I'm not a fortune teller.

Chapter 86: The Ten Great Families
This time I really have to rely on myself completely.
Outside the imperial study, neither Eunuch Yuan nor the maid, including the girl from the Shen family, had disappeared. It seemed that they had been trapped in some painting spirit trap.

Murong Yunji was confronting the emperor, and if she wasn't careful she might be killed on the spot. The noble families outside had already united together, and once they were asked to activate the Nine Ministers, Zhang Rui didn't think they would let him go. In such a big storm, his family would be like flying ants in a hurricane, and the slightest collision would probably wipe them out!

Both sides must be stopped!

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Rui looked at the pen hanging in the air, and an idea came to his mind.——
"Father-in-law, am I late?"

Outside the Mingde Hall, Great Elder Jiang came quickly with a group of people, which immediately made the many people from the aristocratic families who were waiting anxiously breathe a sigh of relief.

The fact that the Jiang family's eldest elder could come in means that the Qinglong Gate has barely coped with it. As long as they can break through the Suzaku Gate and the Ministry of Personnel's Heavenly Official activates the Nine Ministers' Yin Gods, then counterattacking the imperial palace will not be a problem. Just like Emperor Hongzhi back then, they were unable to cause any trouble.

Hearing this, Mr. Shen smiled and bowed: "Mr. Jiang, you came just in time."

However, he did not accept the title of father-in-law from the other party. His youngest daughter was the treasure of the family. The other party had always wanted his youngest son Jiang Chen to marry her, but Jiang Chen had a bad temper and was not in the eyes of his wife, so he did not want to become related to her.

"It seems to be going smoothly." Mr. Jiang looked at the people around him, somewhat surprised.

He originally thought that after the Four Spirits Ritual was activated, there would be heavy casualties here, and it would be the luckiest guess if half of the Nine Ministers could survive. However, he did not expect that only one Guanglu Doctor died.

"In fact, I also thought that I wouldn't be able to wait for you, father." Jiang Linfeng said, "The moment the Four Spirits Technique was activated, we had no resistance at all. The other party chose the perfect time."

This was indeed different from the one that happened during the reign of Emperor Hongzhi. That rebellion was an accident, but this time it was clearly a deliberate plan. The civil and military officials were trapped in the palace, unable to use their magic. They were basically lambs to be slaughtered. When the Four Spirits magic was activated just now, they would have been killed in an instant, but they didn't expect that they seemed to stop at the critical moment.

"The four spirits have already rioted, but for some reason they have been controlled again." Minister Shen also said: "It is likely related to the mysterious woman."

"Mysterious woman?" Elder Jiang was stunned: "What mysterious woman?"

Jiang Linfeng recounted what had just happened, and everyone was stunned.

Not afraid of the four spirits' blockade? Is there such a person?

"But the situation is still favorable for us now. As long as we can break through the Suzaku Gate and awaken the Nine Ministers Yin God, the initiative will be in our hands."

Everyone nodded. This was a two-way game. The emperor could use the excuse of the invasion of the painting spirits to cleanse them, and they could also use the excuse of the painting spirits controlling the emperor to let the Nine Ministers and Yin Gods fight against the Four Spirits.

"What did Mr. Qi say?"

Jiang Linfeng looked at an old man not far away who seemed to be falling asleep.

At the advanced age of 170, he is a true veteran of three dynasties. He has served as the Minister of Rites for nearly 70 years and is the real pillar of the Qi family.

"Oh, have you discussed everything?" Old Master Qi opened his eyes and said dazedly, "Then do it. I have no objection, old man."

Elder Jiang glanced at the other party and became alert. Many people felt that the Qi family was on the decline and had no successor. This was true, but as long as this old guy didn't fall, the Qi family would always be the most dangerous family on the other side.

When Emperor Hongzhi fought for the throne, the capital was flooded with blood, and the elders of the ten major families were almost all killed or injured, except for the one from the Qi family who survived.

The fact that this old fellow has been able to stay in the position of Minister of Rites for more than seventy years is not something he can do simply by relying on his seniority or old age.

"What about you? No objection, right?" Old Qi turned around and looked at the other two people standing not far away, wearing first-rank official uniforms. They were the Wei family and the Gong family, the new nobles in the court, who were independent of the Eight Families.

In the current situation in the capital, the Jiang family, led by Shen, Jin, Jiang and Huo, are the most powerful, occupying four seats among the Nine Ministers, namely, Minister of Personnel Jiang Linfeng, Minister of Justice Huo Quan, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: Shen Yuan and Inspectorate Jin Chenfeng.

The other four forces headed by the Qi family only occupied three seats, namely, the Minister of Rites Qi Changbai, the Minister of Public Administration Zhou Zhen, and the Minister of Works Wang Xuchen. The other two upstarts held the posts of Minister of War and Minister of Revenue.

Although the Wei and Gong families have only been in the capital for a hundred years, their momentum is extremely rapid. They have been in charge of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Households for two consecutive terms. This is mainly due to the support of the northern military families and their marriages with many military men in the north. They then took charge of the Ministry of Households. After the two families united, they gained the support of those military men.

