If I send you to join the army and marry a woman, will you conquer the Empress?

Xia Yuanhao's words were like cold knives, piercing into everyone's hearts.

Yes, where are the reinforcements?

Everyone fell silent.

They knew that Xia Yuanhao was telling the truth.

The capital of the Great Xia Dynasty is now a dead end.

"I have made my decision!"

Xia Yuanhao surveyed the crowd, his eyes flashing with an undeniable ruthlessness.

"Those who obey me prosper, those who defy me perish!"

"If anyone dares to utter another word of nonsense, don't blame my blade for being merciless!"

His gaze swept over the princes and ministers who were still hesitating, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

Everyone trembled at his ruthlessness and dared not say another word.

They could see that Xia Yuanhao was no longer the useless crown prince who could be manipulated at will.

He is a mad dog who will stop at nothing to survive or for power!

Anyone who dares to block his way will have their throat bitten off without hesitation!

"very good."

Xia Yuanhao nodded in satisfaction. He enjoyed the feeling that everyone feared him.

He turned to the rebel general and gave the order again.

"What are you waiting for? Open the door!"

"yes!"

……

"Squeak—"

The main gate of the palace, which symbolized the last vestige of dignity of the Great Xia Dynasty, was slowly opened from the inside amidst the complex and terrified gazes of countless people.

Outside the city gate, Tuoba Zhan, who had been waiting impatiently, and Ying Wuji, who remained calm, were both slightly surprised by this scene.

They originally thought that it would take more effort and even a greater price to breach the palace, which was known for its fortifications.

Unexpectedly, the other party opened the city gates themselves.

This means... surrender?

Amidst the puzzled gazes of the two.

A group of people slowly walked out from the open palace gate.

Leading the group were Xia Yuanhao and Empress Lü, who had just launched a palace coup and seized control.

Behind them, several soldiers were roughly dragging a man who was bound hand and foot, gagged with a rag, and still struggling.

It was none other than Xia Yuan, the newly imprisoned emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty!

"Heh, it seems we don't need to lift a finger."

Ying Wuji chuckled lightly, his tone filled with disdain and contempt for the Xia royal family.

"When dogs fight, they get all mixed up. The Great Xia royal family is as surprising as ever."

Tuoba Zhan then let out a loud, boisterous laugh.

"Hahaha! That saves me trouble! That saves me trouble!"

He looked at Xia Yuan, who was tied to the ground, his eyes filled with the triumph of a conqueror.

"Xia Yuan, you old dog! You never thought you'd end up like this, did you!"

……

"thump!"

"thump!"

As soon as they stepped out of the palace gate, Xia Yuanhao pulled Empress Lü down to his knees.

His posture was so practiced, so humble, as if he had rehearsed it a thousand times.

"The traitor Xia Yuanhao!"

"That wicked woman, Lady Lü!"

"Greetings to His Majesty the Khan of the Northern Barbarians! Greetings to His Highness the Crown Prince of the Great Qin!"

He slammed his forehead against the ground, his voice trembling slightly with excitement and fear.

This scene stunned all the citizens of the Great Xia Dynasty who witnessed it, both on the city walls and behind the palace gates!

Their eldest prince and their queen actually knelt before the enemy!

That obsequious manner was even more despicable than that of the lowest of servants!

In an instant, an indescribable sense of humiliation and anger surged in the hearts of countless people!

However, Xia Yuanhao seemed completely oblivious to the gazes behind him that were practically burning him apart.

His only thought now is to survive!

He was simply trying to please these two men in front of him, men who held the power of life and death over him!

He raised his head, forcing a smile that was more like a grimace, pointed at Xia Yuan who had been dragged out, and shouted:

"Your Majesty the Khan! Your Highness the Crown Prince of Qin!"

"My father, Emperor Xia Yuan, is incompetent and foolish, acting against the will of Heaven, and daring to defy the might of you two!"

"Now, I've set things right and captured this senile old fool!"

"We have come to present this to the Khan and His Highness the Crown Prince, to be disposed of as you see fit! Whether you kill or dismember us, it is entirely up to you!"

In order to survive, Xia Yuanhao did not hesitate to treat his own biological father as a commodity that could be traded, a pledge of loyalty to curry favor with his new master!

"Haha...hahaha!"

After hearing Xia Yuanhao's words, Tuoba Zhan was stunned for a moment, and then burst into a thunderous laugh!

He laughed so hard he almost fell over, and tears were welling up in his eyes.

"Interesting! This is fucking interesting!"

He pointed his riding whip at Xia Yuanhao, who was kneeling on the ground, and said to Ying Wuji beside him:

"Crown Prince Ying, look! Look! Is this what you Central Plains people value most: filial piety and parental love?"

"A son personally captured his own father and offered him up to the enemy to surrender! Tsk tsk, this truly opens my eyes!"

His laughter was filled with undisguised contempt and mockery.

Ying Wuji's face still wore that calm and serene smile.

But a hint of disgust flashed deep in his eyes.

Although he was ruthless and heartless, he had never seen a shameless person like Xia Yuanhao who had no bottom line and sold out his father for personal gain.

However, I dislike it as much as I like it.

To him, people like Xia Yuanhao, who have no dignity and no bottom line, are easier to control.

It's the best dog I can use.

"Xia Yuanhao, right?"

Ying Wuji looked down at him and said calmly.

"Yes! Yes! Your humble servant is here!"

When Xia Yuanhao heard Ying Wuji call his name, he felt as if he had received a great favor and immediately kowtowed in response.

"What do you want?" Ying Wuji asked.

Xia Yuanhao was overjoyed, knowing that he had taken the right first step.

He hurriedly said, "This sinful subject dares not ask for too much! I only beg His Majesty the Khan and His Highness the Crown Prince to forgive the million innocent people in the capital, and to forgive my Xia clan and my relatives who are still willing to serve!"

He paused, took a deep breath, and said the price he had already calculated in his mind.

"I, Xia Yuanhao, am willing to acknowledge the Northern Barbarians as my suzerain state and the Great Qin as my elder brother state!"

"From this day forward, our Great Xia is willing to be a vassal state of both of you! We will pay tribute every year and come to court every year! We will never dare to betray you!"

"As long as the Xia family's empire can be preserved, I am willing to hand over half of the Great Xia Dynasty! I only ask... I only ask that a single bloodline of my Xia family be preserved!"

His words were sincere and heartfelt, and deeply moving.

They've taken the phrase "selling out one's country for personal gain" to its extreme!

Tuoba Zhan's laughter gradually subsided, his eyes gleaming with greed.

Ying Wuji nodded in satisfaction; this was exactly the result he wanted.

A Xia Dynasty that is divided, embroiled in internal strife, and completely subjugated to Qin is far more in Qin's interest than a Xia Dynasty that is utterly destroyed.

However, just as this dirty deal was about to be completed...

A hoarse voice, filled with grief and despair, suddenly rang out from behind them, from among the group of Great Xia officials!

"Xia Yuanhao!"

"You disloyal, unfilial, traitorous beast!"

"How can you do this to the ancestors of the Xia family?!"