How come I'm invincible?

Chapter 123 Your Majesty, don't you want to be an emperor for all time? Me: I dream of it, but I dare not even think about it.

Prince Consort's Mansion.

Lin Fan walked in with his hands behind his back. Just as the servants at the door were about to step forward to stop him and ask questions, Qian Tao and Wu Yong decisively stepped forward, pushed the servants aside, and made way for Lin Fan.

Prefect Chen An, Chief Sergeant Zhao Zhen, and other officials followed closely behind, all of them pale as death, not daring to breathe loudly.

After passing through the courtyard, Lin Fan stopped, glanced around, and then stepped into the inner hall. He walked straight to the main chair, but instead of sitting down, he turned his back to everyone.

"Go, summon the princess and her husband, and also find that Yang Lian."

"Yes, General."

Prefect Chen and Chief Squad Leader Zhao exchanged a glance and lowered their heads even further. They understood that a storm was about to break, and the current calm was just the prelude to the tempest.

moment.

When the princess and her husband learned that the Divine Martial General had come to the mansion, their expressions changed slightly. The husband, in particular, felt a sense of unease, sensing that something was amiss.

When he entered the living room and saw the prefect and the chief steward, especially when he saw Ma Yang, he knew that something terrible was about to happen.

"I was unaware that General Shenwu had come from afar. I am so sorry for not welcoming you properly." Prince Consort Yang Ting smiled broadly. As a prince consort, he was a man of status and identity. Even if he was not favored by the emperor, his status as a prince consort was undeniable.

The princess calmly asked, "The general has come from the capital. I wonder how my father is?"

Lin Fan turned around and calmly looked at the princess. She was in her twenties, while Yang Ting looked to be in his thirties. He was of average appearance but had the air of a scholar.

"Heh, the princess is truly blind, actually choosing such a consort for His Majesty. No wonder His Majesty is furious, leaving you all in Jingzhou and not even bothering to look at you." Lin Fan delivered his powerful opening line.

The princess's expression changed, and she became somewhat angry. "General, what do you mean by that? How dare you humiliate me, a princess? Do you even respect the royal family or my father?"

"Come here," Lin Fan beckoned.

The princess walked up to Lin Fan with a cold face. Just as she was about to speak and question what he wanted, a crisp slap rang out.

The princess was slapped so hard she collapsed to the ground, half of her face swelling up at a visible speed.

Everyone present stared in disbelief at the scene before them, completely stunned. They hadn't expected that the Divine General would strike the princess without saying a word.

Even though this princess displeased the emperor, she was still a princess after all.

It represents the face of the royal family.

You just start fighting like that? Do you really not respect the royal family?

Lin Fan said calmly, "How did you become a princess? How did you find a husband for His Majesty? If it weren't for the fact that you are His Majesty's daughter, do you think you would have the right to act arrogantly in front of this general?"

The princess covered her face, glaring angrily at Lin Fan.

Lin Fan ignored him and instead looked at Yang Ting, "Do you know this Ma Yang?"

Yang Ting swallowed hard and shook his head, saying, "I don't know him."

"Hmm?" Lin Fan asked, displeased.

"I know him." Yang Ting was so frightened that he quickly admitted it. As the son-in-law of the emperor, he thought that no one in Jingzhou could do anything to him, but now, facing the Divine Martial General, he was truly afraid.

Lin Fan snorted coldly, "As a prince consort, you stole someone else's grades and even imprisoned them just to secure a status for your nephew. You really have a lot of nerve. I think you really want to die."

Yang Ting quickly said, "General, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."

"Fuck you!" Lin Fan cursed. "If I hadn't investigated thoroughly, do you think I would have come looking for you?"

Yang Ting retorted, "General, how can you curse people? No matter what, I am the imperial consort, and the princess is His Majesty's daughter. You not only curse the consort but also hit the princess. I think you are incredibly audacious."

Lin Fan chuckled and looked at his subordinates. "Look, this guy's still not convinced. He's actually questioning why I dared to hit the princess, and even dared to hit his son-in-law?"

Yang Ming chuckled.

Those who followed Lin Fan also burst into laughter.

Just then, Yang Lian swaggered in, "Uncle, I'm here. What's going on? Why are there so many people?"

Yang Lian walked into the living room and immediately saw the princess slumped on the floor. She exclaimed in surprise, "Auntie, what happened to you? Who dared to lay a hand on you?"

