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

Ming Imperial Palace.

"Your Majesty, I have just received a new secret report. Many of the other dynasties have officially begun interfering in the internal conflict of the Yuan Dynasty."

"Our operations are now facing serious obstruction."

"Especially the spies of the Qin Dynasty and Tang Dynasty. They are deliberately guiding the hatred of everyone in the Yuan Dynasty toward our Ming Dynasty."

"This has caused the enmity of all figures such as Temujin, Ogedei, and Tolui."

"They are clearly trying to drive a wedge between our Ming Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty."

"At the same time, they are secretly helping Temujin to reassert control over the forces of the Four Princes."

"I have underestimated the power of the hidden forces these dynasties have placed within the Yuan Dynasty."

"As soon as they appeared, our Ming Dynasty suffered heavy losses."

"Your Majesty, shall we retaliate?"

"These people are truly infuriating and deserve nothing less than death!"

The Dark Guard Leader, Dark One, spoke with some anger.

Many of his Dark Guard had been ambushed by these foreign spy forces during this period.

They were caught off guard.

This filled him with killing intent toward the enemies from other dynasties.

"Qin Dynasty and Tang Dynasty?"

Zhu Houzhao was not surprised. Instead, he sneered with disdain:

"What about the other dynasties? What of Song Dynasty, Sui Dynasty, and Han Dynasty?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Song Dynasty remains the same. They seem to be sowing discord, trying to plunge the Yuan Dynasty into deeper chaos so they can reap the benefits."

"As for the Sui Dynasty, they are even more reckless. As long as they profit, they don't care about the consequences."

"Surprisingly, the Han Dynasty had three different forces, each executing its own agenda. They all seem to have their own schemes."

"Your Majesty, the waters of the Han Dynasty run far deeper than we imagined."

Zhu Houzhao listened in silence, contemplating in his mind the motives of these dynasties and their Emperors one by one.

"Dark One, from now on, shifts all Dark Guard targets from the Yuan Dynasty to the spy forces of the other dynasties."

"As for the plan to divide the Yuan Dynasty, leave it to Uncle and the Azure Dragon Association to handle."

"On the battlefield of the Yuan Dynasty, I am the one who controls the overall situation."

"Since others wish to meddle and enter my chessboard, then there's no need for them to ever leave."

"Death will be their only ending."

Zhu Houzhao had originally aimed only to divide the Yuan Dynasty.

But now, since a group of fools had chosen to interfere, there was no longer any reason to let them stay.

He had spent an immense amount of time preparing for this game of chess.

Since his ascension to the throne, Zhu Houzhao had seemingly made no moves, but he had secretly prepared two winning strategies.

One targeting the Qing Dynasty, the other targeting the Yuan Dynasty.

The Qing Dynasty game had long concluded, with his Ming Dynasty emerging victorious.

Now, it was time for the game of Yuan Dynasty.

The plan to divide the Yuan Dynasty was just the beginning. There were many more plans to come.

The involvement of other dynasties had already been within Zhu Houzhao's calculations.

Some of the hidden pieces he had prepared for many years were now ready to be revealed.

It was time to give these meddling fools a profound lesson.

Qin Dynasty?

Tang Dynasty?

If you dare to extend your hand, then it will be chopped off!

After waving Dark One away, an elderly eunuch quickly entered the hall.

"Your Majesty!"

"Send word, begin the plan!"

"All forces of the Internal Factory within Yuan Dynasty Territory are to participate in this operation!"

"I will not only eliminate the spy forces from those other dynasties, but also ensure that Temujin and the Four Princes become mortal enemies!"

"Reconciliation will be absolutely impossible!"

"Your Majesty, isn't it a bit too soon?!"

The Internal Factory Leader was slightly puzzled.

Why had His Majesty suddenly changed his mind?

This plan was originally meant to be deployed during the full-scale campaign against the Yuan Dynasty.

If it were used now, what would they do when the time came for the official war?

"Do not worry, I have made preparations long ago."

"Just carry out my orders!"

"Your servant obeys!"

==========

Time flowed swiftly.

Ever since the disappearance of the Nine Provinces Golden Ranking, the dynasties and the Nine Provinces Martial World returned to normal.

Battles and conflicts continued unabated.

Meanwhile, two major warfronts had captured the attention of all powers and people of the Nine Provinces.

One was the battlefield of Song Dynasty.

The war between Song Dynasty and the northern barbarian tribes of Liao Kingdom and Jin Kingdom had grown increasingly brutal.

At the same time, the Song Dynasty also had to deal with numerous rebel armies and internal uprisings.

Smaller kingdoms such as Great Li Kingdom, Tibet Kingdom, and Western Xia Kingdom kept harassing the Song Dynasty, adding to their troubles.

Much of Song Dynasty's military and the Imperial Court's attention had been tied up.

But no one could have expected.

Despite being surrounded and bled dry by so many forces, the Song Dynasty had still managed to hold on.

On the surface, their battles looked disastrous.

Yet the key was, they still endured.

Even at such a critical juncture.

Within the Song Imperial Court, power struggles and corrupt officials still reigned.

The dynasty had yet to collapse, an utter anomaly.

Yet it also proved that the Song Dynasty's foundations were far deeper than anyone had imagined.

Many were utterly shocked.

Aside from the Song Dynasty battlefield.

