Kays Translations

Just another Isekai Lover~

Chapter 234: Who Will Ascend the Throne

Kong Yingzhi, acting as a junior, welcomed the Jin delegation into the City Lord’s mansion with respect but without flattery, treating them as honored guests.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, both sides got straight to the point.

Facing Prime Minister Sima Xuan’s “kind offer,” Kong Yingzhi responded directly: “We are willing to form a brotherly alliance with Jin, ensuring mutual non-aggression. If we can jointly conquer Anyang, we will share all of Anyang’s technology.”

“Good, straightforward!” Sima Xuan was overjoyed. “Jin has a million elite soldiers, ready to be deployed at any time. Jin will always be Nanyang County’s strongest support.”

“That is truly appreciated.” On the surface, Kong Yingzhi appeared deeply grateful, but inwardly, he felt a sense of unease. A million elite soldiers—this was an implicit threat. If the Kong family obeyed, these soldiers would serve as their strong support; if they did not, these soldiers would become an unstoppable grinding stone.

Do you want Jin to be your support or your executioner? The Kong family had better think carefully.

Since Kong Donglai was still on the front lines managing the war and had yet to return, Kong Yingzhi dared not sign a formal pledge just yet. However, both sides reached a verbal agreement, awaiting Kong Donglai’s return.

Given the gravity of the situation, Kong Yingzhi sent his younger brother, Kong Yingcai, to the front lines to locate their father and take over his military deployments. The Jin envoys did not leave either, choosing instead to stay and observe the current state of the Great Xia Kingdom—essentially, conducting espionage in broad daylight.

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That night, in the dead of silence, Prime Minister Sima Xuan and Central Army Marshal Li Lishong spoke in hushed voices.

Sima Xuan used tea water to draw a rough outline on the table, clearly depicting the fragmented state of the Great Xia Kingdom. “For centuries, the various nations of Eastern Yingzhou have remained in a standoff without significant change. The sudden upheaval in Great Xia presents an opportunity to break this prolonged stagnation.

We are geographically close to Great Xia. Only by seizing part of its territory and strengthening ourselves can Jin gain an advantage in the coming era of chaos. That was our original plan.

But now, Anyang has introduced an unpredictable variable. This unprecedented industrial and commercial model has caught us off guard. The widespread use of artillery significantly reduces the importance of ordinary soldiers.

Therefore, I believe acquiring Anyang’s technology and talent is more urgent than merely acquiring land.”

Li Lishong nodded. “I have witnessed the power of artillery firsthand. A standard small cannon blast is equivalent to an attack from a cultivator at the Golden Core stage, and artillery strikes can attack in all directions. Large artillery explosions are nearly as destructive as a Golden Core cultivator self-destructing. More importantly, the sheer shock of artillery barrages can have a profound psychological impact on soldiers.

In addition, there are airplanes, ironclad warships, and trains—all crucial technologies that must be obtained.

Especially train technology. The ability to transport a million soldiers a thousand miles in half a day is something we absolutely must acquire.”

Sima Xuan was puzzled. “Train technology? Isn’t it just an internal combustion engine? Anyang has publicly released blueprints for internal combustion engines. What’s the difficulty?”

“There are plenty of difficulties. Before leaving, I checked the Royal Craftsmen’s production of internal combustion engines—they were a complete mess, entirely non-functional.”

Sima Xuan pondered. “So Anyang has indeed kept something back. As expected, Li Xian isn’t that generous.”

If Li Xian were here, he would undoubtedly be jumping in frustration: If I weren’t generous, you wouldn’t even know that industrial production requires blueprints! I’ve already given you free blueprints, and you still want more? Do you really expect to reap benefits without effort?

The next morning, Kong Donglai arrived on his flying sword. After a brief negotiation and a bit of haggling, both sides signed the agreement and swore oaths to the heavens. Once the Jin delegation departed, Kong Donglai’s smile immediately vanished, and his narrowed eyes gleamed coldly—his thoughts unreadable.

Meanwhile, in Wuyang City, the defending forces were gradually losing ground. The artillery bombardment had ceased, but homemade cannons and firearms were still in play. Once people recognized the benefits of gunpowder, technological advancements surged forward. A small packet of gunpowder could enable a firearm to unleash the power of a third-layer Qi Refinement cultivator; a large packet could match the power of a sixth or seventh-layer Qi Refinement cultivator. Three large packets in a primitive cannon could rival the attack of a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

Once people realized the advantages of gunpowder, they dedicated themselves to its mass production. Training a Foundation Establishment cultivator took over a decade and depended on luck, whereas producing three large packets of gunpowder took just the time of a single meal. In mass production, the time could be reduced even further, by over tenfold. Furthermore, the cost of gunpowder was over a hundred times lower than that of talismans.

