Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 339: Summoning the armies of the world, aiming their swords at the Wan Chu Dynasty!
The next day at dawn, the golden tiles inside the Imperial Palace reflected the cold.

Beneath the imperial steps, all the civil and military officials prostrated themselves on the ground, their pale faces reflected in the gilded floor tiles.

Some ministers trembled slightly, their eyes filled with fear, as they stole glances at Emperor Qianxi on the dragon throne.

Emperor Qianxi was slumped on the dragon throne. The once valiant and decisive emperor with bright eyes had lost his spirit.

His gaze was fixed, like ancient jade covered in dust; he sat with his head bowed, his expression blank, like a puppet whose soul had been taken away.

Even the nine-dragon crown, a symbol of imperial power, was tilted, and the beaded curtain made a hollow sound as it collided.

"By His Majesty's decree, all officials kneel in reverence!" A eunuch's shrill voice pierced the deathly silence in the hall.

The eunuch's voice echoed throughout the hall, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I have suddenly contracted a serious illness, and my mind is clouded... I fear that I may neglect the affairs of the state."

"...Effective immediately, I hereby bestow upon my revered tutor, Grand Tutor Lu, the title of Minister Regent, to jointly manage the military and political affairs of the Great Qian Dynasty with Crown Prince Qian Yuan."

"From imperial relatives and high-ranking officials to commoners in the marketplace, anyone who sees the Grand Tutor must perform the grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows, as if seeing the Emperor himself!"

The hall was deathly silent until the strange eunuch's shrill voice abruptly stopped.

The court officials, like startled birds, raised their heads tremblingly.

When their eyes met, both of them were filled with utter shock.

The gasp that welled up in his throat was swallowed back down, and the jade tablet made a soft, clattering sound as it trembled.

What did they hear?
That imperial edict shattered the heavens like a thunderbolt—this so-called "regent minister" had clearly completely usurped the emperor's power!

Grand Tutor Lu, under the guise of a teacher, actually committed treason, manipulating the emperor at will.

How is this any different from being forced to wear a yellow robe?

He's merely using the crown prince's name to conceal his ambitions; he's just one step away from donning the dragon robe!
"absurd!"

Left Censor-in-Chief Zhang Chang suddenly straightened up, his white beard bristling like a halberd, his purple official robe heaving violently with his chest.

"Your Majesty is in the prime of life; just yesterday you were reviewing memorials in the Huawen Hall, how could you possibly—"

Before he finished speaking, Wang Suke, the Junior Grand Tutor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, strode forward, his jade belt hook clanging loudly.

He pointed directly at the eunuch delivering the imperial decree, his fingertips almost piercing the man's pale face: "Castrated dog!"

"How dare you spread heresies to disrupt the government, fabricate imperial edicts, and deceive the people of the world."

Each word was like a thunderclap, startling the bronze crane lanterns at the corner of the palace so that they trembled slightly.

“You eunuchs should all be executed along with your entire families!”

With these two ringleaders, the civil and military officials below also began to stir.

But then they saw Li Gong, the white-haired Vice Minister of Rites, stagger out of the court.

The old man's withered fingers stretched forward like eagle claws, his official boots making a chaotic echo on the golden bricks with coiled dragons.

"This old minister does not believe it! I want to see the imperial edict and I want to take His Majesty's pulse!"

Li Gong's hoarse roar, mixed with blood and saliva in his throat, shook the ceiling, causing dust to fall in a flurry.

He lunged at the dragon throne, the gold belt hook at his waist snapping with a "crack," and his aged body crashed heavily onto the steps.

Li Gong, the Vice Minister, looked up at the dragon throne, only to see the nine-tasseled crown beneath him.

The corners of Emperor Qianxi's mouth were slowly turning up—a smile so precise it was chilling, like that of a mindless idiot.

"puff!"

A jet-black short sword suddenly emerged from the old minister's back.

