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

Chapter 494 Only Love Lasts Forever
As the saying goes, "Of the three parts of the autumn moonlit night, two parts are in Yangzhou, a city known for its scoundrels." But now, as autumn deepens, this famous city on the left bank of the Huai River, which was once hailed as the capital of the "Great Tang," seems to be shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere, truly chilly.

News from the north first seeped in like a trickle, then quickly turned into a surging tide that swept across the Yangtze River and permeated every corner of Yangzhou.

It started with rumors brought by merchants, gossip from boatmen on the river, and fragmented stories from those with shifty eyes and hurried steps from the north.

Afterwards, messengers sped back and forth on the post road, solemnly and anxiously delivering notices and documents from the north to various prefectures and counties of the Southern Tang Dynasty.

Firstly, Emperor Zhu Youzhen of Liang issued an abdication edict, in which he listed all of Emperor Liang's faults and openly declared that "the Mandate of Heaven belongs to Qin," thus ceding the throne to Prince Xiao Yan of Qin.

The copy of the imperial edict was eagerly circulated, its words humble and earnest to the point of near-subservience, elevating Xiao Yan's achievements and virtues to the heavens while condemning Zhu Liang's own immorality and depravity. Thus, this was no longer a simple matter of restoring order and the Tang dynasty, but a fully ceremonial and officially announced handover to the world.

Now that the process is complete, the man named Xiao Yan or Li Zuo will rightfully ascend to the throne.

Moreover, once this process was fully completed, both the so-called Mandate of Heaven and the legitimacy of the Tang Dynasty were undisputed and legitimate. This further demonstrated that Xiao Yan was not settling scores with the old dynasty, but rather following the Mandate of Heaven. It also conveyed to the world a renewed message of not coveting power and valuing etiquette and law, thus abruptly ending the potential for powerful ministers to revert to their former positions and warlords to revert to their former positions.

Secondly, there was the grand occasion of delegations from the northern deserts, the Bohai Sea, and even more distant peninsulas gathering in Bianliang to jointly honor Xiao Yan as "Heavenly Khan".

The phrase "barbarians from all directions come to pay tribute, and all nations submit" paints a picture of a prosperous and awe-inspiring world in the minds of everyone through written descriptions and oral traditions. It emphasizes the undisputed military strength and unparalleled prestige of the Central Plains court, which is truly captivating.

Following these messages, there was also an imperial edict issued by Xiao Yan in his capacity as the Prince of Qin, the soon-to-be new emperor, to Jiangnan.

This edict reiterated the ideas in the previous "Letter to All Subjects and People," but this time it clearly drew a line.

The imperial edict stated that the grace period granted to the civil and military officials of Jiangnan to weigh their options for staying or leaving, since the issuance of the "Proclamation to All Subjects," had expired. From this day forward, those who surrendered would be spared, but all political and economic privileges, including official positions, titles, and land, would be revoked, and they would all be classified as commoners.

However, in addition to this, the edict also specifically pointed out that anyone who treats the people within the territory well during this period, does not obstruct people's livelihood, or even assists people to go north to the north will be considered "meritorious" and may receive some preferential treatment in the future; anyone who oppresses the people, imposes heavy taxes, or resists unification will be considered "accumulated evil".

Finally, the edict warned the entire Southern Tang court that if they remained obstinate and disobeyed the edict, the ringleaders would be severely punished and all evil deeds would be eradicated when the royal army marched south.

If the first two pieces of news had already alarmed the Southern Tang, the arrival of this imperial edict silenced the entire Jiangnan region, like a cold wind instantly dispelling the last remaining hope in the hearts of most people in Yangzhou.

The most direct result was that some officials and military officers who had been waiting for a better price to sell their wares felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over them after hearing the contents of the edict.

To save your life, you must surrender everything accumulated over generations or your fathers through decades of fighting, becoming a commoner? To resist, all the tribes of the grasslands and the vassal states of the east will submit, and everything north of the Yangtze River will belong to Xiao. The might of the so-called Heavenly Khan is not a joke to you.

But the price is so heavy that it's hard to breathe.

Although both the North and South have deployed more than 100,000 troops along the Yangtze River, the Central Plains are currently in the period around the time of the new emperor's ascension to the throne and are gradually entering the autumn harvest season, so the war is relatively peaceful at present.

