Chapter 625: Guaranteeing with One's Head

Nanzhao Kingdom.

It did not withstand the attacks of Qin Zhangfeng and Huobu Quli for more than a few days.

This monarchy, which had existed in the Southern Barbarian Lands for hundreds of years, collapsed just like that.

Wherever there is war, there is devastation and rivers of blood. A regime like the Nanzhao Kingdom, which was deeply rooted in the local area, still had a significant impact on the common people. After the successful siege, some local natives and Nobles offered sporadic resistance, but they were quickly suppressed by the troops of Qin Zhangfeng and Huobu Quli.

The members of the Nanzhao royal family were basically all dead.

Of course, Qin Zhangfeng ultimately left behind one royal descendant of a more distant lineage to serve as a puppet and announce the surrender.

Soon, those who wanted to stir up trouble no longer dared to do so.

Pei Yanran watched from the side with a look of admiration: "Qin Dage, who taught you this trick?"

Qin Zhangfeng looked embarrassed: "Naturally, it was the Viscount."

He naturally remembered what Liu Zheng had once told them: to colonize a place, one must either garrison it personally, kill everyone, or support a puppet regime.

In a place like the Southern Barbarian Lands, they were naturally unwilling to garrison it themselves.

After the project at Wangbei Academy was finished, he still had to take Pei Yanran back to Liangzhou to get married.

Extermination...

That was naturally even more impossible!

This Southern Barbarian Land alone had a population of eight hundred thousand! In this era, population is the greatest Dividend!

These Nanzhao people, as far as the eye could see, were all wealth!

"General Qin, how should these people be handled?"

Huobu Quli appeared by Qin Zhangfeng's side and asked with deep concern.

These people were a Dividend, but naturally also a potential threat. Eight hundred thousand! If someone among these eight hundred thousand were to raise a call to arms, the damage caused would be significant.

Qin Zhangfeng laughed and said: "In the early stages, we will have to trouble General Huobu to maintain military control for a period of time. Afterward, we will simply copy the Point Management System from Yintan City, and that will suffice."

Huobu gave an honest smile: "That is a small matter."

Now that Liangshan was stable, his younger brother could handle the administration there. Having grown up in the Southern Barbarian Lands, Huobu Quli naturally knew that if he could truly bring the Southern Barbarian Lands under control, it would be a matter of immense help to Magistrate Liu.

The south of the colorful clouds is rich in resources.

In the mountains, everything is a treasure!

However...

He still did not know Liu Zheng's grand goal.

What Liu Zheng truly cared about in this south of the colorful clouds were the "non-ferrous metals," which was also the biggest reason why he placed his scientific research laboratory at Liangshan Academy. Admittedly, the talent at Liangshan Academy was important, but resources were what he valued most. To develop technology, how could disciplines like Physics and Chemistry be without these non-ferrous metals?

Finally.

This place would also become his Poppy cultivation base.

Scale!

He wanted to start large-scale Poppy cultivation.

"Quick, quick, quick, over here, don't dawdle, all of you get inside! Ten people to a room, wake up tomorrow and get to work. Listen well, there is food and meat for those who work, but if anyone has any other thoughts, don't blame the soldiers!"

The Nanzhao people were quickly settled under the threat of whips and blades.

Large quantities of Poppy seeds were distributed.

Huobu Quli had been watching from the side and couldn't help but take a deep breath at this moment.

He could almost imagine it now.

How bewitching, yet how terrifying, these Poppies would be when they reached maturity.

Magistrate Liu...

Are you a human, or a god?

The entire hall was deathly silent.

This silence was also filled with terror.

So it lasted a long time.

It continued for a long time.

"Audacious!"

"Magistrate Liu, what are you saying!"

"Presumptuous!"

"Are you cursing the Emperor!"

Soon, the civil and military officials on the spot, like filial sons and grandsons, all rushed out, pointing angrily at Magistrate Liu, furious beyond measure.

In a feudal dynasty, who would dare to discuss the Emperor's lifespan so openly?

And...

What do you mean by this?

Offering the Emperor one year of life? Does it mean the Emperor is about to die, so you are so stingy with this one year?

"Rebellious and treasonous!"

"Kneel!"

"Father Emperor, this warrants the execution of the nine clans, the nine clans! Spreading evil rumors to confuse the public, his heart is punishable, his heart is punishable!"

These people had finally caught Magistrate Liu's weakness, especially Xie Fang, who, with a face full of sorrow but excitement in his heart, threw himself on the ground, weeping bitterly: "Father Emperor is the Son of Heaven, his longevity equal to the heavens..."

The others were naturally the same.

"Shut up!"

Xie Tianyao shouted coldly.

The entire scene fell silent once again.

"Zheng, Zheng... what are you..."

Liu Dahao and Feng Sanniang, who had been incredibly awkward just a moment ago, were also frightened by these words from Liu Zheng.

Offer one year of lifespan?

These words were truly...

Liu Zheng smiled lightly, shook his head, and fearlessly met the gaze of Xie Tianyao on the high pavilion.

Xie Tianyao also looked coldly at Liu Zheng.

The scene.

No one dared to speak.

Silent as cicadas in winter.

"Th-th-this..."

Grand Eunuch Zhou and the Prince of Yong were also terrified at this moment, their heads covered in sweat.

One year of lifespan...

Indeed.

As Xie Tianyao's birthday approached this year, everyone actually knew that this dying old man could hardly carry the decrepit Longyan Dynasty for a few more years, and perhaps not even for one... His chronic headaches were the most fatal, and his entire body had begun to suffer from intense pain, coughing up black blood.

The imperial physicians were already at their wits' end.

Although they dared not say it, letting the royal family prepare for a State Funeral, they had almost all expressed the same meaning.

But.

Even if that was the fact.

You cannot just say it out loud! And in this kind of setting, no less!

What would these barbarians think if they heard this?

Tell these barbarians that the Emperor is going to die and Longyan is going to fall into chaos? That they could take advantage of the situation just like the Great Khan Tuolei did in the past?

Traitor!

In their eyes, the Prefect Liu had suddenly become a traitor!

The look in Xie Tianyao's eyes as he watched Liu Zheng was also incomparably icy.

Murderous intent surged!

Quiet.

The entire scene remained quiet.

No one dared to look at Xie Tianyao at this moment, except for Liu Zheng.

Finally.

Xie Tianyao's hand, which was tightly gripping the railing, tightened, loosened, loosened, and tightened again.

"What are you saying?"

Xie Tianyao's emotionless question caused everyone to continue kneeling, not daring to even lift their heads.

Liu Zheng smiled faintly: "Liu Zheng can offer the Emperor at least one year of lifespan!"

"Is this true?"

Xie Tianyao almost roared in anger; he struggled to maintain his inner composure.

Who does not want to keep on living?

If he could, he would want to live for another five hundred years!

But he knew... he and everyone else knew that he would very likely not make it past this year; even living for another two or three months would be a luxury. Yet now, he said he could let him live for another year, another year...

Liu Zheng nodded calmly: "It is true, Liu Zheng guarantees it with his own head!"

The atmosphere at the scene changed once again.

One year of lifespan...

And he said it with such certainty?

Many people scoffed in their hearts.

Xie Fang even held back a loud laugh.

Oh, Prefect Liu, Prefect Liu!

Do you really think you are a god?

You even dare to brag like this.

Just wait for your death!