Yin Shuhuai had long known that Shentu Yang intended to move the capital. It was also an undeniable fact that the noble clans and local tycoons managed local territories to the point of turning the imperial power into a mere figurehead, making it difficult for the court’s political decrees to even reach the countryside.

Now, the forces of the court were heavily intertwined, with noble clans and powerful ministers each harboring their own sinister agendas. As a puppet emperor caught between powerful ministers and noble families, Yin Shuhuai faced constraints from all sides with every step he took. Everyone had their own petty calculations, and everyone wanted to control the Emperor to dictate terms to the other ministers. However, compared to the deeply calculating and experienced noble families, Shentu Yang’s methods still appeared a bit naive. “No wonder you acted with such massive fanfare,” Yin Shuhuai thought, linking this to Shentu Yang’s behavior of practically throwing a parade to deliver the rare treasures plundered from the noble storehouses into the Imperial Treasury. His expression suddenly turned bizarre. “You couldn’t possibly think that using this sort of method to drive a wedge between me and the noble families would allow you to achieve your goal of moving the capital, could you?”

Setting aside the fact that moving the capital was a monumental matter, Yin Shuhuai was just a puppet emperor who had only recently taken the reins of government, and he fundamentally lacked the absolute authority to make such a declaration stick. Even if Yin Shuhuai could make his own decisions, he would never believe Shentu Yang’s sweet-talking rhetoric. Furthermore, he would never choose to move the capital over such a trivial matter.

After all, Yin Shuhuai was the Emperor of the Yin Dynasty, but he would not necessarily be the Emperor of the Yan Kingdom. Although staying in Luoyang meant facing constraints from the major noble families and tycoons, wherever there were constraints, there would inevitably be gaps. Yin Shuhuai could easily bide his time, utilizing the internal conflicts and differing stances among the noble families to gradually divide and conquer them, and then install his own people.

Just as Laozi once said, governing a large country is like cooking a small fish. He was still young and had plenty of time to wear down the noble families. Even if he had to boil the frog in lukewarm water, there would eventually come a day when he would stew those tough bones until they were completely soft. Why on earth would he give up the imperial capital of Luoyang just because of a few words from Shentu Yang and move the capital to You Province how was that any different from walking straight into the tiger’s den.

Looking across the entirety of history, no one had ever heard of an emperor who fell into a powerful minister’s home base and managed to reclaim political power!

Yin Shuhuai did not want to gamble, nor did he have any need to gamble. However, he had seriously underestimated Shentu Yang’s gambler personality.

“Your Majesty must not misunderstand your servant.” Seeming to perceive Yin Shuhuai’s thoughts, Shentu Yang locked his brows tightly and said in a deep voice, “Your servant acted this way not to drive a wedge between Your Majesty and the noble families, but in the hope that Your Majesty would not blame me!”

When Shentu Yang said this, his usually sharp eyes grew remarkably heavy. His gaze carried a faint trace of hope as he stared at Yin Shuhuai without blinking.

Yin Shuhuai felt his eyelid twitch, and a bad premonition inexplicably surged in his heart. While he was silently reflecting on this, he saw Zhuang Wuwei hurriedly enter the Hall of Sublime Virtue, bending down to whisper into the Emperor’s ear, “Reporting to Your Majesty, fifty thousand troops from You and Bing provinces have mobilized, bypassing Yan Province to make a direct entry from Sishui Pass. They have now completely surrounded the districts of Henan Yin, Yingchuan, Chenliu, and Nanyang…”

Under the pretext of suppressing the rebellion and reorganizing his troops, Shentu Yang had completely blockaded all roads across the four provinces of Qing, Xu, Yan, and Ji. The secret agents of the Night Owl Guard had to traverse mountains, slip through forests, hide by day, and travel by night along the way. They barely managed to enter Luoyang right on the heels of the returning victorious army to bring back the news that Shentu Yang had ordered fifty thousand Yan troops to launch a surprise attack on Henan Yin and the Nanyang districts.

Hearing Zhuang Wuwei’s report, Yin Shuhuai’s gaze shifted from suspicion to absolute shock. Cold light flared in his eyes, piercing straight into Shentu Yang’s eyes like two sharp blades.