Soon after, the Southern Tang Dynasty held a grand court assembly, and the atmosphere in the imperial court in Yangzhou City became so oppressive that it fell into a deathly silence.

On the throne, Li Xingyun, dressed in imperial robes, had a serious expression as he flipped through the memorials submitted by the officials, but occasionally a silent sneer would twitch at the corner of his mouth.

As for the ministers below him, they were clearly divided into several distinct factions, each clashing with the other.

"Outrageous! This is clearly an attempt to wipe out our lineage!" Zhang Hao, dressed in a crimson official robe and tall and strong, was the first to lose his temper and shouted angrily, "Hand over your land, troops, and wealth, and you'll be no different from a commoner! My family started in Caizhou, fought across the north and south, experienced countless battles, and served the late King of Wu until now. We've built up our wealth over decades, how can we lose it all in one day!"

“What Lord Zhang says is absolutely right!” A tall, fair-skinned man in his thirties responded readily; he was none other than Wang Yanhan, the eldest son of King Wang Shenzhi of Min.

After stepping forward, he raised his voice and said, "Have you all forgotten how Xiao Yan acted in Hebei? Thousands of heads rolled, and blood stained the streets for miles! He showed no mercy to the meritorious officials of the Yuan Dynasty, let alone us. Now, no matter how nicely he talks about protecting our lives, it's probably just a delaying tactic. Once we lay down our weapons, we'll be fish on a chopping board, at his mercy!"

"So be it, but his standards for 'merit and evil' are even more infuriating..."

A young, sinister voice rang out. It was Qian Yuanqiu, the ninth son of King Qian Liu of Wuyue. He sneered, "Treat the people well? Don't levy exorbitant taxes? I ask you all here, who doesn't own hundreds or thousands of acres of land, whose treasury isn't overflowing? By his standards, wouldn't we all be considered 'wicked'? After surrendering, I'm afraid our lives will be in danger..."

After he finished speaking, Qian Yuanguan, the eldest son of Qian Liu, frowned for a moment, but Qian Yuanxiang, the twelfth son of Qian Liu, immediately chimed in.

In fact, no matter what, the entire court was founded by their fathers or those who followed their fathers in establishing their power. Whether they rose to power through bravery or established their regime from the bottom through military coups and conquests, they were all genuine military elites. It was acceptable for them to establish their own independent territory and acknowledge the legitimacy of the Central Plains, but it was certainly not acceptable for them to give up everything and become commoners.

Of course, it wasn't just these power-hungry and arrogant individuals who spoke up. Southern Tang officials such as Cheng Ji, the deputy military governor of Wuyue Zhendong Army, Gu Quanwu, the military commander of Wuyong, Weng Chengzan, the prime minister of Min Kingdom, Pan Chengyou, the minister of war, and Gao Yu, the prefect of Tanzhou of Chu Kingdom, also offered their advice, either out of loyalty to the country or to provide strategies for the people's well-being. Their advice was far more useful than what the others had said.

Even so, the moment Zhang Hao and others uttered words of threat or resentment, panic still spread like a plague throughout the palace.

The officials of the Southern Tang suddenly realized that the emperor they had enthroned might be forgiven after surrendering because of his status as Xiao Yan's younger brother, but they, the military governors, kings, generals, and local tyrants who were attached to the old order, were about to lose the very foundation of their livelihood.

The new policies of that Heavenly Khan were never intended to win them over, but rather to completely eradicate the soil upon which they depended for survival.

After a long silence, Xu Wen glanced at Zhu Jin, who wore a disdainful expression in the hall, and finally spoke slowly:
“Xiao Yan’s intentions are obvious. Ordinary submission and tribute are clearly no longer enough to satisfy his appetite. He wants to eradicate this situation of regional separatism in one fell swoop. And since what he wants is a new dynasty where his decrees are implemented without hindrance and there are no more powerful and influential people to hinder it, we are naturally all obstacles that must be eliminated in his eyes.”

His gaze swept across the entire room, and he saw countless pairs of eyes that were filled with fear, which gradually turned into ferocity.

