Chapter 344: Seizing Royal Power, Avenging Past Hatred

It was understandable that Hua Qichuan would kneel.

But, just as he expected, it did nothing to change the Empress’s decision.

Song Junzhan said, "Mr. Hua, you worry too much. Yundan will not disappear. It will still be called Yundan."

"Beicang has been divided into Beijiang Province and Cangnan Province. Yue Country has been divided into the three provinces of Yexi, Yuedong, and Pingchuan. Yundan isn’t large, so in the future, it will be consolidated into a single, complete province, still to be called Yundan."

"Besides, your refusal is useless. Hua Jinchuan has already accepted the edict."

Hua Qichuan had only just arrived in Longsheng and didn’t know much about the place. Hua Jinchuan, however, had been here for many years and had witnessed the nation’s rise to power firsthand.

And having been assigned to the Ministry of Revenue, he was deeply influenced by the hyper-competitive atmosphere of the court. Rather than thinking about going home, his mind was filled with thoughts of using this opportunity to ascend—to go from a temporary worker to a permanent official, then climb the ladder and become a part of this great superpower, a member of the Mingxi Dynasty.

Xiao Li had someone hang up another map. On it, various lines crisscrossed like the veins of a human body.

"This is my commercial blueprint. You know of my factories. In the future, my factories will only grow in number and in size. They will be distributed across these nodes, reaching in all directions and spreading throughout the world."

"Afterward, every province will be managed by a chamber of commerce, reporting directly to the Empress and controlling all commercial rights in the region."

Lan Yue, holding a tray, presented a token.

Xiao Li said, "This will be Yundan’s token. My gift of thanks."

Hua Qichuan had no other choice.

"Your humble servant... Hua Qichuan... thanks Your Majesty!"

Aside from the step he took to enter the Imperial Palace, which he had taken willingly, every subsequent step had been beyond his expectations and outside his control.

Anyone could see Hua Qichuan’s reluctance, but there was no hurry.

Song Junzhan called two people over. "Lord Hua has come from afar. Take him on a good tour."

Once Hua Qichuan saw what the Empress’s golden age truly was, once he saw this brand-new world, he would understand the weight of the token the Empress had given him.

Hua Qichuan withdrew, but he clearly failed to understand Song Junzhan’s kind intentions. He immediately shook off the two guides and went to find Hua Jinchuan himself.

Hua Jinchuan was busy, but when he heard Hua Qichuan had come, he immediately stopped what he was doing and went out to see him.

"Brother, what are you doing here?"

With a dark expression, Hua Qichuan pulled him into a corner and demanded, "Why did you accept the edict to persuade Yundan to surrender?"

"Don’t you know what kind of person the King is? Do you really think you can persuade him?"

"Yundan is our country. Do you want to destroy it with your own hands?"

This rapid-fire questioning from Hua Qichuan left Hua Jinchuan stunned for a moment.

Only after Qi Chuan had vented his anger did he suddenly let out a laugh.

"Brother, what are you even talking about?"

Qi Chuan said angrily, "Don’t play dumb with me! Don’t you realize that by doing this, you’ll become Yundan’s eternal traitor?"

Hua Jinchuan’s smile vanished. He raised his hand and pushed Qi Chuan’s hand away. "Brother, have you forgotten why I’m here in the first place?"

Qi Chuan’s expression froze. "I... wasn’t I trying to find a way to bring you home? I saved the Empress’s life, so it wouldn’t be hard to get her to let you go. I just needed to wait for the right time to ask. Who knew that before I could even say a word, you would accept an edict to persuade our country to surrender? Why didn’t you even ask me?"

Hua Jinchuan gave a bitter laugh. "Back when I was sent to Longsheng, didn’t the King ask for your opinion?"

He took a deep breath. "I was sent to Longsheng like a pet. The Empress was known throughout the world for her cruelty. Didn’t you have any idea what might happen to me? But the King chose me, and after some persuasion, you agreed. Brother, you were the one who agreed!"

"It was because Her Majesty isn’t lustful that she just tossed us in the rear palace and ignored us. It was the Prime Minister who was willing to give me a chance, allowing me to walk among these officials with my head held high."

"Brother, the fact that you can even see me today is due to my own good fortune and the Empress’s mercy. It has nothing to do with Yundan, does it?"

"That Hua Lin treated me as an object to be traded. Why should I still recognize him as my king? Why should I still consider his interests?"

"The Empress wants Yundan. All she’s taking is Hua Lin’s royal authority and his kingdom. What does that have to do with me?"

