Origin Paradise!

However, with the central government out of control, the Pingxi Prince's Mansion in Yizhou decisively sent troops to seize Liang and Qin prefectures to the north and Ning and Jiao prefectures to the south. If the Western Barbarians had not also seized the opportunity of the overall decline of Southern Liang and chosen to launch a frontier attack, the Pingxi Prince's Mansion could have even invaded the heartland.

After the Battle of Changling ended, the country descended into chaos.

All sides are scrambling to devour this fallen behemoth. The actual area controlled by Nanliang is equivalent to being cut off in the middle, and its overall size has been reduced by more than half. Moreover, it is plagued by internal troubles.

……

December 10th, outside Yangzhou city.

With 120,000 private troops stationed in the Jiangnan aristocratic families, in a world where martial arts flourish but are restrained by military forces, all sides attach extraordinary importance to the army. The excessively large number of troops from different factions is undoubtedly one of the key factors that led to the rampant bandits in the Southern Liang.

The Three Wu regions in the southeast specifically refer to Wu County, Wuxing, and Kuaiji. As the stronghold of powerful families, although the region is rich and vast, it does not have a prefecture-level administrative division. The current private army, as the Three Wu Legion, has many elite cavalrymen, and their armor and weapons are extremely well-made.

However, the clan leaders still lacked confidence in winning against the Changling Legion. The camp leader, Xie Anan, had already recounted the entire battle process, and no one believed that this terrestrial immortal was lying.

At noon on the 10th, the two sides held talks outside Yangzhou city.

Liushui Pavilion was originally the Xie family's suburban estate.

Military formations lined up in the north and south directions. When Jiang He and Si Ning entered the Flowing Water Pavilion, Xie Anan, who looked like a middle-aged scholar, was the first to stand up. He was accompanied by six heads of major families, and there were nearly twenty high-ranking officials of the sub-hero level around them.

Everyone present watched the young prince with extreme tension. After all, the Xie family head had personally said that there was no chance of winning the war. The opponent was an unparalleled expert who could challenge the old master, and with the fox girl's assistance, he was practically invincible on the battlefield.

"I, Xie, greet Your Majesty." Xie Anan greeted him. The two had exchanged letters before the meeting.

"Rise." Jiang He sat down casually and said directly, "The entire lineage of the late emperor, except for myself and the Third Prince, has been wiped out. The Third Prince is unconscious, and I plan to use him to coerce Xiao Qingzhi into surrendering, but the outcome is still under discussion."

"Right now, the legitimacy rests with me. Of course, you can refuse to acknowledge it. It will just mean a few more battles. If we shake hands and make peace as you say, you must make concessions on the issues of state monopoly of salt and iron and land allocation. I am not an unreasonable person. The taxes and the appointment and removal of officials in the Sanwu region are the bottom line. Moreover, you are not allowed to establish your own independent entities in name, but you can decide for yourselves, including the legions."

Jiang He adopted a conciliatory attitude. Although they had won the Battle of Changling, from the perspective of the global struggle, they were now at a disadvantage. If Southern Liang collapsed, the result would be defeat. He needed to take control of the situation as quickly as possible.

The Northern Wei Western Barbarians, the Prince of Pingxi who controlled five prefectures, the Three Wu Families, the sects of the north and south of the Yangtze River, and the three major battlefield players.

Looking around, all I could see were enemies.

According to the mission requirements, only by conquering the world and eliminating everything can the global struggle end.

Most importantly, with the emergence of the Silver Spear, players likely passed on the news through player channels before their deaths. This means that in the worst-case scenario, the entire world would besiege Nanliang, and at this moment, players would inevitably be running around trying to make a difference.

The most urgent task is to defeat the opposing forces before the players in the other three battlefields gain sufficient influence. Therefore, Southern Liang must complete the succession as quickly as possible.

Inside the pavilion by the flowing water, Xie Anan took his seat. He glanced at the six heads of the families to his left and right, and then addressed the head of the table:

"My daughter Daoyun wishes to become Empress. Each of the six families should send their eldest daughters as concubines. Your Majesty should promote the system of aristocratic families. The Xie family is one of the six great families, and the rest of us should be split equally with Your Majesty."

