Chapter 879: Subjugating King Ji

Old acquaintance?

Liang Guangyi paused and asked, "From an aristocratic family?"

The only people who could be spoken to by the Queen in this tone were those from aristocratic families, and the rest of the aristocratic families were in the capital. Those who were not in the capital did not have the ability to borrow the power of Beiling. The only one who could do this was Lu Jiuan, who had been involved with the vassal kings in the past, and later surrounded and killed Xiao Yan in order to cause civil strife in the Wei Dynasty, and who had traces of Beiling in his name.

Liang Guangyi raised his eyes: "Is it Lu Jiuan?"

Tang Ning smiled and said, "Prime Minister Liang is wise, but the biggest gain this time is not him, but the newly promoted powerful official in Beiling, the consort of Princess Chuyun, Ji Rongqing."

"He is the missing Lu family's third son, Lu Zhinian."

Liang Guangyi's eyes suddenly widened, and even Cao Dejiang and the others were stunned.

Beiling and Wei were old enemies, so naturally they all paid attention to Beiling's news. It was said that the new powerful official in Beiling, Ji Rongqing, had taken control of the troops of Zong Yu's tribe after marrying Princess Chuyun Wuya, and was favored by the Khan of Beiling. He was extremely scheming and ruthless. Soon after entering the Beiling royal court, he was able to compete with the national teacher Xiahou Ling, and even seized Xiahou Ling's power several times, forcing the National Teacher's Office to retreat away from him.

They had heard of Ji Rongqing a long time ago. They heard that he was weak and sick, but no one thought that he would be the missing third son of the Lu family. They also didn't expect that after being abandoned by the Lu family, he would be able to go to Beiling on his own and get this "opportunity" to become a powerful official above everyone else in Beiling.

Qian Baokun was stunned for a moment, then his face suddenly turned cold: "If he is Lu Zhinian, then the massacre at the border..."

"It was him," Tang Ning said. "In order to compete with Xiahou Ling for the military power in Beiling, he provoked the Wei Dynasty to go to war. Lu Jiuan led the barbarian soldiers inside. That's how he was able to choose the places where the Longting Guards and Zhen'an Army were weakly patrolled, and then he made a sudden attack and retreated unscathed..."

"These two bastards!"

Qian Baokun's face was filled with anger and he couldn't help cursing. If it were the Beiling barbarians, it would be fine. Although he hated them for their bloodthirstiness, there were people who would do anything to achieve their goals in a war between two countries. If they were not from the same tribe, they would only have to pay blood debt with blood, but it happened that the ones leading them were two people from the Great Wei.

They were their compatriots, the people of their motherland, yet they used the lives of so many as stepping stones to seize power in Beiling for their own selfish ends. Aren't they afraid of the souls of the wronged seeking their lives amidst the mountains of corpses and seas of blood? They are worse than beasts!

Cao Dejiang and the others also had grim expressions, and even Liang Guangyi had a grim look on his face.

Tang Ning had long since gotten over the initial fury he felt upon hearing the news. He said to the others, "Lu Jiuan has been captured alive. His presence is enough to pry out Beiling's secrets. The information sent to Beiling by Ming Ke, combined with Lu Jiuan's identity, is enough to make Lu Zhinian's life in Beiling impossible."

Lu Zhinian's identity as Ji Rongqing when he entered Beiling was fake, and the things he did to fool Princess Chuyun Wuya and the Khan of Beiling were also half true and half false. If Beiling had always won battles, no one would have questioned his fraud, but once it lost, Lu Zhinian's identity would have become a knife that would claim his life.

At that time, the first to bear the brunt of the defeat in Beiling would be Xiahou Ling, who led the troops, and Lu Zhinian, who sent people to inquire about the news and caused the battle to go awry.

Tang Ning said in a cold voice, "Your Majesty will not spare Lu Zhinian, and will certainly seek justice for the civilians and soldiers who died in vain."

They are determined to take Lu Zhinian’s life.

