CH 99

How could it be said so simply though? Seeing his worry, Han Kai smiled.

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“Emperor of Han, my Majesty is willing to follow the ancient Zhou Wu custom, to arrange a fiefdom for your clan and your men. As a duke, you will hold a region of seven counties under you.”

Emperor Ling was astounded that Emperor Yu would treat him so well. He thought he’d get a nominal title at best, then be confined to one place to wait for death.

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Yet the Yu Empire’s emperor was mighty generous, just like the rumors pegged him. He followed the example of the Zhou dynasty and divided his lands to vassals, while Liu Han was given a fief like the legacy of the Yin merchants, to be used to pass on the mantle of the ancestors.

It was totally unexpected, and the fief was also the place Ancestor Gao cut the White Snake rebellion.

The locals loved the Liu clan and if he took that stretch of land, no one would defy him.

The Yu Emperor would need a good excuse to kill him then, thus he could surrender in peace.

With this declaration, the emperor surrendered to Han Kai and had all the officials prepare a welcoming ceremony for Emperor Yu.

Han Kai expressed his respect and withdrew from Luoyang with Wang Yun.

At his camp, he spoke with the other three generals, then sent a fast horse for Yingchuan Region, asking Yingchuan Region to come to Luoyang to receive the surrender of Emperor Ling.

In Xuchang of Yingchuan Region, in the temporary palace Zhong Yu watched Han Kai’s leave with a bow. 

The letter he handed it over to an attendant, with several poison testers checking it for hidden ploys.

Zhong Yu rushed to open the letter once deemed safe and the surrender of Emperor Ling filled him with excitement.

This was what he’d been working for all these days since he came to the Three Kingdoms world. 

It marked two and a half years too, even longer than the time he spent in the main world. Without any special powers around, he was getting bored.

If he had kept the course of slaughter, he’d have taken another half a year to pacify this world and waste even more time before coming back.

But now Emperor Ling capitulated, the Han Dynasty was over and the world was his.

He couldn’t wait to rush to Luoyang and get Han’s seal to make the nation fall to its knees.

It would speed up the process of conquering the whole of this world. He was so giddy about making all the clans pay the prices as well.

100,000 men followed Zhong Yu, his procession went on for miles. He refused to take any less out of safety, thus taking a month for him to reach Luoyang.

While at Luoyang, the emperor’s late arrival caused panic among the officials and emperor. 

However, once news came a month later, the emperor went with his officials to welcome Zhong Yu.

The sun was high in the scan, sending scalding rays over the sweating and feeble emperor.

But he held on still, until Zhong Yu’s carriage arrived. It stopped before Emperor Ling.

The emperor breathed easier since the time had come to hand the seal, happy that his concubines and family would be safe in a new land.

So he took the seal from the hands of an attendant and presented it with both knees on the ground.

“I, Liu Hong, the ruler of this restless nation offer this jade seal to the emperor in sign of complete surrender in hope that your Majesty would forgive my mistakes.”

He then gave the jade seal to Zhong Yu’s attendant to give to Zhong Yu. 

Zhong Yu fiddled with the colorful rock in his hand, representing the hope and prosperity of the Three Kingdoms world for hundreds of years. Countless people shed their lives over it, but now he had it. 

Growing bored of the rock, Zhong Yu threw it on a platter to the pain of the officials and spoke to the kneeling Liu Hong.

“Rise, you are a ruler of your own nation. I have no wish to humiliate you. You will later hold Pei Region under your fair command. You will be Duke of Pei. Remember to look after the people.”

Liu Hong was overjoyed and all fear left him. He would be the Duke of Pei, with no one rebelling against him again.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for forgiving my transgressions. I will be loyal to you to my dying breath. I will do my best to guard the eastern lands.” Liu Hong spouted praises and thanks one after the other. The surprise was in how genuine they sounded.

Once they all were appeased, he took his carriage to Luoyang palace.

It was now filled with people who he trusted, while those deemed suspicious removed outright.

Behind him was the official congregation, somewhat funny how the ex emperor followed the new emperor in taking his seat.

Who was to know if they felt any shame over switching masters, or the awkward position they were in? Or did the reward held far greater sway over them than integrity?