Joy of Life: Me, the Second Prince? Summon Yuan Tiangang!

The first issue concerns the placement of the princes from the previous dynasty.

Just as Li Chengze had promised Li Chengqian in the study of the Eastern Palace, the imperial edict was issued: the eldest prince Li Chengru was granted the title of "Prince of Qi" and the deposed crown prince Li Chengqian was granted the title of "Prince of Chu," both being princes of equal rank, granted princely residences, fiefs of ten thousand households, and their titles to be hereditary.

The imperial edict brought a sigh of relief to the entire court and the public. The new emperor's decision not to pursue a ruthless policy demonstrated the magnanimity and benevolence expected of an emperor, which put the minds of the former officials who had been observing with trepidation at ease.

Next came the establishment of a new era name.

Li Chengze did not use the reign title of Emperor Qing, nor did he choose those gentle words that symbolized a peaceful and prosperous era.

With a flourish of his pen, he designated the new era name as "Zhaowu".

The first year of Zhaowu.

"昭" means to be clear and obvious; "武" means military force and conquest.

The moment this reign title was announced, the astute courtiers immediately sensed a strong smell of impending war. The new emperor's ambitions were now crystal clear. He was not content with merely preserving the empire left by Emperor Qing; he wanted to use force to create an unprecedentedly vast territory.

Next came the investiture of the imperial harem.

The emperor appointed Lin Wan'er, daughter of Prime Minister Lin, as Empress, to rule the land. Lin Wan'er was gentle and kind, and came from a prestigious family; this decision was expected by everyone.

The title of Imperial Concubine was conferred upon Si Lili.

The most surprising thing was the last imperial edict of investiture.

Fan Jian's daughter, Fan Ruoruo, was summoned to the palace and given the title of "Virtuous Consort".

With this, the imperial court was stable and the harem was well-stocked.

……

In the first year of Zhaowu's reign, early summer.

The atmosphere inside the Imperial Study was heavy and somber.

On a huge rosewood table, an extremely detailed map of the world was spread out.

On the map, Nanqing, Beiqi, Dongyi City, and the surrounding vassal states, large and small, were clearly marked with cinnabar of different colors.

Li Chengze, dressed in a bright yellow casual outfit, stood with his hands behind his back in front of the map.

His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's as he scanned the locations of Northern Qi and Dongyi cities on the map.

Standing behind him were the most core generals of the Southern Qing military: Ye Zhong, the Privy Councilor; Yan Xiaoyi, the Grand Commander; and Chen Zhibao, whom he had specially exchanged for with 100,000 reputation points for the Great Snow Dragon Riders...

"Your Majesty, the domestic situation is now completely stable, and all the troops stationed in various regions have sworn allegiance. The national treasury is full, and supplies are plentiful; it is the perfect time to wage war," Ye Chong said, bowing, his eyes gleaming with fervent fighting spirit. For a soldier, nothing is more exhilarating than expanding territory.

Li Chengze nodded slightly, extended his slender finger, and pointed heavily at the capital city of Northern Qi on the map.

"When my father was alive, he always regarded the Northern Qi as a major threat. He launched several northern expeditions, and although he achieved some victories, he was never able to shake its foundation. Why was that?" Li Chengze's voice echoed in the hall.

Before the generals could answer, Li Chengze answered his own question: "Because of Ku He. The existence of a Grandmaster is like an insurmountable mountain, standing between the two countries. As long as Ku He lives, the Northern Qi royal family will have a pillar of stability, and the people and soldiers of Northern Qi will have an indomitable spirit."

At this point, a cold smile curled at the corner of Li Chengze's lips: "But now, Ku He is dead. My father used his life to clear away the greatest obstacle to unifying the world for me."

"The young emperor of Northern Qi is still a child, and the empress dowager is ruling as regent. With a widow and an orphan, the court is rife with factions. Although Shang Shanhu is brave, he is also the subject of much suspicion. Now that Ku He is dead, Northern Qi is bound to be in a state of panic. This is the perfect opportunity for us to wipe out the north in one fell swoop!"

Li Chengze turned around, his gaze piercing as he looked at the generals before him, and began to issue his first and most ambitious military order since his ascension to the throne.

