Ch. 41The Alliance of Weishui?
Key Plot Points and Events
- Xu Nian'an orders the execution of 100,000 surrendered Heaven Dou prisoners.
- Xu Nian'an leads 450,000 troops to attack Heaven Dou, crossing the Mingdou Mountain Range and entering Di'ao Province.
- Heaven Dou's five hundred thousand Allied Forces go missing, and Xu Nian'an's army swiftly advances, surrounding Tiandou City.
- Heaven Dou Empire sends an envoy to negotiate peace, proposing an economic alliance similar to the Alliance of Weishui.
Character Developments
- Xu Nian'an: Shows ruthlessness and disregard for human life, prioritizing his own people above all else. He feels pain and anger at the loss of his Dragon Guard but remains focused on the war.
- Xu Yi: The commander of the Imperial Guard, he is captured and pleads for leniency, showing remorse for his failure to defend Gulei City. He is unconscious when Xu Nian'an orders the execution of the prisoners.
- Emperor Xue Ye: Panics as Tiandou City is surrounded and summons the State Council to discuss countermeasures. He agrees to the envoy's proposal for an economic alliance.
Significant Themes
- Ruthlessness and disregard for human life, particularly among the ruling class.
- The consequences of underestimating one's enemy and overestimating one's own strength.
- The desperation of a losing side seeking an alliance to avoid defeat.
Character Interactions
- Xu Nian'an and Xu Yi: Xu Yi pleads for mercy, but Xu Nian'an shows no remorse in ordering the execution of the prisoners.
- Emperor Xue Ye and the State Council: The council discusses strategies to deal with the Daming Army, but their plans are rendered useless as Tiandou City is surrounded.
- Xu Nian'an and the Heaven Dou envoy: Xu Nian'an mocks the envoy's proposal for an economic alliance, revealing his intention to plunder Heaven Dou's resources instead.