Chapter 417: Retribution

In the season of heavy snow, the sky seemed to have torn open an endless white curtain, as snowflakes fluttered down upon the mortal world, gently dyeing the walls of Great Wu’s capital in a pure snowy white.

On the city wall stood Emperor Ye, clad in golden armor. His figure stood tall and striking amid the swirling snow.

“Xiao Linzi, how long have you served Us?”

The Emperor’s voice rang out suddenly. Beside him, a eunuch bowed and replied, “Replying to Your Majesty, it’s been exactly seven years—no more, no less.”

“Seven years…” Emperor Ye paused, then said, “It has also been seven years since the war broke out in Great Wu…”

Upon hearing this, the eunuch named Xiao Linzi did not dare respond, merely lowering his head in silence.

“Xiao Linzi, tell Us, have We been a good emperor?”

Xiao Linzi trembled and quickly answered, “Your Majesty is certainly a good emperor. In times of peace and prosperity, you would surely have brought peace and happiness to the people…”

“Haha… peace and happiness…” Emperor Ye exhaled through his long beard and said, “In Our eyes, We are far from a good emperor…”

“This war has dragged on for seven years. Our lands have been eaten away piece by piece. The people are displaced, homes are empty…”

“The third-generation males of a hundred thousand households—all sent to the battlefield by Our decree…”

“And what has that bought Us?”

“Now, the Great Wu court is reduced to just this one capital city…”

Hearing this, Xiao Linzi quickly said, “Your Majesty is blessed by the heavens. This temporary setback is but fleeting. One day, we will rise again and reclaim our lost land!”

“Enough, enough.” Emperor Ye no longer wished to hear flattery and waved his hand dismissively, his gaze turning toward the distance.

“Whhhhooo~~”

Below the city walls, a scout pulled his horse to a stop and sprinted up to the top. Upon reaching the Emperor, he knelt down and said, “Your Majesty! Monarch Yan has replied!”

Emperor Ye calmly asked, “Oh? What does he say?”

The scout hesitated. “Replying to Your Majesty… I have not read it.”

Emperor Ye chuckled lightly. “Then go ahead, read it aloud to Us…”

“Yes!” The scout tore open the envelope, pulled out the letter, and his expression froze. Then his face turned extremely unsightly.

“Why don’t you read it?”

Trembling, the scout prostrated himself. “Y-Your Majesty… I dare not…”

The Emperor turned his back and waved. “We told you to read, so read.”

At this, the scout braced himself and began:

“Dog… Dog Emperor!”

“Heaven is watching all that man does. What you suffer today is nothing but retribution!”

“Pity I couldn’t personally take your dog head!”

“But to see you and your brother biting at each other like dogs… that alone is quite the spectacle…”

After finishing, the scout trembled all over, lying flat on the ground, waiting silently for the Emperor to speak.

A moment later, Emperor Ye waved again. “If you’re done reading, then go.”

“Yes!” Relieved, the scout scrambled down the wall as fast as he could, fearing he’d lose his head if he lingered another second.

On the city wall, Emperor Ye’s eyes reflected a growing “black sea.” Soon after, bugles sounded from various gates. Signal smoke rose instantly, and the soldiers on the wall began preparing for battle—drawing bows, readying arrows, and staring solemnly into the distance.

Rumble—rumble—

The wall beneath Emperor Ye’s feet began to tremble faintly. From the horizon surged the demon beast army of the Great Tong Dynasty, like storm clouds pressing down on the city. Yet in the Emperor’s eyes, there was no fear, only calm stillness.

As if he had long anticipated this very moment…

From the horizon, the beast army galloped forward, kicking up massive clouds of dust and letting out deafening roars as they rushed toward the capital. With every blink, they drew visibly closer.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, an elite cavalry vanguard arrived within three hundred paces of the city gate.

At its head was a man astride a dark horse, clad in heavy black-gold armor, a seven-foot-long treasured sword at his waist. The scabbard bore black-gold patterns that complemented the armor.

“Third Brother!”

“It’s been a long time. How has your hair turned all white?”

Emperor Tongchu, personally leading his troops, looked at his elder brother’s silver hair with faint emotion.

On the wall, Emperor Ye’s gaze remained calm. After observing Emperor Tongchu for a moment, he sneered. “Sold yourself to beasts… Looks like you’ve been living quite well. Also, you traitorous bastard who’s turned your back on your ancestors—don’t pretend to act like family here. It’s disgusting…”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk!”

Emperor Tongchu clicked his tongue. “Third Brother, had you opened the gates and begged for mercy, I might’ve let you live out your days in peace for the sake of blood ties…”

“But alas, you just had to cling to that worthless pride…”

“I truly don’t understand why the Grand Preceptor favored you back then… He was always a good judge of character in his youth. Did age make him blind?”

“Shut up!” Emperor Ye shouted angrily. “A traitor like you dares insult the Grand Preceptor?”

“Even if We fall today, We’ll die as the Emperor of Great Wu. But you?”

“History will record you as nothing but a puppet beast who betrayed humanity and sold yourself to demons!”

“The victors write history,” Emperor Tongchu sneered. “But just from what you said, it’s clear you know nothing of what Great Tong truly means…”

Schiiing!

Also clad in armor, Emperor Ye drew the imperial sword at his waist and shouted, “Sons of Great Wu, hear Our command!”

“Today, fight to the death with Us!”

As soon as his voice fell, thunderous cries erupted from both the city walls and the interior.

“Fight to the death! Fight to the death! Fight to the death!”

The deafening roars surged like a tidal wave, piercing the heavens.

The defending soldiers, blood surging with passion, raised their weapons high, roaring at the top of their lungs as if to turn all fear and fatigue into boundless fighting spirit!

Watching the scene before him and listening to the shouts in his ears, Emperor Tongchu sneered coldly. “Just desperate resistance…”

Likewise, he drew the treasured sword at his waist and pointed it toward the capital of Great Wu, shouting, “The fall of Great Wu will be today. The Great Tong Dynasty shall rule the world!”

“Attack the city!”

Roooaaar—!

The beast army behind Emperor Tongchu unleashed a deafening roar, a torrent of sound that crashed upon the minds of the city’s defenders like an unstoppable flood!

The next moment, the diverse beast army charged forward, sweeping toward the towering city wall with the force of a thunderstorm!

Massive bear demons repeatedly slammed their bodies into the gates; winged avian beasts streaked through the sky like lightning, circling above as they waited for the perfect moment to snatch the lives of defenders below.

In the face of a beast army whose strength and numbers vastly outmatched theirs, the Great Wu defenders were overwhelmed in mere moments.

In just a few dozen breaths, the century-old city gate crumbled with a thunderous crash. Amid a cloud of dust, Emperor Tongchu leisurely rode his dark horse into the imperial capital he had been away from for seven years…