This was without a doubt the least inspiring speech in the history of the Empire.
Because the speaker didn't inspire the soldiers to fight with lofty missions and supreme honors.
On the contrary, she was revealing the truth and admitting the sins. She put all the dark and ugly things under the sun and let them be passed down from then on. Everything was left for the future generations to comment on.
"After today, this country will usher in the most earth-shaking changes."
Courrier said, "This scene will definitely appear in the epics of the Empire in the future. I see that the imperial power will be limited. This story will be a lesson for the future generations …"
As a foreigner, she hated, feared, and respected the Empire. She knew the history of the Empire and knew how powerful it was. But today, she witnessed everything with her own eyes.
Empress' speech was still going on.
The people of Tensei Province went from confusion to shock, and from shock to anger.
"Everything that happened today is the sin of the Li Royal Family. Li Guangyuan committed a crime. I am also guilty of negligence. I didn't realize his conspiracy and evil thoughts. I even helped the villain do evil. I should pay the heaviest price. The bitter fruit will be tasted by the Li Family alone in the long years to come."
"The emperor colluded with the Sky Demon for his own selfish desires to seek the path to immortality. This is the shame of the Earth Houtu and the disaster of the entire country."
"Now, the disaster is spreading. Huge waves will sweep across the land. The peace won by the soldiers in the bloody battle of Tianyuan will no longer exist. The country will bleed. The land will be ignited with an inextinguishable flame. Civilization will be trampled. Innocent people will die. The Sky Demon, who has come back from the dead, will throw the fire of revenge to the entire land … This is what will happen."
"The culprit behind all this is the emperor and me. I won't deny it, nor will I run away from it. I have made a big mistake, and I can't atone for it even if I die a hundred times. If my life can stop this disaster, I'm willing to fall into hell forever and suffer the pain of reincarnation. But death can't solve any problems."
"Death is very easy. Just stretch out your neck and wipe it."
"But even if I die, the Sky Demon's scheme won't stop. Now it's the capital, then it'll be Hanzhou, and then it'll be the Nine Provinces of the empire. All the martial artists of the Imperial Army will be possessed by the Sky Demon, and their lifetime of cultivation and hard work will become someone else's dowry. The empire will fall into eternal decline … and I want to stop all this."
"This is the biggest mistake our Li family has made. This shame and sin cannot be washed away. We can only do our best to make up for it. If we can stop the Sky Demon's scheme, then even if I die in the Imperial Capital, I can still smile in the underworld."
Empress said resolutely, "I would rather have the world spurn my grave than let the Sky Demon wreak havoc and destroy the world. I hereby admit the crimes and mistakes of the royal family, and I am willing to protect the world's right to judge and warn. For this … I am willing to pay any price."
After she finished speaking, she turned her back to the Imperial City and was silent for a moment. Facing the soldiers, the people in the market square, and the Imperial City, she slowly knelt down.
The soldiers were in an uproar.
Although they were shocked by the crimes of the royal family and the calamity before them, and even felt angry, their respect and love for Empress was still there. She was such a peerless beauty that no one in the world could deserve to kneel to her.
Some people immediately moved to the side, some wanted to go up and support her, and even more people wanted to kneel without thinking. At this moment, Empress shouted, "Don't move!
This is a military order! "
Military orders were like mountains, and General Tensei's prestige was even more profound. Once she said this, the soldiers obeyed.
"You deserve this kneel. If you don't, then I won't be able to die in peace."
Empress said with a hoarse voice, "The royal family has lost its virtue, and the Emperor is ruthless. He caused this calamity for himself, and he can't live. However, this country is not only the Emperor's country, but also the place where thousands of people live and work in peace. It was pacified by countless bloody battles."
"The royal family has lost its virtue, and the world is in chaos. I don't have the right to ask you to continue fighting for the country, and I don't have the face to continue enjoying your following. However, the Emperor's death is not regrettable, but the country is more important than everything. The Houtu is not the Houtu of a single family, but the Houtu of thousands of families. I ask you to fight with me for the last time for this innocent country."
"Because at this point, I have no other choice."
"The Imperial Army cannot be relied on, and the reinforcements are far away. We are at the end of the line, and there are ambushes on all sides. We have reached the most dangerous moment, and there is a hopeless situation in front of us. I have no other choice, and there is only one chance left. But I have to fight with blood and lives, so I can only ask you …"
She lowered her head deeply, gritted her teeth, and said, "Bleed with me."
