"A few days ago, I received a report from Di that the right army had crossed Pingshui, captured Duliang City, and killed more than 3,000 enemy troops."

In the palace city of the emperor's capital, the staff of the Prime Minister's Mansion stood in front of a huge Kunlun five-way map, pointing to several important places in the south and telling the battle situation.

"And the left army is hindered by the demonic practices in the mountains of Guangxiao, which has hindered the march, and the monks in the army are searching for the movements of the demons."

"The Mountains?" A young man sitting on a couch asked, "I heard that those Huandou people with fleshy wings on their backs inhabit that area?" ”

"Exactly." The staff of the Prime Minister's Mansion bowed slightly, looking respectful.

"Zuo Xiang, is Huan Doumin so powerful? Can you still shake the mountains? The young man turned to ask the old man standing beside him.

He Qingchen replied: "Your Majesty, there are more than happy people in the vast mountains. The area is rugged and rugged, and the people prefer to nest on the windy peaks. But in the mountains, there are still many monsters. ”

The young man is not an outsider, it is the current Emperor of the Xiong Kingdom, he looks like he is not a weak crown year, sitting in front of He Qingchen, his demeanor is serious, and he does not dare to nod his head too much.

"These monsters shook the mountains and rivers and obstructed the march, could it be that they colluded with the Jiuli Kingdom?" The young emperor asked.

He Qingchen looked at the staff of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and the other party replied: "As far as I know, there is indeed collusion. A few years ago, the high priest of Jiuli issued a decree to set up a statute to require county magistrates and tribal chiefs to prepare for worship and use them exclusively for monsters. ”

"In this way, these monsters belong to the vassals of the Jiuli Kingdom?" The Emperor asked.

He Qingchen took the initiative to reply: "The practice of the high priest of Jiuli Kingdom is called a vassal, but in fact it is bought. The monster blackmailed the people, which was a disaster, and they did not think about the right manner, but they let it go, and even set up another code system for it, which can be described as abusing the people. ”

The emperor frowned slightly: "In this way, the Jiuli Kingdom can be called a lost way." It's just that I don't know anything, Zuo Xiang once said that Chiyun Du did something, and it was actually the monarch and ministers of Huaxu State who lost their way to the people, but why was Jiuli Country so tyrannical and unreasonable, but it didn't set off a fire like Chiyun Capital? ”

He Qingchen said: "Although they are both non-Taoist countries, they cannot be generalized. Jiuli country is located in the southern soil, the barbarian soil is very numerous, although through the Tianxia Dynasty, but the king is not deep, the tribes can only be restrained to rule. Jiuli is called a country, but in fact, there are many ethnic groups. The various departments attacked each other, and they were uneven, so naturally they couldn't do the same thing as Chiyundu. ”

"No wonder I heard earlier that many tribes took the initiative to send envoys when they heard that our army was heading south, intending to surrender." The Emperor said.

"These tribes came to surrender, not because they admired Wang Hua, but because they felt that the Jiuli country was about to run out, and all the tribes had to surrender in order to protect themselves." He Qingchen explained.

"Is Zuo Xiang worried that these tribal chieftains have ill intentions and will make trouble in the future?" The Emperor asked.

"One family can't set off a big storm, but the situation in the south will not change for a day, just by setting up counties and placing official subordinates, it is only a superficial article after all." He Qingchen said: "The ministers have already drawn up, and when the war is a little slowed down, they will start to survey the terrain of mountains and rivers, build roads and water conservancy, and make it convenient for various departments in the southern soil to travel and cultivate agriculture. ”

"I understand, this is what Zuo Xiang used to say, the way to achieve the same size in the world." The young emperor said.

"It's just one thing." He Qingchen seemed to have a bit of approval on his face: "Li Chun's return to the old system of the Tianxia Dynasty and his intention to educate the barbarians cannot be said to be wrong, but this kind of thing cannot be done out of thin air." Even if the first battle of Pingnan can annex the southern land this time, there is only a lot more to do in the future. ”

"I see." The young emperor nodded earnestly.

At this time, a scribe came and presented a military intelligence report. The scribe didn't think much about it, and handed it directly to He Qingchen according to custom.

However, He Qingchen did not take the initiative to take it this time, and said solemnly: "From now on, all military affairs must be directly submitted to Your Majesty, and no one is allowed to intercept them privately." ”

As soon as these words came out, not only the scribe himself, but even the young emperor who was sitting next to him was also slightly surprised, which made the palace fall into an indescribable silence.

"What's the daze? Don't want to do it? He Qingchen's tone was slightly dull.

The scribe didn't dare to ask more, and hurriedly handed the military intelligence report to the emperor, and then hurriedly retired.

The emperor opened the wax seal, read it carefully, handed over the report to He Qingchen to look at, and said with a little joy: "Good news from the front, the main force of the Chinese army has captured Xin'an City, and Yi Zhenzi, one of the four immortal dukes, has severely damaged the high priest Li Chun!" ”

He Qingchen read the newspaper carefully, and just showed a hint of joy, but he coughed, and his fingers trembled slightly involuntarily.

