Chapter 403: Eight Years
Chapter 403: Eight Years
In the eighth year of the dynasty, Emperor Minghe, who had ruled for eight years, died. The Young Emperor took the throne.
The weak ruler allowed powerful ministers to control the court.
External lords swallowed each other’s territories, reducing the dynasty to a mere name. Imperial decrees couldn’t even leave the capital. King Wu, Chu King, and other lords declared independence, rejecting the Young Emperor’s authority. Bandit forces like Ping Tian King, Sheng Tian King, and Tai Ping King grew stronger. Even martial artists elected a new leader of the Martial Arts Alliance to seize opportunities in the chaos.
The once-unified empire fractured into seven rival powers.
Three lords, three bandit kings, and the Martial Arts Alliance.
Each faction had noble backing and ambition to rule. Though King Wu seemed ordinary compared to others, the Martial Arts Alliance and Chu King stood out with clearer ambitions to conquer. For now, the seven forces remained cautious while building strength. But this fragile peace wouldn’t last.
In summer of the dynasty’s eighth year, Ping Tian King advanced into Qinghe County only to fall into an ambush. King Wu’s prepared forces wiped out 50,000 enemy troops and seized vast territories, becoming second only to Chu King in power.
This battle made strategist Li Hao famous.
The ambush plan came from him. His reforms fixed King Wu’s internal issues, strengthening their army.
The war raged on.
After multiple battles, the Wu army secured Qinghe County.
Next autumn,
Li Hao turned twenty.
By twenty, he’d become King Wu’s chief strategist. Only then did Zhao Qianqian understand her husband’s brilliance. For three years, he’d used school friends to spread his fame, shared governance ideas, and staged events to become a renowned scholar—all to catch King Wu’s eye.
Every war development followed his plans. From him, she learned terms like “spy warfare.” Li Hao’s past life as an Ascended immortal gave him knowledge beyond this era.
“Husband.”
Zhao Qianqian took Li Hao’s cloak, no longer resembling the Sanhe Gang leader.
She smiled watching him.
Last year, she’d handed gang affairs to her senior brother. Under King Wu’s shadow, the gang prospered financially but avoided military matters.
“How’s mother?”
Li Hao’s gaze softened.
His high rank kept him busy at King Wu’s palace, rarely visiting home.
“She took medicine and sleeps now.”
Li Hao’s mother Luo Cuilan had worsened these two years, recently catching a chill. His status provided better care than ordinary people could afford, but age drained her strength.
“Father-in-law?”
“Gone to Qingmu City to play chess with Lord Xu.”
As King Wu’s favorite, Zhao San’s status rose. The county lord now visited often—two bad chess players finding equal footing, becoming frequent guests.
“Good Lord Xu cares for him.”
Li Hao knew why Lord Xu befriended Zhao San, but didn’t mind. Protecting family was why he served King Wu.
“Hao… I want—”
Zhao Qianqian stopped Li Hao from sleeping.
“Hmm?”
“A child.”
She blushed.
Li Hao paused. Married young, they’d delayed intimacy, then forgotten amid busy lives. Now he realized their age.
“Okay.”
He blew out the lamp.
Trying too hard brings delay. After struggling until next year, when Zhao Qianqian nearly sought a shaman, she conceived.
Ten months later,
A baby cried. Zhao San made a longevity lock. Sickly Luo Cuilan visited, chattering about Li Hao’s childhood. The newborn revived the household.
Li Hao felt fatherhood’s weight.
Unseen, the ‘Five Elements’ and ‘Six Desires’ around him thickened like spiderwebs, binding him to this world. A mysterious energy formed, snatched by Zuo Meng.
Eight years passed.
At thirty—prime age for power—Li Hao faced new grief.
“Hao! Father’s gone!”
Zhao Qianqian in white rushed into his arms, sobbing.
Sanhe Gang leader Zhao San had died.
A gangster’s old injuries finally overcame him. Meanwhile, Luo Cuilan recovered and doted on her grandson, seeing the Li Family’s future.
Outside, four of seven powers had fallen. Bandit kings fell first—upstarts easily betrayed by backing nobles. Han King died two years prior; his offspring’s squabbles let Chu King absorb their lands.
Now only Chu King and King Wu remained, while the Martial Arts Alliance waited to scavenge the winner’s spoils.