Chương 70: Chapter 108: The Emperor’s Death Shakes Great Yu

Tang Xian was a Confucian scholar by nature, and his ability to withstand shock was far inferior to Huang Yunxiao's. At that moment, his legs had already gone weak with fear. Had Huang Yunxiao not supported him, he would likely have collapsed to the ground.

"Is the news true?" Huang Yunxiao asked, forcing himself to remain calm. The matter was simply too unbelievable. He truly did not dare believe it. The soldier nodded.

"The Military Office sent a secret report to the county commandant's office. His Highness the Crown Prince has already begun handling the succession. He requests that the two lords fulfill your duties and prevent anyone from taking advantage of this situation to cause unrest." Tang Xian had recovered slightly by then and could barely stand steadily.

"Brother Huang, I'm afraid we must return to the county city immediately." Huang Yunxiao nodded. The ruler of a nation had been killed by force. Once the news spread, the people would undoubtedly fall into panic and unrest. If anyone with malicious intentions used this opportunity to stir up chaos, the Yu Kingdom might truly be finished.

"I'll go inform Jiang Huanyu." After calming himself, Huang Yunxiao found Jiang Huanyu, who was still greeting the guests.

"Huanyu, something urgent has happened at the government office. County Deputy Tang and I must hurry back to deal with it." Jiang Huanyu was stunned for a moment, but he did not ask any further questions.

"All right. I'll see you off."

"There's no need." Huang Yunxiao waved his hand. Without waiting for Jiang Huanyu to say anything else, he and Tang Xian hurriedly left the banquet. At dusk, after everything in the residence had been tidied up, Jiang Huanyu and Huang Qingzhou sat in a side room drinking tea.

"My elder brother is really something. What urgent matter could there possibly be at the county office that couldn't wait until after the meal?" Huang Qingzhou said with a smile. He had heard from Jiang Huanyu that his elder brother and Tang Xian had left in a hurry not long after the banquet began. Jiang Huanyu thought for a moment before slowly saying, "I'm afraid it was no small matter."

"Brother Yunxiao and County Deputy Tang both looked extremely grave."

"Oh?" The smile disappeared from Huang Qingzhou's face.

"Could war have broken out at the border?"

"But even if war had broken out, there should be no reason for my elder brother and County Deputy Tang to be so worried. The border army is stationed there, unless…" He turned toward Jiang Huanyu with a solemn expression. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

"Unless the barbarian offensive is so fierce that they have already reached Yunzhong Prefecture?"

"Impossible. That's impossible." The moment Huang Qingzhou finished speaking, he immediately denied the possibility himself. Great Yu's border army was not a collection of useless weaklings. Furthermore, some time ago, the border army had recruited large numbers of martial artists from among the common people. Even the instructors from the martial arts halls had been conscripted.

Had he not used his noble title to exempt himself from recruitment, he probably would not even have been able to attend his grandson's one-month celebration. Jiang Huanyu sighed.

"Let's wait. I believe the news will spread soon." The two of them stopped making baseless guesses. Three more days passed in the blink of an eye. On that day, an imperial decree suddenly spread throughout Great Yu.

"I, though of humble ability, inherited the great legacy of my ancestors and have always upheld the glorious foundation established by the former sages. Day and night, I have remained cautious and diligent, never once daring to neglect the affairs of the realm. Yet Heaven has not granted a longer lifespan. Emperor Wude has ascended upon the dragon and departed from this world, abandoning his ministers and people. Crown Prince Li Biji is naturally benevolent and filial.

Both Heaven and the people have placed their trust in him. He shall therefore inherit the imperial throne, continue the ancestral rites, and unite the hearts of the countless people beneath Heaven. All civil and military officials, both within the capital and throughout the provinces, shall work together to assist him and safeguard the imperial house. All ministers and commoners shall observe the mourning rites according to established tradition.

A general amnesty is hereby granted throughout the realm so that the people may begin anew." The contents of the decree shook the entire nation. Great Yu's reigning emperor, Emperor Wude, had passed away without the slightest warning. The common people, who did not know the true reason, were confused. Those who knew even part of the truth remained silent out of fear and did not dare speak of it. On the one hand, criticizing the late emperor was a serious crime.

On the other hand, what had happened in the royal capital that day was simply too terrifying. Putting aside the immortal's methods, the enormous fierce tiger, nearly nine meters long, was enough by itself to frighten anyone out of their wits. Before the people could recover from the first imperial decree, a second decree had already spread throughout the realm.

"I have lost my imperial father, and I cannot bear to see the people lose their sons, nor brothers lose one another. At this moment, when the realm faces both internal and external troubles, I would rather bear eternal condemnation than continue the flames of war. Therefore, White Horse Prefecture and Crane Prefecture shall be ceded to the Hu tribes, allowing the people to rest and recover. No further military conflict shall be initiated." The meaning of the second decree was clear.

The newly enthroned Emperor Yu, Li Biji, faced with pressure from the barbarian armies at the border, could not bear to send more soldiers to their deaths. He had therefore chosen to compromise, ceding White Horse Prefecture and Crane Prefecture to the barbarians. The decision caused an enormous uproar throughout the nation. The ordinary commoners did not react too strongly. The three prefectures of the Western Region had already been occupied for a hundred years.

Although Great Yu had briefly reclaimed them, their loss had little direct impact on the lives of most commoners. The people only wished to avoid war and live peaceful lives. As long as they could survive and prosper, they did not particularly care which kingdom ruled those distant prefectures. The scholars and literati, however, were unwilling to accept the decision. They condemned it through essays and proclamations. Some even submitted blood-written remonstrances.

Their actions provoked the Black Scale Guards into launching a large-scale crackdown. In only a few days, the prisons of the Inspectorate were filled with arrested scholars and officials. The turmoil spreading throughout the realm did not have much effect on the Jiang family, who lived far away in Golden Willow Village. Jiang Huanyu remained at home. Aside from cultivating, he spent most of his time holding his grandson. His days were peaceful, carefree, and comfortable.

On this day, Li Heshan and Pei Yuwan arrived at the Ascension Pavilion in Anyang County.

"The former Emperor Yu, Li Cangwu, was killed by a late-stage Embryonic Breathing Realm cultivator from Hundred Beasts Mountain." For some unknown reason, Li Heshan revealed the truth about Emperor Yu Li Cangwu's death to Jiang Wenfeng as soon as he arrived. An immortal had taken action? Jiang Wenfeng's face was filled with shock. He had clearly never expected the truth to be anything like this.

"Has the immortal from Hundred Beasts Mountain already left?" Jiang Wenfeng asked, unable to hide the worry in his heart. A late-stage Embryonic Breathing Realm cultivator within the lands of the Yu Kingdom was an existence so overwhelmingly powerful that merely thinking about it was enough to make one feel suffocated.