Immediately, Yang Lian saw Ma Yang and scolded, "Ma Yang, what are you doing here? Well, you actually dared to break out of prison and even forcibly enter the Prince Consort's residence. I think you're trying to assassinate him. Guards, seize him!"

His uncle and aunt had no children and doted on him, so when he came to the prince consort's mansion, it was like returning to his own home.

"Shut him up!" Lin Fan roared.

Without saying a word, Xu Ming stepped forward and slapped Yang Lian twice with great force, causing blood to flow from her mouth and leaving her stunned on the spot.

Lin Fan looked at the trembling crowd and said, "Now that everyone is here, there's nothing more to say. Men, seize Yang Lian, Yang Ting, Chen An, and Zhao Zhen."

"Yes, General."

Those who were assigned here early on were already furious with the prefect, as he had prevented them from completing the tasks assigned by the general, thus greatly disappointing the general.

Now, as soon as I hear an order...

Without saying a word, they immediately struck hard, twisting their arms behind their backs and grabbing the back of their necks with one hand, holding them tightly.

"Sir, why are you arresting me? Why are you arresting me?" Prefect Chen cried out in fear.

"Madam, save me! Madam, save me!" Yang Ting placed all his hopes on the princess, since she was the only one present who could save him.

The princess looked at her captured husband, the local prefect, and the chief steward. For a moment, she didn't know what to do. She even had a feeling that if she opened her mouth, she would be met with a slap from Lin Fan.

"Xu Ming."

"Yes, sir."

"You now take my orders and go to the garrison camp to find the local governor and order him to send troops to capture all members of the Long Serpent Gang. I don't want any of them to escape."

"Yes, my lord."

Xu Ming left in a hurry.

"Qian Tao, Wu Yong."

Upon hearing this, the two immediately stepped forward.

"Go and arrest the officials in charge of education, torture them, and find out who is involved in the cheating case. Once you find out, arrest them."

"Yes."

A series of swift and decisive actions left Ma Yang and the others completely dumbfounded.

He had been wronged, but now the general has appeared and cleared his name. Now, orders are being issued at every level to thoroughly investigate and exterminate Jingzhou.

……

The people in the city noticed something was wrong.

The local governor personally led his troops into the city in a grand procession, immediately sealing off the city gates and beginning to arrest the thugs and ruffians of the Long Snake Gang.

This left the people completely bewildered, or rather, utterly dumbfounded.

Do I feel like I'm dreaming?

The Long Snake Gang, which had been running rampant in Jingzhou for so many years, was just arrested like that?

When the leader of the Long Snake Gang was arrested, he was still enjoying a leisurely life at home. Who could have imagined that such a shock would come so suddenly?

The next day.

Security Prefecture.

This place has been requisitioned by Lin Fan, and all the constables have been temporarily suspended from their duties and are under investigation. At the same time, Lin Fan has ordered tables to be set up outside to receive complaints from the people.

"My lord, we have asked everything we needed to know. The evidence against Yang Lian and Yang Ting has been confirmed. The prefect and the chief constable colluded with the local Long Snake Gang. Many people have also come to complain. There is a lot of evidence. According to the law, they should be executed," Yang Ming reported truthfully.

"Ah."

Lin Fan nodded in satisfaction. When he arrived in Jingzhou, he discovered that someone actually dared to obstruct the construction of the Divine Martial Division.

Could it be that he, the mighty general, is no longer able to lift a sword?
It seems that the only solution is to launch a decisive attack.

"Sir, the local governor is still waiting outside. Should we let him in?" Yang Ming asked.

"Let him in."

"Yes."

Soon, a figure followed Yang Ming in with a restrained air. He was the local governor, and he was terrified when he learned that the Divine Martial General had come.

"This humble servant Wu Long greets the Great General." Wu Long knelt down, utterly respectful.

"Okay, get up," Lin Fan said.

Wu Long was very nervous. As the commander of the garrison, he was well-informed and had heard a great deal about the things that the Divine Martial General had done.

In his view, only a god could accomplish things like the three thousand iron cavalrymen who trampled Heian-kyo and the eight hundred men who penetrated deep into the Daguang Dynasty.

"Commander Wu, you should know the purpose of my visit to Jingzhou. I have also heard about your situation in Jingzhou. You haven't committed any major crimes, but you shouldn't go too far in some things." Lin Fan's voice was calm, just a gentle reminder.

Wu Zhenfu knelt down with a thud, "General, please give me a chance. I will definitely make changes, I will definitely make changes."