Jiang He pondered. The seven people in front of him intended to share all the small and medium-sized aristocratic families with him. In this way, a behemoth-level interest group would inevitably be created within Southern Liang. While he was in power, he could easily suppress it. However, if the dynasty were to continue, the ruler would inevitably be weak and the ministers strong, and then it would no longer be a matter of jointly governing the world.

Not concerned with short-term gains, but with long-term vision, a family with a thousand-year history.

“Yes, but the Pei family is also a powerful clan. Pei’s daughter is an Imperial Noble Consort. The tax exemption will be changed to a food tax, which will be unified by the court and then distributed. The upper limit of land ownership for powerful clans is fixed. Someone will discuss the specifics with you later as compensation for the land transfer.” Jiang He replied, indicating that he had no intention of having offspring.

Offering compensation first signifies only one thing: that Du Tian's methods will be so ruthless as to be unacceptable.

Xie Anan rose from his seat, knelt on the ground, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, we humbly request that you ascend the throne."

"We, your humble servants, request Your Majesty to ascend the throne," the six heads of the family said in unison.

In the pavilion by the flowing water, Si Ning seemed to be deep in thought. Heaven, earth, emperor, parents, and teachers—these great figures seemed to have no psychological pressure when kneeling before the emperor. If that was the case, the empress should be the same. If she could make heroes and living beings kneel before her, she would be willing to eat less for a few days.

Jiang He waved his hand and stood up. For now, they had only reached a general consensus; the complex and tedious details had to be left to Mohe.

"Take it back to the capital first."

"Here!"

……

December 12th.

The Changling Legion and the Sanwu Legion surrounded the capital region, and together with the Anse Iron Cavalry, they formed a total of 290,000 troops. Among them, the Evil Demon Soldiers had already undergone training in the Gluttony Blessed Land, and their military equipment was supported by the Jiangnan aristocratic families, making them a first-class strong army.

Faced with the combined forces of Prince Yong and the powerful families, especially the latter who inherited the legacy of the previous dynasty, the officials in the capital had no will to resist, most of whom came from powerful families.

At the south gate of the capital, the Tianwu and Jinwu armies stood firm.

In the central ranks, Xie Anan was half a rank behind someone else.

"Does Your Majesty know where half of the imperial clan's legitimate lineage comes from?"

Jiang He turned around and said, "Wait until I ask you?"

Xie Anan replied with an embarrassed smile, "I would never dare. Your Majesty should know that there are nine sacred beasts in this world. They are all alien creatures that can fight against terrestrial immortals. Those who form a contract with a sacred beast until their death are called sacred beast envoys. Among them, two have served the royal family for generations."

"One is the Gu Diao, whose decrees connect the world; the other is Dang Kang, which can ensure a bountiful harvest in the three prefectures every month. Both have the combat power of terrestrial immortals. However, if the Beast Master himself is weak, he cannot guard against conspiracy and assassination. Therefore, the late emperor made a contract with the Beast Dang Kang."

As time went by, Gu Diao and Dang Kang imbued the Southern Liang imperial family with a certain sacredness. After Emperor Wu of Liang's lineage was almost wiped out, Prince Yong became the first choice for the two sacred beasts to serve.

Outside the capital, the Tianwu Army stood in solemn battle formation, with three massive and imposing battle arrays of ten thousand men each. The Tianwu General rode past his soldiers on horseback. As the last force guarding the capital, the middle and upper-level officers, from the General to the garrison commander, were all handpicked by Emperor Wu of Liang, making them the most trusted confidants among confidants. Even now, their fighting spirit remains high.

"How does Your Majesty plan to enter the city?" Xie Anan smiled and said, "All the officials in the city have sent letters of surrender, and several Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet are already waiting in front of the palace. As long as Your Majesty gives the order, I, Xie, am willing to be the vanguard for Your Majesty."

"unnecessary."

