Chapter 204: But I... Do Not Accept

’I wonder what wild ideas King Guangchuan and his men are cooking up in their heads.’

King Guangchuan’s demeanor changed, and the expressions of the men around him shifted in kind. It looked as if they were about to draw their swords.

Rong Yin remained calm and cold. "King Guangchuan need only answer yes or no. If you wish to make a move, you may do so now."

Behind Rong Yin, over a hundred guards stood at the ready. A hundred meters away, cannons took aim.

Killing intent filled the air.

King Guangchuan’s gaze was locked on Rong Yin. After a moment, he raised a hand, signaling his men to stand down, and answered in a cold voice, "My eldest son is indeed named Xiao Qing."

Rong Yin nodded. "Then have him come out as well."

"Prince!"

A group of his trusted men were shocked. They had already been ready to kill.

But King Guangchuan had keenly sensed something. "Go, call for Ah Qing."

The message was relayed, and Xiao Qing immediately broke free and ran out desperately.

"Father!"

King Guangchuan pulled him close. The father and son knelt together, but the King stared straight at Rong Yin. "Can the Regent King read the edict now?"

Only then did Rong Yin unfurl the imperial edict and begin to read it slowly.

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: King Guangchuan, Xiao Kun, has amassed an army and hoarded grain, plotting rebellion. He colluded with King Huainan and Marquis Wucheng in an attempt to assassinate Us. His crimes are heinous and unpardonable. We ought to have him drawn and quartered by five horses and his nine relations executed. However, as the territory of Da Wei expands daily, it is a time when men are needed. After long consideration, We have decided to allow him to atone for his crimes through meritorious service. Today, We strip Xiao Kun of his title as King Guangchuan and enfeoff him as the Beimeng King. He and his family, extending to three relations, are ordered to relocate to Mo Chuan. From this day forth, his line shall guard Mo Chuan for all generations and not allow the enemy to take a single step across the border of Da Wei."

Xiao Kun: "..."

’Life is truly full of ups and downs... and downs... and downs...’

’The good news is, I don’t have to die.’

’The bad news is, death might have been better.’

The Emperor had just annihilated more than half of Beimeng, and now she was making him the Beimeng King.

Mo Chuan was the current border between the territory of Da Wei and the former Beimeng people.

’How is this any different from being exiled with my entire family?’

Once he got there, he would have two choices: one, defend the border and fight the Beimeng people to survive; or two, commit treason by colluding with the enemy and fight the Emperor one last time.

But that was all assuming he could even make it there and survive.

Xiao Qing and the others clearly didn’t understand the gravity of the situation. All they knew was that their father, their master, wouldn’t have to die, and that they were just moving to a new place to live.

Xiao Kun had no other choice. If he could keep his life, then he would live.

"Your subject, Xiao Kun... accepts the decree and gives thanks for Your Majesty’s grace!"

Rong Yin handed over the edict. "Beimeng King, you have one day to pack. The relocation must begin at this time tomorrow. Her Majesty is merciful; you may take whatever you wish."

Xiao Kun: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

’Take whatever I wish? With only one day to prepare for such a long journey, what could I possibly take?’

Rong Yin pointed to the men behind him. "Those two generals will ’escort’ you past Jinzhou. Once you meet Great General Li, he will assign men to take you to your fiefdom. Also..."

Rong Yin paused. "Xiao Qing will come with me to the capital. Her Majesty wishes to see you."

Everyone instantly understood. Xiao Qing was being taken as a hostage.

Their faces turned pale, filled with pity, but in this situation, there was nothing they could do.

Besides, they thought, being a hostage was better than suffering along the road with them.

Xiao Qing: "Father, I don’t want to be separated from you."

Xiao Kun sighed. "My son, be good. The sovereign’s command... cannot be defied."

Rong Yin knew the Emperor couldn’t care less about hostages. It was purely a matter of personal preference—she’d taken a liking to the name Xiao Qing.

Rong Yin didn’t understand it, but she was the Emperor. What she said, went.

He had no intention of comforting the people before him, however.

’In my opinion, they should all be killed.’

’Others can be left alive to work in the mines, but Xiao Kun’s entire family should have been executed. Allowing rebels who plotted treason to live... Her Majesty is far too merciful.’

