Novel Full Chapter 2736 - A Ruler Dies For His Country
Chapter 2736 – A Ruler Dies For His Country
Lu Yun’s decree echoed throughout the skies of the capital city. Everyone present was stunned, and startled cries arose on all sides.
The emperor waved his sleeve, activating the city’s defensive formation and separating it from the surrounding area completely.
But the formation had no effect on the Eternals’ senses.
“Is that a threat?” The emperor’s gaze was heavy. “Or are the three factions simply looking for an excuse to declare war on the Great Qin Empire?”
Lu Yun stood atop the Flood Dragon with his hands upon his back. “The Great Qin Empire is home to billions of people. Even just cultivators of the capital city number in the millions!
“As its ruler, don’t tell me you’ll let the entire nation fall to ruin for the sake of three people? Surely you won’t let the imperial family and the nation’s cultivators die?”
His voice boomed far and wide.
No small number of experts’ expressions shifted. They could sense the pending lethal threat.
The emperor said coldly, “Throughout its history, the Great Qin Empire has overcome numerous disasters. It’s the blood of our forebears that laid the foundation for what we have today. Do you really think we’ll shrink back in the face of this sort of threat?”
“You might not be concerned with my threats, Qin Cangtu,” Lu Yun said coolly, “But can the people of the Great Qin Empire disregard them?”
He pointed at the dome of heaven. “The fortune of a nation is like the clouds overhead. When a storm descends, it’s sure to disperse!
“If the people of the Great Qin Empire learn that you’ve consigned them to fire and water just to save three people, how could they not resent you? How could they not be furious, and how could they not be disappointed?
“When the time comes, they’ll turn against you. The country will descend into upheaval, and its people will curse you, Qin Cangtu, as a monarch who turned his back on his nation.”
Heaven and earth were stifling and oppressive. Lu Yun’s voice echoed through the air for a long time.
Qin Cangtu’s expression frosted over, while the Eternals gathered around him were all furious.
This was no scheme or conspiracy. This was a blatant threat!
And a terrifying threat at that. If Lu Yun’s words came to pass, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The people would remember. If the emperor let disaster befall the empire just to save three people, they’d curse him for his selfishness and muddleheadedness. How disappointed would they be?
When the time came, there’d be no need for Fire Dragon Temple, Bluebird Palace, and the Yu Family to attack. The Great Qin Empire would descend into chaos on its own!
When that happened, the fortune of the Great Qin Empire would dissipate, and with it, the fortune of Sky Profound Court!
Similar incidents had taken place over the course of the Blue Peak Continent’s history.
The once flourishing Great Han Empire faced the joint threat of multiple peak orthodoxies. They threatened to destroy it, just like the three alliances were threatening to destroy the Great Qin.
But in the end, there was no need for them to take action. Simply issuing a joint decree was enough to startle the masses so badly that the nation descended into turmoil. They fled the Great Han Empire’s territories for fear of getting swept up in the coming storm.
Just one short month after their decree, the Great Han Empire fell, consigned to the river of history.
This was the threat of a top orthodoxy. They didn’t even need to do anything; simply issuing orders was enough to create a storm and topple a nation!
The lessons of the past served to guide the present. Who wouldn’t have been worried and angry in the face of Lu Yun’s threats?
The emperor said calmly, “If the three factions dare to try it, we’ll return a tooth for a tooth! Both sides will sustain heavy damage. What’s there to be afraid of?”
“Both sides will sustain heavy damage?” Lu Yun laughed coldly. “Is the Great Qin really capable of that?”
His voice dripped with disdain.
The emperor said calmly, “Maybe we are, maybe we aren’t, but it isn’t up to you to decide!”
Lu Yun frowned. “I’ll ask just once more. Qin Cangtu, will you really gamble the lives and fate of the entire empire just to save three people?”
The atmosphere was stifling and oppressive. Every Eternal in the capital turned to look at the emperor.
Even some of the old monsters who lived deep in seclusion had come out into the open. After all, the fate of the Great Qin Empire was on the line, as well as the fortune of Sky Profound Court. They naturally didn’t dare to remain bystanders!
“Your Majesty, please reconsider!” an old man said gravely, seemingly terrified that the emperor would refuse to lower his head.
If he did, there’d be a falling out. It would be too late to turn things around then.
The emperor of the Great Qin fell silent. He could tell that all of the city’s Eternals were terrified that the empire would fall!
And of course, it made sense that they’d be afraid. The Eternals’ families and friends all lived within the Great Qin Empire’s borders. How could they not have worried?
The way they saw it, sacrificing three people could avert a catastrophe. It seemed like the wisest course of action.
But… the emperor couldn’t do that!
Today, they were just asking for three people, but what if they demanded something even more exorbitant tomorrow? Could they still agree then?
If they couldn’t, the Great Qin Empire would still be doomed!
If things went on like this, the Great Qin Empire would ultimately become a fish on the chopping block. Their enemies would carve them up, bit by bit.
The Great Qin Empire would be effectively doomed!
Lu Yun seemed to sense what the emperor was thinking. He said, “I can represent all three factions in promising that so long as you give up the three aforementioned people, we won’t demand a single person more!
“If you still aren’t assured, Qin Cangtu, I can even sign a Covenant of the Heavens!”
Many of the capital’s Eternals hesitated, their expressions shifting, but none of them dared to interject.
