How come I'm invincible?

Chapter 131 Princess, go home. Why? Because I'm going to attack your home.

The night is as dark as ink, and everything is silent.

"Brother, are you asleep?"

"No, come in."

Xiao Jiu pushed open the door and entered, only to see Lin Fan wearing an outer robe, flipping through military books under the flickering oil lamp.

"Brother, this is the pigeon soup I made for you. I added some red dates and ginseng." Xiao Jiu stood to the side, picked up a spoon and ladled out a bowl. The steaming aroma wafted over.

"Thank you for your hard work," Lin Fan said with a smile.

"What are you saying? It's my honor that you enjoy my cooking, brother," Xiao Jiu said.

Lin Fan took the soup bowl and examined Xiao Jiu's features through the rising steam. He suddenly said, "You little rascal, you do have a bit of His Majesty's shadow between your brows."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiu's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that they had been discovered? But thinking about it, he knew it was impossible. He chuckled and said, "Brother, if I were His Majesty's illegitimate son, my ancestors' graves would be emitting auspicious smoke."

Lin Fan said, "If you really are an illegitimate child, then I'll help you sit on that dragon throne."

"what!!!"

Xiao Jiu stared, her mouth agape, her face filled with shock.

"What, you really want to be a prince?" Lin Fan chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Just follow me obediently, it'll be much more enjoyable than being a prince. With me around, if anyone dares to lay a finger on you, I'll twist their head off."

"Brother, I feel so safe with you by my side." This is Huang Xiaojiu's true feeling.

Safety.

It's about safety.

Lin Fan smiled but didn't say anything.

Xiao Jiu said, "Brother, I've heard about what's going on outside. Some students have been misled and are coming to cause trouble for you. I don't think they know anything about the situation; they've just been misled into flocking to the capital."

"You're still concerned about these things?"

"Yes, I will definitely pay attention. My brother's business is my business."

For Huang Xiaojiu.

The Song family's influence on the students at Chongwen Academy subtly shaped their thinking.

Students used to study to bring peace to future generations, but this gradually turned into a desire to share the emperor's burdens.

Today's students have formed a massive influx.

Discussions about politics and figures can form public opinion, which can often influence the court through public opinion, and this influence is extraordinary.

Anyway, he just remembered that his father had issued a policy.

The final policy, which had been the subject of much discussion among students, was revoked. This made him, who was still in the palace at the time, realize that the power of public opinion among students was truly terrifying.

Not long after, Xiao Jiu left with the soup bowl.

As Brother Lin's personal chef, how could he allow these academic students to do as they pleased? He had already written a secret letter back to Zhuoming Prefecture, asking Mr. Yang to rally the scholars of Zhuoming Prefecture to bring their weapons to the capital and give the students of Chongwen Academy a good beating.

Let them know that the cultural stage in Beijing is a place where if they dare to come, they can't run away.

a few days later.

For Lin Fan, life was quite peaceful. He didn't care about the storms outside, but he heard that the students of Chongwen Academy were always taking to the streets to protest, and they were not afraid of the patrolmen's obstruction.

It's like they've made up their minds.

at this time.

At the city gate, the soldiers checked the identities of those entering the city and found something amiss. Most of the people coming were students from Anzhou Prefecture, which made them extremely vigilant.

The situation in the capital has become somewhat unclear recently. A group of students have been incredibly audacious, openly defying the Divine Martial General.

Don't underestimate them just because they are soldiers guarding the city gate.

But no matter what, they are still soldiers. Nowadays, the general holds a very high position and has a great influence in the hearts of the soldiers. If they follow the general into battle, the general will really feed them meat.

Therefore, they also deeply resent these troublemaking students.

Thinking of this, the soldiers guarding the city gate used their limited authority: "Your identities are unclear, you cannot enter the city, go back."

“Sir, how can our identities be unclear? We are local students from Anzhou Prefecture. These are our identification tags. We can move freely anywhere,” said the leading student.

The soldier lowered his voice and said, "You bunch of scholars, don't go too far. The general won't stoop to your level, but do you really think you can be so lawless? Don't push the brothers in the camp to their breaking point and have them all chop you up with their knives."

The student said, "Sir, you misunderstand. We come from Anzhou Prefecture."

