Journey to the West: Please Call Me the White Bone Demon

Baihua Xiu reluctantly sat on the cold dragon throne, while Kui Mulang stood to the side of the hall, using his star power to intimidate the old ministers who harbored ulterior motives.

At first, everything seemed to be going in a good direction.

Following the new king's policies, Baihua Xiu reduced taxes, released prisoners, opened granaries for relief, and posted notices to appease the people.

The people were temporarily calmed down, and the cries in the city were gradually replaced by whispers.

However, the good times did not last long.

Baihuaxiu was ultimately not cut out for it.

She grew up in the deep palace, pampered by her father and mother. After getting married, she lived in seclusion in the mountains for more than ten years and never really came into contact with politics.

She didn't understand the art of weighing options, the treacherous nature of human hearts, or the daggers hidden behind the smiles of those ministers.

She believed that as long as sincerity was reciprocated, she would be rewarded.

But she forgot that what sat on that high platform was not people's hearts, but interests.

Gradually, chaos began to ensue in the court.

Those former officials were outwardly respectful, but behind the scenes they formed their own factions, fought each other, and vied for power and profit.

Some people used the title of "former ministers of the late king" to gather power, some used the banner of "the princess's new policies" to oppress the people, some secretly sent people to garrison troops in the countryside, and some blatantly set up private prisons in the city.

Once the government orders left the palace gates, they disappeared without a trace, like clay oxen sinking into the sea, with no one to carry them out.

Taxes were not being collected, warehouses were empty, salaries could not be paid, and officials were full of complaints.

The people were initially puzzled, then disappointed, and later began to miss the days when the usurper was still in power.

Baihua Xiu sat in the hall, facing a pile of impeachment memorials, her head throbbing with pain.

She couldn't distinguish between honest advice and slander, and she didn't know who to believe or disbelieve.

She tried to handle several cases herself, but people repeatedly took advantage of her, and things got worse and worse.

Although Kui Mulang could intimidate those enemies in the open, he could not discern the methods used in secret.

He was a military general who ruled over the stars in the heavens. He was good at fighting bravely and fiercely, but he was really not good at scheming and double-dealing.

Even if he could cut off one head after another, he couldn't kill them all.

The situation was even worse then; with no one to do the work, the entire Baoxiang Kingdom was on the verge of complete paralysis.

"My husband, I don't want to deal with these things anymore."

One night, Baihua Xiu leaned on Kui Mulang's shoulder, her voice filled with an unprecedented sense of dejection: "I'm so tired."

"I always think of my father reviewing memorials when I was a child. At the time, I just found it tedious and boring, but now I know how difficult it was."

The Chu airships did not arrive very quickly.

After Yun Zhao relayed the message to Mu Hua, he weighed the options and decided not to rush into action.

Only after the people of Baoxiang Kingdom have experienced the consequences of an incompetent ruler will they learn to be grateful and cherish what they have when Chu takes over.

It had been nearly two months since Yun Zhao and his disciples left Baoxiang Kingdom before a few tiny black dots appeared on the northwestern horizon.

The black dot grew larger and clearer, and soon the outline of the airship became visible.

Five enormous floating warships, entirely black, with runes engraved on their hulls, gleamed with an eerie light in the sunlight.

The bow of the ship was adorned with the black bird banner of the Chu Kingdom, fluttering in the wind like a battle flag of the gods or a declaration of destiny.

The people in the city still vividly remembered the terror brought by Kui Mulang last time, and when they saw those huge creatures in the sky again, they were in an uproar once more.

Some were so frightened that they knelt down and kowtowed, but some knowledgeable people recognized the flag of the Chu Kingdom. Recalling the legends of the Hami Kingdom, they were overjoyed. Although Baihua Xiu was a princess, the country had become a mess under her rule. It would be better to submit to the Chu Kingdom, and from then on, they could also become noble Chu people.

Many people craned their necks, watching curiously as the flying boats slowly landed on the open ground outside the city.

