In the imperial capital, Song Zining returned to the inn where he was temporarily staying from the sanatorium. After having dinner in the room, he read through documents under the lamp.

When everything was quiet, there was a sudden knock on the door, and no one opened the door and entered without waiting for Song Zining to speak.

He carefully closed the door, came to sit down at Song Zining's table, and said, "Shuai Song asked me to come here secretly. What are your instructions?"

The person sitting at Song Zining's desk was Duke Wen Yuan. During this period, he had been staying in the imperial capital, waiting to go through the procedures for extinguishing military merit.

Song Zining said: "Mr. Chen has made some great contributions some time ago."

Chen Tongqi said: "That was all done by Lord Qianye. I was just following behind to pick up scraps. It is not a great achievement."

Song Zining nodded and said: "Mr. Chen originally committed a serious crime of confiscating the family and killing the clan. This time he went through life and death in the Black Sun Valley and made a lot of achievements. I originally wanted to erase the crime, but it is almost enough."

Wen Yuangong was shocked and said: "Why, are there still variables?"

Song Zining said: "Of course there are variables, it just depends on what you do. I don't know what Duke Wen Yuan thinks of Lord Qianye."

Chen Tongqi said: "Lord Qianye is truly a prodigy in the world, and he is also extremely affectionate. After you and Marshal Jundu were seriously injured, it was only thanks to your arrival that the empire could win consecutive battles. Although I am also a divine general, I am not as good as Qianye.

Sir, I am afraid that he is the enemy of his three moves."

After a pause, Chen Tongqi said with emotion: "To be honest, Lord Qianye almost single-handedly killed through countless defense lines of the dark race and penetrated directly into the central area. With more than two thousand people, he was able to force an enemy that was a hundred times larger and did not dare to step forward.

Take one step out of the fortress. Why should we erase such incredible martial arts? Wouldn't it chill the hearts of the three thousand dead soldiers in the Black Sun Valley?"

Song Zining knocked on the table and said: "Mr. Chen, with all due respect, you have not been completely cleared of your crimes yet. If you continue to talk nonsense like this, I am afraid you will be in big trouble."

Chen Tongqi said: "Have I not had enough troubles? Are you afraid of having more troubles? Furthermore, if you dare not even talk about Lord Qianye's achievements because you are afraid of trouble, then where is the spirit of the warriors like us?"

Song Zining did not answer but asked instead: "Qianye sent Liu Chengyun back to his country that day and wanted to strip him of his military merits. But when you and Ming Haigong and others came back later, he gave you a personal order to share a lot of his own military merits with you.

Why is this?"

"Is Commander Song going to interrogate me?"

"This question is indeed related to your future. Please tell me the truth."

Chen Tongqi thought for a moment and then said: "Sir Qianye was recruiting those who dared to die, but Liu Chengyun was the first to back down. He had disobeyed military orders many times before and should be severely punished. Ming Haigong and I both followed you to the end.

I have never been timid or cowardly in the slightest. Your Majesty wants to reward you with military honors, and we dare not refuse. If Your Majesty asks us to return, we dare not not return. If we stay, we will most likely become a burden to you."

Song Zining nodded and said, "This is the reason why you were convicted."

Chen Tongqi was puzzled and said, "I wonder where my crime comes from?"

Song Zining placed a document in front of Chen Tongqi. Chen Tongqi opened it and immediately exclaimed: "Collude with foreign tribes and lie about military achievements?!"

He was furious, slapped the document on the table, and shouted: "Who is the alien? Who did I collude with?"

The surrounding scenery suddenly changed slightly. Song Zining had set up a field to isolate the internal and external communication. When everything was safe, he said: "The alien is... Qianye."

Chen Tongqi was startled, his expression changed, and he immediately stood up, pointed at Song Zining and said: "This is unreasonable! Master Qianye has made great contributions to the empire, and now that he is dead, you are treating him like this! You, you don't have any left.

Conscience?! Without you, there would be no place for you in the Black Sun Valley!"

Song Zining looked calm and said: "This document was written by Liu Chengyun and has been rejected."

Chen Tongqi's face gradually turned gloomy, and he said coldly: "Old Liu is getting tired of living. Originally, thanks to the Lord's blessing, he could still survive for a few years, but now I don't mind sending him on his way!"

"Why bother?"

"This scoundrel just wants to slander me, but he also wants to slander you! Allowing him to live one more day would be unfair to you."

Song Zining said slowly: "Mr. Wenyuan, although you are so determined, you should also pay attention to strategy in your actions. If you were not impulsive, you would not have been convicted like this. As far as I know, you were not involved in the core plot of the Changsheng King back then.

."

Wen Yuan Gong's face changed again and again, and finally he sighed and said: "I have had a bad temper these years. King Changsheng showed me the kindness of knowing me, how could I let him down? No matter how I tried to coerce him at that time,

, I just refused to say a word, and it ended up like this."

Song Zining took back the document and said: "There is another driving force behind this incident. Liu Chengyun just got it right and was pushed to the front as a gunman. But in your previous case, the current crime can only be reduced. If you want

It is difficult to completely escape sin.”

Wen Yuan said fairly: "Song Shuai must have a secret case. Can you give me some advice?"

Song Zining said slowly: "My suggestion is to fully admit the crime."

Wen Yuangong was shocked and said: "What...what should I do with my family?" The crime of rebellion is not easy to admit.

