Daqin Zhentiansi

Jiang Yuanliang slammed his hand on the armrest, spilling wine onto his dragon robe: "All you know is how to lie on your sickbed. Do you know how many miles the Qin cavalry advances each year?"

"Do you know how much 'tribute' I have to send to the Qin court every year in exchange for that pitiful respite on the border?"

"Do you know how many powerful families are secretly colluding, plotting to stab me in the back at any moment so they can exchange their titles and wealth for those titles with the Qin people?!"

"I've exhausted myself, I've walked on thin ice! I haven't even dared to sleep soundly! I've even sent my daughter over there as a pawn!" Jiang Yuanliang's voice grew increasingly agitated, bordering on madness. "And you! You've only left behind a stupid son whose mind has been bewitched by a woman!"

"Now look what's happened! He let the wolf into the house! He's handed over his ancestral legacy to the Qin people!"

He staggered to his feet, pointed at his non-existent elder brother in the "void," tears streaming down his face, and cried out hoarsely, "Are you satisfied now? Ying Zhengcheng! That's not a prince! That's a dog chain the Qin people have put around the neck of my Great Qi!"

"Our Jiang family's empire! The eight-hundred-year reign of the Great Qi! It's about to be ruined by this fool! How can I, how can I face my father?! How can I face the founding emperor?!"

"Boom!"

With a loud crash, the heavy, copper-inlaid palace doors were violently smashed open!

The light of the torches instantly flooded in, dispelling the gloom in the hall.

Covered in blood, Jiang Zhengcheng's elite personal guards charged into the main hall like wolves and tigers, forming two lines on either side.

Finally, Jiang Zhengcheng, dressed in military uniform and with a cold expression, stepped into the hall that symbolized the pinnacle of power, surrounded by generals and defecting ministers.

However, all that caught everyone's eye was the figure slumped and slumped on the dragon throne.

Jiang Yuanliang's head drooped limply to his chest, a trace of dark blood remaining at the corner of his mouth. The jade cup in his hand rolled onto the gold brick floor, making a crisp yet hollow cracking sound.

The strong aroma of alcohol was mixed with a faint, unsettlingly sweet and fishy scent.

The hall was dead silent.

Jiang Zhengcheng looked at the man who had usurped his father's throne and was ultimately crushed by himself and the times, his eyes filled with no pity, only indifference as if the dust had settled.

He waved his hand and coldly ordered, "Traitor Jiang Yuanliang, he committed suicide out of fear of punishment. Drag him away and leave his body exposed for three days as a warning to others!"

……

Three days later.

The Imperial City of the Great Qi Dynasty.

The grand coronation ceremony was held in the center of the imperial city, on an unprecedented scale, yet shrouded in an unusual atmosphere.

Jiang Zhengcheng, now known as the new Emperor Jiang Zheng, wore elaborate imperial robes and received the homage of his ministers.

After the ceremony, the new emperor did not announce the change of reign title as was customary. Instead, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he took out a sandalwood box.

He surveyed the silent square, his voice carrying clearly to every corner: "I, Jiang Zheng, deeply feel that the Mandate of Heaven has been bestowed upon me, and that the people's hearts are with me! However, times have changed, and the fortunes of the Yongtian Continent are converging, which cannot be reversed."

"To prevent the people of Qi from suffering the ravages of war again, and to preserve the ancestral temples of our ancestors, I today tearfully appeal to Heaven and our forefathers—"

He took a deep breath and spoke each word with earth-shattering force: "From this day forward, my Jiang clan will relinquish the title of Emperor and the title of Kingdom! The entire eastern territory, including the six prefectures and forty-three cities, the mountains and rivers, the state, and all the soldiers and civilians... shall all belong to Great Qin!"

"Wow——!"

After a brief period of extreme silence, an uncontrollable uproar erupted!
Despite having a premonition, when the eight words "abandon the national title" and "all return to the Great Qin" were truly uttered from the new emperor's mouth, the immense impact still left countless Qi people, whether court officials or commoners, feeling a dizzying sense of suffocation.

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

A group of officials, led by Zhou Jinzhong, who knew the inside story, were the first to kneel down. They understood that this was the only way to save their families and even their lives.

