Chapter 90

Indeed, it was a thrilling situation, but what benefits could Li Xian gain from such political changes? Moreover, once the Great Xia Kingdom collapses, how should Li Xian develop? These were all matters that needed to be considered!

After all, many of Li Xian's past plans were laid out over a "ten-year" timeframe. △

"Mr. Li, how long do you think the Great Xia Kingdom can hold on?"

Xu Ren smiled bitterly, "There's no need to predict. The current situation is like a pile of gunpowder, a single spark could ignite it. Even if news comes tomorrow that a certain county has declared independence, it wouldn't be surprising.

However, the name of the Great Xia Kingdom might still last for five to six years. It would be a state of existing in name only."

Li Xian took a deep breath, "The situation has evolved to this point, and I have just started to get things on track, without even having time to consolidate! Gather everyone, we need to discuss the future development strategy."

This meeting lasted for several days. During this time, Li Xian readjusted the development strategy. Additionally, he reduced the production of items like glass and colored lights, and increased the prices of items like bearings, naval silk, and stainless steel, which could be used in war.

Furthermore, Li Xian introduced a new product—gunpowder! Since there were already enemies, Li Xian planned to sell gunpowder all over the world. He also began selling low-level gunpowder weapons like matchlocks. The interrogation of the Cai Kingdom captives revealed the source of the gunpowder—a strategist named Xiang Bowen, who was said to be from one of the most powerful countries in the central part of Yingzhou, the Zhao Kingdom.

The matter of gunpowder once again sounded the alarm for Li Xian—this Immortal Realm had existed for countless years, and many things had accumulated sufficiently; what was lacking was just a spark, a guiding light. With just a spark, the entire Immortal Realm could be ignited!

After the meeting, Li Xian prepared to gather the representatives stationed in Anyang to demonstrate the gunpowder.

While Li Xian was busy, the capital of the Great Xia Kingdom was in a state of mourning—over 27,000 soldiers had died, and the capital was draped in white. As the commanding general, Fu Minghui was jointly impeached by the Wang family and the three princes, demanding severe punishment.

The court was in chaos. The three top officials—Prime Minister Ouyang Wubing, Li Yulong, and Yuan Yong—stood at the front, followed by various officials. Fu Minghui, who had been stripped of his armor and held the formal title of Langzhongling, stood alone in the center of the court.

Above, the emperor, with a sickly appearance, sat on the throne. As a Golden Core expert, the emperor was actually ill! After hearing of the defeat, the emperor had suffered a mental breakdown, his meridians were in disarray, and his face was now yellowish and showing signs of premature aging—this was the most terrifying state for a cultivator, the Five Signs of Decline!

The so-called Five Signs of Decline meant that the foundation was already ruined, and there was no way to reverse it. This showed how much the emperor had been affected by the situation. Perhaps the greatest blow was the sense of despair—watching the country collapse and being powerless to stop it!

"Cough, cough..." The emperor coughed a few times, spitting out some blackish-yellow blood.

"Are you all satisfied now?" The emperor's voice was hoarse and weak, but it conveyed a sense of utter despair. The emperor was not unaware of the situation in the Great Xia Kingdom and had once hoped to revive it, which was why he had adopted Li Xian's industrial and commercial revitalization strategy. However, just as things were starting to improve, they were brutally destroyed.

The ministers below were speechless, no one dared to respond.

After a long while, the emperor spoke again, "Fu Minghui is not at fault. Bringing back 3,000 soldiers under such circumstances is a great achievement. Reward him with 10 medicinal herbs that are a hundred years old.

Fu Minghui, listen to the order."

"Your subject is here." Fu Minghui's voice was loud, filled with anger at the small people and gratitude to the emperor.

The emperor coughed a few more times before speaking, "Rebuild the Imperial Guard immediately, expand it... sigh... do your best."

"Your subject will spare no effort!" Fu Minghui said firmly.

The emperor then looked at Li Yulong, "Li Yulong."

"Your subject is here."

"Construct the imperial mausoleum! You are in charge of this matter."

"Yes."

"However..." The emperor's face was somewhat awkward, "Minister Li, the treasury is now empty, what do you think..."

Li Yulong didn't blink, "Your Majesty, being able to oversee the construction of the imperial mausoleum is already an honor for me. I don't dare to ask for much. However, the construction of the imperial mausoleum is a massive project, and I request that my son Li Wei be recalled to take charge."