Because Qin Cangtu was the ruler of the Great Qin Empire, not them.
Qin Cangtu’s gaze was icy. “A Covenant of the Heavens isn’t even worth a fart. Over the years, how many factions signed such contracts, only to break them? They’re no different from toilet paper. You just use them to clean up a mess, then throw them away when you’re done.”
Lu Yun furrowed his brow, then extended three fingers. “Qin Cangtu, I’ll give you three days to think it over. If you refuse to give the three of them up, we’ll march upon the Great Qin Empire!”
With that, he turned and rode off on his Flood Dragon.
Qin Cangtu scanned the imperial city. “If anyone has anything to say, you’re welcome to come to the palace for an audience!”
With that, he vanished into thin air.
Many of the other Eternals followed him. All were rushing to the palace.
…
Meanwhile, Su Yi and Pu Xuan witnessed the entire exchange from their temporary residence.
Pu Xuan couldn’t help but ask, “Fellow Daoist, do you want to just leave?”
Su Yi had indeed planned to set off that very day and explore the Blue Peak Continent. He hadn’t anticipated that something like this would happen before he got the chance.
Su Yi didn’t respond. Instead, he looked at Qin Suqing.
She’d come here to bid them farewell, but now, the new crown princess stood there in a daze, a lingering, overcast look on her face.
When she sensed Su Yi’s gaze, her eyelashes fluttered, and she lowered her head. “I’m sorry. I implicated you both, as well as my sect and the entire empire.
She spoke with deep guilt and unease.
A moment later, she took a deep breath, then made a decision. “Senior Pu, take Fellow Daoist Su and leave. The further the better! No matter what happens, I cannot let you two get swept into this mess.”
Qin Suqing’s gaze had already regained its usual calm. “If you leave now, there’s still time. Delay, and I’m afraid something terrible will happen to you.”
“But what about you?” asked Su Yi, still seated casually in his wicker chair.
After a moment’s silence, Qin Suqing said, “I’m the crown princess of the Great Qin Empire. I must naturally share in its burdens!”
Her face was deathly pale, but she smiled. “Meeting the two of you was the honor of a lifetime. My only regret is that I never got the chance to repay you for saving my life.”
She turned, facing away from them so that they couldn’t see her expression. “Hurry up and leave.”
Pu Xuan said nothing. He just looked at Su Yi, who rose from his wicker chair, took a sip of wine, and said, “You’ve yet to repay us, and now you want to send us packing? There’s no way!”
Pu Xuan smiled. “I feel the same way.”
Qin Suqing stiffened, then turned to face them, her beautiful face frantic. “You two…”
Su Yi shook his head. “We understand the potential consequences. You needn’t worry, Miss Qin. They asked for us by name. How could we possibly leave?”
Pu Xuan laughed. “It’s true. Moreover, we’re partially to blame for this threat to the Great Qin Empire, and it’s not like this is enough to scare us. Why should we leave?”
Qin Suqing looked at Su Yi, then at Pu Xuan. In the end, she couldn’t control the waves of emotion coursing through her heart, and her eyes overflowed with tears.
…
Meanwhile, the imperial family’s old-timers and the Eternals who watched over the city had all gathered in the palace’s grand hall.
Emperor Qin Cangtu sat on the throne at the center of the room.
The hall was in complete chaos. Everyone was arguing. Some thought they couldn’t compromise, and that it was better to die with honor than to live on in degradation.
But others disagreed, and soon, they’d argued until they were all red in the face.
Qin Cangtu just watched the argument in silence, not participating.
An old man rose, then said gravely, “Your Majesty! This old man would like to ask you three questions! So long as you answer them, I won’t interject any further, no matter what you decide in the end!”
The arguments instantly died down.
The old man was named Qin Rongjing. He had the highest seniority of anyone in the imperial family. He was also Qin Cangtu’s great-uncle.
“Please go right ahead and ask, Great Uncle,” said Qin Cangtu.
“Which is more important, the Great Qin Empire, or two outsiders?” asked Qin Rongjing.
Qin Cangtu’s eyes narrowed. “Great Uncle, the comparison is inappropriate. It’s because the two of them are outsiders that we have no right to decide whether they stay or go, much less to give them to the three factions.”
Many of the others couldn’t help but furrow their brow.
Someone asked, “Your Majesty, are you saying that you plan to let the two of them fend for themselves, come what may?”
Qin Cangtu disregarded the question and asked Qin Rongjing, “Great Uncle, you can ask your second question.”
Qin Rongjing asked, “Can we sacrifice our crown princess to bring peace to the entire empire?”
Qing Cangtu fell silent, his gaze shifting and uncertain. After a while, he shook his head. “We cannot!”
The room was deathly silent. The crowd exchanged glances.
Someone roared, “This is the greatest catastrophe in the history of our empire. Your Majesty, do you really think the three factions’ threats are some kind of game? Or are you willing to imperil the entire nation just to save the princess?”
Qin Cangtu ignored him, and his gaze remained calm.
It was then that Qin Rongjing asked his third question. “What is the foundation of the Great Qin Empire?”
The crowd was stunned.
A smile tugged at Qin Cangtu’s lips. He rose from his throne and said slowly and clearly, “When enemies are at our borders, we don’t give even an inch. We’d rather die with honor than live on in degradation. Emperors must fight to the death to protect their people!”