Lin Fan laughed and said, "If I hadn't given you the chance, you wouldn't have been able to appear before me safely. I'm quite disappointed with the officials in the local government of Jingzhou, and I don't think they're any better in the counties under their jurisdiction."

At this moment, Wu Zhenfu was terrified and kept his head down, not daring to look up.

“General, I am willing to follow your orders. Wherever you point, I will fight,” said Commander Wu.

He knew the general had let him go.

The meaning is clear.

I'll pretend I didn't see the minor mistakes you made, but if you dare to repeat them, you should know the consequences.

Having the opportunity to correct his mistakes was an immense stroke of luck for Wu Zhenfu. If he didn't even seize this opportunity, he would have brought trouble upon himself.

Lin Fan looked at Wu Zhenfu, who was trembling with fear and had a good attitude, and nodded. "Remember, His Majesty's idea for establishing the Divine Martial Division is very simple: to ensure that officials in various places can do some practical things for the people. Once the Divine Martial Division is established here, if it is necessary to arrest people in the surrounding counties, troops will be transferred from your side. You won't disagree, will you?"

"No, the garrison is His Majesty's army, but it is also the army of the Divine Martial Division. From now on, I will definitely cooperate with the Divine Martial Division," Wu Zhenfu assured him confidently.

"Good, I just like dealing with smart people," Lin Fan said with a smile.

Hearing the laughter, Wu Long breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

Just be fine.

……

The next day.

Caishikou.

It was as if the entire city had gathered around; some climbed onto rooftops, others climbed trees, and their gazes were all directed in the same direction: towards the place where the beheadings would take place.

"Bring the first batch of people up," Lin Fan shouted.

Soon, a group of soldiers escorted the prisoners to the execution platform. Leading them was the imperial son-in-law Yang Ting, followed by the prefect and the chief sergeant.

When the people saw them, they all gasped in horror.

"What? That's the imperial son-in-law! Is the general going to kill him on the spot? Shouldn't he be sent to the capital for the emperor to interrogate?"

"What do you need to hand over? Don't you know this is the Divine Martial General? He's notoriously strict. I've heard that the things the Imperial Son-in-Law was questioned about deserved to be beheaded five times over."

"Wow! I never thought such a day would come. Doesn't this mean the sky in Jingzhou has finally brightened?"

The people were talking about it, whispering among themselves.

Yang Ting cried out, "I am the imperial consort! You can't kill me! You can't kill me, Princess! Save me! Save me!"

The princess, watching her husband being beheaded, could no longer sit still. She ran to the execution platform, hugged him, and glared angrily at Lin Fan.

"Lin Fan, if you're going to kill the prince consort, then kill me too. I want to see how you'll explain this to my father, the emperor."

The princess has completely broken ties with Lin Fan.

Lin Fan frowned and said angrily, "What are you all standing there for? Drag this shrew who is disturbing the execution ground away and give her ten heavy lashes so she understands that the execution ground is not a place where you can cause trouble whenever you want."

"Yes."

The highest-ranking official present is Lin Fan.

As for whether she's a princess or not.

They don't want to admit it either.

Ning Yu, who was standing nearby, reminded her, "Master, the princess is precious and frail. I don't think she can withstand ten strokes of the rod. Why don't you let me do it? I'm the best at controlling my strength, and I definitely won't hurt her."

"Okay, go ahead," Lin Fan nodded.

Ning Yu chuckled and hurried away. When the princess saw Ning Yu, her expression changed. How could she not recognize her? She even thought back to when Ning Yu came to the palace as a child. She had called a few of her friends and beaten Ning Yu up to teach her a lesson and not to be too arrogant in the palace.

Now that she saw Ning Yu take the baton of punishment, she knew that Ning Yu was going to take revenge on her.

Ning Yu circled around the princess, laughing as she said, "Princess, you want to die with your husband? Do you really think my master wouldn't dare kill you? It's just that the eldest prince was sentenced to death, and my master didn't want His Majesty to lose another daughter in such a short time. Otherwise, my master would have already beheaded you."

"You... what did you say?" The princess was shocked. She hadn't expected that her brother had been put to death by her father.
How can this be.

While she was lost in thought, Ning Yu had already struck her with a stick, making the princess scream in agony.

at this time.

Lin Fan looked up at the sky and shouted, "Slay them!!!"

