EMHTC -Chapter 50 These Are Loyal Subjects of My Great Xia!

The officials reluctantly continued to shower praise.

They all knew who it was for, except the little rascal, who didn’t seem to appreciate it.

【Huh… why does it feel like their compliments for the old emperor suddenly sound stiff? Could it be they’ve run out of words?】

【Mhm! Probably because they haven’t done this in ages. After all, they’re high-ranking officials; buttering up someone every day would be beneath them!】

The Minister of Revenue wore a stoic expression.

Completely wrong. They’re gritting their teeth to keep praising him out of fear that you might realize your inner thoughts are audible to others.

The old emperor grinned through clenched teeth. “Enough, I’m not the kind of emperor who enjoys flattery and praise…”

【Huh? Really? But I remember a few years ago, wasn’t there a prefecture that carved a stone stele commemorating the emperor’s achievements? When the emperor found out, he didn’t give any rewards, but he grinned so wide his gums showed.】

The officials buried their heads, wishing they could find a crack in the rocks to crawl into.

They lamented silently in their hearts:

Xu Lang! Please, spare us! Don’t say anymore!

The old emperor forced himself to smile, keeping it up with great effort.

I’m not mad. No, I’m not…

【Oh! That’s the smile! But it seems less joyful than before. It shows his gums, but… it looks kind of… menacing?】

…Fine, I’m mad.

The old emperor slowly withdrew his grin, pretending he had smiled enough.

Suddenly, he exerted strength in his arms, releasing the bowstring. The arrow shot forward with a whoosh, slicing through the air. It struck a barbarian directly in the chest. The man couldn’t dodge in time and fell with a scream. The spiked club he had been swinging at a “wildman” soldier crashed to the ground.

The soldier had been fending off the barbarian’s weapon with his blade. Startled by the scream behind him, he belatedly realized he had been saved—by none other than the emperor himself!

Shocked but moved, the soldier’s eyes reddened. He turned around, shouting wildly, and charged at another barbarian with reckless abandon.

The shouting? That was just a habit from his days as a wildman, used to intimidate beasts and rally morale during hunts.

The old emperor gradually relaxed his arm and bowstring, his gaze fixed on the battlefield ahead.

Yes, he truly acted out of concern for his soldiers, not to find a convenient excuse to stop smiling.

The barbarians were temporarily driven back, but they vastly outnumbered their foes. It wouldn’t take long for them to recover and resume their pursuit.

The wildman soldier leader wiped his face nervously and approached the old emperor. Bowing clumsily, he hesitated before speaking:

“Your Majesty, we must retreat to my tribe’s camp for now. The paths there are hidden, with a narrow entrance that only one person can pass through at a time. Even if the barbarians find it, they won’t be able to enter.”

But if the entrance were blocked, they might find themselves trapped inside as well.

Fearing the emperor might suspect treachery, the leader quickly explained, “It’s not that I’m unwilling to escort Your Majesty out of the mountains. It’s just that even I can’t find the way. The forests here are dense with thorny underbrush, often forcing us to take detours. Sometimes, we stray so far that it takes ages to return to the camp, only to realize we’ve been lost for miles.”

“These trees are also extraordinarily tall. Even in daylight, it’s hard to see the sun. At night, wolves, tigers, leopards, and even bears roam the area, making it even more dangerous. Many of my men perished here when we first got lost.”

“And then there are the ticks… The tribe calls them ‘grass crawlers’ or ‘dog beans.’ They’re sesame seed-sized, bloodsucking parasites. A bite can cause itching, blisters, persistent fever, confusion, and excruciating pain… In severe cases, the victim bleeds from all orifices and dies.”

“These pests are one of the main reasons it’s taken me years to find a way out of the mountains.”

The old emperor glanced at Xu Yanmiao, hearing him pitying the wildman soldiers in his heart for their many losses. The emperor sighed inwardly:

These are loyal subjects of my Great Xia!

He nodded slightly to the wildman leader. “I trust you, my loyal subject.”

