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

Northern Song Dynasty.

Capital City.

Inside the largest brothel.

At this moment, Zhu Houzhao was sitting alone in a private room, accompanied by a melodious sound of the zither.

Li Shishi, the number one courtesan of the Song Dynasty, was performing a zither piece for him.

In terms of music alone, her skills were already impressive.

Of course, compared to those beauties in his Imperial Harem who excelled in music, there was still a noticeable gap.

But then again, Li Shishi couldn't be compared to them.

Even just in the cultivation realm, she was several realms behind.

Once the song ended, Li Shishi gracefully approached and bowed respectfully.

"Shishi, the Northern Song Dynasty is now a land of unrest. Your mission here has been completed."

"There is no need for you to stay any longer."

"Now, you may return to the Ming Dynasty's Azure Dragon Association Headquarters, Heaven Mocking Palace, and use your reward resources to improve your strength."

"From now on, just stay in the Ming Dynasty."

"As for your current post, I will assign someone else to take over."

"Really?"

Li Shishi's face lit up with joy.

She had grown tired of this kind of life and longed to escape this cage.

Of course, what she truly deLorded most was to remain by Zhu Houzhao's side.

Unfortunately, he was never short of companions.

In the future, only by becoming better could she be worthy of staying by his side.

In fact, she set a goal in her heart that she must achieve.

She wanted to catch up to the many women around him.

She wanted to become better than them.

One day, he would remember her.

One day, he wouldn't be able to live without her.

Li Shishi's heart was full of ambition.

Compared to so-called power, winning the heart of the man before her was the greatest motivation and goal.

==========

"Your Majesty, I have an important matter to report."

"What is it?"

"Just now, I received word from my subordinates. Lord Guo Jia, Director of the Military Advisor Division, has gone missing!"

"Along with him, several members of the Military Advisor Division have disappeared too!"

"What? Have you found out how they went missing?"

"Was it a plot by other dynasties? Or did they encounter a powerful enemy?"

"The Qin Dynasty? The Tang Dynasty? Or perhaps the mysterious Han Dynasty?"

Zhu Houzhao immediately stood up, brows furrowed.

Guo Jia was not weak, and his intellect was extraordinary.

With the technique from Heaven Dao Reward, even if he couldn't defeat a God Demon Realm opponent, escaping should not have been a problem.

Unless several powerful individuals had joined forces and caught him off guard.

Only then could they succeed.

"Your Majesty, it is highly likely that Lord Guo Jia went missing while investigating the location of the Northern Song Dragon Vein."

Upon hearing "Dragon Vein", Zhu Houzhao finally regained his composure.

Within the Northern Song Dynasty, the only thing that could threaten Guo Jia would be the Dragon Vein location.

Even a weak dynasty like the Qing Dynasty had God Demon Realm entities guarding their Dragon Vein.

And many cultivators beneath them as well.

It could be assumed that the Northern Song Dragon Vein harbored unimaginable forces too.

It seemed he would have to go in person this time.

"From which direction did Guo Jia set out previously?"

"Lead the way. This time, I will go myself."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I shall prepare immediately!"

==========

Song Imperial Palace.

"Hahaha, good! Minister Huang, you did well this time."

"Small Great Li Kingdom dares to invade our Song Dynasty again and again, truly courting death!"

"If we can't handle Liao Kingdom and Jin Kingdom, does that mean we can't even handle you, Great Li Kingdom?"

After destroying the Great Li Kingdom, Emperor Zhao Ji finally felt somewhat satisfied.

"By the way, Minister Huang, shall we continue and take out Tibet Kingdom and Western Xia Kingdom as well?"

"Only then can our Song Dynasty better deal with the northern Liao Kingdom and Jin Kingdom!"

"Well... Your Majesty, I've discovered something and I'm not sure if I should say it."

"These past few days, I've noticed that the Ming Dynasty's spies have been active, as if they're searching for something around the capital."

"Even Guo Jia, Rank 2 on the Advisor Ranking, is personally involved."

"A few days ago, they entered the mountains where Ancestor Chen Tuan once secluded himself."

"They haven't emerged since."

"And now, the Ming Dynasty's movements have become even more rapid."

"It seems their goal was never our Song Dynasty from the start."

"I don't know whether this is a blessing or a curse."

Emperor Zhao Ji, who had been beaming with joy, suddenly froze.

His gaze grew vacant.

Then, his expression turned completely pale.

Dark and gloomy, as if storm clouds were gathering.

For the first time ever, Zhao Ji was truly enraged.

Even during the Liao Kingdom and Jin Kingdom invasions, or when Cai Jing rebelled, he had never been this furious.

"Ming Dynasty!"

"Despicable! You're digging up the very roots of my Song Dynasty!"

"Damn it, Zhu Houzhao, you deserve a thousand deaths!"

"From now on, my Song Dynasty and your Ming Dynasty are mortal enemies!"

Zhao Ji gritted his teeth, eyes filled with hatred.

"Your Majesty, what happened?"

"Did the Ming Dynasty do something harmful to our Song Dynasty?"

Zhao Ji glanced at Huang Shang but ultimately chose not to reveal the truth.

The matter of the Dragon Vein was passed down only from emperor to emperor.

No one else, not even the most trusted civil minister, could be told.

A secret known to a second person was no longer a secret.

