Chapter 555: King and Horse

Actually, if the people of Chang'an were perceptive, they should be happy; the Great King has clearly left them an opportunity, depending on whether they can seize it. At the very least, they are luckier than military commanders.

The Northern Border never lacks fighters—for instance, Changli, who led the Snow Cavalry as the vanguard battalion and swiftly took the Imperial City. With such an advantage, how could the Great King look down on Chang'an's military commanders?

The Great King mounted his horse and, under Changli's guidance, entered the Heaven-Receiving Gate. Ahead of him, the stern and ruthless Owl Cavalry cleared the way; behind him remained the fluffy ones and the Personal Guard, while further back were the civil officials driven over. Several old men, shaken by this ordeal, swayed on the brink of collapse; one seemed unable to stand and was about to fall, but before hitting the ground, a nearby cavalryman hooked his collar with a lance. It looked as if the old man couldn't walk on his own and would be dragged by his warhorse—yet the old man instantly straightened up, revived.

Feng Xiang saw the Great King leading the charge on horseback from afar and quickly turned his head. What's the big deal about the Great King passing through the Heaven-Receiving Gate without dismounting? Others still have to water their horses at the Establishing Regulations Palace!

After passing through the Heaven-Receiving Gate, the Great King proceeded straight down the main passage, not yet reaching the open square before the Establishing Regulations Palace, when he spotted from afar that all the surviving captured troops were kneeling on both sides of the square, greeting the Great King and his cavalry.

At the very front were one of Prince Jiangxia's trusted generals, Wu Wencong, and another who had been a Chang'an general, promoted from Commandant to General of the Guard. These two were the highest-ranking military officers still alive in the palace; Changli gave them the center spot, and now they were pressed to the very front, bowing their heads to greet the King of the Northern Border's arrival.

Although the Great King was still young and accustomed to the wilderness of the Northern Border, he didn't care much for such formalities, but seeing the two men's faces full of humiliation, he found it interesting.

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Wu Wencong had always been Bai Li Jun's top military commander, following him all the way from Jiangxia to Chang'an, and in the army he held higher status than Yu Quan and his peers. Now, being forced to kneel in the square to greet the little brat Bai Li Jing filled him with utter shame; his face turned from white to red, and upon closer look he was gritting his teeth.

When the Great King passed before him, he finally could no longer hold back and spoke.

"Victors and vanquished alike—this commander would gladly face death; why does the King of the Northern Border again humiliate the soldiers of Great Jin?!"

The Great King had already walked past him, but seeing his indignation, he chuckled lightly and turned back.

"Who among those who have passed before your knees would not dare to die? Have you defended the borders against the Xiongnu and Xianbei, or built bridges and paved roads for the people's benefit? Before my Northern Border army, what are you, a soldier of Great Jin?!"

The cavalryman behind Wu Wencong reached out and pressed his head onto the stone tiles of the square; with a 'Bang!', he gave the Great King a solid kowtow.

The Great King's words rang out, and everyone in the square heard them clearly.

The Northern Border cavalry only wanted to cheer, but some of the civil officials behind them showed different expressions. They thought, 'This Northern Border King truly isn't just about martial prowess.' Those with other ideas felt their hearts race—this one is probably even harder to handle than his uncle.

This king dares to suppress the aristocracy and support commoners through the imperial examination and official appointments—a chaotic ruler. In the barren northern lands, we can't control what he does to them, but if Great Jin falls into his hands and he rules just as chaotically… the harm would be to the shared interests of everyone under heaven.

By then, the saying 'King and horse, share the realm' would surely be gone; the days when one could sit as a high official merely by birthright would likely be impossible. Thinking this, the civil officials each truly felt as if they had lost their parents, and no longer needed to pretend.

Human joy and sorrow are not shared; upon hearing the Great King's words, the Marquis of the Eastern Capital was overjoyed. He gave his new colleague Feng Xiang a meaningful glance, meaning, 'You see? Your choice wasn't wrong, right? Now you ought to know who will win! Your realm is far higher!'

Feng Xiang: ……

The Great King really rode his horse all the way to the outside of the Establishing Regulations Palace; if it weren't awkward to let his warhorse climb the steps, he could have stayed mounted.

The first thing he did upon entering the palace was to take a look at Bai Li Jun's corpse.

"…Indeed, it really is the Imperial Uncle himself. Alas! It seems this position isn't easy to hold; the Imperial Uncle has endured much hardship."

Marquis of the Eastern Capital: ……

Then the Great King sneakily pulled Changli aside and whispered, 'Really suicide? How could I not believe that?'

Changli: ……

You really asked the right person.

The Marquis of the Eastern Capital also glanced at Changli—this person, who knows where the Great King picked up such talent, is extremely ruthless and decisive.

Seeing that the situation was lost, Bai Li Jun, struck down and nearly mad, shouted that he was a son of Gaozu and the Great King's paternal uncle, demanding an audience with the Great King—when Chang Commander stepped forward and helped Bai Li Jun slit his own throat!

Years of plotting ruined in an instant; Bai Li Jun was unwilling to accept it, and still wanted to negotiate terms with the Great King—he could abdicate in favor of a worthy successor, but his son would have to seek another place to inherit a lower rank. This really isn't wishful thinking; a three-hundred-year dynasty is not without precedent.

Changli's slash saved the Great King a lot of trouble; otherwise, that would indeed be a real relative—if the Great King mishandled it, he'd be seen as inhumane, and his reputation would suffer. They didn't let the Great King join the assault on the Imperial City because they feared that, in this incident, it would be best if the Great King weren't present, to avoid later rumors that couldn't be untangled. Now that only insiders have seen the truth, saying he slit his own throat means he really did.

Changli, hearing the Great King's question, hesitated then spoke frankly: 'Cough… I helped a bit.'

Great King: ……

Wei Shen: ……

You, thick‑eyebrowed, big‑eyed Chang Commander!