The petty man prospers

All good things must come to an end, and even the most joyous times eventually pass. With the conclusion of this grand feast, the relocation work officially began.

The first items to be transported were some supplies from the government treasury, including military provisions and valuables. These would be shipped to Coastal Defense, then transported by sea to Guangzhou for unloading.

The remaining personnel and a small amount of supplies were escorted overland by the Diannan Circuit troops to Region, where they would join forces with the Baier Soldiers and Central Corps troops for escort to Panyu City.

As for the grain and fodder, they were all left in Guchang County, as there would be no shortage of these in Guangzhou.

Meanwhile, after more than half a month of sailing, two massive sea vessels docked at a port near Linan on the fourteenth day of the eighth month in the third year of the Shaoxing era.

A guard detail escorted Feng Pu's family, along with the preserved heads of Feng Chengqian and Feng Chengkun, to the current capital of Da Qian, Linan.

Wu Guiyi and Wan Sanqian were in no hurry to enter the palace. Instead, they took the gold, silver, and jewels and began acting separately.

Song Yehong looked at the letter and gift list in his hand, then at the dark-skinned, thin man before him.

"Are you sent by Gao Yuan?"

"I am indeed Wu Guiyi, Registrar of the Court of State Ceremonial under Commandery Duke Gao Yuan, specially here to pay my respects to Minister Song."

"Sigh... my brother-in-law... fine, fine. Go back and wait for news. I'll notify you once I've arranged meetings with my colleagues."

"Thank you, Minister Song."

A similar scene unfolded at the Zheng Residence, where Zheng Ting also had no choice but to contribute to Gao Yuan's plan.

With the assistance of Song Yehong and Zheng Ting, bolstered by the power of money, news quickly spread throughout Linan:

Pacifying the South had led troops to quell Feng Pu's rebellion, capturing Feng Pu and his sons alive, and bringing the heads of Feng Pu's eldest and second sons to Linan to present as trophies.

After completing all this, Wu Guiyi finally brought the tribute for The Emperor Zhao Ji to Linan Palace to request an audience.

Upon hearing that it was his sister and brother-in-law sending someone to present trophies again, Zhao Ji was extremely reluctant to grant an audience.

Although he had long since abandoned his ambitions and become a useless ruler, he was still an The Emperor—one who had once had dreams. Seeing others expand territories and achieve great deeds made him deeply uncomfortable.

Yet he had no choice but to convene a Grand Court Assembly, not only because the news had already spread throughout Linan and he had to respond,

but also because Gao Yuan had given far too much: ten chests of various jewels and jade artifacts, five pairs of elephant tusks—a huge sum for the increasingly weakened Great Qian Imperial Court.

Moreover, this huge sum didn't need to enter the national treasury; it was all given by Gao Yuan to his third brother-in-law and could directly go into the Inner Treasury, becoming Zhao Ji's personal funds.

On the second day of the ninth month in the third year of Shaoxing, Da Qian The Emperor Zhao Ji convened a Grand Court Assembly at Xuande Hall in Linan Palace and summoned Wu Guiyi, the envoy under Pacifying the South Zhao Xiyao.

Although he held an official position, it wasn't formally conferred by the court, so strictly speaking, Wu Guiyi was still a commoner.

He wore a blue round-collared robe and strode confidently to the foot of the Imperial Dais, kneeling and bowing to Zhao Ji.

"This commoner, Wu Guiyi, pays homage to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years."

Hmm, this phrase "ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years" was also taught to him by Gao Yuan. It seemed highly effective now, as Zhao Ji was utterly disoriented by this flattery.

Next was the submission of the formal written victory report and the presentation of captives and spoils of war.

The real spoils had already been presented earlier; today was merely for show, displaying two extremely ornate sets of mingguang armor found in Feng Pu's palace, placed alongside the heads of Feng Chengqian and Feng Chengkun.

Behind these items knelt Feng Chengdao, Feng An, and Feng Shang with disheveled hair, and behind them lay Feng Pu on a stretcher, barely clinging to life.

