Chen Ping's Sword

"Old Ghost Cui, it’s actually you. Why has it come to this, why has it come to this?"

Ji Changlie’s eyes were bloodshot.

He had imagined countless scenarios, but never expected that not only were many soldiers ambushed at Hungry Tiger Ridge, but they were also exceptionally elite.

Even more absurd was that when his over thirty thousand Jinghai Cavalry finally burst out of One-Line Blade Gorge, they were confronted with the "Eight Gates Golden Lock Array" led by Cui Huchen commanding a hundred thousand elite of the Cui Family.

Though they say the one you love most can hurt you the deepest, this wouldn’t apply here.

But the ones who can hurt you deeply are certainly those who know you well.

Ji Changlie felt this deeply at this moment.

He even remembered that dignified, scholarly old minister with white hair and a white beard, highly respected, holding his hand earnestly and imparting his words: "When Yuyin was young, she lacked for nothing and was deeply loved by the old man; she thus became a bit spoiled. If anything goes wrong, Prince, please be indulgent..."

"Of course, if Yuyin ever goes too far, Prince, you must discipline her as needed, lest this girl disgraces the Cui Family name, inviting ridicule from the world."

At eighteen, Ji Changlie was heroic and outstanding, forming an alliance through marriage with the Noble Families, acquiring enormous resources, allowing ambition to flourish within him.

Sometimes, he would think, if his third brother could pull off something great, defying destiny, claiming the imperial throne that clearly was not his.

Then why couldn’t he try it too?

The fear is not that you dare not act, but that you dare not dream.

From that day, a fierce fire ignited in Ji Changlie’s heart.

He valued his reputation greatly, taking pride in his valor and military prowess. Gradually, the name of King Jinghai as a formidable warrior echoed throughout the Royal Family and across the lands of Celestial South, establishing his own prestige and fame.

Later, he gradually realized something was amiss.

No matter how hard he worked, it seemed the Cui Family always reaped more than he did as a Prince.

Their influence and power always expanded quicker than his.

While he attracted all the suspicious gazes from the Court, the Cui Family quietly seized large swaths of land in Jiangnan, and even in Xingqing Prefecture, nominally under the jurisdiction of King Jinghai, many key positions slowly became occupied by the Cui Family members.

Princess Consort Cui Yuyin was neither domineering nor capricious, but she was truly treacherous, looking out for her maiden family.

For a long time, Ji Changlie resented the Cui Family bitterly yet found himself utterly helpless.

Later, he devised a strategy.

Not to contend internally, but to seek solutions externally.

To him, the ambition of the Cui Family was a huge blow, and the Court’s clipping of vassal powers was another.

If not leveraging external forces, Ji Changlie admitted he might not be able to confront the Cui Family, one of the Thirteen Noble Families, directly on this land.

Besides being slowly eroded, he had little chance.

He contemplated many strategies: marrying Ran Qiuye, a female disciple of the Qingwei Sect, dispatching trusted generals secretly to seize military power in neighboring counties, and quietly lurking, waiting for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

To break everything, and then possess everything.

Ji Changlie’s schemes weren’t entirely poor.

When he discovered the invasion of Beizhou Hu Cavalry, despite the Ji Dynasty being in peril, his heart was filled with joy.

A crisis implies danger as well as opportunities.

Ji Changlie was confident he could control everything.

He was just a trigger away from thoroughly mastering half of Jiangnan’s lands, no longer being at anyone’s mercy or becoming someone’s puppet.

However, when he was closest to realizing his dream, he met that person from years past once more, this time not pulling his hand to offer earnest advice, but instead meeting in battle with a force of a hundred thousand troops in hand.

"Won’t you even call me father-in-law?"

Cui Huchen looked calmly at Ji Changlie from afar, as if watching a drowning dog.

Even though he still had thirty thousand elite cavalry and over a hundred thousand foot soldiers at the rear, Cui Huchen still scorned him.

Since the day of the alliance through marriage till now.

With a hand full of aces, yet he played like a novice.

Cui Huchen thought Ji Changlie was precisely this kind of person.

Being an elderly father with a daughter, he actually doted on Cui Yuyin immensely.

Before his daughter married, she got whatever she wanted and certainly wouldn’t just marry a carefree Prince...

The Cui Family intended to advance further, quietly amassing wealth was sufficient; the union with Ji Changlie could have been mutually beneficial.

But Ji Changlie insisted on securing a leading role, fame, and military power.

Wasn’t this courting death?

Didn’t he see those earlier rebellious Princes all ended up dispossessed and imprisoned or killed?

The timing wasn’t ripe at all, yet he schemed to rebel.

Was he really that impatient?

After detecting Ji Changlie’s ambitions far exceeded his talents and his heart didn’t match his aspirations, Cui Huchen certainly wouldn’t allow him to drag his family into the fire pit.

And later.

No need to elaborate...

After all, it’s a messy account.

For so many years, both sides have accumulated deep resentment; the facade of cordiality was difficult to maintain continuously.

Eventually, the relationship between King Jinghai Ji Changlie and his wife grew more distant, with intense scheming, both parties consumed by internal strife.

Therefore, the Cui Family decided to support the Heir of Jinghai, Ji Xuange; if the father wouldn’t listen, then they would endorse the son. With the royal name, certain things remain unchanged.