I am a soldier in the border army

Chapter 659 Death Squad! The Great Yong Dynasty is reviving; is the chaotic era coming to an end?

Will another sage ruler emerge?
At this moment, it wasn't just the older officials who shared this thought among the courtiers in the main hall.

After witnessing Ji Yin's series of actions, many court officials suddenly had a thought.

'If Your Majesty truly possesses the ability to revive the dynasty, then continuing to serve as ministers of the Ji clan is not necessarily a bad thing…'

In chaotic times, it's not just the insignificant ants and common people who are afraid.

They are afraid too!

After all, in this chaotic world, the most those insignificant commoners can lose is their worthless lives!
But once they lose it, they lose so much more!
Therefore, if the Great Yong Dynasty were to produce another sage ruler, it would not actually be a bad thing for them.

Just as they were looking at Ji Yin with hopeful eyes, a seemingly insignificant eunuch in a corner of the main hall had a strange look in his eyes.

There is no other reason.

The scene in the main hall seemed strangely familiar to him.

Especially when he saw Ji Yin step down from the throne, personally helping Gongye Jin to his feet and offering him words of comfort.

This sense of familiarity grew stronger.

Like, it’s so similar!

For a fleeting moment, he almost blurted out the word "Your Majesty".

Fortunately, he managed to hold back in the end.

Before Ji Yin could cast a questioning glance in his direction, he hurriedly lowered his gaze, making himself appear no different from the other eunuchs around him.

In fact, Ji Yin did remember him.

A minor eunuch named Linghu An.

The imperial decree that conferred the title of Marquis of Champion upon Han Shao was delivered by Linghu Anbei.

Ji Yin went to Liaodong with his angelic procession.

What happened later was so unforgettable, how could Ji Yin forget it?
What surprised him was that this guy had been stuck in the same place for ten years, still just a lowly eunuch.

With this thought in mind, Ji Yin immediately had an idea.

'Perhaps we could try using it...'

It wasn't out of nostalgia, nor was it a sudden act of kindness.

It was simply because he couldn't stand the fishy smell of the merfolk.

The palace attendants were the imperial family's servants.

To put it bluntly, it's just a handy tool.

Could a tool possibly betray its master?
……

Linghu An was surprised and shocked by Ji Yin's sudden summons.

The first thought that crossed my mind was, 'Could it be that our family has been exposed?'

He originally planned to commit suicide immediately to avoid exposing his connection with Liaodong.

But then she thought about it again. Li He and the others had all left, and even Princess Zhaoyang had gone north with them. Now it seemed that there was nothing in the capital that could threaten that noble person anymore.

He will either die or be the only one to die.

So after only a slight hesitation, Linghu An decided to go and meet Ji Yin.

But just as he was about to die and headed to the palace where Ji Yin was, the first thing Ji Yin said to him was...

"I have heard that you have been working under Li Jin all these years."

What do you think of that old dog, Li Jin?

Linghu An was taken aback. After a brief moment of thought, he spoke the truth directly.

“Li Zhongchang is loyal to the late emperor and is a true role model for us loyal dogs of the imperial family. I deeply respect him.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Yin remained silent, seemingly recalling something.

After a moment, he suddenly said.

"Would you be willing to be my Li Jin?"

On that day at Ganquan Palace, Shangguan Ding did actually give that old dog Li Jin a way out.

But he chose to refuse.

At the time, Ji Yin only thought that this old dog was ridiculously stupid.

But now, thinking back on it, he found himself somewhat envious of his father.

An emperor is a lonely and isolated person.

These were words his father always spoke of and kept in mind, and Ji Yin also quite agreed with them.

But if given a choice, no one can ultimately go against human nature.

That is... loneliness, and it is terrifying.

So after saying that, Ji Yin saw Linghu An standing there in a daze and assumed he was so happy he had gone mad, so he said directly.

"After that old dog Li Jin accompanied the late emperor to the memorial hall, the Lantai Pavilion came to a standstill."

"From now on, you will be in charge of the Lantai Pavilion for me."

After saying that, he casually tossed out a scroll of cultivation secrets and some rare cultivation medicines that were hard for ordinary people to see.

"This is a gift from me."

"Alright, get out of here. You can come and serve me when I need you."

……

Emerging from the inner hall, Linghu An was still somewhat dazed and confused.

In fact, Li He and the others did not abandon him when they evacuated.

But he refused.

Later, at the memorial service for the late emperor, Li Jin also asked him to leave the palace and go to Zhenliao, a place he had longed to serve.

But he still refused.

After all, there aren't many spies left in the capital city these days.

There are even fewer people you can truly trust.

So even though he knew that as long as he went to Zhenliao, that person would definitely not treat him badly, he ultimately chose to stay.

However, although the decision had been made, these days, whenever he pondered it at midnight, he would shake his head and laugh at his choice, and feel doubtful about it.

He didn't actually have much interaction with that important person.

