Richest Man: Divine-Grade Reconstruct System Chapter 1015 - 975: You Are the Emperor?

Lord Liu, naturally, dismissed the notion that his ministers would swiftly turn against him and follow this newcomer’s command. He judged such a betrayal to be beyond their capabilities.

After all, for years they had been sustained by his resources, and he felt he had treated them with reasonable fairness, ensuring their stipends were paid, albeit perhaps with minor deductions.

Yes, only minute reductions, each time shaving off a sliver, well, just a tiny bit, truly.

Surely they wouldn't harbor such resentment over such insignificant pay adjustments? Surely they wouldn't instigate enmity for a paltry sum?

One must remember, he held the esteemed position of City Lord for East County City.

Within these bounds, he was considered the de facto sovereign. A single decree from him could lead to the forfeiture of countless lives.

Given this absolute authority, how could they possibly contemplate defiance?

While he possessed no direct means to coerce these individuals, he held sway over the families of their commanding officers.

Should any dissent arise, the generals' households would undoubtedly face severe repercussions.

If such a situation unfolded, their generals would surely issue stern prohibitions against any such actions.

In essence, despite his initial lack of certainty regarding the unfolding strategy, Lord Liu harbored a persistent sense of unease.

He harbored a deep apprehension that these individuals might act impetuously against his interests.

He instantly regretted not having secured control over all their family members.

Had he done so, these men might have charged at the stranger without hesitation, their apprehension for their own safety intertwined with the security of their kin.

However, it was evidently too late for any such deliberations. Regardless of his internal reflections, the circumstances had already transpired and could not be rectified.

Now, his only recourse was to hope these individuals possessed a shred of conscience and would refrain from opposing him, for he understood that once outside the confines of the City Lord’s Mansion, this enigmatic figure might prove insurmountable.

Though this individual was a formidable combatant, capable of dispatching ten, twenty, or even thirty opponents, could he truly face a hundred single-handedly?

Even if confronting a hundred was within his grasp, could he possibly contend against a thousand alone?

By simply employing the tactic of overwhelming numbers, apprehension would surely lead to this individual's capture, particularly since his soldiers were not merely equipped with their fists but also an array of weaponry.

It would be no exaggeration to state that if just a few assailants armed with blades were to attack, could he possibly defend himself effectively?

If he could still mount a defense, then once the volley of arrows from the crossbowmen rained down, could he possibly withstand the piercing flight of those deadly bolts?

Upon this realization, a cunning strategy formed in Lord Liu's mind: he would provoke the stranger, luring him outside the city walls.

Once Lin Yi was drawn into the open, his vulnerability would be exposed.

Yet, at this precise moment, Lin Yi paid no mind to Lord Liu or the calculating gazes fixed upon him. Instead, he redirected his attention to those standing, his voice a frigid pronouncement:

"I now extend to each of you an opportunity for redemption. After all, this affair bears little consequence for you, and I have no desire to implicate you as accomplices. Should you prove amenable here, I can guarantee your absolution. However, if you persist in your obstinacy, do not hold me accountable for any severity."

With the concluding statement, Lin Yi shifted terminology to 'me,' whether intentionally or by oversight. Regardless, this inadvertent slip caused Lord Liu to falter in astonishment.

Indeed, though it was a mere word, the astute Lord Liu perceived its significance, and not only him, but the gathered officials and kin partaking in their drinks also registered the anomaly.

In an instant, every eye was fixed, in a state of shocked bewilderment, upon Lin Yi.

Concurrently, Lord Liu could not suppress an excited exclamation:

"Are you, could you be, the recently appointed Prince Dayou? Are you perhaps the reigning Emperor?"

This outburst stemmed from a sudden recollection of that printed publication, the very one he had incinerated, which bore Lin Yi's likeness prominently.

It was, to be precise, an image rendered in a style previously unseen.

The illustration was meticulously crafted from monochrome lines, and despite the seemingly rough execution of the strokes, they delineated the figure and visage of an individual with striking fidelity.

Aside from the absence of color, it was an unmistakable match to the person standing before him.

Thus, he instantly grasped that this individual was none other than the Emperor himself.

Upon reaching this juncture, the reader might ponder, what exactly was depicted in this publication?

Naturally, it was a sketch of Lin Yi. Lin Yi himself had rendered it, gazing into a mirror.

One need not inquire about the methodology; suffice it to know that he possessed the skill.

Prior to his secondary education, Lin Yi's parents harbored considerable aspirations for him.

Their fervent wish was for their son to gain admission to a prestigious university, yet Lin Yi's academic record remained consistently underwhelming, prompting his parents to redirect his focus toward a path in the arts.

To facilitate this transition, Lin Yi was enrolled in an art academy for specialized training.

While Lin Yi's artistic proficiencies in the 21st century might not have been extraordinary, within this ancient epoch, oh yes, they were undeniably of a master’s caliber.

It is not an overstatement to declare that he essentially established his own unique artistic school.

Once this newspaper began its circulation, in a remarkably short span, it sent ripples of astonishment throughout the scholarly circles of Dayou.

Particularly among the cohort of painters, and especially those affiliated with the Imperial Court, who found themselves utterly speechless with profound admiration.

For a fleeting moment, as their gazes fell upon Lin Yi, they were overwhelmed with a sense of reverence.

No one had previously conceived that the art of portraiture could be executed in such a manner, employing a few simple lines to capture an individual's form and essence with such uncanny accuracy.