“Anzhou Prefecture? Even if you come from the Heavenly King’s Palace, it’s no use.” The soldier said angrily, “And stop with the ‘soldier’ nonsense, I’m not on your side.”

"and many more……"

The soldiers were suddenly taken aback. "Are you from Anzhou Prefecture?"

“That’s right. We are scholars from Anzhou Prefecture. When we learned that those bastards from Chongwen Academy came to the capital to cause trouble and target our Lord Lin, our fellow villagers were furious. How could we tolerate those guys from Chongwen Academy slandering our Lord Lin? So we came together to find them,” the Anzhou scholar said.

Whether Lord Lin is good or not, and what others think, they don't care, but as locals of Anzhou, how could they not know?
Since Lord Lin took office in Anzhou, the local public security has been much better, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. These students study the classics diligently, all in the hope of benefiting the people. Lord Lin's actions have won their deep approval.

In their hearts, Lord Lin was a hero of the time.

"You're all together?"

"They're all together."

"Well, the number of people is okay, but I'm worried it might not be enough."

"Don't worry, sir. This is only Anzhou. Students from all eight counties of Anzhou are arriving one after another. The number is huge. We guarantee that those Chongwen Academy students will not return. Even if they do, they will be bruised and battered and left lying on their sides."

"Can you handle this?"

"Sir, don't underestimate us. Don't think we're just bookworms. We're quite capable and efficient. We guarantee there won't be any problems."

“That’s right, I don’t know anything else, but I’m very strong,” a burly man with dark skin said.

The soldier asked in confusion, "Are you a student too?"

"No, I'm a janitor at Anzhou Academy. I'm practically a student, but I'm incredibly strong. Back when my family's land was seized by local thugs, it was Lord Lin who got it back for me."

The soldier looked at the situation before him, his lips twitched slightly, but he didn't say anything and let them go in.

……

at this time.

Street.

The students of Chongwen Academy marched together, incredibly stubborn, holding up banners to protest the crimes of General Lin Fan.

The people gathered around, pointing and gossiping.

The people of the capital had a very good impression of the Divine Martial General.

In restaurants and on street corners, people often recount the legendary deeds of the Divine Martial General. Those who hear it are filled with passion, feeling that as subjects of the Central Plains Dynasty, they are truly proud that such a great general exists.

He captured the king of Mengye Kingdom, pacified the Japanese Kingdom, and even rode alone to Guang Kingdom. Every single one of his deeds was incredibly awe-inspiring.

Therefore, when the students of Chongwen Academy angrily denounced the Divine Martial General, they were extremely angry.

During the march, a student leading the group shouted loudly. Soon, he noticed a group of people approaching from the front. Judging from their clothing, they were clearly also scholars.

This delighted him, as it seemed reinforcements had arrived.

Before he could speak.

The Anzhou student walking ahead greeted him warmly, "Brother, brother, I've heard so much about you."

A student from Chongwen Academy smiled and said, "Hello, sir. I am Meng Ran from Chongwen Academy. May I ask who you are?"

"Haha, Brother Meng, my name is Wang Liang, a student from Anzhou Academy. I am far inferior to Chongwen Academy."

"Oh, so Brother Wang is from Anzhou Academy." Upon hearing this, Meng Ran felt a little disdainful. He had heard of Anzhou Academy, but it was very ordinary and could not compare to their Chongwen Academy at all.

If a comparison must be made, they are worlds apart.

The gap between the two.

They are separated by a great distance.

Meng Ran said, "Brother Wang, I heard that Lin Fan used to be the chief of the Anzhou Public Security Bureau. He must have oppressed the local people, which is why you all came to the capital to complain about Lin Fan, right?"

Wang Liang smiled, didn't waste any words, raised his hand, clenched his fist, and waved it in front of the other person, "Brother Meng, do you know what this is?"

"fist."

"Wrong, this is a fist the size of a clay pot." As soon as Wang Liang finished speaking, he swung his fist directly at Meng Ran's eye socket. "Damn it, how dare you spread rumors about our Lord Lin? I think you're asking for death. Everyone, what are you waiting for? Beat them up."

Immediately, the students from Anzhou launched a charge, overwhelming the students from Chongwen Academy like wolves and tigers.

