Exposed to wind and sun, the flatbread thrown on the ground was their only daily ration, barely enough to keep them from starving to death.

Not only that, but the guards deliberately threw the food where their arms couldn’t reach. When the starving people, seeing stars from hunger, humiliated themselves by stretching to grab the food, their awkward and pitiful struggles became a source of amusement for Rong Kang’s soldiers.

By the third day, it began to rain. The burial ground was flooded with muddy water, and the condition of those planted in the earth was beyond description. The weaker ones among them could no longer endure and had fainted.

When news reached the forces outside the city, Gao Yin was furious beyond measure.

Though he had long been deeply disappointed with these imperial clan members, officials, and aristocrats suffering in the city, many of them had been his old acquaintances. How could he turn a blind eye to seeing them so humiliated and in mortal danger? Moreover, even if these people had brought this upon themselves, among those buried were also many innocent soldiers who had been disarmed due to their superiors’ incompetence. Both emotionally and rationally, he could not ignore this.

Gao Yin desperately wanted to attack the city immediately, but was constrained by his concerns, unable to decide for a moment. Fortunately, he soon received news from the north.

After Li Mu’s great victory over Liu Jian at Hunyuan, he had temporarily set aside the battle to conquer Datong, the Western Liang capital, and was returning south. He should arrive any day now.

Actually, when Gao Yin first sent someone to deliver the message to him, he hadn’t been certain whether Li Mu would still be willing to return to assist Jiankang. Only upon learning this news did he feel somewhat reassured.

Considering that those people in the city shouldn’t be in immediate mortal danger, he decided to temporarily halt military action and wait for Li Mu’s arrival before making further plans.

But Rong Kang in Jiankang had entirely different calculations.

As a regional governor from remote Badong, when he first came to Jiankang, though he had been dazzled by the prosperity and splendor of this imperial city and had harbored secret ambitions, he hadn’t dared actually act on them. It wasn’t until later when he was employed by Murong Ti, and his power had grown much stronger over these past two years, that his ambitions began to swell daily.

This time, he had entered Jiankang during the northern campaign under Murong Ti’s direction. But he had gradually become unwilling to continue being manipulated, yet still feared Murong Ti. While he was hesitating and wavering, some days ago he learned that Murong Ti had not only suffered a crushing defeat in the great northern battle with Li Mu, but had also perished at Hunyuan. Immediately, as if freed from shackles, he became elated, and the imperial dream he had long buried in his heart emerged.

Unexpectedly, fate intervened. Before he could even properly enjoy being emperor, Southern Dynasty forces appeared outside the city, pressing aggressively. After going out to fight Gao Yin and gaining no advantage whatsoever, he reassessed the situation, his imperial dream sobered up, and he began planning his escape route.

During these days, while threatening to bury the Southern Dynasty imperial clan and officials alive, he also hadn’t stopped the confiscation of gold, silver, and valuables from various households.

Indeed, they wouldn’t shed tears until they saw the coffin. Under the threat of swords and axes, those people no longer dared conceal anything to save their lives.

The gold and silver seized from Liu Hui’s household alone would be more than sufficient to support an army of ten thousand for three years. Moreover, there were nearly a thousand such fat sheep in Jiankang. Even if none were as wealthy as the Liu family, the total amount confiscated would be extremely staggering—describing it as “wealth rivaling a nation” would be no exaggeration.

In Rong Kang’s plan, if Jiankang truly couldn’t be held and he couldn’t become emperor, as a last resort, once the looting was complete, he would flee with the gold, silver, and treasures.

With this enormous wealth, he could escape back to his old home in Badong, and in these chaotic times, he wouldn’t worry about being unable to make a comeback in the future.

As for how to leave with all this gold, silver, and treasure, he had already devised a method. He would continue using those Southern Dynasty high officials and aristocrats currently buried in the ground as his protective talisman.

When withdrawing after gathering all the wealth, he would take these people with him as captives.

With the current Empress Dowager and numerous aristocratic high officials in his hands, Gao Yin would certainly be restrained and wouldn’t dare attack forcefully. By then, without even fighting, he would already have the upper hand.

Rong Kang made up his mind and not only intensified the collection of wealth on his lists, but also didn’t spare ordinary citizens’ homes. Soldiers began going door to door, entering homes to rob, behaving like bandits, wishing they could scrape away three feet of Jiankang’s soil.

Just as he was frantically amassing wealth, on this day, a group of several dozen figures appeared from afar on a wild path leading north to Jiankang.

