Pei Jingzhi had arrived at the Eldest Princess's mansion with intense anticipation, but as he left, his heart was filled with an equal measure of grief and despair.
If Eldest Princess Xiao Ruyi could so callously disregard the Great Yu Dynasty, who else could the dynasty rely on?
What kind of waves could loyal officials like them possibly make against Ren Tianye?
"Lord Pei, how did it go?"
"Lord Pei, did the Eldest Princess agree?"
Chen Liang and Wen Cheng hurried forward, unable to contain their impatience.
Pei Jingzhi, however, remained silent.
He merely paused and looked back at the illustrious mansion, built with funds personally allocated by the late Emperor. At this moment, its lights had already been extinguished again.
In the dark night of the capital, the spark of hope had once again died out.
Much like the vast, eight-hundred-year-old Great Yu Dynasty, the darkness was thick and suffocating, offering not a single glimmer of hope.
However, the state had nurtured its scholars for eight hundred years. To die for righteousness and loyalty was a duty for today. Even if the empire was truly shattering, he, who had received imperial grace for generations, along with the countless literati and officials behind him, would burn away their last drop of blood for the Great Yu Dynasty.
He sighed and said, "Forget it, let us go back!
"Eldest Princess Xiao Ruyi... is not someone we can entrust with this task!"
Looks of utter disappointment instantly appeared on the faces of Chen Liang and Wen Cheng. They had already guessed the worst-case scenario, but having it laid bare before them still made them sway on their feet.
That was the Eldest Princess!
A pillar of the state!
The only person in the capital capable of standing against Ren Tianye. If she merely raised her arm and called out, supporters would gather like clouds. Even if she couldn't drive Ren Tianye away, she could certainly force him to restrain himself.
Yet...
Despite eating the imperial grain, she completely disregarded the safety of the court.
The three men stood in the night wind, letting the freezing breeze wash over them. Their hearts felt as though they had been plunged into a bottomless ocean, suffocating them to the point where they could barely breathe.
This solemn atmosphere, however, was shattered by the clatter of approaching footsteps.
In the distance, a fiery dragon of torches rapidly closed in on them at breakneck speed.
As it drew near, the sight became clear.
It was Ren Tianye's deputy general, Wang Ming.
He led hundreds of soldiers, each holding a torch, clad in armor, with sharp blades at their waists, surrounding them.
The expressions of Pei Jingzhi and his companions changed drastically.
This was especially true for Wen Cheng.
He knew very well that these men had come to arrest him.
With the trump card of the Eldest Princess now completely useless, he stood entirely alone. Aside from death, there was no other way out.
Wen Cheng couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
Taking a deep breath, he strode forward.
He directly faced the approaching Wang Ming.
He had already drawn the precious sword at his waist. Under the lamplight, flickering flames danced across the blade. Standing tall with his weapon, his face was stern and cold: "You are Wang Ming, aren't you?"
"I remember you!"
"A mere deputy to a petty guerrilla general from the Northern Frontier, and now you dare to come to the capital to throw your weight around?"
"Hmph, Wang Ming, go back and tell Ren Tianye that he has only gained a temporary advantage. This empire, ultimately, belongs to the Xiao family!"
"The Emperor is still here, the imperial clan is still here, the noble families are still here, and the will of the people is still here!"
"However arrogant Ren Tianye is today."
"That is how miserable he will be tomorrow!"
"Don't you want to capture me?"
"Come on! Today, I, Wen Cheng, as a Cavalry Commandant, will use my life to tell the world that the Great Yu empire will endure forever, just like the sun, moon, and stars!"
"Great Yu will not fall!"
"The unyielding spirit of Great Yu will not fall!"
"I, Wen Cheng, will die a worthy death!"
Standing with his sword, Wen Cheng's figure cast a long shadow in the firelight, one end at his feet and the other stretching into the Imperial City.
This display actually caused everyone present to be slightly taken aback.
This included the soldiers Wang Ming had brought.
