The Demon Lords

The tradition among Zhuxia women is that once married, they follow their husbands. Even a princess, upon feeling that she was about to marry the crown prince, saw Ji Chengjue as a thorn in her side and wished to remove him.

Such were the rules of the age.

The concept is even more pronounced among Desert Barbarian women, who place greater emphasis on following their husbands than Zhuxia women do.

Ji Chengjue once heard Zheng Fan say, "Productivity determines everything."

Ji Chengjue initially didn’t understand the meaning of "productivity," but he could roughly infer its significance.

For a woman to live alone in this world is too difficult, so every household needs a pillar of support.

And in the harsher living conditions of the barbarians, Barbarian women have even fewer choices.

Ji Chengjue spoke with ease, but he was not foolish. He had been learning the art of dealing with people and matters since birth, so he continued,

"If the Royal Court were still the same as it was a hundred years ago, it wouldn’t be a matter of sister-in-law marrying into our family, but of you, brother, marrying into sister-in-law’s family."

"Pfft." The princess laughed.

The Eldest Prince shook his head and said, "But in the end, Qian State still has seven fingers remaining."

"Brother, I do not understand warfare, and I have never been to the battlefield. But I do know that in war, it’s not about one side completely annihilating the other. Often, if one side loses even ten to twenty percent, it collapses completely.

So, in two years, what our Yan needs to do is to decisively cut off three fingers of Qian State with thunderous force, which would scatter the remaining seven.

By the way, brother, there’s another matter. Initially, I thought it was too hasty, but now I feel the timing is right. Over at Yinlang County, Hui Wenzu is having a hard time with Zhong Tianlang’s interference.

Brother, you should go to Yinlang County."

"Is it appropriate?" the Eldest Prince asked, but his eyes had already brightened with anticipation.

"I’ve arranged for Hui Wenzu to submit a request for assistance to the court in a few days, and then I’ll personally advocate for you at the court. All you need to do, brother, is not be humble or yield, but confidently step forward and take the lead...

Oh no, it’s not permitted to carry weapons to court, so brother, you should cling to the hall pillar, looking as if you would bash your head if our father doesn’t agree."

"..." The Eldest Prince.

After hesitating a bit, the Eldest Prince spoke up, "What if our father refuses?"

After all, each son knows his own father’s temperament.

If the Yan Emperor refuses at the court, am I really supposed to die against the pillar?

Ji Chengjue shrugged and said, "Anyway, brother, you are older than all of us, so it’s only natural for you to die before us.

Besides,

maybe your death will suddenly enlighten our father, making him a little gentler toward the rest of us brothers for the rest of his days."

"So I wouldn’t have died in vain?"

"Haha, indeed, indeed."

"However, Sixth Brother, honestly, by personally helping me, aren’t you being a bit too...."

"Brother, you worry too much. Last year, when you helped the Ministry of Revenue clear the trade routes, to outsiders, you have long been considered part of my Sixth Lord’s faction."

"Sixth Lord’s faction?"

"A name I gave myself, haha; Besides, even if I don’t show up, can’t others see that it’s my intention? Why bother covering it up so deliberately?

Besides, since our father named my son ’Chuan Ye,’ if our father is going to roast me like a duck on a fire, I can’t just waste the heat our father has given me.

If I come forward, using my son’s alias as leverage, if our father wants to keep roasting me, he must show me some form of tolerance and support, and won’t easily refuse.

Moreover, our father has always held you in high regard, and the Ji Family must produce a prince capable of intimidating and commanding troops.

Otherwise, are we going to give this opportunity to the fourth prince?

The fourth prince has been eagerly sharpening his blade for this chance, and although the Deng Family has fallen, its influence remains. He’d likely look for an opportunity to stir up trouble, just like I did with the remnants of the Min Family."

With the matter laid out clearly, the Eldest Prince nodded and said, "I understand."

Then,

The Eldest Prince let out a long sigh, "If it weren’t for my blunder during the Wang River battle, you wouldn’t have to bother like this, Sixth Brother."

Ji Chengjue shook his head and said, "Brother, even if you hadn’t lost back then, you wouldn’t be here listening to my arrangements."

It’s just the way things are, determined by fate.

As the eldest prince raised in the military, due to one failure at Wang River, he was reduced to a tool for alliance marriage.

Ji Chengjue then turned to the princess and said, "Sister-in-law, have you received the letter from home?"

The Eldest Prince looked at his wife, unaware of the matter.

"Don’t blame your brother, this issue was unknown to sister-in-law as well. It was I who took the initiative to send letters to the Royal Court via the merchant’s guild, but sister-in-law should have received the reply sooner than I did."

"Sixth Brother, was this your suggestion?" The Barbarian princess asked in surprise.

Ji Chengjue nodded.

"My father agreed. The envoy sent by my brother has already been dispatched; the letter arrives faster than the envoy."

"That’s good."

That’s when the Eldest Prince realized and said, "Is it regarding the young prince worshipping our father?"

Clearly, the Barbarian princess wasn’t keeping it a secret from her husband, as the Eldest Prince was aware of it.

"Sixth Brother, was this your recommendation?"

"Yes, indeed. What can I say, brother, you still have the title of Barbarian son-in-law on you, and since the young Barbarian prince is willing to acknowledge our father as the Crown Uncle, it shows a gesture from the Barbarian side."