"How do you feel?" Xiang Yu smiled slightly; he could sense that Xiang Zhuang was trembling a little.
Xiang Zhuang felt the strong wind rushing towards him, his eyes glancing down at the ground, and swallowed hard. "I'm a little scared, scared. I thought you were joking, but it turns out it was all true."
“Brother, all of this has not come easily. Originally, we were no match for the allied forces of the feudal lords, and it was certain that we would die. Fortunately, I was blessed by the gods and was able to defy fate,” Xiang Yu exclaimed.
"I see... Brother, since you have such extraordinary abilities, why don't you unify the world?" Xiang Zhuang asked in confusion.
"I've been busy slaying dragons in other worlds all this time, and I've only just returned. This morning at court, I ordered a simultaneous attack on both the Xin Han and Qi kingdoms, and I'll be declaring myself emperor in a month," Xiang Yu said.
"Excellent! So, brother, you've come to me about the expedition?" Xiang Zhuang was excited. How could mortals possibly contend with immortals? But what about the other worlds? And what about the dragon slaying?
"No. What I want is for you to help me contact the other six worlds and train an invincible and loyal army! I will explain it to you in detail when we get to Fangxian Temple."
After Xiang Yu finished speaking, he squeezed the horse's belly with his legs, and the black horse accelerated instantly, leaving Xiang Zhuang speechless.
If Xiang Zhuang were a modern person, he would definitely shout at this moment, "This is so damn exciting!"
Chapter 225 Paying Homage to His Majesty
Xiang Yu and Hao Jiu are destined to go to other planes or even higher planes to complete their missions, so there needs to be someone at home who can travel between different planes to do things for Xiang Yu.
For example, they could compile a list of people from different planes who have clones, select those who have fought in battles or are loyal and have potential for development, and form a highly talented army.
In particular, in the sixth plane where the time flow rate is seventeen times faster, many people die in vain. If they can be brought back to the main plane and integrated, they will be good seedlings no matter what they cultivate in the future.
There were just too many things to handle, and Xiang Yu simply didn't have the time to do them all. He needed someone trustworthy to do them for him.
Xiang Zhuang is utterly loyal to Xiang Yu, and since he is the only one left in the main plane, there is no need to worry about accidental merging. Moreover, once people in those planes see Xiang Zhuang, the resurrected person, they will know that he is undoubtedly Xiang Yu's messenger, making it easier for them to carry out their duties.
However, precisely because Xiang Zhuang was the only one left, Xiang Yu had to equip him with all the necessary gear: energy shields, healing potions, stamina potions, and he also had to be taught the methods of cultivating domineering power.
Xiang Zhuang had fought countless battles alongside Xiang Yu in the past, so he naturally possessed a strong fighting spirit. With Xiang Yu's guidance, he quickly mastered the basics. As long as he diligently cultivated, he should have no problem protecting himself in the split plane.
Of course, Xiang Zhuang alone couldn't handle so many things, but this problem wasn't difficult to solve. He could find reliable helpers in both the main plane and the first branch plane, and with the reputation of the Overlord God, it would be extremely easy for him to develop his power in other planes.
After Xiang Yu took Xiang Zhuang through a time tunnel, the task of splitting the planes was left to Xiang Zhuang.
The first thing to do is to gather provisions from the fifth and sixth planes. The rulers of these two planes, Lü Zhi, have been completely subdued by Xiang Yu, so providing some provisions is a piece of cake.
There's no need to take out too much at once. Just do what you can, and take out a little each year. When you accumulate it in the main plane, it will be quite a lot.
Of course, when the supplies will arrive in the main plane depends on how long it takes Xiang Zhuang to organize his special force. The portal to time and space is a top secret and certainly cannot be known by too many people.
In the fifth and sixth planes, Lü Zhi could only send people to transport grain to Zhongshan, while the internal affairs of Zhongshan were handled by trusted confidants transferred from the main plane or the first plane.
If someone happens to absorb the clone, they can be a key person to be trained, and their domineering cultivation method can be taught to them in the future.
Besides Xiang Zhuang, Xiang Yu also taught the method of cultivating domineering aura to reliable generals such as Ji Bu, Zhongli Mei, Ji Xin, Xiang Sheng, Xiang Guan, and Xiang Han. During this period, the State of Chu also completed its war preparations, and the army set off one after another.
At the same time, the four vassal states, including Qi and Xin Han, also learned of Chu's military campaign and Xiang Yu's intention to declare himself emperor.
The four kingdoms of Xin Han were on high alert and hurriedly reinforced their troops at various passes and key defensive positions, preparing to hold their ground and await reinforcements.
In their view, Xiang Yu's actions were tantamount to making an enemy of the entire world. If they could hold out for a period of time, all the feudal lords would inevitably rise up and attack them.
The royal palace of the State of Qi.
"Hahaha... I was just about to attack the State of Chu when that scoundrel Xiang Yu delivered himself to my doorstep. Does he think my 100,000 iron cavalry are just for show? He even wants to destroy my State of Qi within half a month? How arrogant!" Han Xin roared.