Lu Jinchang had already appeared in the shadow of the palace pillar, his Xuanwu heavy armor untouched by blood.

"puff!"

Suddenly, a short sword made of black iron emerged from behind Li Gong, and the blood dripping from its tip bloomed into an eerie black plum blossom on the imperial steps.

"You audacious traitor, how dare you desecrate the imperial edict!"

Lu Jinchang slowly withdrew his short sword, and Li Gongshilang's body collapsed to the ground like a tattered sack.

These damned old fogies can't even see the current situation clearly, so there's no point in keeping them around.

At that time, there's a possibility that some unnecessary trouble might arise.

"This traitor has been executed."

Lu Jinchang gently sheathed his short sword, his tone as indifferent as if he were discussing today's breakfast.

"Gentlemen, do you have any further objections?"

At this moment, the sound of orderly footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall—three thousand Tiger Roar Guards had completely surrounded the Imperial Palace.

Sunlight streamed through the gates of the Imperial Palace, casting long, fence-like shadows on the ground, as if this golden palace had long since become a cage.

Just then, the vermilion palace doors burst open, and a chilling aura carrying a fierce killing intent rushed out.

Against the light, the figures of Lu Jinyun and his two companions appeared, their black brocade robes fluttering in the wind.

As Lu Jinyun and her companions slowly stepped across the white jade steps, each step seemed to tread on the hearts of the assembled officials.

Upon seeing this, all the civil and military officials in the court held their breath and focused their attention, as if the air itself had frozen.

When Lu Jinyun finally stood before the dragon throne, even the mentally challenged Emperor Qianxi instinctively shrank back.

"Ministers!"

Lu Jinyun's lips curled into a half-smile, her voice soft yet carrying an undeniable air of authority, each word piercing the very marrow of everyone present like an ice pick.

"Now that the Grand Tutor has gone into seclusion for cultivation, he has specially ordered me, Lu Jinyun, to assist His Highness the Crown Prince as the head of the Lu family and to oversee the affairs of the Great Qian Dynasty."

After he finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

Lu Jinyun slowly raised his hand and took out a gilded token from his bosom. The nine dragons coiled around it in the light and shadow, which was the tiger tally symbolizing the Grand Marshal of all the armies in the world.

A cold glint flashed, and the token stood firmly on the dragon table, emitting a heavy thud.

From this moment on, everything inside and outside Qianning City, from the palace walls to the streets and alleys, became the domain of the Lu family.

"Your Majesty, I respectfully request that the Lu family oversee the state!"

This sound was like a death knell, and the entire court of officials immediately collapsed like felled ears of wheat.

The black gauze hat and jade belt made a soft rustling sound as they clattered on the imperial steps.

Amidst the flattery of the officials, Lu Jinyun gently stroked the tiger stripes on the gilded token with her fingertips.

He turned his head and exchanged glances with his three brothers.

On all four faces, a knowing smile simultaneously appeared—

Just then, the evening drum of Qianning City sounded, its sound waves penetrating the nine layers of palaces.

On the main street of Qianning City, a troop of black-armored cavalry silently took over the various city gates.

This silent coup finally came to an end in the most dignified way.

Inside the post station on the official road outside Qianning City, five suits of heavy black iron armor gleamed with a cold, eerie blue light in the daylight.

The burly man with the thick beard suddenly raised his foot and kicked the granite bench into pieces with a loud "bang".

"What a magnificent Emperor Qianxi!"

The veins on his forehead bulged, and the mythical beast patterns etched on his armor faintly glowed with a bloody light.

"Three days ago you swore you would cede six northern prefectures, but now you can't even bear to send a eunuch to deliver the message?"

"Does that little Emperor Qianxi really think our Wanchu Iron Cavalry is child's play?"

"Brother is absolutely right. The documents for the six prefectures that should have been handed over three days ago have still not been delivered!"

The burly man on the left gripped the gilded beast-head ring at his waist, and moisture seeping from the gaps in his armor dripped down his tiger-shaped wrist guards.

