The Unparalleled Sword Emperor
Chapter 277 - 276: The Fall of a Generation’s Hegemon

Chapter 277: Chapter 276: The Fall of a Generation’s Hegemon

At this moment, civil and military officials, as well as all the wealthy merchants, gazed at Bai Huatian in shock.

This single pronouncement had effectively severed an arm of the Qi Prince’s Mansion.

Eight million troop control, this was a massive blow to the Qi Prince’s Mansion.

Zhang Lingdao asked in a low and puzzled voice at this moment, "Given the tense relationship between the royal family and the Qi Prince’s Mansion, although I also know we can’t kill the Qi Prince right now, why does His Majesty only take away eight million troops control?"

"I recall that the Qi Prince’s Mansion holds control over more than fifteen million troops. Why didn’t the Emperor take back all the troops control?"

In response, Lin Bai laughed lightly, "Junior Brother Zhang Lingdao, this is the art of being an Emperor."

"If His Majesty had directly taken back all the troops control and regained control of more than fifteen million troops, I suspect the Qi Prince’s Mansion would have gone berserk, and not hesitate to declare war against the royal family."

"This is a situation that the royal family does not currently wish to face."

"Eight million, however, is the perfect number, right in the middle of fifteen million, neither too much nor too little."

"Deprived of these eight million troops control, the Qi Prince’s Mansion would only have seven million troops control left while the First Princess would control over twenty million troops. In this way, the crisis of the Qi Prince’s Mansion has been substantially alleviated."

"Seven million troops control cannot hold up against twenty million troops."

"Although the Qi Prince would undoubtedly be distressed, he is well aware that he still has seven million troops control and possibly could rise again. Therefore, he would not be in a rush to fall out with the royal family."

"Thus, it’s unlikely that the Qi Prince will risk falling out with the royal family over these eight million troops control at this time."

Lin Bai coolly elaborated.

Chen Gong looked at Lin Bai with a smile and said, "Lin Bai makes a good point. The loss of eight million troops control will not deter the Qi Prince, but it will definitely deal a significant blow to the Qi Prince’s Mansion."

Zhang Lingdao suddenly realized, "So, that’s the reason."

In the center of the room,

Over five thousand imperial guards surrounded the Qi Prince and Qi Rui. If the Qi Prince were to make any moves, these imperial guards would subdue him in an instant.

"Father, this can’t be happening! Surrendering eight million troops control is equivalent to self-mutilation!" Qi Rui protested to the Prince Qi with a broken heart.

The Qi Prince’s face twitched in agony, his clenched teeth grinding against each other, he said, "I... am willing to surrender eight million troops control, handing it over to the Princess Chang for supervision!"

Immediately, the Qi Prince took out from his storage bag eight golden tokens.

These were troops control tokens, each representing one million troops control.

Qi Rui, witnessing the Prince handing over the troops control tokens, looked as if he had lost half his life. His face pale, he collapsed to the ground.

His dreams of the Crown Prince, shattered.

Seeing the control tokens appear, Bai Huatian’s face revealed a glimmer of joy. He reached out and caught all the tokens, passing them to Bai Xiaoxiao and said, "Xiaoxiao, arrange for someone to take over the control of the troops immediately."

Bai Xiaoxiao nodded in response, "Yes."

After Bai Huatian received the control tokens, he waved his hand to signal the imperial guards to withdraw.

"Prince Qi, I am fully aware of your loyalty to the Shenwu Kingdom. I apologize for causing distress to you and your son today. For the next three months, you and your son shall stay within the royal palace. I will take good care of you."

Bai Huatian responded with a faint smile on his face.

The Qi Prince nodded and said, "I shall comply with Your Majesty’s commands."

Of course, the Qi Prince understood perfectly well what Bai Huatian meant by "taking care of" them.

His intention was to keep them confined within the Imperial Capital, under surveillance.

This preventative measure was taken in case any mishaps occurred while Bai Xiaoxiao was reclaiming the eight million troops control.

Bai Huatian also feared that if he allowed the Qi Prince to leave the Imperial Palace, the Qi Prince would rise in revolt, fall out with the royal family, and wage a life or death battle with the royal family with his control over more than fifteen million troops.

However, by keeping the Qi Prince for three months,

Bai Xiaoxiao would have ample time within these three months to purge and make all the higher-ranked military officers in those eight million troops surrender to the royal family.

Bai Huatian burst into laughter, "Ha ha, Prince Qi, please take your seat. The Martial Arts Competition at this year’s Imperial Banquet hasn’t started yet."

"Yes." The Qi Prince got up from his kneeling position.

At this moment, as the Qi Prince stood, he seemed to have aged ten years.

Supported by Qi Rui, he staggered step by step to the Qi Prince’s Mansion seats.

