Chapter 70: I, I, I Really Want to Be Emperor! I Dream of It! - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

Chapter 70: I, I, I Really Want to Be Emperor! I Dream of It! [Having said this, the Xiongnu Khan doesn't wait for your reaction and directly drapes the imperial robe over your shoulders.] [The other Xiongnu present begin to applaud.] "Great!" "This outfit suits you perfectly!" "Truly worthy of royal lineage!" "Ever since the Third Prince married Princess Ayna, our steppe has become legitimate!" "Yes, the hard days for the people of the steppe are finally over!" "......" [Everyone is excitedly discussing, their eyes alight with hope.] [At this moment, what do you choose?] [Option one: Tell the Xiongnu Khan that you are absolutely eager to be the emperor.] [Option two: Angrily take off the imperial robe and declare to everyone that you steadfastly refuse to become this emperor.] [Option three: For the sake of Xiao Huang, cautiously reveal to the crowd your reluctance to be emperor.] ...... Faced with these unexpected choices, Su Mo quickly considers them. The second and third options are untenable. He's been given such a great opportunity; not choosing the first option would be an insult to the Su royal bloodline. Heaven's gift not taken will bring its own demise. Su Mo decisively selects the first option. [You look at the jubilant crowd, your eyes suddenly brimming with tears.] [You half-kneel before the Xiongnu Khan.] "Khan, Khan, I, I, I am so desperate to become the emperor! I dream of it!" "If the Khan can help me reclaim the Great Zhou, I will share the world with the Khan!" [Hearing your sincere promise and seeing your overwhelming excitement, the Khan is reassured.] "Dear son-in-law, why call me Khan? It feels distant, doesn't it?" [Prompted by his words, you immediately change your address.] "Father!" "Father!" "I will not disappoint father's trust!" "I will reclaim the Great Zhou empire!" "The steppe and Great Zhou will become one, and you will be the Heavenly Khan then!" [Upon hearing the words "Heavenly Khan," the Xiongnu Khan breathes heavily.] "Hahaha, good, good, splendid!" "I am the Heavenly Khan, and you, son-in-law, will be the Great Zhou Emperor!" [It seems the mood is infectious, as all the Xiongnu raise their voices in exuberant cheer.] "Heavenly Khan!" "Heavenly Khan!" "Heavenly Khan!" "......" [Things develop unexpectedly smoothly, and by that afternoon, the Xiongnu army is ready to march.] [To your surprise, the Xiongnu are going all out, bringing forth almost everything they've got.] [Even Xiongnu women are mobilized for logistical support, with some donning military attire.] [Life on the steppe is harsh.] [It's nothing compared to the prosperity of Great Zhou.] [This isn't a simple raid; it's a complete occupation.] [These Xiongnu women intend to settle in Great Zhou and perpetuate their lineage there.] [By the third day of your arrival with the Xiongnu, the army sets out.] [It seems they had prepared in advance, as the Xiongnu soldiers show no sign of panic and are full of vigor.] [You also issue a declaration of rebellion against the traitors to the entire world.] "I, Su Mo, am the third prince of Emperor Deji. Since ancient times, the Su royal family has carried the heavenly mandate, ruling the world with benevolence, bringing kindness to all." "Yet the treacherous Xiao clan harbors ambitions, instigating chaos, plunging the nation into turmoil, leaving the masses in despair." "To uphold the crumbling empire, I, Su Mo, the third prince of the Su clan, today forge a blood alliance with the tribes of the steppe to jointly punish the rebels and reclaim the imperial throne." "Hereby declaring to all righteous warriors, that when necessary, you may act decisively, achieve great deeds, rally the forces of benevolence and righteousness, and jointly eradicate the entire treacherous Xiao clan!" "Restore the Su clan's realm, may the world know this!" ...... [Your proclamation causes a stir throughout the entire Great Zhou.] [Many former ministers of the previous dynasty and large noble families who failed in the last war begin to secretly align, preparing to welcome your army.] [Meanwhile, the Xiao royal family condemns Xiao Huang's decisions.] [For her actions, though extreme, perfectly addressed the prince's lack of military power and the Xiongnu's lack of legitimacy.] [But Xiao Huang seemed to have anticipated this.] [Leaving just one sentence in her wake.] "Weren't you all in agreement back then?" [She knows, if you weren't to rebel, then her second uncle would. So, better to allow you.] [By aiding you, she aids herself.] [Under external pressure, the Xiao royal family successfully strips Xiao Huang of her power, confining her to the palace with no chance to step outside.] [Unaware of palace affairs, you focus solely on the conflicts between the Xiongnu and the Great Zhou armies.] [Due to the surprise nature of the attack, these armies were ill-prepared, and the Xiongnu easily overpowered them.] [Furthermore, with you, the former third prince, among them, defeated soldiers felt no psychological burden in surrendering, instead believing they might achieve great deeds following you.] [Your status continues to exert influence, attracting various loyal individuals, noble families, and former ministers to rally to your cause.] [Your grandfather, Li Jinglong, also seamlessly joins your camp.] [As a battle-hardened general, he significantly boosts your army's combat prowess.] [Quickly, more than half of Great Zhou's lands are successfully captured.] [Yet you encounter the same problem the Xiao royal family once faced.] [The defense of the capital and several