"Long live the Emperor!"
All of the clans completely submitted, becoming a part of Dawu.
Even if they didn't want to submit, they had no choice, Chu Yuan's power already ruled above them. The death of the Sect Master of Daquan terrified them, and Qing Yunzi's surrender completely crushed their last resistance.
At this moment, all the strong clan members in the camp knelt before Chu Yuan, worshipping their emperor.
"I didn't expect His Majesty to be so powerful, even managing to subdue so many clans in the Southwestern State. The strength of Dawu couldn't be compared even when the previous emperor was alive."
Lu Qianfu exclaimed, everything was like a dream, happening in just a few months.
"No need for the long faces. The establishment of your clans in the Southwestern State was merely to attempt god ascension, but who among you has ascended in the past centuries? My Imperial Dynasty possesses resources beyond your imagination, pledging your loyalty to me is your opportunity."
Seeing the long faces of these clan powerhouses, Chu Yuan spoke indifferently.
"Ding! The host has completed the second choice, earned 100 Destiny Points, the progress of forging the War God's Grasp is at 10%, current progress 90%."
Chu Yuan saw the system's prompt and was still 10% away from the completion of the War God's Grasp.
"Your Majesty, how should we handle the Southwestern State next?" Lu Qianfu asked.
"All clans are to disperse on the spot, the name of the Southwestern State will not change, but establish Linhai County as its county town with its prefecture located within."
Chu Yuan ordered: "Record all clan powerhouses above the soul-forging realm, integrate them into the clan army for now and wait for further instructions. Although all sects are now part of Dawu, the common people here do not know yet.
Thus, send people to distribute posters, promulgate the laws of Dawu, set up various institutions, we need to assimilate the Southwestern State as quickly as possible."
After hearing the order, all the clan powerhouses knew that their era was over, they could no longer show off their power and must obey the Emperor's commands.
Assimilating the local population here is not difficult, this place is a clan city without much sense of belonging, simply changing the rule from the clan to the imperial dynasty.
Whose side to follow, if not following someone?
"Your Majesty, the Thunderbird has returned!"
Suddenly, Zilin Thunder Dragon spoke.
In the distance, a flash of light could be seen coming rapidly. Upon closer examination, it was a bird only marginally larger than a palm, but with a cultivation level of Ninth Layer Divine Abilities, it was the scout Chu Yuan left in the Wanshou Mountain Range.
"The Thunderbird is here, it seems that something big has happened in Dawu."
The Thunderbird's speed was fast. Chu Yuan left it in the Wanshou Mountain Range to monitor the situation of the Imperial City. Its hurried return obviously meant something big had happened.
"Your Majesty, enlighten me!"
The Thunderbird spoke in clear human speech: "Reporting to Your Majesty, just a few days ago, a large number of troops suddenly appeared around the Imperial City. Now they have surrounded the Imperial City, and I also saw that the Great General and the Prime Minister have rebelled, attacking the city now."
"They actually rebelled?" Lu Qianfu exclaimed in surprise.
"It isn't surprising. I led the troops away from the Imperial City, not returning for some time. Shangguan Qingyun couldn't stay calm, knowing that, as time went on, their rebellion would be exposed by me, so it's better to strike first, seizing the Imperial City is undoubtedly the smartest move.
They probably thought I was either dead or heavily injured fighting the beasts, licking my wounds somewhere."
Chu Yuan seemed to see through everything, his face unchanged, as if everything was within his expectations: "As for the armies, these are nothing more than the ennobled vassal lords, stirred up, likely led by King Wei Wu. If I'm not mistaken, the borderlands should also be in conflict simultaneously."
"Internal strife and external troubles, fighting on both sides, is indeed a smart move."
"Time, they don't want to give me time. After all, I'm too frightening to them."
Chu Yuan saw through everything.
"Your Majesty, the siege of the Imperial City is of utmost urgency. If the city were to fall and the rebels move in, things would become complicated. Even with our semi-spiritual elites, it would be difficult to penetrate the city with its fortified defenses."
