From the moment Liang Xiao entered the imperial capital, they were deeply shaken.
All the soldiers and civilians of Daliang believed that Qin Feng was merely finding an excuse to cut off any possibility of surrender. After all, the Empress was his wife, and the Daliang empire could never be handed over to others.
But then Liang Xiao arrived, and he offered two more cups of wine…
And by accepting the favors of Qin Feng and Zhi Rou, they dared not speak out to dissuade him.
"We don't want this money or land. We return it to the Regent, please spare the Marquis of Anguo!"
After a long silence, a commoner finally could not help but raise his hand and plead.
Qin Feng remained unmoved.
The reactions of those behind Liang Xiao varied, but without exception, they were all filled with anger.
If Liang Xiao had not repeatedly cautioned them against impulsiveness before their arrival, they would have already turned hostile.
"Emperor of Daliang, our Marquis of Anguo has come with sincerity, only hoping for the unification of the two countries and to spare the soldiers and civilians from the ravages of war. Is it truly appropriate for you to be so demanding?"
The advisors behind Liang Xiao questioned him in the calmest tone they could manage.
Qin Feng offered no response, merely meeting Liang Xiao's gaze.
"My Lord, you cannot drink it!" Yue Qingtian and the others pleaded, but Liang Xiao stopped them.
Under the astonished gaze of everyone present, including Qin Feng and his wife, Liang Xiao swiftly picked up one of the wine cups and drained it in a single gulp.
"He actually drank it?!"
The exclamation from the platform quickly alarmed the surrounding residents who had been whispering amongst themselves. Countless people collapsed to their knees, wailing uncontrollably, "Marquis… Marquis of Anguo…"
He truly drank it!
"Hahaha!"
Qin Feng simply laughed up at the sky several times, his expression filled with sorrow. He raised the other cup of wine and drank it in one go, then he and Zhi Rou stood up and walked to the front of the platform.
"These two cups of wine are merely ordinary 'A Hundred Years of Drunkenness,' there is no poison."
Qin Feng's announcement caused a stir throughout the entire venue!
The heavy stone in the hearts of the surrounding soldiers and civilians finally landed. Countless people collapsed to the ground as if drained of all strength, their chests heaving violently.
In that moment, they had experienced a fear and worry that was rare in their lives.
"This…" Gongsun Dingjun and the others, who had already broken out in a cold sweat, looked at each other, and then at Liang Xiao, unable to help but admire him.
"By imperial decree: General of Da Qian, Liang Xiao, Marquis of Anguo, led his troops south with invincible might, yet for the safety and security of the soldiers and civilians of Daliang, he offered terms of surrender and appeasement, braving death to enter Daliang and drink our poisoned wine. This clearly demonstrates his sincerity and is worthy of his noble title! From this day forward, Daliang, as a nation, surrenders to Da Qian. The military and civilians of the fourteen prefectures shall all become citizens of Da Qian and shall never rebel again! Those who betray loyalty and forget kindness shall be jointly punished by heaven and man!"
As the eunuch spoke, the reaction of the Daliang military and civilians was mixed, but all felt a complex mixture of emotions.
A century of division had, in the end, concluded in such an unbelievable manner.
Qin Feng then took Zhi Rou's hand, sat back down opposite Liang Xiao, and looked at him with deep respect.
"From this day forward, tens of millions of soldiers and civilians are entrusted to Da Qian, entrusted to the Saint Emperor of Da Qian, and entrusted to you."
Liang Xiao nodded, "They will all become citizens of Da Qian, members of the Qian lineage, regardless of when they joined, they will forever be equal, without distinction of rank or status."
Qin Feng smiled and nodded. After a moment, he picked up the wine pot again, poured himself a full cup, and said with sincerity.
"In addition to this, I have one more request. My children are not yet adults, and I entrust my wife and children to you as well."
With that, Qin Feng raised his cup to drink. Unexpectedly, a wine cup flew towards him and struck the base of his cup, causing it to tilt towards Liang Xiao. Wine spilled across the table, and a faint aroma of wine could be smelled.
Everyone was shocked!
It turned out that Liang Xiao had casually thrown his wine cup towards him.
Qin Feng was startled. He then drew the sword from his waist and was about to take his own life.
"Regent!!"
Before Liang Xiao could make a move, Ye Chengxiu, who was by Qin Feng's side, acted quickly. He firmly grasped Qin Feng's right hand, and seeing Qin Feng still resisting, he used his left hand to grip the blade.
Seeing Ye Chengxiu grasping the sword with his left hand, Qin Feng worried about him getting injured by the blade and dared not move further. He could only sigh, "Why must you? My decision is made."
