Chapter 209

Xiao Qidi, expressionless, spat out four words, "I don't care."

Lord Rong Rui's final angry outburst, exhausted to his last ounce of strength, did not cause Xiao Qidi any emotional reaction; he vomited a torrent of fresh blood on the spot, died of exhaustion.

Afterwards, Xiao Qidi followed the predetermined plan, having the Imperial Guard imprison the ten‑or‑so ministers led by Minister Wen in the Heavenly Prison, and publicly announce that Lord Rong Rui died after being surrounded and beaten in a conflict at the court.

All the princes and nobles residing in the Royal City hurriedly rushed to the palace.

When they were all present, the Imperial Guard directly carried out a "catching turtles in a jar" operation, seizing them all, and that night sealed their mansions and detained all involved.

Immediately thereafter, the remaining princes and noble members scattered throughout Daxuan also received news of Lord Rong Rui's funeral.

Since this was a major affair for the royal clan, no one dared to delay; they rode without pause back to the capital.

Among them were several royal descendants, including Lord Rong Rui's son, who held various military commands.

They were all immersed in profound grief, hurrying back for the funeral, never imagining that this was a heavenly net set by Xiao Qidi in collusion with the officials of the Royal City, and also believing that the capital's Imperial Guard was under the royal clan's control, so they had no defenses at all.

As a result, they all walked straight into the trap; without even seeing Lord Rong Rui's corpse, they were cut down directly by the Imperial Guard.

Less than a month.

From the capital to the provinces, within the royal palace noble group centered on the Xiao royal family, hundreds of core members—whether dead, imprisoned, or detained—were all under Xiao Qidi's control.

Before this, he had already had the Qingyou Platform obtain detailed information on this group of people.

Then he proceeded swiftly and forcefully to deal with them.

First, using the matter of Lord Rong Rui and Lady Rong Hua, he directly abolished the royal and noble hierarchies, canceling all titles such as duke, marquis, count, viscount, baron, son, and male heir.

Second, among the former princes and nobles: those with past crimes were executed without mercy; those with neither merit nor fault were stripped of all official duties, becoming ordinary civilians with no privileges; those with merit were either temporarily retained in office according to their specific achievements or transferred away from their original posts.

Finally, a law was enacted prohibiting hereditary privilege, allowing anyone regardless of birth, provided they possessed both virtue and talent, to be selected for office through the court, and this was incorporated into Daxuan's statutes.

As for Minister Wen and the ten‑or‑so court officials, seeing that they had repented and sought redemption, after assessing their abilities they were each reassigned to local prefectures as officials to assist Xiao Qidi in advancing the subsequent reforms.

And Yu Guo naturally proceeded smoothly according to Xiao Qidi's original plan, being renamed Lookout West Province, with Duan Wu appointed as Governor of Lookout West.

The former Huangsha Pass was also merged into its provincial capital Lin Xian Cheng, forming the largest city since the founding of Xuan Guo.

The Sha Yue Nation was incorporated into Bashu Prefecture, renamed Tianfu Province, with the former Bashu Prefecture city becoming Tianfu Province's capital; the former Imperial Censor Xue, who had been demoted to He Wan County Magistrate, was promoted to Governor of Tianfu.

Qi Zhan and Mu Cheng took command of the 200,000 border troops in Daxuan's eastern region, beginning preparations to attack the Wasteland Nation.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

Winter cold fronts gradually swept southward across the Zhong Yuan lands.

The Wasteland Nation, having fought An Guo more than three months earlier and recaptured many territories that An Guo had seized, also suffered a loss of vitality, leading to food and supply shortages for the winter in many places.

Across the country, related memorials were submitted before the Wasteland Nation's ruler.

The ruler of the Wasteland Nation was indecisive and summoned the Prime Minister and a few favored ministers to the study to discuss together.

"Prime Minister, these memorials give His Majesty a terrible headache; please help Him look them over," His Majesty said affectionately, pulling the Prime Minister and sitting together on a couch covered with a cashmere blanket.

The Prime Minister stroked his goat beard, casually flipped through the bamboo slips without examining them closely, and tossed them into the nearby fire.

His Majesty gasped, "Prime Minister, these are petitions from many parts of the Great Wilderness seeking aid from the Royal City! It seems many commoners lack clothing and grain, making winter extremely hard; why did you…?"

The Prime Minister laughed, "They must be exaggerating; since they've made His Majesty irritable and headache‑inducing, why not burn them for warmth?"

His Majesty hesitated slightly, tentatively asking, "Even if they exaggerate, there must be some truth; does the Prime Minister have any solution?"

The Prime Minister pointed at the burning bamboo slips, "Isn't that so? They're just trivial matters; His Majesty need not worry about them."

