Tonight, Nanjing is bustling and joyful.
From the south to the north of the city, from wealthy gentry and famous figures to ordinary citizens, everyone came out of their homes and made a ruckus all night.
Outside the imperial city, Qin Ze was surrounded and helped mount Red Hare. Lü Bu helped lead the horse, and then, amidst the cheers of the crowd, they circled the imperial city several times.
Behind them was a sea of people.
The explosions in the night sky and the cheers behind him bombarded Qin Ze's eardrums, making him almost lose his balance and nearly fall off his horse.
Fortunately, the generals followed closely behind, which prevented things from becoming too ugly.
The elderly Zhang Li followed beside him, his face glowing, his steps swift and powerful.
He doesn't show any signs of aging at all!
This continued until the middle of the night.
Qin Ze ordered the people to stop following him and settled the soldiers at the former site of the Imperial Guard in the city, only taking his generals with him.
He dismounted and led his generals along Ning'an Street, with Zhang Li naturally following behind.
The Qin residence is located on Ning'an Street; it is Qin Ze's home.
The former Tiger General and the current Emperor of Daqian both emerged from this place.
Looking back on his departure from Beijing and his return today, Qin Ze couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.
They were still some distance from the Qin residence, and they chatted as they walked.
Unlike his earlier excitement and joy in the capital, Zhang Li's expression was now somewhat solemn. He spoke first:
"Your Highness, nothing is more important than establishing the throne, and nothing is more ceremonial than changing the reign title."
"Now that you have returned to Jinling by the will of Heaven, you should immediately ascend the throne and become emperor. This is the only way to establish the legitimate dynasty and to rightfully command the affairs of the world."
Qin Ze pursed his lips slightly and said calmly:
"Official, at this time, let's not talk about obeying Heaven or not."
"You know me. Aside from avenging Jin Fengluan's past betrayal, overthrowing her this time is also for the sake of the common people, but—"
He pointed to the sky, then said in a deep voice:
"Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs."
"No matter how incompetent and tyrannical Jin Fengluan may be, Heaven will not care in the slightest."
"The rise and fall of great undertakings is neither interfered with nor cared about by Heaven."
After saying this, he stopped in his tracks and stared at Zhang Li without blinking.
Zhang Li looked slightly taken aback.
These words, whether spoken in the imperial court or in the marketplace or countryside, would be considered extremely treasonous by the listeners.
In the past, even if Jin Fengluan had said these words, Zhang Li would have definitely refuted them to uphold the name of "Heaven".
But now, in his many casual conversations with his daughter, Zhang Li has unknowingly been changed in many ways.
He remained silent for a long while before asking:
"Then what should we do?"
Qin Ze walked forward and said:
"It all depends on human effort."
Therefore, we must be people-oriented.
The group followed and walked forward. Zhang Li nodded, "Your Highness is right."
"Our ancestors said that emperors are boats and the people are water."
"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it."
"Isn't the fall of a tyrannical ruler a fitting consequence of this?"
"Your ascension to the throne marks a great transformation from decline to prosperity!"
Qin Ze nodded in agreement, but he was deep in thought.
Even though he had returned to Jinling and was about to declare himself emperor, his grand undertakings were far from being fully realized.
This is just the beginning.
Zhang Li, who was standing to the side, still looked solemn after saying these words.
Seeing Zhang Li's hesitant expression, he asked:
"Heavenly Official, tonight you will bring the people to the capital and, in full view of everyone, let me ascend the throne and become emperor."
"Although we are old friends, as far as I know, you are not the kind of person who is eager for quick success and instant benefits. You will not fawn over me just because I have become emperor."
After he finished speaking, Zhang Li's heart tightened. He straightened up and then respectfully bowed to Qin Ze, saying:
"Your Highness truly understands the heart of this old minister!"
"I have been in charge of the Ministry of Personnel for many years. Although I hold the position of Minister, which is considered the highest position a minister can attain, I was once just a poor man."
“It is precisely because I come from a poor background that I am so sympathetic to the hardships of the people.”
“Since the late emperor took the throne, this tyrannical ruler has acted perversely, causing immense suffering to the people. This old minister has witnessed it all.”
"It's laughable that this old minister is also a fool. Even so, this old minister still has expectations for her, and sometimes even supports her decisions."
"Oh! How ridiculous!" Zhang Li shook his head repeatedly.
Qin Ze nodded slightly, but remained silent.
Zhang Li continued, "If it weren't for my daughter's guidance, I'm afraid I would still be faithfully assisting her today."
"If Your Highness were to enter the capital, in the past, with the heart of an old minister, I would have gladly banged my head against a pillar and died to atone for the country's sins!"
Hearing this, Qin Ze chuckled softly.
The generals around him quietly covered their mouths. Only Lü Bu kept a straight face, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly.
Zhang Li continued:
"The great struggles of the past, though they also involved war, were nothing like what we see today."
"After General Huwei passed away, those foreign tribes and foreign states all coveted us. First it was Hu Ma, then Tu Yuan, and they all reached out their hands."
"If General Huwei were still alive, how would they dare to act recklessly?"
Upon hearing these two sentences, both Qin Ze and the generals composed themselves, their faces becoming solemn.
Zhang Li was still speaking when he stepped forward and said:
"Thank God, the Qin family still has a prince. Although he was exiled to Beiliang, he has now returned with these soldiers."
"When I see you soldiers, I think of the Chiyan Army of old. You have swept across the land, and you have been invincible in every battle."
"Such bravery is truly admirable."
The generals stood tall, with Lü Bu holding his halberd, chin slightly raised, his face full of pride.
At this point, Zhang Li's voice turned somber, and he sighed:
"With you all here, it is indeed a great blessing to accomplish this task."
"However, the current intensive efforts have left the area devastated."
"When the tyrannical emperor left, it is unknown how many urgent memorials had been left unfinished."
"She only cares about her own life and death, she doesn't care about others at all. She doesn't care about the lives and deaths of ordinary people."
As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Ze narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice:
Where is the battle taking place?
Zhang Li gritted his teeth and said:
"Fusang Island Nation!!"
The generals frowned, Lü Bu's gaze grew cold, Red Hare snorted, and Qin Ze's expression also grew colder.
"In the past, General Huwei led the Chiyan Army in a battle against Fusang at sea, and their sacrifice brought Fusang to submit."
“But now, only three years later, these Japanese have come back with a vengeance. They have landed in the East China Sea and started their invasion!” Zhang Li gritted his teeth.
As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Ze's face turned ashen.
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