Li Wei was Li Xian's second brother, who was with the First Prince. Now that the First Prince had made a huge mistake, he needed to be recalled quickly.

"Approved."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Yulong stepped back, and the emperor turned his gaze to the Prime Minister, speaking calmly but issuing the harshest command, "Prime Minister, what about the border general He Yaogong? Arrest him and exterminate his family!"

Ouyang Wubing was so frightened that he trembled. Executing a general's family would cause the Great Xia Kingdom to fall into chaos. Without hesitation, he said, "Your Majesty, although He Yaogong made mistakes, he also prevented the Cai Kingdom's 100,000 troops from advancing south, his merits and faults offset each other..."

The emperor's imperial authority still existed, and he directly interrupted the Prime Minister, "Guards, arrest the Prime Minister and imprison him in the Heavenly Prison!"

The emperor then turned his gaze to Yuan Yong, "Grand Marshal, arrest the He Yaogong family and exterminate them!"

Yuan Yong hesitated for a moment before reluctantly responding, "Yes."

Finally, the emperor looked around and said softly, "The Crown Prince Xia Xu has lost his virtue, remove him from the position of Crown Prince. Establish the Second Prince Xia Shu as the new Crown Prince."

No one dared to oppose. Hadn't they just seen the Prime Minister being imprisoned for speaking a fair word? Wang Chuan was also anxious but dared not speak; the emperor was clearly in a state of raging anger, and it was best to keep a low profile at this moment.

Seeing no one oppose, the emperor coldly snorted and directly left the court. The officials then dispersed, but they began to plot their own interests.

The emperor began to show the Five Signs of Decline and started constructing the imperial mausoleum. The heir was replaced, and the Prime Minister was imprisoned. One event after another was stimulating the already decaying body of the Great Xia Kingdom. The border general He Yaogong fled overnight, directly to the Cai Kingdom, but his family was all beheaded by noon.

While the Great Xia Kingdom was in turmoil, the Cai Kingdom was also suffering. The two consecutive wars against Anyang had resulted in heavy losses, all of which were elite troops. Especially the second expedition to Anyang, which involved the Imperial Guard.

When the Cai Kingdom's Prime Minister Yan Ze'an returned to the court with the initial negotiation proposals from Li Xian, the court of the Cai Kingdom also erupted in chaos.

The Cai Kingdom's emperor glared at the Prime Minister, "Prime Minister, you really are capable. After losing the battle, you even sought peace. How thoughtful."

Yan Ze'an sighed inwardly, knowing that even if he had a hundred mouths, he couldn't explain. The situation was truly dramatic; his side had lost the battle, while the other side had won a great victory, routing the southern Great Xia Kingdom's Imperial Guard, with only 3,000 soldiers escaping.

He had lost the battle, almost burying the Cai Kingdom's elite troops. The other side had won, almost annihilating the Great Xia Kingdom's elite troops. The difference was too great! This made the Prime Minister seem incompetent! Regardless of the details, the result was unchangeable!

The Cai Kingdom's emperor threw the negotiation proposal from Anyang to the side and stared straight at Prime Minister Yan Ze'an, "My Prime Minister, don't you have anything to say?"

"Your subject has nothing to say." Yan Ze'an's voice was calm, seemingly indifferent to his current situation.

"Nothing to say? Good, very good! Guards, remove the Prime Minister's seal and imprison him in the Heavenly Prison for trial."

Prime Minister Yan Ze'an's face remained calm. "Wait, I have something to say."

"Oh? Are you going to defend yourself?" A person standing in the same row as Yan Ze'an sneered.

Yan Ze'an turned his head, giving this person a contemptuous look, then turned back to the emperor, "Your Majesty, before I leave, I have a few words to say. The potential of Anyang is absolutely beyond imagination, if..."

"Yan Ze'an, are you trying to justify your failure!" The person who had interrupted continued to mock.

Yan Ze'an looked at this person, his voice filled with a faint mockery, "Huang Fu, the Cai Kingdom will surely decline under your hands!"

Huang Fu laughed, "Yes, yes, I, who won the battle, will surely ruin the Cai Kingdom."

Many of the surrounding ministers laughed, laughing so hard they were bent over.

The emperor was also provoked to laugh by Huang Fu's witty remark, but he still ordered the removal of Yan Ze'an's Prime Minister position and appointed Huang Fu as the new Prime Minister.

(Additional chapter due to recommendation votes. Another chapter will be posted in the evening. Please vote.)

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