The Khan of the Xianbei Kingdom hesitated.
"For us Xianbei to contend with the entirety of the Great Qian, it is akin to striking a stone with an egg."
Valentin said in a deep voice, "There are also the Gui Shuang Dynasty and the Peacock Dynasty. Once our Tian Ri tribe has pacified the rebels in the west and perfected our military equipment reforms, we will naturally mobilize the entire nation to support the Gui Shuang Dynasty and wage a decisive war against the Great Qian! I believe the Gui Shuang Dynasty has already engaged in conflict with the Great Qian by now. The Western Regions are the first battlefield!"
"You Tian Ri tribe, do you truly enjoy eating people?" the Khan of the Xianbei Kingdom inquired doubtfully.
Valentin bristled, "Slander! Do I look like a bloodthirsty cannibal?"
The Khan of the Xianbei Kingdom remained silent.
The historical records of the Great Zhou had already reached the Xianbei, as the Xianbei people had no choice but to study Great Qian culture.
Some of the content recorded in the historical texts was so horrific that it sent shivers down one's spine. Had it not been for that Great Zhou Martial Saint, whose name was the same as Liang Xiao, sweeping through the Tian Ri Kingdom, not only the Great Zhou but perhaps even the Xianbei ancestors would have been completely devoured...
It was said that the people of the Tian Ri Kingdom also enjoyed collecting women's pelvic bones as decorative items, and Valentin had previously worn a large waist pendant that appeared to be a pelvic bone...
It was precisely because that Martial Saint shared the same name as Liang Xiao that the soldiers and civilians of the Great Qian became even more convinced that Liang Xiao himself was the reincarnation of the Martial Saint.
This was what made him fear Liang Xiao even more, yet also be wary of the Tian Ri tribe.
What if the contents of the records were entirely true?
"The people of that land have always been cunning. After repelling the Gui Shuang Dynasty, Liang Xiao will certainly settle the score for your Xianbei's invasion of Liaodong and your slaughter of Yan Prefecture alongside the Barbarians! Khan of the Xianbei Kingdom, if you truly wish to foster good relations with the Great Qian, we Tian Ri tribe will no longer dare to sell you weapons in the future!"
The Khan of the Xianbei Kingdom knit his brows and said, "How can I not understand the gravity of the situation? The Great Qian wishes to lull us into a false sense of security, and why should we not wish to do the same to the Great Qian? We will observe for a period. If there are any changes in the Great Qian, we can then seize the opportunity to march south, attack Liaodong, and cross the Great Wall. Would that not be most pleasing? Our current military strength is not even as formidable as the Barbarians in their prime, and the Chu Yun Kingdom is still plotting against the Tai Ji Kingdom. How can we dare to offend the Great Qian alone?"
Valentin felt somewhat better and said, "Rest assured, within a year at the fastest, and ten years at the latest, when the new monarch of the Great Liang ascends the throne, the Great Qian will be surrounded and facing enemies on all sides. Once you receive the battle reports from the western frontier, you can mobilize your troops to march south!"
After the two deliberated, the Khan of the Xianbei Kingdom went to meet Mo Hongming.
"Our kingdom is willing to foster good relations with the Great Qian. I am willing to pledge allegiance to the Son of Heaven of the Great Qian, and I only hope that the Great Qian will not invade our Xianbei..."
Mo Hongming was overjoyed in his heart, but outwardly he cupped his fists with a smile and said, "Then please, Khan, discuss the details with me, so that I may return and report to His Majesty."
The Khan of the Xianbei Kingdom nodded slightly, "Please convey my regards to your Marquis of An Guo..."
After Mo Hongming departed, the Khan of the Xianbei Kingdom sneered inwardly.
"This is a golden opportunity. While fostering good relations with the Great Qian, we can unite with the Chu Yun Kingdom to annihilate the Tai Ji Kingdom, using the Tai Ji Kingdom's territory as a springboard for the Chu Yun Kingdom!"
On the way back, Mo Hongming sat in his carriage with a grave expression.
He could tell that the sincerity of the Xianbei people was limited.
However, the task assigned to him by the court was simple: as long as the Xianbei were temporarily deterred from coveting the Great Qian, it would be considered a success.
In truth, Liaodong had no fear of Xianbei invasion, but he believed that the court's decision to seek peace with the Xianbei must have had the Emperor's considerations.
"In this way, the Tai Ji Kingdom will likely also suffer..." Mo Hongming instinctively gazed in the southeast direction.
In the sea to the east of the continent, warships were speeding towards the Tai Ji Kingdom.
Panic spread throughout the Tai Ji Kingdom.
