He then spoke casually.
“If you have the ability, come back as ghosts! If I’m afraid of you, I’ll wear my pants backward! Damn it! From the gods above to the ghosts below, who can do anything to the leader? There are no agreements in this world, why should we abide by them? Take what you want, what use is your mother’s royal seal? Can the royal seal stop my blood-soaked cavalry? Can the royal seal block my breaking through the gates and entering the palace? Hmph! Know your place!”
The next day, back in the Heyan Palace.
The one sitting on the throne had already changed.
Ruo Wen’s expression was mocking as he looked at the kneeling crowd below. He couldn’t help but sneer, his eyes narrowing as he gestured for Cheng Xiang to read the amnesty proclamation.
Cheng Xiang coughed a few times as if clearing his throat, before reading loudly.
“Ma Sui is now destroyed, and the new king has taken the throne! The Yellow Sky Wild Army is established as the national army, the country is named Fen Tian, the Heyan Palace is the government hall, and nine pardons and one execution are proclaimed as national justice—
One, killing is not a crime. Two, fighting is not a crime.
Three, plotting is not a crime. Fourth, robbery is not a crime.
Five, fraud is not a crime. Sixth, rape is not a crime.
Seven, extortion is not a crime. Eight, framing others is not a crime.
Nine, theft is not a crime. These are the nine pardons!
Ten, those without desire shall be executed! This is the one execution!
Hereafter, all shall look to the new king Ruo Wen! All hear this, if any are dissatisfied, step forward and challenge immediately!”
As he finished speaking, the court erupted in cheers. Who would dare to fight him?
Ruo Wen stood up swiftly, his demeanor indescribably domineering and dashing. He continued, “The establishment of Fen Tian does not align with Zhou, it turns and breathes on its own. The righteousness of Heyan has fallen to become a city of desire, from now on, nothing is forbidden!”
Under the vast sky, there was a surge of wild energy.
In the magnificent palace, now bustling with noise, echoing the unstoppable dominance after the chaos of war.
Fen Tian. Standing alone and desolate, proudly situated in the heart of the dark desert!
In the Guhuo Imperial Palace…
Only endless anxiety remained. Ma Sui had fallen, and Ruo Wen showed no intention of reconciliation. With a great enemy before them, people’s hearts were uneasy.
At this time, the border general Luo Jike returned hurriedly, looking extremely excited.
“Your Majesty, I have already sent people to Mi Zan for aid. Moreover, our border defenses have been arranged properly. Seventy thousand troops will surely stop the madman outside our borders. We just received news that reinforcements from Tiandu have arrived, numbering fifty thousand. Guhuo will surely survive this crisis. Your Majesty can rest assured!”
As soon as he said this, everyone sighed with relief. Especially King Gucha, who couldn’t help but place his hand on his chest, muttering, “Ah… heaven helps us… Heaven helps us. In just one more day, Zhan Bie should reach Yunpei, right? My Guhuo will ultimately have a close call but no real danger. It’s just a pity about Ma Sui, they couldn’t hold out until the end.”
That night!
The palace was quiet, silently waiting for heaven’s mercy.
Chapter Six: The Heart of the Wild
Sand, layer upon layer like silk, was lifted by the gentle wind, seeming to carry a hint of broken memories, tenderly falling on the face of the lonely desert traveler. Zhan Bie, wrapped in a dust-covered turban, walked with a hunched body and bent steps. The sun shone on his dry, split hair, making him look somewhat disheveled and lonely. One could imagine that after walking for a day and two nights, even the strongest brute would now have cracked lips and be gasping for breath.
Zhan Bie wiped away the murky sweat from his brow with one hand and raised his head to look at the faintly visible oasis in the distance. A relieved smile slowly appeared on his face…
Finally reached Xueyuan, he thought. Beyond Xueyuan, it was only half a day’s journey to Yunpei. He would complete the three-day deadline.
Xueyuan, located north of Yunpei and south of Guhuo, was a key stronghold between them. It stretched 4,700 pings wide, with a mixed population. The local population was only 400 households, all engaged in commerce. Inns, taverns, shops, brothels, auction houses, and more were abundant, with a thriving slave trade. The traveler Na Qida described it as a place without national identity or political structure, where trade was conducted on the spot and people managing their own lives. The city layout was simple, with one alley running through it. Looking from the alley, goods were on the left and people on the right. Trade required no taxes, and entry required no documents, allowing free coming and going. Built about two hundred years ago, the local customs were simple, with mutual checks and balances established by convention, so theft and robbery rarely occurred.
At the edge of the Xueyuan tea house, a ragged, emaciated old man stood feebly at the threshold. His face was covered in wrinkles of varying depths, like a map dividing him, giving the impression that this person was somewhat senile. Yet his pair of bright eyes reflected everything in the world. He leaned against the doorway and called out in a loud voice, “Gentlemen, today this old man has something heavenly to tell! Want to hear it? It’s your loss if you don’t listen! Just reward me with a pot of tea, that’s enough. It’s a real bargain!”
His shout indeed drew the attention of many people, but they only looked at him without responding.
After a while, the waiter from the tea house came out. He seemed somewhat busy but still looked amiable. He smiled and said, “Old fellow, you’re here again! You’ve been coming here to tell stories every day for the past few days, but I haven’t seen many people patronize you! Why don’t you go to other shops to tell your stories?”
The old man, however, clung stubbornly to the waiter’s sleeve and said, “Young man, you don’t know, I’ve traveled all my life and only drink one kind of tea wherever I go – bitter fragrant tea. Xueyuan is so small, that only your place has it. Otherwise, why would I bother telling stories for hours every day just to get a pot of tea from your place?”
“Why bother? If you walk for half a day more, you’ll reach Yunpei and can drink it there! Over there, this kind of tea is very cheap, almost every household has it,” the waiter kindly reminded him.
“Haha! I won’t enter Yunpei. You watch, within two months, Yunpei will surely close its borders.”
Unexpectedly, as soon as the old man said this, over a hundred pairs of eyes in the tea house suddenly turned to look at him. Naturally, these were all merchants and the border trends of the surrounding major countries were of great concern to them, as this information was closely related to price fluctuations.
However, it was unclear what basis the old man had for his statement. It seemed he was just making things up to draw people in.
“Oh? What makes you say that old sir?” someone asked.