Lan Miechan clutched his red, swollen cheek, staring blankly at Lan Xinsu, who had transformed from her usual gentle demeanor to a cold and unfamiliar one.
He didn’t understand why the Saintess was so determined to ally with Great Jin, even if it meant becoming a servant.
“Don’t play this game in front of me. Lan Miechan insulted the soldiers of Great Jin and humiliated our Prime Minister. Wrong is wrong and cannot be forgiven.”
“Go back.”
Meng Qingzhou had already heard from Jiang Canghai about what had happened earlier.
The Moon Clan was divided into three divisions, with the Saintess and the Clan Leader as the highest leaders, equivalent to a tribe’s chief and young chief.
Lan Xinsu came from the Shiyue Division of the Moon Clan, holding a high status and an early Morning Glow Realm cultivation level.
Lan Miechan was the young master of the Tianhe Division, second only to the Saintess, the Clan Leader, and the three division leaders, also at the early Morning Glow Realm.
“So… if we can’t form an alliance, we seek a lesser option. We left the secret realm with the hopes of our clan to find a way forward. It’s either death or triumph; there’s no other path.”
“Xinsu begs, we only need to fight alongside the soldiers of Great Jin. Afterward, we don’t need any rewards or support in spirit stones and supplies.”
“It’s just traveling the same path. Is that acceptable?” Lan Xinsu asked.
Meng Qingzhou frowned and turned to the three women, asking, “What do you think?”
“No way!” Wu Die decisively rejected.
“Of course not,” Su Qingqiu firmly stood on the same side as the Empress, determined to eliminate any suspicious fox spirits and prevent any disasters.
Dongfang Liuli pondered for a moment, then nodded, “I think it’s acceptable. They’ve already said this much; there’s no need to shut them out.”
“Compared to the Buddhist Kingdom, Great Jin is at a disadvantage. Recently, many forces in the Wilderness have chosen sides, with seventy percent siding with the Buddhist Kingdom and few following Great Jin.”
“Rather than gaining another enemy, it’s better to have another friend.”
As for whether a salt fish would be swayed by a fox spirit, Dongfang Liuli had confidence in that regard.
They were each other’s first love, ruler and minister, comrades-in-arms, and mutual white moonlight. They had long become the most important people in each other’s hearts.
“Alright,” Meng Qingzhou nodded, “Lan Xinsu, right?”
Lan Xinsu’s spirit lifted, looking at him expectantly, “Yes.”
“If it’s as you say, just sharing the same path, then… it’s acceptable,” Meng Qingzhou said.
Lan Xinsu was overjoyed and quickly bowed in thanks, “Thank you, Your Majesty Sword Saint.”
“No need for formalities.”
Meng Qingzhou waved his hand.
As long as they didn’t drag down Great Jin, sharing the same path was a free gain. Why not?
He figured his wife had considered this point as well.
Su Qingqiu: ?
Wu Die: ??
The two women exchanged glances, speechless.
So, our opinions don’t matter at all. It’s mainly about Gu Xiyue, right?
We were just extra options.
“Saintess…” Lan Miechan, still angry, wanted to persuade further.
“Shut up.” Lan Xinsu glared coldly and said softly, “Bring everyone else over.”
On the Great Jin side, a group of people watched as the Moon Clan members slunk to a corner, all smiling in unison.
Jiang Canghai also sighed.
Once upon a time, just a few Moon Glow Realm cultivators could suppress Great Jin.
In just a year, since the Empress and the Emperor got married, the nation’s power had grown stronger.
Now, an ancient tribe that had stood in the Wilderness for thousands of years was willing to ally, even after repeated mockery. The Moon Clan’s Morning Glow Realm members didn’t dare utter a word, and the Saintess was kneeling and begging.
…
…
“Saintess, why are you so humble!?”
“I see that Space-Time Sword Saint is merely at the peak of Morning Glow Realm, yet he’s praised as Great Jin’s strongest. Comparatively, Great Jin is far inferior to our Moon Clan!”
“To think they talk about resisting the Buddhist Kingdom, it’s laughable! Unless the Space-Time Sword Saint can fight across realms, from Morning Glow to Sky-Reaching.”
“Haha… such a feat, not even the first Human Emperor could achieve that!”
Lan Miechan, indignant, took a large swig from his wine pouch, drunkenly slumping on the grass.
The other dozen Moon Clan members were equally perplexed.
Though Lan Miechan was rash, his determination to seek hope for the Moon Clan was unquestionable.
Minister of War Liang Qu had exaggerated the prowess of the Space-Time Sword Saint and the Empress of Great Jin, almost saying, “When the Space-Time Sword Saint returns, he’ll grab the so-called Buddha and instantly refine him.”
The Moon Clan had been ecstatic, thinking they had found a golden opportunity to change their fate, fantasizing all the way.
But upon meeting, they saw soldiers who were old, weak, and sick, starving and emaciated. The Prime Minister was on the brink of death, commanding a war with just a Mountain Moving Realm cultivation.
The so-called Space-Time Sword Saint was laughable, not a Sky-Reaching cultivator but merely at the peak of Morning Glow Realm.
Their fantasies shattered, the Moon Clan felt deceived. Who wouldn’t be angry?
Lan Miechan’s agitation was entirely understandable.
Lan Xinsu, shedding her gentle demeanor, her eyes cold and calm, said:
“I’ll say three things.”
“First, my divine power is ineffective against the Space-Time Sword Saint and the masked maid beside him.”
“Second, did you not see the expressions of those soldiers? They are united, unaware that the Buddha has broken through to Sky-Reaching. Why do they still have such fiery confidence?”
“Third, those you call old, weak, and sick, that Mountain Moving Realm old man, held out for months under the Buddhist Kingdom’s siege. Could the Moon Clan do that?”
At these words, the dozen Moon Clan members were stunned.
Lan Miechan put down his wine pouch, deep in thought, his eyes flashing with realization. After a long while, he slowly raised his head, uncertainly asking, “Saintess, do you mean…?”
Lan Xinsu calmly said:
“Speak less, observe more, and think more.”
“Plan before you act, and look at the big picture to see the truth.”
“The Space-Time Sword Saint may be exaggerated, and Great Jin’s foundation might not be as strong as we think.”
“But given the Buddhist Kingdom’s attitude, Great Jin is definitely not simple. There must be something that makes the Buddhist Kingdom wary. Otherwise… how could those ruthless, selfish lamas be so kind?”
At this moment, Lan Xinsu no longer appeared as the helpless girl she once was, but as a wise strategist, full of wisdom and authority.
…
…
[End of the month, seeking continued reading and gifts]
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