The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 396 Congratulations to the General!
The situation in Yinshan has experienced many twists and turns, and all parties have intervened and refused to give up. Amidst the unpredictable and turbulent situation, the overwhelming trend finally came from south to north like a torrent, and the trajectory of history finally became a mess because it hit the mountain that suddenly rose from the ground.

The Kingdom of Shu is destroyed!

For a hundred years, the long river of the apocalypse, formed by the blood of hundreds of millions of people, surged continuously, irrigating half a century of countless bones with endless blood.

However, this apocalyptic river that was destined to split history into two eras flowed here, but was cut off by a young man holding a bow and sword.

Nanzheng City was broken, the Shu Emperor Wang Jian was captured, Wang Zongbi died in battle, Jianmen Pass surrendered, Mianzhu Pass surrendered, the last emperor Wang Yuanying was captured again, and Chengdu also surrendered!
The Shu Kingdom was destroyed.

He captured two emperors in one battle and destroyed a country alone.

During the chaos in Yinshan, messengers carrying memorials, surrender letters, and other items had already arrived in Fengxiang and were then sent to Chang'an.

Regardless of the Liang Dynasty monarchs and ministers in Chang'an, in the palace of Fengxiang, what was placed in front of the empress at this time was a painting. Several holy maidens were carefully unfolding it, and Fanyintian, Guangmutian, and Duowentian were operating at the same time. The two behind each held down one end steadily, and Fanyintian slowly pulled the scroll open on the table.

The ministers of Qi State below were all watching the actions of the three holy ladies with bated breath.

Because it was not the normal meeting time and the war was not over yet, the news came so quickly and hastily, so the empress only had time to summon some civil and military officials. At this time, she had not even recovered from the trance of surprise and joy.

It was only twenty days ago that Fengxiang learned that Xiao Yan, the King of Song of the Liang Dynasty, had launched a surprise attack on Hanzhong and Nanzheng, winning the most unlikely battle. The empress had already anticipated that Xiao Yan's footsteps might not stop in Hanzhong.

However, at that time, Shu still had hundreds of thousands of troops available, and its national strength was still strong, and its ruling foundation had not completely collapsed. The prince also received the support of the officials in Chengdu to ascend the throne in time, and was able to dispatch troops to gather in Hanzhong.

Such a regime with Sichuan and Shu roots for more than ten years suddenly ceased to exist. It seemed difficult for anyone to imagine how it collapsed.

The empress sat in the main seat and specially sent people to invite Ji Ruxue and Qian Wu to accompany her. Due to the urgency of the matter, Ji Ruxue's face was a little red. I don't know if it was because she suddenly got the news and ran all the way here.

The scroll finally revealed its true face, and the empress took it all in at once, and her slender black eyebrows raised slightly. This was because the portrait on the picture was particularly shocking.

The old man who had already proclaimed himself emperor and given the title of Yingwu Ruisheng Emperor, had his hands tied behind his back, kneeling on the ground with his back bent. His head was drooping, slightly tilted to the side, but this simple action already showed the emperor of the Great Shu in submission and shame. Behind him, there were some figures kneeling and wiping tears.

The tall young man in armor standing in front of the Great Shu Emperor was obviously Xiao Yan. He was in a relaxed and carefree manner, with one hand on the sword and the other hand holding up the seal, as if looking closely at the sunlight. Facing the monarch of a country, his demeanor was that of a superior.

The empress couldn't help but think that if an ordinary general accepted the surrender of a country's ruler, it would be difficult for him to have such a relaxed attitude... Ordinary generals and ministers could not bear the kneeling of an emperor who ruled one part of the world.

There seems to be some metaphysics to these things.

The brushwork was extremely delicate and freehand, and it was probably not made on the spot, but the characters in it were particularly vivid, and it looked as if they had just happened before her eyes, so the empress believed that this was true.

Poems can express one's thoughts and ideas, and articles can also use sentences and long or short passages to make people feel as if they are in the scene, leaving ample room for imagination. However, neither is as intuitive as a picture.

