The Demon Lords

Chapter 467 60 East!!!_3

The sounds of combat quickly subsided. Faced with this sudden, backstabbing attack, the guards at the South Gate had no chance to defend themselves. Most were killed, and the remainder quickly threw down their weapons and surrendered.

At that moment, the dark-skinned youth turned to the Minister of Revenue beside him and said, "Hsu, my dear subject, help me change my clothes."

The Minister of Revenue took half a step back. "Your servant obeys."

Shortly after, the dark-skinned youth, who had been dressed in coarse cloth, donned a dragon robe. The loyal soldiers around him all knelt down, proclaiming, "Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long, long live the Emperor!"

Yu Ciming took a deep breath, guilt appearing on his face. He said, "I... am not a good emperor."

Yu Ciming looked around and slowly said, "I am grateful that you are still with me and willing to aid me. I know my own limitations; I am no visionary ruler. However, I will try my best to ensure we can all live well together and protect your families. If possible, I also hope to provide better prospects for you."

Next to him, the Minister of Revenue was in tears after hearing these words.

At this moment, a dark, ominous shadow appeared to the southwest of the South Gate. From atop the city wall, it cast an imposing and terrifying presence.

Yu Ciming spoke to Hsu Qianhe beside him, "Hsu, my dear subject, do you think I have made a mistake?"

"Your Majesty, I... I am loyal only to you."

Yu Ciming nodded, a cold smile gracing his lips as he said, "I, as the Emperor of Jin State and a descendant of the Yu Clan, should not have committed such treason. But I am fully aware, I understand that long ago, the Situ Family planned to divide Jin among the three families. They only gave up due to opposition from the Helian Family and the Wenren Family.

The Situ Family controls eastern Jin, while the Helian Family and the Wenren Family are scattered in the west. Clearly, splitting the country would disadvantage these two families, hence their efforts to maintain the status quo.

But if this campaign against Yan State is successful, and the Helian and Wenren families gain parts of Yan State's territory, the division of Jin will be inevitable.

I would naturally be deposed as Emperor.

If things are handled with proper decorum, I would be made to abdicate in favor of the three families, offering tributes to Heaven and Earth and informing our ancestors that the world should belong to the virtuous.

Subsequently, my lineage and I would be confined, ostensibly well provided for. But we would soon meet uncertain deaths. My descendants would be fated to die in the same mysterious manner, ending our line within three generations.

If they choose to disregard decorum, they might just unleash a band of raiders, disguised as 'wild people,' to massacre the imperial palace. Whether the world believes it or not is irrelevant; they only seek a veneer of legitimacy in the annals of history."

"Your Majesty." Hsu Qianhe began to sob again.

"Hsu, my dear subject, the Yan people are within sight. Do you think their leader, Ji Runhao, will keep his promise? I do not aspire, nor do I expect, to rule over Great Jin. I only seek a fiefdom to protect you, to protect them, and to preserve the place of our ancestral sacrifices."

Hsu Qianhe took a deep breath and responded, "Your Majesty, eight hundred years ago, during the Xia Dynasty, the Ji Family's ancestors were enfeoffed in the harsh, cold lands of the northwest. They were tasked by the Xia emperor with guarding the eastern frontier against the barbarians.

Today, the Xia Dynasty has been gone for six hundred years, but the Ji Family has never allowed the barbarians to cross the Yan State border by even a single step. Even a hundred years ago, during the Qian people's northern campaign, the Ji Family only dispatched thirty thousand cavalry as reinforcements; their main army remained in the desert, locked in a decisive battle with the barbarians.

Among all the ruling houses of the various states today, none can surpass the Ji Family in honoring their commitments!"

"Indeed, Hsu, my dear subject, I understand what you're saying. For me to throw open the gates of my ancestral domain to outsiders like this... this emperor, myself, truly feels absurd."

"Your Majesty, in our Great Jin, for too many years now, the sovereign has not acted as a sovereign should, nor have the ministers acted as ministers should."

"Yes, yes! How could several generations of emperors from my Yu Clan still possess even a shred of an emperor's dignity!"

Having said this, Emperor Jin seemed to compose himself, for the Yan army had already arrived before the city walls.

"Hsu, my dear subject, how utterly useless must those Qian people be? The Yan army has already detoured through their Qian State to arrive here. The Qian clearly have a million soldiers stationed along the three border regions, yet there's still no sign of movement from them?

I previously thought that if the Yan people couldn't make it, I wouldn't have to endure the torment of choosing. But now, I suddenly feel that destiny—this accursed destiny—truly seems to favor the Yan people."

Hsu Qianhe knew that Emperor Jin was searching for a justifiable pretext for his decision. The notion that the Yan people were favored by destiny, and that he was merely complying with the will of Heaven, was the most perfect excuse.

"Your Majesty, let us... follow the path carved by destiny."

Emperor Jin sighed, waved his hand, and said, "Enough, enough. So be it. Transmit the order: open the city gates! I will personally go out of the city to welcome the Yan people."

"Wujing, will you kneel later?"

The Earl of North Border, mounted on his Pixiu and observing the South Gate ahead, couldn't help but ask Tian Wujing.

"His Majesty promised Emperor Jin to preserve his fiefdom and imperial title. He is an emperor now, and he will be an emperor in the future."

"Sigh, it just doesn't feel right, it doesn't feel right at all."

"Although, once the South Gate opens, the rear of Jin State's six hundred thousand troops currently attacking our Great Yan from the west will be completely exposed to us. This battle, it can be said, is already decided.

However, if he cooperates willingly, it will greatly reduce the trouble of governing and annexing these Jin lands later. Our men will also suffer fewer casualties."

"Now that's what I like to hear! If it means our boys suffer fewer losses, I'd even be willing to lick his boots."

Tian Wujing shook his head, choosing not to respond.

Lord Jingnan was meticulous and stern by nature, while the Earl of North Border was free-spirited and bold. It could be said their personalities were polar opposites.

The gates of the South Gate opened, and a group of people emerged. The one leading them, dressed in a dragon robe, was particularly conspicuous.

As the main army drew near, both the Earl of North Border and Lord Jingnan dismounted and walked forward. Behind them were the main forces of the North Border Army and the Jingnan Army.

However, just as the two Lords were preparing to kneel and pay their respects to Emperor Jin, Emperor Yu Ciming suddenly took the initiative, prostrating himself before them.

He declared with utmost sincerity, "Yu Ciming, ruler of a lesser state, pays his respects to the two Lords!"