The soldier leader’s chest heaved with emotion. “Thank you, Your Majesty! Allow me to lead the way!”

The emperor helped him up, patting his shoulder.

Then, without missing a beat, the emperor cast a subtle glance at the wildman leader’s face.

Come to think of it… which one of my officials is this supposed to be?

The Wildman Tribe

“Your Majesty! Let me serve you some soup!”

Normally, the leader wouldn’t be this enthusiastic. His rank wasn’t high enough to get this close to the emperor.

But, forgive him—he hadn’t seen anyone besides his wildman comrades for years!

And now, the timing was perfect!

The wildman leader stared at the emperor with burning intensity, more fervent than a miser gazing at gold.

The emperor’s disappearance in the mountains would surely spark a search. If the emperor could make it here, an army of 100,000 could surely come to rescue both the emperor and his men!

I’ve had enough of living like a wildman!

And I saved the emperor! I can finally return home in glory!

The soup was chicken soup made from local pheasants. The meat was stringy, but given the circumstances—soaked by rain and pursued by enemies—having hot soup was already a blessing.

Xu Yanmiao slurped his soup while listening to the wildman leader profess his loyalty to the emperor.

“Your Majesty, I thought I’d never see you again!”

“Hmm…”

“Back then, you sent me to the Western Regions to intimidate the 38 kingdoms. I succeeded in fulfilling my mission, bringing them into submission.”

“Hmm… You’ve done well, My loyal subject.”

Xu Yanmiao buried his face in his bowl, gulping his soup while sneaking glances at some gossip from his system.

【Didn’t even recognize him but keeps calling him ‘my loyal subject.’ Truly fitting behavior for an emperor.】

Many officials stole glances at Xu Yanmiao, astonished.

Little Baize actually caught on to the emperor’s perfunctory tone today? Even we couldn’t tell!

The old emperor had no time for Xu Yanmiao right now.

He was racking his brain, searching his memories.

Who is this man? Which of my officials is he?

The 38 kingdoms of the Western Regions were indeed subdued during his reign, a feat befitting his methods. But he had no recollection of assigning such a mission!

Then again, during the early years of his reign, he was extremely busy. This might’ve been something he handled in passing and later forgot about.

The Minister of Revenue blurted out: “But the Western Regions are in the northwest, and Shanhai Pass is in the northeast…”

How did you end up here?

“Your Majesty, is it fragrant?”

Xu Yanmiao sat atop a large boulder, resting his chin in his hands. Around him was a dense, misty forest, barely visible through the thick fog that had risen after the heavy rain.

The old emperor let out an awkward laugh.

The fragrance of the rain-soaked vegetation was indeed pleasant, but they were utterly lost.

In truth, the mountains north of the Qinling range generally had sparse vegetation and lacked dangerous beasts or insects, making them relatively safe. However, this was Shanhai Pass—a treacherous, formidable area surrounded by towering, unbroken mountain ranges and pristine forests. The old emperor had specifically chosen this region for hunting.

Initially, they hadn’t planned to venture deep into the mountains and had even brought a guide. Under normal circumstances, there should have been no issue finding their way. Unfortunately, bad luck struck when an unusual torrential rainstorm caught them off guard. In their haste to find shelter, they abandoned the idea of taking cover under trees—warned by Baize’s internal voice that they might be struck by lightning—and scrambled to locate a cave.

Even then, they were still on track. The guide had not lost his bearings, and though the heavy mist that followed the rain could have been disorienting, they could have waited it out.

But what truly complicated matters was their encounter with borderland barbarians, who inexplicably recognized the emperor and immediately launched an attack. Forced to flee amidst the chaos, the group found themselves thoroughly lost in the mountains.

The old emperor checked the arrows in his quiver and adjusted his bowstring, letting out a cold snort. “If not for this accursed fog, those barbarians wouldn’t have gotten away with leaving only twenty bodies behind.”

During their first clash, the emperor’s party had been under-armed and forced to retreat while fighting. Displaying his remarkable skill, the emperor fired twenty arrows in rapid succession—each shot hitting its mark and dropping an enemy. This impressive display of archery had momentarily deterred the barbarians, allowing the group to escape.

