Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao-Chapter 654 - 360: Ascension to the Throne
"Do all these young men truly lack even the courage to fight one battle?" Wang Tao asked sternly, his eyes wide open as he looked around. His large, tiger-like eyes had a hint of blood-red in them, signaling the despair he finally felt. He knew that the people's hearts were no longer in it.
Once the generals retreated, Wang Tao seemed to have all energy drained from him as he slumped into his chair, looking at the now empty hall and couldn't help but sigh.
At that moment, the once towering passion in his heart gradually receded, leaving only a profound sense of powerlessness. "When the time comes, the whole world exerts the same force, but when the momentum fades, even heroes lose their freedom."
"Mr. Wu, do you think with such a state of morale, we are fit for a battle?" Wang Tao said softly, his voice echoing through the empty hall.
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"Alas! With hearts turning cold before the battle, there is no reasoning for a victorious fight," Mr. Wu sighed as well, knowing that what Wang Tao wanted to hear was words of encouragement, but he couldn't betray his conscience to tell such a lie.
"Indeed, with fear before the fight, how can we prevail? I never imagined that the foundation I painstakingly built over the years would be surrendered so easily," Wang Tao said with resentful reluctance.
Mr. Wu remained silent as well. His heart was just as unwilling to accept the situation, but the grand trend of the world was clear, and he knew all too well the fighting capacity of the Chu Army. Without a willingness to die, there was no way to win.
"Circumstances are beyond our control, one can only sigh in vain," Wang Tao murmured to himself.
He slumped in his chair, looking up at the ceiling, as if his thoughts were wandering far away. After a long while, he finally spoke, "It seems it's time to make provisions for a way out."
A look of surprise instantly crossed Mr. Wu's face. He was well acquainted with the temperament of his lord. Faced with such a situation, Wang Tao might have chosen a path of mutual destruction, but unexpectedly, he had now changed his mind, hinting at a willingness to surrender.
"Has Your Lordship come to a realization?"
"What good is it to be unyielding when the situation is thus? If one is inflexible, it leads only to destruction. The Wang family now depends solely on me; how could I, in good conscience, let my ancestors rest in peace in the Nether Springs?" Wang Tao spoke with a soft sigh.
In fact, Taoist Zi Yang had played a role in this, for his words had prepared Wang Tao for the possibility of a failing outcome. Furthermore, knowing the secrets of the Underworld Dragon Court gave him a different notion. Even if he couldn't rule the world, becoming an important member of the Dragon Court was also acceptable, enough to protect the many lost souls of the Wang family.
On another front, Lu Xun's forces had advanced irresistibly, seizing cities and fortresses without encountering any significant resistance. Everyone thought that Wang Tao was concocting some scheme, unaware that the Chu Army had changed beyond recognition after prolonged training and the previous brutal war.
The current Great Chu could boast a truly elite force. Veteran soldiers guided the new recruits in a well-established training system, quickly creating an army capable of warfare. In contrast, Wang Tao's elite troops were almost entirely wiped out in the last major conflict, which had taken him years to accumulate.
Now his army was stuck in an awkward situation where seasoned veterans were lacking, and while the Liu Family was gone, its influence lingered, making Wang Tao's conscription efforts rather difficult. This gaining and losing brought an immediate disparity into sharp relief.
In a matter of half a month, Great Chu had swiftly occupied the Central Plains area. Wang Tao opened the city and surrendered, willing to reorganize under Lu Xun's command.
This outcome, which caught the Feudal Lords who were ready to enjoy the spectacle off guard, led them to be dumbfounded. They had expected a colossal battle like fire meeting the earth, yet the war ended before they could even settle in with their snacks. It was over.
Only then did they realize, with trepidation, that Lu Xun, having conquered the Central Plains, now possessed the momentum to sweep across the world and consume all corners. They wanted to alter the current state of affairs but found themselves powerless. Lu Xun's powerful influence was established.
In the following time, Lu Xun steadily maintained his oppressive pace, systematically dealing with the local Feudal Lords, and finally after three years, he returned to the old Capital City.
When the flag of Great Chu once again flew above the Capital City, the citizens felt as if they were dreaming, as if the near-decade of turmoil had been nothing more than an illusion. Now, as they awoke, Great Chu still ruled.
Lu Xun rode his fine horse as he entered from the main road. The scenes of the once-great, now battered Capital City came into view. The Capital City, having changed hands several times and ravaged by war, had lost the splendor it once had.
The place was filled with ruins, and Lu Xun struggled to recall the prosperous scenes, but having been raised in the secluded palace and rarely venturing out, he had little exposure to the Capital City's glory. So at that moment, he found it hard to remember.
Some of the older citizens, overwhelmed with emotion, knelt on the ground, gazing upon the familiar flag and military attire, with tears streaming down their faces. They were born during the peaceful times of Great Chu and thus strongly identified with the Imperial Court. Having lived as citizens of Great Chu for most of their lives, amidst the chaos, their kings had changed repeatedly, with nearly five Feudal Lords coming to this city to ascend the throne and establish their own kingdoms within just three years.
But for them, the flag of Great Chu had always been present in their hearts, and they longed for the day they would wake up and once again be citizens of a peaceful, thriving Great Chu.
Lu Xun passed through the crowd and saw a group of excited, trembling old folks, each with snowy white hair and faces crinkled with wrinkles, looking as if they were on the brink of death.
He quickly approached and supported the leading elder, asking with concern, "Old sir, are you well?"