In retrospect, the favors he received were nothing more than some gold and silver, and even these were later used by him to recruit and communicate with various parties in the capital for that nobleman.

Well, in the end, I even lost a lot of money.

So... what made him willing to go to any lengths, even risking his life, to advocate for them?

These past few days, Linghu An has been perplexed by the fact that he has not been able to find a suitable reason for his seemingly foolish actions.

But at that moment, he suddenly had a sudden realization.

There is no other reason.

It was simply because that noble person had never looked down on his own disabled body!

He considers himself a human being!
Not a domestic dog that can be driven around at will, and wantonly abused and trampled upon!

During their conversation, the nobleman even admired his knowledge.

"Does Your Majesty call me... Lord Linghu?"

"君" is a respectful term, generally used to refer to a scholar.

A true scholar should die for one who understands him!

The autumn wind howled.

The chilly autumn winds of September swept through the palaces, adding to the already cold and austere atmosphere of the deep palace.

Linghu An smiled, and then the dragon with its back that habitually arched in the palace behind him suddenly stood tall and straight.

very good!

Now, with the secret techniques and precious medicines given by Ji Yin as a cover, my cultivation will be faster and I won't attract attention.

With the Lantai Pavilion in hand, it's truly heaven's help!
Linghu An couldn't help but burst into laughter and strode away.

Ji Yin, who had been watching him intently, smiled at this moment.

very good!

He likes ambitious people.

Only in this way can one, once successful, relentlessly tear apart one's rivals for one's own benefit!

……

It turns out.

Time really does fly when you're focused on something.

It seemed like only a blink of an eye, and the first year of Xingping, with its dramatic changes that left people breathless and even somewhat unable to react, came to an end. From the end of August, Gongye Jin, the former defeated general of the Imperial Guard who had been reinstated by Ji Yin despite opposition, once again appeared before everyone in the world in command of 100,000 Imperial Guards.

Ordered by imperial decree to suppress the traitors!

Suppress the Yellow Emperor's rebellion!

Almost the instant it left the capital, it successfully attracted the attention of everyone in the world.

However, perhaps due to the painful experience of the last time, Gongye Jin was much more cautious this time. For several months, his military operations, while not exactly restrained, were far from being large-scale and decisive.

Despite this, the advance of Gongye Jin's 100,000 imperial guards was still extremely rapid.

The reason for this is actually quite simple.

It was only after the Zhenliao Army captured Guangzong City, the heart of Huangtiandao, in June of the year, and presented the heads of the three brothers Zhang Xian, Zhang Ji, and Zhang Zong to the imperial palace that Huangtian Army in various places began to fall into chaos without a leader.

The great and wise teacher is dead, and the grand vision of everyone becoming like a dragon has become empty talk.

It has even become a huge laughing stock.

Some are grieving.

Some are confused.

There were those who rebelled.

Some are insane.

There were martyrs.

Under these circumstances, the Huangtian Army in various regions has lost all fighting spirit. Some factions even start attacking each other over trivial matters.

Therefore, anyone with discerning eyes can see at a glance that Huang Tiandao, which once occupied eighteen states and was once extremely powerful, is completely finished.

At this moment, if anyone rushes up and kicks it hard, it will instantly collapse.

Then it was time to feast on its remains and enjoy the spoils.

To everyone's surprise, the Zhenliao Army, who were the true gravediggers of Huang Tiandao, suddenly went silent.

Gongye Jin, who was ordered by the emperor to suppress the rebels, also remained calm and composed.

Not only was he not in a hurry, but what Gongye Jin did next surprised everyone even more.

After leaving the capital, he unexpectedly attacked those aristocratic families!

After uprooting several powerful clans and prominent families that had been entrenched in Sili and Yuzhou, they suddenly headed north to the Ji River.

This sudden move immediately startled people all over the world.

Because now the two prefectures of Ji and Yan on both sides of the Ji River are the territory of the Zhenliao Army.

Many people even secretly speculated that Gongye Jin's 100,000 imperial guards might have received a secret order from Emperor Xingping, ostensibly to suppress the Huangtian rebels, but in reality to fight the Zhenliao army.
However, in reality, Gongye Jin's 100,000 imperial guards stopped at the banks of the Ji River.

Instead, they held a grand ceremony in front of everyone in the world.

The spirits being worshipped are those of the 100,000 elite soldiers of the Tian Ce and Shence armies who were annihilated on the banks of the Ji River.

Besides the heads of the Huangtian rebels captured along the way, the sacrificial offerings also included the heads of the noble families who had just been uprooted by Gongye Jin!
At this moment, everyone understood.

Gongye Jin is seeking revenge!

And the Imperial Guards are also seeking revenge!
Although for many years prior, due to the rivalry between Shangguan Ding and Emperor Taikang, the Imperial Guards were nominally divided between the two, becoming their respective spear and shield, and they were constantly at odds with each other.

In reality, the Imperial Guards of the Divine Capital have always been of the same lineage, and even if the bones are broken, the tendons are still connected.

