I became the demon of the female devil

Chapter 408 Empress: Am I really going to be the little thief's sister-in-law this time?!
"The Barbarian Bone-Eating Tribe is completely wiped out!"

The voice of Lüshuangge echoed in the main hall.

All the ministers present, including Chen Zhuo, were stunned and stood there dumbfounded.

The barbarians were arguably the most feared enemy of the Yuan Dynasty, having plunged half the country into war and left an indelible shadow on everyone's hearts.

Despite Chu Yanli's years of hard work and military training, which greatly enhanced the border forces and deterred the southern barbarians from invading, he remained a thorn in the side of many generals.

How can you allow others to sleep soundly on the side of the couch?
What's more, he's such a wolf in sheep's clothing!
If they are not completely eradicated, they may bring disaster again once they recover, causing endless trouble and future problems!
Chu Yanli was clearly aware of this as well, and led troops to attack the Southern Wilderness many times. However, due to the vastness of the wilderness and the high mobility of the barbarians, it was difficult to wipe them out in one fell swoop.

Despite several southward campaigns, they only managed to wipe out two tribes in total.

Moreover, each expedition consumes a large amount of resources, which is a lot of silver. As the national treasury becomes increasingly depleted, many ministers have come forward to oppose it, believing that it is a completely futile effort that will only waste the people's resources and deplete the Yuan Dynasty's foundation.

As opposition in the court grew stronger, the emperor seized the opportunity to issue an edict to halt the fighting, effectively preventing Chu Yanli's extermination plan.

Unexpectedly, Chen Mo's trip south this time resulted in him getting entangled with the Xuanhuang Army!
Moreover, he personally annihilated a barbarian tribe!
"As expected of Lord Chen!"

"No wonder we haven't heard from Lord Chen lately, he's been quietly working on something big?"

"How could he have accomplished such feats in just a few days? First, he wiped out the Gu God Cult, and then he destroyed a barbarian tribe. Does he have the ability to create clones of himself?"

After everyone realized what was happening, they immediately started discussing it.

The military officers, especially Shen Xiong, were extremely excited.

Behind the bamboo curtain, the Empress looked somewhat surprised; this news was clearly beyond her expectations.

"That little thief refused to come back with me, insisting on staying in White Egret City to clean up the mess. So this is the mess he's cleaning up?!"

Emperor Wu Lie, who had just been praising Chen Mo, was now silent, leaning against his dragon throne, his face hidden by his crown, revealing neither joy nor anger.

The ministers noticed the awkward atmosphere and gradually quieted down.

Emperor Wu Lie remained silent for a long time before speaking, "It is indeed a good thing to annihilate the Southern Barbarians, but there is something I am very curious about... The whereabouts of the Bone-Eating Tribe have always been secretive, so how was the Xuanhuang Army able to accurately pinpoint their location?"

Lu Shuangge replied, "According to the military intelligence report, Lord Chen captured a group of barbarian slaves in Bailu City and used a secret method to get them to reveal the location of their tribe. Then, divine soldiers descended from the sky and caught them off guard."

"Barbarian slave?"

A low murmur of surprise came from below.

Some quick-witted people have already made the connection.

Emperor Wu Lie raised his brow slightly and said, "The words of the barbarians cannot be entirely trusted. Such recklessness could lead to a trap. Moreover, an operation of this scale should be reported to the court first... cough cough..."

As he said this, he couldn't help but cough a few times, and a trace of crimson blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

The old eunuch beside him hurriedly raised his sleeve to cover himself, and at the same time took out a white porcelain bottle, poured a red pill into the emperor's palm, and whispered, "Your Majesty's old illness has not yet healed, and it is not advisable to be too excited. I hope you will take good care of your health."

"I'm fine."

Emperor Wu Lie swallowed the pill, and his sallow complexion eased somewhat. He waved his hand, and the old eunuch returned to his side.

He then continued, "If I remember correctly, it was already stated in the edict that the Xuanhuang Army and the Feifeng Army should primarily focus on garrison duty, and the total number of troops deployed in the Southern Wilderness should not exceed five thousand..."

"Could it be that I have been out of the public eye for too long, and everyone is just ignoring what I say?"

"Or is it that Chu Yanli's order carries more weight than my imperial edict?"

?

The ministers below looked at each other in bewilderment.

The great victory over the Southern Barbarians is clearly a good thing, so why does His Majesty seem so unhappy?

Lü Shuangge stood upright, neither humble nor arrogant, and said, "Naturally, His Majesty carries more weight, but the Yuan Criminal Law states: In military matters, unless ordered by the emperor, all decisions shall be made by the general!"

