Film and Television: The Collector Who Rampages Across the Heavens

Chapter 90 Establishing the Empire

Indeed, for a newly enthroned emperor, a single edict could reveal the truth, even bring to light and overturn cases from years ago, and add a touch of benevolence and morality.

But it will be the late emperor, Emperor Liang, who will suffer the loss of face, and history will record his deeds in great detail.

Emperor Liang's face turned cold, and he looked quite displeased.

"Jinglin, are you sure you want to do this? It won't just be my reputation that's damaged, but the entire Liang royal family's."

.

"Not necessarily. As I said, it depends on what kind of reward Mr. Su can offer before I will help him."

Su Li looked at Mei Changsu: "Mr. Su, what do you think?"

Mei Changsu's eyes flickered, and he said in a deep voice, "I'm afraid the only thing Your Highness can think about right now is the Jiangzuo Alliance."

""

"That's not enough. I mean all of them—the spies you've planted over the years, the caravans that travel to various countries—"

This brilliant strategist can only feel at ease if he loses all his power and is closely monitored. Otherwise, with such a person causing trouble in the shadows, even if his overall situation is settled, problems may still arise.

"The Jiangzuo Alliance belongs to all the brothers in the alliance, not to me," Mei Changsu said calmly.

"If that's the case, then why should I keep you around?"

"Kill him!"

Su Li's words carried a hint of coldness, instantly changing the atmosphere in the room.

After receiving the order, the guards of the Prince's Palace reached out and drew their long swords from their waists. A chilling light gradually emerged as they gripped their swords and walked step by step toward Mei Changsu.

Consort Jing stood up nervously, her slender fingers gripping her sleeves, wanting to speak but unsure how to dissuade her.

Fei Liu and Zhen Ping rushed forward to protect them, but were knocked to the ground by the soldiers on both sides with their sword sheaths and then brutally beaten.

Meng Zhi's neck was directly held to the blade; any slight movement would result in his head being separated from his body.

"Wait, Eighth Brother, please spare Xiao Shu. I promise you I will withdraw from the struggle for the throne and never participate in the battle for the throne again in this lifetime. Please let him go."

Prince Jing shielded Mei Changsu behind him and said anxiously, "Xiao Shu, say something!"

Mei Changsu watched silently as the armored soldiers slowly approached, remaining completely silent.

"Your Highness, please step aside!"

"No----"

Seeing that Prince Jing was resisting, a tall soldier immediately came over and pulled him away, leaving the elegant strategist alone in the center of the hall.

Everyone held their breath; the next second would see blood splattered throughout the hall.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the hall, and a soldier came to report: "Your Highness, Princess Nihuang wishes to enter the hall."

Su Li frowned. He had deliberately sent that rebellious girl away, but he still managed to sense something was wrong.

"Let her in alone—"

"yes!"

Then, Nihuang, dressed in blue and white armor, entered the hall with a heroic air. She looked at everyone present and then fixed her gaze on Su Li.

"Is there something you can't tell me? It seems quite a lot has happened in this hall while I was away. Can anyone tell me about it?"

Upon hearing this, Prince Jing hurriedly said to Princess Nihuang, "Princess, quick—Eighth Brother wants to kill Xiao Shu, please persuade him to stop."

Nihuang's heart skipped a beat. She took a deep breath and whispered, "It seems everyone already knows."

She looked at Su Li: "Why did you kill him?"

"He blocked my way. The Jianghu will not allow such a powerful force as the Jiangzuo Alliance to exist. I will not only kill him, but after I ascend the throne, I will send troops to wipe out all non-court forces."

Su Li spoke simply and calmly.

Everyone in the hall was shocked, never expecting him to be so ruthless.

"Is killing him absolutely necessary?" Nihuang asked, biting her lip.

Su Li took two steps back, protected by the armored soldiers, and said in a deep voice, "I don't want to repeat myself. I've already given him the terms."