In an instant, cries of agony echoed from the execution ground as soldiers, acting as executioners, raised their swords and brought them down with a mighty crash.

puff!

puff!

puff!

With a swift stroke, heads rolled.

The people were all terrified when they saw this.

They really cut it.

The prince consort, the prefect, and the chief steward are all dead.

"Master, continue the slaughter!!!"

Another group of people were brought up, including officials who had committed serious crimes, high-ranking members of the Long Snake Gang, and local thugs.

There were nearly a hundred people.

They begged for mercy, screamed in agony, and some were so terrified that they wet themselves on the spot, urinating profusely.

"General, spare my life! My crime doesn't deserve to die! My crime doesn't deserve to die!"

"cut!!!"

Lin Fan was too lazy to say more. He waved his hand and said that this was the first case handled by the Divine Martial Division, so he had to take drastic measures to give them a strong deterrent.

Let them understand that the Divine Warrior Division is not joking.

Once the fighting really starts, the knife won't stop.

He wanted to make officials in various regions tremble with fear at the mere mention of the Divine Martial Division.

puff!

puff!

The onlookers were stunned. They had seen beheadings before, but they had never seen so many people being beheaded before.

The people looked at the mighty general sitting there.

A sense of awe welled up from the bottom of my heart.

"next batch."

Lin Fan said in a deep voice.

Soon, soldiers brought up another group of people, including constables from the garrison. They struggled, who could have imagined that just a few days ago they were arrogant and domineering constables, and in the blink of an eye, they were sent to the execution platform.

"General, spare us! This is my only child!" cried the parents of one of the constables.

"Father, save me."

When the bailiffs were led to the execution platform, they saw their parents and cried out, hoping that their parents could save their lives.

Lin Fan had carefully read about the affairs of the constables, and he remembered the crimes of the constable in particular very clearly.

"Save him? Want him to live? You're dreaming. On June 10th, you and three other constables were drinking at night when the innkeeper's daughter reminded you to close. You were lustful and raped her inside the inn. Her father came out to stop you and was beaten to death on the spot. To cover up the truth, you set fire to the inn. The fire spread and killed eight people. You bribed the head constable to settle the matter and make it look like a fire."

"Having committed such a crime, how dare you still want to live?"

"Does anyone really think the law is a joke?"

"Execute him."

The surrounding people heard everything clearly, and they all stared wide-eyed, never expecting that there was such a secret behind that fire. They really thought that the matter had been exposed.

Who would have thought that it was the constables who did it?

Soon, public outrage arose.

"Kill them! Kill them!!!"

puff!

A head rolled down!

The people shouted, "Good riddance!"

Wu Zhenfu, who was to be executed, swallowed nervously and looked fearfully at Lin Fan, who remained unmoved. He now fully understood just how domineering the Divine Martial General was.

The land of Jingzhou was completely stained red with blood.

The stench of blood in the air was overwhelming.

It was truly a case of heads rolling in.

After a long time.

Yang Ming said, "Sir, all the prisoners have been executed."

"Ah."

Lin Fan nodded, stood up, and headed towards the Divine Martial Division. The current location of the Divine Martial Division was the Security Prefecture. He knew that his killing would at least keep the peace of Jingzhou Prefecture for five years.

Any official who came to Jingzhou to take office would think of the hundreds of people who had been beheaded that day before doing anything.

It is absolutely unforgettable.

Half a month later.

The beheading case in Jingzhou spread throughout the entire dynasty. Everyone knew that the Divine Martial General had personally presided over the massacre in Jingzhou, with hundreds of officials and gang members losing their heads in a single day. Even the emperor's son-in-law was beheaded.

This shocked all the officials, and their fear of the Divine Martial Division reached its peak.

Local government offices, no longer daring to secretly slack off, devoted themselves to the construction of their respective Shenwu Divisions at full speed. The capital city, the Shenwu Division, its courtyard.

Lin Fan stood firmly on the ground, feeling the earth's energy flowing into his body. His proficiency in the Unity Body Refining Technique was slowly increasing, making it much easier than before.

That kind of impact device is too cumbersome.

More importantly, while absorbing the earth's energy, he can also practice staff and sword techniques.

Staff techniques and knife techniques are not that important.

Most importantly, after the Unification Body Refinement Method is improved, one's overall abilities are greatly enhanced, with significant effects on strength, speed, and so on.

"Master, I'm so tired."

Ning Yu dragged herself over, looking exhausted, and complained.

Lin Fan laughed and said, "How could I be tired? It's just reading more documents."