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

The sounds gradually gathered, eventually rising in the square like a muffled tide.

The new emperor, Jiang Zheng, or rather, King Jiang Zheng of Qi, calmly placed the jade seal, symbolizing the inheritance of the Qi state, into the box, as if he were placing not supreme power, but an incomparably heavy mountain.

He raised his head slightly, his gaze seemingly piercing through countless palaces, looking towards the west.

In the annals of history, only the fragrance of ink remains.

On the 28th day of the seventh month of the 25th year of the Yongtian calendar of the Great Qin Dynasty, Emperor Jiang Zheng of Qi abdicated and relinquished his title, and the land of Qi was returned to Qin.

From then on, there were five kingdoms and three regions, with the remaining four kingdoms and two regions in Yongtian Continent.

……

Outside the city gate of the former capital of the State of Qi.

The dust has settled.

Contrary to many people's expectations, the formidable Qin Xuanjia did not withdraw. Instead, they took over the core defenses of the capital city with an even more formidable force.

Chen Wu stood with his hand on his sword in front of the brand-new "Qi Cheng State Duke's Mansion". The bloodstains on his armor had long been washed away, leaving only a cold, eerie light.

Three thousand guards silently dispersed, forming a domain that strangers were forbidden to approach.

Their mission was clear: to protect and monitor the newly surrendered "Duke Cheng of Qi," Jiang Zheng, and ensure the absolute implementation of the Qin Dynasty's will in this region.

At the city gate, a dark-colored carriage, simple in style yet exuding an extraordinary aura, stood quietly.

The car doors were tightly closed, and heavy curtains hung down, blocking all prying eyes from the outside world.

There were no ceremonial guards, no noisy hooves, only the four magnificent black horses pulling the carriage occasionally pawing the ground with dull, soft thuds.

Dressed in casual clothes, Zhang Yuan stepped onto the carriage shaft unnoticed.

As he stepped into the carriage, the doors quietly closed.

Sitting upright in the carriage, Zhang Yuan had a small cloth bag beside him.

Wrapped in black brocade is the jade seal of the State of Qi.

"Return to Great Qin." A deep, calm voice came from behind the carriage curtain.

Wearing a gray robe and holding the reins, Luo Hongxiu lightly shook the reins.

Four black horses strode forward with steady steps, and the black carriage slowly started moving, departing alone from the capital city that had just experienced a dramatic upheaval, heading further and further away towards the Qin Dynasty, eventually disappearing at the end of the official road in the east.

With the fall of Qi to Qin, the political landscape of Yongtian underwent a dramatic change, and the Qin Dynasty's power and influence became unparalleled for a time.

Although the capital was secured, the Xuanjia garrison was like a cold shackle.

The Qingyang Marquis, who had dominated the heart of the storm, now departed quietly like the receding tide, leaving only a seemingly peaceful carriage traveling across the empty plains.

The setting sun cast a long, enormous shadow of the car.

"My lord, a secret report from Wei states that Yuwen Tuo colluded with the Tian Dan Sect of Yangtianzhou to use 100,000 civilians to test the Blood Burning Pill, creating 30,000 Blood Burning Guards who have already been ambushed at the 'Sinking Dragon Abyss' on the return journey to the East Sea."

Luo Hongxiu's voice rang out from in front of the vehicle.

"Furthermore, the powerful figures from both the martial arts world and the imperial court of Eastern Wei have all come out and gathered at the border to intercept and kill you, my lord."

"Among them, Elder Yu Yan of the Heavenly Pill Sect, Cao Zixun of the Taixu Sword Pavilion with the Shattered Star Sword, and Guiyu Daoist of the Myriad Tribulations Talisman Sect are all well-known experts in Yangtian Continent."

Luo Hongxiu paused for a moment, then said softly, "Do you need to call upon the Eastern Frontier army for support?"

Zhang Yuan sat in the carriage, his black robes motionless, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the hilts of the two swords at his waist.

"No need." The answer was firm and resolute.

Inside the carriage, Zhang Yuan leaned against the soft cushions, his fingertips gently stroking the hilt of the Dragon Sparrow Blade at his waist. Outside the window, twilight deepened over the desolate wilderness.

He closed his eyes and let his mind sink into the depths of his consciousness.

