In the depths of the great desert, heaven and earth were vast and boundless.
Two men were engaged in fierce combat on horseback against over a dozen horse bandits, exchanging arrow fire. In the blink of an eye, only two bandits remained.
"Bang! Bang!"
After two gunshots, the bandits cried out in pain as they fell from their horses, "What evil things are you using..." The two on horseback blew on the smoking muzzles of their guns and said in unison, "Times have changed."
"Your attire, you are, Han Hai Xiong Feng Jian Cang Lang..." the bandit's eyes widened in terror before his life extinguished.
The two pursuing the bandits were Jian Cang Lang, Liang Xiao's second son, and Qiu Han Hai, his fourth. As the new generation of chivalrous heroes, they had made a name for themselves with their swords, crossbows, and guns, proving to Liang Xiao that they were worthy sons.
Zuo Longcheng and Liang Cangsheng had repeatedly distinguished themselves in battle and now served as General of the Western Expedition and General of the Northern Expedition, respectively. Xiao Qian's status was even more distinguished with outstanding military achievements. The three, along with Nan Jiyun, had marched west to the sacred land of the Tianri tribe. With the aid of railways and supply lines, they had penetrated deep into enemy territory.
The improved flintlock rifles of the Qangan's western frontier had developed to seventy thousand strong, an overwhelming advantage against the Tianri tribe, who were still in the age of cold weapons. Faced with such terrifying firepower, the Tianri people finally knelt and begged for mercy. Ten thousand cavalry, including thirty thousand Northern cavalry armed with the Great Qangan bow, had annihilated over a million Tianri people in a single battle. Yet, over two million Tianri people had survived.
"Marshal, as the Emperor predicted, everywhere we look, there are human jerky and religious texts of the Tianri cult..." a general reported, holding up a book filled with depravity, violence, and slaughter, his voice filled with righteous indignation.
"My father's foresight is indeed divine! This is a gathering of man-eating demons!" Xiao Qian roared with fury.
Zuo Longcheng's entire body trembled with anger, "We just tallied the human jerky; the left hands alone stored amounted to over two million... simply outrageous!!"
The soldiers were filled with shock and anger. Even Nan Jiyun couldn't help but catch his breath, "Why did the West not unite and exterminate these man-eating fiends?"
"They are adept at deception. When they gain absolute superiority, they will naturally expose their true nature! Our army must eradicate them completely!" Liang Cangsheng sighed. Nan Jiyun remained silent.
"Among these two million people, there are many elderly, weak, sick, and disabled, even newborn infants..." The generals were at a loss.
"My father said that from the moment these children are born, they are destined to become man-eaters, and will eventually reveal their true nature. The Great Qangan must not accept them!" Liang Cangsheng stepped forward immediately and declared sternly, "I am willing to lead ten thousand soldiers to eradicate them and bear all responsibility!"
"Let me do it, Sixth Brother," Zuo Longcheng quickly pulled Liang Cangsheng back.
"Leave it to me, I will handle it properly back home," Xiao Qian also stepped forward, pulling the other two back.
"This matter is extremely serious. Let us observe for a day," Nan Jiyun sighed.
Just then, General Yue Qingtian reported, "Marshal! Several five or six-year-old Tianri children snuck into the warehouse just now and were frantically gnawing on human jerky!"
"What? Five or six years old and already..." Nan Jiyun's face turned pale. He then asked, "What about the other Tianri children? Do they all have the habit of eating human flesh and gnawing?"
"We analyzed these children, and indeed, they were born with quite sharp teeth, capable of biting through relatively soft food. What kind of monsters are these..." Yue Qingtian looked dejected.
Nan Jiyun's forehead beaded with sweat. He said, "They are now unarmed and cannot cause much trouble! We will observe for another day, and if they are truly demons, I will personally put them to the sword!"
The next night, Nan Jiyun tossed and turned. Recalling the day's events, he too felt a chill down his spine.
"Marshal! The Ninth Prince and the Generals of the Western and Northern Expeditions have led troops to execute all the Tianri captives!!" The urgent report from outside made Nan Jiyun break out in a cold sweat. He immediately jumped out of bed and rushed to observe.
Ten thousand soldiers knelt on one knee, with Liang Xiao's three sons standing before them, their faces grave. Ten thousand men, including Zuo Longcheng and the other two, trembled as if they had experienced a nightmare.
"This subordinate has disobeyed military orders and is willing to accept punishment!" Nan Jiyun looked at the trembling three and immediately sent men to search for other captives, only to find them all slaughtered.
"This is not good!"