"Huh? Should we just ignore them?" His Majesty frowned, "Prime Minister Sun and General Mu have repeatedly warned Me that the affairs of the people, big or small, …"

The Prime Minister's displeased expression, "His Majesty, one is a dead old thing, the other is a treasonous rebel who killed our border general and fled; why are you still lingering on their words?"

His Majesty, a bit embarrassed, forced an apologetic, flattering smile, "I have been influenced by them for too long; I slipped and mentioned them. It's my loose tongue; Prime Minister, please do not blame Me."

A minister beside them, drinking, casually asked, "In past years, when faced with such a situation, how did His Majesty handle it?"

His Majesty blurted out without thinking, "I didn't need to handle it myself; it was taken care of by the former Prime Minister and General Mu… uh… that rebel. They did two things: on one hand, they transferred surplus grain, clothing, and firewood from plentiful regions to the deficient areas; on the other, within the Royal City, they reduced the salaries of officials from princes and nobles down to the court clerks, and forced the city's commoners to cut back on clothing and food, saving supplies to send out. Sigh, every winter even My own meals are halved, so I've suffered a lot of hardship… other princes and nobles also voiced complaints."

"This is utterly unreasonable!" the Prime Minister shouted angrily, "You actually make His Majesty and the princes and nobles provide relief to the common folk; this year He will no longer have to suffer! Those lowborn who die should just die; they must not be a burden on His Majesty!"

His Majesty was instantly moved, his nose tingling with emotion, "You are still kind to Me."

The Prime Minister quickly replied, "Of course! I care about nothing else, only that His Majesty may live comfortably!"

"We feel the same!" the other ministers present also voiced.

His Majesty could not have imagined that, though their words sounded pleasant, they were actually trying to avoid salary cuts for themselves; if they were forced to part with grain to aid the people, it would be more painful than being killed.

"You are truly good ministers to Me!" His Majesty's tears fell, "When I was young I was taught by the former king, and as an adult I still have to be overseen by those surnamed Sun and Mu; no one has ever considered My feelings like you have. Having you is the greatest blessing of My life!"

Seizing the moment while His Majesty was deeply moved, the Prime Minister leaned in and said, "His Majesty, I have heard that several generals and some of Mu Cheng's former rebel troops have voiced grievances during this period…"

His Majesty, surprised, said, "Is that so? How come I haven't heard of it?"

The Prime Minister grasped His Majesty's hand, solemnly saying, "I did not wish to disturb His Majesty, so I kept those chaotic statements from reaching your ears, but after pondering today I think it is necessary for you to know, otherwise…"

"Otherwise what?"

"Alas, I fear those generals and Mu Cheng's former rebel troops will become increasingly dissatisfied with His Majesty."

"That won't happen, will it?"

His Majesty shook his head, "I know that some generals previously had good relations with Mu Cheng, mainly admiring his command in battle, and those former troops of Mu Cheng have always been loyal to the Great Wilderness. Mu Cheng's treason was justly punished by Me; how could they be dissatisfied with Me?"

The Prime Minister's expression darkened, "Did His Majesty ever anticipate that Mu Cheng would betray?"

His Majesty frowned, shook his head again, then paused, his face showing alarm, "The Prime Minister means…"

"His Majesty is so wise, you could think of it at once," the Prime Minister flattered, "They have always been close to Mu Cheng; you must be cautious!"

His Majesty fell silent, furrowing his brows without responding.

The Prime Minister immediately gave a signal to the other ministers.

"Indeed, we must be vigilant!" the other ministers instantly echoed.

"Exactly, His Majesty; if any among them were to emulate Mu Cheng…"

"Or perhaps some of them bear a grudge against you for dealing with Mu Cheng? Even if they do nothing now, perhaps one day they might…"

"…"

The king of the Wasteland Nation grew more uneasy as he listened, yet still hesitated, shrinking back as he said, "I still have to rely on them to guard the border passes, and besides… the few places that were once seized by the An Nation were retaken by them and Mu Cheng; now they also need to manage those places."

"Was that really retaken by them?" the Prime Minister immediately replied with righteous indignation, "If it weren't for me having procured over two hundred thousand sets of iron weapons and equipment from Xuan Guo, could they have beaten the An Nation's army?"

The king of the Wasteland Nation sneered, "That's true, Prime Minister, don't be angry. I haven't ignored your merits…"

The Prime Minister continued, "For the sake of the Great Wilderness, for His Majesty, I do everything without seeking credit; I only hope His Majesty won't act foolishly and overvalue those people."

"Then… Prime Minister, what do you think I should do?" the king of the Wasteland Nation looked at him expectantly.

The Prime Minister stroked his goat beard, "Those reclaimed lands are quite prosperous. If they remain under the command of those generals friendly with Mu Cheng or Mu Cheng's old troops, they will surely use the chance to secretly amass wealth and strengthen their power, so the truly loyal ones to His Majesty must take over."

"Who? Do you expect me, Prime Minister, to go?" the king of the Wasteland Nation asked anxiously, "But if the Prime Minister goes, who will steer the court? I can't be without you!"

