"Your Majesty, you've finally arrived! The Xiongnu have invaded the border again, and I fear the frontier is already in dire straits!"

"Indeed, Your Majesty, this matter cannot be taken lightly. We implore you to quickly dispatch troops and halt the Xiongnu's ambition to advance further south."

"Your Majesty, your subjects are willing to donate a thousand taels of silver as military expenses for the northern campaign against the Xiongnu."

Watching these ministers eagerly vying to show their loyalty, Jiang Chen remained unusually silent.

Jiang Chen now needed to devise a comprehensive plan; otherwise, enticing these powerful families to bet on the northern campaign against the Xiongnu would be exceedingly difficult.

Seeing Jiang Chen's silence, the previously bustling crowd below quieted down, wondering what medicine Jiang Chen was selling in his gourd. Only then did Jiang Chen straighten up.

"I see your fervent loyalty, but this matter cannot be resolved easily."

"This wave of Xiongnu is fierce. If only a single force were to meet them, it would suffer a crushing defeat. This would not only deplete our national strength but also embolden the Xiongnu's arrogance."

"I wonder if any of you have any good suggestions?"

Jiang Chen's words silenced the many civil and military officials who had been clamoring for war against the Xiongnu.

If they were to suffer a setback, they, as supporters, would undoubtedly face even stronger condemnation.

Just as everyone was silent, and no one dared to step forward, someone quickly strode ahead.

"Your Majesty, I have a plan. If we can attack the Xiongnu from three directions simultaneously, we can ensure that they will never return, and they will never dare to invade again."

Looking at this unknown young general, the surrounding powerful families sneered inwardly.

How much military strength did Jiang Chen truly have at his disposal? They knew better than anyone. If they were to genuinely attack from three directions, each force would inevitably suffer a crushing defeat.

At that time, without these personal troops to support him, Jiang Chen's position would become precarious.

Even in such a critical situation, these powerful families still intended to watch Jiang Chen make a fool of himself.

Just as everyone was unwilling to say too much on this matter, Jiang Chen silently looked at the map hanging to the side.

"Using the strength of the entire nation to repel these Xiongnu is clearly unrealistic, but if the three-pronged encirclement he speaks of succeeds, these Xiongnu will surely retreat deep into the grasslands."

"Materials like horses are easily transferred, but their livestock were originally intended as rewards for those who are prepared."

"Although the lands north of the desert are somewhat desolate, there are also many proven mineral deposits. If we can recover those lost territories, they will surely be awarded to those with military merits."

Jiang Chen's meaningful words made the heads of the powerful families below narrow their eyes.

They understood the meaning behind Jiang Chen's words, but the temptation of the benefits involved made them unable to help but fantasize.

Jiang Chen had already made it clear that he wanted to exhaust them. If they only guarded their own small territory and encountered a villain like Yan En, who demanded resources without restraint, they might not be able to bear it.

If they could seize territory north of the desert, even if they were to break ties with Jiang Chen, they could simply join forces with the Xiongnu and invade again.

Not to mention that trading with the Xiongnu was also a highly profitable endeavor.

Seeing that no one responded, Jiang Chen waved his hand and dismissed the temporary court session.

Back in the inner palace, the Shufei Consort naturally came up to help Jiang Chen relieve his stress.

Through the eunuchs, she had learned about the events that had transpired in the court. Considering the reactions of those powerful families, the Shufei Consort also felt helpless. Jiang Chen had favored them too much in recent years, allowing them to grow into incurable tumors.

"Your Majesty, seeing your expression, you must have already figured out how to deal with them. How many lives do you plan to take from them next?"

The Shufei Consort's playful voice made Jiang Chen smile.

Jiang Chen had already dug a trap for these powerful families; it was just a matter of whether they would jump into it.

Regardless of their choices, they were already trapped under Jiang Chen's Wuzhi Mountain (referring to being under his control), unable to escape in the slightest.

"I have my own clever plans. If I were to reveal them, they might lose their effectiveness."

Jiang Chen's reply made the Shufei Consort pause. Realizing that Jiang Chen didn't seem to particularly trust her, the Shufei Consort suddenly pushed Jiang Chen.

"Your Highness, are you unwilling to trust even me?"

Just as the Shufei Consort was displaying a somewhat petty feminine demeanor, Jiang Chen directly pounced on her on the bed.

When dawn broke again that day, Jiang Chen stood up.

"Now you believe that I have a way to deal with them, right?"

Looking at the Shufei Consort on the bed with a resentful expression, Jiang Chen laughed and walked out.

Soon after, Jiang Chen summoned several of his most trusted eunuchs.

"What evil deeds have the children of their families committed? I believe you have channels to inquire clearly. Since no one has come to express their position to me so far, let's start settling old scores properly."

"Killing the chicken to scare the monkeys requires a scapegoat to make others realize that this is not a joke."

As the eunuchs retreated, Jiang Chen's expression turned sinister.

Last night's warning apparently did not make these people realize the importance of the matter. In that case, Jiang Chen would personally take action and make them understand what majesty meant.

Just as many people were speculating about the purpose of Jiang Chen's actions last night, a servant came rushing in from outside, tripping and crawling.

"Something bad has happened! The eldest young master has been taken away, saying that the eldest young master committed a crime before and now they want to investigate it thoroughly."

At this moment, the same scene was playing out simultaneously in countless homes.

Realizing that Jiang Chen was warning them, they became even more unyielding.

"I want to see what extent he dares to take things to. He dares to attack us at this critical juncture. It seems he doesn't want to be the emperor anymore."

Just as they thought they were incredibly tough, the eldest young masters who had been arrested were all thrown into Tian Prison in a matter of minutes.

Having long been accustomed to luxurious food and clothing, how could they endure such an environment in Tian Prison?

"You quickly let me out! Don't you know who I am? I'm telling you, don't let me get out of here, otherwise, all of you will die!"

Jiang Chen, who was observing in the shadows, became even more determined to completely uproot them after hearing these arrogant and domineering words.