Even emperors have it tough, so don't be too picky about the entries.

The eight major warlords tacitly understood each other and immediately submitted their memorials.

The content was all in response to the call to serve the emperor, but each side used their own methods... remaining on the sidelines.

...

The Northern Mang camp.

These past few days, although they have been on the march, they have been living a more carefree life than the mountain bandits.

They ate meat heartily and drank alcohol heartily.

Whenever they set up camp, there was always a bonfire feast.

In the very center of the main camp.

Empress Helian Yunni was watching Chen Yuan with great interest.

The latter was naked from the waist up, and wrapped in sheepskin.

At that moment, the Northern Barbarian generals around them were fighting amongst themselves, drinking and shouting.

How delightful!

The Empress was truly curious: how big of a heart must one have to be so carefree?

If it were me, I would have bitten my tongue and committed suicide long ago rather than suffer such humiliation.

She held her wine glass and slowly walked up to Chen Yuan.

He looked down at her and said calmly:

"Chen Yuan, are you homesick?"

"Do you miss the old days? Wine pools and meat forests, three thousand concubines."

"When he went out, the people knelt to welcome him; when he went to court, the officials shouted 'Long live the Emperor!' A single word could decide a person's life or death, and the fate of a region. Tsk tsk."

Chen Yuan took a swig of wine and laughed loudly:

"I am so happy here that I don't miss my hometown."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding military officers burst into laughter.

"Haha, what a delightful place to be here, I don't even miss home."

"What a remarkable person."

Even the Empress couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Chen Yuan really went to extremes to save his life, he didn't even care about saving face.

He said all this simply to let me know that he had no ambition and to prevent me from having any murderous thoughts.

But couldn't he have imagined that he wouldn't kill him now?

This is a trump card to deal with the Great Yan.

The Empress suddenly smiled knowingly:

"I have some news for you. Your son, Chen Shao, has already ascended the throne in the capital. It is now the first year of the Qian Yuan era."

"You have also been remotely honored as the Retired Emperor."

Chen Yuan's smile instantly froze on his face.

He could hardly believe his ears.

Sixth brother?

Chen Shao?

He ascended the throne?

That bastard stood by and watched someone die, and yet he ascended the throne!

No, what are all the officials, the Empress, Han Cao, and Yuwen Huagu doing?

Instead of rescuing me, you supported Chen Shao's ascension to the throne?

He had assumed that by enduring humiliation and feigning compliance here, he could buy time, and the other side would surely use every means to rescue him.

Ceding territory and paying reparations, isn't that all?

If the Northern Barbarians are fed, how can they possibly take over the Central Plains?

A feeling of being betrayed by the whole world instantly swept over me.

Chen Yuan's expression was ferocious, completely disregarding his awareness as a prisoner.

At this point, he could no longer remain rational and only wanted to vent his dissatisfaction.

He slammed his hand on the table and began to curse:

"You unfilial son! You're utterly inhuman!"

"I'm not even dead yet! And he's already ascended the throne?"

"How dare he! How dare he!"

"The entire court is a bunch of treacherous beasts!"

The Empress simply watched him roar silently.

After he vented his anger, he collapsed there.

He then slowly opened his mouth;

"Chen Yuan, your behavior is truly unbecoming of a ruler."

"There is a saying in the Central Plains: 'A man should have thunder in his heart but a calm face; he should not show his emotions.'"

The empress looked down on him from the bottom of her heart.

I just thought she was being a bit cunning, but I didn't expect her to break down so easily?

Wasn't this outcome expected?

Why make such a fuss!

He has absolutely no bearing of a ruler; he's more like a penniless wretch who's lost his money.

"What's the use of your anger? Now, the only way to survive is to cooperate with me."

At that moment, a soldier rushed into the tent.

He knelt on one knee, holding the document:

"Your Majesty, news has arrived from the Great Yan."

"read."

"Your Majesty, the Great Yan Dynasty has announced that it will fight us to the death and defend the city to the very end."

