Chapter 64: This world is mine, Liu Ju's

At this critical moment, a sudden rush of horse hooves like thunder came from afar.

Liu Ju, clad in armor and wielding an icy longsword, led the vast army like an unstoppable black torrent, surging forward with the force to overturn mountains and seas.

"What's the situation?"

The Dai King heard the familiar sound of the short gun, jumped in fright, and seeing his own troops behind him collapsing in disarray, he turned deathly pale.

"King Dai Liu Yi, you shall be executed!"

From afar came a mighty, dignified shout, and the Feather Forest Guard followed with a loud cry.

Liu Ju's army, well-trained and swift, in the blink of an eye tightly encircled the Dai King and the Xiongnu cavalry, the encirclement impenetrable like an iron barrel.

The Dai King still attempted a desperate last stand, waving his sword hysterically and shouting hoarsely for the Xiongnu cavalry to charge.

However, Liu Ju had already meticulously planned before the battle, arranging ambushes according to the terrain and cleverly disrupting the coordination between the Xiongnu cavalry and the Dai King's rebel forces.

At this moment, under Liu Ju's army's orderly and coordinated powerful assault, the Xiongnu cavalry quickly fell into chaos.

Seeing Liu Ju's reinforcements arrive, the Feather Forest Guard and the villagers' morale surged to its peak, as if injected with a stimulant, and they shouted bravely to fight the enemy.

Under attack from both sides, the Dai King's forces collapsed instantly, and all the Xiongnu fled on horseback.

The Dai King's hand gripping his sword trembled as he barely blocked Zhao Chongguo's strike.

Exhausted, he collapsed to his knees in the snow, and seeing his personal guards around him, they had already surrendered their weapons.

"Liu Yi, as a member of the Han imperial clan, you should bear the duty of defending the state and protecting the people, yet you have done such a shameful thing! You colluded with the Xiongnu, betrayed your ancestors, betrayed the Han—do you know your crime?"

Bang bang bang!

At that moment, a tall horse clad in armor approached slowly, its shadow casting over the fearful Dai King Liu Yi.

Hearing that familiar sound, the Dai King turned around abruptly, seeing Liu Ju on horseback, clad in dark armor, his short gun still smoking at his waist, his sword stained with blood.

He trembled like a sieve, his voice shaking: "Liu Ju—no, Your Majesty, Your Majesty, spare my life!"

Saying this, he fell to his knees, crawling and rolling to Liu Ju's horse, pleading loudly.

Meanwhile, the southwestern villagers cleaning the battlefield only then realized that their savior was none other than the present Son of Heaven.

"Commoners greet Your Majesty."

"Long live Your Majesty, ten thousand years!"

The villagers instantly fell to their knees in ecstatic joy, shouting "Long live!"—they never imagined that these humble folk of the remote backlands would one day see the Son of Heaven of Han.

Zhang Wusi and Zhang Ersan trembled with excitement, feeling a lingering fear, fortunate that they had previously done nothing overstepping.

"Old Four, you've ridden in a carriage with the Son of Heaven—enough to brag about for a lifetime." Zhang Ersan whispered enviously to his younger brother.

Zhang Wusi exclaimed excitedly, "These pants of mine—I'll never wash them again; I'll enshrine them from now on."

"Folks, please rise!"

Liu Ju's stern voice rang out, after a few words of comfort to the people, he looked at the tearful Dai King, his eyes full of contempt, and said: "Liu Yi, I believe that both the late emperor and I have treated your Dai domain generously, granting fiefs and letting you enjoy wealth and honor, yet you harbor such wolfish ambition, betraying state and family."

"Your Majesty, it is I, your younger brother, who is foolish and ignorant." The Dai King clung to Liu Ju's horse's leg, kowtowing continuously, saying: "I was blinded by greed, momentarily muddled, incited by treacherous men, thus committing this unforgivable great sin. I am unworthy of Your Majesty, unworthy of the Han ancestors, and even more unworthy of these innocent commoners."

He lifted his head, his face streaked with tears and melted snow, his eyes filled with fear and regret: "Please, Your Majesty, spare my life; I am willing to atone with merit, to serve as an ox or horse, and accept whatever punishment you decree."

Liu Ju coldly regarded the spineless Dai King, feeling disgust, and said in a cold tone: "I give you a chance to speak honorably—tell me, what collusion do you have with the Xiongnu and the Wusun?"

The Dai King wiped his tears and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the Wuyu Chanyu and the King Qi conspired together with the King of Wusun, intending after seizing this region's coal to launch an internal-external pincer attack on Shuofang City."

