The river ran red, and no one dared drink from it. Flowers bloomed in full splendor, yet no one dared pick them.
The people beyond the gates had seemingly fallen under some kind of dark magic. Those who had defected to Ruo Wen had undergone drastic changes, becoming crazed killers. Reports from scouts stated that Ruo Wen’s forces had set up camp outside the outer layers of the city, with the order to kill any who retreated. The bodies, dried by the sun, were stacked one upon another, completely disregarded. Inside the city, the citizens shut their doors day and night, the streets filled only with an eerie wind, devoid of life.
“Your Majesty! Forgive me for being blunt, but in my opinion, Tian Du will not send troops to aid us. Ma Sui is already on the verge of collapse. Even if we manage to survive this, the damage will be irreparable, and internal unrest will be impossible to quell. Our alliance with Tian Du is nothing more than a useless piece of paper now,” said one general, who appeared to be the only one fully aware of the situation. He understood that drastic measures were needed to minimize the losses.
“Your Majesty! The reason Ma Sui finds itself in this predicament is due to the division within our ranks. Left Counselor supports an alliance with Yunpei, advocating for peace with them, while Right Counselor supports an alliance with Tian Du. Both sides have their reasoning. Yunpei, Ma Sui, Gu He, and Mi Zan are all neighboring states, with only Tian Du being far off in the northern desert. Yunpei is rich in resources and militarily strong. An alliance with them would bring many benefits to Ma Sui—this is the pro-Yunpei faction. However, Yunpei grows stronger by the day, and it is feared that they may eventually conquer the other countries and seize the oases. This is why some believe it is safer to ally with Tian Du, creating a balance of power to maintain the status quo. Thus, Your Majesty sent Princess Yu Qiang to Yunpei under the guise of forging peace while secretly allying with Tian Du—this is the pro-Tian Du faction...”
He paused briefly to gauge Ge Er Jin Qin’s reaction. Seeing the king’s face remain unreadable, he continued, sensing that the hall had grown even more solemn.
Ge Er Jin Qin slowly closed his eyes, perhaps realizing the naivety of his decisions. A faint smirk of self-mockery appeared at the corner of his lips.
“What you’re saying is that Yunpei has long since realized our intentions and has no plans to send aid. Gu He is too weak militarily and will not risk sending troops without a guarantee of success. And as for us, we have lost all value to Tian Du and are now nothing more than a feast for Ruo Wen and his Mad Yellow Army of Heaven?”
Indeed, no matter who they turned to, no one would help. The poison of Ruo Wen’s army had already seeped too deep into their bones. Even if reinforcements were to arrive, Ruo Wen could simply destroy He Yan and the ruling powers within the city before focusing on fighting back. After all, He Yan was right at the center.
With a deep sigh, Ge Er Jin Qin spoke bitterly, “Surrender. Write to Ruo Wen, tell him that He Yan Palace is willing to submit, and welcome the Mad Yellow Army of Heaven inside. We have only one condition: spare the lives of the 1,700 members of the royal family, and leave the royal tombs behind He Yan Mountain untouched as a sanctuary for the nobles. We will never again set foot beyond the borders of the tombs. We will have no part in the chaos to come.”
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!” The assembled generals fell to their knees with a loud crash, crying out in unison. “We are mere soldiers, ignorant of the intricacies of state affairs, but we do understand one thing: surrendering a country on the battlefield is a disgrace beyond measure. You are the king of a nation, yet you wish to abandon it for the sake of your own survival? How can we accept this? How can we ever hope to earn the respect of the people?”
Ge Er Jin Qin’s face flushed with anger. He struck the armrest of his throne with a loud bang. “Silence! What else can we do? Without the Rain Tribe, there is no Ma Sui! A nation without its king cannot be called a nation! If we perish, why should the country survive? Why should the people continue? After Ruo Wen enters, do you think any respect or reverence will remain? By preserving the royal line, we can plan for the future!”
His voice was filled with emotion, his face red with frustration. The pent-up tension within him had finally erupted. The officials and generals saw the desperation in their king’s eyes and fell into a stunned silence.
Finally, Right Counselor spoke up, his voice weak and weary, “Surrender… At least we can save many lives. So long as there are people left, there is hope.”
With that, no one could muster any more objections.
* * *
The sky was a vast, cloudless blue, transitioning from night to day. But there was no one celebrating, no one tending the fields. This was He Yan, the capital of Ma Sui and the last remaining stronghold. As the sun’s rays pierced the palace, a heart-wrenching creak echoed through the air.
Crrrkkkk!
The great gates of the royal palace slowly opened, revealing the ancient courtyard inside.
It seemed as though opening these gates had taken a thousand years.
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