"Issue my decree!"

"Ye Zhong is appointed commander-in-chief, leading a total of 300,000 troops from Dingzhou and Qingzhou, divided into three routes to press on Northern Qi from the front! The left route will march out of Cangzhou, heading straight for Nanjing, the capital of Northern Qi; the right route will march out of Yanjing, to contain Shang Shanhu's border defenses; the central route will be personally led by Ye Zhong, advancing steadily and cautiously, step by step, to exert the greatest possible pressure on the Northern Qi court!"

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Ye Zhong knelt on one knee and loudly accepted the order.

"Wang Shifei!"

"Your subject is here!" The young general stepped forward, his expression excited.

"I hereby order you to lead 50,000 elite naval troops northward along the coastline, blockading all of Northern Qi's ports and seaports! Cut off all their trade with overseas countries, severing their financial lifeline! At the same time, seize the opportunity to land behind Northern Qi's rear, harass their supply lines, and prevent them from supporting both sides!"

"Your subject obeys the order and will certainly not fail in your mission!"

After arranging the regular troops, Li Chengze's gaze finally fell on the white-robed general who had remained silent and exuded a cold aura.

"Chen Zhibao".

"Your subordinate is here." Chen Zhibao bowed slightly, his voice as cold as metal striking stone, devoid of any emotion.

"The Great Snow Dragon Riders are the sharpest sword in my hand." Li Chengze looked at him, his eyes flashing with absolute trust and mad ambition. "Leave the conventional sieges and conquests to Ye Zhong and his men. I have only one task for you."

Li Chengze's finger traced a sharp arc across the map, bypassing the Northern Qi's numerous defenses and heading straight for its heart.

"I order you to lead 30,000 Great Snow Dragon Cavalry, breaking into smaller units, and infiltrate the uninhabited areas of the Qilian Mountains into the heart of Northern Qi! Ignore the fortified cities, and do not engage in direct combat with Shang Shanhu's main force. Your mission is to infiltrate, outflank, and sabotage!"

"Burn their granaries, cut off their post roads, and destroy their arsenals! I will turn the heartland of Northern Qi into scorched earth, depriving their army of a single grain of food and their court of a single battle report from the front!"

"I want the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry to become a scythe of death hanging over the heads of the young emperor and empress dowager of Northern Qi! When Ye Zhong's 300,000-strong army besieges the capital, I want to see that the interior of Northern Qi is already an empty shell riddled with holes!"

Chen Zhibao raised his head, and a bloodthirsty glint finally flashed in his usually calm eyes.

"Your humble servant obeys. Wherever the Snow Dragon Cavalry passes, not a blade of grass will grow."

After arranging the strategy against Northern Qi, Li Chengze did not stop. His gaze then turned to the prosperous peninsula to the east of the map—Dongyi City.

"As for Dongyi City..." Li Chengze sneered, "With Si Gu Jian dead, those merchants who only know how to do business are nothing but lambs to the slaughter. Although the disciples of Jianlu have superb swordsmanship, they are like a mantis trying to stop a chariot in front of a well-organized army."

"Order the Jiangnan Navy to immediately impose a complete blockade on the waters surrounding Dongyi City! No ships are permitted to enter or leave! At the same time, order the Imperial Treasury and the Ministry of Revenue to utilize all commercial means to suppress Dongyi City's businesses and cut off their supply chains!"

"Dongyi City doesn't produce grain; it relies entirely on trade. I want to see if their prized wealth can feed them when there's no food and no business! Tell the city lord of Dongyi City that I'm only giving them three months. If they don't surrender the entire city after three months, the iron cavalry of Daqing will raze Dongyi City to the ground, leaving no one alive!"

After a series of military orders were issued, the entire imperial study was filled with a suffocating atmosphere of iron-blooded power.

The generals received their orders and withdrew to prepare for the massive war that would soon engulf the entire world.

Once again, only Li Chengze remained in the imperial study.

He slowly walked to the window and opened it. The warm breeze of early summer caressed his cheeks, bringing with it the fragrance of flowers from the Imperial Garden.

Author Invincible Demon King F is waiting for you with "Joy of Life: I, the Second Prince? Summoning Yuan Tiangang!"