Ning Yu rolled her eyes. "Master, are you really using me like a donkey? Don't you feel any pity for your beloved disciple? Now that all the Divine Martial Divisions in various places are in operation, the documents sent back every day are as high as mountains. I can't keep up with them all."

Lin Fan said, "Ning Yu, this shows how outstanding you are. I don't trust anyone else, but I trust you. Just keep working hard, and you'll be fine in a while. When we get back, ask Xiao Jiu to make you some chicken soup to nourish you."

"Sigh, you really treat people like donkeys, Master, you are truly cruel."

Ning Yu was quite helpless. Since returning from Jingzhou, she hadn't had many good days before the Shenwu Divisions in various places started operating again.

They were so busy they were practically in a daze.

What made Ning Yu laugh was that after the princess who had lost her husband was personally beaten with ten strokes of the cane, she returned to the capital and complained to the emperor. Who would have thought that the emperor would scold her and lock her up?

at this time.

Lin Fan saw Yang Ming and said, "Yang Ming, when is your wedding? I told you I would make sure your wedding is a grand affair."

Yang Ming scratched his head and said, "Sir, I think it's because I'm busy that I want to postpone the wedding. There's no need to rush."

"Don't delay! The girl hasn't seen you for days on end. It's not right to postpone the wedding. You should write to your father-in-law as soon as possible and ask them to come to the capital to attend your wedding. Invite all your relatives and friends to come," Lin Fan said.

"Oh, then I'll do as you say and get it done on time."

"Ah."

Lin Fan smiled. He had already made up his mind. After holding Yang Ming's wedding, he would start dealing with Qin Li. This guy held military power and had rebellious intentions. He would have to give the military power back to the emperor.

Once military power is consolidated and sufficient supplies are prepared, he will lead his troops to Japan and completely crush it.

a few days later.

Outside the capital.

Horse-drawn carriages slowly traveled along the official road.

Inside the carriage, Cheng Menxue and his wife were all smiles. A few days ago, they received a letter from their prospective son-in-law informing them that the wedding would proceed as planned and that General Lin would personally handle the arrangements. This surprised and delighted them.

Since that time in Yong'an, Cheng Menxue has witnessed what a true high-ranking official is like.

A first-rank Divine Martial General could decide the life or death of a local governor with just a word; it was truly terrifying.

"Husband, is General Lin easy to get along with? He wants to personally handle Yang Ming's marriage. Does that mean Yang Ming is highly valued by him?" Cheng asked.

Cheng Menxue said, "That's for sure. I didn't tell anyone about these things after I went back, but now you have to understand that Yang Ming works for a First-Rank Divine Martial General and is highly valued. Our daughter has married a good man."

"Oh, oh..." Mrs. Cheng nodded as if she understood.

They brought their relatives and friends with them this time. All those relatives and friends knew was that Cheng Ling's betrothed was an official, but they had no idea what kind of official he was.

Upon hearing that the wedding was to be held in the capital, and that all expenses would be covered by Cheng Menxue, they thought it was a good idea and why not?

After all, some of them had never been to the capital in their entire lives.

It would be a good thing to go and see how magnificent the capital city is.

at this time.

The city gate.

Yang Ming and Cheng Ling waited, glancing towards the city gate every now and then.

"They're here." Yang Ming could see far and immediately spotted the rows of carriages.

Cheng Ling was also very excited. After that day, she and Yang Ming came to the capital. She hadn't seen her parents for a long time.

Came to the carriage.

"Father, Mother!" Cheng Ling called out excitedly.

The Cheng couple got off the carriage and were relieved to see their daughter.

"Uncle, Aunt," Yang Ming said respectfully.

Cheng Menxue smiled and said, "From now on we'll all be family. Although we're not married yet, it's not appropriate to call each other 'uncle' and 'aunt' anymore."

"Father, Mother." Yang Ming understood immediately and quickly changed his address, "Father, Mother, everyone has arrived. Your son has arranged accommodations for you. Please come with me."

"Okay, have your parents arrived too?"

"We arrived a long time ago."

Yang Ming glanced at the carriages behind him, all of which he saw with a smile. These were all relatives and friends of the Cheng family. He finally understood why the adults insisted on having the entire Cheng family come.

This was clearly meant to let the Cheng family know that Yang Ming, whom Cheng Ling married, was quite a good man.

Lin House.