Jiang He spurred his horse and slowly stepped out of the ranks. The gray eight-legged warhorse was extremely tall. He had refined the extraordinary factors of the old monk Kuchan, making the quality of the eight-legged warhorse reach the epic level.

boom!

The gray figure rode forward alone, a cloud of dust shooting straight into the army formation.

Xie Anan was speechless. Even immortals on land have their differences. At least he would never charge into an elite army of ten thousand men alone. Once trapped by the enemy's aura, it would be difficult to get out. Moreover, the martial arts masters in the army were actually far superior to those in the sects of the world.

Under the watchful eyes of the Sanwu Legion and the Tianwu Army, the gray shadow charged straight into the enemy formation. Si Ning excitedly slurred her words and beat the drum. Even if she had to force herself to participate in such an important moment that could be recorded in history, she still wanted to leave her mark.

Swish!

Jiang He swung his silver spear backward, unleashing pure power and force. Nine heavenly dragons intertwined, transforming into a tornado that surged forward. The violent gale crushed dozens of heavy shield bearers, cutting down over five hundred men in its path. After leaving behind a trail of broken armor and mangled flesh, the tornado crashed into the central army of Tianwu, instantly shattering several large banners.

With a single shot clearing the way, Jiang He spurred his horse forward.

The extreme speed granted by the Celestial Hunter is not only reflected in movement, but also in attack speed.

Gunfire enveloped the area like a curtain, giving the Tianwu soldiers no chance to make a move. The silver spearheads always struck first, shattering skulls with ferocity and precision.

"Damn it!" General Tianwu swallowed hard and immediately ordered his left and right armies to attack from both sides.

But as the two Dragon Spear Techniques - Thousand Mountains Snow were unleashed, the spear arcs were like meteors streaking across the sky, clearing the space around Jiang He. The spear light shattered armor, exploded flesh and blood, and annihilated souls, as if stars were falling. In an instant, thousands of people were killed, directly causing the two armies to flee.

General Tianwu gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with madness. He led his personal guards and iron cavalry in a frontal charge. The late emperor had promoted him from a commoner to a second-rank general, and he had enjoyed a life of wealth and honor. Now was the time to repay the kindness he had received.

boom!

With a single thrust, the peak power of the sub-hero was unleashed, and the armor-shattering force contained within the Heavenly Martial Technique surged incessantly at the tip of the spear.

"Kill!" shouted General Tianwu.

Swish!

Ignoring the iron spear that slammed into his chest, Jiang He's silver light pierced straight through the chest of the Tianwu General. With a twist of his wrist, the spear carrying the under-hero's body transformed into a heavy hammer, repeatedly smashing his personal guards to death on the spot.

A single charge pierced through the Tianwu Army's formation.

Jiang He turned his horse around, charging left and right, his body surrounded by silver arcs of spears, and bursts of blood-red fireworks bloomed.

Unlike the Changling Legion, the Sanwu Legion, which had witnessed the new emperor's bravery, was now completely silent. The fact that he single-handedly destroyed the Tianwu Imperial Guard was a feat that few immortals could match. He truly deserved the title of the second strongest in the world. But what was even more astonishing was that the new emperor was extremely young, not even reaching adulthood yet.

The Heavenly Martial Imperial Guards slid rapidly toward the abyss of collapse.

The dozens of players inside looked utterly defeated. They even had a feeling that the overlord Mo Ke might not have realized there were players in the Imperial Guard at all. His carefully prepared tactics crumbled in an instant, and all sorts of mental and unusual secret techniques were activated, but there was not even a sound. They could only watch helplessly as death came.

Within fifteen minutes, everyone knew that the Tianwu Army's defeat was inevitable.

On the southern city wall of the capital, Xiao Qingzhi stood calmly, his red python robe impeccably tailored, his hands as smooth as jade, yet possessing a chilling sharpness that inspired fear.

A man in golden armor approached, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a gesture of apology, and said, “Lord Xiao, I, Chu, have surrendered on behalf of my brothers. You have been kind to me by recommending me, so please do as you see fit.”

