Golden Ranking Appears, My Empress Turns Out to Be Wu Zhao

[Renowned Marshal Ranking – Rank Eight]

[Li Ji]

[Nation: Ming Dynasty Dynasty]

[Marshal Rating: Five Stars]

[Military: First-Rate]

[Political: Exceptional]

[Strength: Second-Class]

[Reward: One Top-Tier weapon, one set of Top-Tier generals and marshals' armor, one Top-Tier formation, national fortune of the affiliated nation increased by 5%]

==========

Not long after the announcement of the Rank 9 marshal, the Rank 8 name appeared.

It was none other than Tang Dynasty's Li Ji.

His original name was Xu Shiji, courtesy name Maogong. After the founding of the Tang Dynasty, he was granted the imperial surname "Li".

Now that Emperor Li Shimin is on the throne, the character "Shi" was removed to avoid a naming taboo.

Thus, he became known as Li Ji.

His military talent was truly outstanding, just slightly below that of Li Jing.

His place on the Renowned Marshal Ranking was well-deserved.

==========

Tang Imperial Palace, Taiji Hall.

"What? Li Ji is only ranked 8th?"

"Impossible! With his military talent, even if he can't make the top three, he should at least be in the top five!"

Li Shimin was in disbelief.

In his view, Li Ji's rank should not be this low.

As far as battlefield prowess goes, he had never seen Li Ji lose.

A truly godlike figure in warfare.

How could this be?

Li Shimin's expression was grim.

Li Ji was already the strongest marshal under his command.

There shouldn't be anyone left who could surpass him.

Could it be that there were really so many outstanding marshals across the Nine Provinces?

Other than a few well-known ones, the rest shouldn't be his match.

As for doubting the fairness of the Golden Ranking, that thought never crossed his mind.

He had examined all the rankings closely.

There wasn't a single error.

Even the controversial entries became clear with time.

It seemed the waters of the Nine Provinces were deeper than he had imagined.

Even the number of famed marshals was more than he had known.

Could it be that there were many brilliant strategists who had yet to reveal themselves?

Hmph.

He would like to see for himself who exactly could outrank Li Ji.

==========

Tang Dynasty, Li Ji Military Tent.

"Congratulations, General, for making it onto the Renowned Marshal Ranking!"

"From now on, your name will echo throughout the land!"

Several subordinate generals stepped forward to offer congratulations.

Li Ji smiled and nodded in response to each one.

But in his heart, he was filled with frustration and disbelief.

When the ranking was released, he was thrilled.

He was very confident that he would make the ranking.

He even believed he had a chance at the top positions.

He never imagined he would only be ranked 8th.

It was far off from what he had expected.

How could this be?

Li Ji was extremely displeased, even a bit angry.

Still, as a renowned marshal, his temperament remained steady.

Even if he felt deeply frustrated, his face showed no trace of emotion.

Instead, he calmly smiled and listened to his subordinates' praise.

"Hmph, the Golden Ranking didn't rank me higher. Perhaps my battlefield record isn't dazzling enough."

"So be it. From now on, I'll fight more brilliant battles."

"One year from now, my ranking will rise again."

"Let the annihilation of the Turkic Kingdom be the campaign that elevates my rank on the ranking."

Li Ji thought to himself.

Moreover, with the Heaven Dao Reward of a complete military formation, his chances of defeating and even wiping out the Turkic Kingdom would be even greater.

He was also very curious to see the marshals ranked above him.

In the future struggle for supremacy across the Nine Provinces, he would make sure they witnessed his strength.

Temporary glory meant little.

There would be time later to prove who was truly the best.

The emergence of the Renowned Marshal Ranking had ignited the fighting spirit of many great generals and marshals across the Nine Provinces.

Li Ji was especially fired up.

==========

Sui Imperial Palace.

"Chengdu, if you were to battle this Li Ji, could you defeat him?"

"Your Majesty, of course."

"Under my blade, I doubt he could block even a single move."

