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

Former Southern Song Dynasty Territory.

Now annexed by the Vast Sea Dynasty.

A hidden mountain valley.

At this moment, Prince Ruyang was hiding with a few remnants of his forces, evading the relentless pursuit of the Vast Sea Dynasty.

Ever since Temujin's defeat.

Temujin himself had been rescued by a powerful cultivator and brought back to the Yuan Dynasty.

The National Master, Phagpa, had also escaped quickly thanks to his powerful cultivation.

In contrast, Prince Ruyang was dealt a terrible fate.

Nearly a 100,000 troops under his command had been ruthlessly hunted down.

In just a short span of time, fewer than a hundred remained, reduced to wandering ghosts in the wilderness.

Not only was he hunted by the Vast Sea Dynasty, but even Temujin's secret agents had joined in the pursuit.

"Father, bad news!"

Just then.

Koke Temur came rushing in with an anxious expression.

"What is it? Don't tell me Yue Fei's men have caught up again?"

"Father, it's even worse than that!"

Koke Temur's face turned grim, hatred flashing in his eyes.

"Temujin has falsely accused you, blaming you entirely for the previous two defeats."

"He even claimed that you colluded with the Vast Sea Dynasty and betrayed the Yuan Dynasty."

"Impossible. My loyalty to the Khan is as clear as day and night. I have never thought of betraying him!"

"Father, haven't you realized yet? Temujin did this on purpose. He wants to shift all the blame for the defeats onto you."

"This way, he remains the wise and unmatched Genghis Khan."

"He remains the heroic and glorious Yuan Emperor."

"No one would dare criticize him."

"I once admired him so much, but now I see he is nothing more than a despicable and shameless man."

"A hypocritical and cunning scoundrel."

"No different from those Southern Dynasty officials."

At this point, Koke Temur could barely suppress the hatred in his heart.

"So this is where you've been hiding, Prince Ruyang. If not for following Koke Temur, I wouldn't have found this place."

At that moment.

A familiar yet cold voice echoed.

"National Master Phagpa?!"

Koke Temur blurted out and immediately stared at him warily.

"National Master, are you here to kill my father too?"

"National Master, you should know my father never betrayed the Khan!"

"Nor did he collude with the Vast Sea Dynasty!"

Prince Ruyang's face darkened, trying once again to defend himself.

"I know very well. I also know your loyalty better than most in the Yuan Dynasty."

"Such a pity."

"This time, the Khan lost far too many troops to the Vast Sea Dynasty. He can't take all the blame himself."

"Otherwise, his prestige would be ruined. How would he continue to rule the Yuan Dynasty then?"

"If Muqali and the other four heroes were still alive, perhaps they would've taken the blame."

"But they are all dead. The only one left qualified to take the fall for the Khan is you, Prince Ruyang."

"For the sake of Genghis Khan's reputation, you'll have to be wronged."

"You should feel honored."

Phagpa spoke with an indifferent tone.

After all, in the Yuan Dynasty, Genghis Khan's importance far exceeded that of Prince Ruyang.

If Genghis Khan fell, the entire Yuan Dynasty might collapse.

In contrast, sacrificing one Prince Ruyang was nothing.

"Well said, National Master Phagpa!"

"Well said, sacrifice!"

"Well said, wronged!"

"For years, I've been utterly loyal. Who would've thought this would be my end?"

"If I died in battle, I would accept it gladly. But to die so wrongfully, I will never be content!"

"National Master, are you here to kill me yourself this time?"

"Prince Ruyang, the Khan has already executed your entire clan. Only you and Koke Temur are left!"

"Let me personally send you two on your way!"

Phagpa spoke calmly, then slowly walked toward Prince Ruyang.

"No! Protect His Highness!"

"Your Highness, flee! We'll hold them off!"

Nearby were the last loyal soldiers of Prince Ruyang.

Seeing the danger, they rushed forward to defend him.

"Trying to escape? You will all die here!"

Phagpa waved his hand.

In the next instant.

Nearly a hundred Gold Wolf Hall members appeared.

They charged at the remaining soldiers with ferocity.

In moments.

The valley echoed with chilling screams.

It was a massacre.

Prince Ruyang and Koke Temur watched with bloodshot eyes.

Their soldiers hadn't died in battle, but were slaughtered by their own.

Many of them had followed him for decades.

They were like family.

Now they all perished so tragically.

Even someone as loyal as Prince Ruyang began to feel hatred toward the Khan.

Let alone the impulsive and hot-blooded Koke Temur.

The more loyal and admiring he once was, the more hatred now boiled within him.

In the blink of an eye, only Prince Ruyang and Koke Temur remained.

Everyone else lay dead.

"Enough. You two should go as well!"

Phagpa spoke coldly and was about to strike.

But the next moment.

A storm of arrows rained down like a hurricane.

