Chapter 308

The Eight-Nation Allied Army, plus the Seventeen-Nation Allied Army—such a force basically equals the entire military power of Xiniu Hezhou.

The reason they are so on high alert is mainly because you arrived too fiercely: your 30,000 Eight Banner troops came on black ships, and as soon as you landed, you ordered the local ruler to surrender outright!

The ruler angrily refused, so you led the Eight Banner forces in a wave that smashed the capital, capturing the ruler and the native court in one sweep, then swiftly spread the Western King God Teachings, replacing the local folk deities.

Because the movement was truly too large, and also because you wanted to save time, you extensively used the Blood God Son to brainwash the natives; before long, the whole country was filled with loyal hymns……

"Loyalty! Sincerity!"

"Grace! Affection!"

The whole nation was frenzied, more terrifying than entering the demon realm!

This bizarre, maxed-out scene naturally frightened the other countries; given the situation of lips gone teeth cold, a large military alliance covering Xiniu Hezhou was swiftly established, and they, who were originally hostile to each other, lightning-fast joined a united front!

Xiniu Hezhou, worthy of being compared to the independent core of Jambudvipa, after this united front formed, the previously unstoppable Eight Banner forces suddenly found it hard to make progress……

These countries are not the weak wild god fiefdoms of the Great Shun; they have always been independent cultivator groups, and although their upper limit is low due to incense restrictions, their strength absolutely far surpasses that of wild gods.

Since the Eight Banners entered the pass from the northeast, everywhere they went they swept aside opposition; they had never encountered a sufficiently strong opponent, but now they finally met the Western Allied Army, and their proud, complacent selves could only get stuck in a tug-of-war……

Seeing that they really couldn't make progress, after consulting with the seven banner leaders, you decided to call it quits: after all, you had already taken two continents, and although the population gained wasn't as many as imagined, this expedition could still be considered a great victory.

Moreover, it had been nearly ten years since leaving home; the soldiers missed home, and continuing the fight would be meaningless—better to return early.

But considering 'since we've come all this way, not taking a profit would be unrewarding,' you sent a ceasefire letter to the Western Allied Army: 'Considering heaven's virtue of cherishing life, I can withdraw my troops and return, but you must give me sufficient benefits!'

The Western Allied Army looked at each other in dismay……

Although there were hardliners who wanted to keep fighting until they annihilated you, this was clearly unrealistic: you simply didn't want to keep fighting, and you hadn't lost.

Thus the allied army unanimously decided: accept negotiations!

Talk! Anything can be talked about!

Then you presented a treaty: cede the coastal islands of Xiniu Hezhou, allow the Western King God Teachings to spread, and open several trade ports……

Looking at this unequal treaty, the countries stared at each other in dismay……

But in order to send off this plague god of yours, they finally gritted their teeth and signed the treaty.

……

At the age of sixty-nine, after nine years of the 'Western Word Army Eastern Expedition,' you consecutively conquered the Eastern Victory Divine Continent and the Northern Kuru Continent, and with the Eight Banner elites you forced the Xiniu Hezhou countries' alliance to sign the unequal treaty, thereby spreading the faith of the Western King God Teachings across the world!

With such great gains and having been away from home for so long, you and the Eight Banner troops had long missed your homeland; thus, after finishing the treaty affairs, you led a fleet, bringing back the scriptures taken from Xiniu Hezhou—no, the unequal treaty—and returned to the Eastern Land of Great Shun……

Moreover, because of your circumnavigation of the four continents by sea, you for the first time proved that the world is round, greatly advancing the development of astronomy and geography……

On the day the fleet returned, the nearly sixty-year-old old emperor, dragging his ailing body, personally led the empress dowager, the crown prince, and other royal members to come greet you!

The young emperor of memory had long since become a feeble old emperor; over these nine years, though he had been fairly healthy, he now often lay ill in bed, needing the crown prince to bring him medicine daily, and you could see his lifespan was short… if not for coming to greet you, he would never have left the palace.