The Spring Mountain painting unfolds silently, and amidst the swirling clouds and mist, a familiar and exquisite courtyard appears.

The peach blossoms in the courtyard were in full bloom, and the fallen petals were scattered everywhere. Zhao Yu, dressed in a pale yellow palace dress, was sitting on a stone bench.

Upon seeing him appear, her bright eyes instantly filled with smiles, as if all the colors of the spring mountain had converged upon her.

"I've finally waited for you," Zhao Yu stood up to greet him, naturally taking his arm. "These past few days have been quite eventful in the court."

Zhang Yuan held her soft hand and walked to the stone table to sit down: "Tell me, what news has our Princess Yu Ruo received this time?"

Zhao Yu sat down and poured him a cup of tea with elegant and skillful movements: "Let's start with the important things. My aunt and elder brother followed the Marquis of Zhenxi deep into Yan territory. I heard they fought several brilliant battles and captured three cities in succession."

"The news has spread throughout the court. Everyone says that if we can destroy Northern Yan in one fell swoop, the merits and status of the Zhao King lineage will be a sure thing."

The royal titles held by King Zhao's lineage were earned by King Zhao himself through risking his life.

Neither Zhao Yu nor Ying Liang could ever let this matter go.

Now that they have the merit of destroying a country before them, Ying Liang and Princess Fengming will certainly not let it go.

Mentioning the Ouyang family, Zhang Yuan sighed softly: "Ouyang Shucai and his son became enemies. Back then in the Northwest, Ouyang Xu and Princess Fengming..."

He didn't continue, but just shook his head: "Fate plays tricks on us."

Zhao Yu also remained silent for a moment; she could sense the sense of loss and regret that Zhang Yuan felt.

She changed the subject, talking about trivial matters of the business: "The military supplies in the Eastern Territory are ready, just waiting for the East Sea army's transport ships to dock. And those 'Chaos Pearls' condensed by the East Sea Qi Refiners are going crazy in the Imperial City!"

“Yu Yuan Trading Company and Jiu Chuan Alliance control the distribution, and they set extremely high prices. Even noble families flock to them, and the palace has come to purchase several batches.”

She paused, her delicate brows furrowing slightly: "However, those Qi cultivators... they all have different intentions and are not truly loyal. Many of them are only after the resources of the Great Qin."

"How to arrange and settle them, and how to integrate this force, is still a point of contention between the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War, and His Majesty is also having a headache."

As the behind-the-scenes controller of Yu Yuan Trading Company, Zhao Yu has an extremely thorough understanding of the flow of resources and power struggles between the imperial court and the martial arts world.

Zhang Yuan nodded, his eyes sharpening: "This matter should be addressed sooner rather than later. The East China Sea Fleet is about to return, bringing back not only supplies, but also potentially even greater uncertainties."

"Once I've dealt with the affairs of Eastern Wei and returned to the capital, I should begin preparing for the decisive battle to unify Yongtian Continent. But..."

His tone became serious.

"Outside Yongtian Continent, those wolves who have been coveting it for a long time are probably getting restless. The talisman cultivators, alchemists, and sword masters of Yangtian Continent will definitely not sit idly by and watch Great Qin devour the entire Yongtian Continent."

Zhao Yu leaned on his shoulder, her voice filled with worry: "I understand... this last step is always the hardest. You have to be careful."

Her hands wrapped around Zhang Yuan's waist.

Zhang Yuan looked down at the person in his arms, and the affection and intelligence in her eyes warmed his heart.

He held Zhao Yu tightly, lowered his head and kissed her forehead, then her eyebrows, the tip of her nose, and finally gently yet domineeringly covered her soft lips.

The peach blossoms in the courtyard seemed shy, falling without wind, filling the air with a sweet and enchanting fragrance.

After an unknown amount of time spent together, Zhang Yuan gently stroked Zhao Yu's slightly flushed cheeks and said, "Wait for me to come back."

Zhao Yu's eyes were brimming with tears as she nodded vigorously: "Yes."

My soul slowly retreated from the Spring Mountain Painting like a tide, and the soft and beautiful surroundings were quickly replaced by the hard texture of the wooden carriage.

Zhang Yuan opened his eyes. The carriage was dimly lit, and night had already fallen outside the window.