Liu Ju frowned and asked: "How many troops does the Wuyu Chanyu still have now?"

The Dai King pondered and replied: "About fifty thousand, currently regrouping in a valley a hundred miles from Shuofang City."

Then, seeing Liu Ju lower his head in thought, he added sorrowfully: "Your Majesty, please spare my life for the sake of your younger brother still being of some use."

Liu Ju gave the Dai King a cold glance and asked: "Before, you had been conspiring with other princes in Zhao to rebel—why did you suddenly appear in Shuofang?"

The Dai King startled, then realized the value of this information could outweigh his own life, suddenly seeing hope for survival, he said: "Your Majesty, my younger brother naturally knows not to stay silent, but this is of utmost importance—please..."

"Enough!"

Liu Ju waved his hand to cut off the Dai King's words, rebuking: "You colluded with the Xiongnu, causing the people to suffer and the state to lose face—such guilt cannot be atoned for even by ten thousand deaths! Do you really think I care why you appeared here?"

The Dai King collapsed on the ground, his body trembling incessantly, choking out: "Your Majesty, someone told me that the Heirloom Jade Seal and the Tally have appeared here; earlier, the imperial envoy in embroidered robes made contact with me!"

Liu Ju's heart shuddered violently, and he froze on horseback.

The Dai King still muttered: "Your Majesty, spare my life, I was wrong..."

Liu Ju, impatient, waved his hand and said: "Take this traitor away and execute him immediately to uphold the law. Abolish the Dai fief and make it Taiyuan Commandery."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

At Liu Ju's command, the guards ignored the Dai King's pleas and dragged him away like a hawk snatching a chick.

Liu Ju, meanwhile, gazed at the distant snow-covered, undulating mountains, and a sudden, indescribable surge rose in his heart.

His gaze pierced the layers of white snow, and a bold, shocking conjecture quietly took root in his heart—just as he had once sensed—perhaps Emperor Wu of Han had not truly died, but feigned death and hidden in the shadows.

This also explains why the Heirloom Jade Seal and the Tally suddenly appeared here, and why Li Guang avoided him.

Of course, more importantly, how could the healthy, broad-minded Emperor Wu of Han possibly die so suddenly?

All this defies common sense; it was only because the news of Emperor Wu's death came too suddenly back then that he overlooked it, and besides, as a transmigrator, he had some understanding of the butterfly effect from novels in his previous life.

Thus he hadn't given much thought to Emperor Wu's sudden demise.

But now, all these circumstances confirm his speculation: Emperor Wu is not dead, he lives on, and is presently somewhere within Li Guang's army, though his whereabouts are unknown.

"Old general, for my sake you have also gone to great lengths, and I have wronged you!"

Liu Ju looked upon the vast snow, his heart filled with gratitude toward Li Guang.

No wonder Li Gan and Zhang Tang, among others, reacted so strangely back then!

Li Guang and his companions thought they could keep the secret forever, but Liu Ju is no ordinary person—how could he be kept in the dark?

In Liu Ju's heart, he had long accepted the fact that Emperor Wu had died, and had smoothly inherited the throne, completing the transfer of power.

But now, Emperor Wu merely feigned death and yet is still alive?

Liu Ju does not lack affection for Emperor Wu; it is merely that this feeling is complex, contradictory…

Han Wudi was not like other emperors; this historically most terrifying power beast, humanity's strongest carbon-based life form, to him, all kinship, love, etc., were worthless before the throne.

He naturally was unwilling to yield the throne; otherwise Li Guang would not have dragged the Son of Heaven away to the frontier.

Even if he considered himself a Retired Emperor, he would certainly not relinquish power completely like other emperors; moreover, aside from Emperor Tang Taizong Li Shimin, no emperor has been able to free himself from the influence of a Retired Emperor.

Liu Ju's feelings surged; gripping his sword, images of Han Wudi continually appeared before him, finally his gaze fixed on those who, in the winter day, still knelt on the ground, kowtowing to him, trembling common folk.

Liu Ju's bewildered eyes suddenly became firm; he looked at the common folk, dismounted, personally helped them up, and said: "Villagers, you need not stand on ceremony; I am not a monster, I am not fearsome!"

Whether it be Han Wudi or the Retired Emperor, this Great Han, these common folk—now they belong to Liu Ju; no one dare think of meddling or restraining him!

This is Liu Ju's realm under heaven; he still has many things left to accomplish!

No matter who, do not even think of taking it away!