76: Chapter 75 Eye of the Sky

Great Yan Imperial Calendar, May 18th. The 20th day after the implementation of the new policy.

Summer in Huadu arrived earlier than in previous years. Even though it was only May, the sun was already as fierce as a furnace, making the stone tablet at the city gate inscribed with "The World is for the Public" burning hot. But what was hotter than the sun were the hearts of the people.

After Xia Yuanchang's shops closed, the merchants of Huadu thought the Crown Prince was going to make drastic reforms to the marketplace. However, after waiting for half a month, nothing happened. No audits, no arrests, no closures. The Crown Prince seemed to have forgotten about it, only moving between the Crown Princes Mansion and the Imperial Palace every day, occasionally visiting the military camp outside the city. The merchants gradually relaxed, opening their shops and conducting business as usual.

But Emperor of Great Xia had not forgotten.

Prince Xia's Mansion. Study. Emperor of Great Xia sat by the window, a secret letter spread before him. The letter was sent from the old capital of Great Xia, with only one line: "Thirty thousand former troops have finished assembling, awaiting the Prince's command." After reading the letter, he remained silent for a long time. Then he held the letter over a candle flame to burn it, watching the fire consume the handwriting on the paper.

"Father," a young man's voice came from outside the door, "may I come in?"

Emperor of Great Xia looked up: "Come in."

The door opened, and a young man in his early twenties walked in. He had a clean face and sharp eyes, wearing a white brocade robe with a jade pendant hanging from his waist. He was the eldest son of Emperor of Great Xia, the nephew of Xia Yuanchang, and the Crown Prince of Great Xia—Crown Prince Xia Ming. He had not been granted a title of Prince because Crown Prince Xiao Xuan had not conferred one upon him. He was merely the son of Emperor of Great Xia, an ordinary person.

"Father," Crown Prince Xia Ming spoke, "I heard that the former troops have assembled thirty thousand men."

Emperor of Great Xia nodded.

Crown Prince Xia Ming asked: "What does Father intend to do?"

Emperor of Great Xia remained silent. He didn't know. Rebel? Thirty thousand against three hundred thousand, and Great Hua had General Xiang Yu, General Li Yuanba, and Jiang Ziya; they couldn't win. Not rebel? To live so wretchedly as a mere Prince, he was unwilling.

Crown Prince Xia Ming seemed to see through his thoughts and said slowly: "Father, I have something to say, though I don't know if it is appropriate."

Emperor of Great Xia said: "Speak."

Crown Prince Xia Ming said: "Has Father ever wondered why Crown Prince Xiao Xuan hasn't killed us?"

Emperor of Great Xia was stunned.

Crown Prince Xia Ming continued: "With Crown Prince Xiao Xuan's strength, killing us would be as easy as turning over his hand. He doesn't kill us because he doesn't want to. He doesn't want to because he needs us. Great Hua has just been established, and everything is waiting to be rebuilt. He needs people to help him govern the world. We are those people."

Emperor of Great Xia was silent for a long time. Then he laughed: "Are you saying that this Prince should go and beg him?"

Crown Prince Xia Ming shook his head: "It's not begging. It's negotiating. Father helps him govern the old lands of Great Xia, and he gives Father real power. Each gets what they need."

Emperor of Great Xia looked at his son and suddenly felt like he didn't recognize him. When did this child, who had been protected under his wings since childhood, become so opinionated?

"Have you seen Crown Prince Xiao Xuan?" Emperor of Great Xia asked.

Crown Prince Xia Ming nodded: "I have. Three days ago, he sent someone to invite me. I went to the Crown Princes Mansion and talked with him for half an hour."

Emperor of Great Xia's expression changed: "Why didn't you tell me?"

Crown Prince Xia Ming looked at him, his gaze calm: "Because Father would not have agreed. Father is still thinking about restoring the kingdom, still thinking about being the emperor. But Father, Great Xia is gone. From the moment Crown Prince Xiao Xuan obtained the heavenly emperor seal, Great Xia was gone."

Emperor of Great Xia fell silent. He knew his son was right. But he was unwilling. He had been emperor for forty years; to suddenly ask him to bow his head, he couldn't do it.

"Father," Crown Prince Xia Ming stood up, "I have said all I can. Think about it carefully."

He turned and walked out. Emperor of Great Xia sat by the window, watching his son's back, silent for a long time.

Crown Princes Mansion. Basement level. Crown Prince Xiao Xuan sat in the main seat, a secret report sent by Zhao Gao spread before him. The report detailed the assembly of Emperor of Great Xia's former troops—thirty thousand men, stationed in a valley fifty miles north of the old capital of Great Xia, with poor equipment, low morale, and not even enough food to eat.

After Crown Prince Xiao Xuan finished reading, he handed it to Zhang Liang. Zhang Liang read it through, his brow furrowing slightly: "Your Highness, thirty thousand men are not enough for a battle. But they cannot be ignored either. If ignored, they will think Your Highness is afraid."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan nodded: "Zi Fang, what do you think should be done?"

Zhang Liang thought for a moment: "Send someone. Not to fight, but to recruit them. Tell them to put down their swords and go home to farm. The past will be forgotten."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan asked: "Who should go?"

