As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 220 The next time we meet, we'll be rivals.

"This……"

"what is that?!"

"Quickly... prepare for defense!!"

As the sun set, an incredibly fast red streak flashed across the sky.

The astute soldiers noticed something, looked up at the sky, and were immediately filled with horror.

At the entrance of the Great Qi general's camp, Wang Huai quietly watched the setting sun in the distance.

Qian Yuan's fate has come to an end, just like the setting sun heading towards darkness.

"His Majesty!"

"His Majesty!"

Just then, gasps of surprise rang out from all around.

Accompanied by howling winds, something seemed to fall from the sky.

"thump!"

A figure landed in front of him.

The young general had lost his former vigor and arrogance.

"Cough cough!"

He was pale and coughing incessantly, as if his bones had been shattered.

He was carried into the sky by the divine bird, the cold wind seemed to penetrate his body, and everything around him was rushing past.

Heaven and earth turned upside down, light and shadow shifted.

He had no control over his own destiny, nor did he know where he had been taken.

All he knew was that he was cold and in pain, and death seemed to be beckoning him.

"kindness?"

Wang Huai paused, before he could say anything.

The graceful and beautiful divine bird carried her beloved to his side.

"Mingchen?"

Mingchen has a white divine bird, and Wang Huai knows this rumor.

Such extraordinary people always have something special about them.

But now, how did it become like this?
Is this a phoenix?
Amazing!

Of course, that's not the point. The point is that Mingchen has arrived.

"How did you come?!"

Wang Huai couldn't help but smile; Mingchen's arrival was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for him.

For both public and private reasons, he wanted to see his younger brother and talk to him.

He has been emperor for more than half a year, but he doesn't seem to have changed much.

Don’t reach out to hit the smiling person.

Regardless of the Blood-Clad Army's fate, Wang Huai never betrayed Mingchen.

He cupped his hands in greeting to Wang Huai: "The New Year has arrived, and I haven't had the chance to wish you a happy new year. I've been thinking of you a lot, so I've come to see you."

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, be careful!"

"Escort!"

"Who are you?!"

The soldiers quickly gathered around, their faces grim as they stared at the phoenix surrounded by divine fire, gripping their weapons tightly and their eyes filled with vigilance.

The bird, whose origin was unknown, flew straight towards Wang Huai's tent.

If they had harmed Wang Huai in the slightest, they would be guilty beyond redemption, even if it meant their own death.

"Hahaha!"

"Good good!"

Wang Huai glanced at Chen Hua, who was lying on the ground groaning in pain. He recognized that Chen Hua was dressed as a general of the Blood-Clad Army and knew that Ming Chen must have come for something.

But Mingchen said this with a hearty laugh, showing no fear of the imposing phoenix, and waved to the soldiers: "It's alright!"

"The person who came is an old friend of mine. All of you, leave!"

"I want to have a good chat with him!"

"..."

The soldiers looked at each other, somewhat surprised, as they had never seen their dignified emperor smile so heartily before.

After glancing at the mysterious red bird, the young and handsome gentleman finally withdrew.

"Long time no see, Mingchen... You've grown taller and your brilliance is on full display."

"I've heard about what you did on the grasslands! Hahaha, you're something else..."

The last time we met was six months ago.

Compared to the confident and spirited scholar he once was, this man has changed a lot. He now exudes the authority of a superior and possesses the sharp edge that comes with military experience.

Like an older brother, Wang Huai gently patted Mingchen's shoulder, his tone full of comfort.

They were neither kings nor marquises; they seemed to be simply old friends who had been separated for a long time.

He didn't talk about the state of the world, but only about the simplest everyday things: "After getting married, people become more mature."

"When are you planning to have a baby? Is your sister-in-law pregnant yet?"

People in this era also value these major life events such as marriage and having children.

Mingchen's interest in General Lingyu was indeed beyond his expectations.

That brilliant general was indeed worthy of this intelligent and clever person. In comparison, his offer to introduce some women to her was really just a bunch of ordinary girls.

The only pity is that none of them are in their own camp.

Mingchen: ...

The sense of déjà vu is quite strong.

Even his parents didn't urge him this much.

Looking at his cheerful elder brother, the emperor, Mingchen finally sighed, his anger dissipating and his original displeasure suppressed.

From beginning to end, Wang Huai was still Wang Huai, but the Blood-Clad Army was no longer the Blood-Clad Army.

It was something he had requested, and Wang Huai had indeed done it.

How could he blame his elder brother?
"Brother, I'm not in a hurry."

