Ji Wanxin gasped urgently at the little bit of oxygen remaining in her throat!

But the suffocating sensation still made her face turn completely red.

She struggled to speak, “If… Your Majesty… truly wanted… to kill me, you wouldn’t… have listened to me… say so much.”

Hearing her say this, Wei Yi increased the force in his hand by several degrees.

He was angered that Ji Wanxin had completely seen through him!

Only when the woman was about to suffocate to death did he finally release his grip.

The moment he let go, Ji Wanxin’s entire body collapsed to the ground.

Gasping for air!

Wei Yi looked down at her from above, “In my view, the smartest person in the entire Ji family is actually you.”

“…”

“However…” He crouched down. “I’m not a fool! If you want your second brother to regain control of military authority, it won’t be that easy! To obtain something, one must learn to pay a price. I’m willing to give him one chance, and also give your entire Ji family one chance.”

Ji Wanxin gradually calmed her breathing, “What does Your Majesty mean?”

“If it weren’t for Jingrong, your eldest brother might not have died, your second brother wouldn’t have been dismissed from office, and your Ji family wouldn’t have fallen to such a state. Therefore… Jingrong is your greatest enemy.”

“Uh!”

“One of the reasons you were willing to return to the capital… was for revenge.”

Wei Yi had also completely seen through her.

Ji Wanxin thought herself very clever, but at this moment before Wei Yi, she was seen through completely.

Wei Yi said, “Remember, I’m only giving you one chance. If you succeed, I will restore military authority to your second brother. If you fail, your second brother, you, and everyone in your Ji family will have to be buried along with it!”

His voice was low and resonant, carrying a blood-thirsty sense of terror.

And what was that chance?

The book he had previously placed on the stone table was “The Art of War”!

…

Not long after, Wei Yi issued the fourth imperial edict in two days.

It was delivered directly to Prince Rong’s residence by palace attendants.

They proclaimed the decree.

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Barbarians arise in all directions, and in establishing peaceful and prosperous times there are always external threats. Now I am troubled and cannot sleep, hearing that in the Western Frontier various chieftains are rising together, endangering the border. I am distressed by this and cannot bear it. I hereby order Prince Rong to lead troops to the Western Frontier and persuade the Houlliao to submit, to establish peace under Heaven and ease the worries of the common people. By imperial decree!”

Finished.

Jingrong received the imperial edict, extremely shocked.

His gaze was fixed tightly on the reddish-yellow imperial edict in his hand.

His palm tightened slightly.

He wanted him to lead troops to Houlliao? To persuade the Houlliao people to submit to Great Lin?

Had that fellow gone mad?

The eunuch bowed and approached him, saying in a low voice, “Your Highness, His Majesty asked this servant to pass along a message to you. If Your Highness has doubts, you may enter the palace immediately.”

He had predicted that he would go!

The eunuch’s task complete, he left.

Regarding this imperial edict, Ji Yunshu was also astonished.

She read the edict three times over, clearly and plainly.

The imperial seal’s stamp was right there on it!

“Why? Why would he suddenly issue such an edict?”

She had thought that when Wei Yi allowed her to return to Prince Rong’s residence and issued those three edicts yesterday morning, it all proved that Wei Yi had indeed seen the light.

But—

Why was he sending Jingrong to Houlliao?

Was it separation?

Or did he have ulterior motives?

Jingrong frowned, beginning to question in his heart whether letting Wei Yi continue as emperor was right or wrong.

“I need to go to the palace,” Jingrong told her.

“Now?”

“Yes.”

Jingrong took that imperial edict, his expression dark.

After changing into court dress, he entered the palace.

Ji Yunshu stood at the doorway, watching Jingrong’s carriage gradually move farther away.

The turmoil never ceased!

…

Wei Yi was waiting for him in the Imperial Study.

When Jingrong entered, his expression was stern.

He walked to the front of the hall and asked, “Why?”

And he raised the imperial edict in his hand!

Wei Yi walked down from behind the desk, his gaze looking at the imperial edict in his hand as he said earnestly, “This was planned long ago.”

“Planned long ago?”

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m not doing this out of selfish motives, nor do I have ulterior purposes.” Wei Yi deliberately clarified.

But Jingrong didn’t understand, “I want to hear you tell the truth.”

Wei Yi said, “Didn’t you tell me to be a good emperor? You saw it—I dismissed those officials I had promoted, let your people return to court, and even bestowed honors on Lord Qin. Isn’t this all what you wanted me to do? I truly want to be a good emperor too.”

Extremely sincere!

Heh.

Jingrong slowly lowered the imperial edict in his hand, his eyes tightening, “Then what is your reason for having me lead troops to the Western Frontier this time?”

Wei Yi let out a sigh, clasped his hands behind his back and walked a few steps, saying with worry, “You should know that in recent years, the Western Frontier grasslands have been unstable. The various tribes have been constantly fighting over territory. Previously, Houlliao and Yuedan fought a desperate battle, which stirred up the entire Western Frontier even more turbulently. Now almost every tribe is beginning to stir restlessly.”

“And then?” Jingrong coldly asked.

“This time Houlliao destroyed Yuedan, and on the grasslands they can be said to dominate alone! It’s inevitable that their chieftain Muzha’er will develop ambitions and plan to contend for the Central Plains. At that time, it will endanger the people on our dynasty’s borders, and may even trigger an even larger war. So to prevent this from happening, I must make preparations in advance, lest that day truly comes.”

The more Jingrong listened, the tighter his brow furrowed. He refuted him, “For nearly a hundred years, Houlliao has not contended with our Great Lin at the border. They haven’t in the past, and they won’t in the future. For Great Lin, Houlliao is fundamentally not a threat.”

Extremely certain!

Because he understood Houlliao, and he understood Muzha’er.

He understood Third Master, and he understood Muruo.

They would not raise troops to attack Great Lin.

Facing his certain words, Wei Yi said, “You say Houlliao has no ambition, but didn’t they still destroy all of Yuedan?”

“What exactly do you want?”

“I want Houlliao to submit to Great Lin!”

Jingrong clearly told him, “The Houlliao people are strong-willed by nature, and have lived on the grasslands for many years. They’re long accustomed to freedom and ease. They won’t submit to us.”

“That’s exactly why I’m having you lead troops to Houlliao!” Wei Yi slowly circled behind Jingrong, saying, “You helped them defeat Yuedan—you’re Houlliao’s benefactor. So having you go persuade them is more appropriate than sending anyone else. Moreover, Muruo is your sworn brother. To avoid a war, he will certainly help you persuade the Houlliao people too! Besides, you just said yourself that the Houlliao people fundamentally have no ambition to contend with our Great Lin. Since they don’t, then what does it matter if they submit to our Great Lin? I’m doing this only for peace under Heaven.”

One phrase: peace under Heaven!

Said with extreme sincerity.

Jingrong gripped the imperial edict in his hand tightly, “You’re forcing me.”

“I’m not forcing you, nor do I dare to force you.” Wei Yi walked in front of him.

The two stood face to face.

Wei Yi said, “You hold that genuine testament in your hand, which is equivalent to controlling me. You want me to be a good emperor, so I’ll be a good emperor! The reason for doing this is just as a precaution. Besides, I’m not having you lead troops to attack Houlliao, nor do I want to see the entire Western Frontier grasslands run with rivers of blood! I’m just having you persuade them to submit to Great Lin. As long as they’re willing, firstly, we won’t have to worry about them endangering the border people. Secondly, if in the future Houlliao encounters external enemies, our Great Lin will also send troops to assist them. This is mutually beneficial, isn’t it?”

It must be said, everything Wei Yi said was right!