To avoid any misunderstanding between Kui Mulang and Baihua Xiu, Yun Zhao specially sent Sun Wukong to deliver the message before learning that the Chu Kingdom's flying boat was about to arrive.

The monkey quickly arrived at the palace of Baoxiang Kingdom. Seeing the Kui Mulang couple frowning at their desk, he walked in and said with a smile, "Brother Kui Mulang, it's me again, Old Sun."

Upon seeing him, Kui Mulang's expression softened slightly, and he said, "True Lord, what brings you here?"

Sun Wukong cupped his hands in greeting and said, "It's nothing major, I just came to deliver a message."

"The Chu Kingdom has sent a flying ship to take over Baoxiang Kingdom. They will not make things difficult for you or the people. If your wife is willing, she can return to Boyue Cave to continue your peaceful life. If she is not willing..."

He glanced at Baihuaxiu and said, "I only have one question for you. Does your wife have any ideas on how to ensure that the people of Baoxiang Kingdom can live in peace and prosperity? If not, then leave it to Chu Kingdom. Chu Kingdom will not mistreat the people of Baoxiang Kingdom."

As soon as she finished speaking, Baihuaxiu let out a long breath, as if she had unloaded a heavy burden.

"I have no choice."

Her voice carried a sense of relief.

"I am not cut out to be an empress. I only want to return to this cave and live with my husband and children. If the Chu Kingdom can bring a good life to its people, then let them come. I will not stop them."

Sun Wukong nodded and said, "Alright, in that case, the Chu army will arrive soon, so there's no need to panic."

After saying that, he looked at Kui Mulang and said, "Brother Kui Mulang, if fate allows, I'll come to drink with you again in the future."

Kui Mulang cupped his hands and said, "Please take care, True Lord."

Sun Wukong smiled, and with a flicker, disappeared from the cave entrance.

He had only been gone for half a day when five flying boats landed on an open ground outside the capital of Baoxiang Kingdom. The cabin doors opened, and squads of Chu soldiers filed out, their armor gleaming, and their muskets gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

However, instead of forming ranks to intimidate as they had in Hami, they quickly dispersed throughout the city, posted notices, reassured the people, opened granaries to distribute grain, and maintained order.

A middle-aged man dressed in civil official's attire stepped down from the largest flying boat, holding a scroll of documents in his hand. He then instructed his men to gather the people in an open space.

He was followed by several subordinates, their steps steady and their expressions composed.

Once most of the people had arrived, he unfolded the document and his voice clearly reached the ears of everyone present: "By order of the Emperor of Great Chu, Baoxiang Kingdom shall be incorporated into Chu Kingdom from this day forward and shall be renamed Baoxiang Prefecture."

"The land, people, farmland, and temples of the former vassal state shall all be placed under the jurisdiction of the State of Chu."

"All people and monks within the territory of Baoxiang Kingdom are citizens of Great Chu, of one body and one mind, without distinction. Taxes will be reduced by 70%, school-age children can attend school for free, and those who have grievances can file a complaint at the county government."

After reading it aloud, he put the document away and said to his subordinates, "Pass down the order to post notices throughout the city."

"In addition, send someone to deliver a document to that princess. She can retain her title of princess, receive her salary, and will not have to participate in court affairs. She can come and go freely without interference."

The subordinate official accepted the order and left.

The sky over Baoxiang Kingdom has completely cleared up.

Sunlight filtered through the clouds, shining on the city walls, the streets and alleys, and on the people who had just received their grain, their faces still showing signs of shock but gradually breaking into smiles.

In the now nearly deserted palace, Baihua Xiu received a document from the Chu Kingdom. She read it carefully and smiled at Kui Mulang, saying, "Husband, they say I can retain my title of princess, I don't have to participate in court affairs, and I can come and go as I please."

Kui Mulang walked over, glanced at the document, and nodded, saying, "The State of Chu is fairly fair in its dealings."

Baihuaxiu stood up and smiled with relief.

"My husband, let's live here happily from now on."

Kui Mulang walked over, gently took her hand, and said, "Okay."