No matter what, he must die!!

Cao Dejiang and the others all looked indifferent upon hearing this, and they hated Lu Zhinian even more. Cao Dejiang asked in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, has His Majesty arrived in the northwest now?"

Tang Ning's expression relaxed slightly when he mentioned Xiao Yan. "Ten days ago, His Majesty sent a message saying they had arrived in Gongkang, which is only two hundred miles away from Fengcheng. Over the past few days, His Majesty must have quietly led his men into the northwest battlefield, waiting for the right opportunity."

And now, the time has come.

Tang Ning looked up at the others and said, "The Beiling spies will travel quickly and will reach the border in ten days at most, Minister Qian."

"I am here."

"We will gather military supplies and fodder over the next few days and send them to Beiling in five days. Prince Ji will lead the troops to escort them."

Prince Ji was stunned for a moment, then looked at Tang Ning in surprise: "I'm going to escort it?"

"Why, you don't want to?" Tang Ning looked at him.

Prince Ji hesitated. "It's not that I don't want to, but my status is special. With Prince Hui's incident, the clan members may not be so peaceful. Your Majesty, if you ask me to escort the grain and fodder at this time, aren't you afraid that I might become disloyal and interfere, thus ruining Your Majesty's great cause?"

Tang Ning looked at him directly: "Then can you?"

Seeing that Prince Ji remained silent, she said bluntly, "If you really wanted to rebel, tonight would be the best opportunity, but you didn't."

"You have the greater good in mind, knowing full well that chaos in the court will affect the borderlands. You care about the great Wei kingdom as well as the people of the world. You are fundamentally different from the selfish greed of King Hui and his companions. I also believe that you would not be so foolish as to tamper with food and fodder supplies."

"Besides, what the Japanese palace told you was true. Your Majesty does not want to be alone."

The Xie family is Xiao Yan's own clan, and the blood of Emperor Taizu is also his closest relative.

He didn't want to kill them all, nor did he want to be lonely and out of touch with the world after reaching a high position.

"Although the chaos in the capital has subsided, I must stay in the rear. Although there are many military generals in the court, there are only a few who can be trusted by me to be sent to the northwest at this time."

"Uncle Ji, I know you have great ambitions, and I don't want to confine you to the capital and waste your cavalry skills. Moreover, as a prince of the royal family, you enjoy the support of the whole nation. Shouldn't you also shoulder your due responsibilities and share the burdens of this palace and His Majesty?"

"It's not good for His Majesty to be fighting hard outside while you are hiding away in the capital enjoying yourself. Be careful that His Majesty will get jealous."

Prince Ji looked at Tang Ning, who spoke in a teasing tone, trying to see her testing intention, but when he met her dark eyes, he only saw seriousness in them.

He pursed his lips tightly, thinking back to when Emperor Taizu was alive. He was also a brave general trained by Taizu, and was even braver than the prince on horseback. He had sincerely wanted to assist the prince in expanding his territory and fighting for the Wei Dynasty.

But later, something happened to the crown prince and the court was in chaos. He became dormant day by day and even he himself almost forgot what he was like before.

Prince Ji and Tang Ning looked at each other for a moment, and couldn't help but chuckle: "The Queen still knows how to manipulate people's hearts."

He has to submit and admit it.

He is not as skilled as others.

King Ji bent his knees and knelt on the ground, just like all the ministers bowing their heads respectfully to the monarch.

"Your servant, Xie Tianyu, is willing to follow the imperial order and go to the northwest to assist Your Majesty in conquering Beiling. I will not hesitate even if it means death."

Tang Ning smiled faintly, "Then I'll leave it to Uncle Ji." After letting Ji Wang stand up, she turned around and said, "Minister Qian, please hurry up and prepare the follow-up matters at the Ministry of Revenue as soon as possible so that Ji Wang can set off as soon as possible."

Prince Ji's mouth twitched: "..."

Qian Baokun couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I understand."