In that case, I can only apologize to Anne.
The saying goes that a short pain is worse than a long one, which is actually better for her. Otherwise, the longer it drags on, the more she will be caught between the two countries and suffer even more.
Only by eradicating the Frostwest Empire can she be freed.
Anyway, Anne has married into the Great Liang, so she will be a citizen of Great Liang from now on, and her son will also be a citizen of Great Liang. She has nothing to do with the so-called Frostwest Empire.
Lin Yi sighed deeply and said softly, " Anne, I'm doing this all for your own good!"
Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but smile wryly.
At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief. The emperor was indeed the emperor; he was so straightforward and direct with foreign tribes. This was a direct attempt to wipe out Princess Anne's ethnic group.
But this is for the best; at least we don't have to worry about things going wrong in the future, and the Great Liang will always belong to the East.
"That kid!"
A complex emotion flashed in Lin Rusong's eyes. His son's words had likely determined the fate of millions of people; that was truly audacious.
But only in this way can one truly be a good emperor.
He couldn't help but mutter, "If Heaven wants to blame someone, then blame me, Lin Rusong! There's nothing I can do; my son has the bearing of an emperor!"
Forehead!
Wang Ziwen rolled her eyes, defeated by her own brother's shamelessness. He even had to brag about his son; there was no one else like him.
However, seeing his old friend's worried expression, he whispered to comfort him, "The young master has grown up. Now he is the Emperor Zhenwu, and he is destined to shoulder responsibilities!"
The character for "man" (男) is composed of "field" (田) above and "strength" (力) below, signifying that a man is inherently burdened with pressure; a prince simply bears even greater pressure.
That's a real man.
Lin Rusong nodded. This was all he could do at the moment. He hoped that heaven would be merciful.
In contrast to their worries, Xu You was overjoyed, murmuring, "Decisive in killing, unfettered by emotions—that's a true ruler."
This is the kind of emperor who is qualified, because he chose responsibility over beauty.
As an emperor, one must ultimately sacrifice something to protect one's bottom line and safeguard the interests of the Great Liang. Perhaps this is the price to pay.
For ordinary people, this might be the best possible match.
But for the emperor, only national interests matter; everything else has to take a backseat, after all, he has millions of people behind him.
Compared to Princess Anne alone, these millions of people are all subjects of the Emperor.
Just as he was about to speak, Zhao Gao stepped forward.
He burst into tears, lamenting, "Waaah, Your Majesty has sacrificed so much for the All Under Heaven people; this servant is truly heartbroken."
I believe Princess Anne will understand your good intentions and know your grievances.
Millions of people will also know of your benevolence, appreciate Your Majesty's virtue, and understand your righteousness!
Forehead!
Xu You was completely dumbfounded. When it comes to shamelessness, this guy really is the best.
This flattery, though seemingly saying nothing, is all about the common people; it's a clever way of praising the emperor.
Lin Yi rolled his eyes. This guy really lived up to his name, Zhao Gao, by actually bursting into tears in public. There was no one else like him.
He said irritably, "Alright, I don't have that many grievances. Go and make the arrangements. I will meet with King Abaddon of the Great West Empire tonight!"
As for Bill III, Princess Anne can be sent to meet him.
He ultimately decided to meet with Abaddon.
Among these Western countries, the strongest are the Great West Empire and the Frostwest Empire; the other countries are merely supporting characters.
Abaddon's territory includes a section that borders the Land of the Far West, so his control over the Land of the Far West is very useful.
As for Bill III, the matter is left to Princess Anne; I believe she will know how to make the right choice.
As for the kings of other small countries, they don't actually have much influence. This trip is just to let them know who's in charge.
Everyone immediately understood the Emperor's choice: he wanted to win over Abaddon while also testing Princess Anne. The Emperor was indeed a wise ruler.
The news spread quickly, Abaddon breathed a sigh of relief, while Bill III's heart sank.
The fact that the Emperor of Great Liang met with his rival Abaddon first, instead of choosing to meet with him first, is not a good omen.
"Damn it, will the Great Liang join forces with the Great West Empire to attack my Frostwest Empire from both sides?" Bill III's face turned ashen, and he felt an immense increase in pressure.
If things continue like this, the Frostwest Empire definitely won't be able to withstand it.
Just then, Cha'er rushed in, excitedly announcing, "Your Majesty, Princess Anne has arrived!"
" Anne!"
Bill III's eyes lit up; his daughter had arrived just then—this was good news!
With his own daughter whispering sweet nothings in his ear, the Frostwest Empire should at least have some advantage, and he can also get some information about what's going on.
He went straight to the guest room and, sure enough, saw his daughter.
Compared to when she was in the Frostwest Empire, his daughter had a more mature look on her face. She must have suffered a lot these days, which is why she has become more mature.
At that moment, he suddenly felt a pang of guilt; it was he who had pushed his daughter into Great Liang.
His eyes were red-rimmed as he said bitterly, " Anne, my daughter. I haven't seen you for so many days. How have you been?"
"Father!"
Seeing her father's dark circles under his eyes, Anne trembled, called out, and hurriedly went over.
Her father had always treated her very well, and seeing him like this made her feel terrible.
She knew in her heart that under the immense pressure from her man, her father was probably having a hard time, and might even be having trouble sleeping.
Hearing his greeting, she cried and said, "Father, I am doing very well; it is you who have lost weight."
Why!
Hearing his daughter's concern, Bill III sighed and said with a wry smile, "Your father has always been a bit plump, so losing some weight is a good thing. You're all alone in Great Liang now, and it worries your father a lot."
Princess Anne fell silent for a moment when this was mentioned.
To be honest, life in Great Liang wasn't easy. Although the emperor treated her well, she was under a lot of pressure.
Not only are there two older sisters pressing down on me, but there's also that saintly woman provoking me from below. I feel like I have no choice but to work hard; being a woman here is so tough.
In order not to fall behind, she also had to learn music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and prose; otherwise, she would be surpassed.
In comparison, the West has it so easy.
After a long silence, she smiled bitterly and said, "Father, in the West I am known as a talented woman, praised by the world. But after coming to the East, I realized that the talented women of the East are simply too ruthless, practically omnipotent."
She believed her beauty was second to none, but compared to talent, she felt she had no advantage over Cai Yan and Shenle, and instead appeared shallow.
That's embarrassing.