Chapter 104: King Jing of Wei

Lin Shu nodded with a smile, fully aware of the King of Wei’s calculations.

"The Empire has the military might to march south, yet lacks the moral mandate to win over the hearts of the people! Should war erupt and rebellions spread, what use is it to conquer the Nine Provinces if three out of every ten households are left in ruins?"

The King of Wei offered a bitter smile. It seemed the Northern Royal Family was well aware of their own dubious claim to the throne. That was why they wouldn't march south in the short term.

"What if I refuse to divide my kingdom according to the North's wishes? What then will the King of the North do?"

The King of Wei could not help but feel a surge of tension; aside from the Northern army, his very life was currently held in another’s hands. To his disappointment, the few experts who had rushed to his aid had failed to even breach the room.

Lin Shu stood up. "King Jing of Wei may refuse, but there are other princes who might agree. If the Wei royal family refuses, the noble clans of Wei can simply be replaced."

Lin Shu’s expression remained indifferent, as if the life or death of the King of Wei were nothing more than passing smoke.

"Nonsense!" The King of Wei was truly incensed. "Ha! Even if the Wei royal court opposes you, do you think the Northern army could actually march south?"

Lin Shu nodded. "If the King of Wei refuses, I shall simply have to borrow your head. If the State of Wei refuses, the Northern army will have no choice but to sail up the Yellow River and land at Daliang. Furthermore, Yan and Zhao will mobilize one hundred and fifty thousand elite troops to strike southward into Wei territory."

Having put away his seat, Lin Shu simply waited for the King of Wei to nod.

"I am the king of millions of Wei subjects! Has the North considered the wrath of the people?" The King of Wei’s temper flared.

Lin Shu sighed and nodded. "In that case, I must ask the King of Wei to step outside, so that I may borrow your head."

Suddenly, the King of Wei began to levitate, as if an invisible hand were gripping his throat and lifting him into the air.

"Ah—you deserve to die!" The personal guard gritted his teeth and charged, but after a crackle of electricity, his breathing grew faint and labored.

"Wait! I agree!"

Alas, the King of Wei chose to yield. After all, relocating meant losing only a few tens of thousands of common soldiers, and there were plenty of women and children to spare.

"Very well. That saves a great deal of trouble; otherwise, I would have had to paint Daliang red with blood today."

The King of Wei was indeed afraid of death. Lin Shu released the men at the doorway. Wei Yong stood there, gasping for air; despite not saying a word, he had still been struck by the lightning. The personal guard rose from the ground, his face twisted in resentment.

"Young Master Lin, even if the Northern Alliance sends an army of three hundred thousand, my city of Daliang can hold for a year or two. By then, Qin, Chu, Qi, and Han will surely not sit idly by."

The King of Wei sighed with satisfaction, finding his guard's words quite reasonable.

"Do not speak of one or two years. I could destroy the Wei royal house this very day if I wished. If you do not believe me, you are welcome to try. Though the city of Daliang is formidable, it sits below the riverbed."

With those words, Lin Shu turned to face the King. A thunderous boom echoed.

The guard, who had been retreating, immediately vomited blood and collapsed, his hair smoking and his beard singed. The King of Wei, sighing bitterly, bowed his head. Without another word, he took up his brush to sign and seal the document.

"Will this suffice?"

Lin Shu nodded. "It will. However, there are two copies; one shall remain with the King of Wei."

"Very well! I shall write another!" The King of Wei took the floating treaty and continued to sign and seal.

After securing one copy of the treaty, Lin Shu finally let out a sigh of relief.

*Why hasn't he left yet?* The King of Wei frowned. The scoundrel had sat back down in the grand chair! The guest wouldn't leave, and he was in no position to see him off.

Lin Shu did not waste words; he knew the King of Wei loathed him.

"I ask that the King of Wei also write a letter to the King of Han, detailing the terms of the partition treaty. Afterward, I may personally pay a visit to the King of Han. If the State of Han is unwilling, the State of Wei should prepare to press one hundred thousand troops against their border."

*This!* After a moment of thought, the King of Wei nodded. "This can be done. I suspect the King of Han would not dare to defy you."

At this time, the State of Han still held a significant population, and the King of Han was already troubled by the refugee crisis. Since even the King of Wei had agreed, for Han to refuse would be suicide. Thinking of how Han would also be dragged into this, the King of Wei felt a strange sense of amusement.

"Young Master Lin, with the Wei-Han alliance established, are Qi and Chu next?"