As master and servant locked eyes, Shentu Yang suddenly smiled. Like a predatory beast that had been crouching in the dark to hunt, he finally bared his fangs. “I know that the local tycoons, noble families, and court nobles, including the wealthy clans who just migrated from the four provinces, are all gathered in Henan Yin and the Nanyang districts. This time, I didn’t bring the army back to negotiate with them about whether to move the capital. I am here to tell them: either move the capital, or die!”

Yin Shuhuai had assembled two hundred thousand northern troops to firmly defend Luoyang, assuming he could sleep easily from then on. Shentu Yang indeed did not want to have a direct conflict with the Yin Emperor, but he could easily pull off a deceptive maneuver. Under the guise of sending troops to crush the rebellion, he could directly launch a surprise attack from Yan Province on Henan Yin and the Nanyang districts, capturing all the noble families, local tycoons, and court nobles in one fell swoop!

Shentu Yang simply refused to believe it! Now that he had plundered the very foundations of these noble families, would they still risk having their entire families slaughtered just to oppose his plan to move the capital?

Yin Shuhuai was completely dumbfounded, only realizing the truth after the fact. “So, you letting the rebellion run wild in the four provinces earlier was actually to use the opportunity of suppressing the rebellion to mobilize the Yan army to invade Ji Province, enter Yan Province from Ji Province, pass through Sishui Pass from Yan Province, and completely flank Henan Yin and the Nanyang districts?”

Shentu Yang nodded and said pleasantly, “I must also thank Your Majesty for previously dispatching twenty thousand troops of my Yan Kingdom to plant winter wheat in the Henan area within the passes.” It was precisely during that time that he had thoroughly mapped out the mountains, rivers, terrain, and the distribution of powerful families across Henan Yin and the various districts within the passes.

This time, the army’s surprise attack on Henan Yin and the Nanyang districts was guided by those very Yan soldiers who had previously done the hard labor. They knew the routes inside out, so they didn’t waste a single step on the wrong path!

Yin Shuhuai laughed as he listened. “The Duke of Yan is indeed highly farsighted, commanding troops like a god.”

Shentu Yang let out a soft laugh and slowly leaned forward, kissing the slightly swaying imperial crown tassels in front of the Emperor’s face, feeling the cold smoothness of the pearl strings. “Your Majesty has lost.”

Yin Shuhuai nodded. “I have indeed lost.”

Shentu Yang asked again, “Is Your Majesty thoroughly convinced?”

Yin Shuhuai said, “I accept the loss.”

Shentu Yang reached out to lift the constantly swaying tassels before his eyes, intending to steal a kiss, only to see a flash of cold light vanish before him.

Shentu Yang looked down at the imperial sword resting against his neck and let out a soft sigh. “Didn’t Your Majesty say you accept the loss?”

Yin Shuhuai said, “Just consider me a sore loser.”

Master and servant stared at each other for a long moment before Shentu Yang smiled warmly. “It doesn’t matter whether Your Majesty can afford to lose or not. I can afford to wait.”

The news that Shentu Yang had taken advantage of the army’s triumphant return to lead hundreds of thousands of Yan troops from Sishui Pass to launch a surprise attack on Henan Yin and the Nanyang districts quickly spread throughout the capital. The noble families, officials, and court nobles whose homes were in Henan Yin and the Nanyang districts panicked instantly. Learning that Shentu Yang was currently meeting the Emperor in the palace, they rushed in one after another to demand what Shentu Yang thought he was doing.

“Because of my great service in suppressing the rebellion, Your Majesty wishes to appoint me as the Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief.” Shentu Yang trifled with the imperial jade seal, casting a smiling glance at the Emperor who had just claimed to be a sore loser. Since the Emperor refused to give him the reward he truly wanted, he was absolutely going to take the reward the Emperor offered. At the very least, it would make the noble families and court nobles mistakenly believe that the Emperor was on his side.

