If you're made a fake emperor, why did you change the country's name?

That evening, the capital was abuzz with excitement.

News of the First Dragon's bloodline spread like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys.

The streets, teahouses, and taverns were filled with comments and gossip about the matter!

"I don't care about his so-called First Dragon or Earth Dragon! He has taken me and my family from being hungry and cold to now being able to eat our fill and sleep well! He is my emperor!" A farmer-looking man said, spitting as he spoke.

"Hey, that's not how it works. Although he's made our lives better, this has angered all the dynasties in the world. I've heard that it won't be long before all the dynasties in the world attack us!"

"Yes, this time it's different from the Wolf Kingdom last time. This time there are at least several million troops!"

"A few million? I'd say tens of millions!"

The discussion was lively, but it was clearly polarized.

Most of the lowest-ranking Ming people still supported Zhao Yu.

But more than anything, people were worried and their perception of Zhao Yu changed.

The Imperial Study in the Imperial Palace.

As Zhao Yu watched the memorials from various countries reporting their departure from the capital, he suddenly heard a sound, footsteps, approaching from afar.

crunch~

The palace door opened, and Wang Zhang rushed in.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards have reported that some people in the city are inciting the people, saying that you are the reincarnation of an evil dragon and that this is an omen of impending disaster."

Zhao Yu lightly tapped the windowsill with his finger.

"Who is instigating this behind the scenes?"

Wang and Zhang bowed.

"Preliminary investigation indicates a connection to the Gan family."

Zhao Yu's heart skipped a beat.

He originally thought it would be the Prince of Zhennan, since only the Prince of Zhennan was hiding a big secret.

But it doesn't seem right to say that the Prince of Zhennan would resort to such underhanded tactics.

He doesn't care about military power or being cuckolded, so why would he bother with such a trivial matter as inciting public opinion?

But this news from the Gan family surprised Zhao Yu.

The Gan family?

Zhao Yu recalled Gan Qing.

Leaning on a cane, he exuded an air of otherworldly wisdom and held a high position of power from the very beginning.

Later, the old wood became heavy and dull.

In order to survive, they did not hesitate to use the entire Gan family's resources to seek refuge with him.

Zhao Yu had no doubt that he could endure.

I just didn't expect that this old fellow would be able to see through the truth of the situation when the Prince of Zhennan handed over his military power.

Grandpa Hai hurriedly entered the house, his face covered in sweat.

"Your Majesty, there are movements from various diplomatic missions. In particular, the Qin envoy has sent someone back home at top speed to report the news."

Zhao Yu waved his hand.

"Okay, you can go now."

Wang Zhang and Eunuch Hai withdrew.

Zhao Yu walked to the desk and continued looking at the security information.

But in my mind, I began to make a rational calculation about what would happen next.

Ganfu.

Late at night, the candlelight flickered in the study. Gan Qing sat in the main seat, his aged face appearing somber in the light and shadow.

Gan Yong stood to the side, his voice low.

"Father, everything is taken care of."

Gan Qing leaned on a crane-head cane, nodded, and continued to look at the distribution of the army on the map.

Upon seeing this, Gan Yong's face showed a hint of jealousy.

"Father, you said that Zhao Yu was just a beggar, yet he actually acted as a stand-in and killed His Majesty. Now even the Prince of Zhennan has bowed down. How can anyone in this world be so lucky?"

"Moreover, he looks about the same age as Zhao Yu now. Heaven is truly blind."

Gan Qing suddenly turned his head, and the gloom that had filled his eyes before vanished, replaced by a sharpness.

"Are you brainless?! Good luck? He quelled the wolf problem, destroyed powerful clans, revitalized the common people, and performed miracles at the Heavenly Sacrifice—every single one of these proves his ability!"

Gan Yong immediately lowered his head.

Knock knock!

Gan Qing tapped his cane twice, looked at Gan Qing and snorted coldly, then looked at the map hanging on the wall and began to teach.

