Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 263
The world of martial arts is a chaotic place.

Various miraculous events occurred one after another, and Zhu Jinzhen's suspicions were not entirely unfounded.

After all, compared to his rashly breaking the Heaven-Slaying Sword, which resulted in the loss of the contents of the extraterrestrial meteorite iron hidden within the sword, it was even more unacceptable to Zhu Jinzhen that someone had erased the contents hidden within the Heaven-Slaying Sword beforehand.

Because this means that the answer he wants to know will be like finding a needle in a haystack, impossible to find.

"Wang Mang of the Xin Dynasty, Liu Xiu, Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty."

"With such a lengthy record, what exactly happened in the early Eastern Han Dynasty?"

Zhu Jinzhen stared at the numerous secret records of Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu, on the meteorite iron in his hand, which had been nearly 90% erased, and fell into deep thought.

Wang Mang, a suspected time traveler, and Liu Xiu, who recreated the Han Dynasty and was later known as the Chosen One and a great magician, seem to spark something different in this chaotic world of martial arts.

Zhu Houzhao's army continued towards Jizhou without stopping.

Meanwhile, news of his rejection of peace letters from various countries reached the country.

Although Xiangyang City in the Southern Song Dynasty did not fall into panic.

However, emperors from various countries, including Zhao Ji, Yang Guang, and Zhao Yi, were already as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

"He refused! He actually refused! Was our offer not enough?"

"I have already written in the letter of state that I am willing to cede 1,200 li of land and pay tribute every year. What other bargaining chips do you want me to offer? Give the entire Northern Song Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty?"

"No, since the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty disagrees, we cannot sit idly by and wait for our doom. We must find a way."

"What can we do? That's an army of 700,000 Finger Profound Masters. Even if all the countries in the world mobilized their armies, they would still find it difficult to resist. What other options do we have?"

"So, the only option left is a fight to the death?"

They couldn't help but panic. Facing the overwhelming Ming Dynasty and the Dragon Elephant Legion composed of 600,000 Zhixuan, their numbers were less than one-twentieth of the forces they had united in this alliance.

But their strength is enough to hang them all up and beat them dozens of times.

“There’s no other way!” Zhao Yi sighed, his eyes filled with despair and ruthless determination: “In my letter seeking peace, I included the Southern Song’s willingness to submit to the Ming Dynasty, pay tribute every year, and maintain friendly relations forever. Zhu Houzhao rejected it outright. He clearly wanted to emulate the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang and reunify the world.”

"We have no other way out but to fight."

In Zhao Yi's view, Zhu Houzhao's refusal to accept the submission and surrender of the Southern Song Dynasty revealed his wolfish ambitions. He wanted to defeat the allied forces in Xiangyang and thus unify the country.

Even this last resort and way out is gone.

What other options do they have besides fighting to the bitter end?
……

At this time, the Western Xia Dynasty...

As the Jingnan Campaign in the Ming Dynasty raged and the world was in an uproar over the Heavenly Sword, and as Temur died and the Mongol Yuan Dynasty was about to fall into chaos, the situation in Western Xia was not much better.

The entire imperial city, and even the whole of Western Xia, felt like a storm was brewing.

With the support and cooperation of the secret guards.

Wang Yuyan successfully deposed Princess Li Qinglu of Western Xia in less than a day.

"Your Highness, the Dowager Consort summons you."

"I understand, you may leave!" Wang Yuyan said indifferently to the outside of the palace, then looked at Li Qinglu, who was unable to move and looked at her with surprise and doubt.

The two sat facing each other, as if looking in a mirror.

Especially after Wang Yuyan changed into Li Qinglu's princess outfit, her beauty and elegant demeanor were exactly the same as Li Qinglu's. Not to mention others, even Li Qinglu herself was wondering if she had ever had a twin sister.

"Stop struggling."

Wang Yuyan gently stroked the pretty face that was exactly like hers with her slender white fingers, and said softly, "From the moment I stepped into this imperial city, everything will proceed according to Your Highness's will, and you don't need to expect anyone to come and save you."

"Because no one can save you, just like I can't."

These words caused Li Qinglu's pupils to shrink.

She sensed the helplessness and fear in Wang Yuyan's words, a desire to struggle yet a fear that she dared not. She was even more curious about who this so-called 'Your Highness' was. What was the purpose of this substitution act?
Li Qinglu quickly received the answer.

