Chapter 11: Build high walls, stockpile provisions, and delay proclaiming yourself emperor!
The Grand Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire naturally couldn't travel like an urgent courier or someone delivering a letter and arrive in a single day.
Even if Xue Qinghe and the others hurried, it would take about three days to reach the Great Ming Kingdom. If they took their time, it would be at least a week.
So no matter how much Xu Nian'an wanted to see Xue Qinghe, there was nothing he could do.
In the end, he simply handed the task of welcoming the Heaven Dou Empire's Grand Prince to Xu Fu.
Normally, the Ministry of Rites would have handled this sort of thing. But unfortunately, apart from the palace's eunuchs and maids and the Imperial Guard outside the palace, the Great Ming Kingdom had no officials at all.
Even the Holy Spirit Cult summoned by Xu Nian'an held no official positions.
That was because the Holy Spirit Cult answered directly to Xu Nian'an and only needed to obey his commands.
Noon.
At this rate, Xu Yi and the people from the Holy Spirit Cult had probably already crossed the Star Dou Mountain Range and reached the Star Shine Duchy by now, hadn't they?
Xu Nian'an hadn't expected Li Xingyao to dare establish his own state and betray the Starry Sky Kingdom.
Li Xingyao had originally been a great general of the Starry Sky Kingdom, stationed near the Star Luo Empire with a hundred thousand elite troops and a hundred thousand militia.
Who would have thought that the man would end up rebelling? Xu Nian'an even suspected that he and his followers had something to do with the assassination of the previous king.
Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence? That region had just lost contact, the late king had gone to inspect the territory and been assassinated, and not long after the assassination, a new duchy had been established.
The man's intentions couldn't have been more obvious.
[ Ding! Conquer all territories of the Gulei Kingdom (Complete), reclaim lost territory (Complete) ··· become the third empire on Douluo Continent (Incomplete!) ]
At the cold notification that suddenly rang in his mind, the chopsticks in Xu Nian'an's hand froze.
Reclaim lost territory (Complete).
That meant he had reclaimed his half of the territory in the Star Luo Empire.
It had to be Xu Yi and the Dragon Guard... So soon?
Xu Nian'an was a little stunned. It hadn't been long at all.
One day, including the journey and the siege. What the hell.
But why hadn't he completed the system's main quest yet?
"System, system, I've conquered the entire Gulei Kingdom as you asked. And didn't you say I'd reclaimed the lost territory? Why haven't I become the third empire on Douluo Continent?"
As soon as Xu Nian'an finished speaking, the system's cold notification sounded again in his mind.
[ Ding! An empire... isn't something you can proclaim yourself. The strength you've demonstrated so far isn't enough to make the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire recognize you. ]
Xu Nian'an narrowed his eyes at this.
It seemed he wouldn't be able to shed the title of kingdom and become an empire anytime soon. At least thirty thousand troops weren't enough.
At the moment, there was only one plan in Xu Nian'an's mind: recruit soldiers and attract talent.
May 27.
The Great Ming Kingdom's first royal decree was issued.
[ A good man should wield a long spear to defend his homeland, and take up his brush to serve as a local official... ]
Recruit soldiers, hold the imperial examinations—Xu Nian'an needed people now.
He also ordered special benefits for all public officials, such as free medical treatment and generous salaries... Meanwhile, he began spending money to establish academies.
Whether Spirit Hall Academy or elementary academies for teaching general knowledge, he would establish them all.
That afternoon, an urgent military dispatch arrived in Xu Nian'an's hands.
In the letter, Xu Yi described how he had taken the Star Shine Duchy and reclaimed the lost territory.
The Holy Spirit Envoy had launched a night raid on the command post. Under cover of darkness, the Dragon Guard had displayed overwhelming strength, sweeping through everything in their path.
They had reclaimed the lost territory and captured seventy thousand elite soldiers, as well as more than a hundred thousand militiamen.
The disappointing part was that, with help from the Galloping Wolf Kingdom, Li Xingyao had escaped the layers of encirclement that night.
Damn it. This put them in a rather passive position.
That half of the territory lay in the direction of the Star Luo Empire and bordered it directly.
