Chapter 785
Chapter 785
However, the blade in Princess Hiyoung’s hand did not move as she willed. The blade was undoubtedly sharp, and Princess Hiseon’s neck looked incredibly soft, yet when she slashed, it remained completely unharmed. Princess Hiseon took the young princess’s hand and spoke gently.
“Yingying, do you want to kill me so much?”
Tears streamed down Princess Hiyoung’s face.
“Hiseon, you’re going on a long journey. You’re going to Xuanwu City to kill my brother, aren’t you? Right? You are my brother’s fiancée. It is your honor to marry him. You’ve imprisoned me in this golden palace for my entire life, protecting me with all your might, and I’m supposed to be grateful to you? Lies. All of it, a lie. You’re just trying to study my bloodline. You are all weak, hypocritical people. You’re afraid of my brother. My brother doesn’t even have the strength to wring a chicken’s neck, yet you fear him. My father, His Highness Jiang Li, may be gone, but he lives on forever in the hearts of countless people. He is like the sun. Even after being extinguished, his light still illuminates the entire world.”
“Your Great Yan Empire, along with the transcendent powers, has sealed away civilization, keeping the countless people of the world in ignorance. After my father, His Highness Jiang Li, died so suddenly, darkness fell upon the world. Now, my brother Shen Lang is but a tiny moon, a mere crescent, yet you fear him so. The supreme Yan Emperor, to prove his strength, has pressured the world to fall in line and mobilized half the world’s armies to kill my brother. Do you think that shows your strength? True, you are very strong! But a coward will forever live in your hearts. Where is the Emperor? Where is he?”
Hiseon looked at Princess Hiyoung without saying a word. The young princess was already in her twenties, but her health was so poor that she appeared to be only fifteen or sixteen. At a glance, she seemed like an innocent child who knew nothing, but in truth, she knew everything. Hiseon said gently.
“You poor thing, you must be tired. It’s time to sleep.”
Princess Hiyoung scoffed and shot back.
“Sleep? Why should I sleep so long while I’m alive? I’ll fall into a long sleep naturally when I die. Isn’t it enough that you’ve been forcing me to sleep all this time? Do you think you can kill my brother this time? I was supposed to die soon, but I absolutely will not. I will live to the very end and watch you…”
Hiseon’s hand lightly brushed the back of Princess Hiyoung’s head, and the young princess’s beautiful eyes, as if they could resist no longer, slowly closed. She gradually fell into a deep sleep.
“I find you all laughable. I find your Xi Clan laughable.”
***
Princess Hiseon quietly exited the dustless palace and stood before the resplendent, supreme grand hall.
“Kill him. Kill all his followers and eradicate them, root and stem!”
A supreme voice echoed from the grand hall, and Princess Hiseon replied.
“Yes!”
Stepping outside the hall, she mounted a unicorn, a creature several times faster than an ordinary warhorse.
“I shall deliver the imperial decree! The six great transcendent powers—Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion, Mount Futu, Tongtian Temple, Xuankong Temple, Zhutian Pavilion, and White Jade Capital—are to mobilize their strongest martial legions to execute the son of Jiang Li and annihilate his remnants.”
*Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.*
Countless supreme masters and grandmasters from the world’s transcendent powers descended upon the mortal realm like falling rain, converging on Xuanwu City. They moved to execute the son of Jiang Li and completely eliminate the world’s hope.
But would the Emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty truly mobilize half the world’s armies just to deal with the insignificant Shen Lang, who lacked even the strength to wring a chicken’s neck? Of course not. His Majesty the Emperor had completed his divine ordeal and was preparing to take steps to unify the world. However, several nations were not listening to him—for example, Ning Yuanxian or the young King of Chu. At times like these, a pretext was needed, an enemy had to be established. Using such a pretext, he could sweep away all the feudal lords who defied his will. This was the same tactic Xiang Yu used when he eliminated the feudal lords of the world under the pretext of destroying the Qin Dynasty. As the son of Jiang Li, Shen Lang was the perfect excuse.
So, did His Majesty the Emperor consider Shen Lang important? Yes and no. He did not particularly value Shen Lang as an individual. Though Shen Lang was incredibly clever, his wisdom bordering on the demonic, it was nothing in the face of absolute power. Nevertheless, the Emperor placed great importance on Shen Lang’s identity. He was the son of Jiang Li. The Emperor sought to be the sun of the world, but in the hearts of countless people, Jiang Li was still their sun. If he had no heir, that would be the end of it, but his heir was alive and exceptionally outstanding. Many would pledge their loyalty to him like moths to a flame. Like a single lamp appearing in a long night, that lamp would become the only beacon in the darkness.
Previously, Shen Lang’s reputation had been anything but good. The nobles and lords of the world, and even many common people, disliked him.
‘You’re just a farmer’s son, a worthless live-in son-in-law. What gives you the right to be so arrogant? What gives you the right to act so conspicuously?’
But once his identity was revealed, everything would change. All of Shen Lang’s flaws would turn into strengths. His frivolity would become an untethered spirit, his viciousness a decisive ruthlessness. In any case, everything about him would be framed in a positive light, and even those he had abused would feel honored by it. He would become the one and only leader. Therefore, His Majesty the Emperor had to launch a massive campaign to utterly crush this budding threat.
***
Ignoring all borders and frontiers, an army of astronomical size completely surrounded the entire State of Yue, from south to north.