"Now that he has pacified the north and brought the prestige of the four barbarian tribes paying tribute, his next target will surely be the south. His proclamation has been issued, and his retreat is cut off. Surrendering means being at the mercy of others. Resistance may offer a glimmer of hope. Even if we cannot establish a separate regime, we must make him pay a heavy price, and perhaps... we can gain leverage in negotiations."

Zhang Hao immediately echoed loudly: "What Prime Minister Xu said is absolutely right! We have hundreds of thousands of armored soldiers in Jiangnan, the Yangtze River is still a natural barrier, and our navy is strong. We may not be unable to fight! How can we be cowardly before the battle even begins, handing over our ancestral heritage to others, and becoming commoners to be humiliated by others?"

"Fight!"

"I'd rather die fighting than lose everything in such a cowardly way!"

"Let's unite as one and fight together against the Central Plains!"

The voices advocating war, led by Wang Yanhan and others, quickly rose, eventually drowning out those who advocated for careful consideration. Fear transformed into a desperate, reckless madness. Self-interest has always been the strongest rope binding those with vested interests together.

Soon after, at the suggestion of ministers such as Xu Wen and Zhang Hao, a series of orders were issued, namely to strengthen the defense of the river, reorganize military equipment, raise funds and pay, and closely monitor people coming from the north. At the same time, they naturally did not forget to emphasize Li Xingyun as the "legitimate successor of the Tang Dynasty" in order to unite people's hearts and alleviate the panic of the Southern Tang.

After the countermeasures were determined, the morning meeting ended in an atmosphere of bewilderment and anxiety mixed with a forced sense of urgency.

The officials bowed and withdrew, but Li Xingyun remained seated on his throne and did not leave immediately.

For the past six months, with the help of Zhang Zifan and the Bad People, he had indeed cultivated a group of loyal ministers and seized some real power. But today he hadn't said a word, only looking at the edict coming from the north over and over again. As he looked at the gradually empty hall, he could only let out a long sigh.

Zhang Zifan silently walked to his side, and the two walked out of the main hall side by side, entering the long corridor of the palace garden. The autumn sun shone through the shadows of the trees, casting shimmering spots of light on the ground.

They briefly discussed the fall of the Jin state, the relocation of the Shatuo Li clan to Bianjing, and the defection of Jin generals such as Fu Cunshen to Xiao Yan. Li Xingyun then offered Zhang Zifan a few words of comfort before finally gathering his sleeves and sighing with emotion.

"Brother Zhang, look at this edict. I believe he truly is a wise ruler capable of ending this chaotic era. What he has done, though unacceptable to the powerful and wealthy, is beneficial to the people..."

He paused, seemingly unable to find the right words, "My identity was originally... pushed up by Yuan Tiangang. If I surrender, would we not have to fight this war? Would many fewer people die? Even if... I am imprisoned for life, it seems worth it."

Zhang Zifan seemed to have guessed that Li Xingyun would say that, but after listening quietly, he stopped and turned around after a moment of thought, his expression more solemn than ever before.

Li Xingyun was taken aback by his serious expression, and then saw Zhang Zifan look directly into his eyes and solemnly say, "Brother Li, you can say these things to me, but you must never say them to a second person."

"Why?" Li Xingyun frowned.

"Can't you see clearly?" Zhang Zifan sighed. "In Jiangnan today, those who truly want to resist are Xu Wen, Zhang Hao, the King of Min, and their princes, governors, generals, and powerful figures who hold military power and are extremely wealthy. They don't fear the fall of their kingdoms, but rather the loss of power and wealth. You were originally their banner to rally the people and fight against the Northern Dynasty. If you fall, they will lose the righteous cause of their uprising. How can they still command their troops and restore order to the court? They will never allow you to surrender."

Li Xingyun's lips moved, wanting to refute, but Zhang Zifan continued, "Moreover, you are no longer alone. Princess Shangrao is carrying your child. You may risk your life, but can you disregard them, mother and child? Xu Wen, Zhang Hao, and those people may not dare to do anything to you directly, but if they are driven to a dead end, how will they treat Shangrao and her unborn child? Will they use this to coerce you, or even... destroy this banner that they cannot control when they have no other choice?"

Li Xingyun's body trembled violently, and his face instantly turned even more ashen. He opened his mouth, trying to explain, "Regarding the child, it was Shangrao who insisted..."