Mingchen shook his head and asked Wang Huai, "How have you been lately?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Huai paused for a moment, then smiled gently: "It's alright, it's alright."

"I will soon conquer Yueyang City and wipe the Chen Kingdom off the face of the earth."

Erasing the State of Chen is also erasing the last glimmer of light from the Qian Yuan dynasty.

The representative of Qian Yuan was not actually Xiao Xinyue's new dynasty, but the Chen Kingdom, which had already changed dynasties in Yueyang City.

Xiao Xinyue simply used the name Qian Yuan. Everything, from the system and laws to the management personnel, was completely revamped, making it a vibrant and hopeful force.

However, Chen State only changed its name.

His rulers, laws, bureaucracy, and powerful figures—the truly corrupt elements of the old dynasty—remained unchanged.

Wang Huai could see it clearly; he knew... that all of this was what he had established the Blood-Clad Army and swore to eradicate.

He raised his eyes to the afterglow of the setting sun, his eyes filled with ambition: "When I rule the world in the future, you will help your brother, how about it?"

Even now, he has not given up on recruiting Mingchen.

After the old dynasty was overthrown, the Great Qi would occupy the largest territory in the world and become the largest power in the Central Plains.

With a massive army pressing in, Xiao Xinyue would be no match for him.

He would negotiate at that time, offering to peacefully incorporate Xiao Xinyue's new dynasty, spare her life, and give her an official position...

These people ushered in a prosperous era.

Wang Huai is a good person, but he is too idealistic and too rough around the edges, ignoring far too many potentially fatal details.

Some things cannot be changed by the destruction of a dynasty or the occupation of territory.

Mingchen looked at him, but shook his head.

Wang Huai saw a vibrant and promising future.

But what Mingchen saw was a world riddled with problems, beset by internal and external troubles, on the verge of destruction.

Once they stormed into Yueyang City and saw its dazzling and prosperous world, the weight of desire was constantly added to the scales of survival, and the countdown to death would begin.

My brother is too sincere... This world is not worthy of him.

Seeing Mingchen shake his head, Wang Huai smiled and didn't press the matter. He simply pointed to Chen Hua, who was lying on the ground groaning in pain, and asked, "Mingchen, what brings you here? Did this kid offend you?"

Mingchen didn't beat around the bush and frankly told Wang Huai, "Brother, the Zhang Boxing I told you about before, Lord Zhang, he died today."

"what?"

Wang Huai immediately composed himself, his brows furrowing.

He personally issued the order.

He pointed to the young general who had fallen to the ground: "The Blood-Clad Army entered the city, and he was the commander of the army."

Mingchen appears to be an arrogant and unruly person, but he is very discreet with his own people.

Wang Huai is already the monarch, and there are some things he cannot do on his behalf.

He didn't kill Chen Hua himself, but instead brought the unfortunate fellow to Wang Huai's place.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty!"

Chen Hua felt like he was going to die, but when the king's fierce gaze came, he still trembled all over, and fragmented information swirled in his mind.

The confused mind suddenly cleared, and finally understood the situation.

He's been brought here by His Majesty?
Is this person closely related to His Majesty?
What kind of monster have we messed with?

No problem is important now, what's important is what he should do?
He trembled all over, fear gripped him, stars flashed before his eyes, and his face turned deathly pale.

Despite the excruciating pain throughout his body, he struggled to his feet and knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, it wasn't me who killed him! It wasn't me! It was that magistrate. He was trying to overturn the situation, but I saw through his plan. He committed suicide..."

He knew very well why he had been brought here.

He just shook his head, and before Wang Huai could even ask him anything, he threw out all his lifelines, tried to absolve himself of responsibility, and kept pleading.

Mingchen simply shook his head and said nothing more: "Brother, I have no interest in right or wrong. I only know that Lord Zhang is dead."

Wang Huai was, after all, a leader who had met many people. He could tell that the young man was lying and that he was cowardly and lacked any courage.

How can someone like that become a general?

In any case, the person who should have been protected is dead, so right and wrong are no longer relevant.

Mingchen brought the man before him. Even if Zhang Boxing was guilty of heinous crimes, this young general still had to die.

He carried his sword and approached the terrified general.

The towering shadows blocked the last rays of the setting sun, creating the last scene Chen Hua ever witnessed in his life.

"Your Majesty..."

Before he finished speaking, the broadsword came crashing down.

"Whoosh!"

A flash of light, blood splattered, and terrified heads flew high into the sky.

Those who are arrogant and willful will always pay the price for their pride and recklessness. It was not in vain that the king personally executed this man.

