Chapter 496: Chapter 245: The Fall of Yue Country
After concluding his conversation with Sun Siwen, Lu Yuan began to make preparations in the following time to cope with the upcoming changes in Yue Country.
Although the news of the Xiao Family’s abdication had been known to him five years ago when he participated in the Inescapable Meeting, he originally thought that the abdication, though inevitable, would have to wait until the local situation in Yue Country had stabilized and regained some vitality.
Wait a few years, let the hundreds of thousands of formidable soldiers in Yue Country be recruited back. The newly-trained Inborn Grandmasters such as Shangguan Ming would also have time to grow.
At that time, with enough preparation, even if there was a huge upheaval from the change of the dynasty in Yue Country, they would be able to cope with any external threats.
Moreover, by then, the new territories developed by Lu Yuan would have stabilized, and Zhou Qing should be able to break through to the Inborn Grandmaster realm. At that time, even if Yue Country changed its dynasty, he would have sufficient strength to deal with it.
Who could have thought?
Shen Qiu just couldn’t wait any longer.
Just after the end of the Northern Expedition, when the people from various countries were still unsettled and vigilantly observing the situation, Shen Qiu resolutely started the process of changing the dynasty.
This not only brought turbulence to the hard-won stability in Yue Country once again but also added many dangers and challenges.
It also caught Lu Yuan off guard, messing up many of his plans.
Therefore, in order to stabilize the people’s hearts and cope with the foreign enemies, after receiving news from Jinling City in June of Hongdao’s ninth year, Lu Yuan began to issue a series of decrees.
First, he ordered three of the nine forbidden armies, led by Queen Lan Cai’er, totaling sixty thousand troops, to march northward into Xiangyang Prefecture to ensure the safety of the northern border.
Then, Lu Yuan also took the three armies northward, stationed in Baling City to guard this strategic town in the Yangtze River shipping route while observing the situation in Yue Country.
This finally separated the couple who had been inseparable since their wedding due to the changing situation in Yue Country.
This made both of them somewhat unhappy.
But there was no way around it. In order to stabilize the domestic situation, even if they were unwilling in their hearts, they had to do so.
Fortunately, after the reorganization of the forbidden army, although the various divisions were still assimilating and their fighting strength had not yet recovered to its peak state, there were at least enough soldiers in terms of numbers.
With three forbidden armies stationed in Xiangyang City, Baling City, and Changsha City respectively, along the Han River and Yangtze River lines, they were strong enough to defend the country and deal with foreign enemies.
Even if there were any accidents outside, they would have sufficient strength to handle them.
They would not be at a loss as to what to do.
As Changsha started to respond to the changes in Yue Country, other countries, upon learning of the coup in Yue Country’s court, also saw upheavals.
Firstly, the most responsive and powerful country in the surrounding area was naturally Liang Country.
Upon receiving news of the death of Wuan Marquis and the intention of Yue Country’s Grand General Shen Qiu to usurp the throne, Liang Country directly stationed three hundred thousand troops in Pengcheng Prefecture, which was adjacent to Guangling Prefecture, thus restraining Yue Country’s northern border army.
Then they stationed another two hundred thousand troops in Jiangxia Prefecture, menacingly across the Yangtze River from Jinling City.
At the same time, Liang Country sent messengers to Jinling City to actively engage in activities.
They would constantly meet with the puppet Heavenly Son, making all kinds of promises and encouragement while privately meeting with Shen Qiu, also giving various promises.
However, whether it was the puppet Heavenly Son or the ambitious Grand General, Liang Country’s goal for contacting them was still to seek benefits.
Now there was a rumor circulating in Jinling City, which was said to have been spread from a close attendant of Zhou People’s Messenger.
It was said that the Liang envoy met with the Emperor of Hongdao and offered him a condition: as long as the Emperor of Hongdao could cede Guangling Prefecture, then five hundred thousand Liang troops would cross the river southward and help the Xiao Family maintain their dynastic power.
With the support of Liang Country, even if Grand General Shen Qiu really had the intention to rebel, he would not dare to act recklessly in the face of Liang Country’s threat.
Under such operations, the Xiao Family might indeed be able to preserve their reign.
However, according to the news leaked from the palace, it was said that Emperor Hongdao was quite tempted by this proposal.
This Witchcraft Emperor, who had killed his father and ascended the throne, was still unwilling to give up his fantasy at this point and hand over the country that had been enjoyed by the Xiao Family for more than two hundred years.
Although more than two hundred years ago, the Xiao Family had also been pushed to the position they were in today by the aristocratic families of Linhai County, just like the Shen Family is today.
This foundation was not his but rather something that belonged to everyone, not just him.
But after having been a ruler for more than two hundred years, the Xiao Family or rather the Hongdao Emperor, who had inherited the Xiao family’s foundation, obviously regarded Yue Country as his own and was no longer willing to give it away.
It’s just that with the current situation,
Though the Xiao Family is still an imperial family, there are no Inborn Grandmasters in their clan and they are no longer able to protect their foundation.
Even if the Emperor Hongdao wanted to struggle further, he no longer had any power or bargaining chips at his disposal.
Even if you really think about it,
Besides Emperor Hongdao, are the rest of the Xiao imperial family members really willing to resist with him?
The throne belongs to Emperor Hongdao, and at most it can be considered for his descendants. If their own throne is in danger, it is reasonable for them to resist and struggle.
But for other members of the Xiao Family, whether the throne is in the hands of the Xiao Family or not, they have no chance with it.
When the Xiao Family becomes the emperor, they will get at most a royal title and appear more prestigious.
But if the Xiao Family were to step down from the throne, then according to the customary practice of Linhai County’s aristocratic families for over two thousand years, the Xiao Family, although they would no longer be the imperial family, could still retain the status of the six families and seven tribes.