Zhang Zifan calmly interrupted him, saying, "Even so, are you willing to abandon her right now? If Princess Shangrao hadn't helped you contact the Wu royal family, how could we have so easily gained some power? I know you stumbled into this situation by accident, but what's wrong with Princess Shangrao's sincere love for her husband?"

Li Xingyun hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not offer any further explanation.

Just then, light footsteps came from the other end of the corridor. Princess Shangrao, dressed in a light red palace gown, her belly slightly protruding, and a bright smile on her face, was walking over with several palace maids, looking very excited. She was holding a small embroidery frame in her hands, seemingly wanting Li Xingyun to see her needlework.

"Xingyun! Minister Zhang! You're here!" she greeted with a smile, her eyes clear, seemingly oblivious to the turbulent events unfolding in and outside the court, and unaware of the heavy thoughts weighing on the minds of the two men before her.

Looking at his lawfully wedded wife, who was as innocent and happy as ever, Li Xingyun's gaze fell on her slightly protruding belly. Zhang Zifan's words just now made him shudder almost imperceptibly.

He forced a smile and stepped forward to greet Princess Shangrao, swallowing back the words that were about to spill from his mouth. Zhang Zifan watched silently behind him, a complex worry flashing in his eyes, which ultimately turned into a silent sigh. He simply smiled dryly and stepped forward to greet Princess Shangrao.

------

Let's leave aside for now the details of the storms and waves in Jiangnan.

Almost simultaneously, on the official road south of the Yangtze River, a young girl wearing a sun hat and dressed in a dark blue robe was riding a small donkey carrying luggage, leisurely heading north.

It was Chi Meng who had secretly slipped out of Raojiang.

She had been away from the Ten Thousand Poisons Cave for some time now. Instead of rushing, she traveled as if on a leisurely stroll, filled with curiosity about everything. She deliberately avoided government inspections, mingling in the streets and countryside, staying in the cheapest inns, and eating the newest and most exotic foods, like a bird released from its cage, finding everything fascinating.

She saw officials going to the countryside to supervise winter planting, their expressions serious but not fierce; she saw village elders holding newly issued farm tools, their faces beaming with joy; she heard in teahouses and taverns, the people's conversations were filled with praise for the "King of Qin" and the "Crown Prince" far outweighing their complaints, and they talked mostly about reduced taxes, newly built irrigation canals, and peaceful lives.

She also saw the new-style waterwheels turning in the river, the messengers rushing through the post station, and the people trading in the market. Although poverty was still evident, most people's faces radiated a kind of peace that she had seen on the faces of her uncles and aunts in Raojiang.

She also frequented teahouses and taverns, eavesdropping on people's idle chatter. What she heard was mostly praise for the King of Qin, admiration for his conquest of the north, and discussion of his new policies. Of course, she also heard storytellers passionately recounting how the King of Qin swept across the north and how all nations came to pay tribute—stories that made her heart race. At the same time, she couldn't help but cheer and generously give him tips.

These trivial observations piece together the current state of the Central Plains.

Order is being rebuilt, life is reviving, and that person's name is being mentioned frequently, mostly with awe or even gratitude.

Chi Meng listened, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She felt inexplicably proud of that person's achievements, yet also somewhat apprehensive about returning home, wondering what it would be like to see him again.

As she got closer to the heart of the Central Plains, she kept hearing news of Emperor Liang's abdication and Prince Qin's imminent ascension to the throne. She was happy for Xiao Yan, but also a little anxious to get to Bianliang as soon as possible, so she quickened her pace.

By early September, she had arrived in the Jingnan region, outside Jiangling Prefecture.

It was nearly noon, but the autumn sun was still quite scorching. In the distance, she saw a rather spacious private inn by the roadside, with a sign that read "Welcome Guests." It also served as a food and lodging establishment, with some mules and horses tied up at the entrance, and a lively scene of people coming and going. She rubbed her rumbling stomach and decided to go over and rest for a while, and feed the donkey some hay.

As I approached, I heard a fierce argument coming from inside the building, mixed with cries and shouts.

