ushernet Chapter 123 World 275
Chapter 123 World 275
Just as Chu Ziran had said, the Shu cities, which had reached an understanding with them, offered no symbolic resistance and let them in directly. Some, sensing the unfavorable situation, did not persist any longer. Some did put up a stubborn resistance, but they posed no real problem for Li Yinyin in the face of the Ming army and the Shu officials who were familiar with the terrain.
Before the New Year was even over, the Ming army arrived at the gates of the Shu Kingdom's palace, and the Shu Kingdom was powerless to save itself.
"Traitors! Traitors!" The general guarding the palace gate was a confidant of the King of Shu. He did not hate the Ming Dynasty for invading the capital of Shu, but he hated those traitors who did not resist and allowed the Ming army to advance unimpeded. "His Majesty has treated you well, and this is how you repay His Majesty? With the fall of Shu, what good will you gain?"
“Why not? The Ming Kingdom has never failed to keep its promises,” Chu Ziran said, carrying a bow on his back, as he rode to the front of the battle. His silver armor was so bright in the winter sun that it was almost blinding. “But the King of Shu, hmph, even if he swore an oath to the heavens, I doubt many people would believe him!”
"Chu Ziran," the general guarding the gate said, his expression changing, "No matter what, His Majesty raised you to be pampered and well-fed, and even sent you a congratulatory gift when you married the Princess of Ming. You ungrateful wretch, what right do you have to say such things!"
"Ungrateful wretch? Hahaha," Chu Ziran laughed until tears streamed down her face. "You call that a life of luxury? Why don't you go and experience that life of luxury yourself? No, let your wife and children experience it for you. Tell them it's your choice, and that you personally escorted them there."
"Do you think they'll be grateful to you, or they'll hate you to death?"
Seeing that the gatekeeper remained silent, Chu Ziran's face was full of sarcasm: "See, don't you know whether it's a good day or not? Why are you pretending to be a fool?"
"If we're talking about ingrates, it's my father and the countless innocent souls who died at the hands of the King of Shu who should be called such!"
"They made great contributions to the Shu Kingdom, but what was the result?"
"They say you reap what you sow. If my father were still alive, I certainly wouldn't be here today, wouldn't I?"
"I accidentally told you too much," a cold glint flashed in Chu Ziran's eyes. She quickly drew her bow and nocked an arrow, aiming directly at the general's unarmored throat before he could react.
"Sure enough, my sister taught me well, and I learned quite well too."
Chu Ziran put down his bow and retreated to the back; what remained was not something he was good at.
"Sister, did you see that just now? I used the archery technique you taught me, and with a whoosh, I hit the target," Chu Ziran said, holding a bow in one hand and pulling Li Yinyin's hand with the other, her eyes reddening. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity, sister."
Li Yinyin looked at the strategist and guards around her who were staring at the sky and the ground but refusing to look at them, and finally couldn't help but hand them a handkerchief: "When you see the King of Shu later, are you going to shed tears in front of him?"
Chu Ziran immediately stopped himself. No matter how agitated he was, he could not show any weakness in front of the King of Shu.
Seeing that he had recovered, Li Yinyin naturally turned her attention back to the war in the Shu Kingdom's palace. Although it was a battle that was bound to be won, she had to be fully focused as long as it was not over.
Upon entering the Shu Kingdom's council hall, Li Yinyin finally understood why Chu Ziran and her son had so easily persuaded so many Shu Kingdom generals to rebel, and why their soldiers showed no sign of refusal.
Everything was red, everywhere you looked.
Some came from former favorites of the King of Shu, while others came from his harem and descendants.
In short, apart from the King of Shu, the last living person in this hall had just fallen silent.
"Ziran is back," the King of Shu laughed. "Hasn't your mother returned? Look at these dogs, they're the ones who bullied you and your mother back then. I've made them come to apologize to you now. Can you put in a good word for your uncle and get the Ming army to withdraw? Okay?"
Li Yinyin had never felt so disgusted by anyone before. She didn't want to hear a single unnecessary word and immediately ordered her men to take him away.
In his youth, the King of Shu was a fierce general with exceptional martial prowess. Although he had become somewhat disillusioned, he still possessed considerable strength, otherwise he wouldn't have been the only one left in the entire palace.
But even the fiercest warrior cannot withstand an attack from several people. Most of the former Shu generals participated, not only to curry favor with the Ming Dynasty, but also to vent their frustrations.
At least Li Yinyin saw more than one person secretly plotting against her.
After capturing the King of Shu, Li Yinyin, as agreed upon many years ago, handed him over to Chu Ziran and her son for disposal.
That night, Chu Ziran returned very late. Although he used a lot of incense, Li Yinyin still smelled a bloody odor.
Under the cover of night, he embraced Li Yinyin and said after a long while, "Sister, I won't have nightmares anymore, and I can get a good night's sleep."
Li Yinyin touched his cold face and patted it gently: "Then hurry up and rest, you're about to disturb my sweet dreams."
Chu Ziran was stunned for a moment, then buried her head in her shoulder and laughed, "I'll listen to my sister."
With the fall of Shu, the affairs of state were taken over by the officials who had followed, while Chu Ziran secretly took Li Yinyin to pay respects to his father. Afterward, the two returned to Ming.
Now, with the credit for defeating two major powers, Li Yinyin's prestige in the country has risen even higher.
Taking advantage of the situation, Li Chengming brought up the matter of making Li Yinyin the Crown Princess. Apart from the opposition from officials in places like the former Jiang Kingdom, other officials from the Ming Kingdom, and even those from the newly annexed former Shu Kingdom, expressed their approval.
With the minority yielding to the majority, Li Yinyin's appointment as heir is now a done deal.
In the fifth year after Li Yinyin became the Crown Princess, the Ming Dynasty achieved the unification of the Central Plains. If they wanted to wage war again, they could only go west or north to fight against the Mumu tribe and others.
The west was the original territory of the Ming Dynasty, which had developed steadily and become prosperous. On the northern border, General Xu, along with his strategist and the newly established Xu Family Army, launched a direct attack, driving the Mu Mu tribe and others further north, so that they dared not return.
When Li Chengming was fifty-five years old, he summoned Li Yinyin, who was researching pearl farming and national infrastructure, back to China. He was overjoyed to see the box full of pearls that Li Yinyin had given him. He then quickly abdicated the throne to his sister and went out of the palace to play with Yu Qiaoyun.
They put it this way: "You've been traveling for years, it's my turn." But how can we not take a good look at the empire we've worked so hard to build?
Li Yinyin had no choice but to send people to protect them and continue her infrastructure construction project and raising her children.
When her children grew up, got married, and had children of their own, Li Yinyin, after passing the imperial examination, chose to pass the throne to her daughter.
After all, his daughter inherited his mindset and was even smarter, able to completely control her younger brother. His son preferred territorial expansion to governing the country. He had complained more than once that his elders were too capable, having swept away all the opposition forces in the Ming Dynasty, leaving him only able to strive north, west, or at sea, which was too far from home, his parents, and his family.
After passing on the throne, Li Yinyin wanted to travel around, but she chose to return to the Li family residence in Shangshui Village to accompany her brother and sister-in-law through the last period of their lives.
It was also in Shangshui Village that Li Yinyin discovered Xi Jiangyue, who was hiding in the mountains, and Yin Hong, who had gone mad. But considering that her elder brother had lived there for so long without saying anything, she turned a blind eye and pretended not to see anything.
"Yinyin," Chu Ziran, who, despite her age, still tried her best to maintain her appearance and figure, draped a cloak over her shoulders, "It's snowing, but tomorrow will definitely be a good day."