"The State of Qi cannot withstand the Northern Alliance on multiple fronts, so they should be easy to persuade. But the strength of Chu is not something the current Three Jins can compare to!" Remembering the former glory of Wei, the King of Wei felt a pang of nostalgia.

"The Imperial Navy will personally visit Qi and Chu. The State of Chu will agree."

With that, Lin Shu turned and left. He knew that unless the Chu military was beaten into submission, the haughty State of Chu would never yield.

*Ha! The Navy!* The King of Wei chuckled inwardly. The Northern army could threaten Wei and Han, but it could not threaten the vast State of Chu. For a century, Qin had fought bloody wars against the Three Jins without ever launching a decisive battle against Chu, simply because Chu’s strength was not far behind Qin's.

Wei Yong frowned in deep thought, wondering how he should report this to the Net.

"Wei Yong, if you leak this to the Net, I will have Xuan Jian personally see you off to your grave."

An inexplicable voice drifted to him. Wei Yong knew it was that Young Master who had just walked to the palace gates.

"I dare not! This old minister dares not!" Terrified, Wei Yong truly did not dare. He did not know that their conversation had already been broadcast live.

"For the sake of Governor Wei Qianqian, I will spare your life. Do not ruin yourself."

In truth, Lin Shu did not care whether Wei Yong reported it to the Net; he merely wanted to give him a chance to live. If he courted death, there would be no need for Xuan Jian to hesitate when the time came. Wei Yong bowed his head in trembling fear, nearly collapsing onto his desk.

"Hmph, a useless wretch! Wei Yong, you need not come to see me again."

Without direct evidence, the King of Wei could not easily execute Wei Yong, and he was well aware of the mystery surrounding the Net. Years ago, Lord Xinling had possessed many experts under his command—a force greater than the King's own—yet he had still failed to escape death.

"Understood!" Wei Yong knelt and kowtowed, saying nothing more. Perhaps, having stared death in the face, he had grown weary of this life on the tightrope.

The carriage had arrived in a rush and now departed slowly. Thousands of armored soldiers and numerous experts watched, not daring to intervene. Along the way, the carriage had injured over two thousand soldiers, and most of the palace guards had witnessed the terrifying power of the Northern Young Master.

The fact that the King of Wei had nearly been killed was a deep humiliation, and the King strictly suppressed the news. Even if rumors leaked, no one would believe them. Who could believe that a small carriage could force thousands of armored soldiers to retreat?

Upon seeing the King, Wei Qianqian immediately knelt to thank him.

"Governor Wei, no need for formalities! I have spared him once, but there will not be a second time. You would do well to remember that."

Wei Qianqian had learned of her father’s collusion with the Net and his plot to harm the King.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Xuan Jian also bowed. "Your Majesty, if he offends again, I shall handle it personally."

Wei Qianqian sighed. To have her husband handle it meant a proper burial could be arranged—it was the best outcome possible.

"Very well!" Lin Shu nodded and stepped into the inner chamber.

Jing Ke stood silently and did not leave. Once the carriage was far away, he stood up and bowed.

"King of Wei, Young Master Lin is merely impatient by nature. My Empire’s intentions are truly for the good of Wei!"

*For the good of Wei!* The King of Wei sneered silently. He feared Young Master Lin, but he did not fear Jing Ke. Jing Ke had grown accustomed to the expressions of feudal lords and paid no mind to them.

"The Northern King pressures the six states not only to claim the moral mandate of the world, but to preserve the legacies of the six states and minimize the casualties among the descendants of Yan and Huang!"

After a moment of calm reflection, the King of Wei understood.

"Jing Ke, tell me—this island in the Eastern Ocean you claim for Wei, is it truly the size of a commandery?"

No one knew what lay overseas. Heaven knew if it was just a cluster of small islands, let alone a commandery that couldn't even hold ten thousand people! Jing Ke had personally traveled to the East by ship and had visited all the major cities of the six states. Under Jing Ke’s patient guidance, the King of Wei became intrigued.

"So that is how it is! No wonder the State of Zhao keeps relocating its people!" The King of Wei was even tempted to go himself. "Ambassador Jing Ke, may I send men to inspect it first?"

This was a minor request, and Jing Ke did not mind.

"After the autumn harvest, Wei and Han will begin the first wave of relocation. Tomorrow, the King of Wei may send men to Liaodong to cross the sea."

"Good! That is excellent! If the land is vast, the relocated population will surely be no less than two hundred thousand." A smile finally touched the King of Wei’s face.