Yang Ming's parents were by Lin Fan's side at this time. Facing the Divine Martial General, Yang's parents were very reserved.

“Sir, my son Yang Ming is alright, isn’t he? If he doesn’t behave well, you don’t have to give him face; you can scold or beat him as you please,” said Yang’s father.

He finally understood that his son, by following the general, had truly soared to great heights. He had never imagined that his son would have such great abilities in the capital.

On the day they arrived in the capital, he saw an official dressed in the robes of a fourth-rank official. When he saw his son, the official greeted him with a beaming smile and a very obsequious manner.

Logically speaking, an official of this rank would be far superior to a prefect, yet his son simply nodded calmly, as if to acknowledge the greeting.

He said to Yang Ming, "He's a fourth-rank official, can't you be a little more enthusiastic?"

But who would have thought that his son would tell him, "What's this about fourth-rank officials? We've arrested several third-rank officials."

At that moment, Yang's father finally understood how much power his son wielded.

And the one who caused all of this was none other than Lin Fan.

Lin Fan smiled and said, "Yang Ming is quite good. I've gradually brought him up, and he's now capable of handling things on his own. After another year or two of training, and once he has a child, it'll be time to give him more responsibilities."

Magistrate Zhou, who was sitting with only one buttock on his backside, was extremely reserved. He continued, "I knew as soon as I saw Yang Ming that this kid's future achievements were limitless. Now that he has met Lord Lin, he has truly made a name for himself."

Lin Fan looked at Magistrate Zhou and couldn't help but smile.

That old guy is really shrewd.

Knowing that Yang Mingcheng was getting married, he shamelessly begged Yang's father to bring him along. Otherwise, how could a mere county magistrate like him be qualified to enter the Lin family mansion, let alone come to the capital?

"Magistrate Zhou, I wasn't in Yong'an, so you didn't embezzle or accept bribes, did you?"

As soon as these words came out.

The magistrate was so frightened that he immediately knelt down and said, "Your Honor, I dare not have engaged in any corruption or bribery. Brother Yang, you can testify for me."

"It's just talk. What's Magistrate Zhou afraid of? These are all joyous occasions these days, no need for such formalities," Lin Fan said with a smile.

Magistrate Zhou nodded repeatedly, breathed a sigh of relief, got up, and put half of his buttocks back on the chair. He really didn't dare to say a word; he was truly terrified by Lin Fan.

Nowadays, who among the officials doesn't know how formidable the Divine Martial Division is?

The common people cannot be bullied, as they will complain to the Divine Martial Bureau. Once they do, it's basically the end for them; their life countdown begins.

Anyway, he heard that some officials had even given up their posts and fled overnight to avoid being arrested.

a few days later.

The Lin residence was brightly decorated; only the Lin residence could accommodate so many guests.

Magistrate Zhou and Li Zhengdao stayed in the corner by the door.

“Brother Li, I truly envy you now,” said Magistrate Zhou.

Li Zhengdao said, "Hey, Brother Zhou, what's there to talk about? If we're talking about envy, I envy you. You're living a carefree life in Yong'an, unlike me. I'm busy to death every day, either dealing with this official or that official. And then there are these third- and fourth-rank officials inviting me to banquets. It's so annoying."

County Magistrate Zhou: ...

Listen to this! Is this even something a human being would say?
Li Zhengdao continued, "You'll see soon enough. Many of the officials who come here to offer their congratulations are people you'd never see in your entire life."

Lin Fan sent invitations to all the officials in the capital. Putting everything else aside, he just wanted to know: who would dare not come?

Even the officials who harbored resentment towards Lin Fan had no choice but to suppress their anger, put on a smile, and happily attend the wedding banquet.

at this time.

Cheng Ling's relatives and friends were already stunned by the scene and were all whispering and discussing it among themselves.

“Cheng Ling has really found a good family. This is the capital, where land is incredibly valuable. Look at this mansion, how big and luxurious it is!”

"Yes, I think the Cheng family is doomed. I've already inquired about it. Yang Ming works in the Divine Martial Division and is a confidant of the Divine Martial General. He is highly valued, and the General himself organized this wedding."

The younger generation of the Cheng family were also watching intently. Some were Cheng Ling's younger siblings, while others were her older brothers. Their information network was much better than that of the older generation.

They were more aware than anyone else of the Lin family's significance in the capital.

This mansion used to be a royal residence.

The fact that the emperor bestowed this upon Lin Fan is enough to demonstrate how much the Divine Martial General Lin Fan is favored by the emperor.