So she knelt down.
This was tantamount to asking everyone to die with her.
How slim was the chance of victory?
What they were facing was the Sky Demon, who had the power of the Imperial Army and the body of a powerful warrior.
And they were just a group of ordinary warriors and soldiers.
Or rather, they were losers, people who did not have enough talent.
Because the most outstanding people in this country would participate in the military examination, pass the imperial examination, and be appointed to the Imperial Army. In the Houtu Country, this was the only right path.
But who would have thought that in such a great change in the Empire, the ones who might be able to turn the tide were these mortals who could not transcend mortality and live under the clouds?
Today, the national treasure that the Empire had relied on for hundreds of years and ran rampant in the world could no longer shine.
But it was replaced by the light emitted by humans themselves.
The soldiers went from an uproar to silence, from silence to calmness, and from calmness to firmness.
They also knelt down in front of the Empress.
Perhaps they were losers, people who were not so successful, but the achievement of martial arts depended on hard work and talent. The strength of talent and the strength of character had nothing to do with each other.
Perhaps hundreds of years of national policy and silent influence had made the people of the Empire forget the original intention of the military examination. They simply saw it as a golden path that could lead to a meteoric rise and change their fate.
Perhaps with the passage of time, the current system had deviated from the original intention of the people who had set it up.
One could not become a powerful warrior after passing the military examination and being appointed to the Imperial Army.
But after becoming a powerful warrior, one could freely control the Imperial Army.
The difference between the two was actually very, very big.
At this critical moment, the remaining warriors of Tensei Province made up their minds. They knelt down together and swore to disregard life and death and practice all the meaning of martial arts in this life. Even if the road ahead was dangerous, even if the enemy was incomparably powerful, this was not a reason to stop fighting.
Valiant warriors, facing the national disaster together.
At this moment, in the Imperial City, Sun Lang and The Devil were still facing off.
The Imperial Guards and the eunuchs of the Directorate of Martial Affairs activated the great array protecting the palace. Seeing the thick earthen walls around the golden palace crumble, they all hurried over to protect the Emperor. Seeing the Imperial Palace in ruins, the ministers surrounding the Emperor with swords drawn and bows bent, and Sun Lang standing proudly in the wind, looking like he was going to beat them up all by himself, they immediately believed seventy to eighty percent of the rumors of this person rebelling. Thus, the soldiers and horses fell into formation and the experts stood guard in all directions.
The Devil waved his hand. "Withdraw."
The eunuch holding the sword of the Directorate of Martial Affairs hurriedly said, "Your Majesty …"
The Devil glared and shouted, "I said withdraw!"
The Emperor's orders could not be disobeyed. This was even more true for the Emperor's personal army and servants, because this was the highest principle they relied on to survive. Waiting for them to withdraw, Sun Lang chuckled and said, "You imitated me very well."
The Devil said indifferently, "Accompanying each other day and night, being influenced by what I see and hear, and imitating with the intention, this is not difficult at all."
Sun Lang said, "So you imitated me very well?"
In the Great Desolate Mountain, The Devil had wanted to possess Sun Lang.
"You're still brooding over it."
The Devil said helplessly, "But to be honest, imitating you is much harder than imitating Li Guangyuan. He is the Emperor, high and mighty. His thoughts are gloomy and temperamental, and his words are enigmatic and hard to grasp, so it's easier to imitate … as for you …"
He shook his head.
Evidently, Sun Lang was a talkative person, and he was also a chatterbox. Imitating him was far too difficult.
Sun Lang chuckled. "I'll take it as a compliment."
The Devil said, "It was a compliment in the first place."
The two were silent for a moment.
After a while, Sun Lang broke the silence.
"I suddenly thought of something."
"Speak."
Sun Lang looked at the Dragon Qi hovering in the sky. His gaze was distant, as if he had returned to hundreds of years ago.
"Hundreds of years ago, in the First Great War of Tianyuan, the Empire did not have any Imperial Army at that time. In terms of national strength, it should be far inferior to the present. Although it paid an incomparably heavy price, it still won the war, and even killed the Ancestor Sky Demon and seized his sword …"
He asked, "Can you tell me how the humans at that time did it?"