Seeing Princess Zhiya’s cold smile, Priest Yanping asked, “Your Highness, what is so amusing?”
Princess Zhiya spoke word by word, “You are not spending ten million gold coins to buy Suolun’s life. You are spending ten million gold coins trying to buy the entire Furious Wave Kingdom.”
At these words, Yanping could not help but be stunned.
Generally speaking, women were rather shortsighted in politics, not so wise.
But he never expected Princess Zhiya to be an exception. With one sentence, she had hit the most crucial issue.
Princess Zhiya said coldly, “What is even more shameless is that your so-called ten million gold coins truly requires very little actual payment. Most of it is a game of moving from left hand to right hand. And what is even more shameless is that most of this money belongs to our Furious Wave Kingdom. It was merely stolen by you.”
Yanping’s eyes narrowed. His originally meticulous sitting posture immediately relaxed, even becoming lazy and impolite.
“Princess Zhiya, you are correct. This ten million gold coins is merely a numerical game for Hidden Continent.” Yanping said, “And I admit that not only the eight million gold coin deficit of the Furious Wave Kingdom, but also the original over seven million in treasury savings, were all illegally devoured. That is to say, Hidden Continent is indeed using the Furious Wave Kingdom’s money to threaten you!”
Taking a deep breath, Priest Yanping spread his hands and said, “But, so what? Do you want to reason with me? Who made Zhili so incompetent? Who made the Furious Wave Kingdom’s nobles so greedy? Who made your father and the kingdom’s nobles so opposed to each other?”
These words had truly completely torn off all pretense.
Yanping continued, “Don’t concern yourself with where Hidden Continent’s money to save the Furious Wave Kingdom comes from. Whether it is a so-called numerical game or not. I can only ask you one thing. Can this numerical game of ten million gold coins that Hidden Continent speaks of save the Furious Wave Kingdom?”
Zhiya nodded and said, “It can save it.”
Yanping said, “Then isn’t that settled? Since it can save the Furious Wave Kingdom, why do you care whether its ten million gold coins is real or a numerical game? You only need to focus on one point. Can the Furious Wave Kingdom be saved? Can you continue to sit securely on the queen’s throne? If the answer is yes, then why not be slightly more muddled? There is a saying that is very well put. Rare muddleheadedness!”
Zhiya sneered coldly, “Fine. Just as you say, I kill my husband Suolun and save the Furious Wave Kingdom. But this kingdom, is it still my kingdom? Today I compromise one foot to Hidden Continent. Tomorrow, must I compromise one zhang?”
Yanping said, “Tomorrow’s matters can be discussed tomorrow. Besides, for tomorrow’s matters, you can still strive to resist.”
Zhiya said, “Do not joke. Husband Suolun is my greatest reliance at present. If I kill him today, that is already compromise to the extreme. And after Hidden Continent controls the kingdom’s economic lifeline, today they can threaten me to kill my husband. Tomorrow they can threaten me with other matters. Their control over the Furious Wave Kingdom will become even more severe, like a noose around my neck. Even if I compromise today and sit securely on the throne, it is merely a puppet position.”
Yanping truly had not expected Princess Zhiya to be so troublesome.
Over these three years, her political performance had been completely mediocre. From taking Tianshui City to defeating Zhili, it was all Suolun’s sole merit.
Princess Zhiya appeared to be merely an identity ornament for Suolun, making everything Suolun did legitimate and proper.
It gave people the feeling that Princess Zhiya was like a vase for Suolun. An extremely beautiful vase, a vase with martial arts at the extreme peak.
And after defeating Zhili and seizing the kingdom’s great power, Princess Zhiya also showed no intention of interfering in political affairs. She handed all power to her husband, made no public statements, and made no decisions.
Of course, one could not use the word puppet to describe a married couple. But Zhiya truly looked like a puppet queen.
A puppet queen who was beautiful, easy to bed, and easy to use.
Therefore, the Holy Dragon Temple had always placed its breakthrough point on her, hoping her incompetence could become Suolun’s pig teammate.
However, they never expected that beneath such incomparably beautiful appearance, such wise vision was concealed.
On many matters, you had merely opened the beginning, and she could see your purpose behind it, and the deeper philosophy.
With a casual sentence, she could see through to the deepest layer.
This was the most, most precious quality for a ruler.
On the contrary, Suolun’s methods and determination were unparalleled. His vision was absolutely sharp and profound.
But he was not so wise. He was too emotional.
So Suolun could be a very good executor, and also a very good regent. But he was not necessarily the best king.
He was somewhat similar to King Zhiluan. Very temperamental, not rational enough.
If King Zhiluan had been rational enough, after ascending the throne he should have slightly compromised with the noble lords. Then he would not have fallen into the situation of being hollowed out after completely having no sons.