Seeing Su Li's actions, Nihuang was furious. This guy was actually guarding against her making a move, what a bastard!

But now is not the time to be angry. She gritted her teeth and asked Prince Jing, then glanced at Mei Changsu: "You heard it, either let the Jiangzuo Alliance become a force of the court, or let it be wiped out by the army."

Are you sure you want thousands of Jiangzuo Alliance members to die with you?

Then, Nihuang said in a cold tone, "I might as well tell Mr. Su that after Prince Ling ascends the throne, I will be the Empress of Liang. If you agree to his conditions, I can assure you that you will be safe and sound, as will everyone present."

Upon hearing this, the scene erupted in uproar, and Mei Changsu was deeply shaken. His childhood playmate and sweetheart had gone down a different path from him.

Having seen Meng Zhi, Fei Liu, Zhen Ping, and the worried Prince Jing and Consort Jing, Yu Jin, whose hand was secretly firmly held by Yan Que, —

It can be said that after this battle, he has no chance of making a comeback.

Mei Changsu exhaled deeply, as if he had laid down all the burdens of the past years, and raised his hands in a gesture of respect.

"I agree to Your Highness's conditions. From this day forward, everything I control will belong to Your Highness. I only ask that Your Highness, after ascending the throne, clear the name of Prince Qi, the Lin family, and the tens of millions of Chiyan Army soldiers."

"I will keep my promise!"

Next, Su Li looked directly at Emperor Liang and said in a deep voice, "Please have Father write down the abdication edict and announce it to all the soldiers of the hunting palace."

""

Princess Nihuang knelt on one knee and said in the same way, "Your Majesty, please abdicate—"

Prince Jing, Consort Jing, Yan Que, Prince Ji, and everyone else in the hall also knelt down.

"We, your humble servants, agree with His Highness Prince Ling's statement and request Your Majesty to abdicate!"

Emperor Liang felt cold all over, his lips trembling, but in the end he could only helplessly write the abdication edict.

It was no use for him not to write, because Su Li had already arranged everything.

General Yang Ming of the Lingwang Mansion, holding the imperial edict, walked out of the inner hall and went outside to announce the edict to all the soldiers.

"Prince Yu plotted a rebellion, but fortunately Prince Ling led troops to quell the rebellion. My health is in grave danger. Prince Ling is of noble character, wise and virtuous. From this day forward, I abdicate the throne to Prince Ling and move to the Taihe Hall."

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Led by their general, the soldiers knelt down in unison and roared "Long live the Emperor!" The sound of their shouts shook the entire hunting palace.

Everyone present understood that a new era had begun!

With the rebellion quelled, the army began its return to the capital under the orders of the new emperor, Zuli.

He had spies in both the city's defense forces and the imperial guards in Jinling. As soon as the army returned to the capital, the garrison commander opened the city gates to welcome the troops into the capital.

Everything went smoothly, and no one rebelled.

Most of the Imperial Guards and Imperial Household Forces were replaced with their own people.

The day after gaining military power, Su Li summoned all the civil and military officials and opened the coronation hall.

Then an imperial edict brought Nihuang into the palace, and according to his will, she became the empress and the mistress of the harem.

Su Li, dressed in an imperial robe, stood on the steps, overlooking the city of Jinling.

"Now that the court is stable, I will begin my plan."

Three years later.

In the warm spring of March, flowers bloom in Nanjing.

"Hot steamed buns!"

"Large, juicy, and sweet chicken balls —"

"Fresh mink fur from the East China Sea~"

"A great victory! General Ding Peng decisively defeated 150,000 Chu troops at Tianmen Valley the day before yesterday!"

The government servant waved a newspaper excitedly and shouted at everyone through a megaphone.

"Let me see one."

"150,000 people! I think Southern Chu is completely finished this time."

"Your Majesty is exceptionally valiant; the tiny Chu Kingdom was destroyed in the blink of an eye!"