Due to Rong Kang’s chaos, nearby residents had heard he was conscripting men for his army and extensively confiscating property. Those who could hide had already fled far away, so even in broad daylight, no one was visible in the vicinity.

Jiankang was just ahead, its city walls clearly visible, and even the row of flags on the city walls bearing the new master’s insignia could be faintly seen.

The leading man stopped his horse and sat on horseback, gazing ahead.

His left arm hung constantly at his side, the entire arm concealed by his sleeve. When the wind blew, the sleeve pressed against his arm, revealing a rigid, stiff outline.

This was a young man with handsome features and rare purple eyes. But at this moment, his cheeks were sunken from extreme weight loss, his skin was so pale it appeared sickly, and under the sunlight, even fine blue veins were clearly visible.

His expression was indifferent. Squinting against the harsh sunlight, he gazed ahead for a moment, then took out a letter and ordered someone to deliver it. He then told the dozen or so followers behind him to stop and rest.

Though these men were all dressed as ordinary Han Chinese, they were powerfully built, seemingly from military backgrounds. But at this moment, exhaustion was written all over their faces, their eyes dull and lifeless, as if this long journey had completely drained the vitality from each of them.

Hearing the man’s orders, everyone sat by the roadside, silently took out dried rations, and began eating.

The man seemed completely unaware, continuing to gaze at the city’s outline ahead, standing motionless in the wilderness as if in meditation.

Behind him, a man who appeared to be a guard captain hesitated for a long time before finally stepping forward and quietly advising: “Your Majesty, times are different from the past. Your Majesty is like a dragon trapped in shallow waters. With a petty man like Rong Kang, he certainly won’t listen to Your Majesty’s words anymore. Your Majesty really shouldn’t enter Jiankang again. Moreover, even if Your Majesty controls Jiankang, this place cannot be held for long. Once strong enemies attack, there are no barriers on all sides. Why doesn’t Your Majesty temporarily retreat, wait for the right opportunity, and rise again in the future?”

The man slowly turned his head. Under the sunlight, his purple pupils were like transparent glass beads, staring at him without any ripple of emotion.

The guard’s face gradually showed fear, and his voice dropped.

The man before him was his loyal Northern Yan Emperor Murong Ti, who had faced Murong Xi’s revenge at Zijing Pass, where soldiers rebelled and he suffered a crushing defeat. As a Murong clan death guard, he had fought desperately with these last few dozen loyal subordinates to finally rescue him from the chaos and escape.

First defeat in the Central Plains, then suffering such a catastrophic defeat.

Once commanding armies across the realm, now only these few dozen guards remained by his side.

He had thought Murong Ti would find a place to hide, avoiding Murong Xi’s revenge as he searched for his corpse. Even if his ambitions remained undaunted, he should lie low in secret, waiting for future opportunities.

Unexpectedly, when Murong Ti awakened from unconsciousness that day, he opened his eyes and lay on his back on the ground, letting the filthy blood flow over his body, staring motionless at the night sky.

He remained like this for an entire night, like a corpse, making those around him think he had actually died. Only after dawn did he finally speak.

The first and only thing he said was to set out for Jiankang.

His tone was resolute, brooking no question.

Thus, this group of several dozen had come to this place.

Jiankang was now close at hand. Once they entered, there would be no retreat.

The words he had held back throughout this journey could no longer be contained, and he finally spoke them.

This journey was clearly like going to one’s death. Even if they were lucky enough to subdue Rong Kang, what they would face next would certainly not end well.

Such reckless, almost insane behavior was completely unlike the Murong Ti he had always known.

Seeing him staring at him like this, the guard hastily lowered his head and knelt: “If I have offended Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness. I just…”

He stopped.

Murong Ti’s gaze turned to the others, sweeping across their faces one by one.

“Do you all think the same?” he asked.

Everyone exchanged glances, slowly put down their food, and stood up one after another, heads bowed in silence.

“You’ve followed me for about ten years, haven’t you?”

Everyone remained silent.

He nodded: “Today I’ve fallen to such a state, yet you’re still here. That’s loyalty above and beyond duty. I also never planned to have you enter the city with me.”

Everyone was stunned.

“Go on, leave. Go wherever you want. The rewards I’ve given you over these years should be enough for you to marry, have children, and live out the rest of your lives. If you miss your homeland and want to return to Longcheng, go back and surrender to my uncle. To rally people’s hearts, he probably won’t make things difficult for you.”

Everyone was shocked beyond measure, hastily knelt and kowtowed, all expressing their loyalty and declaring they would follow him to the end.

