Daming: After self-explosive time travel, Lao Zhu's mentality collapsed

Guo Huai stepped forward, drew his sword, and walked towards the officials.

The hall was suddenly filled with the cold light of unsheathed swords.

"Your Majesty, please spare our lives!" Several officials kowtowed desperately, but Guo Huai showed no mercy. He raised his sword and slashed, and several people fell to the ground in an instant, with blood flowing on the floor tiles of the side hall.

"Get rid of the bodies!" Chu Ze said coldly, "I don't want to see these people again!"

The guards immediately stepped forward and dragged out several bodies.

Guo Huai wiped the blood off the knife, clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, it has been handled!"

"Very good!" Chu Ze turned and walked out of the side hall, saying calmly: "From today on, all those who have ulterior motives will be dealt with in the same way!"

Lu Bing cupped his hands and said, "I will go and strengthen surveillance right away to prevent anyone from having the opportunity to rebel!"

"Go!" Chu Ze waved his hand, then led everyone back to the hall.

After returning to the hall, Chu Ze sat back on the throne with a stern look.

After a moment, Guo Huai stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Xixia Royal City has been completely cleared. Is there any need for further deployment?"

"The city is now stable, but we can't let our guard down!" Chu Ze said calmly, "What I want is for Xixia to completely submit to the Ming Dynasty. Anyone who has other intentions must be killed!"

Guo Huai cupped his hands and said, "I understand. I will arrange it right away!"

Not long after, Lu Bing walked into the hall again and clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, Xixia's food and property have been transported back to the capital, and everything has been arranged in the capital!"

"Very good!" Chu Ze nodded and said, "I will leave for Beijing tomorrow. You must continue to handle the affairs of Xixia well and not slack off at all!"

Guo Huai and Lu Bing both clasped their hands and said, "I will definitely live up to your majesty's trust!"

Early the next morning, Chu Ze got up early, changed into court clothes, and walked to the main hall.

Lu Bing and Guo Huai had been waiting outside for a long time. When they saw Chu Ze coming out, they immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, everything is ready. You can leave for Beijing at any time!"

"Don't be careless on the way back to Beijing. Inform the entire army to be on high alert!" Chu Ze said coldly.

"I understand. I have arranged for elite personal soldiers to escort you, and there will be enough troops left in the city to maintain order!" Lu Bing bowed.

"Okay, let's go!" Chu Ze waved his hand, Guo Huai and Lu Bing immediately issued orders, and the army quickly assembled.

The army set out from the Western Xia royal city in a mighty procession and headed towards the capital.

On the way, Chu Ze sat in the carriage, casually flipping through several secret letters from the capital.

The personal guards followed him, always on guard.

Outside the carriage, cavalry guards were lined up on both sides, with the sound of horse hooves clanging and the carriage marching in an orderly manner.

After walking for about two hours, a scout came galloping over on horseback, bowed and reported: "Your Majesty, we spotted a group of people ten miles ahead, they seem suspicious!"

Chu Ze frowned slightly and said calmly: "Send someone to investigate!"

The scout took the order and left.

After a while, he came back to report: "Your Majesty, that group of people claimed to be a merchant caravan coming to surrender to the Ming Dynasty. Please give your instructions, Your Majesty!"

Chu Ze sneered: "Submission? I don't think these people are that simple.

Let them stop by the roadside and wait for me to go over and take a look!"

The scout immediately gave the order and the caravan stopped by the roadside.

Chu Ze got off the carriage and rode forward with his personal guards.

Guo Huai and Lu Bing followed beside him, keeping watch on the surroundings.

Walking to the front of the caravan, Chu Ze glanced at them coldly and then said, "Are you here to surrender?" The man leading the caravan knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, we are originally merchants from Xixia, but now Xixia has surrendered to the Ming Dynasty. We are willing to offer all our property and submit to the Ming Dynasty. We only ask Your Majesty to grant us a way out!"

"A way to survive?" Chu Ze said calmly, "You are smart enough to surrender in advance.

I ask you, if I don’t believe, what will you do?”

The leader's face changed slightly, and he said hurriedly: "Your Majesty is wise, we have no second thoughts. If Your Majesty does not believe me, I am willing to exchange my life for our loyalty!"

"Life in exchange for loyalty?" Chu Ze sneered: "I don't need your lives, I want your real loyalty!"

"I will always be loyal to the Ming Dynasty and will never have any other thoughts!" The leader kowtowed hurriedly, his face full of fear.

Chu Ze looked at him, then waved his hand after a moment and said, "Search their goods!"

"Your Majesty!" The leader was so frightened that he kowtowed immediately: "All the valuables we brought are presented to the Ming Dynasty. We have absolutely nothing to hide!"

Chu Ze said coldly: "If you say there is none, then there is none? I will come and see for myself!"

Following Chu Ze's order, the guards immediately stepped forward and opened the caravan's cargo boxes.

It was filled with silk, jewelry, gold, silver and other precious items.

Guo Huai stepped forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, they are indeed valuable items!"

"Those things are good, but that's not what I want!" Chu Ze said calmly, "You want to live, that's fine, but it depends on whether you are truly loyal!"

The leader was sweating profusely and kowtowed quickly, saying, "Your Majesty, we are willing to pledge our loyalty with our lives, and only ask Your Majesty to leave us a way out!"

Chu Ze glanced at him, then said coldly: "I can let you go, but you must understand that if you have the slightest intention of betraying me, I will show no mercy!"

The leader kowtowed and said repeatedly: "Your Majesty is magnanimous. We dare not have second thoughts and are willing to serve the Ming Dynasty!"

"Take their belongings away!" Chu Ze waved his hand and said, "Let them go on, but send someone to keep an eye on them. If they make any unusual movements, they will be killed without mercy!"

"Yes!" Guo Huai immediately accepted the order and ordered his men to take away the caravan's property, leaving behind a few scouts to follow secretly.

Chu Ze turned around and walked back to the carriage, saying calmly: "I want to see what they are planning!"

The carriage continued to move forward and the caravan was allowed to pass.

Along the way, Chu Ze didn't say much. The team moved forward steadily until the evening, when they stopped at an inn.

Guo Huai stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the post station has been settled. Please rest!"

Chu Ze nodded, and then said calmly: "Don't relax tonight, arrange for someone to keep watch!"

"I will arrange it right away!" Guo Huai took the order and left, quickly deploying the soldiers on night watch.

As the night deepened, Chu Ze took a short rest in the room of the post station. Outside, he could hear the faint sound of horse hooves. It was the patrolling soldiers constantly moving around to ensure safety.

At midnight, a guard suddenly came running over and reported: "Your Majesty, there is movement ahead, it seems someone is approaching!"

Chu Ze immediately stood up and said coldly: "Order the entire army to be on alert immediately!"

The guards quickly passed the order and the army immediately became alert. The soldiers drew their swords and mounted their horses, ready to fight.

A moment later, the scout came running over and reported, "Your Majesty, it's that group of merchants. They seem to be planning to escape at night!"

"Escape at night?" Chu Ze sneered: "They really can't hold their temper. I originally wanted to spare their lives, but it seems that's not necessary!"

"Your Majesty, should we pursue?" Guo Huai asked.

"Chase them, capture them all, I will deal with them personally!" Chu Ze said coldly. (End of this chapter)