After Nan Jiyun understood the situation, he was terrified. These ten thousand men were likely ruined. Yet, they had risked such consequences and resolutely followed the three to carry out the massacre, and they had done so willingly...
"This is a matter of great consequence. The soldiers involved in the massacre are to immediately lay down their arms and return to the capital with this Marshal!"
The Tianri tribe's sacred land possessed deep wealth, accumulating gold and silver treasures from all over the West. The total amount of gold alone exceeded twenty million taels, and silver was close to ten million catties. All the human jerky was cremated by the Great Qangan soldiers with their 'heart fire,' and the bodies of the Tianri people were collected and burned.
On the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa, there were no longer any pure-blooded Tianri people to be found...
Kristi possessed the blood of the Tianri royal family, but she and her daughter, Liang Xinyu, did not have the habit of gnawing on things and were not interested in human flesh. According to Heraclius's description, the offspring born from Roman royal women and Tianri people did not have the habit of cannibalism and their dietary habits were no different from ordinary people. Liang Xiao could only speculate that the Roman royal family of this world might also possess some kind of gene that was unaffected by the Tianri genes, which was also why the Tianri tribe had meticulously sought to divide and eliminate the Romans.
Liang Xiao's three sons, along with ten thousand soldiers, applied to Nan Jiyun to have themselves bound. They had developed psychological trauma and had now become executioners of the weak, old, women, and children.
Liang Xiao and his wives, who were engaged in playful banter in the palace, received the news and were all startled. The wives looked at Liang Xiao with pleading eyes.
"Do not worry," Liang Xiao said sternly.
"His Majesty and the Emperor have decreed: the ten thousand soldiers who disobeyed orders will be recognized for their meritorious service, immediately retired with ample retirement subsidies, and housed in the Ninth District for Retired Soldiers! The Ninth Prince and the two generals are to report to the palace to see His Majesty!"
Upon receiving the imperial decree, Nan Jiyun finally breathed a sigh of relief. He never doubted Liang Xiao's decisions; this was the greatest protection for the soldiers.
"Father..." The three sons knelt before Liang Xiao, their expressions filled with panic.
"Get up, why are you kneeling?" Liang Xiao merely beckoned them over, just as he used to summon his children when they were young. The three approached Liang Xiao, seeing their mothers and siblings who had rushed over, their faces filled with worry and complex emotions.
"Qian'er, you were originally prepared to bear all the responsibility alone. This way, it would also eliminate the possibility of outsiders considering you a contender for the throne, correct? Sixth brother, you feel you have shamed your name by dealing with the weak and vulnerable. Ninth brother, you feel you have brought shame to the Liang and Zuo families. Lastly, you thought of your parents and worried about affecting their reputation."
The three bowed their heads and said, "In the end, we could not hide anything from Father..." Liang Xiao then continued, "You are all my children. You have been taught by me since childhood, and it is inevitable that you would be influenced by me and want to exterminate the Tianri tribe. In the past, I too had the resolve to be unchangeable. He is not the Sixth Brother; although he seems frivolous, his heart is filled with concern for the country and the world. Ninth Brother wholeheartedly supports Xun'er inheriting the throne, wanting to fulfill his childhood promise to his elder brother. These, I know. Actually, Father..."
At this, Liang Xiao recounted how he had answered the Three Questions of Bodhi and obtained the White Night Flying Shadow and the Sky Dragon Breaking City Halberd. His children were astonished.
"If you've done it, then you've done it. The Tianri tribe deserved their fate. For the Great Qangan, they cannot be allowed to remain. However, your current state of mind is no longer suitable for leading troops in battle. Retire, and spend a few years engaged in charity and disaster relief, joining the ranks of those improving people's livelihoods. When you can confidently tell your parents that you have recovered, then you can do something outside of military affairs. What do you say?"
The three sons seemed to have found salvation and said in unison, "Your child understands! From now on, we will only do charity!" Xiao Qing, Yue Lian, and Zhuo Xun, as their biological mothers, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Liang Xiao then sighed to Xiao Qing, "I too have wondered if I was blinded by hatred. I thought for ten days and ten nights before rejecting my own thoughts. The current Great Qangan, although seemingly prosperous and powerful, will face all sorts of problems in the future and may be too preoccupied to attend to other matters. Extermination is the highest form of respect for this cannibalistic race. Moreover, there must be remnants of the Tianri tribe overseas."