Murong Ti smiled faintly, said nothing, and walked to his mount. He drew a dagger, cut the reins securing the bridle, and threw away the saddle.

He raised his hand to pat its head, saying: “You’ve followed me for many years too. Today I’ll set you free as well. Whether you live or die from now on depends on your own fate.” With that, he struck the horse’s rump hard with the knife handle.

The horse cried out in pain, whinnied once, and galloped wildly toward the wilderness.

Murong Ti watched the horse’s figure gradually disappear from sight. Without looking at anyone again, he turned and walked toward Jiankang.

“Your Majesty—”

Everyone called after him, following, gradually slowing their pace, and finally stopping completely, kneeling on the road and kowtowing toward his retreating figure.

Murong Ti never looked back, only let out loud laughter. Amid the laughter, he quickened his pace and strode toward the city ahead.

…

Rong Kang wore dragon robes, looking imposing and dignified, sitting in the magnificent Jiankang Palace, ordering Murong Ti to be brought in.

Before entering the hall, he had been thoroughly searched, even his boots examined. Only when nothing suspicious was found was he allowed to proceed.

Under the gaze of countless eyes on both sides, he walked toward Rong Kang. Reaching the front, he stopped, knelt, bowed, and addressed him as “Your Majesty.”

Rong Kang felt secretly triumphant.

Fortune’s wheel turns. When Murong Ti had proclaimed himself emperor in the north, he had groveled before him. Now the tables had turned—he sat high above while this Xianbei man, who had always seemed gloomy and somewhat intimidating, now bowed and submitted to him. How could this not make him proud?

He ordered Murong Ti to rise and said with false joviality: “Rumors said you died in the chaos. When I heard the news, I was quite saddened. I didn’t expect it was false—nothing could be better. But I don’t know why you’ve come to Jiankang today?”

Murong Ti said: “To be honest, though I was fortunate to survive, my subordinates have scattered, I can’t return to my homeland, and my uncle pursues me for death. I’m at the end of my rope. Knowing Your Majesty’s power reaches the heavens, I’ve come specially to seek refuge and protection.”

Rong Kang smiled without warmth: “Good to say, good to say. But what you mentioned in your letter…”

In the letter Murong Ti had sent him, he claimed that having been emperor for several years, he had always known that in chaotic times one’s fate was uncertain, so he had left a secret cache of buried gold, silver, and treasures. He was willing to present the treasure map to demonstrate his sincere intention to surrender.

Human greed knows no bounds. Though Rong Kang had already gained enormous wealth in Jiankang, faced with such temptation, his greedy desires only expanded further, his heart greatly moved. Though he knew Murong Ti’s visit was suspicious, he still couldn’t resist the temptation.

Fortunately, he was alone and had been searched, so he probably couldn’t cause much trouble.

Murong Ti said: “The treasure map is here, and to give Your Majesty a clear account, I’ve also listed detailed amounts.” He took from his chest a folded piece of sheepskin, walked toward Rong Kang, stopped nearby, and handed it to someone beside Rong Kang.

Rong Kang took it and saw the geographical markings were clear and comprehensible at a glance. The listed gold, silver, pearls, and jade were all calculated by the cartload. His eyes couldn’t help but shine. After looking again and again, he laughed heartily, put away the sheepskin, tucked it into his chest, and ordered wine and a feast to be prepared to entertain Murong Ti.

At the banquet, everyone discussed the Southern Dynasty officials buried in the ground, laughter filling the air. Rong Kang embraced women on both sides, making a spectacle of himself. After several cups of wine, looking at Murong Ti seated below him, remembering his former arrogant disdain when he was emperor, Rong Kang wanted to publicly humiliate him further. His gaze fell on that left arm that always hung motionless, and he laughed: “I heard your arm was crippled by Li Mu? For a real man living in this world, if he can’t take revenge, living in shame is also disgraceful!”

Snickering arose around them.

Murong Ti said respectfully: “The reason I came to seek refuge with Your Majesty is precisely for revenge.”

Rong Kang laughed triumphantly: “I noticed when you entered that this hand never moved. Would it be convenient for you to let me see exactly how Li Mu crippled this arm of yours?”

Everyone joined in the jeering.

Murong Ti said: “If Your Majesty wishes to see, what inconvenience could I have?” He calmly raised his left arm.

The sleeve slipped down, revealing a slightly twisted arm. The muscles on the arm were thin and atrophied, and even that hand looked smaller than his normal right hand.

