Chapter 624
With the guidance of the Princess of Ruanan, Zhou Ke quickly captured the Prince of Ruanan and his core confidants.
Da Wang went to see him in person, and upon glancing at Bai Li Cheng, he looked as if he could not bear to witness the other's miserable state. Da Wang lamented: "We are all members of the same clan, and now things have come to this—I truly feel great sorrow!"
Bai Li Cheng wanted to spit in his face!
"I didn't expect it either—you actually have some skill. Hahaha~ Who would have thought that Ning De, this pheasant, would actually give birth to a wolf cub!"
Da Wang didn't understand, and feeling embarrassed, he quietly asked Xie Tu nearby.
"What is a pheasant?"
Xie Tu:...
"The Book of Songs, Minor Odes, says: 'Like a pheasant in flight,' describing the beauty of flying eaves in architecture."
Da Wang was full of question marks—you still haven't gotten to the point! "So what exactly is a pheasant?"
Xie Tu fell silent for a moment, then resignedly said: "A five-colored mountain chicken."
Da Wang wasn't angry at Bai Li Cheng calling his father a five-colored mountain chicken; he thought for a moment, recalling his father's life of refined indulgence in food, drink, and pleasure... "This description... actually seems somewhat fitting!"
Xie Tu:... He heard nothing at all.
"Cough cough!" Da Wang strategically coughed to cover up the past, then turned his gaze to Bai Li Cheng. Opening his mouth, he spoke poison: "Don't look down on my father—he surpasses you in success precisely because he has me as his good son. Your daughter has already abandoned you and happily become the Lady of Ruanan~"
Bai Li Cheng, of course, knew it was the Princess's doing that he fell into Bai Li Jing's hands, and he immediately erupted in curses.
Da Wang was so furious he wished death upon him: "Tsk tsk! It truly should be the Grand Ancestral Master to hear this—the Bai Li clan's quality education has gone terribly wrong! From now on, the education of the princely fiefdoms must not be neglected. When I return, I will have them all sent to study at the Beijiang Academy!"
You speak of heaven, he speaks of earth.
Just moments ago he was pretending, but now Bai Li Cheng truly wants to vomit blood.
Da Wang actually had nothing more to say to him—seeing each other was merely going through the motions. Bai Li Cheng's reaction could not change his fate. "According to ancestral instruction, I will not kill Bai Li clan relatives, but Bai Li Cheng's rebellion is unforgivable. By my decree: Bai Li Cheng, lifelong confinement. Other accomplices, beheaded."
Da Wang beautifully looted the Prince of Ruanan's mansion, seizing not only the estate's wealth but also the Prince's private properties within his domain, which Da Wang confiscated and pocketed. This guy experienced for the first time what was called 'war spoils.'
Everyone says victorious wars bring riches, and these past years Da Wang has either been fighting the barbarian Qiang and Eastern Xiongnu, or fighting on his own Jin Dynasty territory. Shangdang and Qinghe were too savvy, but this guy finally saw what a war with spoils looked like.
The Prince of Ruanan held two iron mines, and Da Wang seized countless iron weapons. He happily ordered them all transported to Youzhou to be forged into farming tools, vowing to make the agricultural power a reality.
After Da Wang took residence in the mansion, the corners of his mouth kept twitching upward in madness.
When Xie Yuan came to request an audience, this guy was cluelessly gesturing with Xie Tu, "... So this is how a normal princely king lives—rich! When I took over the Chengzhang Palace, I was far poorer than the Prince of Ruanan!" He made no mention of the Ning De Emperor's private treasury, which he had seized in advance.
Xie Yuan felt uneasy, and sure enough, the next second Da Wang exclaimed with great enthusiasm: "There are still a few princely kings in the south who have operated for generations—I really hope they all rebel now!"
Xie Yuan:...
Xie Yuan stepped forward and bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, I have already arranged the new governor, and the household registration survey has begun. The Ruanan affair is settled—can we now depart northward? If we delay, we might encounter a sudden cold snap, not to mention it could affect Your Majesty's first New Year after ascending the throne." Spending New Year on the road—what is this even?
