Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 448: Sharing the World with the Great Family_1
"Damn, does the Northern Kong Clan have that much power? They’ve made their traitorous intentions clear, yet they’re untouchable?" Wang Linchi exclaimed, his expression aghast as he read the intelligence report provided by Li Zheng.
They had jointly pressured the Emperor to make him return to the Capital. If it weren’t for Emperor Jing directly turning their pressure back on them, coupled with his usual willingness to kill, he would have been manipulated by them had he shown even a hint of weakness.
"We cannot kill them unless they rebel."
"Furthermore, if His Majesty acts, the other Great Families will help cover for them." Li Zheng’s face darkened.
"What about the southern expedition of the Pitfall Army? What’s the progress on that?" Wang Linchi asked.
At this question, Li Zheng’s expression grew even grimmer.
"We are at a standstill. We either lack supplies and weaponry, or there are officials deliberately procrastinating, leading us from one defeat to another." Li Zheng knew something was amiss.
But he could not solve it, and neither could Emperor Jing.
The Liu Kou have fewer than one hundred thousand soldiers in total, yet they’ve managed to drag things out. The Pitfall Army, as the Emperor’s main force, has repeatedly distinguished itself in battle, but they’ve been held back, preventing any advance in the overall situation.
Even worse, instigated by certain individuals, they’ve deliberately shifted the blame for the slow progress of the southern campaign onto the northern expedition, claiming it consumes too many resources.
In essence, they were pinning the blame on his ’peasant’ origins, claiming he didn’t know how to wage war.
"Aren’t they afraid of retribution?" asked Wang Linchi.
"Someone will be made to take the fall." Li Zheng knew these Great Families’ tactics all too well; someone would eventually be made the scapegoat.
Upon hearing this, Wang Linchi was astounded. Isn’t this outrageous?
Indeed, these Great Families that share power with the throne are truly formidable.
I can only say I was too rash back then for not managing to eliminate them.
However, when Dajing was founded, it received help from the Great Families. Otherwise, things wouldn’t have become so deeply entangled; their power would have been curtailed long ago. But because they held the ’founding shares’ from the very beginning, it was impossible to eliminate them.
"Sir Wang, rest assured, the Northern Kong Clan has always operated among the Northern Barbarians. Now that we’ve severed the Kong Clan’s influence in the Court, no one will disturb our northern expedition," Li Zheng said.
"Heh, who knows," Wang Linchi smirked.
No one to obstruct us, true, but that doesn’t mean no one will come to reap the rewards.
The Great Families have been arrogant for too long. They don’t know the sharpness of the blade.
"Then what’s the explanation for these people?" Wang Linchi said, tossing a list over. It was filled with names of individuals from Great Families who had been inserted into the ranks, either to gain prestige or to seize power.
After reading it, Li Zheng said, "This is a necessary compromise. If we don’t do this, the other Great Families won’t assist His Majesty."
"Fine, tell them to come in three days," Wang Linchi stated.
Li Zheng’s eyes lit up, and he nodded. "I’ll arrange it properly."
With our current marching speed and combat strength, we can take the Northern Royal Court by tomorrow at the latest. By then, when those people arrive, they’ll be entirely at Sir Wang’s mercy. Gild their reputation? Reap the rewards? Dream on! They’ll be put to honest work on the grasslands. Once Sir Wang controls the transportation network, they won’t be able to return even if they want to. They’ll be completely trapped, with no escape route. As for returning on foot? Besides the fact that these scions of Great Families wouldn’t even know the way, they’d die on the grasslands without sufficient supplies. And if they dare to flee, Sir Wang can simply report them for deserting their posts. Once that happens, even if they make it back to Dajing, regaining an official position won’t be easy. Holding office isn’t like eating or drinking, where you can quit and rejoin whenever you please, is it? If things were really that chaotic, wouldn’t the system collapse? The other Great Families wouldn’t just sit by and watch them be reinstated.
Delaying them for three months might be impossible for Li Zheng, but three days? That’s definitely doable.
"If you can’t hold them back, and anyone arrives early, I’ll ensure they die of a sudden illness," Wang Linchi stated.
Once they fall into my hands, how they’re dealt with will be my decision.
"Isn’t that a bit much? Such an act..." Li Zheng began to protest, implying Wang Linchi was disregarding the established rules.
"I’m not from a Great Family," Wang Linchi scoffed. "They’ve already started targeting me, so why should I play by the rules they’ve established? If you foolishly adhere to the rules they set, you’ll have nowhere to seek justice when you suffer a loss. The rules set by the Great Families are naturally biased towards them; how could they possibly favor outsiders?"
Li Zheng wanted to argue that murder was against the law, especially killing so many people at once. However, considering Wang Linchi’s utterly unscrupulous methods, he didn’t dare bring it up. In fact, he felt he hardly knew Wang Linchi anymore. The Wang Linchi of the past was low-key and amicable. But now, he killed at the slightest disagreement and even trampled on rules and laws. It was simply incredible. Can wielding power really change a person so drastically? Li Zheng couldn’t help but wonder.
