Chapter 71: Nero's Capital (Part 1)

  Yilan County, Nerosi City.

  Some say that Neroux is the oldest city on the continent of Elyria, its history predating that of Elyria itself.

  This statement is not unreasonable. Ireland has been an independent country for only over 800 years, but Nero's Rome already had at least 1,500 years of history.

  In the midst of late autumn, the lazy sunlight shines on various ancient buildings in Neroxi, emitting a majestic glow. The architecture here is simple yet grand, with many structures built using massive stone blocks stacked directly on top of each other. The passage of time has left patchy marks on these ancient stones, giving them a worn and weathered appearance from the outside. To counter enemy harassment and attacks, there are many shooting holes between the stones, which are not symmetrical and do not appear to have been carefully designed, looking like scars on this ancient city.

  Due to its location on the plateau, the climate is dry and there are not many green plants that can be seen in Neruxi City, especially in the deep autumn when the leaves wither. Except for the bright red maple leaves weaving a brilliant sunset, it's almost nothing worth mentioning. Every time the autumn wind blows, it brings a lot of dust, shrouding the entire city of Neruxi in a gray and dusty sea.

  So some people say that from an external perspective, Nerosekai is the ugliest city on the continent of Yelan.

  However, even in the ugliest city, there will always be some beautiful places, and the ancient palace of Yilan is no exception.

  The ancient palace of the Ilan nation was not in the center of the city of Nerros, but on its outskirts, under the beautiful Mount Vernet. Even the most knowledgeable Ilans seemed unable to explain why the small Mount Vernet had such great power that it could form a lush valley amidst the yellow sand and dust, where even the air was filled with a refreshing atmosphere, and the sea breeze from the Western Ocean felt especially fresh. Compared to the rolling wind and sand outside, this place was simply a paradise on earth.

  The imperial palace was an ancient castle standing on the middle of a mountain, with open ridges on both sides. Among the ridges, some small watchtowers could be seen vaguely, which were the outposts of the Imperial Guard. Since the Chrysanthemum Incident fourteen years ago, the imperial palace had strengthened its vigilance, even if it seemed unnecessary or unsightly in some places.

  A lavishly decorated light carriage, after passing through several layers of strict checks, slowly entered the imperial palace. The heavily closed gates creaked open and then shut again, emitting a dull thud behind the carriage, as if to seal this place forever.

  In a vast and empty courtyard paved with marble, the carriage came to a stop. A young man dressed in a yellow imperial guard uniform was already waiting there. He lifted the curtain of the carriage with a gentle movement and said in a soft and polite voice: "Mr. Yuan, His Highness is waiting for you in the great hall."

  An old man with white hair and beard jumped down from the carriage and said in a very calm voice: "Thank you."

  The young man inadvertently took a look at the old man, who seemed to be over seventy years old, but his complexion was very good, quite ruddy, and only a few wrinkles could be seen. His back was straight, his eyes were sharp and deep, and he unintentionally revealed a kind of majestic air that overlooked the world.

  A handsome young man led the old gentleman into the hall, where a young man in casual clothes was working. Hearing footsteps, he put down his pen and picked up a hot towel to wipe his face vigorously before standing up and taking a few steps forward. He said with great respect: "Mr. Yuan, please sit! It's not as good as seeing you for a long time, Mr. Yuan is indeed getting better with age!"

  The old man's eyes narrowed slightly, and a hint of unnoticeable pride flashed in his gaze, but it quickly disappeared. For the young man in front of him who was wearing casual clothes and looked quite ordinary, although he didn't think much of him at heart, he dared not reveal a contemptuous expression, for he deeply knew the young man's power and ability.

  Xiao Tang, the third prince of Yilan country, was someone that no one dared to underestimate.

  There is a widespread legend that the eldest prince of Yilan, Xiao Nan, is invincible in battle, with divine martial arts and ingenious calculations. He has never been defeated on the battlefield, striking fear into the hearts of his enemies. However, there is one person who can easily defeat him - his younger brother, Xiao Tang. Throughout his life, Xiao Nan has never suffered a setback in war, but he has repeatedly fallen victim to Xiao Tang's schemes in the harem struggles within Yilan Palace, never able to recover. He even publicly gave up on competing for the throne, which became one of the most intriguing secrets on the continent of Yilan.

