Villain: After I died, all the heroines cried themselves to sleep.

Chapter 280: Deciding Five Years of History

Teng Mian was defeated, the siege of Jinyang was lifted, and the Battle of Jiadang resulted in heavy casualties.

Luo Zheng had no choice but to return to the capital and regroup.

Although Lord Wujing, Li Qi, and Lord Xinling, Wei Wuji, joined forces to win back a point.

But this still couldn't stop the Liang Kingdom's overwhelming momentum in sweeping across the world.

The Battle of Shangdang instilled fear in all nations.

Not long after Luo Zheng returned to Xianyang, various countries began to fawn over him and sue for peace.

The first to arrive were carriages from the State of Qi.

He presented King Liang with Jiang, a beautiful woman from the state of Qi.

Lord Anling actually came with the Qi delegation, hoping that the Liang and Tang states would form a lasting alliance.

He glanced almost imperceptibly at the King of Liang and found him hiding behind a curtain.

"Ahem, I am ill, so there is no need for formalities."

Luo Zheng feigned an air of authority and said.

He had met with Lord Anling not long ago, in his capacity as Lord Lanling.

If we met again now, I might be recognized.

The news spread that King Liang Zheng was a male favorite of the Song emperor.

Another dark chapter in their history.

"I have heard that the daughter of the King of Tang is very beautiful. If the State of Tang presents the He Shi Bi jade to the daughter of the King of Tang, perhaps the past can be forgiven."

Luo Zheng immediately sent Lord Anling back to his country.

As for Qi Jiang, he didn't go to see her, but directly sent someone to send her to the inner palace.

After nearly ten years, Luo Zheng's harem finally doubled in size.

From one to two.

Before long, it tripled again.

However, the Chu state was worried that the Liang state would seek revenge after the Battle of Shangdang.

Left with no other choice, they offered up Princess Ji Mi and a phoenix banner as part of her dowry to sue for peace with the Liang Kingdom.

Since we parted ways in Hanyang.

Luo Zheng met Ji Mi again.

Compared to back then, Ji Mi has not changed much except for being a little more mature.

Her eyes were slightly red, and her face showed sorrow, as if she had just been crying.

When she saw Luo Zheng, she was puzzled for a moment, but quickly put it out of her mind.

He bowed to Luo Zheng with a somber expression.

"Ji Mi pays her respects to Your Majesty."

"Um."

Luo Zheng nodded.

Instinctively, he hid the Tai'a sword at his waist.

His dark history of deceiving naive young girls.

That's equally unacceptable.

Cannibals are soft and short.

Looking at the sorrowful and melancholy girl before him, Luo Zheng felt a little guilty.

Don't underestimate his intelligence network.

He knew very well that the King of Chu was unwilling to marry off his daughter.

The newly emerging aristocratic Xiang family also held strong opposition.

However, due to pressure from the three noble families, Qu Jingzhao, Ji Mi was forced to be offered up.

Ji Mi was so sorrowful.

It is likely due to the separation from Xiang Yun of the Xiang family.

But it's impossible for me to give away a girl; I would never give away a girl in my lifetime.

Between the Minotaur and the Green-haired Turtle.

Luo Zheng chose to pretend to be a wooden figure.

He then promptly sent Ji Mi to his own harem.

……

Compared to the less important matters of the palace, conquering the nine kingdoms is of paramount importance.

Luo Zheng quickly devoted his energy to the affairs of the Liang Kingdom.

The first thing we received was Fan Ze's resignation.

The old fox, perhaps realizing the victory in Shangdang and understanding that he had lost his value, wisely returned the seal of office.

Luo Zheng did not try to retain them, but instead promoted Feng Lu and Li Tonggu to serve as the Right Chancellor and Left Chancellor of the Liang Kingdom, respectively.

A veteran of three dynasties, a renowned prime minister.

He left the stage in such a dejected manner.

In addition, Luo Zheng also rewarded the generals who contributed to the Battle of Shangdang according to their merits.

Bai Jian replaced Xuan Luo as the chief general of Liang.

Yang Zheng was also officially promoted to general, which meant he was qualified to lead an army on his own.

Xiahou Dui was promoted and granted a title, and continued to govern Bashu.

Only Teng Mian was defeated and not promoted, but Luo Zheng did not criticize him too harshly.

After all, both Li Qi and Wei Wuji had defeated the Liang army in their predetermined fates.

They once forced the Liang Kingdom back to Guanzhong.

Being caught in a pincer movement by two opponents, Teng Mian's ability to retreat to the east bank of the river was already an extraordinary feat.

Using mediocre generals from the Liang Kingdom to deal with renowned generals from the nine kingdoms.

The best strategy is still to stay put.

We can simply overwhelm them through sheer operational capabilities and national strength.

From this perspective, Luo Zheng and Bai Jian are birds of a feather, sharing the same stench.

One is responsible for creating momentum, and the other is responsible for pushing things along.

Of course, Luo Zheng did not forget the true heroes of the Battle of Shangdang.

Lord Wu'an, Xuanluo.

Xuanluo is now bedridden, suffering from the torment of the curse, and is almost unrecognizable.

Luo Zheng was not a heartless person, and coincidentally, Zhang Mo, a Taoist, was still in Xianyang.

So he called Zhang Mo and went to visit Xuan Luo.

"I am ill and unable to greet you from afar. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

"Lord Wu'an, there's no need for such formalities."

Luo Zheng saw that Xuan Luo was bedridden, haggard and weak, and had lost all his spiritual martial arts cultivation.

Only a deathly aura, so dense it seemed tangible, enveloped the area.

He couldn't help but frown.

They immediately asked Zhang Mo to take action and see if there was any way to save the situation.