Lu Qianfu seriously added, "Moreover, the Imperial City is the hub of the Imperial Dynasty. Once it falls, it's akin to our empire being extinguished!"
"You're right, we can't afford to lose the Imperial City," Chu Yuan said. "No one understands the city's defenses better than I. It won't be easy for them to break through, but the harm to people's morale and the whole country of Dawu's unrest would indeed be significant."
"My concern isn't so much about the city falling, but more about rumours. The hearts and minds of the people are most terrifying," Lu Qianfu replied. "If your majesty were stationed at the hub, even millions of soldiers would not be able to penetrate the Imperial City. But with you currently far away in the southwestern provinces, they spread rumours that no one is in charge.
The one million soldiers of the Forbidden Army and government soldiers alone will not be able to hold the city. Therefore, I suggest we immediately withdraw our troops and return to the capital to crush the revolt and get rid of them once and for all!"
He was not afraid that the divine army would fail to quell the revolt, but worried that the entire city would descend into chaos before it fell.
"Lord Loyal and Brave, although the siege on the Imperial City is urgent, it is exactly what I'd like to see. I intentionally gave them this opportunity, so they'd take action themselves. Otherwise, it would have been somewhat troublesome for me to deal with them. You don't need to follow me back.
Although the Hundred Sects Alliance have pledged their loyalty, the hearts and minds of the people have not yet been won. You should stay here and continue to ingratiate yourself with the citizens."
Chu Yuan slowly turned his gaze towards the whispering elite warriors of the Hundred Sects Alliance. Upon hearing news of Dawu's unrest, they became anxious. "All of you heads of your respective sects will drop your own blood essence into my chessboard."
He took out the War Army Chessboard.
Although there were already one hundred thousand people on the chessboard, he had lost three hundred in the battle with the Liuyun Sect. Those spots were now to be filled by these people.
Chu Yuan incorporated them into the War Army Chessboard. Although he didn't completely control their lives and deaths, if anyone dared to harbor thoughts of rebellion, he would immediately detect it and suppress them.
"Lord Loyal and Brave, I shall lead the army back to the Imperial City to quell the rebellion. As for the affairs of the southwestern provinces, I will leave them to you. Should anyone dare to make trouble behind our backs, show no mercy."
With a wave of Chu Yuan's hand, the elites of the Hundred Sects Alliance, along with the hundred-thousand-strong divine army, entered the War Army Chessboard.
He took the elites of the Hundred Sects Alliance away, but left several hundred thousand fierce beasts for Lu Qianfu. With Lu Qianfu's ability, he would be more than capable of handling the aftermath in the southwestern provinces.
Subsequently, he crushed a one-time teleportation charm (midgrade), and his entire being was pulled in by a powerful spatial force, disappearing from his original location.
At this moment, in Dawu's Imperial City.
Originally bustling with activity, a vast plain now surrounded the towering city, heavily bombarded by great mana from all around. Several million soldiers clustered together like locusts, completely surrounding the Imperial City and relentlessly attacking it.
With Chu Yuan absent and having not returned to the Imperial City for more than half a month, no one was in charge. This group of people could no longer restrain themselves.
The army did not fly Dawu's banner, instead, they unfurled flags bearing the emblems of various lords - the very eighteen lord-kings who were titled during the founding of Dawu.
The eighteen lord-kings, who had long been preparing and colluding with the Grand Marshal and Prime Minister, chose this time to act both within and outside the city, sparking a battle for the capital.
Thousands upon thousands of cannons were pushed out, interspersed with some divine device cannons, which kept bombarding the solid city walls tirelessly.
Huge fireballs were also catapulted over by trebuchets.
Additionally, there were enormous crossbows, aimed at the soldiers guarding the city walls. Their bolts were fired in such an overwhelming flurry that virtually all kinds of siege weaponry had been deployed.
This time, their preparation was thorough, and their timing was impeccable.
After all, Chu Yuan was not present. He had journeyed to the Wanshou Mountain Range.
"Conquer Wudou, seize the royal family, reward the first to breach the city with a noble title of Ten-thousand Households, and slake your treasures from the royal palace at will!"
The battle began, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers launched the siege war!