"Your Majesty, I request to lead troops to strike the invaders!" Li Shunchen stepped forward.
The King of the Tai Ji Kingdom frowned, and Li Shunping also stepped forward to report, "Your Majesty, the Chu Yun Kingdom's troops merely wish to borrow our territory for rest, to facilitate their attack on the Great Qian's East Sea. Since our kingdom is allied with the Chu Yun Kingdom, how can we obstruct them midway!"
"Your Majesty, the Chu Yun Kingdom harbors treacherous intentions, how can we trust them!!" Li Shunchen became flushed with anxiety!
"Enough! The Great General has repeatedly attempted to disrupt our kingdom's allied relationship with the Chu Yun Kingdom. Are you truly not bribed by the Great Qian?" the King of the Tai Ji Kingdom angrily rebuked.
"If we foster good relations with the Great Qian, our kingdom can still retain a lifeline, and perhaps Liaodong can send reinforcements. But to foster good relations with the Chu Yun Kingdom and the Xianbei is to seek refuge with a tiger and court disaster..." Before Li Shunchen could argue further, he was roughly interrupted by the King of the Tai Ji Kingdom.
"Effective immediately, Great General Li Shunchen is demoted three ranks!"
In the Imperial Palace of Chu Yun, the ministers knelt before a screen.
Only when the screen was removed did everyone see the elder and the youth within.
The ruler of Chu Yun, the Heavenly Emperor, had white hair and black eyes.
And the Crown Prince sitting respectfully beside him...
Had blond hair and blue eyes!!
The black-haired and black-eyed ministers of Chu Yun showed no surprise, their expressions solemn as they prostrated themselves.
"Our Emperor, being a descendant of Amaterasu, his offspring have reverted to their ancestral lineage. The Crown Prince possesses unparalleled divine calculation, and our army will surely achieve a surprise victory and capture the Tai Ji Kingdom!"
"Mmm," the Heavenly Emperor's voice was weak as he looked at the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince smiled, "Since the Tai Ji Kingdom dares not send troops to jointly attack the Great Qian, then there is naturally no need for its existence."
"I am advanced in years. Today, I shall proclaim to the entire nation, and pass the throne to the Crown Prince: His Imperial Majesty, Kotsuyagawakawaku."
The ministers all concurred, "We respectfully obey the Emperor's command!"
On this day, the black-haired and black-eyed Heavenly Emperor of Chu Yun voluntarily abdicated the throne to the new Emperor and died violently that night.
The new Emperor proclaimed himself "Martial Valiant Emperor" and continued to reinforce the fleet attacking the Tai Ji Kingdom.
In the capital, in the northern district, the Ying Lie (Heroic Spirit) Zone.
The Great Qian, having fought battles far and wide, inevitably suffered casualties among its soldiers.
After being severely wounded or disabled, soldiers received compensation equivalent to death. If their families did not own suitable property, they could move with their relatives into the Ying Lie Zones in the three cities of the capital, Yan Prefecture, and Chengdu, making it convenient for them to receive unified state preferential treatment with their wives and children.
Yue Wenxin, leading the security detail of the Marquis of An Guo's manor, followed behind Liang Xiao and Luo Qingxue, her mood somewhat heavy.
She had recently been cramming knowledge about the Great Qian and learned about the Ying Lie Zones, feeling greatly shocked.
There was such a thoughtful compensation system?
But she also noticed that almost all the people walking in this district were the old, the weak, women, and children; very few adult men were seen.
Most of the men in their families had already met their end on the battlefield.
Of course, not all the families of fallen soldiers resided in the Ying Lie Zones. After all, these soldiers came from all corners of the country, and most of their families still lived in their own homes, receiving preferential treatment from the local government.
As one of the Great Qian's three great marshals, her brother-in-law's prestige far surpassed that of Grand General Lu Yi and Chariot General Gongsun Ye. Naturally, she could not overlook the compensation for the soldiers' families.
She also wanted to see what it was that allowed the Great Qian to achieve a battle loss ratio of over one to thirty, annihilating over half a million barbarian cavalry over time, and easily pacifying Xichuan.
"The Marquis of An Guo has truly arrived..."
The people in the Ying Lie Zone were both surprised and delighted, coming out to greet them. However, they were informed by the manor's guards, "There is no need to come out. The Marquis of An Guo will send people to visit each household."
Yue Wenxin observed this, her eyes flickering.
She had previously accompanied Zuo Wuji, Qin Feng, and Yue Hongxiu to visit the families of fallen heroes. When the three of them traveled, they had not issued such instructions, but allowed the common people to come out and greet them for a unified visit.
The first family they visited was that of a member of the White Robe Army.