Son-in-law Heaven Emperor Xiao Yi

Chapter 183 Four Symbols Legion

"Bet all of your lives!"

Xiao Yi squinted his eyes, intently staring at the ministers who had just asked him to sacrifice himself to save the Tianqing Kingdom.

The ministers looked at each other in dismay.

Ge Zheng's aged face trembled slightly, and his muddy eyes fixed on Xiao Yi with deep sorrow and anger, "Madness, you are utterly mad! Lord Xiao, we are all pillars of the Tianqing Kingdom. The absence of any one of us could cause unimaginable turmoil to the kingdom. How can you be so selfish? Just for your own desires, you would drag us all down with you?"

"That's right, your death might save the Tianqing Kingdom, but our deaths would only cause chaos in the kingdom, with no other benefits!"

"We earnestly implore you, Lord Xiao, to prioritize righteousness. The countless people of the Tianqing Kingdom will surely remember your merit!"

"Ah, Lord Xiao, if the Great Jin Kingdom had targeted me, I would have willingly gone to the Great Jin Kingdom to apologize, working diligently till death. But their target isn't us!"

For a moment.

The ministers were in an uproar.

This was about their lives at stake; how could they not fight for themselves?

Xiao Yi watched the crowd, their faces filled with pain and righteousness as he passed by.

This was human nature!

Just a moment before…

They had been cheering and flattering him.

And now?

They would love nothing more than to kill him themselves and offer his head to the Great Jin Kingdom to appease their anger.

Whew!

Xiao Yi let out a long, turbid breath and said deliberately, "Who said your lives can't save the Tianqing Kingdom? I have a secret technique that can create an army of a million elite soldiers comparable to the Golden Crow Guards in a short period. Tell me, if we had an army of a million soldiers as strong as the Golden Crow Guards, could we not save the Tianqing Kingdom?"

"A million Golden Crow Guards?"

"This, this... if we could really create such an army, we wouldn't just be talking about resisting the Great Jin Kingdom, but even possibly usurping them!"

"But how could that be possible? The Great Jin Kingdom, as strong as it is, has only trained about a hundred thousand Golden Crow Guards…"

Ge Zheng's face also underwent inexplicable changes. After contemplating for a moment, he then spoke, "Lord Xiao actually has such a secret technique?"

"Hmm!"

Xiao Yi nodded and said indifferently, "However, to use this secret technique, I require your lives as a sacrifice. I wonder if you would be willing to lay down your lives for the Tianqing Kingdom? Rest assured, once this army is formed, not only will it hold off the Great Jin Kingdom's forces, but our Tianqing Kingdom could even take their place and become the foremost vassal state under the Great Qian Dynasty. You all will be the prime contributors and will be remembered throughout history. I believe the millions of people in the kingdom will remember your kindness!"

Yu Huaxian, Gu Junhe, Jiang Tai, Xue Bufan, and others looked at the ministers with a sarcastic gaze.

However…

The ministers looked at each other, and not one spoke.

Yu Huaxian twirled a lock of hair around her finger and laughed mockingly, "Didn't you lords say that you would exert all efforts till death if it could save the kingdom? Why has everyone fallen silent now?"

"Rest assured, Mr. Ge," said Gu Junhe as he raised his cup, "if you sacrifice yourself, the Tianqi Martial Arts Academy will definitely train enough capable ministers at the fastest speed to take over your positions and protect the Tianqing Kingdom!"

Ge Zheng's face twitched, turning red with embarrassment.

What a slap in the face!

This was an excruciating blow. Just a moment ago, they had been coercing Xiao Yi with talk of duty, and now the roles had reversed, leaving them in an untenable position.

Jiang Tai sat in the seat of honor, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest, and said leisurely, "Mr. Ge, Minister Wang, Minister Li… Are you few willing to sacrifice yourselves for the eternal glory of the Tianqing Kingdom?"

Thump!

Wang Yi, Minister of Revenue, was the first to kneel on the ground, frightened and anxious, "Your Majesty, spare my life, I—I still have a hundred-year-old mother at home, and newly wedded concubine…"

"Your Majesty, spare my life…"

Minister Li also knelt on the ground.

Ge Zheng's face alternated between shades of pale and flushed as his crafty eyes flickered. Finally, he sighed, "Your Majesty… this old servant… this old servant is aged, and I request to retire and return home…"

Seeing this.

Many ministers immediately stood up, "We too request to resign our offices and return home!"

Of the six ministers, four offered their resignations.

