Long Live Money in Anime Crossover

"Any other news?" Momo asked Argo.

Argo thought for a moment and said, "Nothing for now. What is confirmed is that the total number of troops in various places is said to be 300,000, and they are about to be mobilized. However, the movement of 300,000 troops is not an easy task. My spies will report on their movements at any time."

"Well, they never really intended to hide it."

Mo Mo nodded, understanding dawning on her.

Because this world lacks internal combustion engines, tanks, airplanes, and even trains are all electrically powered, which means that speed and range are major issues. For such armored forces to operate over large areas would certainly not be easy, at least not with the robust transportation capabilities of the Celestial Empire in the previous world.

Moreover, the current Chinese Empire is not the same as the Celestial Empire in Mo Mo's previous life that was crazy about infrastructure construction. Apart from the main roads and railway lines, many other parts are in a state of disrepair.

Therefore, the march and assembly of 300,000 troops toward Luoyang would not be a short-term event, and Momo believed that even if the armies of several nearby world warlords arrived, they would not attack.

The current situation reminded Mo Mo of the scene in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms where the eighteen-route coalition attacked Dong Zhuo. The analogy may not be appropriate, but before the real leader, Cao Yuanming, arrived at the Luoyang Military Region, Mo Mo and his group remained calm and safe.

So, they have at least half a month to rest and prepare, and Momo's side has also had half a month to accumulate weapons and equipment.

The weapons and equipment designated by Momo are currently in the stage of rapid mass production, and the daily output is increasing. With another half month of stockpiling, it should be enough to support a medium-intensity war of attrition.

This situation was beyond Mo Mo's expectations. Mo Mo wondered if he should thank the current poor transportation capacity of the Chinese Empire, as well as the arrogance of Cao Yuanming and his ilk of local emperors and princes.

"Is that so? Thank you for your hard work, Argo."

Momo also touched Argo's face, and Argo was even more straightforward than CC, closing his eyes and rubbing against Momo's hand, like a pet asking to be petted.

Momo simply kneaded Argo's cheeks with both hands, rubbing them until they were rosy.

"Hey darling, I've worked so hard for so long, isn't there any reward?"

As he spoke, Argo hugged Momo tightly, his eyes showing a hint of weariness, but even more so a longing for intimacy.

And how could Momo, who had been married to Argo for a long time, not understand Argo's thoughts?

Momo gently kissed Argo's lips. Argo's lips seemed to still carry the dust of the wind, giving Momo a slightly bitter taste.

Argo responded to Momo, and his reaction grew increasingly enthusiastic.

"Hey, are you pretending I don't exist? Profaning in broad daylight! Have you two forgotten what you just said? Three hundred thousand troops are about to surround this place!"

CC's expression was somewhat unfriendly. Did Mo Mo's heat not discriminate between time and place? When he was in heat, couldn't he consider how to deal with the powerful enemy that was about to arrive?

However, when CC said this, she had subconsciously forgotten what she and Momo had done not long ago.

Argo and Momo parted their lips, her face flushed even more, and her eyes became watery. Even so, her face was still full of smiles as she said, "Are you jealous, Sister Sisi? But I am your dear, real wife, so now I'm going to take Momo all to myself, I don't want to share her with you."

"I wouldn't want it even if you gave it to me for free."

CC glanced away somewhat guiltily and said, "I just wanted to remind a guy who's always in heat, and also to remind you, Argo, to be careful your dear doesn't die from exhaustion."

"You can rest assured about that, Sister Sisi. Hmph, my dear Shili, I know this all too well."

"Well then, my darling and I are going to take a shower. See you in a bit... Oh right, Sisi, do you really not want her? I can give Momo to you right now, do you want to come along?"

CC's eyelids twitched. The little bit of decency she had left made her feel a forbidden danger. She quickly said, "I'm not as shameless as you. I'm hungry. I want pizza."

Unfortunately, CC's words seemed to have no persuasive power in Argo's eyes, because Argo was still looking at CC's still naked body with great interest, and CC seemed to have long been used to this appearance in front of Momo and Argo.

"Hmph, don't regret it, Sister Sisi!"

After saying that, Argo finally pulled Momo into the bathroom. Soon, noises other than the sound of water could be heard from inside, which made CC feel like the pizza in her mouth had lost its flavor.