Their targets were Phagpa and the Gold Wolf Hall members.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

A surprise attack from the shadows.

In an instant.

Nine out of ten were killed.

Only Phagpa and a few survived.

"Who is it?"

"Dark One? It's you?!"

Phagpa was stunned when he saw the attacker.

He had assumed it was the Vast Sea Dynasty, but instead, it was Dark One, the Ming Dynasty's Dark Guard Leader.

"Phagpa, so this is who you really are!"

"Seems your heart is no purer than ours. A man like you, dreaming of becoming a Buddha?"

Dark One said mockingly.

"Dark One, what are you doing here? Are you trying to stop me from purging traitors?"

"Traitors? Ha! Looks like Temujin has fallen!"

"Our Ming Emperor once saw him as a worthy rival, but now? Temujin is no longer qualified!"

"He's not even as good as Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty!"

"Besides, His Majesty's Consort Zhao Min, her father and brother are Prince Ruyang and Koke Temur. His Majesty personally ordered me to rescue them."

Dark One looked at Phagpa with disdain.

"Hmph. Then let's settle this with strength!"

Phagpa's heart trembled.

He had almost forgotten.

Zhao Min, the influential figure!

Now a Consort of the Ming Emperor.

No good. If Prince Ruyang and Koke Temur defected to the Ming Dynasty, they would become the most determined enemies of the Khan.

They would certainly attack the Yuan Dynasty for revenge.

He must not let them live.

He immediately turned into a blur, charging toward Prince Ruyang.

"You want to kill someone right under my nose? Ridiculous!"

Thanks to Zhu Houzhao's deliberate support, and having been granted Dragon Essence, Dark One had already broken through his final bottleneck.

His strength now far surpassed Phagpa's.

Whoosh!

Slash!

A flash of cold light.

A deep wound tore open Phagpa's chest.

Blood sprayed everywhere.

Violent internal force ravaged his organs.

He was sent flying.

"How... How is this possible? Dark One, your strength..."

"Just a slight improvement."

"I'm merely catching up to Yuwen Tuo of the Sui Dynasty and Yuan Tiangang of the Tang Dynasty."

"Retreat!"

Phagpa's expression twisted with disbelief.

Frustrated, he had no time to kill Prince Ruyang.

Survival came first.

He unleashed the last of his power and fled into the distance.

Dark One's eyes narrowed.

But in the end, he did not give chase.

His Majesty had decreed that Phagpa was still useful and not to be killed.

However, the remaining Gold Wolf Hall agents.

Not one was spared.

All were executed on the spot.

"Prince Ruyang, come with us!"

"You... you're sent by the Ming Emperor? How is Minmin now?"

"Heh. You'll know once you reach the Ming Dynasty."

Prince Ruyang and Koke Temur were excellent chess pieces.

In the future war against the Yuan Dynasty, they might serve as ideal vanguards.

==========

Ming Imperial Harem.

Zhu Houzhao read the latest secret report.

"Your father and brother are safe now. You can rest easy, can't you?"

Zhu Houzhao handed the report to Zhao Min.

She quickly took it, scanning it in a flash.

In an instant, tears turned to joy.

"Your Majesty, thank you. From now on, I will never do anything to betray you!"

At that thought, hatred filled Zhao Min's eyes.

Hatred for the Yuan Dynasty, and for Temujin.

Aside from her father and brother, her entire family had been executed without mercy by Temujin.

She no longer held any affection for him.

Zhu Houzhao, however, felt indifferent.

He had little real affection for Zhao Min.

Compared to Empress Wu Zhao, Long Bixia, and many other beauties, she meant very little.

She was merely a fleeting novelty.

Once the novelty wore off, she would receive no more attention.

Of course.

Saving Prince Ruyang and Koke Temur wasn't solely for Zhao Min's sake.

They had value.

In the future war against the Yuan Dynasty, they could become invaluable assets.

The best tools to strike at Temujin's prestige.

But how to extract maximum benefit from them.

That required careful planning.

==========

Ming Imperial Harem.

Empress Chambers.

"Qing'er, are you sure the intel is accurate?"

"Absolutely, Your Majesty. Should we start taking precautions against Zhao Min?"

"She has many tricks. If she rises too high, she may not threaten Your Majesty, but she could still be a nuisance."

"No need to worry. From the beginning, she has been tightly controlled by this palace. She has never escaped my grasp."

"In the past, now, and in the future, it will always be so."

"But for the sake of harmony in the palace, Zhao Min still has her uses."

"Now, thanks to the incident with Prince Ruyang and Koke Temur, Zhao Min has been completely turned. Using her to deal with ill-intentioned Consorts, nothing could be better."

"Understood, Your Majesty."

"Wan'er, Qing'er, I have a task for you."

"This matter must not have even a single flaw!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. We understand."