It was only then that the empress finally reacted and realized clearly that the Shu Kingdom, which had always been an enemy of the Qi Kingdom and was even more diligent than the Liang Dynasty and had been bent on annexing Qi for more than a decade, was really doomed.

There was no signature on the painting, but the empress learned from the messenger that the painting was commissioned by a Yebushou pacification envoy named Gongyang Zuo before the messenger set out.

This man deserves a reward.

The empress looked at it carefully for a while, then turned around and looked at Ji Ruxue beside her. At this moment, Ji Ruxue was also staring at the scroll, carefully observing it. She was staring at Xiao Yan, who was standing tall with the seal in his hand, in the scroll, and it was unknown what she was thinking.

However, Ji Ruxue must have felt even more confused about the demise of Shu. She was only eighteen years old, and when she was taken to Huanyinfang, she knew that there was a Shu Kingdom south of Fengxiang, which had always been eyeing Qi Kingdom, and there had been countless wars between the two countries.

It can be said that the Kingdom of Shu lasted almost throughout Ji Ruxue's girlhood, and the Kingdom of Shu, which had always been a threat to the Kingdom of Qi, perished in the year when she was eighteen years old.

At this time, Li Jichong, the governor of Qinzhou Tianxiong Army, clasped his fists and asked, "Prince Qi, why did you suddenly summon us?"

"Oh……"

The empress spoke as calmly as possible: "A few days ago, Liang Dynasty General Xiao Yan defeated the main force of Shu's last ruler Wang Yuanying in Deyang and captured him at Fenghuang Waterfront in Chengdu. The Shu officials have already surrendered Chengdu. Shu is dead."

After she finished speaking, she nodded slightly to Fanyintian and said, "Show the scroll to the ministers to have a look as well."

Fan Yintian was also a little absent-minded. In fact, she had been looking at Ji Ruxue repeatedly when she unfolded the scroll. At this moment, she almost lost her concentration and didn't hear the instructions. Fortunately, she reacted quickly and bowed hurriedly.

But during this slight delay, the civil and military officials of the Prince Qi's Palace had already started an uproar. It was not until Fanyintian and Guangmutian gently lifted up the unfolded scroll together, and then walked to the center of the spacious hall, showing it to the civil and military officials standing on the left and right one by one, that the officials stopped talking for a while.

During this time, Pei Chongwu, the third commander of Dingbadu's right army, had flushed red in the face. His straight back straightened even more. His nostrils seemed to be dilated because of the breath. His eyes were wide open and he kept looking around, as if he was just about to say what was in his heart: This is the Song King of Dingbadu! The one who will eliminate your biggest threat is the Song King of Hebei!

Liu Zhijun, who had surrendered from Guanzhong earlier, was already stunned, and his third brother Liu Zhiyan, who was standing behind him, felt a chill run down his head in an instant.

Not long ago, because Wang Zongkan besieged Fengxiang, Liu Zhiyan even suggested secretly sending someone to contact Wang Zongkan in order to find a way to retreat. After all, for a surrendered general like them, it was naturally impossible to be buried with Fengxiang.

But who could have expected that the Shu Kingdom, which had the potential to conquer Qinchuan a month ago, would be destroyed like this!
The capture of Wang Jian from Hanzhong was enough to shake up their worldview, and now the Kingdom of Shu is destroyed in an instant! It's like everyone is ready to open the champagne, but you say wait, this is just the appetizer! ?
Who in their right mind would take an entire Sichuan Barrier as an appetizer!

Even someone as steady as Liu Zhijun couldn't help but feel a sense of fear at this moment. If he had really joined Shu before, the grass on his grave would have started to grow wildly.

Li Jicong, the commander of the Tianxiong Army, and other officials of the Qi State were first surprised and then terrified. Before, everyone thought that Xiao Yan was just going to join forces with the Qi State to suppress the Shu State. Even though there was news that Hanzhong had been occupied not long ago, they were not actually too afraid and it was still within an acceptable level.

