*

Half a month later.

Temugo, the Khan of the Northern Barbarians, entered the Liang army camp under the pretext of "negotiating peace."

The tent flap was lifted, letting in a gust of cold wind, and Tiemuge strode in, his curved sword still at his waist.

His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, pierced directly at Pei Linmo, who sat high on the throne, and he grinned:

"The Regent has quite the nerve, actually daring to let me bring a sword into the tent."

Pei Linmo met his gaze, his tone indifferent: "If the Khan dares to come, why shouldn't I dare to greet him?"

Temugo sat down in the guest seat with a bold and unrestrained air, laughing heartily, but there was no hint of a smile in his eyes.

"Pei Linmo, I am a rough man and do not understand your Central Plains people's roundabout ways. I will just say it directly. In the past two years, your Liang Kingdom has not gained much advantage. If the Liang army is willing to withdraw three hundred miles from the north, I guarantee that my Northern Di will not invade your Liang Kingdom's border for ten years. What do you say?"

Upon hearing this, the other Liang generals in the tent looked rather displeased, but Pei Linmo merely chuckled lightly, his eyes devoid of any anger, and said calmly:

"Are you done talking?"

"Temugo, I think that if we want to make peace, your Northern Di should cede all the grasslands north of Yinshan to my Liang Kingdom, and from then on pay tribute of one million taels of silver, ten thousand cattle and sheep every year, and send the Khan's eldest son to my Liang Kingdom as a hostage."

Temugo's expression changed. Although he hadn't really come here to negotiate peace, this fellow's words were truly arrogant!

Temugo slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and sneered, "Pei Linmo, you have quite the appetite. Do you think that just because you've climbed up to the Wei Kingdom, my Northern Di will be afraid of you?"

Pei Linmo wasn't surprised that he knew about his close ties with the State of Wei. He hadn't been trying to hide what he had done in the capital of Wei.

Unfortunately, Temujin was indeed reckless, and every word he uttered struck a nerve with Pei Linmo.

"Ha, the dignified Regent of Liang, the last bloodline of the Pei family, can now only rely on his looks to serve others and flaunt his power through women's influence."

"Today I will first destroy your Liang Kingdom. When I one day crush the walls of Wei Kingdom, I will show you how that Wei Kingdom's crown princess will treat me..."

Before he could finish speaking, a "plop" sound rang out, and Temugo's eyes widened as he looked down at his chest in disbelief.

Pei Linmo's face was icy cold. With a twist of his wrist, the sword blade churned fiercely inside Tie Muge's flesh.

But Temugo did not fall as expected.

He roared and forcefully pushed the sword out of his chest by an inch, his thick arm shoving Pei Linmo away.

"Ha ha ha ha..."

Temugo laughed wildly, his mouth full of blood, and drew his curved sword from his waist. "Want to kill me? Then let me show you the power of my curved sword!"

The two instantly became entangled in a fight, overturning tables and shattering teacups, leaving the tent in a mess.

The moment Pei Linmo made his move, the other generals in the tent reacted swiftly, all pointing their swords at the two Northern Di warriors who had come with Temugo.

Not only that, but a fighting sound also came from outside the tent, but soon, dozens of Northern Di soldiers were all captured.

By this time, besides Temugo still fighting Pei Linmo, the other two Northern Di warriors had also fallen to the ground inside the tent.

Temugo was always confident in his bravery, which is why he dared to lead dozens of men into the Liang army camp. He was certain that he could capture Pei Linmo alive, and that the Liang army would be thrown into chaos.

But as soon as he started fighting Pei Linmo, he discovered that this man was even more difficult to deal with than his father!

Blood kept gushing from the wound on Temugo's chest, but he remained as ferocious as a trapped beast, wielding his scimitar with fierce power, each strike carrying the ruthlessness of mutual destruction.

But while he was ruthless, Pei Linmo was even more ruthless.

He remained silent, his face cold and stern, ignoring the blade grazing his neck as he stabbed Temugo, creating one bloody hole after another. It wasn't fatal; it was more like torture, a form of venting.

Right shoulder, left abdomen, thigh, back...

The sound of a sword piercing flesh was dull yet clear.

"Pei Linmo!" Temuge finally staggered and fell to the ground, his scimitar slipping from his hand. "If you have the guts, give this Khan a quick death!"

Pei Linmo stepped on his wrist, pressed the tip of his sword against his heart, and leaned down to meet those furious yet helpless eyes.

"What's the rush?"

"I haven't had enough of your screams yet."

Three months later, Pei Linmo personally led his iron cavalry to sweep across the depths of the grasslands.

The tribes of the grasslands were already weary of war, and now that the Khan was nowhere to be found, morale was low. The Hunxie and Tuoba tribes were the first to surrender.

In February of the following year, Liang's army returned to the capital in triumph.

Pei Linmo once again summoned all his confidants and veteran generals of the Pei family, and discussed matters with them for a whole day.

Half a month later, a troop of light cavalry quietly left the capital. Pei Linmo took only twenty personal guards with him and set off for the State of Wei.

March 28th, the eighteenth year of the Longqing reign.

As midnight approached, palace lanterns were lit up one after another within the palace.

After cleansing herself with orchid-scented water, Nanqing stood before a bronze mirror, allowing palace maids to dress her in the empress's magnificent robes, layer by layer.

The dragon pattern meanders, the phoenix feathers flutter, and the black gold is interwoven, showing the majesty of an emperor.

"Your Highness, the auspicious time has arrived," the old court lady reported, bowing.

"Um."

Inside the Imperial Ancestral Temple, candles shone brightly and incense smoke swirled.

Fifth Prince, dressed in the robes of the retired emperor, stood before the ancestral tablets. He looked at his daughter who was walking slowly towards him, a look of relief flashing in his eyes.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty."

Fifth Jing personally held the incense and handed it to her.

"Zhaoyang, from today onwards, this vast land will be your responsibility."

Nan Qing took the incense and looked up at the layers upon layers of ancestral tablets of the fifth clan of the Wei Kingdom.

"Your subject, the Fifth Minister of the Southern Court, has now received the Mandate of Heaven to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the state..."

Her voice echoed within the Imperial Ancestral Temple, each word resounding and powerful. The rising incense smoke illuminated her beautiful features, yet she remained aloof and unapproachable.

As soon as he finished speaking, a morning breeze suddenly blew in from outside the hall, and as the candlelight flickered, the eternal lamp in front of the ancestral tablets suddenly shone as bright as day.

The master of rites shouted: "Heaven has shown its will, our ancestors have manifested their power."

All the court officials and palace servants knelt on the ground, their foreheads touching the earth, not daring to look directly at each other.

Only Nan Qing and Wu Jing remained standing in the hall. The father and daughter met each other's eyes, one filled with pride and the other with a hint of helplessness.

Very well, that old man Tiandao is up to his old tricks again.