novelraw Chapter 94 : The King of Huanghai Surrenders
Chapter 94 : The King of Huanghai Surrenders
Chapter 94: The King of Huanghai Surrenders
The Pacifying Rebels Army had won this battle with remarkable ease—less than a hundred Gryphon Riders had fallen.
Yue Fei’s thunderous display of breaking through the city alone and beheading the rebel chieftain instantly shattered the will of the Qiemo rebel army. Most of the soldiers chose to surrender.
The deeds Yue Fei accomplished in the Qiemo Royal City spread like wings upon the wind, sweeping across all counties west of the prefecture with astonishing speed.
It was said that the Great Zhou’s fierce general had entered the city alone and taken the heads of both the rebel king and the main general as if reaching into a pouch for trinkets.
The remaining rebel leaders in Jinpu and Shule were all struck with dread.
Among their subordinates, hearts grew restless; whispers spread in secret—
「Have you heard? That Yue Fei stormed the Qiemo Royal Palace, killed the rebel king and Huyan Zhuo, but didn’t go on a killing spree. The surrendered soldiers all lived.」
「Really? Then… then if we surrender directly—」
「Shh! Speak carefully, but————perhaps we could live after all?」
Between fear and desperate hope, a seed of surrender quietly sprouted among the rebel troops.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
The Black-Armored Army, Queshe Army, and Guan Ning Iron Cavalry had all entrenched themselves like iron at their designated positions, awaiting the royal command.
Jiang Zhaoming personally led the main forces of the Pacifying Rebels Army to the Qiemo Royal City.
The grand gates of the city slowly opened.
Outside the gates, the surrendered Qiemo soldiers lined both sides of the road, gazing upon the conquering army with complex expressions.
Jiang Zhaoming sat upright atop a majestic Ink-Lin Horse, clad in a dark royal robe, his expression calm and unreadable.
Under the countless gazes of Qiemo’s citizens—curious, fearful, and awed—he rode into the city.
The city before him bore the rich flavor of the Western Regions.
The streets were rammed with yellow clay, flanked by dome-roofed or flat-topped earthen houses,
mostly built with sun-dried mud bricks, their windows carved with intricate geometric patterns.
In the marketplace, turbaned merchants shouted the prices of colorful carpets, pottery, and spices.
Women in long, vividly embroidered dresses, their faces half veiled, hurried past.
The air was thick with the scent of roasted mutton and dry dust.
In the distance, the palace’s iconic great dome reflected a halo of ochre light beneath the sun.
As soon as Jiang Zhaoming stepped into the temporarily requisitioned palace hall, before he could even take a seat,
a messenger from the Pacifying Rebels Army hurried inside, kneeling on one knee.
「Reporting to Your Majesty—outside the city stands a man claiming to be the County Governor of Huanghai, requesting an audience with the King of Anxi!」
「The County Governor of Huanghai?」
Jiang Zhaoming’s sword-like brows drew together slightly as he glanced toward Yue Fei and Qin Wei beside him.
A hint of surprise and vigilance flashed in both their eyes.
Qin Wei said in a low voice, 「Your Majesty, the Governor of Huanghai was slain by the rebels decades ago, his remains never recovered. This man’s identity… is highly suspicious.」
Jiang Zhaoming pondered briefly, then said coldly, 「Let him in.」
Moments later, a figure appeared at the bottom of the palace steps.
The man’s attire was luxurious but covered in dust. He did not walk straight in, but fell to his knees, pressing his forehead to the steps.
One kowtow after another, he crawled forward with extreme humility toward the hall.
By the time he reached the interior, his forehead was bruised and bleeding, his knees torn, his beard caked with dirt.
His face was filled with obsequiousness and terror, yet within his eyes flickered a glint of slyness.