"Actually, as a father, I only feel ashamed that I have brought the sins that I should have borne upon my children. I will be more careful in the future. The people of this land have toiled for thousands of years. They once took pride in General Tian and Marquis Anguo, revering them as gods, making me believe that my journey to this world was not in vain. I only hope they live different lives, lives that are better with each generation, at least better than the divine realm." Xiao Qing nodded silently and, with her sisters, embraced Liang Xiao, supporting him with their actions.
The ten thousand soldiers received generous rewards and were placed under supervision. Liang Xiao and Xiao Qing's prestige only grew with time, and these soldiers had no objections to Liang Xiao's arrangements, only regretting that they would not have the opportunity to continue serving their country. However, the newly hung "Home of Merit" at their doorstep was enough to satisfy them.
"I am now somewhat worried about Qin Feng," Liang Xiao sighed in the palace. His wives were stunned and looked at Liang Xiao with familiar eyes, "Decades have passed, and their bond is still so deep..."
"Hmph! You vixen wives want to tease your husband again, take this!"
...
In the eastern sea, the waves on the sea surface had greatly subsided. Qin Feng led a fleet of over a thousand large steamships on an expedition to the Izumo country.
The concept of "Vitamin C" and scurvy, after being promoted by Liang Xiao, had also become widespread. The "Mendeleev's Periodic Table, Transmitted by Divine Beings from the Divine Realm" had also ushered in a new era of chemical research for the Great Qangan. The speed of the Industrial Revolution had surpassed Liang Xiao's imagination, with some industries' productivity even multiplying several times. Thanks to the new laws promulgated by the court, factories did not dare to arbitrarily exploit workers, paid them sufficiently, limited working hours, and did not allow workers to voluntarily request "overtime." Qin Feng, whenever he recalled these measures of Liang Xiao, was deeply moved. Was this not the new era that Mu Cheng yearned for?
"The system is not important; the true principle is to make the lives of the common people better. Father-in-law, Youmin is very promising, skilled in both civil and military arts. Even if this child dies on this sea... um, I got too emotional, I shouldn't be thinking about death right now." Qin Feng immediately snapped out of his thoughts and stared at the approaching island in the distance. The Izumo country!
Strong ships and sharp cannons blasted open the gates of the Izumo country. When the soldiers rushed in, they were stunned. Everywhere they looked, there were blonde, blue-eyed Tianri people, and some were even gnawing on dried infant arms on the spot! The Izumo people on the island didn't even have time to counterattack with bows and arrows before they were killed or shot by the soldiers' improved guns and cannons. The remaining Tianri people also surrendered en masse.
"Marshal, we did not find any Izumo people, only broken bones everywhere, with human bite marks on almost every piece of bone! Furthermore, we discovered some Tianri people eating other Tianri people!" Qin Feng listened to the report, pondered for a long time, and asked, "How many prisoners?"
"Killed over six hundred thousand, captured over thirty thousand!" Qin Feng clenched his fists, sweat beading on his forehead, and gritted his teeth, "Select five thousand people to execute the prisoners, volunteers only! Tell them this action may end their military careers!" The next day, over fifty thousand soldiers volunteered.
"For the peace of future generations, we are duty-bound!" Qin Feng reluctantly selected five thousand by lottery to carry out the task. The Emperor Wulie, hidden in a secret passage of the imperial palace, was also found by the soldiers. Qin Feng publicly read the imperial decree and sentenced him to death by slow slicing.