Upon hearing "New Year," Da Wang immediately thought of the heavenly sacrifice and declared: "You're right—make the arrangements, and set off immediately!"
It went so smoothly that Xie Yuan couldn't help but doubt—he had come with doubts, but Da Wang followed behind, beaming: "How could you understand my path to wealth? Though it's not easy to sell, the stockpile must be sufficient~"
Xie Tu also had a head full of question marks behind him. Da Wang noticed he was still pausing mid-sentence and said: "You should also go back and prepare for departure. If you have spare time, help me accumulate some reserves."
Xie Tu clung to a sliver of hope, feigning ignorance: "... Your servant is dull and slow—what does Your Majesty mean?"
"Wei Shen wrote too poorly—I can see you've already reached the limit of your patience, but I still believe in you!"
Xie Tu:...
Two days later, the procession returning to Youzhou for the New Year officially set out. Unlike before, the massive convoy from Chang'an now appeared more restrained, while the Xuanjia cavalry's aura grew sharper. War can refine a army's spirit, and it can also change Da Wang's purse—his convoy behind him grew much longer, as the wealth accumulated by the Prince of Ruanan over generations was openly confiscated by him.
Having completed this major affair, Da Wang truly felt eager to return home—he missed his mansion, his little bear, the brilliantly lit Zhuque Avenue, and even the Zhenhai Palace he hadn't had time to glance at before leaving.
Traveling straight north, passing through Henei Commandery, the local commandant had already brought the local gentry and officials to welcome him outside the city. When Da Wang arrived, he headed straight for Luoyang—at the time he had no leisure to attend to Henei Commandery, but now seeing this commandant's awareness, Da Wang received him calmly and orderly, assigning them to begin the household registration survey.
The new emperor appeared merely as a smiling, handsome youth, making it hard to imagine that this guy had just used thunderous methods to level the renowned 'City That Never Falls.'
Da Wang's attitude made the commandant breathe a sigh of relief, patting his chest and swearing to fulfill the task assigned by His Majesty. Henei is not far from Ruanan, and the commandant had already heard of the fate of the Ruanan commandant—now his attitude is beyond reproach.
Da Wang was also very pleased with his awareness. After spending one night in Henei with high spirits, he continued northward. Upon entering Shangdang, their speed suddenly increased, because the Shangdang chariot road had been completed!
The entire convoy swiftly passed through Shangdang, while the people in Chang'an were still picking up their jaws—the imperial carriage entered the Luoshui Pass.
Da Wang suddenly became excited—after passing the Luoshui Pass, this was finally home!
Da Wang excitedly chatted with Wei Shen and Xie Tu all afternoon. After the two fled, he turned his attention to Bai Ze. Bai Ze lay on the ground, eyes closed, cultivating his spirit, but could not escape Da Wang's urge to confide. Ignoring him was fine—Da Wang crawled up his body using hands and feet, trying to wake the pretending-to-sleep auspicious beast.
"After Zhuti left Youzhou, no one helped with smuggling—I haven't seen Wei Ni in ages! Do you think Wei Ni still recognizes me? Do you think it would like Er Pang? If it doesn't like me, I'll go buy it a thin one instead..."
As he was fumbling, he heard a familiar bell chime. Bai Ze noticed this guy lying motionless on its leg and instantly opened one eye. Da Wang, one hand pulling its leg, the other opening the panel, said: "Huh? Just back and already triggered a new mission?"
【Due to the change in the lord's identity, the original
Bai Ze glanced at Da Wang, who clicked
"Why did you choose Ziwei Palace?"
Da Wang sincerely said: "Easy to write. This one is the easiest to write!"
Bai Ze:...
Da Wang was feeling proud when the panel popped up a new side quest, reading: 【The new palace name has been confirmed as
Time-limited task: within ten days.
Task penalty: the upgrade portion will be converted into a self-funded item instead of a late fee.】
Da Wang quickly smoothed his lips: "……Mengmeng has already mastered the art of disappearing smiles!" Referring to the price of the Beijiang King's Mansion plaque from back then, even a fool knows this Ziwei Palace will only cost more!
End of Chapter