In an instant.

Wails.

Screams.

Continuous.

The surrounding people were stunned when they saw this scene. The scene was chaotic. In particular, the students of Anzhou Academy were obviously well-prepared. The students who made the move were very professional and not just waving around randomly. It is very likely that they had received guidance from an expert on their way here.

Thus, every punch hits the key point.

This matter quickly reached the emperor's ears.

"Hahaha...you're saying the students from Anzhou Academy beat up all the students from Chongwen Academy?" the emperor asked with a laugh.

Commander Li said, "Your Majesty, it is like this."

"So, what about winning or losing?"

"The students of Anzhou Academy won. The students of Chongwen Academy suffered heavy losses and were beaten like pigs. Some have already reported to the authorities, demanding that the students of Anzhou Academy be arrested."

"Hmph, take them down? I think they haven't been beaten enough. Go, investigate carefully and see if any students from Anzhou Academy have been mistakenly arrested. If they have been mistakenly arrested, release them immediately. If anyone is injured, we will take responsibility for their medical treatment. I didn't expect you to have such high prestige in Anzhou. It seems that not all academies are like Chongwen Academy."

The emperor was in a very good mood.

The things Chongwen Academy has done today are really too troublesome.

He couldn't go too far with these trainees.

These literati were able to control local education and become the creators and guides of public opinion by lecturing, writing books, and exchanging poems.

It can even determine the reputation of an official or a policy.

It can be said to be quite terrifying.

Throughout history, emperors have always sought to limit the power of civil officials, fearing that they would be sidelined by these officials.

The Song family has existed for hundreds of years and wields considerable influence in the Central Plains dynasties. If it weren't Lin Fan who was in charge of this matter, but some other official, they would probably have been taken down before even leaving the capital.

They were arbitrarily accused of crimes.

You don't even have the ability to resist.

As for why no one in the court dares to act now, it's simply because Lin Fan's methods are too domineering, to the point that the fear of Lin Fan among the officials is genuine.

"Your Majesty, is there anything else?"

"What's the matter?"

"Among those who attacked Chongwen students, there were some from Zhuoming Prefecture."

"Ok?"

The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly. That was where Xiao Jiu stayed. Why would the students from that place come here?

Could it be that he wants to curry favor with Minister Lin in order to have a chance at the throne?

impossible!
Absolutely not.

If the throne were to be passed on to Xiao Jiu, the Central Plains dynasty would be abolished. This kid isn't very bright; he's rather slow-witted and would have difficulty dealing with the officials.

Nighttime, in a restaurant.

The students of Anzhou Academy sat there, each with a variety of delicious dishes laid out in front of them. They didn't touch their chopsticks, but were quite excited.

This banquet was specially invited to them by the Divine Martial General.

The battle during the day was incredibly fierce and chaotic.

Many people were injured at the scene.

It wasn't that I got beaten up, but rather that my punching technique wasn't up to par. When I punched the ground, it felt really bad, and I only realized how painful it was afterward.

After a while.

The sound of footsteps came.

The students all looked towards the entrance and saw Lin Fan, dressed in casual clothes, appearing with his brothers from Yong'an. The students all stood up to greet him.

"Master Lin."

"We're all fellow villagers, no need for formalities, please sit down." Lin Fan waved his hand with a smile.

The students of Anzhou were overjoyed and followed Lin Fan's instructions to take their seats. Lin Fan then cupped his hands and said, "My fellow villagers, you have worked hard. I'm sorry that you had to go through all this trouble for my sake."

One student said, "Lord Lin, you are a great benefactor to our Anzhou. Those bastards from Chongwen Academy, they just cause trouble without knowing right from wrong. If others don't touch them, how can we tolerate them?"

"Yes, we know what kind of person Lord Lin is better than anyone else."

"To cause trouble for Lord Lin is to cause trouble for us Anzhou people. When we came here, our elders and fellow villagers all told us that when we got there, we had to be ruthless and not let them get away with it."

Listen to what the students have to say.

Lin Fan couldn't help but laugh out loud. He walked to the table, and the student next to him quickly stood up and pulled out the seat of honor. "Sir, please sit down."

