Chapter 265 – Emperors of two nations

Did something big happen? Sir, these are your words? You surprised us… Everyone turned and looked at each other. Last night, all of Continent Center was turned upside-down under earth-shattering activities. Even until now, the entire atmosphere of Continent Center still had the smell of blood… Perhaps, in your Prime Minister manor, you did not know about anything…

We will never believe this.

Although the three people thought this way, seeing Diwu Qing Rou’s calm demeanor, they unconsciously became assured. It was as if any great matter was not worth paying any mind to at all…

The anxiousness that they came in with disappeared without them noticing.

“Something big happened!” Jing Meng Hun said, “Last night, more than twenty thousand Jiang Hu people fought for Underworld Saber and Ask the Heavens Sword. Large-scale fights broke out at many places in the citadel. In fact, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Defense were all turned into ruins. Countless officials and soldiers were injured. We are still in the process of tallying everything.”

“Oh…” Diwu Qing Rou nodded softly, “Just these things?”

Just these things? The three did not know what else to say. Was that still not enough?

Jing Meng Hun was especially annoyed. During last night’s chaos, Diwu Qing Rou gave strict orders for Golden Horse Riders Department not to get involved. That led to Continent Center being in this state of chaos.

If Golden Horse Riders Department had moved in, the chaos would have definitely not reached this level.

“This scheme of King of Hell Chu is really sinister!” Han Bu Chu said worriedly, “And, seeing the way things are, he succeeded. He has successfully caused great chaos in Continent Center. From what we see, the citadel has turned into a battlefield, and the number of outsiders continues to increase. Continent Center Citadel will become oversaturated soon. The killing has grown fiercer and fiercer. Currently, there are a few hundred people killing each other each day. Many Jiang Hu people even dared to attack the army…”

“The common people are in panic. If it continues like this, will things be okay?”

“Hmm…” Diwu Qing Rou looked up thoughtfully and said, “Gao Sheng, how is that young master Ji?”

“He knows King of Hell Chu. Plus, they are good friends. He did not hide these things.” Gao Sheng frowned, “He refused to divulge any information, but he said that he would return to the Ji clan after the people of the clan come to Continent Center…”

“Ah, he is indeed cautious…” Diwu Qing Rou sighed and nodded his head, “Such a descendant of a great clan and a second young master as well, it seems that he is definitely not ordinary. In any case… did you make our position clear?”

“I did. But Ji Mo did not seem to be too concerned about it.” Gao Sheng said, “His reaction was very nonchalant.”

“Hmm, send a martial expert to shadow Ji Mo…” Diwu Qing Rou said solemnly, “What about that Rui Bu Tong? Is there anything suspicious about him?”

“As for that Rui Bu Tong, he is the successor of Stealing God and Thieving Ghost…” Gao Sheng said cautiously, “This person’s background is not ordinary. His two masters have ninth grade King cultivation level. If we touch him, the consequences would be dire. And he… does not abide by the rules of Nine Heavens…”

“As long as their identities are verified properly, this little Rui Bu Tong… we need not to worry about.” Diwu Qing Rou laughed softly and said, “Last night, the soldiers stationed outside of the citadel were not mobilized, right?”

“No.” Han Bu Chu said solemnly, “Prime Minister, we must mobilize the soldiers stationed outside of the citadel. Just the strength of the guards inside the citadel alone… is probably too weak.”

“No need.” Diwu Qing Rou waved his arm and said flatly, “Let them cause trouble! The more the better! It would be best if this attracts all of the Jiang Hu people within a thousand mile radius of Great Zhao.”

“Huh?!” Han Bu Chu was absolutely surprised by what Diwu Qing Rou said.

“Prime Minister, if this chaos is allowed to continue, I am afraid… Continent Center Citadel would…” Han Bu Chu took in a deep breath and said hastily.

“Bu Chu, you are still stuck with mindset of an ancient dynasty and placing too much importance on a citadel.” Diwu Qing Rou said softly, “You must set your sight further.”

“Further?” Han Bu Chu was a little puzzled. He had followed Diwu Qing Rou for many years; this was the first time that he felt like he was not able to follow the Prime Minister’s thoughts.

Continent Center was the capital of Great Zhao; it was so important. Could it be that it was not important at all in Diwu Qing Rou’s eyes?

“Continent Center is Great Zhao’s capital. It is in the heart of Great Zhao and is heavily guarded in all directions! The closest enemies have to travel more than six thousand miles to get here! Saying that it is impregnable is an understatement!” Diwu Qing Rou smiled lightly, “However, in my opinion, this is a joke! A joke to be spurned by the rest of the world!”

“A joke?” Han Bu Chu frowned pensively as he thought about these words. Not only him, even Gao Sheng and Jing Meng Hun could not help but wonder.

“Building the capital in a place that is protected from all sides is making a nest for cowards!” Diwu Qing Rou said in a low voice, “While the capital should not be built at the battlefront, it should not be built at in a cradle. It should be set at an appropriate distance so that there is enough of a sense of crisis for all officials and generals to put all of their efforts to taking care of national issues and protect the emperor! Plus, they would make every effort to expand the nation and eliminate all threats! This is the way to make a prosperous nation!”

