Emperor Hao fought countless battles in his life, but in the face of Yuzhong, whose land was less than half of the leaves, he was worried.

The terrain of Yu China is steep, easy to defend and difficult to attack, and between it and the leaves, there is another small country Zhong Qi. Although Zhong Qi is only a projectile land, in ancient times, it was the capital of the demon race, and it was surrounded by clouds and mist all year round, hiding the aura of devouring gods, which itself was an obstacle.

After listening to the messages from several generals, Emperor Hao asked Mu Chen, "What do you think?" ”

Mu Chen said: "In terms of military strength alone, Yuzhong will never be Chaoyan's opponent. However, they have an advantage in the terrain, and they have always had secret contacts with Jiuqiu, if they use witchcraft to set up a maze, they may not be able to compete with our army. ”

Emperor Hao nodded, pointed to a few places on the map, and instructed Deputy Marshal Xi Yang: "These checkpoints are very important, and they must be closely guarded to block the contact between Yuzhong and Jiuqiu. ”

Qing Ling followed the gesture of Emperor Hao and saw that one of them was Wutong Town, which he had been to.

I don't know, is it okay to be there?

Emperor Hao said to Mu Chen again: "You studied under Ling Huan and are good at formations, so this time you will go south with General Xi and them to lead the strategy of breaking the formation." ”

Mu Chen took the order, "Yes, father." ”

Emperor Hao discussed some matters with the generals, and then ordered them to withdraw from the camp, leaving Qingling alone.

After pacing to the desk, he sat down slowly, raised his hand and rubbed his forehead, and ordered the attendant to bring tea inside.

Qing Ling took the teacup from the waiter's hand, handed it to Emperor Hao with his own hands, and said very obediently: "Father, drink tea." ”

Emperor Hao smiled a little tiredly, took the tea and took a sip, and said with a smile: "It's better to be a daughter." ”

As a father and the king of a country, in front of his sons, it is inevitable to maintain the image of perseverance and majesty, but in the face of his daughter, no matter how strong and cold his heart is, he will soften it a little.

However, after the softness, it is inevitable to return to the complex and rational balance of power.

"I've already read the tax cut proposal you handed over. It's a good idea, but it's just that there is a war going on right now, and the treasury is tight, whether it's the tax on the leaves or the collection in Chaoyan, it can't be reduced for the time being. ”

Qing Ling raised his hand and slapped his shoulder for Emperor Hao, "But I have carefully checked the accounts, the previous royal family had a huge deficit, and now the original official system has been broken, and it is not easy to collect taxes according to the original proportion." ”

Emperor Hao smiled calmly, "What? Retreating at the slightest difficulty? If you are afraid of trouble, you can abdicate and make way for Xian, go back to the Suzaku Palace and wait for marriage. ”

Qing Ling's hand moved, and he hurriedly said, "Where did I retreat?" I won't give up easily if I say anything! ”

Emperor Hao pondered for a while and said, "The financial matter is the most complicated. Although some of your subordinates help, after all, they come from a small family, and they are inevitably pedantic. Fang Shanxiu mentioned it to me, saying that he wanted his nephew to come over and help you. After all, he is a child of the fourth family, and if there is anything that needs to be coordinated, or something you can't pull your face to do, you will leave it to him. ”

Qing Ling's thumping of his back stopped completely.

She pondered for a moment, trying to make her tone sound calm, "Patriarch Fangshan's nephew? Is Father talking about Fang Shanyuan? ”

Emperor Hao also pretended not to notice Qing Ling's abnormality, and only said, "It's not him." That kid, last time he actually brought the concubine in Beijing to the barracks! It's also a thing that doesn't fight. Speaking of which, although there are many children in this Fangshan clan, there are only a few who are really up to the task......"

Fang Shanyuan's dismissal because he privately brought a woman with the army was originally a ploy set up by Mu Chen through the Red Moon Fang, and Qing Ling understood the reason, so he didn't take the opportunity to add fuel to the fire and say a few words, but only nodded lightly in agreement.

Emperor Hao continued: "Fang Shanxiu recommended another nephew of his, named Fang Shanji, who is younger than A Jing, and his temperament is a little timid and shy. After a pause, "It won't get in the way of your work." ”

Qing Ling couldn't decide for a while whether Emperor Hao had made this decision out of the psychology of "compensating" the Fang Shan clan, or in order to balance power and not let himself and Mu Chen dominate.

The emperor's mental tricks, the combination of grace and power, and the game of power.

The person in front of him is, after all, the emperor of the Eastern Continent, the king of a country who controls everyone on the chessboard. She couldn't grasp his thoughts, so she could only whisper, "I know." ”

At this time, a close attendant came in to report, "Your Majesty, the eldest emperor Ji is constantly kowtowing outside the tent, asking to see Your Majesty." ”

Emperor Hao frowned, pondered for a moment, and sighed, "That's it, let her in." ”

Then he said to Qing Ling, "You go back first." ”

Qing Ling got up and said goodbye. When he came out of the account, he happened to take a look at Gu Yuechang Emperor Ji, who was entering the account, and saw that her forehead was red and swollen, and there seemed to be a faint blood oozing out.

Qing Ling bowed her knees, "Auntie." ”

Gu Yue's face was pale, her plain clothes were stained with dust, and her eyes were sad and mixed with a hint of eagerness to look at Qing Ling, "You are Qing Ling, right?" What a standout kid. ”

Qing Ling smiled silently, and after giving another salute, he withdrew from the big tent.

The meaning of hope in Gu Yue's eyes, how could she not understand?

But even if she, the emperor who was in the prime of grace, was willing to help intercede in front of her father, it would be useless.

Emperor Hao's ambition to unify the Eastern Continent, how could he give up for the sake of blood and family affection?

