The Demon Lords-Chapter 628 - 110 The Funeral _1

Upon the death of Situ Lei, when his successor, Situ Yu, took the throne and announced his internal surrender to Yan State, Situ Yi, the eldest son of the Situ Family and Situ Lei's older brother, declared himself Emperor within Jade Plate City, located on the eastern bank of the Wang River.

At the beginning of his reign, Situ Yi immediately issued seven Imperial Edicts.

First, the name of the country remained Dacheng, legally acknowledging the regime established by his younger brother, and the era name continued to be the 1st year of Kai Zheng, as introduced by Situ Lei.

Second, he renamed Jade Plate City to Jade Capital City.

Third, he harshly criticized Situ Lei for his crimes of patricide and treachery against his brother. Situ Yi claimed that his own previous act of raising an army was to punish the unrighteous, clean up the Situ Family, and set things right. His decision to allow the wild people to enter the passes was also for the purpose of borrowing their troops.

Fourth, his brother Situ Jiong was named King of Wang River.

Fifth, Gou Moli (the Wild People King's true name) was named Grand Protector-General of the Snow Plain, in charge of all matters in the Snow Plain area.

Sixth, he harshly criticized his nephew Situ Yu, the "false emperor" of Ying Capital City, for betraying his country for personal glory. Situ Yu had handed over the ancestral lands and the territory of the Jin people to Yan State. Situ Yi called on the people of the Three Jin to rise up and expel the Yan people from Jin land.

Seventh, upon the new Emperor's ascension, a general pardon was granted to "all under heaven."

This news quickly spread and, through various channels of communication, soon appeared on General Zheng's desk.

The Blind Man pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, apart from the seventh edict, which is rather laughable, the other six are quite pointed."

The general pardon was indeed absurd. After all, the areas controlled by the rebels had already been ravaged beyond redemption by the wild people. So, who exactly would be pardoned?

The other six edicts, however, served to legitimize his inheritance of his younger brother's "legacy" and establish his own orthodox and legal status, thereby seeking the support and goodwill of the Situ Family's influential members. These moves, though psychologically grating for the "new emperor," yielded tangible benefits.

Furthermore, the Wild People King, who was merely conferred as the Grand Protector-General of the Snow Plain, maintained an incredibly low profile in the new dynasty. It was clear to any discerning eye that the two brothers, Situ Yi and Situ Jiong, were merely pawns in the Wild People King's hands, much like Wong Tianhai in later generations. Yet, the Wild People King actively retreated behind the scenes, allowing the spotlight to fall on the two brothers.

"My lord," the Blind Man continued, "it appears the Wild People King is not simply being patient; he plans to squeeze these two jesters completely dry, down to their very marrow."

Zheng Fan nodded, his hands crossed, and said, "Actually, they might have originally planned to hold the coronation ceremony in Ying Capital City. However, they were thwarted by a counter-offensive from Situ Lei just before his death, forcing them to hold the ceremony on the east bank of the Wang River instead."

The effect was naturally much worse than if it had been held in Ying Capital City. It also showed that if not for Situ Lei's great victory just before his death, the situation in Cheng State might have truly deteriorated to an irreparable state.

These edicts alone indicate that those two jesters still have some substance and possess a degree of political astuteness.

"Yes, my lord," the Blind Man said. "As it stands, this so-called new Dacheng nation is just a grasshopper in late autumn; its days are numbered."

"No." Zheng Fan immediately shook his head. "Blind Man, don't you also think that the wild people's army has been a bit too low-profile since entering the passes?"

"Perhaps the Wild People King initially planned to enter the passes, loot, and then retreat? In any case, this time they entered the passes, they obtained a large number of people and vast amounts of resources, including many artisans and other skilled individuals. They've already made a huge profit. What they're likely thinking now is to preserve their strength. I believe the Wild People King's final bottom line is probably Snow Sea Pass. As long as Snow Sea Pass isn't lost, he's guaranteed to win." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Zheng Fan shook his head and said, "Blind Man, I don't see it that way."

"My lord, do you think the Wild People King has grander ambitions?"

"Yes. Remember when Dorgon first entered the passes, many people also thought they were just there to plunder and would retreat beyond the passes again, as they had many times before. Even many nobles and ministers of the Qing court thought so. But human desire is insatiable. Especially for the wild people, this is truly a once-in-a-century opportunity. I don't believe they will give it up, nor do I believe that the Wild People King would be content to lead his tribe back to the Snow Plain. Once they return to the Snow Plain, if they want to come back again and wait for another internal conflict in Jin land, who knows how long that would take?"

"However, my lord, I really don't understand how the Wild People King could turn the tables. Right now, the idea that the Eldest Prince is arrogant and underestimates his enemy doesn't hold up."

"Shall we take a gamble?"

"I concede."

"Then it's no fun."

"These past few days, my lord, I've been organizing lectures every night. I've told the soldiers about the immense effort and resources you have expended to support them. I've also told them that our current good days in Shengle are unlikely to last much longer unless we encounter a war—a war that we must win decisively. I am already betting that your judgment, my lord, is correct. I've also given the soldiers some advance knowledge of the situation, so that when war truly breaks out in the near future, their fighting spirit will be even stronger."

"You've worked hard."

"It's no hardship for me, my lord. Siniang is the one who has truly worked hard. We are willing to gamble with you, my lord. It's just that... my lord, our reserves really can't last much longer. If we lose this gamble and still want to continue playing, our only options will be to reduce our forces or switch to a policy of military agricultural settlements."

"I know." Zheng Fan nodded.