Lin Qi cast a cold glance at the horrified courtiers, then said slowly, one word at a time, "This is what I wanted to tell you. While old Wan En was still alive, I could only be Minister of the Navy. But now that old Wan En is dead, I think it would be quite fitting for me to rule the Dragon Mountain Empire, dear cousin!"
"I can grant you the title of Prince of Dragon Mountain. Dragon Mountain Territory will become your fief, and you may keep three standing legions under your command to suppress the rebellions of the exiled nobles in the former southern territories of the Harlan Empire. You may take away everyone in this imperial palace who is willing to leave with you, but you may not take so much as a single brick or tile from this place, because it is all my private property now!"
Lin Qi spoke neither quickly nor loudly, but every word was like a heavy hammer, crashing down upon the souls of those courtiers and nobles. Everyone was stunned by his words. What was this? What kind of game was this?
The Dragon Mountain Empire had destroyed the Vias Commercial Federation by force, establishing its powerful empire atop the bloody corpse of that unfortunate federation. But now? Only a few peaceful years had passed—was the Dragon Mountain Empire about to suffer a usurpation already?
What drove these bewildered courtiers closest to collapse was that the present Dragon Mountain Empire was not like the former Vias Commercial Federation. The Vias Commercial Federation had been founded on commerce, a federated nation composed of lords great and small. It had not even possessed a standing army. Thus, once the Dragon Mountain Empire rose, it had swept aside all obstacles and built a unified