  "I'm afraid I've kept you waiting for a long time, Yuan Yunyuan is truly ashamed." The old man said with a bow.

  "Mr. Yuan has come from Minneapolis, crossing mountains and rivers, overcoming difficulties and hardships, and traveling with great fatigue. But I have been waiting idly, how can I compare to your hardship? Please sit down." Xiao Tong said with a smile, looking very warm and intimate, just like a long-lost son meeting his father, holding Yuan Yunyuan's hand and leading him to his seat.

  Yuan Yunyuan said he didn't dare, but his butt sat down anyway.

  Xiao Tang also sat down and waited for the palace maid to serve the fragrant tea before speaking faintly, "Mr. Yuan, did you happen to see General Ilyina's White General on your way here?"

  Yuan Yun lifted the teacup, gently moved the lid aside, and took a deep breath of the fragrance of Junshan Yinzhen floating on the surface. Only when the tea aroma had penetrated his heart and lungs did he nod slightly and say: "I have visited General Bai Ling according to your wishes, and inquired about the transportation of ore that concerns both of us, but unfortunately, General Bai did not give me a clear answer."

  Xiao Teng picked up the teacup, covered the lid, and slowly said: "So that's how it is. Never mind, I'll take care of this matter myself, maybe there will be some progress. Mr. Yuan, now that the Meinas area is in chaos, it's actually the best opportunity for the rise of the Sun God Sect, a rare chance in a thousand years. Does Mr. Yuan have any thoughts on this?"

  Yuan Yunyuan said: "I plan to start a rebellion at the beginning of next year."

  Xiao Tongyuan said, "This is very good. We Yilan will definitely work together to help you, sir. If there's anything difficult, please speak clearly. Our country Yilan and General Bailing of Irina have a very good relationship. If you need anything, you can pass it through General Bailing."

  Yuan Yunyuan said: "My sect is currently not short of people, but lacks weapons. The Purple River Road is still under the control of the Tangchuan Empire's border defense army, with a force of about 20,000 people, guarding the fortress and having artillery emplacements, my sect temporarily has no power to attack. All the weapons needed for the uprising must be collected through other channels. However, the Light Empire Army is deeply hostile towards my sect, repeatedly suppressing us, and countries like the Ronisia Alliance also have misunderstandings about my sect. Although my sect has a large amount of money, we cannot buy weapons. Therefore, the matter of weapons still requires Your Highness's strong assistance."

  Xiao Tang smiled and said: "Mr. Yuan, don't worry, I've promised you. But I'm not sure if you need more firearms or swords?"

  Yuan Yunyuan replied without hesitation, "My school only needs swords. Firearms are convenient to use, but their power is too small and they have too many drawbacks. All members of my school will learn martial arts, and using swords will actually make us more formidable in battle."

  Xiao Tang said, "Very well. I will write a letter to Mr. Bai Ling and give it to General White. At that time, the weapons needed by your honorable religion will all be provided by Irina. The transportation of the weapons will go by sea route, and even if the Radiant Empire wants to intercept them, with their limited naval power, they are no match for us."

  Yuan Yunyuan said with satisfaction: "Your Highness is indeed straightforward. As long as I succeed in teaching, I can control Gan Chuan Dao and Zhen Chuan Dao, and then plot to take Yang Chuan Dao. At that time, the manganese ore and chromium ore Your Highness needs will be readily available."

  Xiao Tang faintly revealed a smile, sincerely saying: "Mr. Yuan, the success of the uprising is without a doubt, at that time, the Menis region will no longer be divided into three, but four."

  Yuan Yunyuan nodded with a pleased expression.

  Xiao Tang paused for a moment, took a sip of tea and said lightly: "Mr. Yuan is a native of the Minas area, isn't he?"

