Swearing Loyalty to Her Majesty Until Death

Yanmen Pass is much larger now, and there's a lot more open space; this area was specially marked out.

Then all of these people's houses were resettled.

The trees carried these people straight home. When the adults woke up, they stretched and said, "Hey! What a wonderful sleep! Huh? How did I get home?"

Their wives both shook their heads and said, "Sir, we don't know either. We woke up this morning and you were already home."

Those officials all rushed out. It was their own home, but the situation was strange!

"Brother Zhao, I didn't expect to see you here. What exactly happened?"

"You don't know? How could I possibly know? I don't know what happened either, but it seems like we're all out of prison."

"Wow! Not only am I out of prison, but all my wounds have actually healed! Can you believe it?"

"This feels like a dream. I feel like I signed a contract to sell myself into servitude and then ended up here. Could it be that some kind of deity saved us?"

Zhou Wanwan walked in from outside and looked at them, saying:

"You're awake? How are you feeling? You weren't dreaming last night."

"I've sold your entire family to me, so from now on, you'll be working for me."

Everyone stared at Zhou Wanwan in shock.

Who exactly is this little girl?

An official cupped his hands in greeting and asked, "May I ask your name, young lady?"

Qin Shan, standing next to Zhou Wanwan, said, "What 'girl' nonsense? Please call me master."

The officials sighed and knelt down, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said:

"This is Yanmen Pass. You will stay here for the time being."

As for your family, I've made all the arrangements. From now on, you'll be working for me.

Qin Shan looked at them and said, "Oh! You still have a few old friends here!"

Besides civil officials, there were also military officers.

Several well-known military officers among them recognized Qin Shan: "Isn't this that old scoundrel Qin Shan? You're still alive?"

Qin Shan snorted coldly and said:

"What do you mean 'die'? I'm as healthy as a feather!"

"But you lot seem to be getting worse with age. Weren't you supposed to be the war gods of the Great Qi? How did you end up like this?"

Those people all sighed and said:

Every family has its own problems!

We were all trusted confidants of the old emperor, but the new emperor kicked us out of the court not long after he took the throne.

Qin Shan said helplessly:

"It's perfectly normal for new generations to replace the old ones!"

Just like me, I was also kicked out of the court. That's perfectly normal.

Everyone sighed and lamented, but there was nothing that could be done; a new emperor, upon ascending the throne, would inevitably promote his own people.

Qin Shan said:

"I have a great eye for talent; I knew our master would achieve great things in the future."

You should also think carefully about whether you want to follow your master.

Everyone looked at him and asked, "Who is your master?"

Qin Shan looked down at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Far away, yet right before my eyes."

One of the adults said with a look of surprise:

"You mean you want to make this five or six-year-old child emperor?"

The key point is that it's a girl, Qin Shan, are you getting senile?

"Absolutely! What kind of girl becomes emperor? It's utterly ridiculous."

Is this a reliable plan?

The crowd was buzzing with discussion, but Qin Shan ignored them.

"You old bastards, did I even ask for your opinion?"

You've already signed contracts of servitude, what are you still acting so arrogant about?"

Then a group of soldiers came running from not far away, all shouting, "1234! 1122334!"

When they looked at these soldiers, they saw that they were all muscular and their imposing presence was so overwhelming that it was hard to breathe.

Several thousand soldiers stood in perfect unison, exuding a murderous aura.

He walked up to Zhou Wanwan and knelt down with a thud, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"

Everyone was startled, and Old Master Xie collapsed to the ground. "The Emperor? Zhou Wanwan is the Emperor, then what is her son-in-law? What is her daughter?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at them and said, "Get up! Let's keep running!"

Zhou Wanwan looked at the ministers and said, "Actually, you still have other options. If you want to go back, I will send someone to take you back immediately."

Having finally climbed out, who would want to go back?

Everyone knelt down and shouted in unison, "We swear to serve Your Majesty to the death!"

Zhou Wanwan looked at them with satisfaction and said:

"Actually, I don't lack ministers. Look around me, I have so many talented people around me."

I just think you are all exceptional talents, and I don't want to waste your potential.

I've made one thing clear to you: you can leave if you want.

But if you stab me in the back, not a single one of your family will survive.

Last night, overnight, their house was able to be moved to Yanmen Pass.

What kind of person could do that?

These people are all officials, and they're not stupid.

Zhou Wanwan then returned to Yanmen Pass. Now, if you want to enter Yanmen Pass, you have to pay a fee.

People from outside the area had to pay two coins to enter Yanmen Pass.

The villagers have now been relocated to Zhou Wanwan's estate.

Everyone now knows that Yanmen Pass is very safe; the city walls are very high, and the merchants who used to frequent it are slowly returning.

They wanted to buy shops, but they couldn't buy any at all.

In other cities, Zhou Wanwan also acquired many shops, and now her business at the border is thriving.

Yanmen Pass is of paramount importance because it is the border area of four kingdoms: Great Qi, Great Xia, the Mobei Uyghur, and the Western Rong.

To be honest, there are too many countries in this era, especially among nomadic peoples.

Some of Zhou Wanwan's names she couldn't even remember; there were more than 20 small countries.

The four largest states now presented are Great Xia, Great Qi, Northern Yan, Southern Chu.

As for the Snow Khanate, the Mobei Uyghur, the Khotan in the Western Regions, the Kingdom of Persia, and the Western Rong, these were all very small countries.

Its territory is not vast enough, and its population is not large enough to be a threat.

Looking at the map, Zhou Wanwan said, "The Mobei Uyghur and Western Rong in the northern deserts are quite close to us, so we need to be extra vigilant."

Before Zhou Wanwan could finish speaking, someone outside reported, "Your Majesty, envoys from the Mobei Uyghur and the Western Rong are requesting an audience outside the gate."

Huh? She hadn't even looked for them yet, but they'd already arrived.

Zhou Wanwan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you sure they're here to see me?"

"Yes, will you see me or not?"

Zhou Wanwan said, "Then let them come to the study!"

Zhou Wanwan now lives in the City Lord's Mansion, which is huge, with dozens of courtyards. Zhou Wanwan lives in the main courtyard, and her study is even more magnificent.

Zhou Wanwan was sitting in her study when two envoys approached and asked, "Where is your lord?"

"Do you think it's appropriate to have a child greet us?"

Zhou Wanwan glanced at it indifferently and said, "So what kind of reception do you want? I am the city lord here."

The two envoys laughed heartily, "Hahaha... You're the city lord, but I'm the ruler of the Great Xia!"