The bearded prince arrived in a hurry and left just as quickly.
His primary reason for such a swift visit during this critical juncture was to ascertain that Huang He would not reveal the truth of the day's events.
Otherwise, if he were to enthusiastically promote his image as a war god to the nation, and then the world's richest man publicly announced that he was the one piloting the Pangu Garden, it would be a complete social disaster.
Furthermore, in terms of public trust, the credibility of the world's richest man was undoubtedly much stronger than that of a prince who had ascended to power through various means.
However, after speaking with Boss Huang, he felt relieved. Especially when Huang He noticed his lingering suspicion, Huang He directly voiced his greatest concern.
That is, as the world's richest man, he absolutely could not allow the charge of slaughtering defenseless soldiers to fall upon him.
Upon hearing Huang He say this, the bearded prince was instantly put at ease. He understood that such a crime would have a devastating impact on Huang He and the Jiangnan Group in the court of public opinion. He then believed that Huang He would absolutely not speak the truth, as their interests were perfectly aligned.
Thus, the bearded prince departed hastily. Although the rebels had been suppressed, his father had died in action, creating a significant power vacuum within the country.
Simultaneously, the forces behind the rebels had not yet been apprehended, and they could instigate new unrest at any moment. At this juncture, he had to decisively resolve all issues as quickly as possible.
Indeed, over the next month, the entire Da Shi Kingdom descended into chaos.
The old king had fathered over 30 princes, and he had more than 10 brothers, and even more uncles. These individuals collectively brought over 400 princes to the Da Shi Kingdom.
As a result, within just one month, over a third of the 400-plus princes were eliminated.
More than 108 princes were successively imprisoned. Whether they were genuinely involved in the rebellion, framed, or simply purged by the Crown Prince, these hundreds of princes underwent a swift and seemingly fair judicial process within a week. The following day, they were all executed.
Their assets were naturally confiscated by the state. Their wives and children, those who could escape, did so. Those who could not were sent to prison under various pretenses.
Consequently, most of these wives and children were not sentenced to death, but many felt immense guilt during their imprisonment and committed suicide.
As for the wives and daughters, their fates were predictable. By the time their sentences were up, no one cared whether they would emerge from prison alive.
It took the Crown Prince nearly three months to stabilize the domestic situation. During this time, he met Boss Huang again.
Boss Huang had departed the turbulent Da Shi Kingdom on the second day of the unrest. The bearded Crown Prince had also thoughtfully arranged for an escort, taking a circuitous sea and land route to see Boss Huang safely home.
It was only after several months, during the first historic visit of the bearded prince, who had just ascended the throne as the new King of the Da Shi Kingdom, that they met again.
Compared to a few months prior, the bearded prince at this moment.
Oh, that's right, he had been promoted to King Bearded.
At this moment, King Bearded was radiant, showing none of the fatigue from months earlier. He appeared to have regained his youthful vigor.
This was entirely understandable. The previous month's actions had been fraught with peril, and he himself had narrowly escaped ruin. However, the final outcome was immensely satisfactory. He had, under the pretext of this rebellion, eliminated all domestic opposition. All key positions had been filled with his confidantes, and he now held absolute control over the entire kingdom. The sheer power he wielded was fully reflected in his state of being.
"Your Majesty, you really shouldn't have come!" Given they had experienced life and death together, and there were no conflicting interests between them, but rather extensive cooperation, Boss Huang unreservedly offered his advice as a friend.
"Why shouldn't I have come?" His Majesty asked with a smile.
"Do I even need to ask?" Huang He also smiled. "I recall that since your country gained independence, almost every new king's first state visit has been to that particular country. Yet, you came to Hua Xia first. That's bound to upset some people."
"You are correct, I should indeed have gone to that country first," King Bearded shook his head, a fierce expression appearing on his face. "My original plan was to go there first, but my intelligence officers informed me that they had obtained decisive evidence proving that the perpetrators behind that rebellion, while my foolish brothers and uncles, were truly instigated by someone from that country!"
"That can't be!" Huang He was taken aback. "Given your country's relationship with that country, they shouldn't be doing something like this!"
"That's what I thought initially, but perhaps some of my policies and inclinations didn't suit them, so they wished to install a more compliant king."
"And the rebel general under me was also incited by them. After all, my brothers and uncles had no real power. If that country's representative hadn't promised military support and immediate recognition, he wouldn't have dared to betray me!" His Majesty said through gritted teeth. Huang He could only add, "Don't be angry. It's perfectly normal for them. After all, they've overthrown and replaced countless countries, and yours is just one more."
"That's precisely why I came to Hua Xia first!" King Bearded said resolutely, his voice filled with anger. "Since they wanted to harm me, I'll give them what they want. I'll make them understand the price of provoking me!"
"Mmm, and then you'll force that country into a private concession, extract some concessions from them, return to their fold, and then immediately visit that country, right?" Huang He calmly added, causing the smile on King Bearded's face to freeze.
"You don't have to be so direct with your words!" King Bearded mumbled.
"What can I do? We're friends who've faced death together!" Huang He raised his glass to King Bearded, who, with a hearty laugh, raised his own in return.
"Actually, I came for another reason!" King Bearded put down his glass. "I've already handled all the necessary procedures for you. Accompany me back to the capital, and we'll hold a ceremony. You'll officially become the Chieftain of Feilengcui in our Da Shi Kingdom."
"Uh, don't I need to marry your sister?" Huang He asked in surprise.
"No longer!" King Bearded waved his hand. "Those who were disobedient have all been dealt with. The remaining ones are compliant. And Feilengcui is only seeking some fishing resources; it doesn't involve the interests of most of my subordinates. They have no reason to displease me. After all, I've been executing people left and right, and no one wants to be the next one to lose their head."
"What if I don't go?" Huang He recoiled. "I'm developing a phobia of that place."
"Can't you do me this favor?" King Bearded widened his eyes. "That's an entire archipelago. Don't you want a territory of your own?"
"..." Huang He began to hesitate. With the vast amount of wealth he possessed, besides land, there really wasn't anything else that could attract him.
Furthermore, now that King Bearded had control of his country, the dangerous situation from last time should not occur again.
"How about this! I'll place the location directly on your Feilengcui Islands, and I'll also invite your country's fleet to visit the Feilengcui Islands in my capacity as head of state. You can come along with the fleet then!" King Bearded said casually.
"Is that really convenient?" Boss Huang asked.
"It's quite convenient. Your visit would be beneficial. It can help deter those scoundrels around us. Our country's maritime strength has always been lacking, and we've often felt stifled. Your presence would be a good thing for me."
"And it will make it easier for me to demand benefits from that country. I'm even considering if I can buy a nearly decommissioned aircraft carrier, hahaha!" King Bearded laughed heartily. This meeting had essentially concluded successfully.
King Bearded acted swiftly. The official invitation was sent. After discussing it with some of his associates, Boss Huang felt it was a good opportunity to expand his international influence. He agreed to the request, and the matter was settled.
This also made Boss Huang feel quite excited. It was an archipelago of his own. If they were to reclaim land in the future, they might even carve out a territory the size of Tongliao. How enticing!
Thus, Boss Huang began inviting his younger sisters-in-law to accompany him. After all, during their last trip, fearing potential crises, Huang He had not brought any of his sisters-in-law with him, leaving them all in the country. This way, even if he were in danger, his three sisters-in-law could protect his children and continue to steer the Jiangnan Group, a colossal vessel.