Among them, a portion were imperial guards formerly under Lu Qing, who had been broken up by Ren Tianye and mixed in with the hundred thousand troops from the Northern Frontier.
Ren Tianye used this method to control the capital's imperial guards, but inevitably, many of them still had their hearts set on Great Yu.
Seeing this scene, they all showed looks of pity toward Wen Cheng.
Even Wang Ming.
He secretly sighed; he was a true man.
It was just a pity...
The giant ship of Great Yu had been battered by storms for eight hundred years and was riddled with holes. Now, encountering an unprecedentedly absurd Empress like Xiao Mingzhao, it was on the verge of capsizing.
Being willing to guard this sinking ship of Great Yu showed the character of these men, but...
They had to die!
Moreover... the manner of their death would be beyond imagination!
Thus, Wang Ming sneered and said, "Wen Cheng, you treacherous villain, how dare you speak of loyalty and serving the country?"
"Don't tell me you still don't know why the Grand Commandant wants to kill you?"
"Hmph! There's no harm in telling you!"
"You lusted after wealth and status, vainly attempting to act as Her Majesty's substitute lover. Her Majesty disliked you, and now she has completely awakened and repented her past mistakes. She wants to purge villains like you."
"Now, by Her Majesty's decree, I have come to chop off your head."
"What?"
Wen Cheng's expression changed drastically.
Death was not a problem!
Since ancient times, who has never died?
As long as he died for a worthy cause and could leave a glorious name for eternity, he was willing to die.
But damn it...
The Empress's substitute lover?
Dying because of this?
He wouldn't even be allowed into his family's ancestral graveyard!
His resolute and courageous face instantly flushed a deep purple: "You, you, you are talking nonsense! I, Wen Cheng, am an upright man! How could I be greedy for vanity?"
"How could I be Her Majesty's substitute?"
"Stop spitting venom!"
Wen Cheng stomped his feet and cursed in anger, but Wang Ming remained calm and collected. He took out the memorial personally annotated by Xiao Mingzhao and displayed it for Wen Cheng to see.
Pointing at the imperial seal affixed by Xiao Mingzhao, he said, "You shouldn't be unfamiliar with Her Majesty's handwriting, right?"
"Even if you don't recognize Her Majesty's handwriting, you wouldn't doubt the imperial seal, would you?"
"Look closely. You, a villain who vainly attempted to be Her Majesty's substitute, deserve to die today!"
Touching the memorial, Wen Cheng took one look and almost vomited blood.
"I, I didn't!"
"I didn't!"
"I didn't!"
Unfortunately, these cries were completely useless.
With Xiao Mingzhao's personal handwriting and her imperial seal, it was an ironclad fact. Wen Cheng couldn't deny it even if he wanted to.
Chen Liang and Pei Jingzhi, who were standing nearby, also leaned in.
Seeing the red ink annotations on the memorial, their expressions also changed drastically.
They simultaneously protested against Wang Ming.
"Brother Wen Cheng is absolutely not that kind of person! I, Chen Liang, am willing to vouch for him!"
"I, Pei Jingzhi, am willing to guarantee it with the lives of my entire family, young and old."
Wang Ming didn't want to clash with these court officials, especially a three-generation veteran minister like Pei Jingzhi. After all, in a way, they represented the will of the people.
The Grand General had only recently arrived in the capital. Although he controlled an army of three hundred thousand, his foundation was still far from stable.
The Grand General had also frequently warned that after entering the capital, soldiers were forbidden from pillaging, killing, burning, and looting.
Therefore, facing the pleas of the two men, Wang Ming simply ignored them and said flatly, "Gentlemen, the imperial edict is right here. Could it be that you wish to defy orders?"
He ordered his subordinates to push the two men aside.
His soldiers had originally felt quite sympathetic toward Wen Cheng, but now, hearing that it was Her Majesty's decree—and that it involved such a filthy matter as being a substitute lover—their good impression of Wen Cheng instantly collapsed.
Several men quickly rushed forward. After forcing Pei Jingzhi and Chen Liang aside, they pressed a broadsword against Wen Cheng's neck.