Since rebellions had erupted everywhere, forcing him to abandon Luoyang and move south to Linan, Zhao Ji had never felt as exhilarated as he did today.

He strode down from the Imperial Dais, first approaching the stretcher and looking at Feng Pu, who was barely recognizable, with a mocking expression.

"Well, well, who do we have here? It's the esteemed King of Nanyue! How did you end up like this? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I actually considered you a rival, but you're useless!"

"Oh, still Unconvinced, still daring to glare at me? Then get up! I'm right here—get up and face me one-on-one. If I so much as flinch, I'll take your surname!"

Seeing this scene and Zhao Ji's smug demeanor, all the ministers in the hall simultaneously thought of four words: "the petty man's triumph"!

Zhao Ji's abilities were mediocre in most areas, but he excelled at taunting and verbal sparring. Feng Pu was already critically ill, exhausted from the long journey to Linan, and now, provoked by Zhao Ji's gloating, he vomited blood and fainted on the spot.

Zhao Ji's Dragon Robe was splattered with bloodstains. He immediately frowned and flicked his sleeve.

"Disgusting!"

Returning to the Dragon Throne, Zhao Ji looked at the three dejected figures and suddenly conceived a plan for revenge.

"Feng Pu committed treason and deserves death ten thousand times over. Expose his corpse for three days, then throw it to the dogs. Hang the heads of Feng Chengqian and Feng Chengkun at the city gate for three months. Execute Feng Shang and Feng Chengdao by waist-cutting and discard their bodies in the market. As for Feng An..."

Zhao Ji's dramatic pause immediately drew everyone's attention. They all thought the The Emperor might show mercy, given that Feng An was only three years old.

But Zhao Ji's next words made everyone gasp in shock.

"I consider Feng An still young and thus spare him the death penalty. However, while death may be avoided, punishment cannot. By decree, Feng An is to be Castrated and kept for service in the palace."

Feng Chengdao and Feng Shang showed no reaction upon hearing their own sentences, but their eyes widened in horror at Feng An's fate. They desperately wanted to speak, but their mouths were stuffed with corks, rendering them speechless.

The two struggled violently, emitting "mmph" sounds, with drool leaking from the gaps between the corks and their mouths.

With the Feng Family dealt with, all were dragged away like dead dogs. At this moment, Zhao Ji felt that being The Emperor was truly exhilarating!

But before he could revel in this feeling a second time, someone immediately stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, Pacifying the South has expanded territories, quelled rebellions, and achieved unparalleled merits. I believe she should be richly rewarded."

"Indeed, Your Majesty. With such accomplishments, failing to reward Grand Princess would dishearten all aspiring talents in the realm."

"I second the motion!"

"I also second the motion!"

Zhao Ji's A twitch at the corner of his mouth. Ever since he heard that Wu Guiyi was running around Linan with money, he had anticipated this scene.

The exhilaration he felt moments ago vanished, replaced by an indescribable sense of frustration.

He desperately wanted to roar without regard for decorum:

"She's just a vase propped up by Gao Yuan, already a super-rank Pacifying the South. What more do you want me to reward her with?"

Soon, someone helped Zhao Ji resolve this difficulty. A man in a crimson official robe stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, I believe that with such great achievements, Grand Princess should be enfeoffed as a king."

The flesh on Zhao Ji's face twitched. He said in a trembling voice,

"Nonsense! Zhao Xiyaos informal address is a woman—how can she be enfeoffed as a king?"

"Your Majesty, precisely because it's unprecedented, it would better showcase Your Majesty's open-mindedness and brilliance."

"Yes, Your Majesty is a ruler who Inheriting the past and forging ahead into the future—how can you be rigid by matters of gender?"

"Now is a time when the court needs talent. Your Majesty's action could win the hearts of all talents in the realm."

One flattering remark after another piled up, weighing so heavily on Zhao Ji that his neck ached. It seemed as if not enfeoffing Zhao Xiyao as a king would push all talents away.

Zhao Ji suddenly felt that being The Emperor wasn't fun at all.