Fei Liu, dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Guard, took a newspaper and quickly crossed the street to the teahouse across the street.

"Brother Su, here you go!"

Mei Changsu took the newspaper, glanced at it, and handed it to Prince Jing opposite him: "After this battle, Southern Chu will have no chance of turning the tide, and the country will perish."

Prince Jing carefully read through the document, picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and looked slightly dejected: "A momentous event like the annihilation of a nation, yet I cannot participate—"

Three years passed in the blink of an eye. A thousand days had passed since the new emperor ascended the throne, and the changes in the Great Liang Dynasty were visible to the world.

The new emperor renamed the Suspended Mirror Bureau as the Embroidered Uniform Guard and re-established the Eastern Depot to monitor officials and infiltrate enemy countries.

They reclaimed fertile land and planted sweet potatoes, potatoes, rice, corn, cotton, and other crops, resulting in a bountiful harvest of grain.

The Nanjing Military Academy was established to mass-produce officers and staff officers in preparation for war.

In addition, there were reforms to medical pads, the emergence of royal banks, and so on, which led to a visible increase in the national strength of the Great Liang.

At some point, an ideology called "unification and military expansion" began to spread in Daliang, and the atmosphere of war gradually intensified.

All of these things have led to rapid changes throughout the country.

Mei Changsu sighed and comforted him, "Although His Majesty's throne is secure and his reputation is great, given his personality, he would never allow Your Highness to lead the troops."

Prince Jing shook his head and chuckled, "If I can't lead troops, then I won't. Anyway, I'll be content to spend my whole life with Xiao Shu."

Mei Changsu chuckled and scolded, "Last time, Aunt Jing asked me if you had a girl you liked. You're not young anymore, it's time to find a proper wife to carry on the family line."

"Don't talk about me, talk about you. Do you have someone you like? If so, I'll personally come to your door to play matchmaker." After all these experiences, Prince Jing has learned to joke.

"I haven't met him yet, let's see what fate brings," Mei Changsu said, squinting his eyes.

Neither of them mentioned the Empress of Liang. Now, due to the difference in status, they could not even meet once a year. Moreover, with the passage of so much time, everything had been lost.

"Your Highness Prince Jing, Brother Su, you two have arrived quite early!"

The tone clearly identified him as Yu Jin. Behind him was Xiao Jingrui, the latter having been released a year after Su Li ascended the throne.

Meanwhile, Yuwen Xuan and Yue Xiuzhe, who were prisoners with him, were sent back to the State of Chu, while Yuwen Nian entered the palace as a concubine.

"Have you heard? Southern Chu suffered a crushing defeat, with 15 men perishing in Tianmen Valley. The Southern Chu delegation seeking peace may already be on their way."

Xiao Jingrui sat down on the other side and said calmly, "His Majesty will not agree to this. Southern Chu is doomed to perish."

"Jingrui is right. Our Emperor is a man of great talent and ambition. Over the past few years, he has been working to increase the nation's strength. Once we have dealt with Southern Chu, Great Liang will have no more worries about its rear and can focus on dealing with Dayu and Northern Yan."

With nothing much to do these past few years, Mei Changsu has been able to glean insights into Su Li's strategic policies through official newspapers.

Xiao Jingrui laughed and said, "Now, the sons of Great Liang take pride in gaining military merit through military service, and their warlike mentality is even stronger than that of Great Yu. If it were three years ago, I wouldn't have believed it. Is this still our Great Liang?"

Everyone smiled, but their gazes were somewhat complicated.

The one who brought about all these changes is the person sitting on the throne today. He has made the Great Liang stronger, but he is more like a wild beast, constantly expanding outwards and devouring everything.

"Look at Xia Jiang."

Yu Jin hurriedly whispered.

Everyone looked out the window and saw a dozen or so Imperial Guards on horseback escorting an old man past. It was Xia Jiang, who had a ruddy complexion.

