69novels Chapter 2389 - 2388: Facing National Calamity Together
Chapter 2389 - 2388: Facing National Calamity Together
Li Daoxun looked at Zhang Ziling, his heart twitching with pain.
He only hated himself for not having a high cultivation level, unable to protect this Emperor.
Over the past thousand years, the changes on the Immortal King Star were clear to him.
The cities originally controlled by the Nine Clans have gradually returned to the hands of the Heaven-Piercing Palace under Zhang Ziling’s strong reforms.
If the Demon Calamity had not appeared, this reform would have continued, benefiting the poor scholars at the bottom.
In recent years, the Heaven-Piercing Palace has been recruiting a large number of poor scholars, greatly changing the previous atmosphere.
Some of them joined the army, while others went to other cities to become pillars of those places.
As one rises, the other falls, and the power of the aristocratic clans has gradually diminished.
With the arrival of the Demon Race, the years of reform instantly turned into bubbles.
Li Daoxun secretly vowed as he went out, that no matter what happens tomorrow, he must protect Zhang Ziling at all costs.
Li Jinxuan saw him out of the palace, and as he looked at this daughter, he sighed, patted her shoulder, and said, "Take good care of the Emperor tomorrow, protect her at all costs."
Li Jinxuan nodded, holding onto his arm, eyes reddened, "Father, you must take care of yourself too."
Li Daoxun patted her head, saying, "A warrior dies for their confidant, a general for their country. The Emperor has treated our Li Family with generosity; for country and duty, your father must risk his life to save the nation. The future of the Li Family rests on you!"
He let go of his daughter’s hand and left with large strides.
Moonlight reflected off his general’s uniform, casting a cold, icy gleam.
"Father!"
Li Jinxuan stood behind, crying out, kneeling in place, watching her father walk away alone.
Troops were on the move, and the armies gathered.
Overnight, all the Imperial Guards of the Capital City, the inner and outer sect disciples of the Heaven-Piercing Palace, and the garrisons from various cities gathered at the center of Celestial Realms City.
The citizens inside the city discussed among themselves, secretly thinking that something major was about to happen.
Early the next morning, the Resonant Bell in the Heaven-Piercing Palace rang long and loud.
Empress Zhang Ziling, accompanied by civil and military officials, ascended the Altar of Heaven opposite the palace to honor their ancestors.
White mist swirled around the Nine Cauldrons on top.
Zhang Ziling knelt on it, burned incense, prayed, and then stood on the altar, looking down at the soldiers below.
The banners fluttered, weapons stood like a forest.
The morning sunlight shone on the Mystic Iron armor, making the area around the altar appear like a silver ocean, exuding a murderous aura as far as the eye could see.
Zhang Ziling looked around, lightly shouted to the soldiers below, "Soldiers, and all disciples of the Heaven-Piercing Palace. You all have seen, the Demon Army is ravaging the entire Immortal King Star, slaughtering our Human Race, enslaving lives. Now, they have tightly besieged our Celestial Realms City. Our city’s barriers cannot protect all the citizens for long. Only a desperate battle can give everyone a chance for survival. Today, I, Zhang Ziling, will lead you all to face the national crisis together. To protect the way with death, to uphold the last dignity of our Human Race."
Longswords unsheathed, ringing with sharp clangs.
The soldiers and disciples below raised their arms and shouted in unison, "To protect the way with death, face the national crisis together!"
"To protect the way with death, face the national crisis together!"
"To protect the way with death, face the national crisis together!"
"..."
On the Dragon-Horse, Zhang Ziling, clad in armor and holding a longsword, led the army down the main street.
She kept her back straight, exuding warlike spirit, her peerless face full of determination and defiance.
The streets on both sides were packed with people, with windowsills and doorways crowded full.
Occasionally, pedestrians shouted at Zhang Ziling, raising their arms, "Emperor, we support you!"
"Long live the Emperor!"
"Long live the Emperor!"
"Long live the Emperor!"
"..."
The shouts from the crowd traveled from the start of the street to the end, regardless of age or gender, all showing admiration for Zhang Ziling.
Loose cultivators and ordinary citizens continuously joined the marching army.
Outside the palace gates, a group of officials in red civil attire, led by Prime Minister Li Chengfeng, waited together for Zhang Ziling.
Li Chengfeng took the lead, clasped his hands, and bowed towards Zhang Ziling, loudly declaring, "We may be civil officials, but we are willing to join the Emperor in facing the national crisis. Today’s battle knows no division between civil and military, we are all willing to die to uphold the last dignity of our Human Race."
"We are all willing to face it with death!"
A thousand civil officials shouted in unison.
Zhang Ziling and the army behind her looked at them silently, drawing their swords together, "No division between civil and military, face the national crisis together!"
At the Yao Family Mansion, someone rushed inside to frantically report to an old man in the grand hall, "Father, something terrible has happened. Zhang Ziling has lost her head and is taking all the troops in the city to fight desperately against the Demon Race."
The old man in the grand hall, Yao Chong, his face ruddy and unhurried, took a sip of tea and smiled sinisterly, "Why are you in such a hurry? Isn’t this good? With only this much strength, if she expends it all, then Celestial Realms City will become our world again."
His son, Yao Zhaoyu, was once also hailed as one of the ten outstanding individuals of the Heaven-Piercing Palace.
The two had endured silently, not stepping out, waiting for an opportunity to turn the tables.
Yao Zhaoyu furrowed his brow and said, "Father, have you lost your mind? If the troops of Celestial Realms City are exhausted, what do we have to resist the Demon Race? If the Demon Race comes, Celestial Realms City is finished, and our Yao Family is doomed too!"
Yao Chong glared at him, "You ignorant child, what do you understand? I, together with the clan leaders of various families, have already made contact with the Demon Race. They are not as ferocious and brutal as legends claim; they have intelligence too. This time they came out not to exterminate the world, but to cooperate with our Human Race and the Demon Clan. Now the Demon Race is strong, and we don’t have a single expert who can match them. We can temporarily pretend to cooperate with them. When the time is right, we can gather our strength and fight them to the death, reclaiming our Human Race’s world."
"Is this really okay?"
Yao Zhaoyu was shocked by these words. He knew that cooperating with the Demon Race was equivalent to betraying the Human Race, which would be condemned by everyone.
Yao Chong said calmly, "Those who know the current situation are wise. We are not truly cooperating with the Demon Race. Even if Zhang Ziling plays the hero, what good is it? It’s just reckless bravery. After today’s battle, we’ll still have to clean up her mess. The people of Celestial Realms City still need to live. Are we going to let the entire city’s citizens martyr themselves for her ideals in this one war? Are the over a hundred million lives all going to die with her? This is not a betrayal of the Human Race; we are saving it."
Yao Zhaoyu felt enlightened after hearing this and thought, indeed, a father is a father.
Wise in consideration, planning far ahead.
Not fighting for a short-term gain allows the Human Race to continue its bloodline.
He suddenly felt much relieved, cupping his hands to bid farewell to his father, "Father, I understand now. I will go contact old acquaintances to prepare for the aftermath."
Yao Chong waved his hand, letting someone bring out his old prime minister’s robe, trying it on alone in the inner hall.
After years of not wearing it, he had gained weight.
The size of the robe did not fit well, and Yao Chong thought, he would have to find an opportunity to have a new one tailored.