CC put the half-eaten pizza back on the plate, licking the taste off her fingers, her eyes somewhat vacant.

"If I had known I would be so fascinated... I should have just agreed."

……

Cao Yuanming's army finally began its campaign, signifying the start of the war between the two sides. Although the battles on the battlefield were far from over, the conflicts off the battlefield had already begun.

Cao Yuanming, in collusion with local forces, organized an army of 300,000 men and gathered in the Luoyang military region, intending to besiege the city. Such an action naturally required a pretext. Although these men didn't fundamentally care what the people in their jurisdiction could do—after all, the people were just unarmed ordinary citizens; could they possibly rise to the heavens?

However, as planned, they still gave a sufficiently formal reason and issued a manifesto, claiming that the old emperor had actually been kidnapped by the equally rebellious eunuch Gao Hai, and that the so-called genius Mo Mo was an accomplice of the eunuch, colluding with him.

They sent troops to save the old emperor, to protect the legitimacy of the Chinese empire, and for the sake of the country and its people.

This proclamation quickly spread to Luoyang, to the Forbidden City, and throughout the world.

Author's Note:

The sixth update, albeit belated.

092 The Emperor's Speech

War has finally come.

The Chinese Federation, one of the world's three superpowers, has erupted into civil war under the world's watchful eyes. Local forces are united and marching towards the capital of the Chinese Empire, a move that looks like a dynastic change.

People originally thought that the tripolar confrontation would probably last for a long time, but Britannia was about to conquer Japan, and the tripolar confrontation was just about to take shape when the Chinese Empire was already in internal strife.

what does this mean?

The Chinese Empire, caught in internal strife, naturally has no time to attend to other matters. It is likely that the Chinese Empire will not have the time or energy to stop whatever actions the EU and Britannia may take.

Even if they can stop Britannia and the EU, the Chinese Empire's vassal states and the member states of the Chinese Federation, who were already eager to make their moves, will probably not be able to resist taking this opportunity to do something.

The word "independence" always holds immense allure for oppressed nations and peoples. Although there are currently only three superpowers left in the world, many would be tempted to try their luck if given the opportunity to become independent.

After all, compared to being a prince or nobleman in the Chinese Federation, it's much more convenient to be the king yourself, isn't it?

Everyone thought the same thing: was it really impossible for the Chinese Empire to avoid civil war? Couldn't the emperor and those powerful warlords of the Chinese Empire make an effort for peace?

The fate of the Chinese Federation itself is none of their concern, but if the internal strife within the Chinese Empire leads to the disintegration of the Chinese Federation, the standoff between the three superpowers in the world will cease, and Asia will immediately become a huge piece of meat... Under such incentives, when will the war ever end?

Many people secretly hoped that the Emperor of the Chinese Empire would back down. After all, the Emperor was facing the united opposition of all his subordinates, and an army of 300,000 men would be enough to completely annihilate the Emperor's forces, wouldn't it?

If the emperor of the Chinese Empire were to yield at this time, the Chinese Empire would still have hope of maintaining peace.

However, the Chinese emperor's reaction next left everyone dumbfounded.

The old emperor, whom they hadn't seen for over a decade, reappeared on the big screen, astonishing everyone in the Chinese Empire and even the Chinese Federation as they watched the old man on television.

For older people who still remember the emperor's appearances, there is a vague image of him. At that time, the emperor was only over thirty years old. Although he was somewhat pale and thin, he still looked like a spirited middle-aged man.

Now, looking at the gaunt, almost skeletal old man before them, if it weren't for the Emperor's still sharp and familiar eyes, probably no one would believe that this man, who looked at least sixty years old, was actually His Majesty the Emperor of the Chinese Empire.

It's only been a little over ten years. A little over ten years may seem like a long time, but for those who have already lived through these years, the grand court assembly where the old emperor last appeared more than ten years ago doesn't seem too distant.

What exactly happened in between?

What exactly happened that made the old emperor seem to have jumped thirty years in an instant, turning him into such an old and emaciated figure?

If the old emperor hadn't looked quite well and seemed to be in good spirits, many people would probably have suspected that his death was imminent.

Everyone was filled with questions, but their questions didn't last long.

Because the Emperor gave them the answer, they wanted the bigger answer.

"I'm guilty."