"Take him back, and then, according to His Majesty's decree, behead him as a public warning!" Wang Ming ordered.
Just then, the gates of the Eldest Princess's estate creaked open, and the steward walked out.
Seeing this, Pei Jingzhi and Chen Liang were overjoyed.
Wen Cheng was even more ecstatic.
Could it be that the Eldest Princess was finally willing to step forward?
If the Eldest Princess was willing to stand up for him, the dirty water poured on him could be instantly washed away!
Wang Ming's expression also changed slightly.
Ren Tianye had repeatedly instructed him that even though they controlled the court with military might, they should avoid oppressing the masses with force unless absolutely necessary.
Otherwise, it would be easy for their hundred-thousand-strong Northern Frontier army to enter the capital, but much harder to win the world.
This Eldest Princess was the late Emperor's biological sister and the head of the imperial clan. If she intervened, they would inevitably have to confront the imperial clan head-on.
This would make Ren Tianye's current situation difficult.
"My lords..."
The steward's voice rang out. "Her Highness the Eldest Princess thought it over and felt that since you visited so late at night, it would truly be unbearable to let you leave just like this!"
"Therefore..."
"She ordered this humble servant to bring two boxes of chrysanthemum tea for you lords!"
"Her Highness said to let you moisten your throats and dispel your hostility. There is nothing in this world that cannot be resolved."
"She asks that you do not lose your tempers!"
With that, the steward presented the chrysanthemum tea, and there were only two boxes.
The hope that had just risen in Wen Cheng's heart instantly collapsed.
Pei Jingzhi, on the other hand, was instantly enraged.
A man is about to die right in front of your gates, and you send chrysanthemum tea?
And ask us to dispel our hostility?
Is this a matter of dispelling hostility?
Wang Ming, however, felt relieved and shouted, "Take him away!"
Wang Ming and his men came quickly and left just as fast.
After verifying his identity, they beheaded Wen Cheng according to the imperial laws. Following Ren Tianye's previous instructions, they put the head in a box and personally delivered it to the Yuchen Estate.
Only then did he return to report to Ren Tianye.
Ren Tianye was stunned upon hearing this.
"Wang Ming, are you saying that the Eldest Princess, Xiao Ruyi, did not protect Wen Cheng?"
"Even with Pei Jingzhi right there at the scene, the Eldest Princess Xiao Ruyi merely sent out two boxes of chrysanthemum tea?"
"She didn't give you any orders?"
"Yes, General!" Wang Ming recounted the situation at the time in full detail, sparing nothing, to Ren Tianye.
Ren Tianye listened with a look of pleasant surprise!
This was absolutely absurd!
One must know that although he was currently the Grand Commandant, controlling the 200,000-strong army in the capital as well as the 100,000 Northern Frontier troops he had brought with him, possessing formidable military strength and intimidating the entire capital with force, he actually had not won the hearts of the people.
After becoming the Grand Commandant, he had repeatedly shown a thirst for talent, but to little avail.
Aside from those who originally supported the Duke of Ren's estate coming to join him, very few capable individuals, strange talents, or civil and military officials had pledged their allegiance to him.
The few who did come were mostly sycophants and flatterers.
To secure the realm and govern the world, they were completely useless.
He had been worrying about this!
And now, the Eldest Princess Xiao Ruyi actually made such a gesture!
"This is a damn natural ally!"
"More precious than a giant panda!"
Ren Tianye sighed in amazement.
He was well aware of the Eldest Princess Xiao Ruyi's influence.
Or, more accurately, he knew the power of her title as the "Eldest Princess." As the head of the imperial clan, gaining Xiao Ruyi's support would eliminate at least half of the imperial resistance he faced.
In the court, the number of imperial relatives opposing him would significantly decrease, and across the realm, the number of vassal kings raising armies to save the emperor and crusade against him would also drop drastically.
He had not even dared to dream of gaining Xiao Ruyi's approval, yet he never expected her to act in such a manner.
"It seems that once this matter is settled, this general must prepare a generous gift and go meet this Eldest Princess!"