……

Western Xia, the Empress Dowager's palace. Li Qiushui, a disciple of the Free and Unfettered Sect, is also a Grandmaster of Celestial Phenomena.

At first, when they summoned their granddaughter Li Qinglu, they did not find anything unusual.

After all, Wang Yuyan did not disguise herself; she only made slight changes to her makeup. Even someone as powerful as Tianxiang could not have noticed the clues immediately, let alone imagine that the person impersonating her granddaughter would be her great-granddaughter.

until……

"Oh!"

Caught completely off guard, Li Qiushui was sent flying by Wang Yuyan's palm strike like a rag doll. Even her Lesser Formless Skill couldn't counteract the immense force that crashed down like a mountain and sea.

"puff!"

Li Qiushui spat out blood, her eyes filled with horror and terror.

one move!
Although she was caught off guard by the sneak attack, the fact that the person impersonating Li Qinglu could almost cripple her ability to resist in a single move was enough to prove how terrifying he was.

"Toffee Queen!"

Inside the Empress Dowager's palace, screams erupted, and all the palace maids and eunuchs were thrown into chaos.

I can't understand why this Princess Yinchuan would suddenly attack Consort Li Qiushui.

The next moment, Li Qiushui felt a blur before her eyes, and Wang Yuyan's figure appeared like a ghost, grabbing her neck and slowly lifting her up until she was level with that familiar face. Only then did Li Qiushui realize that she was being controlled by someone else.

"You're not Qinglu, who are you?" Li Qiushui's heart sank to the bottom. She had just been guessing that the person who impersonated Li Qinglu and attacked her, who chose to disguise himself and launch a sneak attack, must be at most a peak Finger Profound Realm cultivator or a newly entered Celestial Realm cultivator.

As a result, Wang Yuyan's attack was so fast that she couldn't even see it clearly.

Land fairy?

Li Qiushui was startled by her own thoughts.

Just as she was filled with despair and awaiting the fate of this unknown enemy, a thunderous address rang in her ears.

"Grandma, you've lost." Wang Yuyan released her grip and looked down at Li Qiushui. "I want to take over Xixia and replace Li Liangzuo. I hope Grandma will cooperate and not make things difficult for me."

"Grandma...Grandma, you...you are?" Li Qiushui looked up at that familiar face, and her heart was filled with a huge wave of emotion. She never expected that the person who made the move would be her granddaughter.

"Qingluo's daughter?"

"Ok!"

Wang Yuyan nodded calmly. This was an indisputable fact, and she had no intention of hiding it.

However, Wang Yuyan's attitude instantly doused Li Qiushui's newly arisen hope and shock, leaving her feeling chilled to the bone. "You want to usurp the throne?"

"Do not."

"It's my cousin, Li Qinglu."

Wang Yuyan gave Li Qiushui a serene smile, like a gentle breeze in spring, yet it sent chills down Li Qiushui's spine, filling her with panic and disbelief.

Li Qiushui naturally understood what Wang Yuyan meant.

She intends to replace Li Liangzuo in the name and identity of Li Qinglu.

Become the Queen of Western Xia!
"Why?" Li Qiushui suddenly asked.

"Grandma wants to ask why I did this?" Wang Yuyan pulled Li Qiushui up, smiling sweetly, tilting her head, sometimes revealing the innocence of a young girl, and in an instant her eyes were full of coldness, as if she had a split personality: "Clearing obstacles for His Highness is Yuyan's duty. His Highness wants Xixia, wants Yuyan to replace Cousin Qinglu and become the Queen of Xixia, then Yuyan will do it."

Do I need a reason?

"Your Highness?" Li Qiushui's eyebrows twitched wildly, and her heart sank. She thought to herself, "Yu Yan's behavior just now was a bit off. It seems to be the same as the effects of the legendary Gu worms or the soul-stealing and mind-controlling."

Thinking of this, Li Qiushui pressed further, "Who is this 'Your Highness' you speak of?"

“One, Grandma, you can’t even imagine, an existence you can hardly look up to.” When Wang Yuyan spoke of Zhu Jinzhen, her eyes were filled with fanaticism, more so than the most devout believer.

A secret guard who was watching all of this secretly recorded Wang Yuyan's behavior.

I plan to have my own commander make some adjustments later.

(End of this chapter)