Inside the main hall of the inn, twenty or thirty ragged, emaciated refugees were surrounded by a dozen or so burly, fierce-looking servants. A thin, middle-aged man dressed in silk robes, clearly the manager, was pointing at the refugees and shouting insults with spittle flying.

"...Bah! A bunch of penniless wretch! You ate my food, drank my water, and lingered on my turf, and now you think you can just walk away? There's no such thing as a free lunch!" The innkeeper stood with his hands on his hips, his tone menacing. An old man stepped forward tremblingly, bowing and pleading, "Innkeeper, please have mercy! It's not that we don't want to pay, it's just...it's just that we really can't afford that much money! Your price is even more expensive than the grand restaurants around Dongting Lake..."

"Expensive?" The innkeeper's eyes widened. "Why don't you go ask around? This is always my price! Half an hour of rest, ten coins per person! A bowl of coarse grain rice, twenty coins! A bowl of water, five coins! You thirty-odd people have stayed here all night, eating and drinking, and it all adds up to exactly five strings of cash! Pay up!"

The refugees looked at each other in bewilderment. The innkeeper hadn't said this when they checked in. For a moment, they were filled with resentment and fear, but their faces were all filled with despair.

They had all fled from the south of the Yangtze River and had no possessions. Their meager travel expenses had long been exhausted, so they had no way of having five strings of cash.

A middle-aged man who seemed to be the leader was about to make a tough decision, but after looking at the powerful servants on his left and right and considering that this was the territory of the Northern Dynasty, he finally gritted his teeth and decided to try to negotiate with the manager.

"Shopkeeper...we...we really don't have any...How about we do some work for you to pay off our debt? Chopping wood or carrying water, we'll do anything..."

"Work?" The innkeeper scoffed, sizing up the pale-faced refugees. "With your bodies, how much work can you do? How long will it take? I don't have that much spare food to feed you! But..."

A sly glint flashed in his eyes as he pointed behind him. "There is a way. See that warehouse over there? It's right on the way to the dock. They're short-handed to move goods. Sign a contract with me, work for a year, and your debt will be paid off!"

Upon hearing this, the refugees' faces changed drastically. What kind of contract was this? It was clearly selling themselves into slavery! A year of hard labor, not only would they not earn a penny, but they wouldn't even be able to settle down. Moreover, this guy was clearly a local tyrant, and he was quite adept at this kind of thing. After such exploitation, it was uncertain how many of the thirty-odd people would survive, and even after a year, they might not be able to leave this place.

"No! We can't sign a flexible contract!"

"You bastard, you're clearly trying to force us to our deaths! Is this the same kind of behavior under the rule of the Central Plains court?"

"Please, have mercy! Land rents in the Southern Dynasty are skyrocketing, and the government is levying more and more taxes. My son has been conscripted... We had no choice but to flee north to seek a way to survive. Didn't the King of Qin announce some benevolent policies? We heard that the Central Plains are going to redistribute land..."

Cries of pleading and protests rose again, and some even shoved the group of slaves, but they were clearly no match for them.

The shopkeeper remained unmoved, merely sneering, "Compassion? My rule is compassion! Let me tell you, this is Jingnan, not the north! The laws of that Prince Qin in Bianjing don't apply to Jiangling Prefecture. You poor bastards from the south, since you've fled to my territory, you must abide by my rules! Today, you either hand over the money, sign and seal the document, or..."

With a wave of his hand, the henchmen stepped forward menacingly, saying, "Don't blame me for being impolite!"

Chi Meng, who was listening nearby, was furious. She squeezed through the crowd of onlookers who dared not speak, stood in front of the refugees, slammed her hand on the table, and said to the shopkeeper, "Hey! How can you be like this! They're just taking a break and having a meal, and you're asking for five thousand coins? And you're forcing them into slavery? This is outrageous!"

The shopkeeper was feeling smug when he suddenly saw a young woman wearing a veiled hat and judging from her voice to be quite young, come out and cause trouble. Judging from her appearance, she wasn't even from the Central Plains. He immediately frowned and said, "Where did this wild girl come from, meddling in other people's business! Get out of my way, or I'll arrest you too!"

"How dare you!" Chi Meng angrily threw off her veil, revealing a pretty but furious face. "I paid them the money!"