Yuwen Chengdu answered with absolute confidence.

This time, Yang Guang's expression was unusually serious.

Li Ji's military ability was something even he had to acknowledge as impressive.

A worthy opponent.

He turned to glance at Yuwen Chengdu, nodding with satisfaction.

His Grand General Tianbao was not weak.

Not only was he the greatest divine general, he was also the future number one marshal.

If there were ever a chance to face off, he believed Yuwen Chengdu would not disappoint.

This time, Yang Guang was not underestimating Li Ji. In fact, he took him very seriously.

But his favor for Yuwen Chengdu was even stronger.

In his eyes, Yuwen Chengdu was a rarely seen marshal in all the world.

Even Li Ji was no match.

He did not underestimate Li Ji, but he severely overestimated Yuwen Chengdu.

Standing nearby, Yuwen Tuo felt extremely uneasy as he listened.

He was speechless at Yang Guang's ability to judge talent.

It seemed the wise Emperor of the past was truly gone.

Ignoring so many competent marshals in the Imperial Court, yet favoring a brute who only knew how to fight.

Utter nonsense.

At first, he thought Yang Guang might be playing the fool to deceive his enemies.

But after closely observing for some time.

He ended up deeply disappointed.

==========

Qin Imperial Palace.

"Your Majesty, Li Ji is not to be underestimated. His military talent is outstanding. We must be cautious of him in the future."

"Oh? If you think he's worth our attention, then I'm intrigued."

"Tell me, is there a chance we could recruit him to the Qin Dynasty?"

"Your Majesty, I have investigated Li Ji. He is ambitious and values power. Though he is somewhat loyal to Emperor Li Shimin, he cares more about himself."

"If we plan carefully, there's a chance we can win him over."

"However, for now, the likelihood is low."

Ying Zheng nodded slightly at this.

His expression became more composed.

Li Ji's military ability was indeed rare.

But for some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to like the man.

Still, personal feelings aside, he didn't mind recruiting him.

Anyone, anything, that could help the Qin Dynasty unify the Nine Provinces was worth accepting.

If Li Ji desired power, then once he joined the Qin Dynasty, why not grant him that power?

As long as he could bring value to Ying Zheng.

He wouldn't hesitate to reward him with status, power, and glory.

This was his way of employing people.

==========

Ming Dynasty, Shanhai Pass.

Qi Jiguang looked at the ranking and saw the name Li Ji. His eyes were filled with fighting spirit.

He had heard the Emperor mention this man before. A rare talent among marshals.

To be acknowledged and valued by the Emperor, and now ranked on the Renowned Marshal Ranking, this was a true opponent.

In the future, he really wanted to face him in battle.

To see just what the difference was between Rank 10 and Rank 8 marshals.

But for now, the priority was dealing with the Qing Dynasty.

He hoped that when the Ming Dynasty eventually faced the Tang Dynasty, Li Ji wouldn't disappoint him.

"Reporting to the Marshal, everything is ready."

"General Ling Luoshi has successfully broken into Qing Dynasty Territory."

"He has already taken two cities!"

A scout arrived with the report. Qi Jiguang's face lit up with joy.

"General Ling has done well. Tell him to keep pushing forward!"

"Summon all generals. All our forces are to set out at once."

"Launch a full-scale assault!"

"Yes, Marshal!"

With Qi Jiguang's command, hundreds of thousands of troops launched a crushing invasion into Qing Dynasty Territory.

With the ferocious General Ling Luoshi leading the charge.

Many cities fell in rapid succession.

Qi Jiguang's main force followed close behind, taking control of each city one by one.

At the same time, the Ming Imperial Court sent officials to take over governance.

From this moment on, the land would officially become Ming Dynasty territory.

Compared to the "difficulty" of the Yuan Dynasty's attack on the Southern Song Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty's invasion of the Qing Dynasty was swift and unstoppable.

Like a knife through butter.

In fact, some cities, upon hearing the Ming Army was coming, gladly opened their gates and surrendered on their own.