“Back then, while the first emperor of Great Zhao was ingenious, after gaining the nation, he only wanted to enjoy himself and keep what he had. So he placed the capital at Continent Center. The fact that such an emperor could have found a nation is truly a miracle! And in the years after, this kind of mentality that they have has set Great Zhao back by hundreds of years! What was majestic has quietly become a mentality to keep what they have. It affected the history of the nation and delayed the domination of Great Zhao!”

“Even if it is a promising emperor, staying thousands of miles away from the battlefront like this, he would only see and hear peace… How could he cultivate the ambition to advance his domination?”

Diwu Qing Rou showed a trace of a taunting smile, “Thus, it was not until I, Diwu Qing Wu, came along that Great Zhao begins to expand! Before this, it was not that they could not expand, but that they did not want to. I am certain that, without me, all of Great Zhao would collapse in complacency one day!”

“Great Zhao’s biggest threat is Iron Cloud!” Diwu Qing Rou walked to the window and looked toward the north as he said slowly, “You see, when Iron Cloud has snowy and icy weather, you can wear three fur coats and still feel chilly when you walk outside. But here, we can just wear one jacket and make it through winter. Going another thousand miles south of Continent center, it is spring year-round! Such a great regional difference, do you not see something from this?”

“What?” Han Bu Chu unconsciously asked.

“Harsh places give birth to tough people! Difficult regions produce militant societies! Plus, Iron Cloud is a grassland close to the north. Young men of Iron Cloud set their sights far and are more connected with the land. What great ambitions they have. If they continue like so, how can they not turn to the ways of martial arts?” Diwu Qing Rou said, “For thousands of years the northern people have always been seen as being sturdy. Plus, chaos has also always originated from the north.”

“Compared to Iron Cloud, the people of Great Zhao are too weak.” Diwu Qing Rou said casually, “This must change!”

Han Bu Chu remained quiet as he carefully thought about what Diwu Qing Rou said. There seemed to be some truths filled with some other hidden meaning…

“Looking at Iron Cloud, you only see a nation suppressed by Great Zhao right now. But you are all wrong. How many years has Iron Cloud been established?” Diwu Qing Rou said lightly, “Three hundred years ago, Iron Cloud was only a big clan. However, after many years of expansion, the clan’s private army grew to the point that they became ambitious. Thus,… more than two hundred years ago, Iron Cloud Nation was founded! At that time, it was just a small nation with over a dozen cities.”

“One hundred thirty years ago, Iron Cloud had a much bigger territory with almost one hundred cities!”

“Eighty years ago, Iron Cloud’s territory expanded with a military numbering at one million…” Diwu Qing Rou sighed deeply, “Forty years ago, Tie Shi Cheng swept the land and directly turned Iron Cloud into a giant behemoth. Even people of the vast grassland above did not dare to invade Iron Cloud.”

“And Tie Shi Cheng was still not satisfied. He sent a million soldiers to the south and fought with Great Zhao!” Diwu Qing Rou took a deep breath, “Even now, Iron Cloud might have fallen into my deadly trap, but the new emperor of Iron Cloud is an unexpectedly talented person!”

“In more than two hundred years, Iron Cloud had went through seven or eight emperors. However, Iron Cloud’s territory had grown, from more than two hundred years ago until now, thousands of times more than what it was when the nation was founded.”

Diwu Qing Rou sighed, “Don’t you people feel pressured when facing such numbers? Don’t your feel fearful?”

“What does this mean? Could you have never considered this?” Diwu Qing Rou’s eyes showed a weariness.

“Perhaps… all of these emperors of Iron Cloud were all founding type of emperors?” Han Bu Chu finally understood. He carefully thought and got an answer that even surprised himself.

“More than ten emperors, and more than ten of them unrivaled in distinction!” Diwu Qing Rou’s gaze lowered, “They were also all leaders with great ambitions!”

“You all should think a little about Great Zhao’s empire. During the past some two hundred years, there have been more than twenty emperors!” Diwu Qing Rou sighed, “How were they compared to Iron Cloud?”

Han Bu Bu lowered his head shamefully. He was unable to speak. After the founding emperor passed, there were some emperors that took care of national matters and made Great Zhao prosperous. But there were no other movements after that. Essentially, they all made it their goals to just keep what their ancestors left behind.

However, just conserving was actually moving backward.

In the recent years, there were truly not many good emperors. The whole bunch was ordinary, and did not have anything that was considered outstanding.

Compared to the emperors of Iron Cloud, the emperors of Great Zhao were really lame.

“Such emperors are not worthy of being emperors!” Diwu Qing Rou sighed deeply. Such extreme words might have come out of his mouth, but Han Bu Chu and company felt that they were sincere.

They were indeed not worthy!

If Diwu Qing Rou said they were not worthy, then they were definitely not worthy!