The family affection of the heavenly family is unpredictable, fragile, hypocritical, and chilling......

Qing Ling walked slowly between the military tents, and his thoughts wandered a little for a while.

She walked aimlessly for a moment, and when she came back to her senses, she found that she had arrived at a training ground in the camp.

There were twenty or thirty sergeants standing around the field, looking at the armor and clothing, all of them were middle-class generals with a slight grade.

The people in the center also wore thin ink-colored armor made of dark iron, and their hair buns were also tied with leather headbands, which were indistinguishable from other generals just by looking at their attire. However, the beautiful eyes are enchanting, the shadow of the clouds, and the surrounding people are lined with a colorless background.

He smiled slightly, and the ice sword in his hand was volleyed into the air, drawing a condensed figure of water vapor, as if he was demonstrating something to everyone.

The expressions of the generals present were focused, their eyes followed Luo Yao's sword point, nodding their heads while giving out approving cheers.

This scene reminded Qing Ling of the scene where he practiced the exercises with the third senior brother, the fifth senior brother, and Luo Yao on the side of Chongwu Tianyuan Pond in the past.

Ling Feng practiced the most seriously and had the most serious attitude, while the sparring between himself and Li Zhong was more like a child's quarrel, and the fight turned into a verbal contest. Luo Yao's practice, although it is also as focused as Ling Feng, but it always seems to give people a sense of leisure and relaxation, with a fluttering posture and a calm smile, and occasionally a few casual words can make the atmosphere immediately cheerful.

Qing Ling looked at Luo Yao from afar, and his heart felt melancholy and sour.

I couldn't understand why my junior brother could always be so leisurely, but now that I look closely, although he was born in a family, he is an only son, and he doesn't have to experience the pain of sibling rivalry and fratricide. Although he was sad because of the discord between his parents when he was young, after all, his parents were alive and well, and they were extremely protective of him, at least, he never had the idea of using him as a pawn. The only sister.,It seems that the relationship with him is also very good.。

Unlike himself, because he was an orphan in the past, he was a little unwilling, but now he has found his relatives, but he has lived a more miserable life......

Qing Ling sighed silently, and was about to turn around and leave, but heard someone behind him call —

"Teiji."

She looked back and saw Fang Shanlei dressed in a military uniform, slowly pacing beside her.

She bowed her jaw, "Fang Shan Gongzi." ”

Fang Shan Lei's expression seemed to be a little tense, but his tone was quite calm, "Just now in His Majesty's account, I didn't have the opportunity to congratulate Emperor Ji, and now I will make up for it." ”

Qing Ling also felt slightly embarrassed, smiled and said, "Young Master Fang Shan is polite. ”

After being silent for a while, Fang Shanlei looked at the people on the field, "Daze Shizi, he does have an enviable intelligence. In the Ganyuan Conference, he overwhelmed the heroes and won the first place, and he was very good at how to behave in the world, and almost no one would dislike it. ”

Although his words were difficult, they were not against his will.

As the future heir of the family, he, like Mo Ninghao and Chun Yujue, has been taught by the elder teacher Chunchun since he was a child, learning to deal with people and deal with various matters, and now he can be regarded as a calm and capable person.

However, in such an environment, they also cultivate a unique pride, a sense of superiority over the majority.

Therefore, like Luo Yao, speaking in a way that caters to people's hearts, is comprehensive, and can talk and laugh and mingle with all kinds of people, which is something that Fang Shanlei can not imagine at all, and it is impossible for him to condescend to do it.

Qing Ling smiled lightly, "No one would not like it?" Where in the world is there such a person? No matter what kind of person you are, there will always be something you don't like. ”

Fang Shanlei's hands behind him tightened, and he slowly turned his head sideways to look at Qing Ling, but seeing that her eyebrows were faint, he seemed to be a little disapproving.

Fang Shanlei's thoughts that had reached the bottom of his heart rose again.

Born in a royal family, he naturally understands the truth that the reason for marriage is not personal wishes. Emperor Hao insisted on marrying Daze and betrothed Qingling to the prince, which was originally an indisputable and irreversible ending.

Fang Shanxiu also specially told his son that the alliance between Qing Ling and Mu Chen was already an ironclad fact, no matter what kind of interaction Fang Shanlei had with Qing Ling before, he could only be destined to become a political enemy in the future.

However, the bits and pieces of getting along with Qing Ling before, the agreement in the Red Moon Fang before leaving Lingxiao City, and the expression on her face at this moment all convinced Fang Shanlei that aside from the battle between the kings, the person Qing Ling was more willing to marry was herself!

"Green Spirit ......"

He stopped talking, his sword eyebrows twisted slightly, "Are you ......?"

"Isn't it what?" Qing Ling raised his eyes.

Fang Shanlei's tone was a little unstable, and he asked tentatively: "After all, the prince is also a member of the Jiuqiu Luo clan, and he has a grudge against you to kill his mother. Will you ...... Feeling embarrassed? ”

Qing Ling was silent for a moment and looked away, "The person who killed my mother was Luo Heng, not him. I can still tell this point. ”

Fang Shanlei said again: "Then why do you look ...... Don't seem to be happy? ”

From his point of view, Qing Ling's eyelashes drooped, the corners of his ruddy mouth were pursed, and his fair side face revealed an unusually touching softness, which made his man's heart burn and ache inexplicably.

Qing Ling smiled, "What's unhappy?" Then he changed the topic and looked around, "By the way, Young Master Fangshan, didn't my eldest brother go out with you and General Xi just now?" I don't know where he is now, but I'm still waiting for him to take me home. ”

While the two were talking, they didn't know that Luo Yao in the distance had put away the ice sword, explained a few words to the generals, and walked over slowly.