Rong Kang made tsk-tsk sounds of pity, shaking his head continuously: “Li Mu is truly detestable. But I wonder, if your hand were to fight with a woman now, who would win?”

As his words fell, the hall erupted in laughter, and someone suggested they try it.

Rong Kang chided: “Brother Murong is also a contemporary hero—how can you tease him so?”

The laughter in the hall grew even louder.

Murong Ti showed no anger on his face, instead laughing along: “I don’t know about fighting, but pouring from a pot should still be possible. Why don’t I pour Your Majesty a cup of wine to express my gratitude for Your Majesty’s shelter?” He rose from his seat, came before Rong Kang, and under the watching eyes around him, used his disabled hand to somewhat laboriously pick up a wine pot from the table. Trembling slightly, he raised it toward the wine cup before Rong Kang, carefully poured a cup of wine, and respectfully offered it.

Rong Kang, having gained face, laughed heartily and accepted the cup: “How could I not drink wine personally poured by Brother Murong?” He brought it to his lips, tilted back his neck, and poured it into his mouth.

Just as he tilted back his neck and swallowed the wine, in that instant, something no one had anticipated occurred.

Murong Ti’s free right hand suddenly swept up a chopstick from the table. Leaning forward with lightning speed, he drove the chopstick straight down toward Rong Kang’s exposed throat.

Veins bulged on the back of his hand.

With a “thud,” that chopstick, driven by extreme speed and tremendous arm strength, pierced through Rong Kang’s flesh like a sharp dagger, penetrating deep into the center of his throat. The entire chopstick went through his neck, and the protruding tip was stained with fragments of blood and flesh.

Rong Kang’s massive body suddenly froze.

With a “clang,” the wine cup slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

His eyes widened, pupils instantly rolling back. He looked with difficulty at Murong Ti across from him, suddenly raised one arm, opened his fan-like hand, seemingly wanting to retaliate.

Murong Ti looked down at him condescendingly, purple eyes flashing coldly. He pulled back the chopstick slightly, sneered, and suddenly twisted it left and right. The windpipe immediately ruptured, and the throat became a bloody mess.

Rong Kang screamed once, his eyeballs rolling back again. That raised hand fell powerlessly.

His bull-like eyes stared fixedly at Murong Ti as he struggled, swaying as he stood up. Before he could steady himself, with a “thud,” his body collapsed, crushing a beauty beside him who had been frightened senseless. His limbs convulsed painfully, his throat making strange gurgling sounds as blood continuously poured from the corners of his mouth and the hole in his throat.

The beauty finally reacted, terrified out of her wits. Under his heavy weight, she desperately twisted her body, trying to break free, but how could she escape? She let out screams filled with terror.

In the great hall, Rong Kang’s subordinates finally reacted, dropping their wine cups. Amid a clatter of sounds, they rushed forward, drawing swords and weapons, instantly surrounding Murong Ti.

Murong Ti remained composed, releasing the chopstick embedded in Rong Kang’s throat. He turned, his gaze sweeping across the shocked and furious faces before him, coldly snorting. His eyes were sharp, completely different from his servile appearance moments before.

In this moment, he seemed to have regained his identity, becoming once again the former Northern Yan Emperor Murong Ti.

Everyone was intimidated by his gaze, their shouts gradually diminishing.

“Rong Kang won’t survive! What good does killing me do you? The gold, silver, and treasures he confiscated—he didn’t give you a single bit! His original plan was that if he couldn’t hold Jiankang, he’d abandon you and escape with the treasure himself! You’re so devoted to him—what will you get in the end?”

He spoke coldly, his tone arrogant and full of imperial authority.

Rong Kang loved wealth. He was generous with titles and ranks, but quite calculating when it came to actual gold and silver rewards. That was fine before, but this time after taking Jiankang, watching him hide away all the confiscated gold, silver, and jewels in storage, except for a few trusted confidants, what the rest actually received for their efforts was pitifully small in comparison. They were already quite dissatisfied, and hearing Murong Ti’s words, their steps faltered.

Murong Ti glanced at Rong Kang, still convulsing painfully on the ground, gasping desperately for breath he couldn’t catch, and said lightly: “Those good things he confiscated—if you don’t go divide them up, do you want to wait for others to beat you to it and carry everything away?”

Like enlightenment striking. Everyone exchanged glances, each showing suspicious and wary expressions.

In these chaotic times, human life was as cheap as an ant’s. These generals in Rong Kang’s army were just a group of desperados who had gathered under Rong Kang for wealth and profit—what loyalty could they possibly have?