General Chu, a third-rank Jinwu general, commands 20,000 Jinwu guards, essentially the "top security officer" within the capital. He possesses a unique secret technique for controlling armor, currently limited to 20,000 sets of Grade B Yang Steel armor. By controlling the human body through the armor, he can execute highly organized tactics.

“It is indeed beyond saving.” Xiao Qingzhi smiled faintly: “Go, there is no need to wait for me to die. Prince Yong is no ordinary man, and he is the only choice for Southern Liang. I am only standing here because I am grateful for the late emperor’s kindness. You have done nothing wrong.”

Chu Fuqiang remained silent. He usually guarded the outer palace and was one of the witnesses that day. The late emperor and Lord Xiao had a long talk, but faced with the sudden death, even the current third-ranked emperor was helpless and could only watch the late emperor fall in despair.

Before Chu Fuqiang could leave, Grand Secretary Pei walked up to the city wall alone. He went straight to Xiao Qingzhi's side and whispered:

“My daughter is already an Imperial Noble Consort, and she will soon enter the capital to join the cabinet. Although it is a bit of an overreach for a family to have two cabinet ministers, His Majesty’s words are law. Lord Xiao, His Majesty hopes that you can serve the new emperor. The aristocratic families have already been demoted, and the officials have also been demoted. What are you still holding on to?”

Xiao Qingzhi calmly replied, "To remain chaste."

As soon as he finished speaking, he drew his sword and held it across his neck.

Looking at the invincible gray figure below the city, Xiao Qingzhi smiled nonchalantly. Young, powerful, handsome, and ambitious, even though somewhat ruthless, he was the kind of monarch many ministers dreamed of being. It was just a pity that one minister was disloyal to two masters.

The late emperor died suddenly, but it is self-evident who the murderer was.

However, he was unwilling to confront the new emperor and risk the demise of the Southern Liang Kingdom. After all, whether he was willing or not, the late emperor's life's work and legacy were now in the hands of the new emperor.

"It seems that suicide is the only option left."

"I will not fail either my sovereign or my country; death is all I need to live."

Without hesitation, Xiao Qingzhi drew her sword and severed her own head; the power of a terrestrial immortal easily annihilated her soul.

Grand Secretary Pei sighed deeply, respectfully holding up his head. The Tianwu Army outside the city had already been defeated and surrendered.

"Welcome back to the palace, Your Majesty!"

"Welcome back to the palace, Your Majesty!"

"Welcome back to the palace, Your Majesty!"

As the city gates opened, shouts echoed from the entrance to the palace at the end of the street. Under the watchful eyes of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians, Jiang He rode into the city, his silver spear dripping blood.

Chapter 586 Evil God Guard

In the twelfth month of the twentieth year of Yongqing, the Prince of Yong of Southern Liang ascended the throne

After the three ceremonies of enthronement, offering sacrifices to Heaven, and the sacred beast ceremony, Jiang He became the de facto emperor of Southern Liang. While his legitimacy was not without flaws, it was not a major problem either.

The matter of changing the reign title will have to wait until after the New Year. First, the cabinet will be reorganized, which is inevitable. Pei Yuye and his son Pei Ge Lao will both become ministers. The former will be promoted to Grand Secretary and put in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, while the latter will become the Minister of Personnel. The original Chief Minister Xie will be reduced to Minister of War.

Given the new emperor's prestige in the military, this was a significant marginalization for "Minister Xie," but he remained at the core of the power structure.

Jiang He handed over the position of Director of Ceremonial to Wu He, including the Night Guard and Xuanjin Manor. After the joint promotion mission, Lao Hei and Wu He were promoted to the peak of the Gold rank, Zhuang Ya became an ordinary hero, and the little guy's current mission is to follow Wu He and accelerate the inheritance of the previous dynasty's legacy as a top combat force.

Meanwhile, Jiang He transferred A Da and Gui Man, appointing generals for each of them, and together with General Cao, set off for the west to establish a three-state army and defense line based on the three states of Yong, Jing, and Xiang, in order to guard against the Pingxi Prince's Mansion, which showed signs of independence.