The naive Chen Hua didn't know that those in power wouldn't care about any reasons or whether it was true or false.

When something is actually brought to the forefront, any reason will seem weak.

It's all pointless—both instigating the magistrate's son, concealing the truth, and deceiving others.

Mingchen had no idea what had happened.

He only knew one thing: the person he was protecting had died, which was a slap in the face for him.

But no matter how many words Chen Hua uttered, no matter how much he argued, it couldn't compare to a single glance from Ming Chen.

If you fail to complete a task entrusted to you by your king, for whatever reason, you deserve to die.

Even the people above you will be affected.

He didn't have time to listen to those useless excuses.

Mottled blood splattered onto Wang Huai's cloak. He didn't even glance at the dead young general, but said to Ming Chen with a stern face, "Ming Chen, I will order a thorough investigation into this matter and give you an explanation."

The fact that he failed to complete the task he was personally instructed to do is not only a slap in the face for Mingchen.

This was a slap in the face to him, the monarch.

Mingchen couldn't face a dead person, but Wang Huai couldn't face Mingchen as well.

If you can't even save one person, how can you talk about bringing the other person to your side?

Even after personally beheading Chen Hua, Wang Huai still felt a little embarrassed.

Mingchen shook his head: "Brother, this matter is just a starting point. You can see the whole leopard from a single spot. Can't you see anything, brother?"

"As far as I know, Lord Zhang is by no means the kind of rebellious person this man describes. I have already made it clear to both of you that he would never do such a foolish thing..."

He's lying to you.

"Hasn't Brother noticed that the Blood-Clad Army has changed?"

"Deceiving superiors and subordinates, nepotism... are those who have risen to high positions any different from those corrupt officials of the Qian Yuan Dynasty whom the Blood-Clad Army hates the most?"

This is the most likely outcome for an uprising.

When the bloodstained clothes become a trend, and faced with temptations that were previously unimaginable, few people can stick to their original intentions.

As the number of people recruited increased, the situation became increasingly chaotic, with a mix of good and bad individuals.

Mingchen had already paid great attention to ideological construction, and had even established a program and guiding ideology for the Blood-Clad Army, leaving behind the most famous lines of poetry, "Blood forged armor, heroic souls sacrificed for peace," which led to the Blood-Clad Army's fanatical belief in Wang Huai.

But the Blood-Clad Army inevitably succumbed to corruption.

It seems that Mingchen didn't do well on the things he mentioned to Wang Huai when they met in Xiaoyao City last time.

Logically speaking, the Blood-Clad Army will soon become the opponent of the new Qian Yuan.

The more rotten it is, the better; it would be best if it perished in decay. Pointing out these things would not benefit the new dynasty.

However, humans are not rational machines.

Since Mingchen arrived today, Wang Huai has never referred to himself as "I, the Emperor," but has only shown concern for him as an elder brother.

So now he's just a younger brother.

Upon hearing this, Wang Huai clenched his fist.

He was aware of the changes in the Blood-Clad Army.

People change.

Those who sincerely followed him in rebellion also seemed to become unruly and recklessly manic at some point.

As their power grows, the temptations of desire also grow wildly, and the vast army will run rampant like a wild horse, gradually losing control.

The replacement of an old dynasty by a new one is not simply a matter of changing a group of people; more importantly, it involves new systems and new laws...

Few people can withstand the test of desire indefinitely, not even the most talented.

Originally there was nothing, so where could dust settle? This is the realm of the sage.

Most people need to cultivate their minds, constantly wiping them clean to prevent them from becoming dusty.

"..."

Wang Huai fell silent upon hearing this.

Of course he knew.

Why are fewer and fewer northern cities surrendering?

Why are soldiers becoming increasingly difficult to control?
Why is there less and less food?

But now the whole country is in a frenzy, and all resources are like dry tinder, thrown into a raging fire and burning fiercely.

There were fervent believers in him, and cunning individuals who profited from his influence.

But he was also swept up by the tide of events, forging ahead bravely.

Becoming a monarch is never an easy thing.

Mingchen shook his head and said with a sigh, "Brother... if Lord Zhang hadn't died, and you could have persuaded him, he could have helped you make the Blood-Clad Army better..."

Zhang Boxing can play a greater role.

He can clearly distinguish between reality and human relationships, yet he can still stick to his original ideals.

Willing to make the smallest sacrifice to achieve the goal.

What kind of person is he?

They are the kind of people who see the truth of life clearly, yet still choose to love and embrace it.

Regardless of which side he's on, he's a ruler worthy of preferential treatment.

