The Demon Lords

"This...this...you...how could you dare...you..."

This woman... she's a member of the Spy Bureau, and her status within the Bureau isn't minor.

"Father, my sister is waiting for us ahead. I'll bring Dujuan to meet her. She's been pressuring me about my marriage in her letters."

"The Empress...no...your sister is in the Elegant Building with your mother, but this..."

Old Master Tian took a deep breath. His face quickly returned to normal, a kind smile appearing as he said, "Well, you two should hurry to the Elegant Building; your sister has been waiting for you for a long time."

The status of the head of a clan is indeed not simple. Although Old Master Tian's heart was in turmoil, he quickly controlled his emotions.

Old Master Tian led the way with Tian Wujing following. Dujuan, stepping into the family home for the first time, trailed behind them.

Old Master Tian asked urgently in a low voice, "What exactly is going on with the Third Prince?"

"Father, I know what I'm doing. There's no need for you to ask further."

"You... Do you understand how crucial this moment is? You've disabled his son. Can Ji Runhao accept this? Ji Runhao and his reckless father are different."

"What's the difference? Aren't they both under your and the others' thumb, unable to act out?"

"This is a separate matter. It was Ji Runhao who delusionally tried to move against the Earl of North Border's residence. Don't think we don't know what he's scheming. He brought this current situation upon himself. For centuries, Yan has been jointly ruled by the great clans and the Ji Family. Who does Ji Runhao think he is? How dare he!"

Old Master Tian noticed that Dujuan seemed to realize he was having a private conversation with his son, so she deliberately lagged behind. This allowed Old Master Tian to speak more freely.

"So, what does it matter if I disabled one of his sons?"

"It doesn't amount to much. Ji Runhao is now at odds with the North Border Army. As long as he's sensible, he won't dare take any action against you. The North Border Army's rebellion is imminent. We originally thought that Li Liangting's arrival in the capital would quiet things down in the north, or at most he would put on a show. Who knew Li Liangting's son would actually appear in the north? Heh, if Ji Runhao dares to take action against you now, the Southern Peace Army in the south would also rebel against him. By then, will his Ji Family be able to keep their Jiangshan?"

"Then why are you blaming me, Father?"

"I blame you for being hasty and reckless. Originally, Li Liangting's North Border Army was putting on the pressure. We great families planned to unite and propose enfeoffing the Li Family as kings to settle the matter. Our Tian Family was merely supposed to benefit a little on the side. If the Ji Family were to bear a grudge, they should hate the Li Family first. Even after the Ji Family gets through this crisis, they'd have to try harder to win over our Tian Family. But by disabling the Third Prince today, aren't you needlessly bringing criticism upon our Tian Family?"

"Father, let me ask you, what is the very foundation of our Tian Family's standing?"

"Centuries of heritage!"

"That was in the past."

"Thousands of acres of fertile farmland and tens of thousands of tenant farmers."

"Not at present."

Old Master Tian pressed his lips together and said, "The fifty thousand-strong Southern Peace Army!"

"Correct. The fifty thousand-strong Southern Peace Army. As long as we secure the loyalty of the Southern Peace Army, our Tian Family will be invincible. Our Tian Family is not one of the Four Great Clans. The reason this matter of enfeoffment as king could fall to our Tian Family and not them is precisely because I, your son, have been in command of the Southern Peace Army for over ten years, isn't it?"

"So, you're using the prince to win their loyalty?"

"For them, to stand up for them, your son can disable even a prince."

Old Master Tian's lean chest heaved a few times. In the end, he patted Tian Wujing's shoulder and said, "My son has grown up; I've grown old. If not for your need to return to Yinlang, this position of family head should have been passed to you long ago."

"Father, your son truly doesn't care much for the position of Tian Family Head."

"Heh, such bold words! You truly take after me in my youth!"

The old master's expression immediately brightened, and he burst into laughter. At the same time, he didn't forget to call out to Dujuan, who was lagging far behind, "Is my daughter-in-law perhaps infirm? Why is she walking so slowly? She can't even keep up with this seventy-year-old man. How can I expect such a daughter-in-law to look after me in the future?"

Upon hearing this, a smile immediately appeared on Dujuan's face, and she lifted her skirts with both hands to jog over.

Seeing Dujuan's unrestrained actions, a trace of disdain briefly flashed through Old Master Tian's eyes.

She was, after all, a Spy Bureau agent by origin; she couldn't compare to a young lady from a great family. So unrefined!

However, when he thought about how his son could be smoothly enfeoffed as a king, and the Tian Clan could obtain a hereditary kingship, what harm was there in letting Ji Runhao place a Spy Bureau woman in their household?

While Dujuan was still hurrying over, Old Master Tian quickly added, "Ji Runhao has been absent from court for ten days. Tomorrow, the Four Great Clans, along with our Tian Family, will lead the heads of thirty great Yan families into the palace for an imperial audience. This matter will be completely settled then. The Ji Family won't be able to overturn this.

"Let's go, your sister is inside."

「...」

When Tian Wujing and Dujuan walked into the Elegant Building side by side, Mrs. Tian and the Empress had already separated. However, the redness at the corners of their eyes still showed traces of their earlier tears.

Tian Wujing stepped forward, kowtowed to Mrs. Tian, and said, "Mother, your son pays his respects. May Mother be well."

"Mother, your daughter-in-law pays her respects. May Mother be well."

Old Master Tian, standing by the side, nodded slightly after watching this scene.

Indeed, a married daughter is like spilled water; only sons can truly be relied upon.