...

"Your Majesty, my son Pang Zhong has always admired you and is willing to enter the palace to serve you. I wonder if Your Majesty would give him a chance?"

Pang Yi seized the opportunity to make trouble for Yu Xiyan.

Upon hearing this request, Yu Xiyan's cold eyes immediately revealed murderous intent.

"No!"

Yang Gongyan immediately spoke up.

"Your Majesty, who in the capital doesn't know that Grand Tutor Pang's son is a dissolute playboy who frequents brothels? Wouldn't it be a laughingstock for the whole world if such a wicked son were to marry into the royal family?"

Upon hearing this, Pang Yi said coldly, "Minister Yang, this old minister is discussing matters with His Majesty. Why are you interrupting?"

Yang Gongyan sneered, "Grand Tutor Pang, don't you know what kind of person your son is? Do you really think he's worthy of His Majesty's approval?"

Pang Yi: "Although my son is unruly, I will discipline him myself. There is no need for you to remind him. Furthermore, Your Majesty, Minister Yang has committed insubordination. According to the laws of the Great Yin Dynasty, he should be severely punished with thirty strokes of the cane. Guards, drag this old minister out."

The next moment, two golden-armored guards immediately entered the hall to take Yang Gongyan away.

"Insolence! I haven't even spoken, so who gave you permission to act on your own? Do you think I don't exist?!"

The emperor's imposing aura caused the entire Jade Cloud Palace to tremble slightly.

"We dare not! We beg Your Majesty to make the decision."

The officials, terrified, immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness.

Yu Xiyan withdrew her imperial authority and said, "This concludes today's morning court session. I will carefully consider the matters you have raised. Court adjourned!"

"Respectfully seeing off our Emperor!"

...

Back at Yonghe Palace, Yu Xiyan's face was frosty.

Shangguan Qiuyue whispered, "Your Majesty, this Grand Tutor Pang is becoming increasingly arrogant. Today, he actually humiliated Your Majesty in front of the entire court."

Yu Xiyan said, "If I had not not yet fully taken control of the government, how could the Pang family have acted so recklessly? Unfortunately, they are in cahoots with Huang Tianhu, and the Pang family has long been deeply entrenched in the south. We cannot touch them for the time being."

Shangguan Qiuyue: "Your Majesty, shall I make you a pot of tea?"

"Um."

After Qiuyue left, Yu Xiyan felt restless and paced back and forth in the palace.

The humiliation in the imperial court is a minor matter; the relief of the disaster victims is of utmost urgency.

The national treasury is currently short of funds and simply cannot gather enough food to feed tens of millions of displaced people.

Moreover, even if the food problem for the refugees is solved, what will happen next year?

After the flood, a locust plague will inevitably follow. If the livelihood of the people is not solved, how can we win the hearts of the people and restore the glory of the former empire?

In her desperation, she couldn't help but cry out, "Shen Zhao! Given the current situation, what do you think we should do? What should we do...?"

She paused halfway through her sentence, only then realizing that this was no longer her previous life, where Shen Zhao was the one who helped her solve all her problems.

In her memory, there seemed to be no problem that could stump this man.

For a moment, Yu Xiyan felt dejected and sat back down in her chair in a daze.

"Shen Zhao, if it were you, could you tell me what I should do now?"

While Yu Xiyan was troubled by disaster relief matters, an internal war was about to break out within the Guhe Sect.

"Gu Hanshan, you traitor, how dare you come back!"

"Gu Tianhe, I have only asked for one thing today, and I do not wish to cause trouble for the Guhe Sect!"

"Traitor! You've colluded with the demon realm, intending to attack my Ancient River Sect! Where are you?"

"I don't want to argue with you, Gu Tianhe. I only have one question for you: will you return the lost piece of Qingyue's soul?"

Former fellow disciples, now bitter enemies.

On the third day after the closure of the Fuxi Abyss, the Ancient Cold Mountain Territory...

Three thousand elite demons stormed into the Ancient River Sect with overwhelming force.

Gu Tianhe and his disciples had been waiting outside the sect for some time, and the two sides seemed poised to start a fight at the slightest provocation.

Gu Tianhe sneered, "Senior brother, Master and Grandmaster trusted you so much, passing on the position of Sect Master of Guhe Sect to you, yet you colluded with the Holy Maiden of the Demon Realm to frame the sect. The Ancestor has already expelled you from the sect."

If you truly wish to repent and reform, my Ancient River Sect might just accept you back. However, you have remained obstinate for three hundred years, which is truly disheartening.

Gu Hanshan: "Stop with your nonsense, Gu Tianhe. Don't I know who you are? Stop trying to reason with me. I'm only here for a fragment of Qingcheng's soul. Hand it over and I'll leave. Otherwise..."

Gu Tianhe: "It seems you've finally become a lackey of the demon realm. It's truly disappointing."

Gu Hanshan's eyes turned cold: "It seems that an unavoidable battle is destined to take place today."

Gu Tianhe slowly drew his Tengjiao Sword: "Words are useless. If you want to fight, then come on."

"good!"

Without further ado, Gu Hanshan drew his Phantom Sword.

The two stood facing each other, their fighting spirit surging, and the air began to distort upon their collision.

Just then, Chu Yang suddenly jumped out: "Senior Gu, do you really not care about our past friendship as fellow disciples? Are you determined to be an enemy of the righteous path?"

Gu Hanshan frowned: "And who are you?"

Chu Yang clasped his hands in a fist and said, “I am Chu Yang, the ninth prince of the Great Xia Kingdom. I hope that Senior Gu can do me a favor and withdraw his troops for the time being. We can sit down and talk about this matter slowly.”

"Talk? What is there for me to talk to a junior like you? Considering your injuries haven't healed, I'll let it go. Today's matter is between me and the Guhe Sect. All bystanders had better step aside!"

Chu Yang's expression changed: "Senior, do you really not even care about the Great Xia Kingdom?"

Gu Hanshan: "I'll say it again, get out of here!"

Gu Tianhe hurriedly said, "Gu Hanshan, are you really in cahoots with the demon realm? You don't even put the Ninth Prince of the Great Xia Kingdom in your eyes?"

Gu Hanshan smiled mockingly: "I'm not like you, fawning over those in power. After all, I know you very well, and I've plenty of experience being someone's lackey!"

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