The Demon Lords-Chapter 631 - 110: The Funeral_4

"My greatest regret in this life is never having had the chance to meet you, to drink strong wine and sing with abandon together; only that would have done justice to a life of such heroism..."

In the imperial edict, the Yan Emperor first expressed his profound regret over Situ Lei's passing. Indeed, these two seemed to share an unspoken affinity.

Next came the crucial part.

"By special decree, Situ Yu, former monarch of Cheng State and now Lord of Cheng State, is hereby enfeoffed as Prince Cheng. He shall eternally preside over Ying Capital City, his title to be inherited without interruption. He shall, for Great Yan and for all of Zhuxia, guard the eastern frontier!"

The ministers present were momentarily stunned. A Prince?

When Emperor Jin submitted to Yan, he was merely granted the title Duke of Jin. Yet, the Lord of Cheng State was directly made a Prince by the Yan Emperor. Such an honor was undeniably significant. It was well known that the Yan people were exceedingly frugal with their noble titles; precisely because of this frugality, such a title was all the more precious.

Most importantly, the Yan Emperor had not summoned Situ Yu to Yanjing to live in honorary retirement. Instead, he was granted a fiefdom in Ying Capital City with a hereditary title, which preserved the original structure of the Situ Family to the greatest possible extent. Not only would Situ Yu retain real power, but these former civil and military officials of Cheng State could also largely keep their positions.

Even Sun Youdao couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion at this moment. The Yan Emperor, whom he had never met, truly possessed immense magnanimity. That dominance... it was genuinely awe-inspiring. No wonder the late emperor had once expressed similar sentiments on his deathbed.

"Respect this decree! Everyone, you may rise."

The ministers, facing the Eldest Prince, cried out in unison, "We thank Your Majesty for your boundless grace! Long live our Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

The Eldest Prince, holding the imperial edict, raised it towards the west and declared, "May His Majesty be well."

And so, the matter was considered concluded. Although many minor details remained unclear, with the overall direction set, these finer points would soon be resolved. Henceforth, they all needed to unite, quell the rebellion, and drive the wild people from the lands of the Three Jin.

Sun Youdao also heaved a long sigh of relief. The process of annexation had been far smoother and more amicable than he had imagined, even exceeding the best-case scenario he had envisioned.

He then stepped forward with a bell and struck it three times.

The late emperor's coffin was to be formally transported for burial in the imperial mausoleum.

At this moment, the Eldest Prince and Li Fusheng voluntarily walked to the front of the coffin, taking their place in the first row, much to the astonishment of the surrounding civil and military officials. A prince of Yan and a great general of Yan, they willingly shouldered the wooden carrying poles of the coffin.

The Eldest Prince shouted, "Raise the coffin!"

Sun Youdao was so moved his eyes welled with tears. Seeing others still dazed, he immediately bellowed, "Raise the coffin!"

The funeral procession was vast.

In the rain, at the very head of those carrying the coffin, was Situ Yu, the former ruler of Cheng State and now Prince Cheng of Yan. As the filial son, he led the way. Behind him, the Eldest Prince of Yan helped carry the coffin.

Once the funeral procession passed through the palace gates, wherever it went, the common people lining the roads knelt, their cries shaking the heavens. It seemed that all the fear and unease suppressed in their hearts for so many days was unleashed at this moment.

Along with the funeral procession, an era passed by—an era in the land of the Three Jin that had belonged to the Situ Family.

Many years later, the people of Ying Capital City would not forget that rainy day: the late emperor's funeral, a prince of Yan carrying the coffin, and tens of thousands of Black Armor cavalry from the Northern Army lined up, all with white mourning bands on their arms.

It was as if, in the unseen world, one could still hear the late emperor's roar before he rode into battle: "If it comes to a battle to the death, the Situ Family shall be the first to fall!"

---

On the eastern bank of the Wang River, within Jade Capital City, the new emperor, Situ Yi, along with his new court officials, were engrossed in lavish celebrations and banquets. Astute observers noticed the absence of the wild people at the feast. However, even those who noticed wouldn't dare inquire publicly. Instead, they joined the monarch even more fervently in celebrating the downfall of that 'young phoenix' of the Situ Family.

「Outside Jade Capital City.」

The Wild People's King, Gou Moli, knelt before an offering table. On the table lay only a platter of fruit, a dish of cold food, a pot of wine, and two half-burnt, drooping incense sticks—a remarkably austere offering.

Gou Moli faced the offering table. After three solemn kowtows, he rose silently. Behind him stood his formidable generals: Sang Hu, A'lai, Geremu, and others.

Gou Moli raised his head and let out a booming chant: "OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH! OH!!!!!!!!!!"

This was the wild people's way of mourning and sending off the deceased. They believed that through their cries, the soul of the departed would be guided into the depths of the stars to enjoy supreme glory.

The world knew only that Situ Lei had suffered early defeats and mismanaged his subordinates, leading to the wild people breaching the pass. But no one knew that, in the eyes of this Wild People's King, if the head of the Situ Family had not been Situ Lei—who had committed patricide, forcibly seized power, and then led the grand army north—his sacred tribe's entry through the pass would have been countless times easier.

The century of forbearance by the wild people, coupled with their king's years of preparation, had unleashed a truly terrifying power. Consider that even Tian Wujing, after sweeping through the Snow Sea region, chose to withdraw his forces rather than press further east. If there truly was such a thing as a heavenly mandate in this world, then the wild people's mandate had indeed arrived, just as the Jade Order had prophesied.

But the glittering historical annals would record only four words: victory for kings, defeat for outlaws.

Posterity would only remember that Situ Lei failed to hold Snow Sea Pass. They would never know that without him, the breach would have torn open far more quickly, the collapse far more devastating.

The Wild People's King let out a long sigh. "Old foe, you are gone. May the stars protect your soul and grant you peace."

Behind him, the many wild people generals also placed their right hands on their left chests. "May the stars protect your soul."

The Wild People's King squatted down, gazing at the waters of the Wang River before him. "So, next, I face that 'cub' from Yan, eh? A 'cub' as cunning as an old fox. That Yan prince... he's quite somebody."

But then, the Wild People's King abruptly snatched a handful of mud from the ground before him, clenching it tightly in his fist. He laughed, saying, "To think he'd ignore the Southern Marquis and send a mere 'cub' to face me! Emperor of Yan, I, this king, guarantee it: you will pay for your disdain! And Yan will pay for it too!"

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I enjoyed writing this chapter very much.