Marquis Yongchang, who always wore a brass arm-ring, finally revealed its purpose. Removing the ring, he pressed one end to the ground and lay his ear against it. After a brief moment, he stood, his expression grim. “Your Majesty! They’re approaching.”

The emperor tossed his quiver over his back. “Move!”

The Minister of Revenue, who had been fashioning small traps from vines and branches, quickly abandoned his work and dusted off his hands before joining the retreat.

After only a short distance—

【Wait, no! Wrong way! That path is blocked!】

The emperor hesitated but pressed forward in the direction he had chosen.

【No, no! That way! Over there! That path is safer and easier to navigate!】

The emperor’s face darkened as he maintained a stony expression. Fine, he thought, but he couldn’t just pivot every time that voice gave instructions. Doing so would make even the dullest observer suspicious.

Finally, after some time, he cautiously altered their route, feigning indecision as if carefully selecting the best path.

In his mind, the voice continued to comment incessantly:

【Oh no! This isn’t right! Look out—there are wild animals ahead!】

Among the party, the officials were drenched in sweat, practically spinning in place like frantic ants on a hot pan.

“Ah!” Marquis Yongchang stomped his foot in secret frustration. If only the voice had mentioned left or right, it would have been so much more helpful!

【Yes! This is the correct way!】

At last, a divine breakthrough!

The emperor remembered the direction but made a show of pausing to assess and pretending to weigh his options before proceeding with apparent deliberation.

At the rear of the group, Xu Yanmiao exhaled in relief.

【Finally, we’re on the right track. If we were caught, it would’ve been a disaster.】

【Darn it! If only I weren’t from the south and unfamiliar with northern mountains, I’d have volunteered to lead already!】

The emperor and the officials thought in unison: “!!!” You could have volunteered anyway! Dream it up, claim divine inspiration, or even attribute it to sheer intuition—anything would have worked! Why didn’t you step up?

The dense fog lingered as the party cautiously pressed on, their torches barely illuminating the treacherous mountain path, slick with rain.

Behind them, the sound of shouts and clashing weapons drew closer—the barbarians were catching up.

The emperor shot a glance at Xu Yanmiao. “Xu—”

【Danger!】

Before the emperor could say “hide,” a chill ran down his spine. Acting on instinct honed in battle, he sidestepped. A spear hurtled past him, tearing through the air, its tip embedding itself into the ground with a dull thud. The emperor’s pupils constricted in response to the near miss.

He looked up to see shadowy figures emerging through the fog ahead.

More barbarians? They had split their forces? But how had they managed to flank so swiftly?

“Curse it all!” Marquis Yongchang spat, drawing his hand-cannon from his waist.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The opposing force banged drums and shouted battle cries.

The wind howled, carrying dust and debris as the two sides edged closer. Gradually, the emperor’s group could make out the figures through the mist—brawny, weathered men, most appearing in their fifties or sixties, armed with swords and shields. Some wore tattered clothing, while others had donned battered armor.

So, these were elite barbarians.

The emperor’s heart sank, but his face remained composed. Calmly, he drew an arrow and notched it onto his bow.

The barbarians in front raised their weapons.

And behind them, the pursuing horde surged forward—a seemingly endless wave of figures flooding the mountain trail.

Surrounded on all sides, the emperor’s group braced themselves for a desperate battle.

The wild cries came from behind: “Kill that Han dog emperor!!!”

The old emperor felt something was off. Why did it seem like the accents of the two groups of barbarians were slightly different? The barbarians in front of him spoke Central Plains Mandarin with surprising fluency.

Could it be that fluency in Mandarin was a criterion for barbarian elites? Terrifying thought!

Before he could make sense of it, the group of barbarians clad in tattered armor suddenly had a collective realization. Their eyes lit up: “What? It’s the emperor?!”

The leader immediately prostrated himself, full-body to the ground: “Your Majesty!!!”

The old emperor was dumbfounded.