Li Zuoche frowned. "Your Majesty, you must not underestimate the enemy. Xiang Yu is coming with great force, attacking both the new Han and Qi states at the same time, and forcing other vassal states to support his claim to the throne. He must have something to rely on."
"Hmph! Relying on? It's nothing more than his personal bravery and those 30,000 elite Chu cavalry. But I have 100,000 elite iron cavalry. What is there to fear? Issue my order: quickly assemble an army of 200,000, set out, and meet the enemy! I will first conquer Lu. As long as we win one battle, all the feudal lords in the world will surely rise up and attack us!" Han Xin smiled coldly.
“Look.” Li Zuoche couldn’t understand the deeper meaning behind Xiang Yu’s move. Unless he was confident of defeating Han Xin, but Qi’s 100,000 iron cavalry had already been formed, so why would they be afraid of Xiang Yu?
When two powerful forces clash, it's bound to be another fierce battle...
Several days later, the armies of Qi and Chu met in Ju County, with a vast disparity in troop strength.
The Qi army numbered 200,000, including 100,000 cavalry and 100,000 infantry.
Three thousand Chu cavalry, plus the overlord Xiang Yu!
Spies and envoys from all the feudal lords gathered here. As soon as a winner was decided on this side, those undecided feudal lords would immediately choose sides.
There was nothing they could do about it. Xiang Yu hadn't given them much time, and if they were slow to express their opinions, it would be tantamount to tacitly opposing Xiang Yu's claim to the throne. They might as well join Han Xin in attacking the State of Chu.
Although the State of Chu is strong now, the State of Qi is not weak either. Under Han Xin's training, the 100,000 cavalrymen, even if they are not as good as the elite cavalry of Chu, are not far behind. Their numbers can make up for it.
However, the fear of Xiang Yu among the various feudal lords was genuine, and they would never dare to directly follow Han Xin to attack the State of Chu.
Of course, Han Xin's reputation was not weak either, and the various vassal states would not surrender to Xiang Yu too early. What if Han Xin won?
Therefore, the great battle in Ju County became the key to deciding everything.
Han Xin arrived at Ju County ahead of everyone else. He had 100,000 infantrymen defending the city and 100,000 cavalrymen arrayed outside the city, a vast and mighty force that stretched as far as the eye could see.
On the city tower of Ju County, Han Xin, full of vigor, pointed to the distant Chu army camp and spoke.
"Hahaha... That Xiang Yu must be plotting to capture the king first, using a wedge formation to threaten me. Little does he know that I will be commanding from within the city, and I will not give him the slightest chance. If he wants to capture me, he should first ask himself if he can break through the formation of 100,000 cavalry. I will use this battle to prove to the world that I am the strongest!"
Li Zuoche grew increasingly uneasy. "Your Majesty, Xiang Yu has only brought three thousand cavalry. There might be a trap involved. We must be on guard."
Han Xin raised an eyebrow. "Strategist, you're overthinking it. Xiang Yu is trying to lure me out of the city, but I won't fall for it. I'll be directing the army from within the city using flags and drums. The city gates are sealed off. Unless Xiang Yu grows wings, otherwise..."
"What else can we do?"
Suddenly, a hand landed on Han Xin's shoulder and pulled him into an embrace.
Li Zuoche opened his mouth for a long time but couldn't say a word. His face was full of horror. How could this be!
Han Xin's heart skipped a beat. He slowly raised his head, his teeth chattering, and said, "Your humble servant pays respects to King Xiang..."
"Hmm? What is the King of Qi doing?" Xiang Yu smiled slightly.
Han Xin's legs went weak, and he knelt down on the ground. "This humble king pays his respects to His Majesty the Emperor of Great Chu!"
"Very well. Rise. A dignified King of Qi should at least behave himself and order a surrender. King Qi's 100,000 iron cavalry are well-trained; they've certainly learned a thing or two from others." Xiang Yu looked down at Han Xin.
Han Xin gritted his teeth, stood up, bowed, and replied, "Yes, sir. Immediately issue the order: lay down your weapons, surrender your entire army, and pay homage to His Majesty the Emperor of Great Chu! From this day forward, the State of Qi shall be annexed by the State of Chu, and I, the King, sincerely support Xiang Yu as Emperor!"
"Yes, King Qi has ordered the entire army to surrender! Lay down your weapons! Pay homage to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Chu!" The messenger officer, having recovered from his shock, hurriedly relayed the order. How could King Qi have been captured by Xiang Yu before the battle even began?
"So Your Majesty had already infiltrated the city?" Li Zuoche said with a wry smile.
"Mr. Li is also a man of great talent. Would you be willing to serve me?" Xiang Yu smiled slightly. Did he really need to infiltrate to capture Han Xin?
"Even the King of Qi is His Majesty's subject, how dare I disobey?" Li Zuoche felt much more relaxed after Han Xin surrendered. Wasn't it a good thing to end this great war in this way?
This world is already riddled with holes; it can't withstand any more turmoil...
Chapter 226 Old Iron
What was originally an epic battle was easily resolved by Xiang Yu, who pacified the State of Qi with just a few words.