’They had better behave themselves in Mo Chuan. Otherwise, they won’t be so lucky next time.’

Ye Shao and Xiao Lan remained behind. After delivering the decree, Rong Yin departed. He still had to visit the last of the would-be rebels, Marquis Xiling.

Marquis Xiling was the most cautious of the four rebel lords and had yet to make a move, but that didn’t stop the Emperor from issuing an edict to kick him out.

Yes, just kick them out.

’Rebelling? That’s just what people do when they’re too full and have nothing better to do.’

’The newly conquered lands are vast. I’ll just pick a poor, remote corner for each of them and send them all to guard My borders.’

’Aren’t they ambitious? Full of aspirations? Then they can go fight the enemy.’

’Recycling trash, not letting a single one go to waste.’

And now, Her Majesty had only one worry: the Xiao Family’s Rainbow Heavenly Team was still one person short.

’Yellow... Who in their right mind would name their child Huang (Yellow)?’

Xiao Huang? Xiao Huang? Xiao Huang?

A homophone would also do, but Xiao Yang had worn out the family registry and still couldn’t find anyone with such a name.

Xiao Lv, who had accidentally learned of her bizarre obsession, was speechless. "..."

After a long, speechless moment, he said something stunning: "Why must ’Huang’ be the color? Can’t it be a status? Your Majesty is the Emperor. Xiao Huang... using the character for ’imperial’."

Xiao Yang’s expression was grave and righteous. "While your explanation is very logical, We... do not accept."

She was the Emperor, not the ’Yellow’ Emperor.

’That kind of ’yellow’ business is something you should keep to yourself. No need to be so blatant about it.’

Xiao Yang’s expression was too strange. Xiao Lv didn’t get it at first, so he later asked Xie Liuzheng about it. If anyone would know, it would be Xie Liuzheng.

Then, with a strange smile, Xie Liuzheng explained the other meaning of ’huang’ (yellow).

Xiao Lv: "..."

’From now on, it’ll be a little hard to look at that word the same way again.’

------

Xiao Yang was very busy.

Although she had stopped executing officials, the number of officials lost was still significant.

With a shortage of manpower, every civil and military official at court was doing the work of three people.

The ministers: Happy, because they were getting promoted incredibly fast and had sufficient power. Unhappy, because their workload multiplied with their increase in power.

The Emperor had entrusted them with great responsibilities, so they couldn’t slack off in the slightest.

Even an old man like Grand Tutor Xu was forced to battle on the front lines. Although exhausted, he was rather gratified by it.

"This is how the imperial court should be. This is what it means to be an official."

’If everyone just sits in high positions, covets pleasure, and holds a post without doing any work, then we’d truly be finished.’

The Emperor, after a busy day, declared, ’Screw this! If I get any busier, I’m done for as an emperor!’

Xiao Yang kept holding on, enduring until the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Letters arrived from all over: Rong Yin was coming back, Mu Yunlian was coming back, and Li Wei could also lead his army back to the capital in triumph.

And her Ling Ji.

’Sob, sob, I miss her.’

Xu Ling was rubbing the bridge of her nose while processing the memorials in her hand. When she lifted her head, the corner of her eye caught the Emperor, who had practically melted into a puddle and was about to slide off the Dragon Throne. Her eyelid twitched in exasperation.

’Her Majesty... is a very interesting person.’

’But sometimes, she’s far too informal.’

Compared to the emperors of legend, this Emperor was interesting and kind. Sometimes, she even seemed like a well-behaved, harmless, and slightly lazy child.

But if you truly believed that, you would be wrong.

When the Emperor is angered, rivers of blood flow. That was not just a saying.

The number of people she had killed with her own hands was not small, and the number she had ordered killed was even greater. And then there were the two nations she had annihilated.

In the entire recorded history of the lands of Wei Country, there had been a total of seven dynasties. Through historical changes, the country’s territory had been divided and reunited, but only now was the territory at its largest—it had already doubled in size.

Her Majesty was incredible. She was casual about small matters, but when it came to important things, she never dropped the ball.

And yet, Her Majesty was so informal that the feelings of awe and admiration that had just begun to swell within Xu Ling would ultimately dissolve into speechlessness.