Although he was isolated by many aristocratic families, he found another way and now has considerable power.

"Since Minister Qi has said so, we juniors naturally have no objection?" Minister of War Wei Jiaming bowed and saluted with a very appropriate gesture.

Minister Qi snorted coldly, seeming to dislike the two men.

Since ancient times, no matter how the sorcerer families fought internally, they were united against the warriors. The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue were the two important power institutions for the aristocratic families to check and balance the military generals. However, in order to gain support, his two families shamelessly turned to that group of warriors, giving them money and food. The war in the north had been going well for a hundred years, making that group of warriors so arrogant that they almost ignored them.

They never thought that once the warriors became too powerful and this group of sorcerers and civil officials as a whole declined, what would it matter even if they had a place in the capital?

He hated people who only cared about small gains and ignored the overall situation the most!

"In that case, who will lead the way?" Qi Changbai said quietly. Everyone was silent. Among the four spirits, the White Tiger was the most ferocious and the one that warriors least wanted to face. For sorcerers, the Vermillion Bird was the most troublesome.

Most of the evil spirits are good at Yin evil power, but this Suzaku is good at Yang fire power. It is the pinnacle of fire magic and is also the type that many evil spirits fear the most.

The Yin Gods of each family have been carefully nurtured for thousands of years. If they are used to fight against the Suzaku type now, even if they don't die, they will easily be seriously injured. The family originally relied on their own Yin Gods to intimidate those below, so how could they be willing to use them to deal with this kind of monster?

"Let the two younger generations take charge." Wei Jiaming suddenly said.

"Oh?" Elder Jiang was a little surprised, and everyone else was stunned as well. They didn't expect that this person from the Wei family would actually take the initiative to propose it.

"Okay!" Qi Changbai did not give the two men any chance to regret. "My two noble men, after this, if anyone says that the Wei and Gong families are unworthy of their positions, I will be the first to disagree!"

As the oldest member of a noble family in the capital, these words spoken in public carry weight and are also a statement.

"Thank you, Mr. Qi!" The two of them bowed quickly.

"No problem!" Qi Changbai looked at them dimly and said, "Please be careful. The Vermillion Bird spirit controls the pure Yang fire, which is the best at restraining Yin evil. Be careful..."

"Don't worry, Mr. Qi. Since I proposed it, I am confident about it."

"Okay, I'll leave it to you two then."

After the matter was settled, no one dared to delay for even a moment, and they quickly ordered: "All female relatives, do not move where you are. Generals, please take care of them. Do not leave this position unless it is absolutely necessary."

The group of women naturally did not dare to refute. They knew in their hearts that it was always these men who made the decisions on life and death. Most of the time, they had no say on life and death.

"Everyone, do you want to force your way out of the palace?"

The person who spoke was naturally Princess Yunyang. As a member of the royal family, she had already guessed what these people from the aristocratic families wanted to do.

"Princess!" Jiang Linfeng said, "The situation here is critical. We don't know what the emperor is doing now. Once all the civil and military officials are killed here, the country will be in danger! ”

The princess frowned, while Hong Lie beside her took a step forward with a stern look on his face.

"Please think about this carefully, Princess." Minister Shen beside him also said, "If our family wants to prosper legitimately, we also need royal status. For Princess, as long as they are members of the Li family, it doesn't matter to you, right?"

The princess stared at the other person intently. This man surnamed Shen was already very explicit.

I'm afraid that this group of people from aristocratic families will do the same thing that happened to Emperor Hongzhi back then again.

But. Can she stop it?
Hong Lie stood firmly behind Yun Yang. As long as Yun Yang opened his mouth, he would act without hesitation, although the result might be that he would be suppressed instantly. After all, all the elders of the aristocratic families here had Yin Spirits with them, and even the Four Spirits could resist them. How could a mere warrior like him stop them?
"I hope Secretary Shen will take your words into consideration." For the first time, the princess' voice became weak and even powerless.

She suddenly realized that she seemed to be not much different from the women on the other side of the river.

The world situation has nothing to do with her. She can only let these men do whatever they want. If she wants to resist, she can only rely on her own man, and she will even hurt him.

"Princess, please rest assured." Minister Shen smiled slightly. It would be very troublesome if Hong Lie wanted to take action. Fortunately, he was in the palace. If he was outside the palace, he could mobilize the imperial guards to defend the city. Even if the people from the aristocratic families mobilized the Nine Ministers, it would be difficult for them to attack the palace.

Now he was somewhat convinced that this was not the emperor's work. If it was, Hong Lie should have cooperated from the outside.

But so what?

This emperor is obviously a restless person. Now that we have taken action, we might as well eliminate all hidden dangers!

But no one noticed that Hong Lie, who had always been upright and violent, was standing quietly aside at this time, and seemed to only listen to the princess's words. This seemed normal to many people, after all, Hong Lie was well-known for being afraid of his wife.

But no one noticed that there was coldness in the depths of Hong Lie's eyes.

Two days ago, the emperor had summoned him secretly.

"Hong Lie, I have something for you to do."

So that's how it is. It turns out that everything is in your Majesty's plan!

(End of this chapter)