This left the entire world utterly dumbfounded, and envoys from various countries flocked to pay homage to Xiang Yu, expressing their willingness to submit, except for the four kingdoms of Xin Han.
In fact, Liu Ji's four sons also wanted to submit, but they didn't have the guts. What if Xiang Yu transferred his hatred for Liu Ji onto them?
However, the fact that the four of them dared not surrender to Chu did not mean that those around them dared not.
The first to act was Empress Lü, who, despite her own family ties, brought down her son and elected Lü Ze as King Lü, ordering him to escort Liu Ying to the State of Chu to attend Xiang Yu's coronation ceremony.
When the news reached the other three kingdoms of the new Han Dynasty, Ren Ao, who had already secretly taken Lady Qi as his concubine, accepted Liu Ruyi's abdication and became the new king of Hedong. He also personally escorted Liu Ruyi to Chu to attend Xiang Yu's coronation ceremony.
Zhou Bo seized the throne from Liu Heng and took him to the State of Chu to participate in the coronation ceremony.
Upon learning of this, Liu Fei fled to the Xiongnu with his family. None of the remaining generals dared to take over the throne, so they surrendered to the Lü Kingdom and were incorporated into its territory.
With this, the Central Plains were completely pacified, with only a few people dying during the usurpation of power by the four kingdoms of the New Han Dynasty.
Xiang Yu's coronation ceremony went very smoothly, and he granted a general amnesty. Liu Ji's four sons were all given the surname Xiang and then returned to their respective homes.
Taking advantage of the presence of the various feudal lords and kings, Xiang Yu implemented the new national system, and no one dared to raise any objections.
Article 1: The State of Chu shall be renamed the Great Chu Empire. All the vassal states shall be vassal states under the protection of the Great Chu Empire, and shall unconditionally obey the leadership of the Great Chu Empire, implement the policies and laws of the Great Chu Empire, and unify currency, weights and measures, taxes, etc.
Article 2. The king of a vassal state has hereditary rights, but this does not include those who commit serious crimes such as treason or causing chaos throughout the land.
Article 3 stipulates that each vassal state must deploy its troops on the borders adjacent to foreign tribes such as the Xiongnu, and that no large numbers of troops may be stationed within the Central Plains.
Article 4 stipulates that each vassal state must obtain permission from the Emperor of the Great Chu Empire before it may initiate military action against other states; those who use military force without authorization shall be punished for treason.
Article 5: The Emperor of the Great Chu Empire has the power to appoint and dismiss key officials such as the prime ministers of the various vassal states, and the kings of the various vassal states have the power to supervise the prime ministers.
Article Six: One-third of the taxes levied by each vassal state shall be used for construction and improvement of people's livelihood, one-third for military expenses and salaries, and one-third shall be handed over to the Great Chu Empire for the construction of public facilities and for war reserves to deal with foreign invasions.
...
It can be said that the above-mentioned systems greatly weakened the power of the vassal kings and consolidated the imperial power. The shortcomings are obvious. If the emperor of the Great Chu Empire becomes corrupt and acts arbitrarily, the world will surely be in chaos.
However, with Hao Jiu as his strategist, Xiang Yu had thousands of years of historical reference, making it impossible for him to make a major mistake. As long as Xiang Yu was alive, the Great Chu Empire would not fall into chaos.
To be honest, Xiang Yu wasn't that easy to kill, and if one cultivated his domineering aura to its extreme, one could attain immortality.
Time flies, and with the one-year binding period fast approaching, Hao Jiu finally completed the creation of his awakened divine power.
Hao Jiu thought this awakened divine power was quite domineering and perfectly suited the combination of Hao Jiu and Xiang Yu. It had its own heaven-defying aspects, but compared with other truly heaven-defying divine powers, it seemed to be nothing.
After confirming the creation, Hao Jiu could feel that his core position was undergoing some kind of change, which was a sign of the module's birth.
However, whether it can ultimately be successful still depends on some luck, and we can only wait patiently.
Main plane, Fangxian Temple.
"Immortal Master, I am about to follow the Great God to other planes. Before that, I would like to meet the immortals of each of the various planes. Is that alright?" Xiang Yu said with a smile.
An Qisheng pondered for a moment, "The time tunnel is now guarded by Prince Xiang Zhuang's men, so I don't need to be here all the time. Why don't you come with me to Penglai Island to familiarize yourself with the way? I go back there to stay for at least two months every year, and I suppose I do the same for those of us who are in different dimensions."
"Very well," Xiang Yu said, cupping his hands in greeting.
Not long after, Xiang Yu rode his black horse, carrying An Qisheng, and flew towards Penglai.
In fact, Hao Jiu roughly knew the location of Penglai Island, which was in the sea area north of Penglai City in modern Shandong Province.
However, there are too many islands there, and it's unclear which one it is. Even if we knew which island it was, finding An Qisheng's cave might not be so easy.
Therefore, having An Qisheng lead the way is the best option.
Of course, if An Qisheng is petty and unwilling to lead the way, then we don't need him, but that's obviously impossible.