The Demon Prince

The man's face turned pale: "This humble general misspoke while drunk."

Li Shunhua kicked over the table in front of him, spilling food and wine all over him:

"Speaking carelessly while drunk? The remains of the King of Zhen and his son have just arrived in the capital, and you're here drinking and cursing. Is that what you call speaking carelessly while drunk?"

She raised her hand and pressed it against the hilt of the knife:

"When Cao Bi was alive, you followed him in oppressing the old troops in the northern border."

Cao Bi is dead, and you're all busy scrambling for positions!

"What? The incense for the spirits of the Xiao family heroes hasn't even burned out yet, and your hearts are already this fervent?"

No one dared to utter a sound. Qin Zhenyue slowly walked in, and the old general glanced around. Everyone immediately stood up.

"Greetings, General Qin."

Qin Zhenyue glanced at the spilled wine on the ground:

"It's quite lively?"

"Go on, I'm listening."

You could hear a pin drop in the private room.

Qin Zhenyue glanced disdainfully at the middle-aged military officer:

"Didn't you ignore Xiao Xingyue?"

Come, say it again in front of me.

The man's legs buckled, and he knelt down on the spot.

"General, please forgive me, I dare not."

Qin Zhenyue said coldly:

"Whom you want to push or whom you want to protect is none of my business."

But now that the King of Zhen and his son have just returned to the capital, anyone who dares to speak ill of the Xiao family's achievements will have their tongue ripped out!

Everyone lowered their heads even further.

Li Shunhua's chest heaved violently; she was truly enraged.

The white banners in the mourning hall today, the veteran's tears, and Xiao Xingyue's refusal to shed tears all weighed heavily on her heart.

These people, however, are laughing in the restaurant!

Qin Zhenyue took a deep look at his granddaughter, and only spoke after they left the restaurant:

"Shunhua, when you acted just now, were you doing it for the King of Zhen or for Xiao Xingyue?"

Li Shunhua paused in her steps:

"Grandpa, the King of Zhen is a senior in the army, and I respect him."

Qin Zhenyue then asked:

"Only the king of the town is honored?"

Li Shunhua kept a straight face:

"Otherwise what?"

Qin Zhenyue didn't expose him.

He looked towards the direction of the Prince's Palace in Zhenguo. The white lights illuminated a large part of the capital, but it was like a chain connecting boats, one after another.

At some point, some people and others became like brothers.

"Go to the King's Palace in Zhengzhou," he said.

"I'll go check on him."

Li Shunhua was taken aback: "Grandpa?"

Qin Zhenyue said in a deep voice:

"The group of people in the Ministry of War started to band together."

If Cao Bi's old faction pushes someone forward first, they will continue to delay the funeral and settle old scores in the north.

Li Shunhua looked grave.

"Then let Xiao Xingyue finalize the list as soon as possible."

Qin Zhenyue said deeply:

"He needs someone backing him up to make the list."

Li Shunhua remained silent; she understood.

Although Xiao Xingyue is currently enjoying great success, the decline of the Xiao family is also a fact.

Those people dared to curse in the restaurant because they were certain that the Zhenguo King's Mansion had lost its roots.

When the carriage arrived at the Prince's Mansion, Xiao Xingyue was outside the mourning hall, flipping through the incomplete documents sent by the Ministry of Rites, a piece of paper crumpled in his hand.

Zhao Yuanbao stood to the side, his mouth dry from cursing:

"The Ministry of Rites is shameless. What do they mean by saying that sacrificial rites need to be verified by the new official in charge, and that the Court of Imperial Sacrifices needs the Ministry of Rites to issue a document first?"

So neither side is doing any work.

Xiao Xingyue said calmly, "They want me to beg them."

Qin Zhenyue walked into the courtyard:

"Then don't beg them."

Xiao Xingyue bowed:

"The old general has come to see my father?"

Qin Zhenyue remained silent and simply walked into the depths of the mourning hall.

"You've come to see my father too? Didn't you come during the day?" Xiao Xingyue glanced at Li Shunhua again.

Li Shunhua turned her face away, her mind still preoccupied with the restaurant incident, and dared not look at him directly. She simply said in a low voice:

"Come with me later."

"Where to?" Xiao Xingyue asked, puzzled.

Qin Zhenyue finished offering incense and came out:

"In Consort Qin's palace."

Xiao Xingyue was taken aback, and looked the grandfather and grandson over and over again without any attempt to hide it.

Qin Zhenyue was somewhat embarrassed. He, a dignified general, had led a group to the palace in the middle of the night to discuss the selection of personnel for the Ministry of War.