Inside the great hall, a good forty percent of the officials knelt on the ground.

Ge Zheng's formerly drooping mouth corners lifted slightly, marking his strategy of advancing by seeming to retreat.

He didn't mention a word about the sacrifices.

Instead, he proposed retiring and returning to his hometown.

This was also a threat to Jiang Tai—if you push this old man too far, I'll retire and return home. With his status and position, many of the court's high officials were his disciples. If these ministers resign en masse, the court would descend into chaos without needing the Great Jin Kingdom's armies to strike, and in Ge Zheng's view, Jiang Tai, the new king, with his unstable grip on the kingdom, would not dare allow the court to fall into further disorder.

Such a clever ploy would likely compel any other monarch to relent.

But this time, his scheme fell through.

Not to mention Jiang Tai was carrying out the will of Jiang Tianchen, and as long as Xiao Yi was there, Tianqing would not perish.

Jiang Tai was keenly aware of the trump card Xiao Yi held, so there was no need to worry about these ministers.

Jiang Tai gave Xiao Yi a glance.

Xiao Yi nodded slightly.

Jiang Tai sat up straight and said indifferently, "Since all you respected ministers feel powerless to assist me, then I shall fulfill your wishes! Guards, remove the black gauze hats from their heads!"

"Your Majesty..."

"Your Majesty, this..."

Ge Zheng and the others wore faces of utter bewilderment, unable to believe what they were seeing from Jiang Tai.

In their plan, Jiang Tai was supposed to insist on their staying, eventually having no choice but to yield!

How could things have gone completely contrary to their expectations?

Ge Zheng's hands trembled, and he stared incredulously at Jiang Tai: "Your Majesty, I..."

"Mr. Ge is of advanced age; I understand that there's no need to say more," Jiang Tai retorted indifferently.

Ge Zheng's complexion alternated between pale and flushed, watching as the black gauze cap—a symbol of power and glory—was taken off by the guards. He was so angry he spurted out blood, glaring furiously at Jiang Tai and Xiao Yi: "Your Majesty, are you willing to drive us, the old officials who have worked hard and made significant contributions, to our deaths for the sake of Xiao Yi? You... you... you are acting as a wayward king..."

"Silence! Old fool, the War God and I have already given you a chance. And what about you? You all claim to act for the Tianqing Kingdom, pressuring Xiao Yi to his death. But when it's your turn, you threaten me with resignation? You think I, as the new king, can't handle you?" Jiang Tai, unable to bear any longer, glared furiously. "I'm not afraid to tell you that this was also my father's will. In the Tianqing Kingdom, everyone but Xiao Yi can be sacrificed, even me! What do you count for, daring to threaten me with resignation? Then I shall fulfill your wish! Guards, throw them all into the heavenly prison! Yu Huaxian, I appoint you as Imperial Censor to investigate them thoroughly. If they are found guilty of bribery or law-breaking, execute or punish them accordingly..."

Yu Huaxian stood up at once and said respectfully, "Your servant obeys the decree!"

As the director of Great Jin Kingdom's Eastern Factory, let alone that these men were not clean, even if they were all upright officials, he could still dig out dirt on them!

Thump!

Ge Zheng and the others collapsed on the spot.

Jiang Tai then stood up and declared loudly, "Undying Ghost Doctor Xue Bufan, step forward to receive your title!"

"This old man is here!" Xue Bufan said.

Jiang Tai continued, "Elder Xue, I appoint you as the National Healing King of the Tianqing Kingdom, to assist the Guardian Martial God in creating the Four Symbols Legion!"

"Yes!"

Xue Bufan nodded his head.

Jiang Tai went on, "Gu Junhe, I appoint you as the Great General of the Kingdom, to assist the Guardian Martial God in creating the Four Symbols Legion!"

"As you command!"

Gu Junhe stated solemnly.

Finally, Jiang Tai's gaze rested on Xiao Yi, as he rose to his full height, bowing deeply, "War God, the fate of the Tianqing Kingdom is in your hands."

"I shall not fail the trust placed in me!" Xiao Yi responded gravely.

Thump!

Listening to Jiang Tai's series of commands, Ge Zheng and the others turned deathly pale, finally realizing that all of today's events were traps that Xiao Yi and Jiang Tai had meticulously prepared to purge the court, to silence any dissenting voices, to establish Jiang Tai's authority as the new king, and to clear the obstacles for the construction of the Four Symbols Legion.

Ge Zheng and the rest exchanged despairing looks.

They were utterly ruined!