Looking at the Qi Prince in such a condition, Lin Bai could not help but sigh, "Oh, just half an hour ago, the Qi Prince appeared so vibrant and cheerful, even daring to enter the Chaoyang Palace after His Majesty."

"Now, in just half an hour, he has turned into an old man on the verge of death, needing support to return to his seat."

Laughing coldly, Chen Gong said, "There is nothing to pity. The Qi Prince is no saint either. He has committed more than one act of city slaughters."

Lin Bai shook his head and said, "I don’t feel sorry for him, I’m just lamenting the loss of a great hero. Elder, after tonight, even if Qi Prince has heavenly means, I’m afraid he will find it hard to rise again within ten years."

Chen Gong nodded, "True, the crisis of Qi Wangfu has been resolved now that the royal family has taken back control of the troops."

Lin Bai smiled faintly and didn’t speak further.

Looking at the instantly aged face of Qi Prince, the leader of the Xu family, sitting before the civil and military officials, sighed lightly, "Ah, one wrong move, and the game is lost."

While speaking, the patriarch of the Xu family glanced at Lin Bai’s back.

He knew that Xu Jiangsheng hadn’t returned, so he must have been killed by Lin Bai.

However, the patriarch of the Xu family didn’t feel rushed because Xu Jiangsheng would be reborn in the flames.

And with each rebirth, Xu Jiangsheng would display even more terrifying combat power and potential than before.

All the officials, wealthy merchants, and everyone sighed in regret.

Within half an hour.

A military marquis who once ruled over Shenwu Kingdom had fallen.

From a force of ten million troops, only seven million remained.

And all this was due to Lin Bai!

If Lin Bai hadn’t rescued Chu Jiangliu and others in the Qitian Mountain range, the princes and kings wouldn’t have so firmly sided with Princess Chang.

If they hadn’t sided with Princess Chang and the royal family, Bai Huatian wouldn’t have dared to directly order the removal of Qi Prince’s eight million troops.

So, the source of all this was Lin Bai’s little trick in the Qitian Mountain range.

Qi Rui blamed himself, saying, "Father, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been careless and let Lin Bai take advantage, Qi Wangfu wouldn’t be in this situation today."

Qi Prince lamented, "Rui, this is what’s called a single wrong move leading to a total loss."

"If you could have imprisoned all these princes’ sons and princesses safely, today, perhaps the person sitting on the dragon throne of Chaoyang Palace would have been me, and Bai Huatian would be kneeling below."

Qi Prince was very clear, if all these princes’ sons and princesses, were under the control of Qi Wangfu, he would have been able to get these princes to submit and give up their troops.

By then, Qi Wangfu would control all the troops of the Shenwu Kingdom, with more than thirty million soldiers, enough to challenge the royal family, or at least coexist with them.

But now, Lin Bai had rescued those princes’ sons and princesses, turning all the plans of Qi Wangfu into pipe dreams, with all their efforts gone with the wind.

"Rui, don’t lose spirit. I still have seven million troops. I am still one of the top military marquises in Shenwu Kingdom."

"Even if Princess Chang controls twenty million troops, what can she do? After all, she’s just a woman, unlikely to have any great strategies."

"The era of Qi Wangfu is not yet over."

"Qi Wangfu will definitely rise again."

Qi Prince strongly stated, "Rui, what you need to do now is to make the person who destroyed our plan, die without a burial site."

As Qi Prince spoke, he stared at Lin Bai, his eyes showing cold murderous intent.

Qi Rui roared, "Father, rest assured, I will certainly kill Lin Bai with a thousand cuts!"

Both Qi Prince and Qi Rui were looking at Lin Bai.

At the Spirit Sword Sect’s seats.

Both Chen Gong and Lin Bai felt the cold murderous intent from Qi Prince and Qi Rui, which made their bodies shiver.

Chen Gong whispered softly, "Lin Bai, Qi Rui seems to have targeted you."

Lin Bai laughed, "Hasn’t he always been watching me?"

Chen Gong said, "Now, you’ve broken ties with Qi Wangfu. During the upcoming Imperial Banquet Martial Arts Competition, at least half of the military geniuses are from Qi Wangfu, so be careful."

"In the military, they have a saying, ’When an enemy approaches, block him. When a flood approaches, bury it.’ What is there to fear?" Lin Bai said with a faint smile.

Lin Bai scanned the camp of Qi Wangfu.

Apart from Qi Rui, there was the military genius Zhan Feng and dozens of other geniuses, all of them glaring at Lin Bai with murderous intent in their faces.

It was Lin Bai who had ruined their ambitions for the throne.

If Lin Bai hadn’t disrupted their plans, once Qi Wangfu had risen in rebellion, these military geniuses would have become the founding heroes of Qi Wangfu, ready to become the kings of the land.

But this road had been ruthlessly cut off by Lin Bai now.

Naturally, they hated Lin Bai to the bone.