Volume 9, Chapter 586 – We Will Make Huangtian County Disappear

Lin Ran drew a deep breath; the cold air chilled her to the marrow. If the man before her were only an unreasonable father, she could have swallowed her grievances. But he was also the ruler of a nation; in that case, the ones to suffer would be all the commoners of the Western Radiance Dynasty.

“Your Majesty, please quell your anger! Her Highness is still young and speaks without weighing her words; please don’t take it to heart.”

At that moment, Chief Steward Zhong hurried forward to smooth things over. Having served as a eunuch all his life, he knew well when to intercede and when to hold his tongue.

“Enough. It’s an auspicious day; I won’t hold this against you. Withdraw!”

Lin Tu seized the step offered and let the matter drop, flicking his sleeve.

Lin Ran had no wish to remain either; she turned and hurried out of the Imperial Study.

“Chief Steward Zhong, tell me, should We give Honghua Sect a warning? That Qi Huang not only cost Us face, but even strained the bond between Us and the Sixth Princess. Truly detestable.”

Lin Tu spoke, still unable to quell his anger.

“This old servant dares not presume; I leave it to Your Majesty’s judgment.”

Lin Tu fell silent, sinking into thought.

A few days later, Lin Tu held a grand celebration in the palace for his sixtieth birthday, decreeing festivities throughout the realm.

On that day, the palace rang with songs and dances; the imperial capital thundered with drums and gongs. In many larger cities and towns, firecrackers crackled like a New Year festival. Yet in remote towns and villages a pall still hung; malevolent spirits roamed unchecked, and the people could hardly eke out a living.

In a resplendent palace hall, Lin Tu sat upon the Dragon Throne in a golden dragon robe. After a few cups of fine wine, a faint flush had crept into his cheeks; his mood seemed quite good.

Arrayed on either side of the hall sat nobles of the dynasty and many foreign guests come to offer congratulations, some from friendly states, others self-invited.

Gazing at the uninvited guests, Lin Tu’s smugness deepened; to his mind, their presence testified to the magnitude of his prestige.

“Today is Our sixtieth birthday. That you have stolen time from your duties to come offer felicitations, We are deeply grateful! Especially to the foreign guests who have journeyed from afar; you have labored hard. We drink a toast to you all!”

Buoyed by pride, Lin Tu raised his cup to the assembled hall once more.

“Your Majesty overpraises us; this is but our duty as your ministers!”

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“Indeed. Your Majesty has toiled tirelessly for the Western Radiance Dynasty, granting us lives of peace and contentment; you are as our very parents. It is only right that we come to offer our congratulations.”

“Your Majesty, since your accession you have maintained friendly relations with our Xitong Kingdom, sparing both peoples from the ravages of war. Our coming to offer congratulations is as it should be; may friendship between our two countries endure for generations.”

Ministers and foreign guests alike lifted their cups and offered flatteries.

As a cup went down, a discordant voice suddenly rose.

“Your Majesty, traveling a thousand li is nothing to us, but there truly were far too many malevolent spirits along the road. We have some strength and do not fear them, but what of the common folk? As sovereign of a nation, your burden is heavy and your road long!”

It was the envoy of the Gaosheng Kingdom who spoke in that taunting tone. They were among those who had come uninvited, and were presently in constant friction with the Western Radiance Dynasty.

Lin Tu’s smile stiffened. He had thought they came on account of his face; now it seemed they were here purely to make a scene. Infuriating to the extreme.

After a brief pause for thought, Lin Tu shifted the burden: “The honored guest from Gaosheng speaks truly. Yet as a mundane emperor We can only sweep away bandits and brigands; against malevolent entities We are powerless. In this matter we must rely upon the Immortal Alliance!”

He turned his gaze toward Elder Zuo seated below. “Wouldn’t you say so, Elder Zuo?”

Elder Zuo was taken aback, then grasped what was happening: this cur of an emperor meant to dump the blame entirely on him. Though burning with anger, he could not refuse in such a setting and could only answer with an ugly expression, “Rest assured, Your Majesty. This is indeed the Immortal Alliance’s responsibility. I will do my utmost.”

“Very well.”

Lin Tu smiled without betraying his thoughts.

“Your Majesty, though this foreign envoy was jostled by the journey and was indeed fatigued before, tasting such delicacies and watching such graceful dances has swept all weariness away!”

The envoy of the Beiling Kingdom now spoke as well; it sounded like flattery.

“If the honored guest of Beiling is pleased, then enjoy to your heart’s content. I dare not speak for other things, but the Western Radiance Dynasty has delicacies and beauties in abundance.”

“Your Majesty, your realm’s delicacies do indeed make the mouth water. Only, the dancing falls a bit short. Might you allow this foreign envoy to offer a suggestion?”

The Beiling envoy suddenly stood and cupped his fists.

“I wonder what insights the envoy has?”

