Chapter 347: Imperial Court Meeting (2)

On the other hand, development and growth was the source of wealth.

Liu Yu didn’t want to give anyone the chance to dwell on the possibility of having second thoughts. Yet, little did he realize that had he truly been confident in his invincibility, then he would never have feared Chang Yuchun’s mutiny to begin with.

He wanted to leave himself a way out. After all, if the seven feudal officials declared independence at the same time, then perhaps, in the worst case scenario that Hell becomes powerful in a hundred years’ time, they might just be able to get off scot-free by standing strong together. After all, the law would never stand against the majority.

My efforts over the last half a year have not been in vain… Qin Ye finally heaved a sigh of relief. The first impression of the new Hell was no different from a colossal reversal that completely blew the twelve envoys’ minds away into oblivion. Everything was now different. The twelve envoys were obviously beginning to see the new King Yanluo of Hell in a new light! Even the ringleader Liu Yu had subconsciously begun to plan for exigencies!

Are you stupid?

Yu Qian walked up to Qin Ye’s side and bowed deeply with great respect to him, before continuing, “They’re still pushing through with it even though they know it’s impossible. Historically, none of the vassal states had ever been attacked by Cathay, even when they staged an uprising. Thus, to their minds, taking control of the fiefdoms and declaring independence from Hell isn’t an affront to Hell’s authority at all. This is why they’ve limited their independence to the confines of their states. To their minds, it’s not even considered a rebellion. Rather, they are simply asking to be free from Hell’s rule.”

Yu Qian immediately responded, “Hell is fortunate to have a King with ambition and foresight that is befitting of its stature! Unfortunately… the human heart is unpredictable. And we’re talking about envoys who were once either framed and put to death, or emperors in their own right in life. No matter what it was, they were the masters of their own destiny, and such control was so important to them that it had become the basis to their lingering grievances and obsessions. Otherwise, how could they possibly turn into such heroic ghastly existences in death? There’s no reasoning with these envoys. Do you really think they don’t understand the implications of Hell’s great revival? Do you really think they’re oblivious to the fact that Hell would regain its former glories in less than a hundred years at this rate? Yet, despite all of that, they’re still willing to put everything on the line.”

With that, they took their position behind Qin Ye, making it all too clear where their allegiance lay!

“Lord Qin.” Liu Yu took a deep breath, “Have you come to a decision?”

“Who else intends to break free from Hell and declare independence?”

Divide and conquer - this was the best strategy at times like this.

Perhaps the heavens knew that it was going to be far too difficult for the new Hell to stand against an alliance formed by all twelve envoys, and they thus decided to give Hell a hand. Because at this very moment… the three feudal officials were still just as silent as they had ever been!

“Chang Yuchun! Guo Ziyi! Han Qinhu! You…” Chaghan turned back and glared at the three men in shock and anger. Nobody had ever expected the three men to have second thoughts only at the eleventh hour!

“Chang Yuchun, Guo Ziyi, Han Qinhu!!” Ma Fubo was a short man. He wore a scarlet robe adorned with embroidered dragons, replete with a white jade crown and a purple belt of royalty. He flicked his sleeves in fury as he continued, “Turncoats… Just because I’ve not ridden to battle with my Iron Cavalry for some time, do you not have any regard for me any longer?!”

Liu Yu was completely silent. That said, one could easily see that he was clenching his jaws tightly. In fact, he was even squeezing his hands together repeatedly underneath the sleeves of his robes. He stared daggers at the three turncoats and cut them up into a million pieces in his mind.

Before stepping into Hell, he didn’t think for a single moment that something like that was even remotely possible.

“Three of you.” Liu Yu finally spoke up, “I’d hate to… be forced to deal with you first. Honor your word. Don’t disappoint me.”

“What audacity.” Yang Jiye immediately stepped forward and snorted coldly, “Hell should have the final say as far as the vassal states are concerned. What gives you, the lord over a vassal state, the right to dictate what another vassal state does? Lord Liu, do you think we’re still in the warring states era? Don’t you dare overstep your authority!”

Boom!!

He was furious.

Things weren’t going well for him. The state of the new Hell exceeded everyone’s expectations, and the three feudal officials who had previously promised to stand together with him were now recanting their earlier position. His rage was finally at its limits!

Boom!

“Lord Hanyang, you behaved with incivility in front of King Yanluo and berated Hell. How do you think you should be punished?!”

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Liu Yu’s explosion of Yin energy was soon followed by the three other Infernal Judges in his faction. In an instant, a terrifying cloud of dense Yin energy formed in the sky and immediately bore down onto Yang Jiye!

A confrontation between Judges was on a completely different level!

The overbearing Yin energy in the air finally paused where it was, and Liu Yu turned to look at Chang Yuchun with an ashen expression. Without missing a beat, Chang Yuchun continued, “Most of you have been framed and doubted by the kings and emperors of your time. Lord of Hanyang, you even nearly unified Cathay back in your time. But we’re different. We’ve benefitted from the grace of our kings and emperors, and eventually died an honourable death. Our earlier agreement to stand on your side was premised on the condition that Hell was a lost cause.”

“If things had panned out that way, there might even be a possibility of achieving imperial hegemony. So long as we are able to gain a firm foothold over our own lands, the entire world is our oyster. There’s Australis and the Spice Islands down south, or the Middle East to the west. Everything is potentially ours for the taking.” Han Qinhu chipped in with a deep voice, “We were naturally willing to stand on your side had the risks indeed been as low as we’d anticipated. But… the reality of Hell is completely beyond our expectations.”

Lord of Hanyang drew a deep breath and gnashed his teeth.

Barbarians… Everyone else around us can only be considered barbarians! I’ve never considered discarding my Cathayan heritage!

But… having prepared so long and hard for this day, and having been presented with such a prime opportunity, how am I supposed to simply let it go just like that?!