"Zuo Xiang, you ......" The emperor's expression changed slightly, but He Qingchen quickly returned to normal, signaled to the minister's staff, and hung a mark on the corresponding position on the map.

"Now that the city of Xin'an has been captured, the road to the Valley of the Holy Lady is opened." He Qingchen's face was slightly pale, but his tone was still calm: "It's just that the Shengyu Valley is the most important place in the Jiuli Kingdom, and there are many fortresses in the outer cities. ”

"Does the left minister have a strategy to break the enemy?" The young emperor hurriedly asked.

"Your Majesty, don't be impatient, carelessness at this time is likely to bury all previous victories." He Qingchen thought for a moment and said, "I think the front-line generals will also consider whether to attack urgently, but the best way is to let Shengyu Valley surrender without a fight. ”

The emperor was puzzled: "Will the Holy Valley really surrender?" ”

He Qingchen looked at Yutu and said: "If the right army can capture Jiahe, Ningyuan and other places, and the left army can open up the mountains of Guangxiao, and form a trap on Shengyu Valley, so that it is isolated and helpless, and then persuade and provoke, great things can be done." ”

"That'...... This matter will be handled by the left minister, how? The young emperor asked.

He Qingchen arched his hand and said: "The minister obeys the order, and then I will go to plan related matters." ”

The young emperor took the initiative to stay and see him off, and after He Qingchen left the palace, he boarded the imperial gift and came to the outside of the palace to change to a carriage, and immediately showed fatigue.

"Medicine." He Qingchen's face turned pale and he looked sleepy, and Zhu Sanniang hurriedly took out the pill and gave it to him.

After a while, He Qingchen's face gradually improved and returned to normal, but he couldn't help but let out a sigh.

"You've been serving one a day." Zhu Sanniang looked at the jade bottle in her hand: "Even if it is a tonic pill refined by the Immortal Weng Shending, it is not eaten like this." ”

"That's all there is to it now." He Qingchen said: "Li Chun's defeat shows that the plan has succeeded. The fall of the Jiuli Kingdom is imminent, and I will take advantage of this time to try to arrange everything properly. ”

Zhu Sanniang leaned lightly beside He Qingchen, and her head rested on his shoulder. He Qingchen held her hand, feeling guilty in his heart, but he couldn't speak.

……

The young emperor stood quietly in front of the map, and the vast world of Kunlun seemed to be in full view.

"I just heard that Prime Minister Zuo ordered that in the future, the military intelligence report will be directly submitted to His Majesty for inspection?"

A person walked out of the palace, dressed in palace clothes, and it was Princess Wu'an of Zhenguo.

"Auntie, you're so well-informed." The young emperor sat down on the couch again, without the solemn nervousness of He Qingchen's presence.

Princess Wu'an said: "Who asked He Qingchen to let me guard the palace city? ”

"Left Xianghe...... It seems that the complexion is not good. The young emperor looked worried.

Princess Wu'an said: "He Qingchen is now completely relying on pills to hang his life, he has run out of oil and lamps, and he doesn't have many days left." If it weren't for that, he wouldn't let go of his power. ”

"Is that what my aunt thinks?" The young emperor asked.

Princess Wu'an smiled faintly: "Every time He Qingchen enters the palace, you are like a thorn in your back, but now you want to speak for him?" ”

"I'm just scared." The young emperor lowered his head and rubbed his fingers: "I understand that the left minister is planning to return the power and let me gradually become pro-government." But I'm afraid that I can't do it well, and I can't afford the big things in the world. ”

"You can pull out the artifact Tong Bow, which is enough to show that you do have the destiny of the emperor of the world, but it is the luck of the atmosphere." Princess Wu'an said.

The emperor didn't feel a little happy when he heard this: "It's this emperor's destiny again, since the five kingdoms of Kunlun Continent stood side by side, when have there been fewer emperors in the world?" In addition to being able to pull the bow, there is nothing special about it, and when the left minister dies one day, the major national affairs will be pressed on me, and I will not suddenly become able to take on big things because I have this fate! ”

"So He Qingchen has arranged various ministries and government offices for you, and he has not neglected your cultivation over the years." Princess Wu'an sighed: "Not everyone can be like him. ”

The young emperor smiled helplessly: "People outside have told me more than once that the left minister is guilty of dictatorship, but I can't help but think that it is the luck of the bear country to have someone like the left minister to undertake national affairs." ”

"But after all, you are the emperor of the bear country, and you are destined to take on great things." Princess Wu'an reminded.

The young emperor said: "Prime Minister Zuo once told me that the real peaceful world should be that the country has no handsome, the people have no desires, and they are naturally willful." The emperor is in charge alone, and the country's survival and misfortune are all tied to him, and danger is at hand. ”

Princess Wu'an suddenly laughed: "I didn't expect He Qingchen, who is a real person, to have this kind of dream." ”

"Isn't that right?" The young emperor asked.

