The whole family is obsessed with love? The princess woke them up one after another.

"Grandfather, if rewards and punishments are not clearly defined... it will discourage the soldiers," Qi Zhiyu said with a light laugh.

"If even military merits can be fraudulently claimed, will ordinary soldiers ever have a chance to rise in the future?"

"With the upward mobility blocked, what motivation do the ordinary soldiers below have to go to the battlefield?"

"Even if you risk your life and achieve great merit, if it all benefits others, who will be willing to contribute on the battlefield?"

"In the end, if the army is full of lazy bums who just want to eat and wait to die, then... who will protect the country, the people, and the nation?"

Qi Zhiyu's questions struck everyone's hearts like heavy hammer blows.

Those ministers who originally wanted to say a few words for Jiang Baihua all gave up on that idea.

In this situation, it's no longer a matter of pleading for leniency.

Anyone who dares to speak out is disregarding the stability of the country and the lives of ordinary people.

No one would dare to be such a villain!

Emperor Kangwu sighed helplessly, "Duke of Wei, I did intend to show you some favoritism."

"Unfortunately... this concerns the fate of the nation and the common people, and I can no longer look after you."

Duke Wei hung his head, his whole body tense.

He finally understood that His Majesty's words just now were entirely intentional.

This was intentionally designed to elicit Qi Zhiyu's subsequent remarks.

So, was this matter something His Majesty and Prince Rui had already discussed beforehand?

Was it a deliberate trap set for them?

Your Majesty is indeed biased towards Prince Rui's family.

"Jiang Baihua, you have been in the army for many years, and you have always been stealing credit from others?" Emperor Kangwu asked.

Jiang Baihua looked up: "Your Majesty, regarding this matter..."

"Silence!" the Duke of Wei snapped. "Report to His Majesty truthfully what you have done!"

Jiang Baihua was puzzled. Why should he admit it?

There is still room for maneuver in this matter.

Duke Wei's eyes widened.

Jiang Baihua immediately chickened out and dared not speak.

"Grandfather, let Jiang Zhongming speak," Qi Zhiyu suggested. "He is the victim."

Emperor Kangwu nodded: "Jiang Zhongming, you speak."

Jiang Zhongming cupped his hands in greeting and then said earnestly, "From the moment I entered the military camp, I have been in place of Jiang Baihua."

"His tactics were explained to him in advance by me. As for fighting the enemy on the battlefield, it was I who went."

"All his military achievements belong to me, your humble servant!"

The people in the hall looked at Jiang Baihua with mixed feelings.

They used to admire Jiang Baihua quite a bit—his strategies, his brilliant military tactics, his bravery… but it turns out none of it was his.

The Duke of Wei asked sorrowfully, "Why haven't you spoken up all these years?"

"If you had said so sooner..."

The Duke of Wei covered his face with his sleeve in anguish, as if wiping away tears.

"Duke of Wei, this is too fake," Qi Zhiyu scoffed.

Duke Wei's body stiffened.

Qi Zhiyu asked, "They're all your sons. They're learning martial arts and studying at the Duke of Wei's mansion. What? You don't know their situation?"

"Don't you care about your son? Or are you just so easily fooled? Don't you know who learned it and how it turned out?"

"Hey, there's no point in covering your face now. You don't even have a face to hide, what's the point?"

At this point, even the Duke of Wei was at a loss for how to respond.

"Grandfather, the Duke of Wei's health doesn't allow it now, and Jiang Baihua... is simply a useless piece of trash," Qi Zhiyu said with a smile.

"There always needs to be someone in charge who commands respect in the army."

"I think Jiang Zhongming is quite good."

"Of course, this is just a suggestion. Grandfather should discuss the specifics with the civil and military officials."

"Today is a victory celebration. Although one of the soldiers was an imposter, the others have earned their merits through genuine battle. Don't let this trivial matter spoil the mood."

Everyone: "..."

Little things?

The head of Chen'an County calls this a trivial matter?

Indeed, she was the one who exposed the whole thing, and for her, everything was under control; it was a trivial matter.

However, for them... how could such a major change in military power be a trivial matter?

Emperor Kangwu smiled slightly: "What Chen'an said is quite right."

"Don't spoil everyone's fun, let's continue."

Since Emperor Kangwu has said so, what can the civil and military officials do?

All we can do is raise our glasses and continue the celebration.

As the dancers appeared and the sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, a joyful atmosphere instantly filled the entire hall.

However, very few people are truly interested in appreciating song and dance.

The expressions on the faces of Duke Wei and others, in particular, were extremely unpleasant.

Their faces showed no sign of a victory celebration; it looked more like a funeral.

Qi Zhiyu ate and drank to her heart's content, admired all the beautiful women, and had a wonderful time.

After the victory banquet ended and everyone respectfully saw Emperor Kangwu off, they gradually began to leave.

As expected, Prince Rui and his entourage, traveling with Jiang Zhongming, were stopped by the Duke of Wei.

"Your Highness, this old minister wishes to speak with my son for a few moments," said the Duke of Wei with a smile.

Prince Rui asked, puzzled, "Duke of Wei, is your son here?"

"You treat severing ties with my daughter as a witness as a joke?"

"Or do you think the royal princess is insignificant?"

Duke Wei felt a chill run down his spine and quickly cupped his hands, saying, "It was an old minister's slip of the tongue."

"This old minister wishes to speak with General Jiang Zhongming. I humbly request Your Highness's permission."

"No way," Qi Zhiyu refused outright.

"Jiang Zhongming is under my protection now, and I won't allow anyone to bully him."

Duke Wei's face was gloomy.

"Princess, even if Jiang Zhongming has pledged allegiance to you, you can't control him like this. You even have to control who he talks to," Jiang Shuyi couldn't help but say.

"Jiang Zhongming is a human being, not a gatekeeper dog!"

"Please, Your Highness, grant him the dignity of a human being!"

"Huh?" Qi Zhiyu looked at Jiang Shuyi in surprise. "You're pretty good. You've improved."

"Your Jiang family clearly don't treat Jiang Zhongming like a human being, but now you're blaming me."

"Not bad, not bad!"

Qi Zhiyu applauded Jiang Shuyi.

"Princess, we never thought of that," Jiang Shuyi immediately denied.

Qi Zhiyu scoffed, "Come on. If Duke Wei even considered Jiang Zhongming a human being, he wouldn't be so dismissive of him."

"He fought desperately on the battlefield, only to have all the credit stolen by Jiang Baihua. Who could bear such injustice?"

"Why do you never say this?" Duke Wei asked unhappily.

Jiang Zhongming glanced at the Duke of Wei, remaining extremely calm.

If, when he was young, he still fantasized that his father would protect him, then in the face of reality time and time again, he no longer has that delusion.

"Speak up, why aren't you saying anything?" Duke Wei's anger flared.

If Jiang Zhongming had said so earlier, why wouldn't he have groomed Jiang Zhongming?

Even if Jiang Zhongming is an illegitimate son, he is still his son.

How could he be unhappy when he has such a capable son?

"Duke of Wei, look at yourself now," Qi Zhiyu said disdainfully. "It is Jiang Baihua who is clearly in the wrong, but you are the one who ignored Jiang Zhongming."

"But you keep blaming Jiang Zhongming, putting all the blame on him."