Dark Undercurrents in Shi State

While Chu Qing was giving his all to open the Heaven-Connecting Path, dark undercurrents surged through Shi State City.

Because:

King Shiyu and the others felt pressure from both the major city lineages and the Rebel Army.

Both sides wanted them to hand over Shi State City before the year was out.

King Shiyu and the others hesitated.

Before Chu Qing arrived, many among them would have happily agreed.

But after experiencing the سلسلة of events Chu Qing had brought about, these people realized:

The Rebel Army was not as formidable as they had imagined.

It was even very weak.

So weak that they felt that if not for their own group indulging them, those rebels would not have been able to seize even a single prefectural city.

At most, they could throw their weight around in the countryside and small county towns.

"But now, their envoy actually dared point at my nose and tell me to surrender as soon as possible!"

At the secret meeting, King Shiyu was furious as a male lion.

He growled and roared.

"They want us to hand Shi State City over to them on a silver platter and become their subordinates."

"But they will not even address me as Your Highness!"

"Do I owe them something?"

King Shiyu was deeply dissatisfied with the Rebel Army's attitude.

"Back in the countryside, Chu Qing slaughtered them, and they did not even dare let out a fart!"

"When they came to Shi State, Chu Qing slaughtered tens of thousands of Ironclad Floating Pagodas, and they hid away like grandsons, not daring to show their faces."

"Now that Chu Qing is in seclusion."

"They are barking orders at me, telling me to do things?"

"Do they think they are Chu Qing?"

"Do they think this king will kneel