Lin Fan nodded, picked up his wine glass, looked at everyone present, and said with gratitude, "Thank you all. I am just a rough man, but to have you all recognize me means that I did nothing wrong. Thank you all for your kindness. I'll drink to that."

The students present were all quite good at drinking.

When he has free time, he often invites a few close friends over to drink wine and compose poetry, which is a very enjoyable time.

"Sir, that's truly impressive!" the students cheered.

Lin Fan put down his wine glass and said with a smile, "I knew during the day that this fight was well fought, and it showed the spirit of the students of Anzhou Prefecture."

One student said, "Sir, we definitely have to fight with our guts. When I left home, my father specifically told me that I must fight with style in this battle. If he finds out that I didn't do my part, he'll break my legs when I get home."

Lin Fan's prestige in Anzhou is unmatched by ordinary people.

It could even be said that everything he did, step by step, from Yong'an to Anzhou, was something the local people would never have dared to imagine.

Clean up the thugs and ruffians, and eradicate the gangs completely.

They reopened old cases and cleared the names of the wronged people. Every single thing they did touched the hearts of the people.

Just as things were getting lively, a clear voice came from outside the door.

"My dear minister, why didn't you tell me before you invited the students from Anzhou? If I had known in advance, I would have definitely invited them to the palace and had the imperial chefs treat them to a good meal."

As soon as these words came out.

Lin Fan felt helpless; His Majesty just liked to join in the fun.

The students were puzzled, wondering who the newcomer was. When they saw the emperor, they were startled, for the newcomer was quite imposing, and accompanied by a palace eunuch.

Then, considering that this person just addressed Lord Lin as "my beloved minister."

Think of this.

The students immediately knelt down and respectfully said, "This humble subject greets Your Majesty."

The emperor said, "Rise, all of you. There is no need for formalities now."

Lin Fan said, "Your Majesty, what brings you here?"

皇帝道：“怎么，朕来了，爱卿还不愿意了，各位学子为朕的爱卿暴揍崇文学子，朕岂能不来看看。”

With the emperor's appearance, the students present were excited and thrilled. They had never seen an emperor before in their lives, and now the emperor was actually at the banquet and even took the initiative to chat with them.

This trip will be enough for them to brag about for a year.

"Your Majesty, how could I not be willing to come if Your Majesty is willing?" Lin Fan said with a smile.

The emperor sat down next to Lin Fan and said, "You are all pillars of the nation. You should study diligently and serve the country in the future. Minister Lin often told me that the students of Anzhou are exceptionally talented. Seeing them today, I know that this is true."

He was praised by the emperor.

The students from Anzhou were so excited that their faces turned red.

They never expected that the adults would praise them, the students of Anzhou, so highly in front of His Majesty.

Lin Fan sighed helplessly; he had never said anything like that.

at the same time.

Inn.

"Ouch, ouch!!!"

The students of Chongwen Academy lay on their beds groaning in pain. Some had black eyes, and others had faces swollen like pig heads. In any case, they were all seriously injured.

"This is an insult to scholarship, an insult to scholarship!"

This was the second time they had been beaten since arriving in the capital. The first beating was relatively mild; the guys from the Divine Martial Division hadn't been too ruthless.

But the second beating was much harsher; these guys claimed to be scholars, yet they went too far.

Sudden.

The door was kicked open, and a group of solemn-looking guards rushed in. Without giving them any chance to speak, the leader waved his hand and ordered his men to arrest them all.

"What are you doing? What are you doing?" Chongwen Xuezi protested fiercely.

"What are you doing? You've been provoking others in broad daylight, right under the Emperor's nose, seriously affecting the security of the capital. We're taking you back to prison for a thorough interrogation. We'll see who ordered you to cause trouble in the capital."

Commander Liu personally led the team.

This was done on His Majesty's orders.

At first, they couldn't find an opportunity, but the appearance of Anju students caused chaos in the streets, so didn't that provide a reason?
The emperor was furious at Chongwenzi's behavior. He loved Chongwenzi dearly, and he would never allow a bunch of pedantic scholars to criticize him.

Hear this.

The students of Chongwen were completely dumbfounded.

“We didn’t cause trouble; it was people from Anzhou Academy who beat us up.”