The sound of tire tracks continued, but the speed had clearly slowed down.

The carriage stopped in front of a mountain temple.

The temple was indeed dilapidated, with half of the eaves collapsed, the walls covered with cracks, and the broken wooden door hanging halfway, creaking in the night wind.

Luo Hongxiu quickly tied up the horses and soon started a bonfire in a sheltered spot in front of the temple gate. She took out some dry rations and dried meat and put them on the fire to roast.

Zhang Yuan stepped over the dusty, weed-covered threshold and entered the temple.

Moonlight streamed through the collapsed roof and cracked windows, outlining the main seat in the hall.

A mountain god statue, mostly broken, stands there, with only the torso and the blurry outline of the head remaining; the rest of the body is either eroded and destroyed or scattered on the ground.

He intended to find a place to sit down and meditate, but when his gaze swept over the remaining base and part of the torso of the stone statue, he paused slightly.

A strange sense of familiarity welled up inside me.

The stone statue is made of rough material and has a simple, ancient craftsmanship. It is carved with some twisted and complicated patterns, which have long been blurred by the weathering of countless years.

However, the "charm" of these patterns bears a striking resemblance to the ancient divine patterns carved on the "Sea-Suppressing Pillar" that suppresses countless sea eyes in the East China Sea!

He took a few steps closer, his fingertips gathering a barely perceptible wisp of qi, and gently stroked a remaining carving on the stone statue.

Beneath the icy touch, a faint, heavy, and desolate aura, as if slumbering for eternity, flashed by, almost impossible to detect.

“Ancient divine legends…” Zhang Yuan murmured to himself.

He had once perused those records buried in the dust of history in the secret ancient books of the Zhen Tian Si.

During the height of the ancient Great Xia Dynasty, the Heavenly Court issued an edict to the world, appointing mountain spirits, water monsters, heroes, and ghosts as guardian deities of the land, to protect the peace of the region, command the spirits, and bless all living beings.

Legend has it that the number of deities was said to be "eighty million mountain gods," which describes a truly magnificent sight.

However, with the collapse of the Great Xia Dynasty and the decline of the Heavenly Way, the divine way that depended upon it also declined and collapsed.

They may vanish into nothingness, merge into the emerging Great Qin Heavenly Dao and become part of the will of the mountains and rivers, or completely degenerate and return to the realm of demons.

Even worse, some fall into eternal silence, their sleeping bodies either becoming part of mountains and marshes, or reduced to clay or wooden puppets for mortals to worship...

The mountain god in this temple is the latter.

Before it fell into slumber, it was probably just a minor mountain deity. Now, even the last bit of sacrifice and offerings are about to be cut off, leaving only this stone body containing a trace of ancient aura.

The light from the campfire and the aroma of roasted meat wafted in from outside. Zhang Yuan walked out of the dilapidated temple, sat down by the fire, and accepted the dry rations handed to him by Luo Hongxiu.

Just as I was about to speak, I heard footsteps and voices coming from the mountain path not far away.

"Hey? Brother, there's a fire over there. It looks like a mountain god temple. Someone is resting here." A clear and refined voice rang out.

Immediately afterwards, another equally polite voice replied, "In that case, we might as well come forward and bother you. It would be good to borrow some light to warm ourselves on this cold mountain night."

As the two approached, by the firelight it was clear they were two young scholars, both carrying simple bags, travel-worn but still well-mannered.

The first man was older, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a handsome face; the other man looked about seventeen or eighteen years old, with some childishness still in his features, but bright eyes.

The two bowed to Zhang Yuan and Luo Hongxiu, their manners polite.

"Brother, young lady, we are Li Zhongwen and Wang Qi. We apologize for disturbing you." The older scholar introduced himself. "It is getting late, and the mountain path is difficult to traverse. Would you mind if we could borrow a corner in front of the temple to warm ourselves by the fire and rest for a while?"

Zhang Yuan was dressed in a dark-colored casual suit, exuding a reserved and composed demeanor; Luo Hongxiu wore a neat gray robe, with delicate features but calm eyes that carried a hidden sharpness.

To the scholar, they appeared to be a traveling gentleman or merchant accompanied by maids. (End of Chapter)