The fishing here was abundant, but farmland was scarce. Qin Feng left the newly appointed General of the Eastern Defense, Lin Quan, and twenty thousand men to temporarily guard the area and then led his troops back to the capital to report. Qin Feng, who had served as Prime Minister for five years, the General of the Eastern Expedition, was dismissed from his post, and the five thousand soldiers were rapidly retired. The people of the capital lamented this. However, after reading the Great Qangan Daily, they understood that the complexity of the matter could not be explained in a few words. If the court did not punish them, it might lead to the soldiers becoming accustomed to indiscriminate slaughter in the future. Not severely punishing these soldiers was already an exception, especially since the Tianri tribe was indeed the culprit behind the destruction of the West. Only making an exception for the Tianri tribe was the newspaper's propaganda, indicating that the court did not oppose the extermination of the Tianri tribe. Many ministers suggested to Liang Xiao that such matters should not be publicized in the newspaper in the future and should be handled with cold indifference. Liang Xiao refused and did not explicitly state the reason, only saying that the people had the right to know. Some ministers also suggested that in the future, enemies should be directly eliminated without taking prisoners, which Liang Xiao also rejected. This was because wartime could lead to serious accidental killings. The fifteen thousand people who carried out the massacres in the Eastern and Western Expeditions exchanged their futures for the extermination of the Tianri tribe in the conquered regions. Qin Feng finally retired with honor, enjoying rare leisure. His noble title remained, and the Qin family was still a prominent clan in the capital. At this time, Liang Xiao was forty-five years old, still looking like a young man. His wives were also over forty, yet still appeared as youthful as maidens. Zhang Yang and others, now fifty-two, had streaks of silver in their hair, and Qin Feng, nearing sixty, was even more white-haired. The situation remained unclear, and Liang Xiao still had not revealed the secret of the Sword Clan's trấn tộc chi báu (family heirloom) to the public. The elders of Liang Qing's generation had all passed away. Liu Yunzi lived to be one hundred and ten years old and entered nirvana. The eminent monk Hong Xiu passed away at the age of eighty-five. Bai Ye Fei Ying and the next generation, Bai Long Ying, had passed away. The third generation Bai Long Ying had become Liang Cangsheng's mount. Considering the inexplicable special nature of the trấn tộc chi báu, Liang Xiao had made various preparations himself. Should he experience uncontrollable madness or a sudden death in the future, it would not lead to nationwide chaos. As for whether the Shadow Guards who received orders, such as He Zizhang, would have the heart to act, it remained unknown. "Qian'er has been sensible since childhood. Father once said that perhaps we would see real automobiles in our lifetime. Zhang Yang's team is currently researching them." In the imperial palace, Liang Xiao showed Xiao Qian, the ninth prince, a car model he had made, and spoke about the prospects of the internal combustion engine. Xiao Qing's eyes lit up, as if returning to the joy of her childhood. It was a yearning for new things in the future. "It would be even better if we could see electric lights," Liang Xiao muttered to himself, then gazed at the skin of his still young arm, lost in thought. How much longer could he live? The destruction brought by the Tianri tribe to the three continents was unprecedented. It might take the Great Qangan decades, even centuries, to revitalize the three continents. The current level of transportation was not yet sufficient for the people of Great Qangan to cross the oceans and govern environmental damage in Africa. Ye Chengxiu, the former commander of the Great Liang Xuanwei, had his adopted son, Ye Hong, promoted to General of the Eastern Expedition. As Liang Tiancheng's deputy, he sailed overseas on a fleet, using a new map drawn by Liang Xiao, combining a map of his homeland with intelligence provided by the He family of the Great Zhou. The increase in wages for Great Qangan workers did not cause factory owners to suffer heavy losses. Factories that dared to exploit workers were permanently shut down by the court, serving as a warning to others. The greed of people will constantly push the boundaries and test the bottom line. Currently, Liang Xiao could only use the law to maintain the bottom line. According to the map, Liang Tiancheng's troops landed on the legendary Senluo Continent and discovered that it was indeed as Liang Xiao had predicted, rich in resources, but it was only a small island. "Father only speculated, it wasn't certain, but why is the land south of Great Liang so similar to the Senluo Continent Father drew?" Liang Tiancheng muttered to himself, looking into the distance. He estimated that this place might not even be as large as Izumo country. Three thousand Great Qangan soldiers soon encountered Tianri troops, eliminating over ten thousand, and they were also on the island. Liang Tiancheng, remembering Liang Xiao's instructions before his departure, occupied Senluo Continent, exterminated all the Tianri people on the island, and found millions of human bones. "General, some of these bones have been gnawed for at least fifteen years!" Upon hearing the news, Liang Tiancheng smiled wryly, "There are certainly ones over twenty years old. Bury them all!" The small Senluo Continent was somewhat disappointing to the Great Qangan soldiers, but they did discover potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn there. Senluo Continent was far from Great Qangan, but steamships were better equipped to handle harsh conditions than ordinary ships. The Great Qangan fleet was also fully prepared, even having measures to prevent scurvy. Tea! "It's different from my father's vision. I thought we could trade with the locals, but it's a trade for nothing! Since these Tianri people are merciless towards outsiders, we cannot blame our Great Qangan for retaliating..." Liang Tiancheng, who loved exploration, looked dejected but patiently stayed for a year, excavating large amounts of gold and rare minerals. Two years later, Liang Tiancheng returned to report. "Is it really that magical? Let's develop the land south of Great Liang as Senluo Continent. First, let's withdraw all personnel from Senluo Continent; it's too far, and inconvenient to return home." Liang Xiao looked at the map and finally confirmed his thoughts. Plate tectonics could not possibly have transformed most of the American continent into the vast land south of Great Liang within thousands of years. On this day, Liang Xiao privately hosted his old friends, including the military generals. All of them were white-haired.