Commander Liu roared, "Stop talking nonsense! We wouldn't have come to arrest you if we hadn't investigated properly. As for the students of Anzhou Academy, they were just here to study in the capital. You stopped them and beat them up. You even went so far as to rebel against the Heavenly Gang and frame others."

"You...you are bandits." The students of Chongwen were dumbfounded.

They never expected things to turn out this way. Several days later.

Lin Fan saw off the students of Anzhou Academy. When they left, every student was still excited. During the few days that Lin Fan kept them in the capital, he took them around to see the sights of the capital.

When they left, soldiers were arranged to escort them back to Anzhou.

Although various local military commands have launched campaigns to sweep away bandits, some inevitably slip through the net, so safety remains a top priority.

at this time.

Lin House.

[Proficiency in the Unity Linked Formation +1]

[The Unity Body Refinement Method (Minor Success 1/10000)]

After years of arduous practice day and night, the body-refining technique has finally reached the stage of minor success.

The moment he advanced, Lin Fan felt his blood boil, his pores open, hot white steam burst forth, warm currents surged through his internal organs, and his flesh and blood eagerly devoured this power.

"This feels so good."

Lin Fan was completely immersed in this wonderful improvement. His internal organs were burning, and an indescribable warm current flowed out from within. He could even clearly feel his flesh and blood absorbing it frantically.

I have made great progress in all aspects.

To say just how powerful it is now...

It's hard to say.

But he is definitely much stronger than his previous self.

"The Saintess's ability is spiritual infiltration, so what about my ability?" Lin Fan still couldn't understand it. He asked His Majesty and King Laimu to find the historical source of the story that "immortals are not saints, and gods are not ancestors."

However, it has not been found so far.

After a long time.

Lin Fan exhaled a slightly hot breath, and his body temperature quickly returned to normal.

At this moment, Ning Yu hurried over, "Master, Master..."

"Hmm? What is it?" Lin Fan asked.

Ning Yu laughed and said, "I just found out that the Second Prince was punished with twenty strokes of the cane by His Majesty. His screams could be heard clearly throughout the entire palace."

"What happened to the Second Prince?"

Ning Yu said, "When the students of Chongwen Academy were imprisoned, they shouted that they knew the Second Prince and asked him to come and save them. They thought that by mentioning the Second Prince, Commander Liu would be afraid. Who knew that Commander Liu would tell His Majesty and then get beaten up."

Lin Fan smiled, shook his head, and didn't take the matter to heart. Although he hadn't looked into it in detail, he could understand some things just by thinking about them.

His existence is very important to His Majesty.

But his absence is more important to some people.

Putting aside everything else, how many officials in the court could truly submit to him?
Don't be fooled by their apparent submission now; they're only standing on his side because they're being suppressed by his force.

If there's a real chance, I'd make sure he dies.

He was certain that those bastards would be raising their hands in despair, hoping he'd be killed.

"Master, who do you think should sit on the throne in the future?" Ning Yu asked.

She felt that Xiao Jiu was highly likely to be the one.

The main reason is that this guy is too good at serving his master.

As long as the master is in the mansion, every meal is a delicious meal, and soup is even made at night. As they spend more and more time together, their relationship grows stronger and stronger. It's really time for His Majesty to pass on the throne.

She refused to believe that her master wouldn't support Xiao Jiu's advancement.

"How would your master know about these things? These are matters His Majesty should consider; I've never thought about them," Lin Fan said.

Just as Lin Fan was talking to Ning Yu.

Princess Ding'an has arrived.

As usual, Princess Ding'an came here quite frequently.

Lin Fan looked at Princess Ding'an and chuckled inwardly. He could see the fear and terror in her eyes every time she saw him.

Although he didn't understand why he was afraid.

But none of that matters, because he never cares about how others see him.

"Ding'an greets the General." She curtsied gracefully.

Ning Yu watched from the side and felt that Princess Ding'an was as gentle as water, as if she would melt at the slightest touch. She had to admit, she was truly a rare beauty.

Lin Fan asked, "Does the princess have something to say?"

"Now that His Majesty has bestowed the marriage, when will Ding'an be able to move into the General's Mansion?" she asked softly, her eyes lowered.