  "I was born in the Minis area, but I didn't grow up there. I followed my master from a young age and only returned to the Minis area after I came of age. However, the Minis area is indeed my hometown, without a doubt. What instructions do you have for me, Your Highness?"

  Xiao Tang held the teacup thoughtfully and tapped it lightly, his eyebrows jumping as he spoke slowly: "We've received intelligence that Tang Ming is preparing to abandon the Menis region, handing over management and control of the area to the 14 lords there. I wonder if Mr. Yuan has any understanding of the 14 lords in the Menis region? Will Tang Ming's decision produce some unexpected effects?"

  Yuan Yunyuan said disdainfully: "Your Highness is overthinking, those lords are just some spoiled sons, completely not worth paying attention to."

  "No. Mr. Yuan, you should know that among them there are also some talented individuals, and we cannot completely ignore them. For example, Yang Su's Yang Su-xiang, Lü's Lü Zhen-yu, Dong's Dong Zhong-shu, they are either outstanding young talents or famous martial arts masters, or contemporary great Confucians. They have a glorious past, although now in decline, but still have some real power. If we completely ignore their existence, it is possible that we will suffer losses in the future. If we can utilize them, we will get twice the result with half the effort."

  "Your Highness need not worry. Tang Ming's move is just a borrowed knife to kill, nothing more. In reality, the Tangchuan imperial family has always been wary of the lords, and they will never allow another Sima family, Dugu family, or Feng Huo Yunlong to emerge. The fourteen lords of the Menis region have long since lost their former glory after generations of emperors' relentless attacks and weakening. Now, they are at most a somewhat wealthy family. The Tangchuan Empire has taken away their armies and lands, leaving them to barely eke out a living by doing small business. It's a wonder they can even survive, let alone accomplish anything great. This is proven by the fact that when the war broke out in Menis, these lords either died or fled, and no longer exist."

  Xiao Tang hesitated for a moment, still somewhat uneasy, and said: "Mr. Yuan is really so sure? I always feel a bit uneasy, after all, these lordly families are hiding dragons and sleeping tigers, with many young talents among them. If there's someone with extraordinary abilities, the Menis region might really fall into his hands."

  Yuan Yunyuan said lightly: "Your Highness is indeed overthinking. Let me ask, a person who has been locked in a solitary space since the age of thirteen, without any contact with the outside world, and whose learning and understanding are all instilled by the Emperor according to the principle of not cultivating talent, and who has no opportunity to gain practical experience. Can such a person grow up to be someone who can accomplish great things?"

  Xiao Tang nodded slightly and said slowly, "Mr. Yuan's words make sense, I was indeed overthinking. However, since these fourteen lords have been suffering from the oppression and weakening of the Emperor of the Tangchuan Empire for a long time, their situation is getting worse every day, they must have dissatisfaction in their hearts. Can we reach an agreement with them, use their wealth and power, and jointly resist the Emperor of Tangchuan?"

  Yuan Yunyuan said disapprovingly, "Your Highness is wrong. The fourteen lords of the Minis region, although they suffered from Emperor Tangchuan's various difficulties and weakening, it is impossible for them to abandon Tangchuan. These people can betray the emperor, but they will never betray Tangchuan. Just like the Sima family and the Dugu family, they can be disloyal to Emperor Tangmingyang, but they will never give up the golden dragon flag of the Tangchuan Empire, they will never deny that they are part of the Tangchuan Empire."

  Xiao Tong's eyes flashed, and he said calmly: "Does Mr. Yuan really think so?"

  Yuan Yun said solemnly, "Because I've tried it before, but to no avail. I once sent someone to contact the Xue family of Zilan Mansion in Ganchuan Dao, only to be sternly rejected."

  Xiao Tang nodded slowly and said calmly, "Since they are loyal to Tang Chuan, it's better to get rid of them as soon as possible, lest there be endless troubles in the future. Although from a practical point of view, these lords may not have much effect, but I always feel uneasy in my heart. Don't laugh at me, Mr. Yuan, my intuition is usually very keen, especially for bad premonitions."