“The blazing sun is at its zenith, and it shall scorch the world! Advance, advance!”
The moment the order was given, an army comprising half the world’s forces surged from the borders of Chu and Wu into the State of Yue like a relentless, overwhelming tide, submerging everything in its path. A few days later, a legion of astounding numbers surrounded the capital of Yue. The commander of this legion was the crown prince of the new Gan Kingdom. He was the son of Ying Guang, the greatest betrayer and a disciple of Jiang Li—Ying Wuming.
The capital of Yue was completely undefended. The four main gates of the city were wide open, and the imperial coalition army marched majestically into Tianyue City, surrounding the royal palace of Yue. The crown prince of the new Gan Kingdom, Ying Wuming, strode unimpeded to the front of the palace, where King Ning Yuanxian, his hair and beard now completely white, sat quietly on his throne.
Half of the court ministers were absent. No, that was the wrong way to put it. It should be said that, unexpectedly, half of Yue's ministers had come. Even in the face of the empire's astronomical army, half of Yue's officials had attended the morning court. In the past, the king and ministers of Yue had been at odds, but it seemed they now faced a new situation. They had always expressed their stance through practical actions, and at least for this moment, they stood with their king.
‘Your Majesty, from now on, do not say there are no loyal ministers in Yue, nor that your officials are like parasites.’
Ying Wuming, dressed in military attire, stood before the King of Yue and bowed.
“This nephew pays his respects to the King of Yue.”
“What is it?”
Ning Yuanxian asked, and Ying Wuming replied loudly.
“His Majesty the Emperor has issued a decree.”
Ning Yuanxian staggered to his feet, and the ministers knelt. Ying Wuming then proclaimed loudly.
“By the will of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Shen Lang, the son of Jiang Li, is a public enemy of the Great Yan Dynasty. All feudal lords of the world are obligated to subjugate him. By imperial order!”
Ying Wuming had already carried this decree to several states, and every ruler had complied. The new King of Chu had resisted rather strongly, but he too had yielded the next day. Not only did he allow the imperial legions to pass through his territory, but he also dispatched a hundred thousand soldiers to join the imperial coalition. Now, Ying Wuming’s intention was very clear.
‘King Ning Yuanxian of Yue, it is your turn. Twenty-some years ago, you were a follower of Jiang Li. But after his sudden death, you knelt and compromised, begging the Zhu Clan to pull strings in Yanjing just to preserve your throne. Since you’ve knelt once, kneeling a second time shouldn’t be too difficult, right? You see, once a man starts kneeling, it becomes a habit.’
Ning Yuanxian remained bowed, his mind recalling the contents of Shen Lang’s letter. The part that said a man’s knees are like gold, but gold is soft, so it’s only natural to kneel.
“Hahaha…”
Ning Yuanxian couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Ying Wuming asked.
“King of Yue, is something amusing?”
“No. I just remembered something someone once told me.”
Ying Wuming smiled.
“Please, share it with us.”
“Crown Prince Ying, have you heard the saying, ‘A man’s knees hold gold’?”
“I’ve heard it countless times.”
“But he said that gold is soft, so it’s normal for a man to kneel often. Do you know who said that?”
“Who? Who would say something so absurd and amusing?”
“Shen Lang.”
Ying Wuming’s gaze turned cold.
“So it was him.”
“Crown Prince Ying, how can you say that scoundrel, that good-for-nothing, is the son of His Highness Jiang Li? I have known him for a long time, and he is no such man! His Highness Jiang Li was so wise and brave. How could he have possibly sired such a hooligan?”
‘Ugh!’
Ying Wuming was at a loss for words.
“Your Majesty, King of Yue, watch your words. Jiang Li was a traitor. A traitor who rebelled against the empire.”
“Shen Lang taught me a new term: ‘genetic mutation.’ But in this case, even for a genetic mutation, Shen Lang’s genes must have mutated far too much, don’t you think? The heavens must have been blind to make that good-for-nothing the sole heir of His Highness Jiang Li.”
The ministers remained silent, unsure of what King Ning Yuanxian would say next.
“Twenty-some years ago? I was a follower of His Highness Jiang Li, and before his son was even born, I betrothed my daughter, Ning Han, to him. When he was about to raise his army and wage war against the Great Yan Empire, I even asked him with great excitement, ‘Your Highness Jiang Li, should our State of Yue also dispatch troops?’ His Highness Jiang Li, full of vigor, told me there was no need.”
At that time, His Highness Jiang Li was like a tiger ready to devour everything, and he certainly didn't need the support of Yue's army. Jiang Li's attitude was, ‘I alone will take on the entire world.’ Ying Wuming said nothing more. Whether due to his illness, Ning Yuanxian’s whole body trembled, and he couldn’t even control his lips properly, drooling slightly at the corner of his mouth. He took out a silk handkerchief to wipe it away.
“After His Highness Jiang Li’s sudden death, I trembled in fear day and night, thinking my throne was finished, that the State of Yue was finished. So I went to see Zhu Hongzhu. At that time, I knelt before him and said, ‘Master, please save me!’”
Hearing Ning Yuanxian’s words, everyone present was in disbelief.
‘Back then, the King of Yue was the ruler and Zhu Hongzhu was a subject. The king knelt to Zhu Hongzhu? We’ve never heard such a thing in our lives.’