As a princess of Ding'an Kingdom, she was prepared the moment she learned of the arranged marriage. She was willing to sacrifice everything for the good of Ding'an Kingdom.

She also knew why her most beloved father, the emperor, wanted to use her for a political marriage: to appease the Central Plains dynasty and give the Kingdom of An enough time to develop.

Lin Fan looked calmly at Princess Ding'an, paused briefly, and then said, "Princess, you should go back to Ding'an. There is no future for us."

Upon hearing this, Princess Ding'an's expression changed slightly. "Why? This marriage was bestowed by His Majesty. If I return to my country, His Majesty will surely punish me."

Lin Fan said, "I will not punish you, because after a while, I will lead a large army to Ding'an Kingdom, destroy your regime, and bring Ding'an Kingdom under the control of the Central Plains Dynasty."

As soon as these words came out.

Princess Ding'an's pupils contracted sharply, and her blood seemed to freeze instantly.

She staggered backward, her voice trembling uncontrollably, "Why...why are you telling me this?"

“There’s no need to hide it.” Lin Fan’s gaze was like a deep pool, unfathomable. “You came seeking a marriage alliance, and all you want is temporary peace in Ding’an. But the Central Plains will not grant you such an opportunity.”

Princess Ding'an said, "General, Ding'an has not offended the Central Plains Dynasty."

“Yes, there was no offense intended, but Ding’an is too close to the Central Plains Dynasty. Moreover, Ding’an has its own cultural heritage. If the Central Plains Dynasty does not take down Ding’an, then in the future, it will be your Ding’an that raises an army to invade the Central Plains Dynasty.” Lin Fan said, “Go back and tell your father to be prepared.”

Upon hearing this, Princess Ding'an staggered back several steps.

A look of terror appeared in his eyes.

She never expected to hear such news.

"General, is there really no chance of a turnaround?"

"No."

Lin Fan's tone was very firm.

At this moment, Princess Ding'an finally understood why Lin Fan's illusion was so terrifying—it had emerged from endless slaughter.

Princess Ding'an had a lot to say, but for some reason, she felt as if someone was choking her.

His breathing gradually became rapid.

She turned and left in a panic, her steps unsteady, and she almost fell.

Ning Yu asked, "Master, why did you tell her?"

Lin Fan said, "Don't you think that having Ding'an Kingdom prepare in advance and gather its generals and soldiers together would save me a lot of travel time?"

"what!!!"

Ning Yu seemed to understand a little, but not much.

……

Princess Ding'an returned to her residence, and Lord Chen, seeing his princess in such a flustered state, quickly asked, "Princess, what's wrong?"

He noticed that the princess's face was deathly pale.

It looked like he had been frightened.

Princess Ding'an said, "Lord Chen, General Shenwu just said that he will lead a large army to attack our country in the future, and he wants me to return to the country and tell my father."

"What?" Lord Chen was shocked. "Princess, this... how is this possible? Our country has not provoked the Central Plains dynasty, let alone sent the princess here for a marriage alliance."

Princess Ding'an said, "He said that our Ding'an Kingdom has its own cultural heritage, and keeping it will inevitably lead to disaster in the future, so he wants to undermine our country's regime."

Upon hearing this, Lord Chen understood that the Central Plains dynasty was determined to attack Ding'an Kingdom.

How could he not understand the reason?

The Ding'an Kingdom is currently developing rapidly; all it needs is time. Once the Ding'an Kingdom becomes powerful enough, it will definitely have the ambition to annex the Central Plains dynasties.

This is beyond doubt.

What he couldn't understand was why the Divine Martial General would tell the princess this.

Thinking of this, his eyes suddenly darted around.

Suddenly.

He hurriedly said, "Princess, let's go, let's leave quickly and return to our country now. We can't stay here in the Central Plains Dynasty."

"Lord Chen, I wish to meet with the Emperor of the Central Plains. If our two countries go to war, there will surely be widespread suffering and countless deaths," Princess Ding'an said.

Lord Chen said helplessly, "My princess, we can't ask about this. He told you that he was going to attack our country, but the emperor may not know that he told you. If he does find out, we may not be able to leave even if we want to. The only way is to hurry back to our country and tell His Majesty about this so that we can make full preparations."