The officials were dumbfounded.

Xu Yanmiao was dumbfounded.

Only the barbarians behind them were still shouting about killing the dog emperor.

Xu Yanmiao snapped out of it and quickly began sifting through the system.

【Oh no, this group in tattered armor isn’t actually barbarians. They’re wild men of the mountains! No wonder they were howling earlier; it’s their way of scaring off wild animals.】

Wild men?

The ministers of the Great Xia were stunned.

Was this their first time encountering wild men?

Wild men lived so well now? With shields and armor, no less?

The wild men’s leader brandished a broadsword and rallied his men, shouting, “Sons, we’ve trained for years—”

The sons chorused back, “For this very moment!!!”

The leader roared with laughter: “Good! Follow me to rescue His Majesty!!!”

They charged forward with great enthusiasm. They moved effortlessly through the mountainous terrain, and even the thick fog could not hinder their vision. Within moments, several barbarians barely managed a scream before falling lifeless to the ground.

The old emperor gasped audibly, utterly astonished: “Has my prestige extended even to the wild men tribes?”

The Marquis of Yongchang, the Minister of Revenue, and the other officials quickly fell into their usual routine: “Your Majesty is wise and valorous; your renown has spread far and wide, reaching even the wild men.”

【Why is everyone blindly agreeing with the emperor? How could wild men speak Mandarin, know the saying ‘trained for years to be used in a moment,’ or shout about rescuing the emperor?】

The old emperor, momentarily smug, suddenly stopped.

The officials, suddenly self-conscious, fell silent.

【Wait, why aren’t the Marquis Yongchang and the others continuing their flattery?】

The officials: Guess why.

Xu Yanmiao didn’t bother guessing. He kept searching the system, only to be shocked anew:

【Wait, wait, wait. There’s a note here… The so-called wild men in this mountain are actually ‘former soldiers who got lost and lived with the wild men tribes for years.’】

The officials: …

What kind of disgraceful soldiers are these?!

Everyone silently looked down at the ground.

The old emperor said, “Oh, so I’m wise and valorous, my renown spreads far and wide… What then? Why did everyone stop talking?!”

The wildman leader stiffened. His eyes darted nervously for a moment before he explained:

“On the way back from the Western Regions, we encountered a massive sandstorm and lost our guide…”

【What a euphemism. Lost the guide? More like the guide abandoned them to save himself, even leaving the camels behind to flee on foot.】

As he spoke, the leader paused, sensing something amiss.

Wait… Why did his colleagues look at him like that? Oh, it must be his current wildman appearance—unkempt, with short hair.

But he had no choice. In the deep mountains, keeping long hair without a hairpin was asking for trouble.

He continued, “My men and I didn’t know the way, so we kept heading east, hoping to return to the central plains. But then…”

Everyone understood.

They walked east, stumbled into the mountains, and got lost.

The Minister of Revenue looked at him sympathetically.

How unfortunate.

He sighed, “General, now that you’ve seen the royal army, you can finally return home.”

Hearing this, the wildman leader’s eyes reddened again. “Yes, I never thought I’d see His Majesty and my old colleagues again in my lifetime!”

The old emperor noticed the leader’s gaze and immediately gave a warm smile, nodding gently.

Inwardly, he chastised himself:

I’m truly awful.

He had been loyal to the empire, thinking about the emperor even while living as a savage, yet here the emperor had forgotten him completely!

—Even just remembering his surname would have sufficed! At least he could have addressed him as “My dear minister” to show some closeness!

“By the way,” the savage officer asked, looking at the Minister of Revenue, awkward yet polite, “What is your name, sir? I have been away from the capital for so long that I no longer recognize many people.”

The Minister of Revenue was stunned and instinctively responded, “By the grace of His Majesty, I, Yuan Zheng, serve as Minister of Revenue.”

“The Minister of Revenue? Are you newly appointed?”

“I have been the Minister of Revenue from the beginning.”

“From the beginning?” The savage officer thought for a moment and seemed to understand. “Minister Yuan, by ‘beginning,’ do you mean when His Majesty ascended to the throne and personally appointed his ministers? You are the first?”

