"Your filial piety is commendable. However, you should know what the King of the Southern Region thinks about this war. The war is coming to an end, and the Great Xia Dynasty is doomed. This is all because of you. Are you really going to give the throne to your stubborn father for a decade or two?" The man in black smiled as he looked at Shan Ling's clenched fists.
"So what? He is my father! He gave birth to me!" Shan Ling's eyes were filled with determination. The people of the Southern Region were simple by nature.
Even though he had made a few mistakes in order to become the Crown Prince...
But...
To Shan Ling, the fight for the throne had always been cruel. As such, what was wrong with him taking the position of Crown Prince?
Moreover, in his eyes, his two elder brothers had no ambitions other than stubbornly guarding this piece of land and spending every day with the ferocious beasts and forests as their companions.
In the Southern Region, on a natural fortress.
However, it was also a dangerous place. There was nothing wrong with protecting the people, but how could they survive if they had to protect the land?
Only by becoming stronger could they better protect the Southern Region.
Shan Ling had become the Crown Prince because of this dream. He had even ushered in a golden era for the Southern Region. Under his leadership, the Southern Region's military strength had increased by the day.
That was why he was doing what he did today.
However, he had to betray his father!
That was absolutely impossible.
Betraying one's father was akin to killing a beast.
No matter how loyal his subordinates were, it was impossible for them to help him do this. If he wanted to do this, he could only do it himself.
Furthermore, if he was exposed, there would be no place for him in the Southern Region.
"Haha... are you talking about kinship now? Then, more than ten years ago, when you plotted to oust your eldest brother, Shan Jia, from the position of Crown Prince, did you think about family? Did you think about kinship when you forced your second brother out of the Southern Region? "The man in black chuckled.
"What did you say? My brother Shan Jia committed an unforgivable crime. What did it have to do with me? Furthermore, Shan Jia escaped from the Southern Region on his own, and he took... "Shan Ling's expression changed as he broke out in cold sweat.
"Are you referring to the Jadeite Bamboo Flute that your elder brother Shan Jia took away?" The black-robed man flipped his hand and a jadeite bamboo flute appeared in his hand.
"This... you, how did you..." Shan Ling's eyes widened. He could tell that this belonged to his elder brother, Shan Jia.
The Jadeite Bamboo Flute.
One of the treasures of the Southern Region.
It was the inheritance token of every generation of the Crown Prince of the Southern Mountain Range. The sound of the flute could drive ferocious beasts into battle. However, ever since Shan Jia was chased out of the Southern Mountain Range more than ten years ago, this jade bamboo flute had disappeared along with Shan Jia.
"Crown Prince, you weren't even 20 years old a decade ago. Yet, you managed to come up with such a plan! Hmm... what was that plan? Oh, that's right … First, you plotted to push a drunk Shan Jia onto the bed of your father's most beloved woman. Then, you tricked your second brother into catching them in the act. You also calculated the deep relationship between your second brother and your eldest brother, so he wouldn't dare to say anything. Then, you unintentionally revealed it, causing Shan Jia to be too ashamed to stay in the Southern Region. He fled the Sagely Mountain City in the middle of the night, and caused your second brother to break his promise to your father. Crown Prince, are you really not afraid that your father will remove you from the position of Crown Prince once he finds out about this? "The black-robed man gently waved the jade bamboo flute in his hand as he recounted the past events.
"That's impossible. All the settlement chiefs are loyal to me. His position as the King of the Southern Region is just an empty shell. My position as the Crown Prince is as stable as a mountain. Furthermore, I will make him the Emperor. I will take care of all the battles on the battlefield. He just needs to live in peace. When he's a hundred years old, he will pass the throne to me! He... what else is there to be unhappy about? How can a woman compare to the throne? "Shan Ling's tone became agitated.
"The throne? Do you really think that your father wants the throne of the Millennium Emperor? If I'm not mistaken, your father is now meeting the Minister of Rites of the Xia Kingdom in the palace. Moreover, they are discussing the details of the peace negotiation! "The man in the black robe laughed again. However, there was an obvious coldness in his laughter.
Shan Ling's expression froze. He didn't say anything else.
In fact, he didn't need the man in black to remind him. He already knew about this the moment the Minister of Rites walked into the Sagely Mountain City.
But, so what?
Peace talks!
Without Shan Ling's approval, how could the Southern Region and the Great Xia reach an agreement?
"Crown Prince, our 50,000 soldiers are already at the city gates. Your 20,000 soldiers are also defeated. Half of the Sagely Mountain City is already under our control. If you continue to hold out, your 20,000 soldiers will become corpses. When that happens... won't that hurt the peace?" The man in black tried to persuade Shan Ling.
