Chapter 162 - 135: Crowned King
Chapter 162: Chapter 135: Crowned King
In Yunhui Hall of the Imperial Palace, Xiao Shi was already seated.
An array of delicacies was laid out on the table before her.
This wasn’t a place for court officials to assemble. On ordinary days, just Xiao Shi and her daughter would eat here, so today was, for all intents and purposes, a family banquet.
Aside from an old Eunuch, there was no one else in the hall.
"TAP! TAP!"
The crisp sound of footsteps rang out as Xiao Hua led Lu Yuan inside.
Xiao Shi looked up at the young man before her and couldn’t help but sigh internally. ’He’s really grown up. So much more composed than before.’
Lu Yuan, for his part, had already bowed. "Greetings, Your Majesty."
"Yuan, you’re finally back. Quick, sit down and eat." A smile appeared on Xiao Shi’s face.
But Lu Yuan could see the exhaustion that never quite left her eyes.
Clearly, being the Empress of the Northern Barbarians was no easy task.
Lu Yuan nodded. After he and Xiao Hua sat down on either side of Xiao Shi, the meal began.
The old Eunuch standing to one side poured wine for the three of them.
Seeing Xiao Shi’s rare smile, the old Eunuch’s heart filled with joy. ’Her Majesty hasn’t been this genuinely happy in a very long time.’
Ever since she ascended the throne, everyone said Xiao Shi was as venomous as a snake and merciless in her actions.
She even established the Observatory to police the realm, turning them into her personal hounds. In two years, countless people had died at the hands of these minions.
But this old Eunuch understood the suffering in Xiao Shi’s heart.
A widow and her daughter ascending the throne... Though they had the backing of the imperial clan, many still coveted the throne, feigning loyalty while plotting in the shadows. If they hadn’t acted with such ruthless strength, they would have been devoured, with not even bone scraps left behind.
Thus, a reputation for being insidious, vicious, tyrannical, and bloodthirsty became Xiao Shi’s best disguise.
She had to protect her daughter, and she had to protect the Xiao Family’s dynasty.
For two years, this persona had been a resounding success. At the very least, it had stabilized the situation in the Imperial City and the surrounding regions.
But in the dead of night, an unconcealable worry would always appear on Xiao Shi’s face.
"Yuan, have some of this," Xiao Shi said, placing a piece of meat in Lu Yuan’s bowl. "It’s stewed with Ancient Spirit Grass and Beast Meat. The meat is not only delicious, but it also provides a great boost to one’s Spiritual Qi."
Lu Yuan didn’t stand on ceremony. He swallowed it in one bite and immediately felt a dense wave of Spiritual Qi spread throughout his body, bringing a sense of comfort he had never experienced before.
Seeing that he wasn’t being reserved, Xiao Shi smiled with relief.
’This child is still the same as ever.’
’He hasn’t grown distant.’
Then she continued, "I’ve been keeping up with what you’ve been through in Dayong these past two years. You’ve truly suffered. But now that you’re here with the Northern Barbarians, you can finally relax. No one can harm you here."
And the Xiao Shi of today certainly had the power to back up that claim.
After having her seal removed, her own power had reached an incredible level.
Moreover, she had an army of a million soldiers at her command.
It was no exaggeration to say...
...that she was one of the most powerful people in the world.
The only ones who could rival her were a handful of other emperors and the masters of a few major sects.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Lu Yuan said, genuinely touched.
Xiao Shi glanced up at him. "You should still call me ’Auntie.’ There are no outsiders here."
"Alright. Then thank you, Auntie," Lu Yuan replied with a smile.
"Mm. From now on, here with the Northern Barbarians, you and Hu’Er can help me handle the affairs of the court. I’ll issue a formal decree tomorrow. Remember to attend the court session," Xiao Shi instructed softly, just like a true elder of the family.
Lu Yuan nodded.
After settling his arrangements, Xiao Shi turned to Xiao Hua and said slowly, "Now that you’re back, you can resume handling the matter with the Shengman. What are your plans for Ancient River Pass?"
"There are no other good options. We can only send men to fight them. The Shengman are savage. They eat raw flesh and drink blood, spend their years fighting beasts, and are violent by nature. Their combat prowess is formidable. The one leading them this time is the chief of a Shengman Wang Division.
"He’s said to be incredibly fierce, with his strength at the Divine Origin Realm. While his troops aren’t considered elite, they’ve all reached the Bone Forging Realm, making them comparable to our own Elite Cavalry," Xiao Hua said, her head bowed.
Ever since her mother had taken the throne, they had never achieved a true victory in a foreign war.
This was one of the reasons so many of her subjects were discontented. If they could just win a decisive battle...
...Xiao Shi’s prestige would soar, which would be an immense help in solidifying her rule over the Northern Barbarians.
But alas, they had no suitable generals. While the imperial clan had plenty of powerful experts, none were talented commanders. The strength they could bring to a Military Array was limited, and war was never a one-man affair.
The Shengman didn’t have any powerful Military Arrays either.
But they were more ferocious than the Northern Barbarian Warriors—more savage and fearless in the face of death. On the battlefield, they fought like wild beasts.
"What are your odds of victory?" Xiao Shi asked, looking at her daughter.
"Less than fifty percent. The numbers on both sides are about equal. Our commanding general, Xiao He, is a Divine Origin Realm expert, but his understanding of Battle Arrays is abysmal. He’d be better off just charging in for a direct fight.
"If it comes to that, we’re bound to end up at a disadvantage," Xiao Hua said slowly.
She was far more mature now than in the past, speaking about matters of the battlefield with a clear and logical head.
Xiao Shi nodded, saying nothing more.
She could only sigh inwardly. ’A loss is a loss. It’s not like we’ve ever won a battle against the Shengman since I took the throne anyway.’
’One more loss won’t make much difference.’
Thus, she simply nodded and said, "Just do your best to minimize our losses. The Manqi Tribe is very unstable right now, and they aren’t far from the Imperial City.
"They control several major cities and have been acting with increasing impunity.
"If we can just manage to hold our ground in this battle, it will be acceptable. But if we lose, I fear these breakaway warlords will become even more brazen."