Because it is well known to all the officials of Qi State that once Xiao Yan really occupied Sichuan and Shu, it would be dangerous for Qi State. If Xiao Yan only conquered Hanzhong, then Qi State would be between Guanzhong and Hanzhong, which would give it more room for mediation. If Xiao Yan did not want Hanzhong to become an enclave, he would continue to improve the relationship with Qi State, and Qi and Liang would have great potential for friendship.

But at that moment, Xiao Yan really destroyed the Kingdom of Shu alone!
Are both Wang Jian and his son such cowards? Don’t they have any sympathy for the feelings of the nearly 100,000 people who are still in Fengxiang, Wang Zongkan?
It has only been more than 20 days since Xiao Yan's surprise attack on Nanzheng, and the time required for intelligence operation has not even been taken into account. It is no wonder that the officials of Qi State were not mentally prepared and even showed panic in court. If Shu State was destroyed, would Xiao Yan allow Qi State to continue to be an eyesore?
Fortunately, after a moment of shock, Li Jicong suddenly came to his senses and asked again, "May I ask, King Qi, why did this painting... come to your hands?"

Ji Ruxue instantly became nervous at this moment. She carefully observed the empress, but the latter was not in a hurry. After Fan Yintian and the others showed the paintings, she spoke: "What do you think of Liang Chao's Xiao Yan?"

Some of the ministers had already seen the signs, and while they were surprised, they also felt it was reasonable. They just looked at each other in bewilderment.

It is normal to think about it. There was no reason for Xiao Yan of the Liang Dynasty to send Ding Badu to help Fengxiang. Now that Shu Kingdom has been destroyed, King Qi is the first to get the news. Can't he see anything?

But if Qi surrenders, what can these ministers get...

After a long while, one of them answered, "Although this gentleman has just ascended to a high position, he has won several battles, whether it is civil war or foreign war, and has never met an opponent. Compared with Zhu Wen in the past, his martial arts are even better! This time he has already destroyed the country, and it is legitimate for him to take over the power of the Liang Dynasty and no longer face any threats. If we only talk about his strategy, I can call him a heroic leader."

Qian Wu, who had been guarding Ji Ruxue, nodded with satisfaction when he heard this, and found this man quite pleasing to the eye.

Li Jicong hesitated for a moment, then said, "But the ruler of Liang is still the Zhu family father and son..."

As soon as he started speaking, the ministers no longer had any reservations. The people of Qi State did not have any ill feelings towards Xiao Yan in the first place. Moreover, if they really had to confront Xiao Yan, they would be worried in their hearts. If they could surrender to him in a decent manner, it would be good for us and everyone... Even the King of Qi himself had slightly revealed this thought, so what else could the ministers have to worry about?

There was a lot of discussion in the hall, and some people even said bluntly: "If we want to surrender to the Liang Dynasty, it is best for the King of Song to ascend the throne. Zhu Wen has been taunting us for many years. How can the King of Qi bow to him?"

"Zhu is licentious and immoral, and is indeed unfit to be emperor. The King of Song has the merit of destroying a country, and it is inevitable that he will go further."

"Oh my, no wonder I saw blood-red clouds in the northeast and across the sky a few nights ago. I didn't quite understand it before, but now I know that King Song is the one who is destined to be calamity. The world has been in chaos for a hundred years, and a great leader descended from the sky to unite the north and the south..."

The ministers expressed their opinions, and those who remained silent were surprisingly in the minority. Generally speaking, they were not too opposed to this obscure choice.

The empress also showed a barely perceptible smile on her face. She first stopped the ministers from talking, and then said in a solemn voice:
"A few years ago, Wang Jian took advantage of the Liang army's invasion of Fengxiang and agreed with me to send troops to aid Qi, but in fact he wanted to occupy Xingyuan Prefecture in Hanzhong. Once Xingyuan Prefecture was lost, Shu became even more powerful. Those who raised troops to steal territory were just so-so, but I could not do anything about them. Now that Shu has been destroyed, it can be regarded as a great event for Qi.