nearby major cities is extremely formidable, almost impenetrable.] [A drawn-out siege ensues.] [Initially, you thought you might only persuade the Xiao royal family to surrender, but you underestimated your influence.] [After merely a month of stalemate, citizens and martial artists within the city rebelled, decapitating the commanding generals.] [Soon, the entire Great Zhou has only the capital left unconquered.] [Everyone knows the Xiao royal family's time is over, with soldiers and generals in the capital growing increasingly unsettled.] [But Xiao Zhan, as their leader, quickly detects this and immediately executes several as a deterrent.] [He has set the stage, determined to defend the capital to the last.] [Meanwhile, Xiao Zhan secretly raises a group of deathly loyal assassins, believing if they can kill you, they could instantly reverse the situation.] [Those loyal to the previous dynasty and noble families would have no leader to rally around.] [Even if it leads to widespread power struggles, Xiao Zhan may yet rise amidst the chaos.] ...... "Yuniang, did you say Xiao Zhan is preparing to send someone to assassinate me?" [Inside the camp.] [Analyzing the current military situation, you are suddenly interrupted by Yu Luonang entering with the Five Ghosts.] [She brings shocking news.] [Upon your inquiry, Yu Luonang nods.] "Yes, sir. I learned this after sending in the Five Ghosts; that group comprises the top experts among mortals." "Even typical practitioners of the Tao or Buddhism dare not oppose them." [Despite hearing this, you remain calm.] "Yuniang, what about you?" "I remember you possess an artifact called the 'Net of the Seven Emotions and Six Desires,' capable of controlling others' emotions." "With so many casualties recently, I suspect you've been secretly absorbing some of that dissipated energy, haven't you?" [Yu Luonang giggles softly.] "There's no hiding anything from you, sir." "I came here to protect you." "The area around the camp is now covered by my 'Net of the Seven Emotions and Six Desires.' Should anyone intrude, I can immediately manipulate their emotions." "However, among those assassins, there is a Taoist named Ye Zhiqiu. I heard he's slain many demons before. If he comes, I may not be able to handle him." [The mention of a Taoist surprises you.] [Previously aware of Yu Luonang's 800 years of cultivation, the fact that even she fears Ye Zhiqiu suggests he's a formidable Taoist.] "Does my power work on him?" [Yu Luonang shakes her head.] "I'm unsure, sir. It might work, or it might not." [This response leads to regrets about not honing your abilities.] "What about the Xiongnu's shamans?" Hearing this, Yu Luonang shook her head vigorously like a rattle drum. "That's impossible, sir. Those spirits would flee at the sight of a master like that." With no other options, you called for your grandfather, Li Jinglong, and informed him of the situation to seek his advice. Li Jinglong was nonchalant, assuring you he would handle Ye Zhiqiu himself. Watching your elderly grandfather, you couldn't help but silently doubt. No matter how skilled, could he really handle such a formidable Taoist? Holding onto the hope of a desperate measure, you wrote 108 characters for “kill” to form a celestial and terrestrial alignment, posting them throughout your tent’s interior. If any demon bore killing intent towards you, these characters would activate instantly. Nightfall arrived quickly. You dared not sleep, but your grandfather, Li Jinglong, stood spiritedly at the door, clutching his large sword. Yu Luonang and the Five Ghosts were positioned outside, prepared to eliminate the mortal experts first. In the dead of night, screams and shouts of soldiers rang out from outside, accompanied by the clashing of weapons. However, you knew the soldiers couldn’t possibly stand against those skilled mortals; surely, it was Yu Luonang controlling them to fight amongst themselves. Eventually, the noise ceased, and a Taoist robed in an Eight Trigrams garment entered your tent, holding a wooden sword impaled with the heads of the Five Ghosts. Seeing this scene, your heart skipped a beat—were the Five Ghosts dispatched so quickly? The abruptness left you uncertain of Yu Luonang's fate. Ye Zhiqiu laughed heartily, noticing the "kill" characters surrounding you. "I've long heard of the third prince's righteous aura, and now I see the rumors are true." "But did you know?" "These characters don’t work on me!" Just as he finished speaking, Li Jinglong, having unbeknownst to you kept a mouthful of blood, spat it onto Ye Zhiqiu. His sword came down swiftly, and Ye Zhiqiu's head flew off, leaving no chance of survival. Before dying, Ye Zhiqiu's severed head lay on the ground, his lips moving repeatedly as if murmuring the words, "I am unwilling." Li Jinglong laughed heartily. "In my youth, I learned a blood curse specifically for breaking Taoist protective spells like the Golden Light Spell or Headless Curse." "Thought I would never use it again, but it turns out such skills haven't gone out of fashion!" You were taken aback by his actions, surprised that such techniques existed—truly, there was a counter for everything. "Grandfather, you're truly vigorous for your age!" Yu Luonang then cautiously entered. Seeing Ye Zhiqiu's head lying on the ground, she hurried to your side. "My lord, I've dealt with those mortal experts." "But it’s a pity about the Five Ghosts—Yin Mountain has lost its finest underworld agents." You held Yu Luonang’s hand and gently pulled her into your arms. At this moment, all crises were resolved. The day the capital falls is the day you reunite with Xiao Huang! (End of Chapter)