I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

"Father! Absolutely not!" Xiao Jingshi was the first to kneel down. "Swords have no eyes on the battlefield. You are of inestimable strength; how can you personally risk your life? Your son will never allow it!"

"Yes, Your Majesty! Please reconsider!" The ministers knelt and kowtowed one after another. "If anything were to happen to you, what would become of the Great Liang dynasty?"

"Shut up!" Xiao Yuanzheng waved his hand. "Do you think I'm discussing this with you? I'm issuing a decree! My mind is made up, there's no need to persuade me further!"

"But Father..."

"Jing Shi, listen to me." Xiao Yuanzheng walked up to the Crown Prince, his tone unusually gentle. "Do you think I really want to go and fight those barbarians? I'm forty-five this year, long past the age where I can don armor and go into battle. I'm not going to the Southern Frontier to fight."

"Then why did Father...?"

"I am going to provide protection for the soldiers and civilians in the southern border." Xiao Yuanzheng's gaze deepened and became distant. "Now that Zhennan Pass has fallen and Zhou De'an has died in battle, the morale of the southern border army is wavering. The soldiers defending the city are all wondering if the court has abandoned them? Will they, like Zhou De'an, die without even an explanation after this battle?"

His voice gradually rose in intensity: "So I will go! I will stand atop the city walls of Jiangzhou and speak to them personally—I have not abandoned you! The Great Liang has not abandoned you! As long as I am here, Jiangzhou will be here! I will not retreat, and you are not allowed to retreat!"

These words resonated deeply, stirring the passion of everyone present.

Yes, sometimes war is not just about manpower and supplies, but also about morale and the will of the people.

If the emperor could personally visit the front lines, what a tremendous boost that would be to the defending troops!

But... the price is too high.

Looking at his father's resolute face, Xiao Jingshi felt a sharp pain in his heart. He knew his father was gambling with his own life, gambling on whether he could defend Jiangzhou, gambling on whether he could defend half of the Liang Dynasty.

But he couldn't let his father gamble.

If we lose, everything is over.

"Father." Xiao Jingshi took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and then, to everyone's astonishment, knelt down with a thud and kowtowed heavily.

"Father, I humbly request that you rescind your decree!"

"Jing Shi, you..."

"Father is the Emperor, the supreme ruler, and must never leave the capital even for a moment!" Xiao Jingshi raised his head, his forehead already bleeding from kowtowing.

"Father, your staying in the capital is to 'stabilize the mind'; your staying to assist in governing is to 'cover the rear'." Xiao Jingshi stood up, his voice booming. "As for the morale in the southern border, I have a foolproof plan. I beg Your Majesty to bestow upon me the 'National Guardian Sword,' and appoint Li Jingfeng, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, as imperial envoy to carry it south! Seeing the sword is like seeing the emperor; slaying generals and being ennobled will all depend on this sword!"

"With just a sword?" Xiao Yuanzheng asked doubtfully.

"It's not just the sword." Xiao Jingshi's lips curled into a cold smile. "There's also Qian Gu's head! And the double compensation for those whose military pay was embezzled! There are still three million taels of silver in the imperial treasury outside the capital, the last reserves left by the founding emperor. I request that Father Emperor issue an edict to transport all of this money to the southern border, to tell the soldiers—though the Emperor and the Crown Prince are in the capital, the treasury of Liang is always open to you!"

These words left the ministers exchanging bewildered glances. Compared to the vague encouragement of the emperor personally leading the campaign, real gold and silver and the imperial sword were clearly far more effective.

"Father, you are of inestimable strength, and I am the Crown Prince. Our presence in the capital is to show the world that the foundation of the Great Liang is as solid as Mount Tai!" Xiao Jingshi spoke rapidly yet clearly. "We must lay a wide net in this capital to wipe out all those traitors and disloyal elements! Only with a stable rear can we have peace of mind at the front!"

Xiao Yuanzheng fell into deep thought. Looking at his son before him, he suddenly realized that Xiao Jingshi's vision was even broader than he had imagined. While personally leading an expedition was valiant, the true way of an emperor was to remain in the central command and coordinate the overall situation.

"Fine!" Xiao Yuanzheng slammed his hand on the table, his eyes gleaming. "We'll do as you say! I won't go to the Southern Border. You and I will stay here in this Golden Palace and see who dares to touch my Great Liang Empire!"

"Father is wise!" Xiao Jingshi bowed deeply.

"Issue my decree!" Xiao Yuanzheng's voice echoed throughout the hall. "The Crown Prince is granted the power of regent. Li Jingfeng is appointed Governor of the Southern Border, and shall depart immediately with the Divine Sword of the Nation! Qian Gu, the Vice Minister of Revenue, has colluded with the enemy and harmed the country. Tomorrow at noon, he shall be beheaded outside Xuanwu Gate and his head shall be carried south with the army as a warning to others!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!"

The courtiers knelt down in unison, their hearts filled with turbulent emotions.

What could have been a potentially devastating military campaign was averted by the Crown Prince with remarkable ease. Moreover, through this maneuvering, the Crown Prince not only secured real power as regent but also completely stabilized the rear.

Xiao Jingshi stood in the center of the main hall, feeling the awe-inspiring gazes around him. He knew this was just the beginning.

Although he did not go to the front lines, every order he issued would become a steel blade and iron sword on the southern battlefield.

"Father, next, it's time to deal with those 'parasites' in the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War." Xiao Jingshi turned around and smiled slightly at the emperor, a smile that exuded a chilling murderous aura.

Looking at his son, Xiao Yuanzheng was filled with relief and awe. He knew that the future of Daliang had truly been handed over to this young man at this moment.

"Go, Jing Shi. I entrust this capital to your command!"

Night had fallen, but the lights of the capital city shone even brighter than usual.

Military orders were issued from the Crown Prince's residence, and horses galloped off in all directions.

Xiao Jingshi stood atop the high city wall, gazing at the southern sky. Though he was not wearing armor, his will had traversed mountains and rivers, descending upon the city of Jiangzhou.