Under the assistance of Xiao Yan, the King of Song, the Liang Dynasty also gained Sichuan and Shu. Externally, it controlled the grasslands in the north and the heroes in the south, and had formed a pincer attack on Hedong. Internally, it promoted virtuous governance, and the chaotic world had a hidden sign of unification. Although this king was reluctantly a local lord, for many years he only wanted to keep the military and civilians in the country from being disturbed by the chaotic world, and had no other ambitions. If you can find a powerful leader, I will voluntarily offer my land to pacify the people and do my part to end the chaos in the world..."

At this time, the empress's words were already a clear statement. Including Li Jicong, all the civil and military officials of Qi State became serious. Even Liu Zhijun could only sigh in his heart, knowing that he could not compete with the general trend.

"Therefore, this king intends to write a letter of surrender to General Tiance of the Liang Dynasty and submit the entire territory of Qi to the Central Plains."

The empress stood up and looked around, saying, "What do you think?"

What else could everyone think? Who couldn't see that the King of Qi had already had a diplomatic deal with Xiao Yan? Even the boss had surrendered, so was there any need for him to jump out and sing a different tune?

The ministers pondered for a moment, then bowed and said, "We respect King Qi's wishes."

The empress smiled and glanced back at Ji Ruxue, but she didn't look closely. Then she turned back again and congratulated sincerely, "Congratulations to the general!"

Now that the conclusion has been made, the ministers are relieved. Judging from the King of Qi's appearance, King Song will not start to eliminate dissidents in Qi after his return. It should be a peaceful continuation. Of course, if he wants to cause unrest or harm innocent people, I am afraid that even King Qi will rebel.

So the ministers responded in celebration.

"Congratulations to the General!"

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After returning to Huanyinfang, the empress was still in high spirits. Although she had given up her own country of Qi, she was very happy. However, she still needed to control her emotions a little in the hall before, so as not to laugh out loud.

She was naturally aware that the reason these things went on smoothly was essentially because Xiao Yan's reputation was too amazing. It seemed that the only way for the ministers of Qi State was to submit to Xiao Yan.

If Xiao Yan did not have the prestige and deterrence to destroy Shu, and was still just a powerful official in the Liang Dynasty, I am afraid that even if the empress herself was willing to write a letter of surrender, there would be a lot of ministers who opposed it.

She turned around to look at Ji Ruxue who had been following behind her silently, and suddenly smiled: "Xue'er, why do you look unhappy? Don't worry, the war is over, and no one can threaten everything now."

Fanyintian is the leader of the Nine Heavens Holy Maidens, but at this time she can only follow behind Ji Ruxue. When she heard the words, she looked up and felt envious again.

Just now, even the ministers of Qi State were saying that Xiao Yan would ascend the throne and become emperor!
That's the emperor! It's not Wang Jian's isolated court that only controls Sichuan and Shu, but a huge dynasty that encompasses the Central Plains, Hebei, and Qinchuan, which is about to submit! For hundreds of years, the Li Tang royal family has found it difficult to actually control these territories.

After all, Ji Ruxue is lucky.

Fan Yintian couldn't help but think, if Xiao Yan became emperor, wouldn't Ji Ruxue be the queen?
She was shocked. Looking at Ji Ruxue's back, she felt that this girl, who had been ordinary before, had unexpectedly acquired a noble temperament that made her far beyond her reach.

However, Ji Ruxue did not respond. Instead, she moved closer to the empress and whispered something.

The empress was still smiling before, but now her face suddenly froze, and then turned red. She quickly glanced at Fanyintian and the others, and pulled Ji Ruxue forward a little further. Her heartbeat quickened, and she said angrily: "Don't talk nonsense..."

Ji Ruxue was very serious: "This is what Xiao Yan meant!"

The empress was startled.

Because of what Ji Ruxue said just now, Xiao Yan hoped to marry the Queen of Huanyinfang, the younger sister of King Qi Li Maozhen, in the name of marriage with King Qi.

(End of this chapter)