Aside from the Galloping Wolf Kingdom, the Star Luo Empire could send troops into that territory at any moment.
With his two hundred thousand Dragon Guard and the nearly two hundred thousand surrendered soldiers captured in the region, he probably couldn't beat the Star Luo Empire.
Xu Nian'an's eyes shifted restlessly as he calculated how best to resolve the predicament before him.
Should he have the Holy Spirit Cult launch a surprise attack on the Star Luo Empire and seize control of its emperor?
No. The Star Luo Empire wasn't like the Heaven Dou Empire or the other kingdoms.
It had plenty of powerful Soul Masters, and its royal family might even have a Titled Douluo.
After all, the Clear Sky Sect didn't seem to have gone into seclusion yet.
Then there was no choice. He could only borrow the Heaven Dou Empire's prestige, using its might to deter the Star Luo Empire from attacking him.
The Star Luo Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire had fought a major war not long ago. The two sides were already in a cold war.
According to the original story, the two empires wouldn't fight another major war for the next thirty or forty years, barring any surprises.
That was because the Spirit Hall Empire would emerge by then.
So Xu Nian'an absolutely had to borrow the Heaven Dou Empire's influence to keep the Star Luo Empire from attacking him directly.
As for the other kingdoms... Heh.
Xu Nian'an smiled. Between the empires above and the kingdoms below—that was where the Great Ming Kingdom stood now.
So what he had to do was build high walls, stockpile provisions, and delay proclaiming himself emperor!
"Build high walls, stockpile provisions, and hold off the wolves!"
The next day, Xu Nian'an's nine-character order reached Xu Yi.
Looking at the words in his hand, Xu Yi glanced at the two hundred thousand Dragon Guard and the nearly two hundred thousand surrendered troops. His eyes shifted as he thought.
"Build the walls! I've obtained our king's forgiveness for you. Since you're all subjects of the Great Ming Kingdom, you'll be spared death!"
Just as Xu Nian'an's army successfully took the Star Shine Duchy and raised the sun-and-moon banner, the Star Luo Empire and the Galloping Wolf Kingdom made their move as well.
The next day.
After learning from Long Xiaoyao how to cultivate, Xu Nian'an's Soul Power successfully broke through from the peak of level seventeen to level eighteen.
That afternoon, a carriage from the Heaven Dou Empire arrived at the Great Ming Palace.
"So this is the Great Ming Kingdom?"
Looking at the scene of flourishing prosperity, Xue Qinghe felt a little nervous. He didn't know how to face this distant cousin he had never met before.
"Going by the letters my aunt sent a few years ago, my cousin should be several years younger than me."
"Welcome, Your Highness, Grand Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire!"
Just then, a soft, high-pitched voice came from outside the carriage.
Xue Qinghe slowly lifted the carriage curtain and immediately saw an old eunuch with silver hair combed perfectly into place.
"Um, you are..."
Xu Fu smiled.
"Your Highness, you can call me Uncle Fu. If you have any questions over the next few days, you can come to me."
In the palace, Xu Nian'an was sitting cross-legged in cultivation.
Tap... tap... tap.
Just then, a steady, unhurried series of footsteps sounded.
Xu Nian'an slowly opened his eyes and saw Long Xiaoyao frowning deeply.
"According to the intelligence, the Heaven Dou Empire shouldn't have many powerful Soul Masters. I don't know why they've brought two Titled Douluo this time."
"Your Majesty, you must be careful."
Long Xiaoyao's meaning was clear: he suspected that one of them might be an assassin.
Xu Nian'an raised an eyebrow at his words.
Two Titled Douluo. Could they be Qian Renxue's bodyguards from the original story?
Could Xue Qinghe be Qian Renxue right now???
At the thought, the corners of Xu Nian'an's mouth curled into a smile.
It was said that Qian Renxue was one of the greatest beauties on Douluo Continent.
Now that she was disguised as a man, he could take the opportunity to get handsy and steal a little advantage. What could she say?
Thanks to Jun Sheng Wo Wei Sheng, Jun Lao Wo Wei Lao for the 200 reading coins! I didn't see it yesterday. Thanks!
Thanks to Zhen De Xin Shi, Er Deng Qi Dong for the two monthly tickets!!!