No title, no marriage? Do you think I'm some kind of lapdog?

The air froze instantly.

As Emperor Wu finished speaking, Su Chuang's knuckles, which were gripping the wine cup, turned slightly white.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant—deny? Play dumb? Or…

"Don't panic."

"If I truly wanted to punish you, I wouldn't have protected you in court today."

Emperor Wu waved his hand, looking somewhat tired.

"Your Majesty is wise; I am only afraid of death."

"If I didn't have some means to protect myself, I would have gone to the underworld to join Father long ago."

Su Chuang grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.

He spoke bluntly, even with a touch of shrewdness and self-righteousness.

"fear death?"

"So, you're afraid of death? You dare to keep a secret guard right under my nose?"

Emperor Wu raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife.

"Those aren't secret guards, they're just errand runners and intelligence gatherers."

Su Chuang feigned ignorance and continued to cleverly defend himself.

"Your subject loves money, but to do business, one must know the market prices, right?"

"In the capital, if you're even a step behind in getting information, you'll lose half your earnings."

As he spoke, he pulled out a stack of gold notes from his pocket with unusual practice, giving Emperor Wu the impression that it was commonplace.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Emperor Wu's hand, which was pressed against the dagger.

If the other party really wants to silence him, he can use the golden knife hidden in his sleeve to fight for a chance of survival.

"Father, please look, this is the profit sharing from today's storytelling, and this is the revenue from the winery..."

"That's all I'm good for; I live off these gold and silver things."

Emperor Wu looked at the thick stack of gold notes in his hand, and his lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

This unfilial son never forgets his greedy nature.

He didn't expose it.

"That's enough."

Get up.

Emperor Wu waved his hand, his tone suddenly softening.

"Alright, thank you, Father."

Su Chuang felt relieved and said carelessly that he knew he had passed this hurdle.

"Little Chuang, do you know why I have met with you alone today?"

Emperor Wu looked at his pathetic appearance and suddenly laughed.

"Your Majesty, I do not know... Could it be that Your Majesty wishes to reward me with something?"

Su Chuang's mind was filled with alarm bells, but he pretended to be confused.

"A reward for you?"

"What you did in the Imperial Study today almost wiped out the entire Second Prince's lineage, and you still want a reward?"

Emperor Wu chuckled.

"Well... wasn't that for self-preservation?"

"That old bastard Kong Xiangtong clearly wants to use the Xiongnu to cut off my head."

"Aren't you going to let me fight back?!"

Su Chuang chuckled awkwardly.

"Um…"

"About your father..."

"I know you've made a discovery."

Emperor Wu suddenly spoke, his voice very soft, accompanied by bursts of coughing, his sleeves stained with dark red.

Su Chuang lowered his eyes, but took it all in, a cold smile playing on his lips.

Emperor Wu's health deteriorated faster than he expected; it must have been due to poisoning.

The situation in the capital is about to change.

"You took that page from the Ministry of War Archives, didn't you?"

"Although Yue Zhanpeng is useless, he didn't wrong you in this matter."

Emperor Wu did not wait for his reply and continued speaking.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I have taken it."

Su Chuang looked up, his arrogant gaze fixed directly on Emperor Wu.

"My father died in battle at Luofengpo. The military report about that battle six years ago was false."

Emperor Wu's expression changed.

Su Chuang struck while the iron was hot, secretly taking out the yellowed list of the dead from his storage ring.

"Next to my father's name on this is the seal of the Ministry of War."

Su Chuang spread the paper out on the stone table and pointed to the missing part at the bottom of the page.

"But the copy I saw in the archives was missing a piece here."

Emperor Wu's pupils contracted slightly.

Su Chuang knew that leaving it at that was enough. The old emperor was a smart man and naturally understood what this meant.

"Your subject does not understand the intricacies of court politics."

"But Father cannot die in vain. Whoever harmed him, I will make them pay with their lives."

Su Chuang put on that simple and honest expression again.

"You want to go to Northern Xinjiang?"

Emperor Wu suddenly gave an irrelevant answer.

"think."

"My father died in the northern border region, my enemy is in the northern border region, and the truth is also in the northern border region."

"If I don't go, am I supposed to wait for those people to erase all the clues?"

Su Chuang answered decisively.

"Besides, that grandson Yue Xinyang has already gone. If I don't go, wouldn't it seem like I'm afraid of him?"

As he spoke, he added another sentence.

Although these words sounded childish, Emperor Wu understood a different meaning behind them.

He's still just turned eighteen; he's still a child.

"You mean...?"

Emperor Wu's eyes were deep and profound.

"Your subject doesn't want anything."

Su Chuang grinned.

"I just think that northern Xinjiang is a very interesting place."

"Ye Qingyue is there, Yue Xinyang is there, and the Xiongnu people are there too. It's very lively."

He spoke casually, but Emperor Wu discerned the underlying meaning:

All clues, all enemies, and all hidden dangers converge in the northern frontier.

Su Chuang is going to wipe them all out in one fell swoop.

"I can grant your request."

"But you must successfully complete this negotiation mission!"

Emperor Wu put down his cup, his voice calm.

"Thank you, Father Emperor!"

Su Chuang quickly stood up and bowed.

He knew that the enemies facing the northern frontier were not just the Xiongnu!

There were also the Wuhuan and Xianbei people!

"Don't thank me yet."

"I haven't finished speaking."

Emperor Wu raised his hand to stop Su Chuang.

"Father, please speak."

Su Chuang's heart skipped a beat, but he remained respectful on the surface.

"If these negotiations fail, it will ignite a war with the Xiongnu."

"I will show no mercy and use your head as a sacrifice for the flag!"

Emperor Wu said in a deep voice.

The current strength of the Great Qian Dynasty is weak, and it really cannot withstand a full-scale war with the Xiongnu.

"Your subject will certainly not fail in his mission."

Su Chuang looked up at the northern night sky, his eyes growing cold.

"You can leave now..."

Emperor Wu waved his hand and said.

"Your subject takes his leave!"

Su Chuang put away the list and turned to leave Tingyuxuan.

In the darkness, just as he turned a corner less than a kilometer from the palace, a dark figure silently landed:

"My lord, the Second Prince's men have arrived in the Northern Frontier and are making contact with Ye Qingyue."

Lu Bing knelt on one knee and said respectfully.

"Perfect timing. In this game of the Northern Frontier, it's easier to win when everyone is ready."

Su Chuang stroked the hilt of the golden sword and suddenly smiled.

"system."

"Retrieve all currently available resources."

He silently thought to himself, it's time to show off the wealth he's accumulated over this period of time.

[Host: Su Chuang]

[Current Powers: Duke Xin's Mansion, Patrol Army (partial), Embroidered Uniform Guard (intelligence network), Commercial Network (taverns, storybooks)]

[Available talents: Yue Fei (SSS), Zhao Yun (S), Jia Xu (S), Lu Bing (S), Wang Wenxiang (B), Feng Feng (C+), Mi Zhu (S, to take office in three days)]

[Troop strength: 300 Imperial Guards (under training), 1,000 Embroidered Uniform Guards, 2,000 Patrol Troops (some of whom are loyal)]

[Capital: 150,000 taels of gold (working capital), daily income from business approximately 3,000 taels]

[Special Items: S-grade storage ring, golden knife]

Ye Qingyue, Yue Xinyang.

Don't you guys like to play?

Once I arrive in the Northern Frontier, we'll have some fun.