Huh? Did this really need such a detailed explanation? He had been managing finances for the emperor since the day the empire was founded.

The Minister of Revenue nodded in confusion and asked, “And how should I address you, General?”

The savage officer laughed heartily. “I left within six months of His Majesty’s ascension. It’s no wonder you don’t recognize me.”

The Minister of Revenue was bewildered.

Was this an old veteran? But… who was he? Could he have forgotten one of the emperor’s original comrades?

“My surname is Li, and my given name is Shihu. I don’t have a courtesy name, so you can just call me Shihu.”

“Li Shihu?” The Minister of Revenue was startled. Oh no, he really had forgotten.

The Minister of Revenue scolded himself internally: How could you forget something so important!

Both the emperor and his ministers thought, had they really become so arrogant as to forget the names of their loyal subjects and comrades?

Xu Yanmiao fretted: 【Ah! He’s already made it so clear! Why haven’t they realized it yet? Li Shihu! Li Shihu!】

The emperor and his ministers felt even more ashamed.

Even Xu Yanmiao, who had only joined the court recently, remembered him! Yet I, his battle companion, have forgotten him!

Li Shihu said cheerfully, “Your Majesty! Would you like another bowl of soup? I’ll serve it for you!”

“Oh… Hmm… Okay.”

The old emperor absentmindedly agreed, wracking his brain to recall: Li Shihu… which general under me was he? From Xu Yanmiao’s anxious expression, could he be someone unforgettable? Was he one of the commanding generals stationed in the Western Regions? Or perhaps a deputy general?

He couldn’t recall. But the name did seem vaguely familiar…

“Your Majesty! Can you eat wild boar meat?”

“Hmm…”

Li Shihu got up to fetch a clean knife for carving. As he passed the Minister of Rites, he stopped abruptly, a smile spreading across his face. “Zheng Lang! Long time no see!”

His eyes scanned the Minister of Rites’ current dining position—close to the emperor but below the ministers—indicating a third-rank official.

By contrast, as someone who had been stranded, he was still only a fifth-rank officer.

Mixed feelings overwhelmed him. “You’ve been promoted, I see.”

The Minister of Rites was completely dumbfounded.

From the looks of it, they had known each other before. But he couldn’t recall this colleague at all! His face seemed vaguely familiar, but… how? Since His Majesty’s ascension, he had abandoned his former laziness and worked diligently. He was sure he hadn’t forgotten any colleague!

Awkwardly, he cupped his hands. “Long time no see.”

The old emperor snapped out of his reverie just in time to hear this hero, who had come to save the court, longing for a promotion. He quickly set aside his memories and, in a display of humility, grabbed Li Shihu’s hand. “Dear minister, your contributions in saving the court and your unwavering loyalty over the years are commendable…”

【He’s indeed loyal, never forgetting the court even after so many years, truly one of the most devoted ministers.】

Hearing Xu Yanmiao’s words, the emperor felt a sense of relief.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the young man covering his eyes with both hands, clearly unable to bear watching what was about to unfold.

【But he’s loyal to the previous court!】

The emperor: ?

What other court could there be?

The emperor didn’t immediately grasp the implication and continued addressing the expectant Li Shihu, “Your loyalty over the years has been truly admirable. I hereby appoint you as—”

【He’s an official of the previous dynasty!】

【He’s been living as a savage for decades and doesn’t know there’s been a change of dynasty!】

The emperor: ?!?

The Minister of Rites quickly covered his mouth to avoid spraying soup everywhere.

What… what on earth?!

Li Shihu continued to look at the emperor with anticipation, tears welling up.

“Your Majesty… I…” He choked, “I have been away for far too long.”

“When I left, Your Majesty was a young hero, only fifteen years old. And now, look at you! I barely recognize you anymore!”

What a bittersweet moment!

He looked around at the table full of “colleagues” and let out a long sigh.

Time had passed, and the world had changed. He couldn’t recognize a single one of his former comrades.