The Prime Minister smiled, "His Majesty, fear not, I will not leave His Majesty. Besides my utmost loyalty to His Majesty, the ministers present are also loyal. Moreover, His Majesty may not know that the sons of several of them have already joined the Great Wilderness army; previously they were constantly suppressed by Mu Cheng's men, possessing skill but unable to serve His Majesty. Now a single word from His Majesty would let them manage those reclaimed territories for Him."

The king of the Wasteland Nation rejoiced beyond expectation, "Excellent, excellent!"

However, he still turned to ask those ministers one question.

"Do your sons truly have the ability to shoulder such a great responsibility? When the time comes they must not only manage those places for me but also guard against An Nation taking them again; An Nation's massive army is not easy to deal with."

The ministers exchanged glances.

In their hearts they thought, the Great Wilderness army over there is equipped with over two hundred thousand sets of iron weapons from the former Yu Guo, so fighting An Nation should be a piece of cake, even able to tangle with Xuan Guo's forces.

Whoever goes, even with eyes closed, could be a fine commander of a region.

At that time they could also exploit their positions and command over troops to loot wealth for a few people and the Prime Minister; the Prime Minister's recommendation now clearly hints at this intention.

How could one refuse such a good deal?

So, although they knew their sons lacked great ability, they still swore solemnly to accept, guaranteeing they would be even better than Mu Cheng, perhaps someday be able to help His Majesty annex An Nation.

The king of the Wasteland Nation listened and grew even happier, "Very good! I am completely at ease now! Prime Minister, arrange it according to your suggestion!"

The Prime Minister's eyes flashed with a triumphant smile, "Thank you, His Majesty's trust. Then… if those generals friendly with Mu Cheng and the few thousand of Mu Cheng's old troops refuse to obey the arrangement, I should…"

"If they must die, then kill them! Do as you wish!" the king of the Wasteland Nation waved his hand, "Let them all see who truly owns this Great Wilderness!"

The Prime Minister clasped his hands, "It is, of course, yours, His Majesty. Accordingly, I will follow His Majesty's decree and show no mercy to those people."

At this moment the king of the Wasteland Nation was completely unaware of the seriousness, and instead warmly took the Prime Minister's hand, sincerely and tenderly saying, "You have worked so hard, Prime Minister."

"To relieve His Majesty's worries and solve difficulties, can it be called hardship?" the Prime Minister adopted a loyal posture, "As long as His Majesty can enjoy peace, I never feel tired no matter how many tasks I take. His Majesty, a few days ago I specially obtained a batch of premium charcoal baked from golden‑silk nanmu; even if every room in the palace used it day and night, it would last until next spring."

The king of the Wasteland Nation hurriedly said, "Your thoughtfulness makes me feel warm all over, more comfortable than a fire."

"I used to be limited in using charcoal for heating in the palace; one year a pair of my beloved goldfinches froze to death. I wanted more charcoal, but Mu Cheng said it was only two dead birds, and many poor folk survive winter with a bit of charcoal, so he forbade me from using more."

"I was truly angry! Does he think that a few ordinary peasants are more important than my beloved pets? Sigh, my past winters were full of hardship…"

Mentioning these matters made the king of the Wasteland Nation clutch his chest in anguish.

The Prime Minister and several ministers immediately pacified him, and also berated Mu Cheng, venting for the king of the Wasteland Nation.

They even said that even if Mu Cheng fled to Xuan Guo, when the Great Wilderness destroys Xuan Guo, they will capture Mu Cheng and tear him to pieces.

"Ah, right!" the king of the Wasteland Nation slapped his forehead, "I almost forgot, General Liu died near the Xuanhuang Shanmai, and the post of Grand Grand General of Zhenhuang Pass is vacant! Prime Minister, do you have any candidates?"

The Prime Minister frowned.

The Xuanhuang Shanmai is the border region between the Great Wilderness and Xuan Guo.

The two nations divide the mountains and govern, both relying on this mountain range as a mutual defensive natural barrier.

For the Wasteland Nation it is a very important place.

But the Xuanhuang Shanmai is mostly primeval forest, the environment extremely harsh, posting a guard there is sheer suffering.

He thought quickly, not wanting his own men to suffer nor any other generals linked to Mu Cheng to take the heavy duty, and said, "Simple, just promote one from General Liu's Deputy Generals."

The king of the Wasteland Nation added, "In past years, Mu Cheng would also send extra winter supplies—blankets, winter clothes, cotton shoes—from the Royal City to Zhenhuang Pass; in a good harvest year he'd send extra grain and meat, saying because the Xuanhuang Shanmai area has many high peaks, colder than other parts of the Great Wilderness, the soldiers at Zhenhuang Pass especially need warmth, so that if Xuan Guo attacks, the troops can respond. Prime Minister, should you also arrange that?"