In this chaotic world of vying for power, I can become stronger by marrying a wife.

"What's going on?" Li Yueru put down the account book and walked out of the room.

Outside the camp, hundreds of soldiers in black armor surrounded the entire camp.

The leader was a middle-aged man dressed in a purple robe.

"Who are you?" Li Yueru asked, frowning.

"Zhao Ming, Vice Minister of War," the middle-aged man said calmly, "I have come to take over the Shenji Battalion on the orders of His Highness the Crown Prince."

"Take over the Divine Machine Battalion?" Li Yueru sneered. "With your abilities?"

"Just me." Zhao Ming pulled out an imperial edict from his robes. "This is His Highness the Crown Prince's decree. From this day forward, the Divine Machine Battalion will be under the jurisdiction of the Crown Prince's residence."

"A royal edict?" Li Yueru glanced at it and sneered, "The Crown Prince's edict is not valid in Jing'an City."

"Is that so?" Zhao Ming's eyes turned cold. "Then don't blame me for being impolite."

He waved his hand, "Take it down!"

Hundreds of black-armored soldiers rushed towards the camp in an instant.

"Protect the lady!"

The soldiers left behind by the Shenji Battalion immediately rushed out and engaged in battle with the black-armored soldiers.

However, due to the vast disparity in numbers, the Shenji Battalion soldiers quickly found themselves at a disadvantage.

"Madam, you must leave!" A soldier who was protecting Li Yueru was slashed to the ground.

Li Yueru gritted her teeth and turned to run towards the backyard.

But after running a few steps, a figure suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Madam Li, why are you in such a hurry?"

Zhao Ming looked at her with a smile.

"What do you want to do?" Li Yueru asked coldly.

"I don't want to do anything, it's just that His Highness the Crown Prince said he would like to invite Madam Li to the Crown Prince's residence as a guest."

"Visiting?" Li Yueru sneered. "I think it's more like being a hostage."

"Madam Li is clever," Zhao Ming didn't deny. "As long as Madam Li obediently comes with me, I guarantee that not a single member of the Divine Machine Battalion will be harmed."

"you--"

Just as Li Yueru was about to speak, she suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves.

"stop!"

Wei Lang led the Shenji Battalion soldiers into the camp, and his face turned ashen upon seeing the scene before him.

"Zhao Ming, how dare you!"

"Wei Lang?" Zhao Ming frowned. "Didn't you go to Black Wind Valley with Su Ming? Why are you back so soon?"

"Enough with the nonsense!" Wei Lang drew his sword. "Release the lady, or don't blame me for being impolite!"

"You think you can take me on?" Zhao Ming sneered. "Wei Lang, if you know what's good for you, you'd better surrender obediently, otherwise—"

"Otherwise what?"

A cold voice suddenly rang out.

Zhao Ming's expression changed, and he turned around abruptly. He saw Su Ming riding a warhorse and slowly walking into the camp.

"Su... Su Ming?" Zhao Ming looked at him in disbelief. "How come you're back so soon?"

"Thanks to His Highness Tuoba's reminder." Su Ming dismounted and walked to Li Yueru's side. "Yueru, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Li Yueru shook her head.

Su Ming nodded, turned to look at Zhao Ming, his eyes icy cold, "Zhao Ming, how dare you touch my people."

"I...I was acting on His Highness the Crown Prince's orders—"

"The Crown Prince?" Su Ming sneered. "The Crown Prince's life is none of my concern."

He waved his hand, "Take it down."

The Shenji Battalion soldiers rushed forward instantly, surrounding Zhao Ming and the black-armored soldiers.

"Su Ming, how dare you!" Zhao Ming said, his voice stern but his tone weak. "I am the Vice Minister of War. If you dare to touch me, you are making an enemy of the imperial court!"

"The imperial court?" Su Ming walked up to him, grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him up. "You dare to represent the imperial court?"

"You, you..." Zhao Ming's face turned red, and he couldn't speak.