==========

Qing Imperial Palace.

"Bang!"

"Damned Ming Dynasty traitors! They really dared to attack the Qing Dynasty?!"

Hongli was furious and filled with dread.

The Ming Dynasty assault was far too powerful.

In such a short time, they had already seized vast territories of the Qing Dynasty.

If this continued, wouldn't the Qing Dynasty be wiped out?

"That damned Hongshi! If not for him, would I be forced to hold back like this?"

"While the nation is in peril, he still focuses on internal power struggles?"

"Your Majesty, perhaps we should negotiate?"

"The Third Prince may be plotting rebellion, but if the Qing Dynasty falls to the Ming Dynasty, he gains nothing."

"Why not use him to fight the Ming Dynasty, while we sit back and reap the rewards?"

Heshen's eyes gleamed as he quickly proposed an idea.

He and Hongli shared a common fate.

Whether Hongli was truly of Manchu imperial blood didn't matter to him.

He only cared about one thing.

As long as Hongli ruled, he was the most favored official.

If Hongshi or Ming Dynasty took over, his fate would be miserable.

"Heshen, you don't understand. My third brother is a sinister and extreme man."

"Before I ascended the throne, he was my greatest rival."

"If not for the Empress Dowager's support, I might not have become Emperor."

"I've always guarded against him, but now he's seized this golden opportunity."

"He would never let it go."

"Your Majesty, the Third Prince may not back down, but the other imperial members care more about the Qing Dynasty's survival."

"Now that the Ming Dynasty has invaded, you are their ally. The Ming Dynasty is the true enemy."

Hongli's eyes lit up. A plan formed in his mind.

He might not be able to sway Hongshi, but he could persuade the other imperial members.

With their support, Hongshi would be powerless.

And he already had a plan to win them over.

A glint of cruelty flickered in Hongli's eyes.

==========

Ming Imperial Palace.

After receiving Qi Jiguang's war report, Zhu Houzhao nodded with satisfaction.

As expected, Qi did not let him down.

"Someone, inform the Azure Dragon Association, the Dark Guard, and the Western Factory to fully support Qi Jiguang."

"We must annihilate the entire Qing Dynasty as soon as possible."

"I've been preparing for this war for years."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Zhu Houzhao once again looked at the ranking in the sky.

Li Ji, huh.

Back when he was recruiting talent across the Nine Provinces.

He naturally tried to recruit a marshal like Li Ji.

Unfortunately, Li Ji had already achieved significant accomplishments by then.

How could he be willing to give that up?

Besides, his ambitions were too scattered. Zhu Houzhao found it off-putting.

In the end, he simply let him go.

The man was indeed impressive, but nothing more.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

List of Characters:

Number One Under Heaven ( 天下第一 )

・Zhu Houzhao ( 朱厚照 ) — Emperor of Ming Dynasty

Great Tang Twin Dragons Legend ( 大唐双龙传 )

・Li Shimin ( 李世民 ) — Emperor of Tang Dynasty

・Yang Guang ( 杨广 ) — Emperor of Sui Dynasty

Legend of Tang ( 说唐 )

・Yuwen Chengdu ( 宇文成都 ) — General of Sui Dynasty

・Xu Shiji ( 徐世勣 ) — General of Tang Dynasty

Qin's Moon ( 秦时明月 )

・Ying Zheng ( 嬴政 ) — Emperor of Qin Dynasty

Xuanyuan Sword ( 轩辕剑 )

・Yuwen Tuo ( 宇文拓 ) — Supreme Master of Sui Dynasty

The Book and The Sword ( 书剑恩仇录 )

・Aisin Gioro Hongli ( 弘历 ) — Emperor of Qing Dynasty

・Heshen ( 和珅 ) — Corrupt Minister of Qing Dynasty

Sword Stained With Royal Blood ( 碧血剑 )

・Qi Jiguang ( 戚继光 ) — General of Ming Dynasty