"Those who are near the water get the moon first," Li Shunhua chimed in, giving Xiao Xingyue a sidelong glance.

Xiao Xingyue picked up the roster:

"I understand, General Qin is securing a race for his granddaughter."

Qin Zhenyue coughed lightly:

"Stop talking nonsense."

The palace of Consort Qin was brightly lit, and Qin Liangyue sat in the main seat.

The palace lanterns shone on her face, revealing a hint of indifference from someone who had long held a high position.

As soon as Xiao Xingyue finished bowing, she spoke:

"The Ministry of War must not fall into the hands of Cao Bi's old faction, much less into the hands of civil officials."

Shunhua has just gained the right to fight; if anyone in the Ministry of War obstructs her, every step she takes from now on will be difficult.

Xiao Xingyue blinked:

"Your Majesty is right."

Qin Liangyue's gaze softened:

"Therefore, I hope you will support the people promoted by the Qin family."

Xiao Xingyue picked up the roster, turned around and left:

Goodbye.

Qin Liangyue was stunned: "What are you doing?"

Xiao Xingyue turned around, looking completely innocent:

"Didn't Your Majesty say last time that the Eighth Princess should not be burdened by romantic love?"

She even said her husband had to be responsible, prestigious, and able to establish himself in the military. Why is she now asking me to pave the way for her?

Qin Liangyue felt a lump in her throat from the retort, while Qin Zhenyue, sitting beside her, used his teacup to shield his face.

Li Shunhua stood behind the screen, looking annoyed.

She knew it; this jerk's mouth was sweet only when he was kissing her, and sour the rest of the time.

Qin Liangyue suppressed her anger:

"I am not acting out of personal feelings, but for the sake of the Great Xia."

"Someone come here."

She had a palace maid bring over a small jade bottle:

"This is a secret medicine of the Qin family army, which can replenish qi and blood and protect the meridians."

"Your martial arts progress is too rapid now; your foundation may not be stable. Take this."

Xiao Xingyue immediately accepted it:

"Your Majesty is magnanimous."

Qin Liangyue's face was cold:

"Don't be too happy yet. I'm afraid that with your weak constitution, you might get beaten to death in front of Shunhua one day."

Xiao Xingyue looked down at himself:

"Your Majesty, I'm not exactly a weakling anymore, am I?"

Qin Zhenyue coughed:

"Anyone below the seventh rank can certainly cause trouble."

Xiao Xingyue carefully put away the medicine bottle:

"This little thing is putting me in a difficult position. Would it be unreasonable for me to raise the price?"

Qin Liangyue's eyes darkened: "What else do you want?"

"If Your Majesty wants me to support the candidate for the Ministry of War, it's very simple. I will tell you in the most straightforward, direct, and unambiguous way."

Xiao Xingyue placed the roster on the table:

"First, hand over the entire list of wounded and disabled former troops of the Northern Frontier that Cao Bi had suppressed."

Second, compensation for those killed in action must be paid.

Thirdly, at tomorrow's court assembly, Li Shunhua will personally stand on behalf of the former northern troops.

Qin Liangyue's expression changed:

"You're trying to tie Shunhua and the Xiao family together."

Xiao Xingyue said seriously:

"If the Eighth Princess wants to take command of the army, she must first let the soldiers know that she dares to speak for the dead and also dares to stand up for the living."

Qin Liangyue narrowed her eyes slightly.

Xiao Xingyue continued:

"If she were to command troops solely based on her status as Qin Zhenyue's granddaughter, people would only say that she is relying on her maternal family."

But if she seeks justice for the old guard in the North, those veterans will remember her, and the Western Army will see her.

Everyone in the Great Xia army knows that Li Shunhua isn't a princess who steals military merits; she's truly capable of handling things!

Behind the screen, Li Shunhua's long eyelashes trembled.

She had initially thought that Xiao Xingyue was using her as a bargaining chip again, but his words struck a chord with her.

The soldiers will not obey her just because she is a princess.

The soldiers, it all depends on whether she dares to stand up for them.

Qin Liangyue remained silent for a long time. Of course she understood, and it was precisely because she understood that she found it even more difficult to refute.

Xiao Xingyue's purpose was not clean; he wanted to clear the name of the Xiao family and use Li Shunhua's reputation to dispel the rumors that the Xiao family had no one left to rely on.

However, this matter also benefits Li Shunhua.

Qin Liangyue raised her hand and rubbed her temples:

"I will not agree for her. Let her speak for herself. Come out, Shunhua."