But such a person died, because of his incompetence and arrogance, which Mingchen found somewhat regrettable.

In Mingchen's view, the death of Chen Hua was not enough.

The purpose of saying this...

"This……"

Wang Huai was startled, his teeth grinding together, and he glared fiercely at the headless corpse on the ground.

Even killing him a thousand times wouldn't be enough!
It's too late to regret!

He should have sent a trusted confidant to handle this matter!
The person who received such high praise from Mingchen died because of this petty scoundrel.

His anger grew increasingly intense.

He needs to punish everyone involved in this matter.

"Brother, you've come this far; ideals and beliefs alone aren't enough..."

Mingchen pointed to Wang Huai's broadsword: "The problem needs to be faced, not ignored. The most important thing for a monarch is not to lead from the front on the battlefield."

Wang Huai is quite similar to the brothel owner in the north, but he lacks some of the cunning and ruthlessness.

"That's all."

"Big brother, I'm leaving."

“You are my elder brother, but I am also the Marquis of Jing’an of the new dynasty.”

"Perhaps the next time we meet, we'll be rivals."

Zhang Boxing's death was a catalyst.

Mingchen has come here not only to see his elder brother during the New Year, but also to set the tone for the future of both countries.

After the state of Chen, the biggest point of conflict, was destroyed.

Qi Hexin and Qian Yuan were their next opponents, and there was no way to avoid them.

The two countries were locked in a struggle, and sooner or later they would be unified.

He lowered his eyes, cupped his hands towards Wang Huai, and said, "Take care, brother."

Upon hearing this, Wang Huai was momentarily stunned, staring intently at the spirited young man.

He was well aware of Mingchen's talent.

That's why I feel helpless. Only by sitting across from him and becoming his enemy can I truly understand the pressure he puts on me.

After the Great Qi destroyed the Chen Kingdom, it would occupy the largest territory in the Central Plains, but Wang Huai was still uncertain about the situation in the cramped southwest where Ming Chen was located.

He finally sighed and whispered, "Take care, brother."

"Wow!"

A bird sang a clear, melodious song.

With a sudden burst of red wings encircling the flames, it soared straight into the sky, flapping its wings and flying towards the setting sun.

Bathed in the glow of the sunset, the sky was studded with starlight, creating a scene of breathtaking beauty, like a painting.

The powerful ruler who rose from humble beginnings simply stood there, staring blankly, until he disappeared into the heavens.

He waved his hand, summoned a soldier, and pointed to the headless corpse beside him: "Drag him away, send someone to find Ye Kaifeng, and tell him to go west to Wangyang County and investigate everything!"

"Yes!"

The soldiers obeyed and left, and Chen Hua's body was disposed of.

Everything returned to calm, and only Wang Huai remained in the general's tent as the last rays of the setting sun sank down the mountain.

There was no joy at the start of the new year. Wang Huai felt the broadsword in his hand was heavier and he felt inexplicably tired.

A gentle breeze blew as he quietly pondered...

Perhaps he should be more careful, thoroughly examine the country, and be more ruthless and decisive in making changes.

Mingchen had told him before: strict laws and strict military discipline...

Otherwise... his Great Qi would soon become what he hated most, submerged in the tide of history.

……

Death is not the end of fate.

Fuyao sped through the evening glow, while Mingchen gently stroked the Immortal Jade Record in his hand.

What abilities did Zhang Boxing possess?

His lifelong wish was to return to immortality and be granted the title of Immortal. Now that he is dead, his soul has returned to the Immortal Jade Record. How should he be granted the title of Immortal?

Go back and ask His Majesty to bestow an imperial edict upon him...

"Young master, are you angry?"

Fuyao is the demon who understands Mingchen the most in this world.

She could often sense Mingchen's changing emotions.

Since leaving home, Mingchen had been calm and collected, showing no emotion on his face, but Fuyao knew that he was angry.

"Some, I guess..."

Mingchen gently stroked Fuyao's fur and smiled.

It's unclear whether he was angry at having embarrassed himself, saddened by Zhang Boxin's death, or melancholy at becoming his brother's rival.

No one is a puppet controlled by Mingchen.

The fate of the world cannot ultimately be determined by individual calculations.

"What are you planning to do next, young master?"

With a single flap of its wings, the divine bird flew over a thousand miles.

Mingchen had no intention of returning to Wangyang County. Zhang Boxing was dead, and the county had returned to normal, holding no value for Mingchen anymore.

As dusk approached, Mingchen regained his composure and chuckled softly, "Let's eat and sleep."

Little bird: Eating, dipped in beans?

(End of this chapter)