Zhang Mo observed for a moment, then shook his head.

"General, you have committed too many sins and are suffering the backlash of the heavens and earth's fortune. You are also being cursed by the evil spirits of the dead. Only death can resolve this."

"What you say is absolutely right, sir. I deserve to die anyway."

Xuan Luo nodded again as if he had expected it, and then looked at Luo Zheng sincerely.

"Your Majesty commanded me to refrain from committing murder, yet I have killed them all; the sin lies with me. Now, I linger on in this world, begging Your Majesty to grant me a sword so that I may end my suffering soon."

"..."

Luo Zheng did not answer.

After going around in circles, we've returned to the original course of history.

The execution of Xuanluo was not only for personal desires, but also for the sake of the world.

Xuan Luo bears the sin of Liang Kingdom launching the war, and as long as he atones with his death, this sin will also disappear with him.

The erosion of the natural order's energy can also be alleviated.

A long silence followed.

"Oh……"

Luo Zheng chuckled to himself.

"Lord Wu'an endured the torment of curses and resentment, preferring to die to atone for his sins rather than implicate the Liang Kingdom. He underestimates me."

As he spoke, he took out the official seal he always carried with him.

Xuan Luo was confused, while Zhang Mo, as if realizing something, widened his eyes.

"I am a man of insatiable greed, my avarice so great that it encompasses the entire world. All things in this world, good and bad, right and wrong, shall belong to me!"

"You say this crime is yours? Wrong! It was I who appointed you as general and used weapons of slaughter and carnage."

"I shall bear the responsibility for this matter, both right and wrong!"

"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!"

Zhang Mo was shocked and quickly stepped forward to stop him.

"The balance of Yin and Yang in the world is now disrupted. If Your Majesty insists on doing so, I fear it will only exacerbate the imbalance, ultimately leading to catastrophe and calamity for the world."

"Zhang Zi, rest assured, my ambition lies in the world. If I cannot even bear this small sin, how can I possibly support the people and encompass all things under heaven?"

Luo Zheng, in the name of the King of Liang, commanded the entire Liang Kingdom's destiny and fortune.

"All causes and effects have befallen me!"

whisper--

A soft sound echoed between heaven and earth.

As if by some unseen force, everyone felt the world tremble.

The moment Luo Zheng finished speaking, the energy of heaven and earth surged and churned.

The curses that shrouded Xuanluo began to continuously converge on Luo Zheng's body.

In an instant, all the death energy vanished and was absorbed by Luo Zheng.

The aura surrounding Luo Zheng.

First it became violent and unpredictable, then it returned to a gloomy and deathly silence.

[You have absorbed the curse of death, awakening a new talent.]

Possessed by Evil Spirits (A++)

"Your Majesty, my lord..."

Xuan Luo looked at Luo Zheng in shock, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He could feel that his cultivation had not recovered, but his body suddenly felt lighter, free from the torment of the curse.

Luo Zheng stared at Xuan Luo, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Lord Wu'an, you must take good care of yourself. When I one day sweep across the nine kingdoms and become the ruler of the world, how can I do so without your witness?"

After saying that, Luo Zheng calmly turned and left.

If he didn't leave soon, he was afraid he would burst out laughing because of his newfound talent.

"Your Majesty, the evil curse cannot be expelled. Now that you have taken it upon yourself, although you have saved Lord Wu'an, you have also tainted the fate of the Liang Kingdom with the evil and malevolent energy."

Zhang Mo caught up with Luo Zheng and said anxiously in a low voice.

"The Liang Kingdom must not rashly resort to force now, otherwise it may plunge the Liang Kingdom, and even the world, into an abyss of no return."

"Zhang Zi, there's no need to worry."

Luo Zhengyun answered calmly.

He could certainly sense that the erosion of the heavens and earth's fortune was rapidly worsening.

"The righteous are one foot high, but the evil are ten feet high. The imbalance of heaven and earth is already a foregone conclusion. Even if I remain indifferent, I can only delay the arrival of disaster."

"Therefore, instead of worrying unnecessarily and living in constant fear, it would be better to end the chaos as soon as possible and establish a stable rule over the world."

"By taking advantage of the opportune moment, all ties must be severed; hesitation when a decision should be made will only lead to chaos."

Even burdened by the curse of murder and haunted by evil spirits, your greed and ambition remain unchanged; on the contrary, they have only strengthened your resolve to conquer the world.

[Objective: To launch a war of annihilation, sweep across nine kingdoms, and establish supremacy over the world.]

[Reward: Performance will be improved accordingly based on actual performance.]

[Punishment: Based on actual performance, the evaluation will be lowered accordingly, with the final overall rating not exceeding S.]

This battle will determine the course of history for the next five hundred years. —A volley of arrows.

……

After leaving Xuanluo's residence, Zhang Mo hurriedly bid farewell to Luo Zheng, saying that he wanted to return to Zhongnan Mountain to seek guidance from his master.

Luo Zheng didn't pay much attention and went straight back to Xianyang Palace.

Although Qi Jiang and Ji Mi also moved into the inner palace.

But Luo Zheng doesn't plan to see them yet.

I thought about it.

Let's head to the palace where Bao Ji lives first.

It's a habit to tease the other person occasionally.

Just as Luo Zheng arrived outside Bao Ji's palace, a faint fragrance lightly brushed past his nose.

I turned around and looked back, following the faint fragrance.

What comes into view is Qi Jiang, wearing a form-fitting light purple dress that accentuates her graceful figure.

Qi Jiang smiled sweetly at Luo Zheng and curtsied.

"Your Majesty, I, Qi Jiang, pay my respects."

"...Why are you here?"