"This Lord Xia is a concubine in the palace thanks to Sister Dong. He is deeply favored by His Majesty and wields immense power. He must have just returned from Langzhou."

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is terrifying, instilling fear in all the officials of the court. They are even more hateful than the Suspended Mirror Bureau, their spies are everywhere—"

A shadowy glint flashed in Mei Changsu's eyes. He had always wanted to get rid of this culprit who had killed Prince Qi and the Chiyan Army.

But after Su Li dismantled all his forces, he had no more options left.

He said, "You may see Xia Jiang as having a glorious future, but in reality, he is walking on thin ice. His Majesty is not the late Emperor. There is nothing in the world that can be hidden from him."

It would be good if Xia Jiang continued like this, but if he had even the slightest improper thoughts...

He will immediately feel what thunderous rage is like —

Yu Jin also said, "Mr. Su is right. My father also meant the same thing. If one's power is too great and one cannot maintain one's integrity, one will eventually suffer the consequences."

Xia Jiang, whom they were talking about, obviously couldn't hear their conversation. He had his waist token and had been thoroughly searched by the guards before entering the palace.

"Eunuch Li, please inform them—"

With a pale complexion and a physique resembling that of a eunuch who could be knocked down by a gust of wind, he nodded slightly: "Lord Xia, please wait a moment."

Not long after, a voice came from inside: "Summon Xia Jiang of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to an audience—"

Xia Jiang strode inside and immediately saw Su Li on the throne, as well as the latter's newly acquired concubine, Consort Liu, the granddaughter of the Grand Chancellor.

"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty!"

Get up.

"Your Majesty, this is the truth and result I found after conducting an investigation during my trip to Langzhou."

The personal eunuch quickly took the memorial and handed it to Su Li with both hands. Su Li took it and looked at it carefully for a few moments.

"Someone, please bring a seat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Su Li looked at the old man and smiled, saying, "Xia Qing is as trustworthy as ever. You did a good job on this."

"Your Majesty's praise is too kind; I dare not accept it."

Xia Jiang dared not take credit. After so many years of working together as emperor and subject, he knew very well that the one sitting on the throne was far more terrifying than the late emperor.

If it weren't for his weakness of liking beauty, it's likely that no minister or state would have been able to find a way to please him.

Su Li chatted with him for a while, then said, "Now that you're in the palace, go and see Consort Dong. I'm sure you two, master and disciple, have a lot to talk about after not seeing each other for so long."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave."

Xia Jiang's eyes flashed. With Xie Yu dead, no one knew about his plot with the latter to harm the Chiyan Army.

He used to be somewhat wary of Xia Dong, but now it's purely a teacher-student relationship, like a father to his daughter.

Upon seeing Xia Jiang, the hunting dog, emerge from the palace, Su Li scooped up Consort Liu and carried her to the back.

"Your Majesty, is it still daytime?"

Consort Liu's fair face flushed pink. As a newly arrived concubine, she had no idea about Su Li's hobbies.

"Wouldn't it be better during the day, when we can see more clearly?"

The pretty palace maids on both sides blushed and followed behind to close the door. "Bai Rixuanyin" was already used to it.

This emperor, a man of great talent and ambition who reigned supreme, was considered perfect in every way by the world, except for his excessive obsession with beauty, which drew criticism.

When the mood struck, she would immediately start having parties with Consort Dong, Consort Ning, Consort Qing, Consort Yang, Consort Shu, Consort Wen, and Consort Yuwen Nian.

The palace maids had become accustomed to this, and it was even considered a kind of perk for them.

Because when His Majesty is in a good mood, any beautiful palace maid around him may rise to a high position and become a phoenix.

"The Empress has arrived!"

A magnificent and elegant woman, surrounded by a group of palace maids and eunuchs, entered the main hall. She glanced at the palace maids lying on the ground to her left and right.

"Where is His Majesty?"

The tall, head palace maid replied tremblingly, "Your Majesty, His Majesty is inside."