The Central Plains dynasty must have been plotting this for a long time.

It seems that the supplies needed for the war have already been prepared.

They can break camp and set off at any time, while the Ding'an Kingdom is unaware of this. Once the army enters the country, they will definitely lose the city, since troop deployment is not something that can be done immediately.

However, if the army of the Central Plains dynasty were to advance into the interior...

The consequences would be unimaginable.

Princess Ding'an thought about it and felt that it made sense, but she felt very depressed, as if a huge mountain was pressing down on her heart.

……

"My lord, Princess Ding'an and the envoy have already left the city," Yang Ming reported.

"Ah."

Lin Fan nodded, waved his hand, and told Yang Ming to continue his work, while he went to the palace.

Inside the imperial study, the emperor saw Lin Fan holding a teacup with a faint smile on his lips and couldn't help but ask curiously, "What makes you so happy today, my dear minister?"

Lin Fan smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I was thinking about what it would be like when Ding'an Kingdom assembles its army and its generals arrive at the front lines, only to have them wiped out by me in one fell swoop."

"Ah!" The emperor sighed softly, "My dear minister, I have never seen anyone as confident as you in my life, but this confidence also gives me full confidence in the expedition to Ding'an Kingdom."

The expedition to Ding'an was a battle that touched the very foundation of the Central Plains dynasty. If it had failed, it would have marked the beginning of the dynasty's decline from its peak.

The dynasty may seem to be in some turmoil now, but this turmoil is only the beginning of stability.

With the return of military power and the strengthening of imperial authority, the ability to mobilize and unify the country was greatly enhanced.

The centuries-old Song family clan was forcibly suppressed using the simplest and most brutal methods. There were impacts, but once those impacts were resolved, stability would be restored.

During this period, he also had people handle the situation of academies in various places.

Chongwen Academy is the first choice to target. No other academies have opposed Lin Aiqing, but Chongwen Academy took the initiative to jump out. Anzhou Academy is not bad, so it naturally deserves special attention.

Lin Fan laughed and said, "Your Majesty, the outcome of this battle has already been decided. Your Majesty only needs to think about how to assimilate the people of Ding'an Kingdom and arrange for officials to be stationed in the cities of Ding'an Kingdom. The territory is easy to obtain, but the management is a bit difficult. Of course, I don't have the ability to manage."

If someone else said that...

He had been watching him like he was a fool, but since these words came from his beloved minister's mouth, he believed them without a doubt and had absolutely no reason to doubt them.

The expedition will surely succeed.

Half a month later.

Court.

The officials looked very serious. They seemed to know something, but today was different. Qin Xiang was wearing armor, clearly indicating that he was about to embark on a long expedition.

The emperor coughed a few times and said, "This morning at court, I will only discuss one matter: Minister Lin will lead an army of 200,000 on a distant expedition to Ding'an. All departments and offices in the court must fully cooperate with the emperor on this expedition. Anyone who outwardly complies but inwardly disobeys will not be able to blame me for being ruthless. Do you all understand?"

All the officials responded in unison.

Some officials looked at Lin Fan with strange expressions.

to be frank.

This expedition was the first of its kind for the Central Plains dynasties in decades.

"Father, I request permission to accompany the Grand General. I am willing to serve as a guard in the Grand General's tent," the Second Prince volunteered.

I was given twenty lashes a while ago, and it's only now that I've recovered a little.

He never expected that after exchanging a few polite words with those bastards at Chongwen Academy, he would be betrayed by them, and his father would not listen to his explanation and would directly punish him with twenty lashes.

He felt wronged and upset.

Although he had the idea of ​​bringing down General Lin, he never voiced it or made it clear. He thought, "Is it really necessary to do this just because I met some students from Chongwen Academy?"

"Nonsense! Minister Lin is on a military campaign, which concerns the fate of the nation. What are you going there for? To guard the gates? You stay obediently in the capital and are not allowed to go anywhere!" the emperor roared.

The Grand Tutor and the Grand Protector sighed inwardly.

To be honest, they were quite disappointed with the Second Prince's behavior.

How can one be so confused sometimes?
After being reprimanded by his father, the second prince slumped his head and stepped aside.