With these two advantages, gunpowder had already begun to transform the traditional methods of warfare in the cultivation world. Without realizing it, everyone was advancing along the path Li Xian had planned. At least in the Great Xia Kingdom, change had already begun.

In truth, this was Li Xian’s grand strategy: once everyone became accustomed to planes and artillery, that would be the moment he ascended as the king of commerce! At that point, Li Xian would be able to manipulate wars through trade, securing benefits for himself.

Gunpowder and magic clashed, with newly mechanized ballistae exchanging fire with old-fashioned ballistae made from the bones of demonic beasts. The result—gunpowder might have its shortcomings, but it triumphed through sheer quantity and accessibility, forcibly suppressing talisman-based magic. The same applied to the ballistae; while those crafted from demonic beast bones were powerful, they were ultimately too few in number and structurally simple, far inferior to the widespread and intricate mechanical ballistae.

This war in Wuyang City was not just a struggle for power and profit—it was a completely new kind of warfare. Perhaps those involved in the battle had yet to realize it, but from this moment on, the nature of warfare had changed irreversibly.

In the past, war depended entirely on cultivation. Whether magical treasures, spells, or talismans, all required sufficient cultivation to refine and wield.

But now, gunpowder and mechanized ballistae allowed ordinary people to participate in battle. Perhaps these ordinary people were merely weapons manufacturers behind the scenes, but they were still indirectly involved in the war.

The brutality of warfare had also escalated to new heights. In just a few days, the battlefield was awash with blood, with casualties reaching three to five times that of previous wars. This was the inevitable consequence of mechanized warfare—even the Immortal Realm was not exempt!

Of course, another significant change was the cost. After this war, everyone finally understood a fundamental truth: When the cannons roar, gold flows like water. In just three to five days of battle, between 200,000 and 300,000 taels of gold had already been consumed. Whether it was cannonballs, gunpowder, or ballista bolts—it all cost money.

Yet this firepower was overwhelmingly powerful. The supposedly impregnable walls of Wuyang City were now in ruins, dyed red with blood, and littered with broken limbs. This was the imperial capital’s wall!

The war broke out too quickly and fiercely. By the fifth day, the defending forces could no longer hold out. Wang Clan and Shangguan Guang, leading the remnants of their defeated army, fled in panic, taking the false emperor with them into Guangling County’s territory, where they continued their attempt to rule through the puppet emperor. Though the emperor was false, he at least carried a title.

However, after the coalition forces breached the city, an interesting development occurred—at least in Xu Ren’s eyes. That development was: the selection of a new emperor.

Although the Great Xia Kingdom had fallen, none of the warlords dared to be the first to openly proclaim themselves emperor. Everyone understood the old saying: The wind fells the tallest trees; the rain strikes the most exposed beams.

In the ruined Wuyang City, on roads stained with blood, as the common folk trembled in terror and despair, the coalition forces marched into the imperial capital and finally gathered outside the imperial palace.

From the northwest came the First Prince, leading his forces. From the south, it was Gao Bin. From the southeast, Kong Yingcai. From the east, the Second Prince—who was also the Crown Prince—led his troops. The northeast and northern sectors remained empty, as the Li family held back from making a move.

Among these four factions, Gao Bin represented Songzhou County, and Kong Yingcai represented Nanyang County—both were leaders of separatist warlord regimes.

Meanwhile, in the northwest, First Prince Xia Xu and, in the east, Second Prince Xia Shu both carried royal blood and were legitimate contenders for the throne. Especially the Second Prince, who had been officially designated as Crown Prince—it should have been a natural succession. But in times like these, many things should be, yet in the end, power speaks louder than titles.

As the four factions converged, everyone stared each other down—who would claim the throne?

Amidst the fluttering banners, representatives from each faction stepped forward.

Grand Prince Xia Xu strode boldly into the center with only three to five personal guards, his face showing no fear as he gazed at the others.

Seeing this, Gao Bin and Kong Yingcai also brought only a handful of personal guards, walking proudly into the center, stopping less than three meters away from the First Prince.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of the gathered forces, the hesitant Second Prince Xia Shu, after much persuasion from Yuan Zhao and with great reluctance, stepped forward.