The Hagen-Dazs Kingdom hesitated for two days, then submitted its letter of surrender on the third.
The governor of Fasno Province did not even bother sending an envoy. He simply had Spirit Hall Empire flags hung at the city gates.
After all, they had bowed to the Heaven Dou Empire before, and now they were merely bowing to a new master. To them, there was not much difference.
Pride was worthless in the face of absolute force.
But not every place was so sensible. Several prefectures along the Heaven Dou Empire's northern border refused to acknowledge the Spirit Hall Empire's rule. The local commanders joined forces with nobles who had escaped from Heaven Dou City to form a resistance army, declaring, "Heaven Dou has not fallen."
Several free city-states and duchies in the south also declared neutrality one after another. They recognized neither the Spirit Hall Empire nor any other side.
More troublesome was the Star Luo Empire. On the very day the news arrived, that martial nation sealed all border routes and began deploying troops to the frontier on a massive scale.
What happened in Heaven Dou City had unfolded far too quickly. From the moment Xue Qinghe uttered the words "merge" to the official declaration of the Spirit Hall Empire's founding, the city lords along the borders had not even had time to send a single letter requesting instructions from the court.
Now, they had no intention of requesting instructions either. Some declared independence with their cities and armies, some directly sided with the Star Luo Empire, while others joined nearby forces to form temporary alliances.
The continent had been peaceful for far too many years. The balance between the two great empires had been like a sheet of ice, and everyone had grown accustomed to walking upon