Sure enough, upon hearing Shentu Yang’s words, the wealthy noble families who had migrated into the passes from the four provinces of Qing, Xu, Yan, and Ji instantly saw red. The looks they cast toward the Emperor were filled with simmering rage and resentment. This was because Shentu Yang’s title of Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief was built entirely on the bones of their families. Not to mention that this pair of a foolish ruler and a treacherous minister, working hand in glove, had used the banner of suppressing a rebellion to completely empty out the fortunes that the major noble families had accumulated over hundreds of years.

Slaughtering their kin and cutting off their wealth how could they not feel absolute hatred?

“By acting this way, does the Duke of Yan intend to cut himself off from all the noble families under heaven?” someone threatened with bitter resentment.

Shentu Yang smiled upon hearing this. It was no wonder these noble families kept their noses so high in the air; they truly possessed the leverage to be proud.

Since the founding of the Yin Dynasty, there had been a long-standing tradition that the noble families and the Emperor shared the rule of the empire. The noble families were not just subjects of the emperor; they were the actual executives who kept the court running. The Emperor sat high in his brilliant hall, but any political decree he issued required these subjects to carry it out. Furthermore, the official positions of the court were held in the hands of the noble families, and public opinion across the empire was also controlled by them.

If they said the sky was black, no one would dare say the sky was white. If they claimed that Yin Shuhuai and Shentu Yang were a foolish ruler and a treacherous minister, even if some people believed the Emperor was a wise ruler, that noble reputation would never manage to reach the ears of the common people.

What the world heard and witnessed was strictly what the noble families wanted them to hear. This was the source of the confidence that allowed those noble officials to still dare to threaten Shentu Yang even now.

But here lay the issue: did Shentu Yang actually care about the noble families?

“When I was a slave among the Xiongnu, I never heard of any Central Plains noble family daring to fight against them. Now that I stand here with hundreds of thousands of Yan Kingdom troops, do you gentlemen care to test whether my sword is sharp?”

Yin Shuhuai widened his eyes to look at the assembled ministers. Unfortunately, under Shentu Yang’s terrifying pressure, not a single person dared to stand up and shout, “My sword is plenty sharp too!”

Yin Shuhuai shook his head with a look of quiet irony. It seemed his stubborn impression of these noble families wasn’t going to change anytime soon!

Perceiving Yin Shuhuai’s low opinion of them, the noble families and court nobles were filled with resentment, glaring furiously at the foolish ruler and the treacherous minister!

Following this campaign, although the power of the local tycoons in the four provinces of Qing, Xu, Yan, and Ji was heavily reduced, the reputations of this master and servant duo, Yin Shuhuai and Shentu Yang, were completely ruined.

Competing with the people for profit! This classic moral blackmail accusation used in the feudal era against emperors was firmly pinned onto Yin Shuhuai’s head by the enraged noble families.

Yin Shuhuai was already in such a miserable spot, so Shentu Yang, who had dared to plunder the properties of the noble families just to please the Emperor, naturally had an even worse reputation.

Even before Shentu Yang brought the army back to the capital, the major noble families had launched a massive campaign of verbal and written attacks, fully intending to cement this master and servant duo tightly to the pillar of historical shame. Unfortunately, even the sharpest tongue was no match for cold steel. Faced with the constant buzzing opposition of the major noble families, Shentu Yang, who always preferred to settle matters on the battlefield, simply flipped the table.

“I intend to move the capital to You Province. I hope you all make your preparations early. Your families and kin will also set out tomorrow morning with the assistance of my fifty thousand Yan troops—”

Before Shentu Yang could even finish his sentence, it instantly triggered a massive uproar.

“Absurd! Our Yin Dynasty established Luoyang as the imperial capital over two hundred years ago; this is an ancestral regulation of the court. You, the Duke of Yan, are merely a local lord. What right or authority do you have to arbitrarily decide a major matter like moving the capital?”

“Shentu Yang, you traitorous official, I cannot coexist under the same sky as you!”

“Without an official imperial decree from the court, how dare a vassal state send troops into the capital? You clearly intend to usurp power and take the throne!”

“Hurry up and withdraw your fifty thousand troops. Do you truly want to commit treason against your superiors and leave a foul reputation for thousands of years?”