"It's not right, it's that this kind of thing is achievable right now?" Princess Wu'an said bluntly: "Your Majesty, don't forget, now that the war in Kunlun Continent is undecided, what the people are looking forward to is that the war has stopped, and they don't dare to have too many extravagant hopes." ”

When the young emperor heard this, he had no choice but to nod.

……

Han Yuanzi floated in and came to the outside of the Yongcui Temple, although he could see the towering sacred tree, he could also sense the barrier that separated the inside and outside.

"Zhao Xiao, are you going to cut down trees?" Han Yuanzi looked at the operation of the enchantment, and muttered: "It's like the Immortal Cave Heaven, but there is another mystery, and the roots are connected to the southern land veins, stretching for thousands of miles, this is not the work of waiting for the idle Cave Heaven." ”

Just as Han Yuanzi sacrificed the Three Balances Ritual Ceremony, a blue light flew out of the Yongcui Temple enchantment, as if it had an induction, and it landed accurately in front of Han Yuanzi, which was the Yushu Treasure Staff.

"Zhao Xiao's magic weapon?" Han Yuanzi smiled and said to the Jade Tree Treasure Staff, "It's inconvenient for you to come forward now?" So take the magic weapon to pass the word on your behalf? ”

Seeing the jade tree scepter radiating blue light, gradually condensing Zhao Xiao's figure, I heard him say: "I am in retreat right now, and I can't leave Yongcui Temple for a while now. ”

"Yi Mako told me, but I didn't feel at ease, so I came to see it for myself." Han Yuanzi touched his chin: "You persuaded the Yongcui Divine Tree to stop assisting Li Chun?" ”

"It's about the same, but in exchange, I'm going to help her cultivate, and I'm currently deducing the magic trick with her."

Although Zhao Xiao's words were unknown, Han Yuanzi still noticed a hint: "Wait, this Yongcui Divine Tree, shouldn't it be a female body?" ”

Zhao Xiao was silent, and Han Yuanzi was quite knowledgeable: "Okay, this can be regarded as an experience." ”

"Don't talk about this, what is Li Chun's condition now?" Zhao Xiao asked.

"Escaped back to the Holy Valley, and all the enchantment prohibitions, magic weapons and spells were moved out." Han Yuanzi said with a smile: "But He Qingchen doesn't plan to attack the Shengyu Valley immediately, he wants the army to take the outer cities first, recruit the tribes, and isolate the Shengyu Valley before slowly cooking." ”

"Good strategy, as it should be." Zhao Huang said: "Yongcui Temple is no longer a concern, without the blessing of the Divine Tree, Li Chun is just sitting in the city of sorrow." However, there are still a few demon gods in the depths of the southern earth, and I am afraid that they will resist stubbornly. ”

"You can rest assured about this matter, the Four Immortal Princes plan to meet those demon gods." Seeing Zhao Xiao's puzzled expression, Han Yuanzi asked, "What?" Can't trust them? The Four Immortals joined forces, even Liang Tao back then couldn't please us, don't underestimate us. ”

"I don't dare to underestimate it, I just hope that the four immortals will be careful, the lair where the demon god is entrenched has been operating for many years, and the risk attack is unpredictable." Zhao Xiao said: "I used my clone to fight with one of the demon gods called Lord Tianlong, it was able to gather demon wind and mist, hurt people invisibly, and thousands of centipede descendants, but they still broke the formation. ”

"Centipedes? I see. "Han Yuanzi is a bamboo in his chest.

"In addition, the place where the star fell back then, due to misfortune, turned into a flat wilderness, which may be suitable for reclamation, and the predecessors can inform Lord Zuo Xiang, presumably it will be conducive to the subsequent governance of the southern soil." Zhao Xiao said.

Han Yuanzi was a little surprised: "It seems that you have spent a lot of thought on coming to Nantu this time." ”

"Victory or defeat on the battlefield is not just about killing soldiers." Zhao said: "Relying on killing people alone will not have a long-term rule. ”

"No wonder you got along with He Qingchen, he ......" Han Yuanzi suddenly shook his head and sighed halfway through his words.

"What's wrong with him?" Zhao Xiao asked.

"Time is running out, and I have received news that he has begun to transfer the official affairs of the Prime Minister's Office to various ministries and government offices." Although there was no sadness on Han Yuanzi's face, the departure of his own disciple was still a little lonely.

"But...... The war is not over yet. Zhao Xiao was also quite emotional.

"Kunlun Continent is dying every day, and there are no less than him." Han Yuanzi said.

"It's just that at this juncture, the Jiuli Kingdom has not yet been completely pacified, and the Yaochi Country is even more difficult to gnaw." Zhao Xiao suddenly remembered something: "By the way, could it be that the king of Baixiang has never shown up to make a move these days?" ”