The generals inside the tent were about to erupt in chaos, but the Empress gestured with her hands to signal for quiet.

"continue."

This was also within her expectations. From the moment Chen Shao ascended the throne, it meant that the Great Yan would not surrender immediately.

"Chen Shao issued an imperial edict calling for troops from all over the country to come to the capital to defend the emperor."

"puff."

The Empress laughed out loud.

"That's pure fantasy!"

"continue."

"General Helian is in trouble..."

The Empress was startled. "What happened to him?"

Helian Xiong was her most valiant general, and she would not allow any mishaps to occur to him.

"The secret letter said that General Helian was smashed with a cup by the newly enthroned emperor in the Great Yan court, and his life was unknown."

"What?!"

Not only the Empress, but everyone was shocked.

Who is Helian Xiong?

If not invincible, then certainly without any rivals.

A cup smashed the general, leaving him in a state of unknown death.

Is Chen Shao a cultivator of immortality?

"How is this possible!"

"The Great General possesses unparalleled divine skills and is truly a match for ten thousand men; this is absolutely impossible!"

"If you said they were ambushed and hacked by hundreds of axemen, I might believe it to some extent."

The empress lost her balance and stumbled back several steps.

He bumped into a pile of tables before his subordinates helped him steady himself.

"His Majesty!"

She waved her hand and rubbed her temples.

"Let me take a moment."

Is this Chen Shao... a master or does he possess sorcery?

There are many Taoist priests in the Great Yan Dynasty, but those talismans and paper are all fraudulent.

Only the people of the Great Yan Dynasty believed it.

But there's something fishy about this.

That brat, last time he could drive a donkey cart and it flew like the wind!

"Can anyone tell me what's going on here...?"

"Even I have to be somewhat wary of Helian Xiong's fighting prowess."

The rest of the soldiers were completely bewildered.

This was beyond their comprehension.

No one could answer her question.

If you can't figure it out, the best way is to stop thinking about it.

The Empress suddenly rushed forward a few steps, put one foot on the table, and looked down at Chen Yuan, who was still angry.

"Chen Yuan, do you want revenge?"

......

The Imperial Study.

Bai Bingbing knelt on one knee, her face solemn.

"Your Majesty, Minister Yu has transferred eight hundred men to the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"Eight hundred?"

Chen Shao was overjoyed; it was an auspicious number.

Is that enough?

"That's enough."

Before Bai Bingbing came to meet the emperor, she had already organized her thoughts.

"But I need two things."

"speak."

"First, a secret decree grants the power to execute first and report later."

"That is only natural, I agree."

"Second, two hundred thousand taels of silver."

"What?"

Chen Shao almost slipped off the dragon throne.

Yu Qi'an had just taken 800,000 taels of silver to reorganize a new army.

They're asking for another 200,000; are they all in cahoots, eyeing the little bit of money I've embezzled?

"Your Majesty, this is already the bare minimum. Without money, there's no one to do the work."

"This money will be distributed in His Majesty's name, so that the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard can become a true personal army of the Emperor before it is fully restored."

Chen Shao pondered for a moment, then said, "Forget it, it's just going back to square one."

He had long since run out of options.

"I grant your permission. What are your plans?"

"Carrots and sticks!"

"What do you mean?"

Bai Bingbing quickly explained her detailed plan.

It was probably a matter of selecting the best candidates, making an example of them, and then reorganizing them into a mixed force, so that the eight hundred men would form the backbone of the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Chen Shao nodded repeatedly, increasingly grateful to Shen Qingci for recommending her as commander.

They're quite capable.

After the two finished their discussion, Bai Bingbing got up to say goodbye. Just as she reached the door, she heard Chen Shao say:

"Commander Bai, you'll have to work hard tonight."

Bai Bingbing was taken aback, then her pretty face turned fierce.

"If Your Majesty wishes for me to serve you in bed, I would rather die."

"???"

Damn... I don't like flat plains.

"What I mean is, I'm giving you one night to get this sorted out!"