Zhiluan and Suolun were the same. I know what I should do. But I am unhappy in my heart, so I simply won’t do it that way.
Especially regarding the matter of heavily using Suolun, King Zhiluan could no longer be described as irrational and temperamental.
At that time, Suolun had merely obtained the noble warrior medal. He had not even retaken Tianshui City. Yet King Zhiluan dared to place all hope on him, going all in with all resources, and marrying Princess Zhiya to him.
The madness of this all-in gamble was already completely comparable to Zhili’s assassination of the king and forced ascension at the final moment.
Did King Zhiluan have that much confidence in Suolun at that time? Not necessarily. It was more a complex of loving the house and its crow, and the heroic spirit of risking everything.
“Puppet is not the right word!” Priest Yanping said, “But from now on, the Furious Wave Kingdom being constrained by Hidden Continent is true. Fine, let us take a step back. After you compromise this time, what you get is merely sixty percent of the Furious Wave Kingdom. The remaining forty percent is stolen by Hidden Continent. But you still have sixty percent, don’t you? And if you follow Suolun in going mad, then the entire Furious Wave Kingdom is destroyed. What you get is zero.”
“No!” Princess Zhiya said calmly, “Priest Yanping, if we take the most extreme method, raiding all the nobles in the entire royal city, using their gold coins to get through this crisis, what do you think the worst result would be?”
Yanping said, “The entire kingdom falls into chaos. Heroes rise and carve out territories. You and Suolun become public enemies of the world.”
Princess Zhiya said, “Yes, this is the worst, worst result. But… so what?”
Yanping said in shock, “Your kingdom has already collapsed. What more do you want?”
Princess Zhiya shook her head and said, “Just as you said, the kingdom falls into chaos. Heroes rise and carve out territories. I follow my husband back to Tianshui City, ascend the throne as king in Tianshui City. Then among the heroes, would we not be the strongest?”
Yanping was stunned. If it truly reached that point, Suolun and Zhiya this couple would of course be the strongest.
They possessed gunpowder. They possessed the strongest army. They no longer had the kingdom’s economic burden. Through maritime trade, they could have an endless stream of military funds.
And now, the Southwest Legion, Dragon Guard Legion, and Northern Legion’s elite were all in Tianshui City.
With Suolun’s money, he could easily reorganize five hundred thousand troops.
Then, using the most primitive method, taking province by province, they would ultimately reclaim the entire Furious Wave Kingdom.
Among the heroes of the world, who would still be Suolun’s match?
Yanping said, “If it truly reaches that point, will the Furious Wave Kingdom still be the Zhi Family’s kingdom?”
“Of course!” Princess Zhiya said, “Do you think my husband Suolun would betray me and usurp the throne?”
Yanping was stunned. Truly, he would not.
Because Suolun’s direct subordinates would all become the kingdom’s new top nobles. They lacked no room for advancement. They would not force Suolun to usurp the throne.
And Suolun this person, being so temperamental, would he kill his own wife to usurp the throne?
He would have to be brain-damaged to do so. What would he usurp the throne for? He was already the kingdom’s supreme one, possessing supreme status.
And the one who would inherit the throne in the future would still be his son.
Standing from the most evil angle of men to speculate, for a man, is it more pleasurable to bed the queen every day? Or to bed the queen every day?
Of course the latter!
So as long as Zhiya did not grasp power, Suolun would never betray her.
Princess Zhiya said, “So, if I do not compromise, even if the worst situation occurs, I still have a seventy percent possibility of reclaiming the entire Furious Wave Kingdom. It would merely be delayed by four or five years. And if I compromise, I would gradually become a puppet queen. Comparing the two, as long as one’s mind is sufficiently clear, one should know what choice to make.”
Yanping was immediately speechless. After a long while, he said, “Then are you not worried about completely offending the Holy Dragon Temple?”
A mocking light appeared in Princess Zhiya’s eyes. Yanping’s question was truly muddled.
“When I possess the entire Furious Wave Kingdom, I am qualified to worry about whether I will offend the Holy Dragon Temple. And when you are trying to take everything from me, this worry is rather superfluous, isn’t it?” Zhiya said calmly.
Indeed it was so. For example, a civil servant in a rising period would of course care very much about the leader’s opinion of him, doing everything possible to flatter.
But one day, he committed a murder case and was about to be sentenced to life imprisonment. Who would still care about the leader’s opinion? Not taking the opportunity to molest the leader’s mistress would already be quite good.
Yanping was once again speechless.
Zhiya said, “My grandfather, to stop Hidden Continent’s infiltration, did not hesitate to kill his three sons. My father, to stop Hidden Continent’s infiltration, did not hesitate to be hollowed out by the entire kingdom’s nobles. Did not hesitate to forcefully let me, a woman, ascend the throne as king. Did not hesitate to let a man of a different surname hold the kingdom’s great power. And I, to preserve the Furious Wave Kingdom’s independence and integrity, how could I lack even the courage to be reborn from nirvana?”