"The situation was urgent at the time, and we had to act quickly to avoid missing any opportunities. If we had to send a message back to the capital to wait for instructions, the barbarians would probably have already disappeared!"

"Moreover, this time when we sent troops to the southern wilderness, we only brought 800 archers, 2,000 heavy cavalry, 2,000 swordsmen and shieldmen, plus military doctors and logistics personnel, totaling 4,997 people, which did not exceed the number of people limited by the imperial edict."

"I hope your Majesty will learn from this!"

"..."

Including the three leading commanders, the total was exactly five thousand, no more, no less—the timing was incredibly precise…

Everyone wanted to laugh but dared not; their lips twitched, and they silently lowered their heads.

Emperor Wu Lie's expression grew colder, and he said in a deep voice, "You really went to great lengths to avoid the imperial edict. I wonder what the casualties of our army are?"

Everyone realized that His Majesty was nitpicking and had to find some problem!
Even if we wipe out a barbarian tribe, if our soldiers suffer heavy casualties as a result, we will probably never be able to shake off the label of "disobeying orders and causing disaster with our troops"!
Lu Shuangge sneered inwardly and said in a loud voice, "Your Majesty, in this battle, our army suffered seventeen wounded and zero killed. The wounded have all recovered after treatment, and it can be said that we have won a great victory!"

?

Zero casualties?

Wu Lie's expression froze.

"what?"

"Not only did we annihilate the barbarians, but our army suffered no casualties?!"

Another uproar erupted in the imperial court!
They knew this was a great victory, but they didn't expect it to be such a complete one!
The barbarians were ferocious and tyrannical, and their individual strength far exceeded that of ordinary soldiers. Even though the Yuan Dynasty had a large numerical advantage, they would lose a lot of troops in every battle. This situation only improved after the soldiers learned the "Ten Directions Blood Sky Formation".

Now, under Chen Mo's leadership, they have actually achieved the miracle of zero casualties?
But it's not over yet—

Lu Shuangge took out a black round stone from his sleeve and said, "As for why Her Highness the Eldest Princess was determined to send troops, the answer is in this recording stone. Please take a look, Your Majesty."

"Photostone?"

Emperor Wu Lie realized something, but before he could speak, Lü Shuangge directly injected his true essence into it, and an image was reflected in the sky above the hall.

Judging from the background, it appears to be a prison cell where dozens of barbarian slaves are bound in chains. One of them, a short-haired woman, is talking to Chen Mo, and her voice is clearly audible to everyone:

"What is your purpose in going to Kyoto?"

"We'll infiltrate those corrupt officials to gather intelligence, and when the time is right, we'll detonate the blood haze and pollute the entire capital..."

Upon hearing this, the old eunuch's pupils contracted, and he was about to interrupt the scene.

At the same time, Eunuch Jin silently stepped forward, blocking his way, and said calmly, "It's just a statement. His Majesty hasn't spoken yet, why are you in such a hurry, Eunuch?"

The old eunuch narrowed his eyes and looked at Jinwu.

The golden crow, however, remained unmoved, its gaze fixed straight ahead, showing not a trace of emotion.

After a brief standoff, Emperor Wu Lie coughed and said, "Fine, since they've already been released, let's take a look together."

"Yes." The old eunuch bowed and withdrew.

The aerial footage continues to play:
"The temple keeper concocted a toxin called 'Blood Haze' and implanted it into our bodies. Normally, it won't show any abnormalities..."

"However, once the secret method of self-destruction is used, the poison gas will be absorbed into the air and spread rapidly. If ordinary people inhale it, they will become mobile sources of infection and die from their bodies exploding within seven days..."

"And the toxic gases produced by the explosion will further pollute the air and water..."

"Under this chain reaction, the entire capital will be shrouded in a blood-red haze! At that time, all the common people and officials in the court will be doomed!"

The air seemed to be frozen.

The barbarian woman's ferocious and fanatical expression on the screen sent chills down everyone's spines!

No wonder the eldest princess risked disobeying the imperial edict to decisively send troops to punish them; it turns out the other side had such sinister intentions!
"It's either explosives or blood smog, I can't stand being in Kyoto for even a day longer..."

"Including the time at the ancestral temple, this is the second time Chen Mo has saved our lives!"

The civil officials present were soaked in cold sweat. They felt both relieved and terrified. They never expected that they would have walked through the gates of hell again.

The military officers also looked grim.

Although they possess cultivation and are not afraid of this so-called "blood haze," their families are mostly ordinary people... If this group of barbarian slaves were to actually enter the capital, the consequences would be unimaginable!
Especially when he heard the robber's logic that "the land we seized with our own abilities should naturally belong to us, and those who refuse to leave will only be killed," a surge of anger ignited in his eyes and chest!