"Tell the Crown Prince that his plan has failed." Su Ming released his grip, and Zhao Ming collapsed to the ground. "Also, tell him to wash his neck clean and wait. In three days, I will personally go to the capital to collect his head."

Zhao Ming looked at Su Ming in horror and scrambled out of the room.

After he left, Wei Lang approached and asked, "Sir, are we just going to let him go like that?"

"How can we send a message to the Crown Prince if we don't let him go?" Su Ming said calmly.

"But sir, the Crown Prince wields immense power in the capital. Wouldn't what you're doing be..."

"What are you afraid of?" Su Ming interrupted him. "If he dares to touch my people, I dare to take his life."

Wei Lang opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

Su Ming turned to look at Li Yueru, "Yueru, you've been through a lot these past few days."

"I'm fine." Li Yueru shook her head. "But you, you must be careful of the Crown Prince."

"I will." Su Ming nodded.

Just then, the system notification sounded.

[Ding! Mission complete!]

[Reward: 500 Luck Points, Divine Weapon "Heavenly Spear"!]

[Ding! Host is about to travel to the capital. New mission activated: "Dragon's Den and Tiger's Lair"!]

Mission Objective: Head to the capital and overthrow the Crown Prince!

[Mission Rewards: 1000 Luck Points, Special Item "Substitute Puppet" x1!]

[Mission Failed: Host Dead!]

Su Ming's eyes sharpened as he looked at the system notification.

"The capital, here I come."

……

The capital city, the Crown Prince's residence.

Crown Prince Zhou Qian sat in his study, toying with a jade pendant in his hand, a faint smile on his face.

"Your Highness, Zhao Ming has returned." A guard's voice came from outside the door.

"Let him in."

Zhao Ming pushed open the door and entered, his face pale, and knelt on the ground.

"Your Highness, I have failed in my duties. Please punish me."

"Incompetent in handling affairs?" Zhou Qian put down the jade pendant and looked at him. "Tell me, how exactly were you incompetent?"

"Su Ming's early return to the city disrupted our plans," Zhao Ming said, head bowed. "My subordinate is incompetent; he managed to rescue Li Yueru."

"Su Ming?" Zhou Qian frowned. "Wasn't he in Black Wind Valley? How come he's back so quickly?"

"I don't know either," Zhao Ming said tremblingly, "but Su Ming asked me to pass on a message to you."

"What did you say?"

He said he would come to the capital in three days to take your head.

"Hahaha!"

Zhou Qian suddenly burst into laughter, tears streaming down his face. "Take my head? Su Ming has quite the nerve!"

"Your Highness, Su Ming is not to be underestimated," Zhao Ming said cautiously. "He is ruthless and enjoys His Majesty's deep trust. If we allow him to enter the capital..."

"So what if we let him into the capital?" Zhou Qian sneered. "The capital is my territory. Once he comes, he can forget about leaving alive."

"But Your Highness, Su Ming has the High Priest's letter. What if His Majesty sees it?"

"So what if I saw it?" Zhou Qian interrupted him. "That letter is just the high priest's side of the story. Without substantial evidence, His Majesty won't believe it."

"But--"

"That's enough." Zhou Qian waved his hand. "You can go now and take good care of your injuries."

"Yes."

Zhao Ming left the study.

After he left, Zhou Qian's smile vanished. "Su Ming, you think you've won?"

He pulled a black token from his pocket, on which was engraved the word "demon".

"Since you want to come to the capital, then I'll make sure you never leave."

He crushed the token, and a wisp of black smoke drifted out from it, condensing into a blurry human figure in the air.

"What are your orders, Master?" the figure asked in a hoarse voice.

"Go to Jing'an City and kill Su Ming," Zhou Qian said coldly.

"Yes, ma'am."

The figure transformed into a wisp of black smoke and vanished from the study.

Zhou Qian looked out the window, a ruthless glint in his eyes.

"Su Ming, you asked for this."

……