"Alright, go about your business. Another tribe has arrived. Prepare to strike, and inform the Court to send troops to take over."
Wang Linchi looked towards the distant ground where the silhouette of another tribe was once again emerging.
He was waging a blitzkrieg. Acting on intelligence from guides, he moved from one tribe to the next, slaughtering them without taking prisoners, annihilating them directly with the Steam Air Cannons.
With the people dead, the land would naturally be left for the Court to manage; these were the so-called victory reports.
As for the Court taking control later, Wang Linchi couldn’t care less. With military might, why would he fear their political power? With three hundred airships and the Iron Wing Army under his command, his word was law. Anyone who dared to disobey would be blasted to death with a single cannon shot. He could kill as many people as the Court sent, then denounce the ruler for being surrounded by sycophants, slaughter all the Great Families, install a puppet emperor, and remake the world. Of course, this scenario was unlikely for now, as Emperor Jing was still alive. With the Emperor shielding him, Wang Linchi didn’t need to worry too much.
"Speaking of which, I remember the Hu Lu have Shamans and Demon Gods. Why haven’t we seen any?" Wang Linchi suddenly brought this up.
They had slaughtered their way here without encountering any Shamans or the Demon Gods they worshipped.
"We struck too fast. They were killed before they could even react." You really have no idea of the power you wield, do you? Li Zheng thought. We attacked from the sky; they couldn’t even react before vast numbers of them were dead.
Since Shamans weren’t even as powerful as Spirit Masters, their gruesome deaths were to be expected.
"The Demon Gods cannot manifest in this world directly; they can only act through Shamans. That’s why we haven’t seen them," Li Zheng further explained.
After hearing this, Wang Linchi nodded. "I see."
"Entering attack range! Calibrating!"
A voice interrupted Wang Linchi and Li Zheng’s conversation.
Then, the roaring sound of the Steam Air Cannons resounded.
This was followed by the sounds of wailing and explosions from the Hu Lu Tribe below, and neither man felt any pity.
Wang Linchi, after all, was not native to this world and felt no empathy.
As for Li Zheng, formerly of the Imperial Guards, his heart had long turned to iron. Everything he did was to maintain imperial power. He had committed all sorts of unscrupulous acts in its name and naturally felt little remorse.
More importantly, they had witnessed such scenes so often they had become desensitized.
「...」
"Father, a single misstep in this matter could plunge our Kong Clan into an abyss from which there is no recovery!" Kong Lei couldn’t believe his father was so audacious as to actually want to allow the Liu Kou into the Capital.
"It’s already no different from an abyss of no recovery," Kong Qian said calmly. He knew what he was doing. "Our once great Kong Clan is now so deserted that sparrows could be netted at our door; its former glory is gone. Naturally, we must seek a new path."
"But the Liu Kou are volatile, cruel, and treacherous! Even the Southern Zhang Clan doesn’t dare invest too much in them. And they aren’t like the Hu Lu, who are checked by border defenses and the Great Wall."
"If they truly grow powerful and sweep through, how will our Kong Clan expel them?" Kong Lei stated the crucial problem. "Even the imperial army of one hundred thousand couldn’t exterminate them; how could the Kong Clan’s private soldiers possibly resist? Do you really think that hundred-thousand-strong army is entirely incompetent? It’s because the Great Families are unwilling to see the Liu Kou annihilated and are deliberately holding them back!"
"In the worst-case scenario, we just concede the Capital to the Liu Kou." Kong Qian didn’t care about that; he cared about his own power. "All we need is to prop up a puppet to hold the banner of righteousness. We can even relocate the Capital."
Kong Lei couldn’t help but fall silent. You’re certainly being magnanimous, Father.
"Father, have you not heard the proverb, ’When the nest is overturned, how can any egg remain unbroken’?" Kong Lei asked. Father is truly too naive. An Alien Race is like an untamable white-eyed wolf. Using them to carve out some benefits might be acceptable, but if you actually intend to raise them as watchdogs, your entire family will be devoured.
"I have my own judgment on this matter." As a feudal patriarch, Kong Qian naturally wouldn’t listen to his son.
He saw this as a heaven-sent opportunity for immense wealth and status, but he never considered that such fortune requires genuine strength and daring.
"But what if Wang Linchi returns with reinforcements?" Kong Lei pressed. "With his Iron Wing Army’s airships, he could rush back to the Capital from the Northern Royal Court in a single day."
"That’s easily handled. We draft a false imperial decree, intercept the real one, and order him to commit suicide or relinquish his military command." Judging from Wang Linchi’s attitude, Kong Qian had deduced that he was a man of foolish loyalty. Manipulating such a person couldn’t be simpler.
