The Demon Lords

Chapter 466 60 East!!!_2

"Certainly. His Majesty was planning to rebuild the Grand Temple, which is already half-completed, but the funds have dried up. This has greatly distressed His Majesty."

Every year, the Three Great Clans symbolically submit some silver from their fiefdoms to Emperor Jin, but the amount is pathetically small. Taxes collected from the lands of the capital city are also insufficient. The extensive royal family, along with many nobles from long-standing families, all rely on the national treasury for their stipends, but the treasury can barely collect taxes from the regions.

Therefore, many years ago, the royal family of Jin State was compelled to engage in trade and organize caravans. The Three Great Clans turned a blind eye to this. After all, as long as the Jin royal family existed, it needed to maintain its dignity. Otherwise, they, the Three Great Clans, would be the ones to lose face and become a laughingstock to the surrounding nations.

"Sir."

At that moment, a young man with a dark complexion approached, a bag in his hand, which he offered to the commander.

The commander frowned slightly at first, but a smile spread across his face when he opened the bag and saw the jewelry and jade artifacts inside.

It seems the royal family is truly in dire straits, having to pawn these old heirlooms to survive. Though not many, items from the palace are each priceless.

He was a household general of the Wenren Family, assigned to guard the South Gate Pass. Currently, the Wenren and Helian Families had joined forces and were battling the Yan people in the west. The Yan people were truly formidable fighters, but he estimated they wouldn't last much longer. With the full might of two great families mobilized, their combined forces numbered almost six hundred thousand.

Moreover, if the Yan people's iron cavalry was considered the best in the world, then the Jin people's cavalry ranked second. Although Jin State was mountainous, it also had vast plains, so there was no shortage of land for raising horses. Furthermore, the wild people in the Skybreak Mountain range and the frigid lands even further north, despite the harsh living conditions, had numerous settlements. Jin State regularly launched expeditions against them to replenish their warhorse stock and even captured some wild people to form cavalry units composed of them.

Of course, the wild people of Jin State were no match for the Barbarians from the deserts west of Yan State.

"General, we will reward you generously when we return. We're just a bit tight on funds right now, money is slow to come by," the Vice Minister of Revenue said cautiously, with an obsequious smile.

The commander nodded, not intending to make things too difficult for them. He waved his hand at the soldiers below the wall, signaling them to let the caravan pass.

The city gate opened, and the caravan began to move.

The commander pointed at the dark-complexioned young man beside the Vice Minister and said with a laugh, "My, you're quite dark-skinned. Have you been this dark since childhood?"

The dark-complexioned youth nodded, a shy smile on his face.

"TSK, TSK..." The commander clicked his tongue with a hint of regret.

If he weren't so dark, he'd actually be quite handsome. I might have even considered taking him in.

The preference for male companionship was quite popular in Jin State.

Every state had its own particular tastes: the Qian people enjoyed taking drugs, while the Jin people were fond of handsome men. Only the Yan people seemed to be the most barbaric, apparently having no interests other than warfare.

"Reporting to the General, I've been this dark since childhood."

"Well, being dark isn't bad either." The commander, unable to resist, reached out and lifted the dark-complexioned youth's chin, saying, "I heard our Emperor is also quite dark. Years ago, I accompanied my Family Head to the capital city for the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration. The Empress Dowager looked quite young, like a pretty widow.

TSK, TSK. But as for our Emperor, from the few glimpses I caught of him from afar, he just looked like a piece of charcoal. HA HA HA HA!"

The dark-complexioned youth laughed along with him.

When the dark-complexioned youth smiled, his features seemed to open up, and for a moment, it made the commander lick his somewhat dry lips.

He asked, "What's your surname?"

"Reporting to the General, my surname is Yu."

"Yu?"

Yu was the imperial surname of Jin State.

However, this surname only made the commander feel even hotter. Nowadays, even Emperor Jin himself was struggling, let alone other members of the imperial family. They really weren't worth much anymore. It had long been common for women of the Yu Clan to marry into merchant families. Anyone with a bit of wealth and family standing dreamed of marrying a Yu Clan woman, thinking they could somehow absorb some of the imperial aura.

"Surname Yu, eh? What's your given name?"

"Yu Ciming."

"Yu Ciming?" The commander blinked and murmured to himself, "Why does that sound so familiar?"

At this point, the Vice Minister of Revenue, who had been maintaining a subservient posture nearby, interjected, "General, our Emperor also shares that name."

"Oh, right. To think he shares a name with our Emp—"

The commander's expression suddenly changed.

And just then, the dark-complexioned youth, whose chin was still being held, raised his hand. In it, he held a concealed crossbow. Simultaneously, he pulled the trigger.

This type of concealed crossbow was small, ideal for hiding but unsuitable for battlefield use. It was more commonly used by people of the street. However, at such close range, even though the commander was an Eighth Rank Martial Cultivator, he was struck directly in the face by the crossbow bolt.

The poison coating the bolt took effect instantly. The commander collapsed, his body rapidly succumbing to paralysis.

The dark-complexioned youth drew a dagger, crouched down, and plunged it directly into the commander's throat.

Pretty widow? Pretty widow!!!

Simultaneously, men from the caravan pulled weapons from the cargo crates and began attacking the soldiers guarding the city. The South Gate defenders were caught completely off guard.

Meanwhile, from the north, a troop of cavalry was already charging over. Taking advantage of the path cleared by those before them, they stormed directly into the pass.

These were the personal guard of the Jin imperial family. Though few in number, they were fiercely loyal to Emperor Jin and were the only military force within Jin State that he could directly command at present.