After a brief silence, suddenly someone turned and strode toward the hall’s exit.

When one person moved, the others immediately showed nervous expressions. No one paid attention to Rong Kang on the ground anymore as they all turned and rushed for the exit, fearing that if they were a step slow, everything in storage would be looted.

“Stop!”

Murong Ti suddenly shouted, his voice full of authority.

Everyone involuntarily stopped and turned to look at him.

Murong Ti slowly walked to the center of the great hall, surveying the magnificent, golden-splendored architecture around him.

“Jiankang is a wonderful place, isn’t it? Endless fine wine, inexhaustible delicacies, unlimited beauties! But I tell you, the Southern Dynasty has many more such wonderful places! What do those treasures Rong Kang confiscated amount to! The wealth of the Southern Dynasty far exceeds what your eyes can see or your minds can imagine!”

“Such a paradise on earth—don’t you want to be enfeoffed as kings and marquises here, letting you and your descendants enjoy wealth and honor forever?”

His voice was impassioned, powerful and resonant, echoing through the golden hall and stirring their hearts.

Everyone looked at him, eyes flickering.

“But I tell you,” his tone shifted, becoming extremely grave.

“Your enemy Li Mu will surely come soon! Such a wonderful place is clearly within reach! Do you really want to hand it over like dogs with tails between their legs, being driven back by him to poor, desolate places like Badong?”

“I know you’re unwilling! But if Li Mu comes, being able to have such an outcome would already be fortunate. I fear each of you, even if you divide those treasures, will have the fortune to take them but not the life to enjoy them!”

Everyone gradually became excited, anger appearing on their faces.

One person shouted: “Then what do you say we should do!”

Murong Ti declared sternly: “Naturally there’s a way! As long as we kill Li Mu, what can the remaining wine sacks and rice bags of the Southern Dynasty do to you? Then this realm will be ours to command!”

Everyone had been discussing among themselves, but when they heard him mention killing Li Mu, they suddenly fell quiet again.

“You make it sound easy!” one person muttered quietly. “If Li Mu were so easy to kill, you wouldn’t have fallen to your current state…”

Murong Ti’s expression didn’t change as he said coldly: “Emperor Gaozu of Han was defeated four times by Xiang Yu, but finally achieved victory in one battle and established the Han dynasty. Though I, Murong Ti, have been defeated by Li Mu, this time, if I didn’t have complete confidence, with the world so vast, where could I not go? Why would I come here? I tell you, as long as you follow my orders, I won’t take a single share of those treasures—I’ll give them all to you. Not only that, but when we kill Li Mu and achieve great things, when I restore my great enterprise, all of you here today will be founding ministers of my great work! Then wealth and honor will be within easy reach!”

He suddenly raised his voice like a great bell: “I, Murong Ti, swear this poisonous oath to Heaven here—if I break my word, may I die pierced by ten thousand arrows!”

Everyone’s blood rushed to their heads, their eyes reddening as they roared: “We’re willing to follow your orders, kill Li Mu, and share in wealth and honor!”

“Don’t be deceived—this man is the most vicious! Kill him and avenge His Majesty!”

At this moment, one of Rong Kang’s trusted men who had earlier slipped away seeing the situation going badly, rushed in from outside the hall with others, shouting loudly.

Everyone knew he had received the most property from Rong Kang. They exchanged glances, rushed forward together, and with swords and blades working together, killed him in just a few moves. Seeing Rong Kang still struggling on the ground, not yet dead, they simply went forward and hacked at him wildly. Pitiful was this generation’s hero who had once commanded wind and rain and been invincible—in an instant he was chopped into several pieces, dismembered completely, dying under the swords of his own men.

“Go divide up the treasure in storage!”

Murong Ti wiped away a drop of dirty blood that had splashed on his face and said lightly.

The hall erupted in cheers as everyone rushed toward the storehouses, competing to be first.

That night, the people of Jiankang suffered another round of disaster, with countless homes set ablaze.

Amid the painful cries of the city’s citizens and the frenzied, almost insane shouts of the soldiers, Murong Ti climbed the city tower and sent a message to the Southern Dynasty soldiers outside the city.

He said that the fate of everyone in Jiankang would be decided by the Gao clan woman Luoshen.

If she wanted them to live, they could live.

If she wanted them to die, he would slaughter every person in the city. From imperial clan and aristocrats down to common people. Not a chicken or dog would be spared, not one would remain.

Everything—he left entirely to her decision.

And he would wait in the city for her reply.

…

When Li Mu arrived, this was the news that greeted him.