"Your family is actually not very large, with only a hundred or so of the core direct clan members. Although the crime remains unchanged, the military exploits in the New World are enough to modify the punishment. There is no need for hard labor and exile in the army. It will be changed to exile and distribution, and you will continue to be in the army.

Take advantage of your sins and make meritorious deeds."

"Exiled? Exiled to where?"

"Neutral ground."

Duke Wen Yuan understood something. He pondered for a moment and said, "In this case, it all depends on Commander Song to take care of him."

He also thought clearly that the neutral ground is actually Song Zining's territory. Although his family will not suffer much when they get there, it is like being in Song Zining's hands. Song Zining must have something in hand to do this.

Don't worry and let him do something.

Sure enough, Song Zining said: "You are very familiar with the Black Sun Valley. I will transfer you to take up the post later. Then, I will have other arrangements for you. You will know when the time comes."

"You should obey your orders." Duke Wen Yuan bowed his hands and saluted, then left.

Song Zining took out a piece of paper with several names written on it, including Wen Yuan Gong and Chen Tongqi. Now almost everyone on the list has been marked, except for the last two.

He looked at it, crossed out Ji Tianqing's name, and said to himself: "Let the old prince talk about this matter. Whatever he wants to tell you, that's it."

He lit the list on fire and burned it to ashes, then put on his clothes and went to bed. As soon as he lay down, Song Zining opened his eyes, and there was already a water-blue sword edge on his neck.

Song Zining was not panicked and said: "I was still thinking about when to go find you, but I didn't expect that you came first."

Li Kuanglan's face was cold, "Originally, I should have cut off your head with one sword, but there are still some things I haven't figured out yet, so I'll spare your life for now. I'll ask you questions later. If there's anything that makes me dissatisfied,

You don’t even want to see the sun tomorrow!”

Song Zining pushed the sword edge farther away, turned over and sat up, and said, "You can ask."

"Qianye...has left?"

Song Zining pondered and said slowly: "No one saw it with their own eyes, but the king of heaven was present in the empire at that time. According to them, Qianye should have left."

"I don't want to listen. I just want to know if he has..."

Song Zining said: "Shouldn't you ask your Majesty more about this matter?"

Li Kuanglan's hand trembled slightly and said: "I don't know if she is really good for me and my children. I don't know at all! I heard that you were back, so I had no choice but to come to you."

Song Zining sighed and said, "I don't know much actually, I don't necessarily know more than you. It's just that as soon as Qianye left, someone wanted to take advantage of his foundation business."

A cold light suddenly appeared in Li Kuanglan's eyes, and he asked: "Who is it?"

"I can't tell you yet, I'll deal with it first, and I will let you know when I need help."

"Okay, I believe you."

She always acted resolutely, and when she saw that she couldn't get anything out of Song Zining, she turned around and left.

Song Zining could no longer sleep at this time. He stood in front of the window, looking at the bright moon in the sky, lost in thought.

A quiet voice suddenly sounded behind him, "You didn't talk nonsense just now, it was pretty good."

Song Zining turned around, smiled bitterly, and said, "My dear, this is the imperial capital. It's a bit uncomfortable for you to run out in the middle of the night."

The person who appeared behind him was Empress Li. She had changed into casual clothes, but she still did not conceal her beauty that was alluring to the country.

She said: "In this imperial capital now, as long as I avoid those two or three old guys, is there anything I can't go to?"

Song Zining said respectfully: "Congratulations to the empress for your great achievement in the art of heavenly magic!"

Empress Li sighed: "So many things have happened. If I don't have any breakthrough in my heavenly skills, I don't have to sit in the back seat. You have planned a lot of things in the past few days, and I have seen them all. But don't

It's too much trouble, otherwise I wouldn't be able to help you."

Song Zining said: "I didn't realize it at all. It seems that I am still far inferior to you in the art of Tianji."

Regarding Song Zining's self-effacement, Empress Li didn't know whether she believed it or not. She just smiled and said: "Three thousand floating leaves, three thousand avenues. What you have cultivated is not inferior to what I, the Li family, have learned. It will not be difficult to surpass me in the future."

But since you have chosen this path, there will be no heirs of the empire’s Dayan Secret Art in this generation.”

Song Zining said: "The Dayan Tianji Jue is actually a divine art. It has been practiced by many practitioners in the history of the empire. It seems that only a peerless genius like Lin Shuai can practice it to the extreme. My qualifications are still one level behind. It is extremely difficult to practice this art."

."

Empress Li sighed: "Your qualifications are not inferior to those of Dazai Lin. But since you don't want to take this path, no one can force you."

"Maybe one day in the future, I will figure it out. It's possible."

"I hope so."

Song Zining said: "Your Majesty came to see you late at night. She thinks she has something important to do. I don't know what to ask her. I can do it and I won't refuse."

Li Hou said: "Of course things happen, and you can't refuse. Our Li family has a child with extraordinary talents. After thinking about it these days, I think it would be better to find a teacher for him. After all, what our Li family has learned is still limited.

Click. Are you willing to take this position?"

Song Zining was startled and said, "Could it be that child?"

Empress Li was very direct, "He is the child of Qianye and Kuanglan."

Song Zining had a solemn look on his face and said: "Both Qianye and Kuanglan, their talent in martial arts is extremely high. This child must be extremely talented in this area, why would he come to me?"
To be continued...