As she spoke, she reached for her purse. But upon touching it, her heart sank. She had been wandering aimlessly for nearly a month, spending her time just traveling through Sichuan, and she hadn't been careful with her money. Now, all that was left in her purse were some loose copper coins and a small piece of silver, probably less than a string of cash.

She froze on the spot. The shopkeeper, with his sharp eyes, immediately noticed her predicament and gave a mocking sneer: "I thought you were some young lady from a wealthy family who had stood up for justice, but you're just a poor wretch. What, trying to play the hero? Where's your money? Show it to me!"

The surrounding servants also joined in the laughter. The refugees' newly ignited hope was instantly extinguished, and they returned to despair. However, a woman in the crowd repeatedly urged Chi Meng to leave quickly.

Chi Meng was both embarrassed and angry, her cheeks flushed red, and she clenched her fists: "I'll give you these first, and I'll send you the rest later!"

"In the future?" The shopkeeper's laughter grew louder, and his face became even more ferocious. "Who will recognize you? You're quite pretty, so why don't you stay and be a tea-serving maid for me to pay off their debts?" As he spoke, he reached out to touch Chi Meng's face.

Chi Meng had never suffered such humiliation before. A fierce glint flashed in her eyes, and she reached for the small gourd behind her waist, ready to teach these bullies a lesson.

Just then, a calm laugh came from a corner of the building near the window. Strangely, despite the constant noise, the laugh was not loud, yet everyone could hear it clearly.

"I heard that the military governor of Jingnan blocked the north and south merchants with his small territory and plundered their property. He set up tax checkpoints all over Jiangling, and even woodcutters had to pay the city gate fee. I thought it was just the military governor's office that was despicable, but I never expected that under Gao Jixing's rule, even a random inn dared to do such a thing as forcing people into slavery."

The crowd looked in the direction of the voice and saw a man in a blue robe, wearing a bamboo hat that covered most of his face, sitting alone and drinking a bowl of coarse tea. As he spoke, he tapped his finger lightly on the rough wooden table, and then gently placed a polished copper coin on the table.

"Their bill, along with this young lady's, will be settled together."

The room fell silent for a moment, and everyone's eyes were fixed on the copper coin in astonishment.

The innkeeper was stunned for a moment, then, as if he had been greatly insulted, he flew into a rage. He completely ignored Chi Meng, rushed to the table of the man in the blue robe, and slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups rattle.

"Are you fucking kidding me? A single copper coin? Do you think I'm a beggar?! You want to stand up for them? Show me real gold and silver! Otherwise, I'll take care of you too today!"

The man in the blue robe seemed to chuckle slightly, without looking up. He simply extended two fingers and gently pushed the copper coin forward half an inch. His fingers were long and slender, and his movements were unhurried.

"For one penny, I'll buy you a favor, a favor to others."

"Convenience my ass!" The shopkeeper trembled with rage, his face contorted with fury. "Fine! Fine! Looks like I'll teach you a lesson today, or you won't know who I am! Guards! Give me..."

But his roar abruptly stopped, and he became bewildered.

Because at that moment, the ground began to tremble slightly.

At first, the vibrations were very slight, like an illusion, but soon they became clearer, dull and even somewhat scattered and anxious, like dense war drums randomly beating the earth.

Rumble... Rumble...

The sound grew louder as it approached, becoming deafening in an instant. The tables and chairs inside the building began to tremble slightly, and dust began to fall from the beams.

Everyone was stunned, looking out of the inn with suspicion and uncertainty. The innkeeper was also pale-faced, fearing that a large army from the south or somewhere else had attacked.

At the end of the official road, billowing dust rose like a yellow earthen dragon rushing towards them. Within the dust, countless shimmering black shadows and the cold glint of metal could be seen.

Those were cavalrymen, the Jiangling Prefecture cavalrymen who were always dispatched to plunder whenever the southern regimes paid tribute to the Central Plains.

Seeing this, the innkeeper breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't bother to reprimand the man in the blue robe, but instead forced a fawning smile and went to greet him outside the inn.

In the blink of an eye, a torrent of cavalry had surged to the outside of the guesthouse, numbering at least several hundred. They were clad in bright armor, armed with swords and bows, but their ranks appeared somewhat scattered. They carried a banner that read "Gao, the Military Governor of Jingnan," and both men and horses were panting, as if they had galloped all the way from Jiangling City to this place, blocking the entrance to the guesthouse.