The defeat at the Ji River was not only a disgrace to Gongye Jin, but also a disgrace to the entire Imperial Guard of the Capital!

However, due to the overwhelming power of the powerful clans in recent years, even though they knew that many powerful clans were involved in that disastrous defeat, they could only endure it.

But now that Shangguan Ding is dead and the new emperor, Xingping, is gradually showing his imperial power, all of this can no longer be tolerated.

……

If we say that Ji Yin completely won over Gongye Jin's heart with just a few words in the main hall that day...

That grand ceremony at the Ji River completely won over the hearts of the entire Imperial Guard.

Putting aside the personal interests of certain military leaders, most military personnel are actually quite simple.

If you can make them feel that their death was worthwhile.

They are truly willing to die for you.

The heads of the noble families displayed in the most prominent place during this grand Jishui sacrifice are a testament to their value!
So when Gongye Jin turned his military force around again and suddenly abandoned the Zhenliao Army on the opposite bank of the river to rush into the prefectures and counties still occupied by Huang Tiandao, the fighting spirit and strength of his 100,000 imperial guards shocked and even horrified many people.

As a result, on the eve of the New Year in the second year of Xingping, in the newly rebuilt Golden Hall of Weiyang Palace, which had taken half a year to complete, the noble families from all over the country, who had long forgotten which way the Vermilion Bird Gate of the capital faced, unprecedentedly sent people to present New Year's gifts to the new emperor, Ji Yin.

They seemed afraid that if they arrived too late, those fierce Imperial Guards of the capital might inadvertently accuse them of treason and end up being wiped out as a whole.

It was the beginning of the first month of the second year of the Xingping era of the Dayong reign.

He held a grand banquet for his officials.

Looking at the wealth and beauties that had been urgently delivered, Ji Yin smiled.

Those high-ranking officials in the imperial court also laughed in agreement.

Who doesn't love wealth?
Even though Shangguan Ding's accumulated wealth from those treacherous officials over generations had made him feel bloated, the more the merrier.

As for those beauties...

Ji Yin's smile faded, and he frowned slightly.

Especially when those inspired courtiers then took advantage of their drunken state to offer advice to Ji Yin.

"Your Majesty is in the prime of your life, yet the harem remains empty; this is truly inappropriate."

"Therefore, I humbly request Your Majesty to expand your harem, so that the imperial family may continue its bloodline and flourish..."

The courtier, oblivious to the change in Ji Yin's expression, continued his incessant chatter.

Ji Yin took a sip of fine wine and waited for him to finish speaking before speaking softly.

"Are you hoping for my early death so that a new emperor can be installed?"

Upon hearing this, the courtier, who had just been looking serious, turned pale instantly and hurriedly protested his innocence.

"Your Majesty, what do you mean? I...I didn't mean that at all!"

Ji Yin snorted coldly.

"I am still young, and I have a long future ahead of me. What use is there for offspring now?"

"If you don't wish for my early death so that a new emperor can be established, why are you in such a hurry?"

Having said that, without giving the courtier a chance to explain, he sneered.

"Guards! This scoundrel harbors malicious intentions! Drag him out and behead him!"

A piercing and desperate plea for mercy echoed throughout the hall.

In an instant, the lively and joyous atmosphere in the main hall was completely wiped away.

Seeing this, some senior officials couldn't help but feel sorry for him and were about to get up to plead for him when they saw Ji Yin casting a cold gaze at them.

"What? You old codger, you also wish for my early death?"

Suffocated by these words, the old minister's face flushed red, and he ultimately dared not speak, only saying...

"Your Majesty, I dare not."

He apologized in this way, and seeing that Ji Yin did not pursue the matter further.

The old minister's face relaxed, but he secretly felt regret.

'Your Majesty has the potential to revitalize the Great Yong Dynasty, but alas, your temperament is too cold and tyrannical…'

To be honest, today's grand banquet really gave this old minister a glimpse of the former glory of the Great Yong Dynasty.

The most obvious manifestation of the world's submission was that aristocratic families and noble clans relearned to respect the emperor and the central government.

Conversely, if the powerful clans and noble families cease their activities, what instability could there be in the world?

Don't forget that the reason why Huang Tiandao was able to sweep across the world so quickly was actually just a product of the struggle between Emperor Taikang and Shangguan Ding.

Now that His Majesty has gradually intimidated the powerful clans and noble families of the land...

"It seems that this chaotic world will soon come to an end."

"Once the chaos ends, Your Majesty's desire to revive the Great Yong Dynasty will surely be within reach!"

The old minister was thrilled and was about to drink a few more cups.

At this moment, Ji Yin, who was sitting high on the imperial throne, suddenly spoke.

"During this New Year ceremony, all the feudal lords and noble families in the land offered their congratulations to me."

Why is Duke Yan the only one not seen?

Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence.

No one dared to answer.

After a moment of silence, Ji Yin, sitting on the throne, suddenly chuckled.

"I was just joking, look how nervous you all are."

……

(End of this chapter)