Faced with the ministers’ righteous indignation, Shentu Yang merely drew the sword from his waist with a blank expression. “When Emperor Gaozu founded the Yin Dynasty, he initially established Chang’an as the imperial capital. Later, due to flooding of the Yellow River, impoverished soil, natural disasters, and human conflicts among various reasons, the capital was moved to Luoyang. Since the capital could be moved from Chang’an to Luoyang, why can’t it be moved from Luoyang to You Province?”

“Besides, I’m not here to negotiate the matter of moving the capital with you.” Shentu Yang looked at the assembled ministers with a knowing smile. “I am informing you that we are moving the capital tomorrow morning. Those who refuse to go can simply die!”

The ministers were struck with absolute terror upon hearing this. Shentu Yang’s gaze swept over the crowd, and he added with complete composure, “However, you can rest assured that I won’t make you journey into the afterlife alone. Whoever refuses to go, please step forward. I will send your entire extended family to accompany you on the journey!”

The moment these words were spoken, everyone’s faces turned entirely pale. Even Huo Quan, who was in charge of the two hundred thousand northern troops inside Luoyang, glared furiously at Shentu Yang, wishing he could cut the man down on the spot. Yet he was hesitant to strike for fear of harming his own, because over a thousand members of the Huo clan were currently located right in Nanyang District!

“It seems no one wants to die, which is absolutely wonderful.” Holding the hilt of his sword, Shentu Yang slowly paced around the hall. “As the saying goes, arriving early isn’t nearly as good as arriving just at the right time. I originally intended to send people to your estates to invite you all into the palace to discuss moving the capital, but I never expected you would all come to the palace together. Since you are already here, don’t leave tonight. I will send men to your estates to notify them to set out tomorrow morning.”

The expressions of the court officials shifted drastically. “Shentu Yang, do you intend to place us under house arrest?”

“You brat from the Shentu family, don’t push people too far! We will absolutely not sit back and be captured!”

Before the voice could even fade, Zhou Tai led three thousand imperial guards rushing into the hall, drawing their weapons one after another. “Who is making a racket?”

“Lackey! Traitor”

Before the minister could finish speaking, Zhou Tai brought his blade down in a swift strike. In an instant, blood splattered everywhere, and the minister who had been pointing and cursing at Zhou Tai collapsed heavily to the ground. Fresh blood completely soaked his robes, and the pooling blood reflected his wide-open, unseeing eyes.

Shentu Yang leisurely stroked his sword hilt, asking slowly, “Who else wants to resist?”

Shentu Yang’s gaze slowly drifted across the ministers in the hall, and anyone he looked at shrank back and avoided his eyes. Seeing this, Shentu Yang could not help but let out a soft laugh. “It seems no one has any objections.”

Huo Quan glared at Shentu Yang, gritting his teeth as he cursed, “Don’t get too ahead of yourself! Don’t forget there are still two hundred thousand northern troops defending His Majesty in the city. They will absolutely never let a traitorous official like you get your way.”

Shentu Yang smiled. “Those two hundred thousand northern troops in your hands are just like the gentlest lambs. It won’t be any harder for my Yan army to slaughter them than it is to slaughter cattle and sheep.” Not to mention that the entire Huo family was currently gripped tightly in his hands. If Huo Quan insisted on seeking his own doom, Shentu Yang wouldn’t stop him he had long found the Huo family an eyesore.

Shentu Yang gave Zhou Tai a meaningful glance, and Zhou Tai immediately led his subordinates to escort the court officials out of the Hall of Sublime Virtue, locking them away in the adjacent palace rooms.

Once everyone had left the hall, Shentu Yang finally clasped his hands toward the Yin Emperor, speaking in a gentle tone, “Your Majesty should also get some rest early. Tomorrow morning, we must set out for You Province.”

Yin Shuhuai stared intently at Shentu Yang for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Are the noble families and local tycoons from places like Henan Yin and Nanyang truly setting out tomorrow morning as well?”

Staring back into the dark eyes of the Emperor, who saw through everything as clearly as fire, Shentu Yang smiled gently. “No one is wiser than Your Majesty.”