"It would be a real pity not to build a friendship here!"
Ren Tianye made his plans.
At the same time, he waited for news to return from the Yuchen Estate.
The news arrived even faster than he had anticipated.
The next day, he received a memorial personally written by Xiao Mingzhao, which praised the elimination of the body doubles, commending the act as loyal and patriotic.
Even though, up to this point, the memorial did not know that the loyal and patriotic person it was praising was none other than him, Ren Tianye!
However, this made Ren Tianye even more certain in his heart.
Tuoba Xiangtai cared immensely about the word "double," otherwise he would not have forced Xiao Mingzhao to write such a decree.
"It seems that with just a little more provocation, Xiao Mingzhao will definitely die at the hands of Tuoba Xiangtai!"
Ren Tianye's gaze turned chilling.
This was the strategy he had settled on early on.
It was also something he had to push forward.
One must know that he had clearly established his strategy from the very beginning.
Xiao Mingzhao had to die, but absolutely not by his hands!
From the history he knew, he was all too aware that in the five thousand years of history, not a single person who dared to directly kill an emperor ever met a good end.
Zhao Gao, Wang Mang, Sima Zhao, Liu Yu, Yuwen Huaji, Zhu Wen, and even Yuan Shikai in modern times.
After committing regicide, these people had to face either military crusades from feudal lords and regional warlords, or collective boycotts from the aristocracy and bureaucratic factions.
There was even betrayal and backlash from their own inner circles. After all, if they could kill an emperor, wouldn't they kill their own ministers tomorrow?
This meant that these regicides ultimately could not escape internal strife, or the dynasties they founded were extremely short-lived!
Ren Tianye had analyzed the reasons for this.
Mainly, the concept of the divine right of kings was deeply ingrained.
Regicide was considered an act against the will of Heaven.
Therefore...
He absolutely would not make such a mistake!
Nor would he walk such a path!
If he were to act, he would at the very least be Dong Zhuo, holding the emperor hostage to throw the world into chaos!
At best, he would be Boss Cao (Cao Cao)!
Holding the emperor hostage to command the disobedient!
And he obviously wanted to be Cao Cao!
In that case...
He could not kill the Empress Xiao Mingzhao!
He needed to find an executioner!
Tuoba Xiangtai was the best executioner!
Ren Tianye already had a plan in mind and immediately ordered Wang Ming: "Go inform the Ministry of Revenue to cut off all funds and provisions for the barbarians brought by Tuoba Xiangtai!"
"Ah?"
"Go!" Ren Tianye did not explain further. Instead, he personally wrote a memorial specifically to be presented to Xiao Mingzhao.
It had only one meaning.
Following His Majesty's decree, the barbarian supplies must be cut off!
At the very end, he even left behind a deeply affectionate and earnest sentence.
"How can this subject bear to see Your Majesty coerced by barbarians?"
"I will surely save Your Majesty from the fire and water, and deliver Your Majesty from this sea of suffering!"
"Please wait a little longer, Your Majesty!"
"In a few days, there will be results!"
...
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
close your eyes and open them again, only to find yourself transmigrated into the role of a villainous male supporting character. Readers familiar with urban wish-fulfillment novels know that it is only through the relentless antics of the villainous male supporting character that the plot between the male and female leads can progress. As the villainous male supporting character, Long Aotian not only has to bully the female lead, harass the second female lead, and flirt with the third female lead, but he also has to go all out to antagonize the male lead. In the end, when his body is discovered, he is still clutching half a moldy fried dough stick in his hand. Fully aware of the plot, Long Aotian is determined to change his fate, starting with the female lead! In the beginning, the female lead lacks confidence: "Big brother, I hope I didn't scare you?" In the middle, the female lead treads carefully: "Brother Long, please don't hit me, okay?" Later on, the female lead becomes coquettishly clingy: "Aotian, it's time to pay the 'public grain' tonight." Long Aotian's legs go weak, and he feels like crying: "I taught you to be thick-skinned, not shameless!"
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
