that behind the emperor's words lay both reassurance and a warning.

He tried to speak again, wanting to continue arguing, but the emperor gently raised his hand, stopping him from speaking.

"Prince An, you must be tired from your journey. Please return to your residence and rest well. This matter is of great importance, and I will discuss it with my ministers before making a decision." The emperor's voice carried an unquestionable authority.

Prince An had no choice but to accept the order and withdraw.

He was unwilling, but he also knew that arguing at this moment would be pointless, so he could only back down for the time being.

Moreover, previous emperors had also placed outsiders in Zhenbei City to shake the position of the Prince An's lineage, but so what?

Those people either died in battle, were demoted after a series of defeats, or were recruited as their allies.

Prince An stepped out of the Golden Palace, his figure upright and his steps steady. A hint of mockery and smugness unconsciously appeared at the corner of his mouth, as if he were silently mocking the emperor.

The emperor thought he controlled Zhenbei City, but that was not the case.

His trump card, which he had always held in his hand, was the Rong tribe with whom he had secretly made a deal!

As long as he controls the Rong tribe's powerful figures through trade routes, and knows both himself and his enemy, how could he possibly lose? It's simply impossible for him to lose!

Prince An confidently believed that he was the chess player controlling the whole situation. He seemed to have already foreseen the day when the emperor would run into a wall due to a wrong decision and eventually have to bow down and ask him for help.

After Prince An left, some ministers were immediately filled with worry and wanted to offer their advice: "Your Majesty, this..."

"My dear ministers, there is no need to worry. I know what I'm doing," the emperor reassured them. "Times have changed. The Rong tribes are no longer a threat."

But the emperor kept the specifics of why it was "not a cause for concern" a secret, and instead said, "There is another important matter today that I need to inform all of you ministers."

The civil and military officials immediately listened attentively, curious about what important matter it was.

The atmosphere in the imperial court suddenly became tense.

The emperor rose and stood before the dragon throne, solemnly announcing his decision: "My beloved ministers, I have appointed Chu Lengyu as the Imperial Preceptor, and the imperial decree ceremony will be held soon."

These words immediately sparked a murmur of discussion in the court.

The ministers whispered among themselves, some surprised, some dissatisfied, and some directly protesting.

"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!" An old minister stepped forward and objected firmly. "Although Chu Lengyu is capable, she is, after all, a woman. How can she be appointed as the Imperial Preceptor?"

Another minister followed up, saying, "Your Majesty, the position of National Preceptor is a traditional one in Korea, and it has always been held by a highly respected civil official or Taoist priest. Chu Lengyu is a woman of unknown origin, with neither official rank nor Taoist registration. How can she command respect?"

One minister bluntly stated, "Aside from that battle against the demons, Chu Lengyu has no other achievements. How can she be promoted to the position of Imperial Advisor overnight based on a single accidental victory?"

"This matter is contrary to the laws of our ancestors. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider."

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you withdraw this proposal."

"Seconded!"

The emperor listened to the discussions of his ministers without changing his expression, for he had already anticipated this scene.

He knew that getting these conservative ministers to accept Chu Lengyu would not be an easy task.

But the emperor was determined; he had great faith in Chu Lengyu's character, abilities, and potential.

“My dear ministers, Chu Lengyu’s talent cannot be fully described in words, nor can it be easily fathomed by you.”

"With extraordinary wisdom and courage, she turned the tide and protected the capital city from annihilation. This achievement is enough to shine in history and become a legendary tale that will be passed down through generations of the people of our Great Xia."

The emperor paused, then continued, "As for her background and gender, these are not criteria for judging a person. What Great Xia needs are truly capable and talented individuals, not those who are all show and no substance, empty talkers who harm the country!"

In the imperial court, the officials were stunned by the emperor's words, and the discussions gradually subsided.

However, several ministers were still unwilling to give up and wanted to continue arguing, but the emperor waved them off.

"My mind is made up, and the imperial edict has been issued. There is no need to discuss this matter further. The ceremony for bestowing the title will be prepared by the Ministry of Rites and will be held as scheduled. My beloved ministers, if there are no other important matters, this morning court session will end here."

There were still voices of discontent in the imperial court.

The emperor has been acting arbitrarily lately. He just executed the Duke of Zhenguo and now wants to strip Prince An of his military power. The ministers have long had objections.

Meanwhile, some quick-thinking individuals have begun to reconsider Chu Lengyu's appointment and consider the changes this new Grand Preceptor might bring.