Looking at this old friend, you couldn't help but feel a myriad of emotions, and then you began to chat with him about your experiences over the years…… The old emperor listened with interest, after all he had hardly ever left the palace in his lifetime, and what you spoke of regarding foreign lands was to him no different from myth……

As you chatted, the old emperor suddenly shifted tone: 'Old General Lin, I fear my days are numbered……'

Speaking, he began to talk about the past: what ruler-minister affection, what ennoblement rewards……

You're no fool; you naturally knew he was trying to play the emotion card, so you directly asked: 'Your Majesty, what are your orders? Speak freely, and I will exert myself to the utmost!'

"Good!"

The old emperor immediately smiled: 'I have nothing else to order; now that I am about to die, I have only one wish.'

"I wish to pass the throne to the crown prince; … may I?"

The old emperor looked at you hopefully; meanwhile, the crown prince, just over twenty, also held expectations mixed with apprehension……

The royal family suffered misfortune: the eldest son died young, leaving the old emperor with only this little son; he naturally wanted to pass the throne to the crown prince, and even though the emperor had become a mere figurehead under the shogunate, he still wanted to pass on the Great Shun throne!

Of course, the main reason lies with you: your prolonged refusal to accept the abdication gave the emperor a glimmer of hope! Since you won't accept it, perhaps Great Shun can still scrape by!

As for the loss of imperial authority, he no longer cared; he only wanted to preserve the throne for generations, to extend the ancestral legacy as much as possible, even if it meant being merely a figurehead……

You naturally understood his thoughts.

Considering the throne was of no use to you anymore, you thought it over and felt it wasn't impossible to continue preserving the hereditary right of the Great Shun emperor…… so you nodded and agreed: 'Everything as His Majesty decides is fine.'

Upon hearing this, both the old emperor and the crown prince couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief……

……

In October of that year, the sixty-year-old Great Shun emperor passed away in the imperial gardens, carrying his dream of restoring the ancestral golden age, and forever closed his cloudy eyes.

The next day, under the presiding of the empress dowager, the twenty-two-year-old crown prince inherited the throne, becoming the new Great Shun emperor!

Having just ascended the throne, the new emperor first elevated the empress dowager to Grand Empress Dowager…… after bestowing titles on the rest of the imperial household, he then followed the late emperor's edict and ennobled Northeastern Eight Banner Commander-in-Chief Lin Six as 'Regent King Father,' 'Grand Tutor,' and 'Chancellor'…… aside from not directly yielding the throne, he gave him every title he could.

Upon hearing this edict, you wore a bewildered expression: 'Grand Tutor and Chancellor are fine, but what exactly is a 'Regent King Father'?'

This is basically acknowledging you as his father……

Although it was hard to accept, you eventually did, because you received the late emperor's last edict: 'If the crown prince wishes to assist, assist him; if not, the ruler may take it himself!'

This father and son were determined to rely on clinging to you to maintain the throne……

After you accepted, the emperor rejoiced: 'Regent King Father is my Great Shun's first batulu… first akin… pah! He is the first regent king!'

Next, he reiterated the former emperor's slogan: 'Governance by the Lin clan, sacrifices by me!'—like this, like that, it seemed as if ruler and minister were truly in harmony…… but, would they really be harmonious?

……

Obviously not!

Even in the first month after the emperor's ascension, the monkey quietly reported to you a secret letter sent by the court officials.

The letter said that the new emperor, having just ascended the throne, privately cursed the Grand Tutor, stabbed voodoo dolls, believed in witchcraft…… and even secretly trained the little eunuchs in the palace, intending to plot treason…… the evidence was crystal clear!

"Master! This little emperor is plotting rebellion!"

The monkey angrily said: 'In my opinion, we should just storm the capital and seize the bird throne!'

