Chapter 424 - 355: Since No Woman in the World Is as Beautiful as Me, Then Xiao Mo Can Only Choose Me~
Chapter 424: Chapter 355: Since No Woman in the World Is as Beautiful as Me, Then Xiao Mo Can Only Choose Me~
"What would you two think if I were to declare myself emperor?"
Xiao Shi looked at his two sons and asked.
Hearing their father say such a thing, both Xiao Mo and Xiao Yichuan were shocked. They couldn’t help but exchange a glance.
They even wondered if they had misheard, and for a moment, they didn’t know how to react.
"Father, your son believes this is unwise." Xiao Yichuan was the first to step forward and speak.
"Xiao Mo, what do you think?" Xiao Shi’s brows furrowed, a hint of displeasure on his face. He ignored his eldest son and turned to Xiao Mo instead.
"Your son agrees with my elder brother. I also believe this matter is unwise." Xiao Mo also stepped forward, cupping his fist in a salute. "I hope Father will reconsider."
"Oh? Then tell me, why is it unwise?" Xiao Shi asked Xiao Mo with a cold snort.
"To answer Father."
Xiao Mo straightened up, looked directly into Xiao Shi’s eyes, and spoke, one point at a time.
"First, counting my elder brother’s and my generation, our Xiao Family has produced five generations of loyal martyrs. We followed the late emperor to establish the Qin Kingdom and expand its territory. We have since guarded the Northern Wilderness for hundreds of years. How could there be any reason to betray them? If we were to rebel, the other direct and collateral branches of the Xiao Mansion are all in the Imperial City. They would surely be annihilated. What would our ancestors think?"
"Second, the current Sovereign is a wise ruler. Under His Majesty’s reign, peace reigns across the Four Seas of the Qin Kingdom, and the people live and work in contentment. The common folk deeply love and respect His Majesty. If we were to rebel now, it would surely throw the Qin Kingdom into chaos. The people would be displaced, forced to sell their wives and abandon their daughters. What would the common folk think?"
"Third, this campaign against the Wei Kingdom didn’t just involve the soldiers of our Northern Wilderness. His Majesty also dispatched elites from other armies to support us. We have never lacked for provisions, Elixirs, or warhorses. It could be said that the entire nation’s strength was behind us. Even when the Chu Kingdom tore up its treaty and attacked our border, His Majesty never ordered the Northern Wilderness Army to retreat. With His Majesty treating the Northern Wilderness so generously, if we were to rebel, what would our own soldiers think?"
"Fourth, although our Qin Kingdom has annexed the Wei Kingdom and resolved the threat to our north, the five great kingdoms of Qi, Chu, Yan, Jin, and Zhao still exist. The most powerful of them, the Qi Kingdom, is watching us like a tiger watches its prey. Our Qin Kingdom has just been through a major war and needs time to recuperate. If we were to incite a civil war now, what would the other five great kingdoms think? And what schemes would the smaller surrounding states begin to harbor?"
Having stated his reasons, Xiao Mo bowed once more. "Your son again implores Father to reconsider!"
Xiao Yichuan also cupped his fist and bowed, his voice deep. "Yichuan is just a brute. I haven’t read as many books as my third brother, nor am I as eloquent. But my thoughts are the same as his! I hope Father will reconsider!"
Looking at his two sons, Xiao Shi’s eyes narrowed slightly. He said nothing, and the entire hall fell silent.
"Hahahahaha..."
A moment later, Xiao Shi’s laughter echoed through the hall.
Xiao Mo and Xiao Yichuan looked up at their father and saw him let out a deep breath.
"Not bad." Xiao Shi nodded. "I am very pleased that you both think this way."
"Father, what is this?" Xiao Yichuan asked.
"In this great war, our Northern Wilderness Army annihilated the Wei Kingdom, a monumental achievement. Not to mention, by annexing Wei’s former territory, the Northern Wilderness is no longer in danger of being surrounded.
Within the army, some generals have been overtly and covertly trying to persuade me to declare myself emperor, so they could claim the merit of being founding followers.
These men are all intelligent and level-headed when it comes to marching and fighting, but faced with such enormous personal gain, they lost their sense of propriety.
I have already dealt with these generals, some lightly, some severely.
But they can be dealt with. If you two thought that way, what would I do?
You are the two I have the highest hopes for, the ones who will shoulder the future of the Xiao Mansion.
If you thought that way, the future of the Xiao Mansion within the Qin Kingdom, and especially the common people, would be in grave danger.