The other was the Yuan Dynasty battlefield.

However, the Yuan Dynasty was not under external invasion.

Its turmoil came from within.

And the scale of this internal strife was beyond imagination.

At first, the conflict between Temujin and the forces of the Four Princes had some restraint.

Even due to manipulation by spies from various dynasties.

Temujin and the Four Princes suddenly realized the threat posed by the Ming Dynasty.

Fearing that civil war would allow the Ming Dynasty to profit, the frequency of battles rapidly declined.

But soon, spies from the other dynasties within the Yuan Dynasty were suddenly exposed one by one.

This enraged Temujin, Tolui, and the others.

Especially Temujin, who was shocked to find that one of his most trusted ministers was a pawn planted by the Tang Dynasty.

The Four Princes also discovered deeply embedded spies from other dynasties within their own forces.

Temujin and the Four Princes went mad, hunting for spies within their own camps.

In a short time.

The spy forces from all other dynasties suffered terrible misfortune.

Even the most deeply hidden spies were rooted out and executed.

Once these rats were eliminated.

With further incitement by "certain people", the chaos within the Yuan Dynasty spiraled out of control.

Its level of madness far exceeded all expectations.

It had broken free of its cage.

No one could stop it.

Even direct orders from Temujin and the Four Princes were useless.

The hatred between forces had long surpassed the struggle for power between Temujin and his sons.

It became a war over discourse power among all major forces.

And an escalation of grudges.

There was no room left for reconciliation.

Compared to the "strangeness" and "softness" of the Song Dynasty battlefield, the Yuan Dynasty battlefield was far more brutal.

Every day, countless people die.

But in the end.

It was always the Yuan Dynasty's own people who perished.

Its own foundations were being eroded.

As for why the spies of the Ming Dynasty had not been exposed during the purge?

Why were they untouched and fully preserved?

The reason was obvious.

All the trusted officials and generals responsible for purging the spies.

Were allies of the Ming Dynasty, or agents under their control.

These people had spotless records and had never participated in any espionage.

Their only purpose was for this very day.

And there were many such people.

They had not yet revealed themselves all at once.

There would still be opportunities for them in the future.

The trump cards of Emperor Zhu Houzhao of the Ming Dynasty seemed endless.

It was clear how deeply he had hidden his pieces, far beyond the reach of others.

==========

Qin Imperial Palace.

Bang!

Ying Zheng drew the Heaven Questioning Sword and cleaved the desk in front of him clean in half.

"Dammit, why?"

"Why did my plan fail?"

"Why has my Black Ice Platform been defeated again?"

"Unbelievable! My cultivators did not die on the battlefield, but at the hands of mere Mongols?"

"What a disgrace!"

"Have you found out the reason?"

"Why were our Black Ice Platform agents all discovered and annihilated?"

"Temujin and his four traitorous sons, are they really that capable?"

Ying Zheng pointed his sword at the current Black Ice Platform Leader, clearly displeased.

"Your Majesty, perhaps this time the fault does not lie with the Yuan Dynasty."

Despite Ying Zheng's pressure and shouting, the Black Ice Platform Leader remained calm and composed.

"Oh? Explain."

"I suspect it was the Ming Dynasty who made their move this time."

"Impossible. They are also spies. Why is it that our Qin Dynasty's agents were uncovered, while Ming Dynasty's remained unscathed?"

"Are you saying that our Black Ice Platform is inferior to their Dark Guard?"

"The only explanation is that the Ming Dynasty's infiltration of the Yuan Dynasty was even more terrifying than we imagined."

"Even those with spotless records, even the most trusted confidants of Temujin and the Four Princes, may have been spies planted by the Ming Dynasty."

"If this is true, then it is terrifying indeed."

"It proves that the Ming Dynasty's planning against the Yuan Dynasty began far longer ago than we imagined."

"One year, two years, five years, ten years, or even more?"

"No one can say!"

"In fact, I have a chilling hypothesis. Perhaps one of Temujin's Four Princes is already Zhu Houzhao's man!"

Ying Zheng's pupils shrank sharply upon hearing that.

What did that mean?

Could it be that one of Temujin's sons had been turned by Zhu Houzhao's agents years ago?

Or perhaps, he had been brainwashed to become Zhu Houzhao's loyal hound?

If that were the case, then this Zhu Houzhao was far too terrifying.

But given Zhu Houzhao's strength and unfathomable schemes.

Such a thing might not be impossible.

However.

Which of the Four Princes could be Zhu Houzhao's man?

Jochi? Chagatai? Ogedei? Or Tolui?

On the surface, none of them seemed like it.

But upon deeper thought.

All of them could be!

Even with Ying Zheng's intelligence, he felt troubled and a headache forming.

He wanted to send people to expose the truth.

But he feared that even that action might be part of Zhu Houzhao's scheme.

To use his hand to eliminate the other's enemies.

"Your Majesty, should we continue to intervene or merely observe from the shadows?"

"Hah!"

Ying Zheng took a deep breath, his expression grim.

"We shall not intervene for now, but increase our personnel to monitor the progress of the internal conflict in the Yuan Dynasty."

"Keep a close watch on every move made by the Ming Dynasty."

"Let nothing slip past us!"

"I must know whether things are truly as I fear."

"If they are, then when the day comes that we face the Ming Dynasty, we must be a hundred and twenty thousand times more cautious!"