"Yong'er, as the head of the family, you must always maintain a calm mind and never be arrogant."

Look at the Wolf King of the Wolf Kingdom, the other aristocratic families, and Zhao Yu. Aren't they all arrogant and don't take Zhao Yu seriously?

And what's the result now?

Zhao Yu is perfectly fine, but they don't even have a grave.

Gan Yong listened, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Gan Qing continued.

"Besides, the Prince of Zhennan is not one to bow down."

Thirty years ago, if the Prince of Zhennan hadn't neglected the court and the affairs of the world, I would never have been able to lead the Gan family to rise to become the most powerful clan.

Gan Yong was somewhat surprised.

"How is that possible?! Not only has the Prince of Zhennan been cuckolded, but he has also voluntarily handed over his military power."

"If he's really that capable, why would he do something so stupid?"

"If I had a million-strong army, I would have already taken control of the Zhao family, chosen an ignorant infant, and seized control of the Liang dynasty!"

Gan Qing didn't speak, but instead moved closer to the map, his sharp eyes scanning it intently, trying to find something.

Above, the distribution of the Prince of Zhennan's army is densely outlined with red lines.

Gan Qing looked at the map, his brows furrowed, and finally shook his head.

"I don't know, but I can sense that the Gan family's chance to return to its peak is just around the corner!"

"That day came very soon, very soon..."

The Prince of Zhennan's Mansion.

Inside the secret chamber, Qian Batian stood before a massive magic array.

In the center of the formation, twelve strange herbs were placed, including the Soul-Severing Grass and the Soul-Returning Flower.

Standing beside him was a short man, less than a meter tall, whose entire body was shrouded in a black robe.

The man in the black robe had a hoarse voice.

"Your Highness, the materials are all ready, and the formation has been activated."

Three days later, at night, the nine stars will align. Make sure to bring the target to the Zhennan Prince's Mansion.

Otherwise, if we miss it, we'll have to wait another thousand years.

Qian Batian looked at the layers upon layers of formations, his breathing heavy.

The naivety on his face vanished completely, replaced by madness!

"Thirty years, a full thirty years! I finally have the chance to take another step forward! If I succeed, I will not only break through to become a terrestrial immortal, but also control the entire world!!"

The Prince of Zhennan, his eyes bloodshot, stared intently at the magic array...

The next morning, in the Imperial Study.

Wang Zhang and Eunuch Hai came again to report on the findings of their investigation into the Soul-Severing Grass and the Soul-Returning Flower.

Hai Gonggong's face was filled with helplessness.

"Your Majesty, this old servant found nothing useful. All I know is that when these two herbs are combined, their medicinal properties cancel each other out, rendering them ineffective."

Zhao Yu's fingers traced the surface of the table.

What exactly are these medicinal herbs, such as the Soul-Severing Grass and the Soul-Returning Flower, used for?

Furthermore, the Prince of Zhennan actually handed over all the crucial military power.

More importantly, how could a man be cuckolded and not be angry at all?

All these unusual occurrences combined made Zhao Yu feel as if a heavy stone was pressing down on his heart.

Wang and Zhang were anxious.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Zhennan could not possibly be without ulterior motives; we must be on guard!"

Grandpa Hai echoed in agreement.

Zhao Yu pondered for a moment, his eyes sharpening.

"Since he wants to put on an act, then I will play along to the very end."

"Issue the imperial decree: In three days, I will convene a grand assembly of all nations in the Hall of Supreme Harmony to announce the new policies in front of the envoys of all countries."

Wang and Zhang responded.

The news sent shockwaves through the foreign delegations that remained in the capital.

Upon hearing this news, the envoy from the Qian Kingdom curled his lips into a mocking smile.

"This Zhao Yu is truly insane. All the countries know about him and are currently preparing to attack Daliang, and yet he still announces it to the world—isn't he just courting death?"

The envoy from Sun Kingdom echoed this sentiment.

"The envoy from Qian Kingdom is right. Great Liang is about to descend into war, and we plan to leave tomorrow."