"Hurt the peace? The Demons are treacherous. How dare you talk about peace with me? "Shan Ling knew that the 20,000 soldiers would not be able to hold out for long.
"Crown Prince's words are wrong. Our demon race has always been particular about trustworthiness. It's just that our race's Emperor is truly worried about letting your father continue to rule the Southern Region. This action … is only for the sake of Crown Prince," the black-robed man said indifferently.
"Hahaha... 50,000 soldiers attacked the Sagely Mountain City at night. Now, you are saying that you are doing this for my sake?" Shan Ling laughed in anger.
"I'm just afraid that you won't agree. It's actually very simple. As long as you can kill the King of the Southern Region with your own hands, we will immediately retreat from the Sagely Mountain City. From then on, you will be the ruler of the Southern Region, and the Demon Race and the Southern Region will be allies forever. What do you think?" The black-robed man explained sincerely.
"Nonsense, do you really think this prince is a fool? If I kill the King of the Southern Region, I will be threatened by the Demons for the rest of my life. To be the Emperor of the Southern Region... hahaha, I will be the puppet Emperor of the Demons. "Shan Ling laughed out loud.
"Crown Prince, I don't understand what you mean. What do you mean by a puppet emperor? The hundreds of thousands of troops of the Southern Region are still under the control of the Crown Prince. The Demon Clan will not interfere. Furthermore, I remember that when the Crown Prince first talked to the Demon Clan, you said that you would form an eternal alliance with the Demon Clan. If the Crown Prince does not intend to make use of the Demon Clan, why are you afraid of being threatened by us? "The black-robed man shook his head, indicating that he could not understand.
Shan Ling bit his lip.
Of course he wanted to make use of the Demons. However, how could he say that?
"Do you really think that you can threaten me with just your 50,000 Demon soldiers? That's right, the six Settlement Chiefs are in the Sagely Mountain City. However, are you so sure that I do not have a backup plan? "Shan Ling raised his head after a moment of silence.
"The Southern Region is vast, but it has very few people. Excluding the ordinary citizens, the total military strength of the Southern Region should be about 450,000. Of which, 30,000 are stationed at the various Strongholds. Each of the four main settlements has another 80,000 soldiers, which adds up to 350,000. If I am not wrong, the route of retreat that you are talking about should be the 80,000 elites that Princess Shan Yu has stationed at the east side of the Sagely Mountain City?" The black robed man's eyes glimmered when he heard this.
"You... I have long heard that the Young Master of the Demons is a master of divination. I did not expect that my backup plan is already in your hands. But, so what? I have already given the order for the 80,000 elites to return to the Sagely Mountain City as soon as possible. As long as I can hold on for a little longer, the 80,000 elites will definitely arrive. By then, even if you have 50,000 Demon soldiers, you won't be able to win. Furthermore, don't forget, this is the Southern Region. Even though the Icy Monkey Settlement is under the control of the Great Xia, how long can the Great Xia last? When my 320,000 strong army breaks through the Icy Monkey Settlement and points towards Sagely Mountain City, I want to see how many of your 50,000 soldiers can return. "
"Hahaha …" The black-robed man burst into laughter, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. "You also know that I, the young lord of the Demon Race, can calculate the workings of the heavens? Hahaha … Prince, since you know that I, the Young Lord of the Devil Race, can calculate heaven's secrets, and you also know that we have seen through all your trump cards, why are you still so naive? "
"Naive? What... what other schemes do you have up your sleeves! "Shan Ling's expression changed when he heard this.
"Crown Prince, if I were you, I would obediently go to the throne room and hang the head of the Minister of Rites on the city walls. Then, for the sake of the people of the Southern Region, I would kill that stubborn father of yours. Finally, I would choose an auspicious day to ascend to the throne. What do you think, Crown Prince?" After the black-robed man finished speaking, he also found a place to sit down and waited patiently.
Shan Ling's expression was dark. He clenched his fists, then released them, then clenched them again. His lips were already bleeding.
He did not know...
This time, he really did not know what the Demons were planning.
"Sister... sister, you are my last hope, you... nothing must happen to you!" Shan Ling looked out of the city, his heart bleeding as he listened to the sounds of battle.
Shan Ling.
A man who would do anything to become the Crown Prince.
However, it was exactly such a person who had placed all of his brotherly love on one person — his younger sister.
Princess Shan Yu!
She was talented, but because she was a woman, she could not inherit the throne.
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