Chapter 592: Remnants of the Flourishing Tang

"What is going on?"

"Lord Mire?"

"This..."

The scene erupted into chaos the moment they saw the man covered in blood was Mire.

Mire had quite a reputation in Loulan. Back when the Loulan royal family faced a crisis, it was Mire who led an Arabian Army to reinforce Loulan and resolve that crisis. He was an Arab merchant, and also a minister of the Arab Empire.

He had a good reputation in Loulan; he was generous and open-handed, earning him much acclaim among the common people of Loulan.

Seeing him now, covered in blood and breathing faintly, many looked on with concern.

"Quick, quick, quick, call a physician!"

Reguli was frantic.

Because of his meritorious service in saving Loulan, Mire held a high-ranking official position in Loulan as well.

"No, no..."

Seeing so many people, Mire spat out a mouthful of blood. It was impossible to tell how long he had been galloping on horseback; the blood he spat out was already black!

It was a shocking sight!

Everyone's expression changed.

"Don't waste the effort..."

Mire smiled miserably, his face beneath the bloodstains already deathly pale.

Everyone's heart sank.

In this state, he likely did not have much time left.

Reguli had dealt with Mire many times and tears immediately streamed down her face: "Lord Mire..."

Mire shifted his body and nearly fell from his horse.

"Ah!"

Reguli covered her mouth and gasped.

On his body, three massive, gaping bloody holes were already festering, and maggots had even begun to grow...

"This letter, give it to Governor Liu, give it to Governor Liu..."

Mire trembled as he fished a letter from his waist and handed it to Reguli. After saying this, his wish seemingly fulfilled, his head tilted to the side, and he breathed his last.

"Lord Mire!"

"My Lord!"

The joyous scene of today instantly turned into one of endless weeping.

Reguli clutched the letter in her hand, her eyes flickering.

The letter.

It was open.

This meant Mire did not mind others seeing it.

"This..."

When she saw the contents of the letter, her face turned deathly pale.

"State Funeral!"

"Yes!"

Liu Zheng glanced at Prince Yong, whose expression was extremely grim.

"You saw it too?"

He followed Prince Yong out of the crowd and asked in a low voice.

Prince Yong looked miserable and snapped, "Nonsense, everyone saw it. Do you think I'm stupid?"

Seeing Prince Yong's reaction, Liu Zheng felt there was likely more to the story.

The two found a corner, and with a wave of Liu Zheng's hand, Pei Qianyun stood guard nearby, giving them space to talk. Only then did Prince Yong smile bitterly: "Remnants of the Flourishing Tang!"

Liu Zheng's eyelids twitched, and he exclaimed: "They really exist?"

He had only suspected it before.

After all, the Tang King of those years had been truly formidable. To put it this way, according to Liu Zheng's understanding of Longyan history, this Tang King was practically a combination of Sui Yangdi and Tang Taizong. He had done too much in his lifetime, and killed too many people...

But he did not believe that a man of such ambition and peerless talent would fail to realize that having offended so many people, he would sooner or later meet a tragic end.

Would he not leave behind a shred of his own bloodline?

Would he not leave his bloodline a chance to make a comeback?

Sure enough!

Now, the matter was clear.

Prince Yong said indifferently: "There is no doubt that descendants of the Tang King escaped Longyan back then. Looking at it now, the Tang King's vigorous support for maritime affairs during the Flourishing Tang was the seed he planted for his descendants!"

Maritime affairs?

The Great Age of Discovery?

Liu Zheng's expression shifted slightly: "You mean..."

The two looked at each other.

Then they spoke in unison.

"Nanyang!"

An island in Nansha.

That mottled and weathered watchtower had already collapsed by half.

The flames of war had already scorched much of the vegetation here.

Beneath the watchtower, there were many corpses.

Atop the watchtower, two blackened skeletons still maintained a fighting stance.

Seagulls.

Petrels.

Swept across the sky.

Their chirping sounds seemed to be telling of this battle, which had ended several days ago.

Those two skeletons, one large and one small, had guarded the military flag in their hands to the death!

That military flag, mended and patched year after year!

Only...

In the end, that military flag had long since been burned to ashes.

Finally, what the two were guarding was merely that flagpole.

Tragic and heroic.

Desolate...

The grilled fish nearby had not been finished.

There was still half a bag of millet nearby.

The sea breeze blew past.

In the woods nearby, a troop of cavalry appeared.

The man in the lead had a dignified appearance and an extraordinary aura.

He was dressed in military attire, and his noticeably fair skin was starkly different from the soldiers beside him. With star-like brows and sword-like eyes, he looked to be in his thirties; at this moment, his eyes remained fixed on the two figures atop the watchtower, his eyelashes trembling slightly.

"Eighty-three people died..."

Someone nearby reported.

Then he lowered his head.

Seeming to wait for the man's reprimand.

"Eighty-three?"

The man laughed heartily: "Eighty-three? Not many!"

Ah?

This is not many?

To have eighty-three people killed by these two alone before this battle ended, and it's not many?

The man nodded and said spiritedly: "This is what our Longyan soldiers are!"

"Did you see that?"

"Longyan soldiers!"

"Only such people are worthy of serving our Xie Family!"

The crowd felt their blood boiling.

"Xie Family!"

"Longyan!"

"Longyan!"

"Recover the lost territory!"

"Fight our way back to Longyan Jinghua!"

After a burst of fervor, the man slowly raised his hand, and the scene quieted down.

He gazed into the north and said indifferently: "It is time, time to go back..."

"Emperor, Emperor..."

"Emperor, calm your anger, drink some water, drink some water..."

The Christmas Ceremony was still continuing.

Yet the more lively the atmosphere at the scene, the gloomier the expression of Xie Tianyao on the Zhuque High Tower.

How many years has it been?

How many years has it been!

At least, in the many years since he ascended the throne, no one in all of Longyan had dared to mention the Great Tang again! Furthermore, throughout his entire political career, he had never felt the need to target the remnants of the Great Tang for purging—because that era was, after all, too far from him.

In terms of iron-fisted methods, he considered himself no worse than the legendary Tang King.

But...

Who could have imagined.

At a time when he believed, and even all of Longyan believed, that this was the last birthday of Xie Tianyao's life, these remnants had actually appeared. And they appeared in this manner...

What is this called?

Striking while someone is ill to take their life?

These people, seeing that Longyan is about to fall into chaos, want to fight their way back to Longyan?

"Hahahaha!"

Xie Tianyao was suddenly filled with high spirits; he pushed away the cup of water handed over by the Grand Eunuch, looked coldly at the singing girls and dancers below, and said indifferently: "No matter who they are, just as they were driven out of Longyan back then, this time, I will drive them out again, ruthlessly!"

"The Emperor is divine and martial!"

"The Emperor is wise!"

The crowd hurriedly knelt on the ground.

However...

Many people were already thinking.

With your current physical condition?

Are you sure you can?