"The Grand Preceptor had already agreed to help this dog emperor once, and now he wants to go back on his word?"

After saying that, the burly man spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, which seeped into the blue bricks, leaving a hideous dark red stain.

The one-eyed giant beside him suddenly gave a sinister smile, his gold-plated canine teeth flashing coldly.

"Why waste words with that damned emperor!"

A flash of light appeared, and the black cloth strip wrapped around the broken blade was lifted by the wind, revealing the mottled blood and rust inside. "We are carrying His Majesty's secret orders to go directly to the Great Qian Imperial Palace and confront that dog emperor."

"If that brat emperor dares to break his promise, then we will..."

Before he finished speaking, the other five men simultaneously drew their weapons from their waists, the cold glint of which shone like a net, startling crows from the treetops.

"Let's show him the power of the Wan Chu Dynasty!"

"Chong-"

The gleaming longsword was suddenly drawn, its blade reflecting the ferocious faces of the crowd.

The burly man with the thick beard pointed his sword directly at the imperial city: "Very good."

"Today, even if the blood of the Great Qian imperial family is used to draw the boundary markers of these six northern prefectures, Wan Chu will still have to swallow them whole!"

As five afterimages of armored figures swept across the official road, carrying the metallic stench, the towering palace walls of Qianning City could be vaguely seen in the distance amidst the billowing yellow dust rising from the ground.

Inside the palace, in a spacious side hall, sunlight cast the shadows of Lu Jinyun and her three companions onto the dragon-carved pillars.

More than twenty trusted generals of the Tiger Guard stood in a circle with their hands on their swords. The clanging of their armor mixed with their heavy breathing, creating ripples of unease in the deathly silence.

"So Father had planned this all along."

Lu Jinyun's fingertips traced the gilded tiger tally on the table.

"Keeping Emperor Qianxi alive is better than having 100,000 elite soldiers."

Before the words were finished, a suppressed chuckle echoed from inside the tent, as cold and menacing as a viper's hiss.

Lu Jinhua, the third son of the Lu family on the left, clapped his hands and laughed: "Second brother."

"Now we are using the Emperor's decree to requisition grain and fodder from all over the land."

"To forcibly conscript soldiers by order of the Qianxi Emperor, until the day their swords are pointed at the world—"

He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"The blame for the defeat lies with that incompetent ruler, while the credit for the victory goes entirely into the pockets of my Lu family."

"A brilliant plan!" The generals in the tent applauded, their sword sheaths clanging against the blue bricks.

"Once Emperor Qianxi has lost all popular support, all we need to do is raise our arms and call to action."

The words abruptly ended, but everyone knew the unspoken message: the throne would soon be taken over by a new master.

"Second Brother, which dynasty should we attack first?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Jinyun frowned, tapping her fingertips on the sandalwood table with a rhythm that was sometimes fast and sometimes slow, as if she were beating a war drum.

"The Qingtian Dynasty has the deepest foundation; rashly starting a war could lead to a quagmire."

"The Zhu Huo Dynasty controls a vital strategic pass and has a large number of allies behind it."

Then, Lu Jinyun's gaze swept over the crowd with sharp eyes, "As for Taiyu, Jijing, and Wanchu..."

“These three…”

Before the words were even finished, whispers began to circulate inside the tent.

Lu Jinyun raised her hand to signal for silence and continued, "The Wanchu Dynasty is overconfident and its military forces are extremely scattered."

"The Taiyu Dynasty valued civil affairs over military matters, resulting in lax military preparedness."

"The Jijing Dynasty is located on the frontier, making it difficult for reinforcements to reach it."

"These three are our breakthrough point."

As she spoke, Lu Jinyun pulled out a yellowed map and spread it out heavily on the table, tracing the border between the three dynasties with her fingertips.

"If we can take one of them first, we can establish our prestige, gradually encroach on neighboring countries, and strengthen our military's influence."