The moment the emperor spoke, a single word stunned everyone.

More than a decade later, the old emperor appeared for the first time. Everyone wondered what he would say, but his first words were to confess his guilt!

"I have been working hard for thirty-one years, originally wanting to revitalize China and restore its prestige, so as not to let China, which has lasted for 1,800 years, decline. However, now, starting more than ten years ago, I can only trust the Grand Eunuch, allowing him to control the government and wreak havoc on the world, making the whole of China more and more miserable."

“I am guilty, but this is also my only option. I have been suffering from a strange disease for the past twenty years. I have been getting thinner and thinner and weaker. More than ten years ago, I was almost unable to get out of bed.”

"I am naturally incapable of governing the world. Moreover, because I was focused on handling state affairs when I was young, I did not leave offspring earlier. It was only in recent years that I had a child named Lihua."

"However, Lihua is too young and far from being able to handle state affairs. What I hope for is that Lihua will grow up soon, take over the heavy burden and sins on my shoulders, and make up for my mistakes of neglecting state affairs over the years."

The old emperor's expression grew increasingly dejected, as if he had truly become an old man suffering from a serious illness, only able to wait for death to come.

“I understand that most of you harbor resentment towards me, after all, I have not fulfilled my responsibilities and have caused you all to suffer over the years. I am guilty!”

At this point, the old emperor actually struggled to stand up, and the two maids beside him quickly helped him up.

Seeing the emperor, still trembling and unsteady with the support of two maids, everyone watching the news felt their hearts tighten.

"Your Majesty..."

The emperor's next move shocked everyone even more.

“I, Chiang Wei-shen, am ashamed to be the Emperor of the Chinese Federation, ashamed before the more than one billion people of the Chinese Federation, ashamed before the ancestors of the Chiang family, and ashamed before the countless sages of China over the past 1,800 years.”

"I am guilty, and I apologize to everyone."

As he spoke, the old emperor clasped his hands together, bowed deeply to the camera, and bowed all the way to the bottom.

The sight of the elderly body struggling to sit in this position evoked a sense of sorrow and helplessness in everyone present.

At that moment, hundreds of millions of Chinese people in the Chinese Empire instinctively stood up.

They couldn't stop the emperor from bowing, but they could use the act of standing to show that they dared not accept such a courtesy.

At this moment, those who had endured countless hardships over the years and who had harbored resentment towards the emperor felt only indescribable bitterness in their hearts.

Faced with an emperor who was over forty but looked like a sixty-year-old, unable to even stand, and who, despite being tormented by illness for so many years, still cared for the people, they had no anger or resentment left.

Was the emperor right?

wrong.

The emperor neglected state affairs for more than a decade, allowing powerful eunuchs to control the government. Even decrees like the "Equalization of Wealth" were implemented, which were blatant plunder of the people's assets. This shows how chaotic the Chinese empire had become. Basically, apart from the nobility, ordinary people lived in poverty, and even making a living became a problem.

These mistakes can all be attributed to the emperor, whether or not the emperor admits it.

However, now that the old emperor has admitted his guilt, everyone who looks at his hunched figure seems to feel the pain and helplessness in his heart.

The emperor may have made a mistake, but he was powerless to change it. So, who should the people of the Chinese Empire resent? Should they resent Heaven and Earth?

For a moment, everyone seemed confused.

Supported by two maids with red eyes, the old emperor finally sat down slowly in his chair. Listening to his heavy breathing, everyone knew that this simple act of apologizing had almost exhausted his strength.

This is the current emperor of the Chinese Empire, the last member of the Chiang family to reach adulthood. The next member of the royal family is the emperor's daughter, Jiang Lihua, who is not yet ten years old this year.

Thinking of this, everyone felt a sense of sorrow. Could it be that even the heavens were cursing the Chinese Empire? Could it be that the countless sages in the history of the Chinese Empire would no longer protect it? Could it be that the Chinese Empire, a great empire that has lasted for 1,800 years, has no future?

As the emperor's breathing gradually calmed down, everyone's hearts sank to the bottom.

However, at this moment, someone noticed something was wrong.

The Emperor's eyes... were very bright, and even grew brighter.

Unlike the old emperor's hunched figure, his eyes were very bright, not at all like the cloudy eyes of an old man, but rather like those of a young man full of fighting spirit.