「This guilty official—no, this guilty commoner Tulam—pays respects to the Prince of Anxi! Your Highness’s heavenly might sweeps away rebellion—this sinner is moved to tears and comes to surrender! I offer up Huanghai County and pledge eternal loyalty to Your Highness! I shall brave fire and water, never to falter!」
He lay flat upon the ground, voice trembling, choked with tears, his forehead pressed tight against the cold floor.
The hall was silent.
From his high seat, Jiang Zhaoming gazed down at the groveling man beneath him with cold, unfeeling eyes.
Yue Fei and Qin Wei both rested their hands on their weapons, their auras locking onto the man.
According to the intelligence Jiang Zhaoming possessed, this man calling himself Tulam was none other than the rebel king entrenched in Huanghai County—the King of Huanghai.
This man was known for cruelty and treachery, deceitful and vile beyond words.
In Huanghai County, no woman of beauty dared to walk the streets by day, lest she fall into his clutches.
He bore deep hatred toward the remnants of Great Zhou, having ordered multiple purges and massacres of Great Zhou citizens,
his cruelty unspeakable and shocking.
There were cases of flayed corpses displayed in public, infants skewered on spear tips for sport, and countless women abducted to serve as camp concubines until death.
His sins were innumerable—beyond description—and far more heinous than the other three rebel kings combined.
Jiang Zhaoming’s killing intent had long since reached its peak.
The King of Huanghai kowtowed repeatedly, tears and snot streaming, crying out his so-called 「repentance」 and 「loyalty」,
while furtively observing Jiang Zhaoming’s expression from the corner of his eye.
When he said, 「This guilty one knows the full secrets of the Kingdom of Yutian and is willing to serve as Your Highness’s vanguard, offering complete military intelligence—」
he caught the faintest ripple in Jiang Zhaoming’s gaze.
The King of Huanghai’s heart leapt with joy.
He believed his ploy was working—this intelligence was precisely what Jiang Zhaoming desired.
And with his own cultivation at the Myriad Phenomena Realm, how could Jiang Zhaoming, in need of capable hands, not take him in?
If he could survive today, he might yet find a path to rise again.
Growing bolder, he spoke with greater fervor: 「Your Highness! The Kingdom of Yutian may seem strong, but within its royal clan——」
Before the words left his lips, a dragon-eye-sized pellet rolled precisely to the floor before him, flicked by Jiang Zhaoming’s finger.
The pellet was pitch black, yet faint purple light flowed across its surface,
covered with fine, writhing patterns like living things, emanating a chilling, unsettling aura.
「Swallow it, and this king shall spare your life.」
Jiang Zhaoming’s tone was calm and even, yet carried a frigid authority that brooked no refusal.
The King of Huanghai stared at the sinister pellet before him, his heart pounding wildly, an overwhelming dread seizing his body.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
From behind him, the murderous intent emanating from Yue Fei intensified like tangible frost.
It felt as if, in the very next moment, that bloodstained spear would pierce straight through his back.
Survival instinct crushed all hesitation.
A flash of ruthless desperation crossed his eyes. He snatched up the black pellet, shoved it into his mouth without looking, and swallowed hard.
The instant the pellet entered his stomach, an indescribable, soul-searing pain erupted from within.
「Ngh—ahhh!」
The King of Huanghai let out an inhuman scream, curling up like a prawn dropped into boiling oil.
He clawed madly at his abdomen, his nails tearing into his flesh, leaving bloody streaks.
He rolled and convulsed upon the ground, eyes bulging, veins bursting red, froth and blood spilling from his mouth.
He could feel something cold and slimy writhing inside him, gnawing and devouring—not only his flesh, but his very consciousness and soul.
Boundless malice and despair engulfed him.
His mind sank rapidly into the depths of agony and curse-born delirium.
The convulsions gradually ceased. His body went still.
The King of Huanghai lay flat on his back, eyes wide open, pupils unfocused—breath gone, as though dead.
Within the hall, not a sound was heard.
Only the lingering chill from that sinister pellet still hung faintly in the air.