At this moment, the person at the door spoke up.

"Welcome, Minister Li of the Ministry of Personnel."

Officials began to enter.

Li Zhengdao said, "Look, he's from the Ministry of Personnel, a third-rank official."

Magistrate Zhou stared intently, taking a deep breath. This was a high-ranking official of the third rank, someone he might not even be able to meet even if he asked someone to arrange a meeting.

Lord Li hurried inside, his eyes searching, and soon found Lin Fan. He quickly stepped forward and respectfully said, "General, congratulations!"

"Why congratulate me? The person in question is right here," Lin Fan said.

He simply stood next to Yang Ming and his wife, becoming their face, and any official entering the venue had to come forward to show respect.

"Lord Yang, congratulations on your marriage!"

Yang Ming smiled broadly, "Lord Li, I apologize for the poor hospitality. Please come inside."

"Yes, yes." Lord Li left, all smiles and eagerness.

"Welcome, Grand Tutor."

As the announcement came over the loudspeaker.

Li Zhengdao said, "See that? He's a first-rank official. But I've checked, and only the Grand Tutor and Grand Protector are here. Do you know why the Grand Preceptor can't come?"

"Why?" Magistrate Zhou was dumbfounded. This was the Grand Tutor, someone whom he could kneel before without the Grand Tutor even glancing at him.

"The Grand Tutor was forced to resign by Lord Lin; it's a miracle he even survived."

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Zhou gasped in shock.

"Welcome, Grand Protector."

"Welcome, Your Highness the Second Prince."

"Welcome, Duke."

The sounds silenced both the Cheng and Yang families, leaving them speechless and dumbfounded as they stared at the scene before them.

They never expected that so many important figures would attend their wedding.

Some officials were sitting at the table next to them, which startled them so much that they dared not move or even breathe loudly, for fear that their breathing would disturb these officials.

Some officials took the initiative to ask them which family they were related to.

This made them even more nervous.

Li Zhengdao nudged Magistrate Zhou's arm. "Should I call out to Magistrate Zhou of Yong'an, a ninth-rank official, that he has arrived?"

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Zhou was terrified. "Brother Li, please stop playing tricks on me."

"Look how scared you are. No official rank below the third grade is qualified to attend this banquet. If we're talking about the lowest-ranking official here, you're the only one. You're lucky you met him early on, otherwise, it's uncertain whether you'd still have your head on your neck," Li Zhengdao said.

Magistrate Zhou nervously touched the head on his neck; it was still there, and he was extremely relieved.

And right now.

A sharp sound rang out.

"Your Majesty, we have arrived."

These words caused an uproar, and everyone stood up and hurriedly knelt down.

Magistrate Zhou stood there in a daze, and Li Zhengdao quickly pulled him down, saying, "What are you standing there for? His Majesty has arrived, didn't you hear me?"

"Ah... Oh oh." Magistrate Zhou hurriedly knelt down, not daring to breathe.

In the blink of an eye, the emperor, protected by the imperial guards, walked into the mansion. Seeing Lin Fan standing there, he couldn't help but laugh and scold, "You dear minister, you sent invitations to all the officials of the third rank and above in the city. When I found out, I was waiting for you to send me an invitation. I didn't expect that in the end, I would receive nothing. What, do you think I can't make a good impression for you, so you don't want to invite me?"

Lin Fan smiled and said, "Your Majesty misunderstands. My subordinate is getting married. How could I dare to disturb Your Majesty?"

"You, you're still being so polite with me. You've personally gone to such lengths to arrange the wedding for your subordinate; it seems you're one of your most trusted confidants. How could I not come?" the emperor said with a smile.

Immediately, the emperor said, "Rise, all of you. Today is the wedding day of your subordinate, so there is no need for formalities. I want to ask if you have delivered your wedding gifts. Don't let me find out that anyone came empty-handed."

After speaking, the emperor walked up to Yang Ming and Cheng Ling, nodding with satisfaction. "Hmm, a perfect match, I am very pleased. Guards, announce the decree."

With a smile on his face, Eunuch Wang read out the imperial decree.

Everyone listened intently.

When the Cheng family heard that Cheng Ling had been bestowed the title of Imperial Lady, they were completely stunned by this sudden surprise. Who would have thought that this was a personal bestowal by His Majesty?

"Yang Ming, isn't Cheng Ling going to thank me?" Lin Fan said.