"When Yundan sent me to Longsheng, why didn’t anyone call me a benefactor of Yundan? Now that I’m persuading them to surrender under orders, I’m a traitor?"

"You must have seen the Empress’s policies. Yundan will still exist, and our home will still be there. It’s just Hua Lin who will lose his throne. I lose nothing. In fact, if Yundan becomes Longsheng Territory, I can take the imperial examinations as a citizen of Longsheng and become a true official. Why wouldn’t I agree?"

Hua Jinchuan looked coldly at his older brother.

’My brother is a subject of Yundan and is still thinking of Yundan’s interests. But he never considered that I, having been sent away like an object, could hardly be expected to remain loyal to Yundan.’

He didn’t hate his brother or his family; they had been forced to agree by the king’s authority. But did that mean he wasn’t allowed to hate Hua Lin?

Back then, Hua Lin used his royal power to force him to come to Longsheng as a plaything for the Empress. Now that he had been granted power by the Empress, why couldn’t he let Hua Lin get a taste of being oppressed by absolute power?

Seeing the shocked look on his brother’s face, Hua Jinchuan knew he hadn’t convinced him.

There’s no such thing as true empathy in this world.

’Without going through what I have these past three years, even my own brother probably thinks I’ve been enjoying myself here.’

"Brother, if you still want to acknowledge me as your younger brother, then stay out of this."

"The Empress’s ambition to unite the world is known to all. Yundan cannot escape. If it’s not me, it will be someone else."

"I am determined to become an official in the Longsheng court and build a career for myself. I will not let someone else take this credit."

Hua Jinchuan departed. After three years, he was returning to his homeland in glory, bearing the Empress’s imperial edict and her power.

To seize the king’s power and avenge the grudges of the past.

Hua Qichuan chased him to the city gate. He opened his mouth several times but ultimately couldn’t bring himself to call out.

His younger brother had grown up. After three years apart, his disposition had changed; he had his own ideas now.

And he could do nothing to change the fact that the Empress was going to take Yundan.

Suddenly, he felt so useless, so powerless.

"Hurry, hurry! We’re going to be late!"

"Faster, keep up!"

"Coming, coming! Wait for me!"

A group of children pushed and shouted, excitedly running to the side, nearly crashing right into Hua Qichuan.

Immediately after, a group of adults also hurried over, their faces full of excitement.

"Hurry! Today we can finally see the long dragon! I heard the Empress is coming too. No matter what, I have to see Her Majesty’s sacred face this time!"

Hua Qichuan was still bewildered, but he was jostled by the crowd and forced along toward the city wall.

’What long dragon? A snake?’

He followed the crowd all the way to the edge of the city wall. Just as he was about to be crushed, he suddenly spotted the Silver Armor Guards at the entrance to the wall’s staircase.

’The Empress is on the wall.’

He quickly squeezed through, took out his token to prove his identity, and was actually allowed up.

He lifted the hem of his robes and hurried up the stairs. Seeing the Empress surrounded by a throng of ministers looking down, he followed their gaze and was instantly stunned.

Starting from a corner of the city wall, a long, straight road stretched outward, extending deep into the mountains until it was out of sight.

Looking closely, it wasn’t an ordinary road. It looked like a ladder had been laid flat on the ground.

It was long and wide, and the "ladder" had sections extending from both sides, making it look like a centipede. But it was so magnificent that calling it a long dragon was also fitting.

Just then, the CRACKLE of firecrackers began from below.

The starting point of the long dragon’s path was a separate, arched gate about a hundred meters from the main city gate. As the last of the firecrackers went off, the gate swung open.

After the deafening noise, a strange, vibrating roar suddenly emerged. With two "CHUFF CHUFF" sounds, a behemoth slowly drove out from within.

It had a head with what looked like dragon horns, smoke billowed from its top, and it had three sections trailing behind it, even pulling a golden dragon’s tail at the very end.

Hua Qichuan stared, dumbfounded, as this thing moved into the distance along the ladder-like road amidst the cheers of the crowd.

’W-what is this thing?’

The common people were also stunned, but what followed was an eruption of cheers and boundless excitement.

Hua Qichuan turned to look. The Empress and her officials were much more composed. Clearly, this behemoth was their creation.

This was especially true for the Empress. Her calm and majestic presence was as unshakable as a mountain, as if this creation that had astounded the world was nothing remarkable to her.

The Empress of Longsheng... ’I know far too little about this country.’