Before the video had even finished, Shen Xiong couldn't hold back any longer. He strode forward and shouted, "Those who are not of our kind are bound to have different hearts. The barbarians have never given up their desire to destroy us, and their poison still lingers today!"

"If the southern wilderness is not pacified, the Great Yuan will not have a day of peace!"

"If war breaks out, it will surely cause great suffering and loss of manpower and resources, and countless deaths and injuries. But the sin will be committed in this era, while the merit will be remembered for generations to come!"

"We humbly request Your Majesty to rescind your decree and withdraw the edict to cease hostilities!"

After saying that, he knelt down on the ground with a thud.

The other military officers also knelt down in unison, their shouts like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing:

"Your Majesty, please rescind the edict to halt hostilities!"

"Your Majesty, please rescind the edict to halt hostilities!"

Even the Ministry of Revenue officials who usually shouted about "peaceful coexistence between humans and barbarians" were now bowing their heads and not daring to utter a word.

Just kidding, if I were to jump out now, I'd probably get chopped down by these agitated military officers!

Emperor Wu Lie's face was ashen.

This was indeed unexpected and disrupted his plans.

I never expected the Bone-Eating Tribe to be so audacious, nor did I expect the Qi family to be so stupid. Smuggling barbarian slaves is one thing, but they didn't even check the goods, and Chu Yanli even caught them red-handed...

Stabilizing the situation is the most important thing right now; other matters can only be put on hold for the time being.

The eyes behind the crown were clouded with gloom as she coldly looked at Lü Huaiyu, who remained silent with his eyes lowered, as if he were in deep meditation.

"Hmph..." Emperor Wu Lie snorted coldly and tapped the armrest with his knuckles.

dong dong——

The old eunuch shouted in a shrill voice, "Silence!"

As the commotion subsided, Emperor Wu Lie said calmly, "This matter is of great importance and should not be decided hastily. I will consider it carefully and discuss it again in a few days."

In a few days?

Everyone knew that this was just an excuse.

After the court session ended, the emperor returned home to recuperate, and they never saw each other again, so the matter was naturally dropped.

"His Majesty!"

Shen Xiong wanted to say something more, but a gaze fell upon him from the high platform, and a chill ran through him. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he lowered his head, not daring to say another word.

Emperor Wu Lie's lips curled up as he smiled and said, "Chen Mo is indeed an extraordinary person, always managing to surprise me. He just quelled the troubles of the sects, and now he has made such a great contribution. I don't even know how to reward him..."

Suddenly, he turned to the Crown Prince beside him and asked, "Ning An, I heard that you and Chen Mo have a good relationship. What do you think should be done about this?"

The crown prince was taken aback when he was suddenly called out.

Although she secretly wished Chen Mo could stay in the palace and play ball with her every day, she knew this wasn't the right occasion...

After pondering for a while, he suddenly remembered that Chu Yanli had once told him: as long as he proposed that Chen Mo participate in the selection of a son-in-law at the right time, then the two of them could become a family!
Now should be considered the right time, right?

Having made up his mind, the Crown Prince said in a serious tone, "It's no fun to keep getting promoted. My aunt is still single, so why don't we betroth her to Chen Mo?"

???

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the assembled officials were incredibly varied.

"Cough cough!"

Chen Zhuo almost choked on his saliva, his cheeks turning bright red.

"What are you talking about?!"

The Empress immediately became restless and wished she could sew the Crown Prince's mouth shut!

"Your Highness, calm down."

Grandpa Jin reminded him in a low voice.

The empress clenched her teeth, her breasts heaving.

However, he couldn't vent his anger in front of all the civil and military officials, so he could only barely suppress his rage.

Emperor Wu Lie narrowed his eyes and nodded, saying, "Good idea. The man is unmarried and the woman is unmarried, so they are quite a good match. However, Yan Li has always been stubborn, and I'm afraid she won't listen to my arrangements..."

"How about this? Didn't Yan Li say she was going to publicly recruit a son-in-law? Why don't we let Chen Mo sign up as well? As for whether the two of them will end up together, that's up to fate..."

At this point, he looked slightly tired and struggled to his feet, supporting himself on the armrest. "Then it's settled. I'm a little tired. The Empress will continue to preside over the court. As for other rewards, you can decide for yourselves."

"Let's go."

The old eunuch helped Emperor Wu Lie away along the imperial road, giving no one else a chance to react.

The Empress had no interest in holding a court assembly. She stood up abruptly and said coldly, "Prepare the carriage and return to the palace."

"Yes," Eunuch Jin replied, clearing his throat. "Court adjourned!"

Before she finished speaking, the Empress walked straight toward the back door of the palace, and the Crown Prince hurriedly followed.