Zhang Liang smiled slightly: "Crown Prince Xia Ming."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan was stunned. Zhang Liang said: "Crown Prince Xia Ming is the son of Emperor of Great Xia and the Crown Prince of Great Xia. If he goes, it will be more effective than Your Highness going. Because he is one of their own."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Zi Fang, this move of yours is quite devious."

Zhang Liang cupped his hands: "Your Highness overpraises me."

Fifty miles north of the old capital of Great Xia. The valley. Thirty thousand people were squeezed into a long, narrow valley, with no tents, no provisions, and even water had to be carried up from the foot of the mountain. Their leader was named Xia Hu, a distant nephew of Emperor of Great Xia, at the Early Stage of the True God realm. He stood at the highest point of the valley, looking toward the southern horizon, waiting for Emperor of Great Xia's command. He had been waiting for half a month.

In the distance, a horse approached. A person sat on the horse, dressed in white robes with a clean face. Xia Hu's pupils constricted—Crown Prince Xia Ming.

Crown Prince Xia Ming reined in his horse and looked at him: "Brother Hu, Father sent me to deliver a message."

Xia Hu asked: "What message?"

Crown Prince Xia Ming said: "Put down your swords and go home to farm. The past will be forgotten."

Xia Hu's expression changed: "The King wants to surrender?"

Crown Prince Xia Ming shook his head: "It's not surrender. It's accepting fate. Great Xia is gone; Great Hua has arrived. We can't win, and we can't run. Instead of waiting for death, it's better to live well."

Xia Hu was silent for a long time. Then he laughed, a smile filled with bitterness and relief: "Fine. I accept my fate. But I am not convinced."

Crown Prince Xia Ming looked at him: "Not convinced of what?"

Xia Hu said: "I'm not convinced by Crown Prince Xiao Xuan. On what basis does he rule?"

Crown Prince Xia Ming was silent for a moment, then said slowly: "On the basis that he obtained the heavenly emperor seal. On the basis that he defeated the Heavenly God. On the basis that he has General Xiang Yu, General Li Yuanba, and Jiang Ziya under his command. Brother Hu, who can you defeat?"

Xia Hu was speechless. He turned and looked at the thirty thousand men in the valley. Those people were all his brothers. They followed him because they trusted him. He couldn't let them go to their deaths.

"Pass down the order," he spoke, "put down your swords and go home."

The thirty thousand people were silent for a long time. Then, the first person put down their sword, then the second, then the third. The clanging sound echoed in the valley for a long time.

Huadu, Crown Princes Mansion. When the news returned, Crown Prince Xiao Xuan was playing chess with Jiang Ziya. Zhao Gao walked in quickly and knelt on one knee: "Your Highness, Xia Hu has surrendered. Thirty thousand men have put down their swords."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan nodded, not looking up, and continued to place his piece. Jiang Ziya looked at the chessboard and smiled slightly: "Your Highness, you have made a wrong move."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan was stunned and looked down at the board. Sure enough, he had made a mistake. He laughed: "Master Jiang, you win."

Jiang Ziya shook his head: "It's not that I won. It's that Your Highness is distracted."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan fell silent. He knew Jiang Ziya was right. He was distracted because he was thinking about something else—the gods of the Heavenly Realm.

"Master Jiang," he spoke, "when will they come?"

Jiang Ziya was silent for a moment, then said slowly: "Soon."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan looked up: "How soon is 'soon'?"

Jiang Ziya said: "Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after, maybe next month. I do not know. But I know they will come."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan asked no more. He stood up and walked to the window. Outside, the sun was bright, and the sky was cloudless. But he knew a storm was coming.

That night. Crown Prince Xiao Xuan stood alone on the walls of the Imperial Palace, looking at the stars in the sky. The stars tonight were exceptionally bright, like countless eyes watching him. He reached out his hand, and the heavenly emperor seal glowed in his palm. The golden light was very faint, like a candle flame that could go out at any moment.

Suddenly, he felt a gaze. It wasn't from the ground, but from the sky. From beyond the heavens, it pierced through the clouds, through the atmosphere, and fell directly on him. He looked up toward the brightest part of the starry sky. There was a star there, brighter than all the others. It was flickering, like it was blinking.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan gripped the heavenly emperor seal tightly, and the golden light flared. That star suddenly dimmed for a moment. Then, it brightened again. Brightening and dimming, as if responding to him.

"Your Highness," Jiang Ziya's voice sounded behind him, "they have seen you."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan didn't turn around: "I know."

Jiang Ziya walked to his side and also looked up at the star: "That is the first star of the Heavenly Realm. On the investiture of the gods, the first path of the righteous gods."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan asked: "What is his name?"

Jiang Ziya was silent for a moment, then said slowly: "His name is Lei Zhenzi."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan's heart jolted. Lei Zhenzi? On the investiture of the gods, a righteous god of the Thunder Department. Conferred by Jiang Ziya.

"Will he come?" Crown Prince Xiao Xuan asked.

Jiang Ziya nodded: "He will. But not now. He is waiting."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan asked: "Waiting for what?"

Jiang Ziya said: "Waiting for Your Highness to be ready."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan fell silent. He didn't know when he would be ready. But he knew that day would not be far off.