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Amidst fierce cannon fire, Chen Xinran launched an attack on Bingzhou City.
Now that Prince Liang had raised an army to attack Prince Qi, with all of Liang’s elites dispatched, the various prefectures and counties within Liang were lightly garrisoned, with only a small number of defenders in each city.
Therefore, even though their large army was spotted by scouts upon entering Liang, Prince Liang did not gather troops to meet them in battle.
Among the many vassal states, Prince Yong’s state was not considered prosperous, but relatively speaking, the Yong army’s soldiers, having defended against barbarians for years, had their own rugged strengths.
Even when Liang had used its full national strength, it had only fought Prince Yong to a stalemate. Now, facing the overwhelming attack of the Yong army, Liang was completely unable to resist.
The artillery first shattered the city gate of Bingzhou. At this moment, Chen Xinran shouted, “Soldiers, charge! The first to enter the city will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver! After entering the city, looting is permitted!”
Under such heavy rewards, the Yong army soldiers roared and charged towards Bingzhou City. Chen Xinran’s order, which condoned looting, also drove these soldiers, who usually lacked military pay and lived in extreme poverty, into a frenzy.
The Yongzhou army launched simultaneous attacks from all four city gates. The Bingzhou army, originally numbering only 3,000, was dispersed and utterly unable to withstand the fierce assault of over 100,000 Yongzhou troops. Soon, the Yongzhou army surged into this city located between Prince Yong’s fiefdom and Liang.
The Yongzhou soldiers who entered Bingzhou City quickly swarmed onto the city walls, killing the resisting Bingzhou soldiers one by one. At the same time, most of the Yongzhou soldiers began to plunder indiscriminately within the city.
Chen Xinran rode his horse into Bingzhou City. He looked indifferently at the plundering soldiers. The provisions Xiao Ming provided were only enough for them to take Bingzhou City. If they were to take other prefectures and counties, they would have to find a way to raise their own provisions.
It was precisely for this reason that he condoned the soldiers’ looting, as it was the quickest way to solve the provision problem.
Having taken Bingzhou City, Chen Xinran turned his gaze towards Fenzhou. This was his next target. Beyond Fenzhou lay Yanzhou, and after Yanzhou was Liang Capital, where Prince Liang’s mansion was located.
Just as Chen Xinran effortlessly took Bingzhou, Prince Liang’s mansion in Liang Capital was in chaos.
News of Prince Yong’s sudden military advance across the border had reached here, and Prince Liang was greatly alarmed upon learning this.
“How could Prince Yong send troops!”
Prince Liang still couldn’t believe it. After Xiao Ming took Wei, he believed Prince Yong would be very wary of Xiao Ming, but now things were developing in an unpredictable direction.
“Your Highness, this old subordinate said we should be wary of Prince Yong attacking. But Your Highness stubbornly believed the Second Prince’s words. Now that the state’s forces are depleted, Liang is doomed.”
Prince Liang’s face was ashen. At that time, some civil officials advised him to ally with Yan and first destroy Prince Yong, then slowly deal with Qi. However, the envoy from Yan, coupled with the Second Prince’s persuasion, ultimately swayed him.
Because Prince Yan promised him that after taking Liang Capital, he would divide Yong and the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan-Yun with him, equally sharing the conquered cities. But now, not a single city had been gained, and Liang’s cities were being seized by Prince Yong.
“My dear ministers, what should we do now?” Prince Liang also lost his composure.
“Your Highness, you should immediately order the Second Prince to lead the troops back, otherwise, it will be too late to regret!” The officials said urgently.
Prince Liang wiped the sweat from his forehead. This time, a single oversight could lead to the collapse of his state. He said, “Immediately order the Second Prince to lead the troops back!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
While the battle in Yunzhou City raged on, Xiao Ming’s enthronement ceremony was also held in Qingzhou City. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾·𝗇𝖾𝗍
In the days leading up to the enthronement, Qingzhou’s newspapers continuously publicized Xiao Ming’s ascension to the common people in various prefectures. At the same time, the details of the Chang’an chaos were also fully exposed in the newspapers.
The Crown Prince assassinating the emperor, Prince Zhao usurping the throne, Empress Zhao and the Thirteenth Prince being forced to ascend the throne by Prince Zhao—all these details were meticulously laid out, causing a huge stir in Qingzhou City.
Besides exposing Prince Zhao’s rebellious acts, the newspapers also announced the matter of the imperial edict, proving that Xiao Ming’s ascension was in accordance with the imperial mandate.
The common people of the state were naturally overjoyed by Xiao Ming’s enthronement, for it meant that the wise prince in their eyes would become an emperor who would bless the world. From then on, their lives would be well-fed and prosperous under the protection of this emperor.
So on the day of the enthronement, large numbers of common people spontaneously poured into Qingzhou City. They were all jubilant and excited, shouting “Long live the new emperor!” and eagerly awaiting the start of the enthronement ceremony.
The smiles on the faces of Qingzhou merchants were no less than those of the common people. Under Xiao Ming’s rule, their status had been greatly elevated, and they believed that in the near future, Qingzhou would be even more suitable for merchants to live and work.
Similarly pleased were the formerly low-status artisans. Now, their status was not only not low but was gradually becoming equal to that of scholars.
The only ones displeased were probably the Confucian scholars who had offended Xiao Ming. They were now trembling with fear, keeping their tails tucked, not daring to speak recklessly on such a day, otherwise, they might truly be beaten to death by the enraged common people.
After all, Xiao Ming was now considered by the common people to be the true Son of Heaven, and even the reincarnation of the barefoot immortal from the upper realm sent by Heaven to save all living beings.
In Prince Qi’s mansion, Xiao Ming burst out laughing upon learning of the rumors spreading among the common people in the city.
He looked at Fei Ji, who stood silently to one side, and said, “Elder Fei Ji, this must be your doing, right?”
Three days ago, Fei Ji had submitted a memorial to him, speaking of deifying him. At that time, Xiao Ming was reviewing news from the Yunzhou City battle. Seeing that it was not a major issue and not wanting to argue with Fei Ji about it, he dismissed him and told him to discuss it with Pang Yukun, meaning that if the two agreed, they could proceed.
But now, it seemed Pang Yukun had clearly agreed.
Pang Yukun smiled, “Your Highness, this is a rule from all dynasties. Now that Your Highness is ascending the throne, historians must write biographies for Your Highness, and this also benefits Your Highness in unifying the Great Yu Empire, after all, the common people of the Great Yu Empire still believe in this.”
Xiao Ming felt somewhat helpless upon hearing this, but he thought about it and realized that it indeed seemed beneficial to him at this stage. Besides fabricating the reincarnation of a barefoot immortal, Fei Ji had also concocted a story about a true dragon appearing in the sky at his birth.
“Yes, Your Highness, I am also utterly loyal,” Fei Ji said with a smile. In terms of flattery, he was still top-notch.
Xiao Ming shook his head and said, “It’s getting late. Let’s start the enthronement ceremony quickly. The battle in Yunzhou is tense, and I fear there might be an unexpected turn of events.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Pang Yukun and Fei Ji both responded in unison.
With that, the two bowed simultaneously and said loudly, “Please, His Royal Highness Prince Qi, enter the hall for the ceremony.”
Xiao Ming nodded, took the elegantly dressed Fei Yuer by the hand, and ascended the imperial carriage. Under the protection of guards, they headed towards the Qingzhou government office, which was now temporarily serving as the Council Hall.