The other princes were practically invisible, and they were also suppressing their laughter.

Let you show off.

They got a lesson, didn't they?

"My dear minister, you must take care of your health on this expedition and avoid overexertion. You are to make your own decisions on all matters; there is no need to consult me," the emperor said.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Lin Fan is now the Divine Martial General, the highest-ranking military officer. He is the supreme commander in the expedition to Ding'an Kingdom, and he makes all the decisions.

The officials in the court could see from this expedition that His Majesty's trust in the Divine Martial General had surpassed that between a ruler and his subjects.

Logically, military affairs and supervising eunuchs should be arranged to accompany the army. These eunuchs are used to supervise the commander-in-chief and have great power, and can interfere with military decisions.

But now none of that is there.

"My dear minister, I will personally escort you out of the city," the emperor said.

"it is good."

Lin Fan nodded.

After a long while, the people of the city gathered in the street, their eyes fixed on the Great General Shenwu who was about to embark on a distant expedition. Now the people also knew that the imperial court had sent troops on a distant expedition.

"Wishing the mighty General a triumphant return."

The people shouted.

Lin Fan nodded with a smile.

Upon arriving at the city gate, Lin Fan turned around and said, "Your Majesty, please return first. I will finish the expedition and return as soon as possible."

"Take good care of yourself, my dear minister." The emperor held Lin Fan's hand, extremely reluctant to part with him.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will take good care of myself. Your Majesty, please also take good care of your health and wait for my good news," Lin Fan said.

"Very well, I'll be waiting," the emperor said with a smile.

Lin Fan looked to the side and asked, "Scribe Wang, are you sure you want to go with the army?"

"determine."

The historian Wang said firmly and confidently.

How could he not go to such a major battle? As a historian, he had long since disregarded life and death. Staying in the court was incredibly boring every day. Only by following the general could he experience things that other historians could not.

The second prince whispered to the Grand Tutor, "Teacher, look at how much Father Emperor cares for General Lin. It's just like father and son. It's truly enviable."

His sarcastic tone made the Grand Tutor too lazy to say anything more.

"Your Highness, please don't talk nonsense," the Grand Tutor whispered.

The second prince said, "I know, but teacher, how long do you think the general's expedition will take? It will take at least a year and a half."

If it takes a year or two, that would be a golden opportunity for the Second Prince, enough time for him to develop his career in the capital. Back when the First Prince was alive, he couldn't develop his career.

Later, the eldest prince was given a death sentence, and the Divine Martial General was still alive. The civil and military officials were extremely afraid of him, so much so that it was somewhat difficult for him to develop officials who supported him.

But now that the opportunity has come, we definitely have to seize it.

The Grand Tutor pondered for a moment and said in a low voice, "A campaign to conquer a country would take at least one to three years, and the follow-up supplies would be of paramount importance. If Your Highness wants to accomplish something, you could try this approach."

The second prince's heart pounded upon hearing this.

Hmm... that's a good idea.

at this time.

Lin Fan waved goodbye and left; the army was waiting ahead.

Qin Xiang followed Lin Fan and said, "General, the main force of the capital garrison is waiting ahead, while the rest of the army will assemble in Liaodong."

"Yes, Qin Xiang, you will be in charge of the main force for this expedition. You will be responsible for discussing the troop deployment with the other generals," Lin Fan said.

"General, what about you?" Qin Xiang was taken aback.

Lin Fan said, "Of course I'll make sure they open the door wide for you. To catch the thief, catch the king first. I'll clear the obstacles in front of you. As for the siege weapons, you don't need to bring them, as they will delay your journey."

Upon hearing this, Qin Xiang stared blankly at Lin Fan, then said, "Yes, this subordinate understands."

If other generals heard of this...

They will definitely gasp in surprise.

Without siege weapons and breaching walls, what kind of battle is this? Whether we can get into the city depends on these things and the casualties of our soldiers.

at this time.

Back in Ding'an Kingdom, the news sent back by Princess Ding'an caused a great deal of anxiety among the officials in the court.

The Eastern Saint King looked even more solemn.

He never expected that, despite all the events that had transpired in the Central Plains Dynasty, they would still be thinking of launching a distant expedition against Ding'an Kingdom.

(End of this chapter)