Fortunately, you did not put me in a difficult position."
Xiao Shi walked down the steps to his sons’ side and clapped them on their shoulders.
"Whether today or tomorrow, you must remember: until the great work of unification is complete, until the reigning Monarch becomes so fatuous and tyrannical that he invites the wrath of both heaven and man, and until our Xiao Mansion suffers persecution, you must never harbor any treacherous thoughts!
Otherwise, the Qin Kingdom will fracture, and the efforts of tens of thousands of soldiers, as well as our kingdom’s thousand-year foundation, will be destroyed in an instant!
Do you understand?"
"Yes!" Xiao Mo and Xiao Yichuan said in unison. "Your sons will remember this always!"
"Good." Xiao Shi nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, go and rest. In four days, we will lead the army back to the capital in triumph."
"Yes."
Xiao Mo and his brother bowed once more before leaving the hall.
After the two of them had left, Xiao Shi was the only one remaining in the great hall.
Turning around, Xiao Shi looked at the high throne.
"Heh. This thing... from ancient times to the present, how many people has it killed."
Xiao Shi gripped his Long Spear and hurled it.
"BOOM!"
A shattering sound echoed from the hall.
The man turned and strode out of the hall.
The Long Spear was embedded deep in the wall.
Moonlight spilled in, casting a clear light on the shattered golden dragon throne.
...
「Four days later.」
Xiao Shi led the army back to the capital in triumph, bearing the Jade Seal of the Wei Kingdom.
On the road home, Xiao Mo felt that everyone’s steps were much quicker, and the atmosphere in the army was far more relaxed than before.
Xiao Shi did not revoke Xiao Mo’s command, allowing him to retain all the troops he had led after conquering the cities.
During the return journey, Xiao Shi made a point of inspecting the army led by Xiao Mo.
Although they were all part of the Northern Wilderness Army and had all been trained by Xiao Shi before, he discovered that under Xiao Mo’s leadership, this division had become sharper and carried themselves with greater pride.
Even the surrendered soldiers from the Wei Kingdom treated Xiao Mo with the utmost respect.
After returning to the Northern Wilderness and distributing rewards within the scope of his authority, Xiao Shi left the main Northern Wilderness Army behind. He returned to the Imperial City with only the other Qin soldiers who had reinforced them and a symbolic contingent of five hundred Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry.
Furthermore, these five hundred Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry were all Covered Iron Cavalry selected from Xiao Mo’s own forces.
「Several months later.」
Outside the Imperial Capital City of Qin, the Sovereign of Qin personally came out of the city to welcome Xiao Shi.
The Sovereign of Qin pulled Xiao Shi into the Dragon Chariot, and they talked to their hearts’ content.
For some reason, the Sovereign of Qin was suddenly in high spirits and had Xiao Mo and the five hundred Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry march at the very front of the military formation, wearing their Asura masks.
None of the other generals had any objection to this.
Xiao Mo held the primary credit for the annihilation of Wei.
Xiao Mo could only obey and lead the army from the front.
Seeing Xiao Mo and the Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry, the city’s citizens all cheered his name.
Halfway through the city, the Sovereign of Qin had Xiao Mo and the Snow-Trampling Dragon Cavalry remove their masks.
Xiao Mo was speechless. ’His Majesty is really just like his younger brother,’ he thought.
"Entire army, unmask."
Xiao Mo gave the order, and the entire contingent removed their masks.
Instantly, the women in the city screamed even louder. Some were so excited they fainted on the spot.
Meanwhile, in a courtyard within the Princess’s Mansion, a confined young woman was embroidering a shoe.
Hearing the shouts from outside, the young woman lifted her head and looked beyond the courtyard.
Standing nearby, Hua Sheng also looked toward Vermilion Bird Avenue and smiled. "After this war with the Wei Kingdom, Young Master Xiao’s fame is not just confined to our Qin Kingdom. This servant has heard that in the other Allied States, there are also women who long to catch a glimpse of him.
Young Master Xiao is so popular with the ladies.
Isn’t the Princess worried?"
"Well, in Sister Hua Sheng’s opinion, are there any women in the world more beautiful than me?" Qin Siyao asked Sister Hua Sheng.
Hua Sheng was slightly taken aback, then shook her head and answered truthfully, "Indeed, there are not."
"Then there’s no problem, is there?"
Qin Siyao’s eyes curved into crescents.
"Since no woman in the world is more beautiful than me, Xiao Mo can only choose me~"