Pfft!
Yang Ming and his wife immediately knelt down, saying excitedly, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

While a Lady of Imperial Decree is not as prestigious as a Lady of Imperial Order, the title bestowed by His Majesty is still that of a sixth-rank Lady of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Although she holds no real power, it is a rare honor to be granted.

Yang Ming knew perfectly well that His Majesty's personal visit and the bestowal of titles and rewards were all due to the Grand General's influence. If he weren't the Grand General's confidant, how could he have received such a reward?

For the Yang and Cheng families, this wedding was something they would never forget, and they would probably brag about it for the rest of their lives.

They saw not only the officials of the capital.

I also saw His Majesty the present.

Cheng Menxue clenched his fists tightly, his face flushed with excitement. He never imagined that he would witness such a scene in his life. His daughter was bestowed the title of Imperial Lady. What an honor this was!

The family tree should have a separate page for daughters.

Lin Fan said, "Your Majesty, it's cold. Let's go to the inner hall."

"Very well, I also have some things I'd like to discuss with you, my dear minister," the emperor said.

And at this time.

The most exhausted person was the Ninth Prince, who stayed in the kitchen. He was so engrossed in cooking that the pots and spatulas were smoking. He couldn't go outside; he absolutely couldn't go.

There were so many officials that he was easily recognizable.

At this moment, Ning Yu walked in. "Xiao Jiu, your father is here. Do you want to hide?"

"what?"

Xiao Jiu looked at Ning Yu with a completely bewildered expression. "Sister, don't do this! Today is Yang Ming's big day. I don't want anyone to die."

"That's why I asked you to hide. His Majesty is going to dine here, and Eunuch Wang is going to bring people into the kitchen to keep an eye on things."

"Oh oh oh..."

Huang Xiaojiu quickly threw away the shovel in his hand.

"Chef Xiao Jiu, why did you stop cooking?"

"We can't cook it anymore, you guys cook it."

After saying that, he slunk away.

Ning Yu watched Xiao Jiu's retreating figure and shook her head. "You've really hit the jackpot. Heaven really does favor the poor."

Inner hall.

The Emperor said, “My dear minister, now that the Divine Martial Bureau is in operation, many memorials are flying to me like snowflakes. They all say that the Divine Martial Bureau is acting too domineeringly, and too many officials have been arrested, which is affecting the operation of local government offices.”

Lin Fan laughed and said, "Your Majesty, it seems they are afraid."

"Yes, he was indeed afraid, otherwise he wouldn't have been so agitated. You did a great job, my dear minister. I've also seen the list of officials you compiled for the Divine Martial Division. They have a good reputation among the people, so they can be promoted and given important positions," the emperor said.

Lin Fan said, "Your Majesty, the Divine Martial Division no longer needs my attention. I am preparing to deal with Qin Li, uproot his foundation, and reclaim military power for Your Majesty."

"Is it really that urgent?"

"No rush, it's already very slow. I have a plan. After I take back the military power, I will go on an expedition to expand the territory for Your Majesty and conquer a territory that no other emperor in history could achieve, so that Your Majesty can become the greatest emperor of all time."

Hear this.

The emperor's breathing became rapid.

"My dear...my beloved minister, please don't provoke me too much, I'm afraid I can't take it."

"Could it be that His Majesty does not wish to be a great emperor for all time? Does he not want future generations to think of him only as an emperor who unified the world?"

pat!

The emperor gripped Lin Fan's hand tightly, his face full of excitement, and said, "My dear minister, I've dreamed of this, but I dare not even think about it."

"Your Majesty, you can think boldly and ambitiously now, but Your Majesty must take good care of your health. This is not a matter of one or two years, but a matter of five, ten or even more years."

At this moment, the emperor felt his mouth was dry and licked his lips.

"My dear minister, I will certainly hold out for as long as possible."

"Your Majesty, then you should watch closely. In the past few days, I have analyzed the situation of the surrounding countries. There is one country that is more dangerous, Ding'an. This country has its own culture and heritage, and its imperial examination system is the same as that of the Central Plains. Its national strength is not weak. If it is allowed to develop unchecked, it may become a great threat. Therefore, we must completely dismantle their regime."

Seeing the situation in Ding'an Kingdom reminded him of the ancient Goguryeo Kingdom on his previous life on Earth.

Four emperors of the Sui and Tang dynasties fought fiercely against Goguryeo.

The purpose is to nip all threats in the bud.

(End of this chapter)