"Mother, wait for your son."

"Don't call me Mother, I'm not your mother."

"..."

In the blink of an eye, the three of them left one after another.

The ministers were left standing there, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Today's court meeting was full of twists and turns, and the density of information was so great that they were all having a hard time digesting it all at once.

It wasn't until Lü Huaiyu walked out the gate first that the others came to their senses and gradually left the Golden Palace.

"Lord Chen, it seems His Majesty truly intends to betroth the Eldest Princess to your son?"

"By then you'll be royalty, your career will be on a meteoric rise, you'll have to look after us..."

"If we become rich and powerful, let us not forget each other! Let us not forget each other!"

Chen Zhuo was surrounded by the crowd, and his head was still a little dizzy.

This kid clearly said he was going to the southern border to handle a case, so how did he end up getting involved with the barbarians?
And inexplicably, he became a candidate for the position of imperial son-in-law?

How should we explain the situation with the Empress, the Queen, and the Daoist Master?

"The Chen family's tiny temple is getting more and more crowded with people; it's really unbearable!"

"That unfilial son of his is always messing around outside, making me live in constant fear..."

……

……

"Frost Pavilion, wait a moment."

Lu Huaiyu's steps appeared slow but were actually swift as he chased after the figure ahead.

However, Lu Shuangge was even faster, disappearing in the blink of an eye, seemingly not wanting to have anything to do with him.

"This girl..."

Lu Huaiyu frowned and sighed softly.

"Your daughter is still sulking with you? It's been so many years, it should be in the past by now. After all, you had your own reasons back then..." At this moment, a soft, feminine voice came from beside her.

Lu Huaiyu turned his head and saw that Wei Xuan had followed him at some point.

He was wrapped in a fur coat and looked sickly, as if he could be blown away by a gust of wind, yet he gave people a feeling of unease.

"Why are you here today?"

"Of course it was His Majesty who ordered it. I haven't attended court for so many years, and the performance was so wonderful. It was truly a worthwhile trip."

Wei Xuan's dark eyes scrutinized Lü Huaiyu, and he said with great interest, "Speaking of which, even the most urgent military intelligence should be reported to the Ministry of War first, instead of rushing directly to the court... Was this also arranged by you?"

“No.” Lü Huaiyu shook his head and said, “It was Chu Yanli. She probably guessed something, so she had Shuangge expose the barbarian conspiracy in public. I knew about it beforehand, but I didn’t stop her.”

Wei Xuan blinked. "Aren't you afraid of displeasing His Majesty?"

Lü Huaiyu sneered, "Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger. Throughout history, few who have been close to the emperor have been able to escape unscathed. Qi Lianshan is a bloody example. It's best to plan your escape route as soon as possible."

"Is Chu Yanli your backup plan?" Wei Xuan pressed.

"she?"

Lü Huaiyu shook his head, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Wei Xuan seemed to be thinking about something, then said, "Then what do you think His Majesty meant by letting Chen Mo participate in the selection of a son-in-law?"

"That goes without saying. The Jiang family has long coveted military power and certainly won't let this opportunity pass them by," Lü Huaiyu said calmly. "And now that the Qi family has suffered a severe blow, His Majesty cannot allow them to become too powerful. He can't very well step in himself, so he's pushed Chen Mo out to confront the Jiang family—it's another of his usual checks and balances tactics..."

Wei Xuan pondered and said, "Isn't Your Majesty afraid that this charade will become real, and that Chen Mo, with his military background, will completely slip out of your control?"

Lu Huaiyu sneered and said, "Chu Yanli possesses the Heavenly Decree Seal and commands the three armies, yet he still obediently guards the border in the south. Once caught in the middle, who can escape?"

Wei Xuan was speechless for a moment.

"You've asked me so many questions, but I also have a question I'd like to ask you..."

Lu Huaiyu asked in a low voice, "What is His Majesty's condition? Why has he suddenly come to court?"

Wei Xuan stood with his hands behind his back and said softly, "I don't know either, but one thing is certain: after the Qianji Palace was split open, His Majesty seemed to realize that this chessboard wasn't very sturdy..."

Lu Huaiyu's eyes flickered, and after a long while, he suddenly asked abruptly, "Do you think Chen Mo has a chance to escape the game?"

Wei Xuan said calmly, "You already have the answer in your heart, so why ask me?"

"Old fox..."

"Each each other."

The two smiled at each other.

Then his smile quickly faded, as if nothing had happened.

They walked out of the palace gates, boarded sedan chairs, and parted ways in opposite directions.

……

……

P.S.: I recommend a new book by a harem author called "The Fairy Always Wants to Ruin My Dao Heart." The pacing is steady; those interested can check it out.

(End of this chapter)