The Sanwu Army returned to its local territory, and Lao Hei was appointed as the Grand General of the State and concurrently served as the Minister of the Six Ministries. He was fully responsible for all military and political affairs in Qing and Xu prefectures, and could promote his subordinates at will. He possessed all the powers, including conscription, execution, war, and peace negotiations, and effectively became the Executive Vice Emperor of Southern Liang.

The 120,000 elite troops of the Xuzhou Legion, along with 10,000 Evil Fiend Vanguards and 6,000 Skeleton Dragon Riders, were reorganized into the Qingxu Legion to guard the north. Because of the large number of Imperial Guards within it, under Xie An'nan's leadership, the aristocratic groups gradually relinquished control, a result agreed upon beforehand.

Late December.

Jiang He officially took control of the Qingxu Legion in the north and the Sanzhou Legion in the west. A'er handed over the position of General of Gaomi to Eshabing and returned to the capital to serve as the commander of the new Imperial Guard - Changling Legion.

It is worth mentioning that fierce fighting is still taking place in Dengfeng City, Qingzhou. Especially after the Qingxu Legion was formed and the Northern Wei army had occupied half of Xuzhou, the main breakthrough point became Dengfeng, so the pressure on India is increasing.

However, after training the 6,000 evil soldiers obtained from defeating the Tianwu Army, Jiang He transferred them to the Three States Legion to improve their loyalty and combat effectiveness. The Battle of Dengfeng was Ah San's great achievement, and he was just waiting for the enemy to succeed or be defeated before he could rescue them.

As early as the second day after his ascension to the throne, Jiang He had already dispatched the Anse Iron Cavalry to conquer the three bandit kings between Guangxiang and Xiangzhou. He would personally go there once the army arrived.

……

The gates of the Jiankang Imperial Palace were tightly closed.

Five thousand fierce soldiers belonging to the Changling Legion, clad in armor and wielding swords, went around arresting eunuchs and palace maids. Since the founding of the Southern Liang Dynasty, problems such as the resale of artifacts, theft of money, and unidentified individuals had been rampant in the palace.

Wuhe didn't have the energy to interrogate and assess each crime individually, so he directly ordered a purge to begin. He demanded that the area where the boss lived be completely clean, inside and out.

At the same time, the "hunt" against small and medium-sized aristocratic families had begun. The crimes were colluding with bandits, overstepping their bounds and committing treason. Families that participated in the Battle of Changling had their lands confiscated as imperial estates, their money handed over, all male members executed, and their women sent to the government-run Flower Moon Pavilion.

Jiang He stood atop the palace walls. Half of the vicious Changling Legion had entered the city. On the streets, the common people hid in their homes with their doors and windows tightly shut, secretly watching as the once high-ranking families were reduced to ashes.

Not far away, Xie Anan's smile had vanished.

His so-called partitioning refers only to land, status, and power, not the extermination of clans. As soon as he ascended the throne, the new emperor revealed his true colors, and killings were taking place everywhere in the capital region. Land was being concentrated in the hands of the court and uniformly distributed to farmers and vicious soldiers.

Jiang He took a sip of her drink and said calmly, "It's poisoned."

Xie Anan coldly said, "His Majesty has already executed seventeen families and killed tens of thousands. The Three Provinces Legion and the Qingxu Legion have just stabilized, but now they are in turmoil again. The three kings have gathered in Guangxi and Hunan, the false emperor has established himself, and the military equipment and food supplies are coming in continuously. Compared with all of this, a cup of poisoned wine, whose poison was added by who knows who, is too light."

Faced with annihilation, the aristocratic families launched their biggest counterattack yet. The Three Wu Legions remained uninvolved, but the pseudo-emperor of Guangxiang nominally had a million-strong army and was attacking Lin'an, intending to make it his capital.

With enemies on all sides and internal rebellions and turmoil, this was a sign of the country's impending doom. The reforms implemented since his ascension to the throne were far more drastic than those during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang.

Swish!

Beneath the city wall, two vicious soldiers caught up with the eunuch and killed him. They then dragged his body to the Altar of the God of Earth and Grain, where it was piled up like a mountain, reeking of stench and swarming with flies.