But you merely sighed, walking back and forth with your hands behind your back……

"Why are you forcing me?"

You let out a long sigh: 'Clearly I had planned to preserve the imperial house, so why does this little emperor give me the cold shoulder?'

Disciple.

You raise your head, your aged face filled with helplessness.

Disciple present!

Go to the capital and drive the imperial clan out of the palace…… Remember, do not act violently.

Yes, Master!

The monkey cheerfully accepted the order and left……

……

Inside the imperial palace, the new emperor was training the eunuchs.

Beside her, the Grand Empress Dowager looked on, wanting to speak but holding back:

Grandson, this will be of no use……

She knew full well what the grandson intended to do: 'You may aspire to restore, which is good…… but now it has come to this; even if you killed him, restoration would be impossible!'

Earlier she had also considered, according to ancestral law, killing Lin Liu, who threatened the imperial house; but after careful thought, having such a loyal minister willing to preserve the imperial house was actually the best.

If he were gone, who knows how many would claim emperorship and kingship! Moreover, the shogunate has ruled the world for years, the people's hearts are attached; they know only the Grand General Pacifying Barbarians, not the Emperor of Great Shun, and the Eight Banners also hold military sway over the world, with no heroes able to match them.

What are the Eight Banners but proud and fierce troops? No one understands this better than the Grand Empress Dowager; if Lin Liu were dead, the Eight Banners could wipe out Great Shun in a heartbeat!

Now, merely obtaining a mascot status is already the best outcome; with luck, Great Shun might truly endure for myriad generations, an unbroken line……

No!

The new emperor stared at the training eunuchs with a fierce expression:

"As Emperor of Great Shun I guard the nation's gate; a monarch dies for the state! I cannot survive in hiding…… I would rather die like the former emperor Ai than live like the former emperor Xian!"

"That old traitor Lin Liu seized my state; I cannot let him go!"

"Moreover, I've heard he has not yet become a true god, still a mortal fleshly body; if we cooperate properly, we could kill him…… but if we delay, once he attains true godhood, I will have no chance left!"

He had even worked out a plan to exterminate the traitor: "I have already contacted many folk divine righteous warriors; they all hate Lin Liu for seizing the world and wish to kill him swiftly……"

"We have agreed that, once I kill Lin Liu, they will help me expel the Eight Banners and restore Great Shun; then, as long as I manage affairs well, I will still have a chance to regain great power by balancing the regional garrisons!"

The emperor training the eunuchs showed in his eyes a yearning for power:

"With the title of Regent Prince bestowed by my imperial father, Lin Liu will surely not be on guard against me…… Once I have finished training the eunuchs, I will lure Lin Liu into the palace…… great accomplishment can be achieved!"

"Grandson, how can you trust a wolf's words? Moreover, even if you regain great power, to eradicate Lin Liu's followers, how many will die under heaven……"

"I don't care!"

The emperor gritted his teeth: "I don't care how many people the wild gods kill, nor how they restrain their incense…… As long as I can continue as a reigning emperor with authority, I can agree to any condition!"

Still worried, the Grand Empress Dowager tried again: "Grandson, this is not……"

Bang! Bang! Bang! Suddenly a uniform footsteps began to sound, growing louder, like rolling thunder!

The emperor and Grand Empress Dowager stared in shock, only to see the palace gate violently kicked open, a golden-haired great monkey leading a contingent of Eight Banner elite soldiers, striding in with an arrogant air!

"Ape…… you…… you…… what do you intend to do?!"

The emperor, who had just spoken fiercely, at this sight immediately went limp, trembling as he looked at the golden-haired monkey.

"Kek kek kek!"

"The monkey gave a strange kek-kek laugh:"

"Your Majesty, why do you rebel? I, master and disciple, have served the state, yet you plot against the loyal…… it seems you cannot be allowed to remain!"

Yuan Shikai of the Ape lineage, making his grand entrance!

……

(End of chapter)