Shi Miyuan was the Great Song's chancellor, a Rare Boss Tier Tree Demon, and a figure of considerable influence on the Shaoding Plane.
But now, facing the lords of the Eternal Life Sect under their collective gaze, Shi Miyuan felt small, weak, and helpless.
"If I... if I say I'm willing to surrender now, is it too late?"
Bai Xiaowen said evenly, "You groveled before the Jin Kingdom and squeezed the people for every coin. You issued paper money recklessly, sending prices soaring and leaving the people unable to survive! To curry favor with Mountain-Crossing Lord, you sent him ten living people to feed on every month... Your crimes are too numerous to list!"
Shi Miyuan cried, "Sect Master, I've been wronged! With the Great Song's military strength, we had no hope of standing against the Jin Kingdom. If we hadn't offered humble words and generous payments, how could we have preserved even this corner of our realm? The annual payments to the Jin Kingdom drained the Song Court's treasury. We had to make up the shortfall somehow! As for the people sent to feed Mountain-Crossing Lord, they were all criminals convicted by the Court of Judicial Review or bandits captured across the land... Not one of them was innocent!"
Bai Xiaowen smiled. "So you were a good chancellor after all."
Shi Miyuan lowered his head. "A good chancellor... I wouldn't go that far. Just an unlucky one. With things as they were, anyone in my position would have struggled to do better."
Bai Xiaowen shook his head. He had meant to give Shi Miyuan a stern warning before taking him into his service, but Shi Miyuan had an excuse for everything.
"Enough. We'll set the rest aside for now. If you're willing to surrender, then work for my Eternal