After My Demise - Chapter 18
Chapter 18
On the day I heard that Zhou Ke had defected to the Wei State, I already guessed Che’er’s plan.
“Is Imperial Father not afraid that General Zhou has truly defected to the Wei State?”
I smiled. “If he truly dared to defect to the enemy, there would naturally be a way to deal with it. You must have kept a backup plan in reserve.”
Che’er looked a bit embarrassed. “That is indeed the case.”
Having said that, he lowered his head and toyed with his fingers.
“Does Imperial Father feel that my actions are dishonorable?”
I was stunned for a moment, watching him repeatedly rub his fingers with his head bowed. When I taught him his lessons in his youth, if he had caused some trouble and felt guilty or afraid, he would have this exact expression.
I couldn’t help but soften my tone.
“To use a small force to move a great weight-to conquer territory and seize cities without shedding a drop of blood-my son’s wisdom is peerless, a truly great intelligence.”
Hearing my words, he let go of his fingers and smiled slightly, his eyes growing increasingly bright.
I continued, “Che’er, do you know what is most precious to a ruler?”
“The people.”
I nodded. “Correct. So as long as it benefits the country and the people, you may go ahead and do it freely.”
“Chancellor Cui taught me to accumulate strength and bide my time, to judge the hour and size up the situation. Today, I give these words to you.”
“Since the battle with the Wei State when I was seventeen, I knew that I would not achieve any great feats in this life. Therefore, I spent over twenty years accumulating strength for Great Xia.”
“It seems that now is the time to use it. Che’er, just let go and do what you must. Do not fear; your Imperial Father has saved up more than enough for you.”
After the Wei State’s High Shaman returned, the Wei imperial family slowly began to fall into chaos.
I was curious about what Che’er had promised him that could actually persuade him to betray his home country.
When I asked him, he said it was nothing much.
“I simply promised him that the day Great Xia tramples the capital of the Wei State will be the day the Sorcerer Clan retires to the mountains and forests.”
I was taken aback. “That’s it?”
Che’er nodded and explained to me.
“The Wei State keeps sorcerers specifically to be driven by the imperial family. A sorcerer’s power is related to their bloodline; the purer the bloodline, the higher the ability. Therefore, for generations, the Wei imperial family has selected their mates for them, forcing them to… mate.”
“The Sorcerer Clan possesses the power to communicate with ghosts and gods, and the realms of Yin and Yang. They are coveted by everyone. Even if they are lucky enough to escape, they have no power to protect themselves, so they can only choose to depend on the imperial family, serving as slaves for generations.”
“However, everyone in this world has a heart that longs for freedom.”
“I merely gave them a chance to choose.”
There was too much information; I had to digest it for a while.
“Then… they just believed you?”
Che’er nodded. “Yes. I promised them they could retire in freedom, protected by the full power of the nation. From then on, they would not bow to imperial families, would not enter the secular world, and would never be driven by others again.”
To be honest, I still didn’t quite believe it. Oaths are not very reliable things.
Che’er smiled and finally raised his right hand helplessly for me to see.
“Alright, as expected, nothing can be hidden from Imperial Father. I signed a Blood Oath with them, using the nation as a pledge, passed down through the bloodline, never to be betrayed.”
“If you violate the oath, what will happen to you?”
Che’er fell silent for a moment. “I would probably die a very ugly death.”
For a moment, I didn’t know what to say.
Instead, he comforted me. “Don’t worry, Imperial Father. Now, they are the ones who most want me to live a long life and for Great Xia to endure for ten thousand years. After all, only when the country is strong enough can it protect them.”
He looked down at the mark on his hand. “Similarly, from now on, they are the most loyal guardians of our Great Xia.”
Having said that, he laughed.
“This deal is not a loss!”
I sighed silently.
Then, another matter occurred to me.
“How did you know about such a secret matter involving the Wei imperial family and the Sorcerer Clan?”
I had been on the throne for so many years and had never heard of it.
Hearing my question, Che’er rubbed his nose awkwardly.
“That… Imperial Father, if I tell you, please don’t be angry…”
“It’s just that, in my earlier years, I went behind your back and secretly formed a covert organization specifically to gather information in the shadows…”
I was speechless.
My son is indeed a great talent.