Yanping continued to be speechless.
Zhiya said, “Even speaking with the most extreme words, there is a family heirloom, incomparably precious. But one day the owner cannot protect it. He would rather smash it himself than let the enemy steal it. This is the thought of most people. And I am also one of these most people!”
When the Ming Dynasty perished, before Emperor Chongzhen committed suicide, to prevent his wife and daughters from being dishonored, he first killed them with his own hands. It was the same principle.
Priest Yanping looked at Princess Zhiya and sighed, “Your Highness, you are more suited to be king than your father. To be controlled by Suolun like this is truly a pity!”
Princess Zhiya shook her head and said, “Actually, when Suolun and I are alone, most of the time I am the one controlling him. Every time he loses his armor and begs for mercy.”
At these words, Yanping completely could not believe his own ears.
Princess Zhiya was making dirty jokes?! Speaking vulgar words!
The princess before him, who was transcendent and above worldly affairs, this former Holy Dragon Temple saintess, future queen, was actually making dirty jokes. And making them with a straight face.
In an instant, Yanping surged with infinite jealousy!
What virtue and ability did Suolun possess, to actually be able to have such a woman?
Among the women of the world, one who combined wisdom, martial arts, beauty, and nobility, no one could surpass this woman before him!
Ji Xiuning’s beauty and status were not inferior to Zhiya before him. But she was too lacking in human spirit, like a Bodhisattva in a temple.
“Priest Yanping, you may leave. Do not come to see me again.” Princess Zhiya said lightly, “Although my husband would not mind, as a wife, privately meeting with other men is always not good.”
Yanping’s face immediately became somewhat embarrassed. He rose and saluted, “Yanping takes his leave!”
Then, he walked out with somewhat staggering steps.
His embarrassment did not come from the failure of the negotiation. Because this was unrelated to him, and would not affect his future.
But because he had always thought highly of himself, feeling his talent was unmatched. At this time, whether in vision or wisdom, being crushed by a woman, the blow to his inner heart was the root of his embarrassment.
When Yanping walked out the door, suddenly Zhiya called out, “Wait, please stay!”
Yanping stopped and said, “What further instructions does Your Highness have?”
He of course no longer cherished any hope that Zhiya would change her mind. Facing such a truly intelligent person, any words were useless.
Princess Zhiya walked out, took out a small chest, and handed it to Yanping. “This is a gift from our husband and wife to Hidden Continent Young Master Fang Qingyi.”
Priest Yanping smelled a bloody scent. Even through the chest, it was clearly detectable. He could not help but ask, “What is this?”
“The human skin of Wangcheng Gold Chief Manager, Hidden Origin Society Elder Fang Zeming.” Princess Zhiya said, “Of course I admit, my husband skinning him alive was very irrational. But I feel this very much expresses our will, the will that we would rather be jade shattered than tile intact!”
Yanping’s body trembled. He almost wanted to immediately throw away the chest in his hands. Then he steadily held it. Then he bowed deeply once more and said, “I take my leave.”
Then, hugging this chest containing human skin, he fled in panic.
…
Who knew how much time had passed!
The frost shrouding Ashi Liren’s body gradually receded. A hint of red flush appeared on her snowy white face.
Then, she opened her beautiful eyes and gradually awakened.
And Suolun, on the contrary, fell into complete unconsciousness. The Demon Star continued devouring the ice-cold energy within Ashi Liren’s body.
At this time, Ashi Liren roughly understood how Suolun had saved her. She could clearly feel that a very mysterious energy body was continuously devouring the ice-cold energy within her body, letting her recover her vitality.
And this mysterious energy body was within Suolun’s body!
Standing from Ashi Liren’s height, she of course immediately associated many things. Then she discovered a terrifying fact, a heaven-shaking secret!
Regarding the Demon Star, regarding the World-Destroying Demon Emperor, she knew far more than others!
Regarding the ice-cold energy within her own body, Ashi Liren was very clear. It was enough to kill Suolun ten times, a hundred times.
Yet Suolun was not in danger of losing his life. Within his body seemed to be a bottomless pit, capable of devouring countless energy.
Then the result was easy to guess. Perhaps the World-Destroying Demon Emperor that her younger brother Ashi Luo sacrificed himself for, perhaps the World-Destroying Demon Emperor that the entire Holy Dragon Temple was hunting, was right before her eyes?
It was this man who was beautiful to the extreme, intelligent to the extreme, charming to the extreme!
This result made Ashi Liren tremble very much?
Her entire heart and body were trembling! It made her entire heart sink!
Ashi Liren’s jade hands cradled Suolun’s face. She murmured to herself, “Suolun, are you that World-Destroying Demon Emperor?”