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Lin Tu’s smile faded yet further; Beiling too was a state that frequently clashed with the Western Radiance Dynasty.

“Your Majesty, court dances should embody elegance and grandeur. Yet look at these dancing girls: each is petite, like a gaggle of children not yet grown. Far too small-minded in bearing to convey the solemn dignity of this occasion. Are the women of the Western Radiance Dynasty all so short?”

The Beiling envoy began to pick a fight.

As his words fell, only the music and dance remained in the hall; the mood turned strange.

Several of the dancers, unprepared to be attacked, faltered; the fragile-minded among them were already losing the rhythm.

Lin Tu’s smile vanished entirely. Frowning, he protested, “But We think they’re not short!”

“Is that so? I find them quite short. When Your Majesty says they’re ‘not short,’ you’re comparing them to the people of your Huangtian County, aren’t you? I’ve been to that place. It’s just as the rumors say—everyone there is a three-inch dwarf. Haha…”

As he spoke, the envoy broke into laughter of his own.

“Haha…”

Several other uninvited delegations chimed in.

At that, every person of the Western Radiance Dynasty present wore an ugly expression.

“Envoy of Beiling, you have come from afar and I ought to treat you with courtesy. But what do you mean by attacking our subjects without cause? If you cannot give a reason, do not blame this princess for having you shown out.”

“Pray calm yourself, Sixth Princess. This foreign envoy bears you no ill will; I merely speak up on your behalf. Look at you all, tall and stalwart, lithe and graceful, yet because of that tiny Huangtian County you are implicated, mocked by other countries as a ‘nation of little people’. What an injustice!”

The Beiling envoy offered a hypocritical explanation.

“That is none of your concern. However short the people of Huangtian County may be, they are subjects of our Western Radiance Dynasty. The court will never treat them with bias!”

Lin Ran declared, firm and ringing.

“Since Your Highness is so benevolent, so be it. I’m afraid your dynasty will have to shoulder the nickname ‘nation of little people’ until the end of time. A humiliation beyond belief!”

With a theatrical sigh, the Beiling envoy sat down.

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“You…”

Lin Ran trembled with anger and was about to step forward to argue.

“Insolence!”

Lin Tu’s cold reprimand cracked across the hall.

Lin Ran had no choice but to sit, resentment written across her face.

Late at night, with a livid face, Lin Tu returned to the Imperial Study. He had meant to enjoy a pleasant sixtieth birthday, only to swallow a bellyful of rage.

“Huangtian County! Always Huangtian County!”

Lin Tu slammed his palm on the desk; his features twisted.

“Your Majesty, calm your anger!”

Chief Steward Zhong hastened to dissuade him.

“How are We to calm down? That Qi Huang is from Huangtian County; because of them We lost all face. Today, because of that entire County, We were mocked before everyone. It’s an intolerable disgrace!”

Lin Tu’s voice was harsh.

Chief Steward Zhong opened his mouth and closed it, at a loss for how to persuade him.

‘It seems that so long as Huangtian County exists, the reputation of my Western Radiance Dynasty will not improve.’

Lin Tu muttered to himself.

“But it’s there all the same; it can’t simply vanish into thin air, can it?”

Chief Steward Zhong ventured a cautious reminder.

“Hmph! The land won’t disappear, but people might.”

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A vicious glint flashed in Lin Tu’s eyes.

“Does Your Majesty mean to kill everyone in Huangtian County?”

Horror crossed Chief Steward Zhong’s face. He hurried to dissuade him: “Please think twice, Your Majesty. This is not something a sovereign should do.”

“We cannot do it with Our own hands, but We can kill with a borrowed knife.”

Lin Tu let out a cold laugh, then asked, “Chief Steward Zhong, as We recall, there is an extremely fearsome accursed place in Huangtian County, is there not?”

“Yes. It’s called the Pingshan Mass Burial Ground. It seems to have erupted once a few years ago, then quieted down again for reasons unknown.”

Chief Steward Zhong reported.

“Send people at once to ascertain its current state and report back to me.”

Lin Tu gave the order.

“Your meaning is…”

Astonishment again crossed Chief Steward Zhong’s face.

“If possible, find a way to make it erupt completely. That will not only rid Us of a thorn in Our heart, it will also give Honghua Sect and Qi Huang something to keep them busy. Daring to toy with Us, there is only one road for them: death!”

Lin Tu gave a string of cold laughs.

“Your Majesty, must it truly be so? If it cannot be controlled, those who suffer will not be only Huangtian County and Honghua Sect. Once the malevolent entities spread, the entire Western Radiance Dynasty will be at risk.”

Chief Steward Zhong tried again to dissuade him.

“It doesn’t matter. That is the Immortal Alliance’s concern. Do you mean to say the whole Alliance cannot control a single Pingshan Mass Burial Ground? Just do as We say!”

Lin Tu waved his hand impatiently.