Perhaps, if he told Huang Shang, within days, the whole world and the entire Nine Provinces would know about the Northern Song Dragon Vein.

At that point, the Song Dynasty's enemy would not be just the Ming Dynasty.

It would be all dynasties, all forces, even all powerful individuals across the Nine Provinces.

Though Zhao Ji was sometimes foolish, he could still distinguish right from wrong in critical moments.

The Dragon Vein was tied to national fate.

If it was destroyed, the entire Song Dynasty would be doomed.

Compared to the Dragon Vein, invasions from Liao Kingdom and Jin Kingdom, or turmoil from Great Li Kingdom, Tibet Kingdom, Western Xia Kingdom, and even internal chaos were minor issues.

All other matters had to take a backseat.

"Minister Huang, from this moment forward, I will assign you a task."

"You must capture and eliminate all Ming Dynasty spies within our Song Dynasty Territory."

"No, not just that. You must first deal with that Guo Jia."

"He must be killed. Everything he is doing must be stopped."

"No matter the cost, he must be stopped."

"Mobilize the entire Imperial City Division."

"Also, I will grant you 300,000 troops."

"Right, the army that destroyed the Great Li Kingdom earlier will now be under your command. Forget about Tibet Kingdom and Western Xia Kingdom for now."

"Your only mission is this."

Hearing Emperor Zhao Ji's resolute voice, Huang Shang was stunned.

It was the first time he had seen Zhao Ji speak so seriously.

It seemed the Ming Dynasty's actions had truly pushed him past his limits.

Even matters concerning Tibet Kingdom and Western Xia Kingdom were being set aside.

Just what was going on?

Huang Shang faintly felt he was getting caught in a huge conspiracy.

He even felt a faint unease in his heart.

If he completed the mission, Emperor Zhao Ji might also dispose of him afterward.

From the emperor's gaze, he sensed a deep killing intent.

Though well hidden, he could still sense it with his keen perception.

This made him more cautious of Zhao Ji.

It appeared that even the most foolish emperor was still the ruler of a dynasty.

Not someone to be underestimated.

==========

Song Dynasty, Imperial City Division.

While Huang Shang was arranging manpower, he couldn't stop thinking about Emperor Zhao Ji's demeanor in the Imperial Palace earlier.

His emotions were hard to calm.

Just then, National Master Lin Lingsu requested an audience.

Huang Shang was slightly surprised but agreed to meet immediately.

"National Master, usually it's me who visits you. Why have you come to me today?"

Lin Lingsu didn't answer. Instead, he walked a few circles around Huang Shang.

Then he sighed and shook his head.

"Fellow Daoist Huang, it seems this will be the last time we drink tea and play chess together."

"The last time I took the initiative. Why not?"

"National Master, what do you mean by that? Are you cursing me? Or is this mission especially dangerous, with risk to my life?"

"Haha, don't worry. My cultivation may not match those at the God Demon Realm, but I can still protect myself."

"If I can't win, I can always run."

"Fellow Daoist, with your great fortune, how could you possibly be in danger?"

"I merely lament that your bond with the Song Dynasty is about to come to an end."

"From now on, we will no longer serve under the same dynasty. Who knows when we'll meet again?"

Hearing Lin Lingsu's cryptic words, Huang Shang was even more confused.

But there was one thing he understood.

This mission likely wouldn't cost him his life.

If that was the case, what did he have to worry about?

"Right, National Master, I have a question I'd like to ask you."

"Today, His Majesty seemed... very different. He felt extremely terrifying."

"Even with my Mythical Realm strength, I felt a sense of dread in his presence."

"Haha, because the emperor you faced today wasn't just an individual."

"He represented the entire dynasty."

"Forget your mere Mythical Realm. Even a God Demon Realm cultivator would feel dread."

"Do you really think any random person can be emperor of a dynasty?"

"Even the most foolish of emperors."

"Think about it. In the Qin Dynasty, Wei Liao, God Demon Realm. Bai Qi, Mythical Realm. Shang Yang, Mythical Realm. Even that Black Shadow from before was Mythical Realm."

"Their strength far surpassed Ying Zheng."

"To them, Ying Zheng should be no more than an ant."

"Yet why do they remain obedient in his presence?"

"Some, slightly weaker, behave no different from actual subordinates."

"Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

"Or take the Sui Dynasty's Yang Guang, incompetent as he was, but Supreme Master Yuwen Tuo still loyally assisted him, without any thoughts of betrayal. Was it out of loyalty to Yang Guang or the dynasty?"

"The Tang Dynasty's Bad Marshal, Yuan Tiangang, was utterly loyal to Li Shimin."

"With their strength and intellect, they could live freely anywhere. Yet they chose to be subordinates to a dynasty's emperor."

"Do you really think it's for wealth, power, or fame?"

Hearing Lin Lingsu's questioning tone, Huang Shang fell into deep thought.

Indeed.

Not just them, even himself.

He, a dignified Mythical Realm cultivator, had been serving the Song Dynasty loyally for years.

Diligent and cautious, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

In the past, he believed it was to repay the former emperor's kindness.

But thinking back now, there had to be something deeper that he didn't know.

Clearly, there was a great secret hidden between the dynasties of the Nine Provinces.

He had to uncover the truth.

Otherwise, he would never be at peace.