The generals inside the tent gathered around, their eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit as they looked at the area circled in red on the map.

A great battle, capable of reshaping the world's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall situation or pattern of the world), seems to have quietly begun in this small side hall.

Before he finished speaking, the sound of metal clashing suddenly came from outside the side hall.

Lu Jinyun suddenly pressed down on the sword at his waist, the candlelight flickering coldly in his eyes.

"Get out of my sight, all of you!"

"You useless trash from the Great Qian Dynasty!"

"Die!"

"Remember my name, I am Wei Feng, the Supreme General of the Wan Chu Dynasty!"

With several ferocious roars, the gilded beast-head door knocker shattered, and the heavy iron boots crushed wood chips all over the ground.

Five extremely burly figures, carrying the stench of blood, crashed into the hall.

The leader was clad in a nine-struck chainmail armor, his scarlet cloak stained with blood, and in his hand, a halberd held half of a guard's silver spear, the spearhead still dripping blood.

"That little brat Qianxi!"

"How dare you go back on your word and play us for fools!"

Wei Feng, who was in the lead, slammed his halberd heavily onto the blue bricks, causing cracks to spread like a spider web.

"I am here on the orders of Emperor Wanchu to demand the handover documents for the six prefectures!"

Then, Wei Feng glanced at everyone in the hall, his gaze suddenly freezing on the gilded tiger tally at Lu Jinyun's waist, his pupils contracting sharply.

"Who are you?!"

"Where is the Qianxi Emperor? This general demands to see him!"

Seeing no response, Wei Feng suddenly stepped forward, the clanging of armor making the air in the hall tremble: "I will ask one more time—where is that brat Emperor Qianxi!"

However, this time, he was met with a sudden burst of mocking laughter from the entire hall.

Lu Jinyun raised her hand and stroked the tiger tally, a meaningful smile curving her lips.

"So, we're guests from the Wan Chu Dynasty!"

"General Wei has come from afar and must be tired. But it is too coincidental that His Majesty is ill and cannot receive guests."

Before he finished speaking, more than a dozen trusted generals had silently surrounded him, their swords drawn three inches from their sheaths, the cold glint of which made Wei Feng and his four companions tense up.

"You...what do you want to do?"

"We are from the Wan Chu Dynasty! You're courting death!"

Wei Feng gripped his halberd tightly, his peripheral vision catching glimpses of countless dark figures flashing past outside the hall.

They seem to be surrounded by a large army!
Lu Jinyun slowly stood up: "General Wei has arrived at just the right time—our Great Qian Iron Cavalry is just looking for a pretext to punish the guilty."

Five Grandmaster-level experts!
In particular, Wei Feng, who was the leader, was a master at the peak of the Grandmaster realm.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Lu Jinyun had quietly taken out the golden knife that Lu Xuan had bestowed upon her.

As soon as the golden sword was drawn, boundless majesty instantly filled the side hall.

Wei Feng's eyes widened, his face filled with terror, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

A cruel smile curled at the corner of Lu Jinyun's lips, her eyes as cold as frost. "Just your Wan Chu Dynasty?"

"Now that you have stepped into this hall, do not expect to return to the Wan Chu Dynasty alive."

With a deafening roar of a tiger, golden light from the void illuminated the entire side hall.

A five-meter-tall golden tiger pounced on Wei Feng and his companions, its gaping maw and sharp claws gleaming coldly.

The oppressive aura emanating from the golden tiger rendered Wei Feng and the others immobile, as if they were bound by an invisible force.

"what--"

A burly man next to Wei Feng screamed as he was swatted away by the giant tiger's claw, crashing heavily into a pillar in the hall. He coughed up blood but his breath was weak.

"Your Great Qian dare to offend my Wan Chu, you will pay a heavy price."

"is it?"

"Take him away to Da Xing and make him spill all the information about the Wan Chu Dynasty!"

(End of this chapter)