The neighing of warhorses, the clanging of armor, and heavy breathing replaced all the noise.

The shopkeeper, who went out to greet them, was immediately stunned when he saw the flag. Behind him, the servants and refugees were all dumbfounded, staring helplessly at the sudden surge of iron cavalry outside the door.

Even Chi Meng, who had just felt that the voice sounded somewhat familiar, was taken aback by the sight and stood protectively in front of the refugees.

Just as the shopkeeper was about to step forward in bewilderment, a rider suddenly broke through the ranks of cavalry.

He was tall and imposing, wearing the armor of a high-ranking officer. Just looking at his face, he exuded extreme majesty.

But after this man rode out, his face was filled with fear. Before his horse could even come to a complete stop, he almost rolled off the saddle and stumbled to the entrance of the inn.

The shopkeeper was both shocked and frightened, and immediately dodged to the side. The man practically scrambled to the door, not even daring to see what was happening inside, before collapsing to the ground with a thud, his head hitting the ground, his body trembling like a leaf in the wind.

"Your subject... Your subject, Gao Jixing, the military governor of Jingnan, requests an audience with His Majesty... Long live the Emperor! ...

His voice, distorted and comical with extreme fear, sounded particularly jarring amidst the silent fields and the lingering echoes of frantic hoofbeats.

As for the hundreds of cavalrymen behind him, they had already dismounted and prostrated themselves on the ground in complete silence.

Inside and outside the building, there was a deathly silence.

The shopkeeper's expression froze instantly, the color draining from his face at a visible speed. For some reason, he was panicked, and in that instant, he remembered someone in the shop mentioning the military governor, Gao Jixing...

His eyes widened so much they almost popped out. He suddenly turned to look at the man in the blue robe who was still sitting there, showing only a single copper coin. Then his body suddenly began to tremble violently and uncontrollably. His knees buckled, and he fell heavily to his knees with a thud. He kowtowed repeatedly, but he couldn't even utter a word of begging for mercy. All that could be heard was the sound of his teeth chattering.

The once arrogant servants around them, seeing their master in such a state, were now terrified, collapsing to the ground, their bodies trembling like leaves.

The refugees, surrounded in the middle, couldn't even tell what was going on. They were so frightened that they huddled together, not daring to even breathe.

Inside the entire building, you could hear a pin drop. Only the occasional, restless pawing of the hundreds of warhorses outside the door added to the oppressive atmosphere.

Chi Meng stood there in a daze, her veil having long since slipped off, staring blankly at the blue-robed man who looked up with a mixture of amusement and helplessness.

The man gently set down the rough porcelain teacup in his hand, making a soft clinking sound. Then, he raised his hand and removed the straw hat from his head.

Beneath the bamboo hat was a face that was both familiar and somewhat unfamiliar to her. The features between his brows were still handsome, but there was a touch more composure and calmness than she remembered.

Those eyes that had always haunted her dreams now held a faint smile, clearly reflecting her stunned expression.

Without any aggressive demeanor or elaborate entourage, he simply sat there quietly, his eyes not fixed on the so-called military governors, bullies, or iron cavalry groveling on the ground, but simply looking at her, as if he had naturally become the center of the world.

All the fragmented information he had heard along the way—the grand spectacle of all nations paying tribute, the edict of Emperor Liang's abdication, the panic in the Jiangnan court—converged at this moment, overlapping with the real person before him.

He is the King of Qin.

He is the emperor who is about to rule the world.

He is a saint.

It is Your Majesty.

Yet she was still the same Xiao Guoguo, whose sword was as cold as frost and whose sword aura was as white as a rainbow, and who wore a green robe and was drunk, making her wish she could bid him farewell for thousands of miles and never say goodbye again.

Eyes facing each other.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment. Chi Meng felt a lump in her throat, and her vision blurred instantly. She frantically wiped her eyes, as if she didn't want him to see her like this, or as if she didn't want her tears to cloud her vision and prevent her from seeing the person in front of her.

Xiao Yan looked at her with gentle eyes and smiled softly. His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached her ears.

"Little vixen, it's been a long time."

(End of this chapter)