Goldstone City.
The city gates stood wide open.
Two rows of officials knelt by the roadside. The leader held up the great seal and shuffled forward on his knees. "This guilty official, Lin Ping, welcomes the royal army into the city!"
Aaron stepped forward, accepted the seal on King of Liang's behalf, and immediately ordered the army to enter the city.
"Prime Minister?"
Tang Xun offered a reminder. In ancient times, the surrender of a city was often a trap—luring an army inside before closing the gates and beating the dogs behind closed doors.
"No need. I trust these city officials know which way the wind blows."
Aaron laughed heartily and rode at the head of the procession atop his white tiger, drawing countless gazes.
No matter how ignorant the masses kneeling by the roadside might have been, they had heard of the Tiger-Riding Daoist and Tiger Strength Great Immortal. As they furtively raised their heads, they felt as though an immortal had descended, and their reverence only deepened.
Qi fortune points credited? My special divination over this city's surrender wasn't in vain.
Aaron looked toward the walls of Goldstone City. The former Great Song banners had been lowered and replaced with brand-new banners of King of Liang. He smiled and said to Tang Xun beside him, "Jiangzhou Prefecture City is poorly suited to serve as the central seat. Goldstone City, however, is quite good—we can move King of Liang's palace and government offices here... But you needn't concern yourself with that. I'll give you fifty thousand men. Do you have the confidence to sweep clean the south?"
During this surrender, Aaron had secretly examined the faces and qi fortune of those present and discovered quite a few capable individuals.
Si Yunming, Zheng Fang, and others, for instance, were particularly