"Regent!"
Cheng Qing and other ministers looked ashen-faced. They rushed forward to assess the situation.
Zhi Rou simply lowered her head, overcome with grief.
Those behind Liang Xiao also urged, "Your Excellency's surrender is meritorious. There is no need to seek your own death!"
As Qin Feng was about to respond, Liang Xiao finally spoke.
"Do you know why I came to Daliang?"
Qin Feng could only offer a bitter smile as he gazed at Liang Xiao.
"Because I knew that even if I, Liang Xiao, had not come, Daliang would still have surrendered, but you, Qin Feng, and Zhi Rou would surely have died."
As soon as he spoke, Yue Qingtian and the others suddenly understood!
The real poisoned wine was in the wine pot…
Qin Feng had already decided to die, and he was merely paving the final path for their Marquis of Anguo, so that the soldiers and civilians of Daliang would be convinced!
In the end, it was the Marquis of Anguo who understood him best!
At this moment, everyone felt immensely ashamed and began to persuade him with kind words.
Qin Feng's tone was firm, "The empire has changed hands. I have no face to meet the late Emperor in the underworld. More than half of the clansmen died by my hand, and the few innocents remain as commoners. My sins are now too numerous to count, and death is insufficient to appease the public's wrath."
"Leaving behind all your sins and infamy, and leaving behind a clear and bright world without the chaos of aristocratic families, so that Da Qian can quickly mend the century-old rift. In fact, you had already decided your own ending today," Liang Xiao sighed.
At this moment, Ye Chengxiu and Cheng Qing suddenly understood and collapsed to their knees before Qin Feng, overcome with grief!
"So that's how it is! So that's how it is! Why did you have to do this!"
Ye Chengxiu's sorrow welled up. He looked up at Liang Xiao, repeatedly saying, "Thank you, thank you!"
The one who understood Qin Feng best, after all, was Liang Xiao!
Now Ye Chengxiu finally understood why Liang Xiao had asked him about Mu Xuan.
It turned out that from the moment he learned of this matter, Qin Feng had made a firm decision to bear everything, and everything he did afterward was to confirm this!
At all costs, he would slaughter those who oppressed the people by exploiting their power, playing the villain.
When Liang Xiao took over Da Qian, he would pacify and offer surrender, playing the good cop.
This way, the unification of the two countries would be achieved without bloodshed and would be justifiable. Da Qian could also gain favor with the soldiers and civilians of Daliang because of this…
However, Liang Xiao's army marched south, and Da Qian's declared reason for war was only that Daliang had broken the treaty and invaded. There was no mention of Qin Feng assassinating the emperor and usurping the throne. This must also be due to Liang Xiao's protection…
Qin Feng shook his head, "I am not as noble as you think. The only one who can truly bear the burden of the common people and establish an eternal peace is you. You will surely treat my wife and children well, and I have completed my mission and have no regrets. I hope you will fulfill it."
Everyone fell silent in sorrow.
Liang Xiao smiled, "Unfortunately, despite all you have done, you did not understand why Emperor Wu, when he discussed the system with me in secret, involved you."
Qin Feng was taken aback.
"Do you really think it was only because you were the person he trusted the most?" Liang Xiao asked.
"Please speak plainly!" Qin Feng's tone finally held a hint of urgency.
"Trust was only one part of it; it was not the truly crucial factor. The truly crucial factor was: because you are Qin Feng!"
Upon hearing this, Qin Feng's breathing hitched. He was speechless.
Because you are Qin Feng!
This was what Mu Cheng often said to himself…
"In his heart, you are irreplaceable, and your status is higher, not lower, than mine. You were learned and talented from childhood, adhered to the path of a loyal minister, and could even be foolishly loyal. But you are Qin Feng, you possess extraordinary wisdom, and you understand flexibility better than ordinary people. Even if you are temporarily in hardship or down on your luck, you will eventually awaken."
"You could not understand the thoughts of Emperor Wu and my father, and in your heart, you even resisted them, because it was completely contrary to your goal of diligent study. But because you are Qin Feng, even if you cannot understand, you can still be steadfast and carry out Emperor Wu's beliefs, paving the way for the realization of his vision, which is why you have now handed over the fragile yet now secure Daliang to me."
Qin Feng lowered his head in silence, his right hand tightening on the robe of his leg, his body trembling.
"To simply leave is not what you should do. It would only be a disservice to the late Emperor, the Marquis of Zhenguo. Your mission is not yet over. The future Qian lineage will dominate this land and create a glorious empire for generations to come. This land still needs you, and this nation also needs you; you are indispensable."
"Look at these common people…"