If you die, I will be able to inherit your cultivation.

Zhou Ming silently spread his divine sense and probed into the Marquis's residence again.

As soon as Su Mubai entered the Marquis's residence, he went straight to the study, which was originally the place where Marquis Yongning Su Yongning used to handle military affairs in the northern border after returning to the Marquis's residence.

Now the master has died in battle on the desolate mountain of Wild Wolf Slope, and his father is sitting in the chair he used to sit in.

Su Mingyue followed Su Mubai into the study, and the door closed behind them.

After Su Mubai sat down, he first stared intently at Su Mingyue, his bright eyes, which seemed to see right through people, sweeping over Su Mingyue's expressionless face inch by inch.

Su Mingyue did not look away, staring intently at him.

After a moment, Su Mubai finally spoke and asked:

"What is the current situation in Youzhou?"

Su Mingyue replied succinctly, "It's already completely under the control of the Su family."

Su Mubai nodded and then asked, "What are your plans for arranging things for His Highness the Ninth Prince?"

Upon hearing this, Su Mingyue replied without hesitation, "My father died to protect the Ninth Prince's ascension to the throne. As his children, we will fulfill his last wish and ensure that the Ninth Prince ascends to the throne."

Su Mubai nodded again, then changed the subject.

"I intend to marry you to His Highness the Ninth Prince. After he ascends the throne, he will make you Empress. At that time, you will be second only to the Emperor and the Empress, the mother of the nation."

Before Su Mubai could finish speaking, Su Mingyue interrupted.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was like an iron nail driven into a wooden board, leaving no room for negotiation: "I will not marry the Ninth Prince."

Upon hearing this, Su Mubai looked at Su Mingyue with a gloomy expression.

Su Mingyue met his gaze without backing down.

After a moment, Su Mubai spoke again, but his voice was a bit deeper.

"Women should stay at home to take care of their husbands and raise their children. What kind of image is it for a woman to show her face in public?"

"Tomorrow, you should hand over some of the household affairs to your eldest uncle. After all, he is a man and the future head of the Su family."

"Once the situation stabilizes, I will find you a suitable partner."

After hearing these words, Su Mingyue remained silent.

Her silence was not a concession, but a wall, a wall that even Su Mubai's eyes, which could see through people's hearts, could not penetrate.

Their first private conversation ended unhappily.

Zhou Ming withdrew his divine sense and stood there in silence for a while.

He originally planned to go straight back to the prefectural governor's mansion, as there were still a bunch of things to decide on in preparation for his ascension to the throne.

But before he even reached the entrance of the prefectural governor's mansion, Dongmei stopped him.

Dongmei arrived in a hurry, her face devoid of the usual playful tone she wore when arguing with him. She simply said that the young lady wanted him to go to Haitang Garden again.

Stepping into the Begonia Garden again, Su Mingyue was the only one in the main hall.

She sat in the main seat, now dressed in her black iron armor, her silver spear leaning against the armrest of the chair.

When Zhou Ming came in, she didn't get up or exchange pleasantries. She just stared at him intently, her gaze filled with a solemnity that Zhou Ming had never seen on her face before.

Zhou Ming stepped forward, clasped his hands in a salute, and then stood there quietly with his head down, waiting for her to speak.

After a moment, Su Mingyue finally spoke, her voice softer than usual, yet each word clear:

"Zhou Ming, we grew up together since we were little. In this Marquis's mansion, besides these four personal maids, you are the only one I can trust."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ming outwardly expressed his gratitude, but inwardly he was cursing.

What do you mean by "I'm the only one I can trust"?

Of the hundreds of thousands of men under your command, how many are I unaware of?

And what about the Nightingale Organization? I've never even heard you mention its name.

However, he showed no sign of anything amiss, keeping his head down and adopting a posture of attentive listening.

"Now I want to give you a task."

Su Mingyue's voice was still soft, but resolute: "This mission concerns my life and fortune."

Zhou Ming also suppressed his inner grumbling, tactfully clasped his hands in a salute, and said solemnly:

"I will obey your orders, Miss. I would do anything, even risk my life, to fulfill your trust."

Su Mingyue nodded, her tone returning to its usual crisp and decisive manner:

"You've seen the group of people who came today, haven't you?"

"Arrange for the Ninth Prince to ascend the throne tomorrow. After his ascension, the entire palace will be yours."

"I don't want any decrees I don't want to hear escaping the palace, including orders from my grandfather, Su Mubai. Do you understand?"

Zhou Ming instantly understood what the young lady meant.

Su Mubai wants to seize power from her.

So she first got the Ninth Prince to the throne—made him emperor—and then sealed off the palace.

This palace is an exquisite cage built for the new emperor and the Duke. So-called decrees can only circulate within the palace walls and can never reach the outside.

This way, one can achieve the goal of controlling the emperor to command the feudal lords without having one's own power interfered with by the new emperor.

Zhou Ming nodded, his voice low but his tone extremely firm:

"I understand. Rest assured, young lady, nothing that you would not want to hear will circulate within the palace."

Su Mingyue glanced at him, as if trying to confirm something from his face.

In the end, she simply waved her hand lightly. Zhou Ming clasped his hands in a fist salute, took three steps back, turned around, and walked out of the flower hall.

Stepping out of the Begonia Garden, the night breeze from the covered walkway greeted me, carrying the dryness unique to the North.

As Zhou Ming walked towards the prefectural governor's residence, he pondered to himself.

It seems that old man Su Mubai has really angered the young lady.

You, a wretched old man, fled from Qingzhou to this Yuyang County like a stray dog.

The fact that you managed to escape alive is thanks to your granddaughter's dispatch of 5,000 elite cavalry to search and provide support along the way.

After returning, instead of staying peacefully in the Marquis's mansion as your old master, enjoying your retirement and playing with your grandchildren, you insisted on jumping out and seizing power from the eldest daughter.

First, they used marriage to control her, forcing her to marry the Ninth Prince and become the Empress, who was second only to the Emperor.

When rejected, they brought up the eldest uncle again, saying that he was, after all, a man and the future head of the Su family.

Isn't this driving the young lady to her doom?

She is a woman who can lead hundreds of thousands of elite troops, command the northern border army, and turn Youzhou into an impregnable fortress in just one month. You want her to go back to be a wife and mother?

Now that's better.

The young lady handed over the palace to him without hesitation, allowing the new emperor and the duke to enjoy themselves in the palace, without having to worry about any military or political affairs outside.

From now on, this old man will probably be under house arrest in the palace until he dies. Although he will have no worries about food and clothing, he will be unable to move around.

Thinking of this, Zhou Ming couldn't help but sigh.

Then he quickened his pace and walked towards the prefectural governor's residence.

Tomorrow is the Ninth Prince's coronation ceremony, and he needs to replace all the guards, eunuchs, and palace maids at the imperial palace with the eldest young lady's people overnight.