Chapter 59 Your Highness has changed…

The operation to eradicate the evil cultivators in the Western Region was ultimately completed with lightning speed.

The ringleader was executed, and all his core henchmen were wiped out.

The lesser demons who were confirmed to be accomplices and who did not personally take lives were stripped of their cultivation and exiled to a harsh and cold land.

When the news reached the palace, Chi Li was instructing Tang Lu on how to more precisely control the wood spirit energy, making an ordinary leaf float in the air and slowly rotate.

After listening to the report from the guards, Chi Li simply nodded slightly, indicating that she understood.

Upon hearing the report, Tang Lu gently let the swirling leaf land in her palm, looked up at Chi Li, her eyes shining:

"Lili, this is good, isn't it?"

She didn't specify what "like this" meant, but Akari understood what she meant.

"Mm," Chi Li responded.

She reached out and took the leaf from her palm. A faint golden light flashed at her fingertips, and the edge of the ordinary leaf was coated with a layer of light, containing a trace of protective spiritual energy.

Chi Li: "This is for you."

Tang Lu took the leaf that had changed and looked so wonderful, and couldn't put it down: "Thank you, Lili!"

She carefully tucked the leaf into her bosom, then, as if remembering something, hesitated for a moment and asked softly:

"Then... will those exiled little demons... get better in the future?"

Chi Li looked at the pure, kind question in her eyes and remained silent for a moment.

Based on her previous understanding, once one's fundamental nature is damaged, being exiled to a harsh and cold place means that one is mostly just barely surviving and left to fend for oneself, so how can one talk about "getting better"?

But looking into those eyes, she couldn't bring herself to tell them such a cruel reality.

"If they repent and temper their character in dire straits, there may be a glimmer of hope." She offered a theoretically possible but extremely slim chance.

Tang Lu seemed to understand, but the phrase "a glimmer of hope" gave her a general idea of ​​what it meant.

She nodded vigorously: "Yes! As long as there's hope, that's good!"

She patted her small chest, as if to give some encouragement to the little demons she had never met in the distance.

Looking at her innocent and kind appearance, Chi Li felt a warmth in her heart.

Perhaps, preserving this "glimmer of hope" is meaningful in itself.

Since then, Tang Lu seems to have developed a stronger interest in the political affairs handled by Chi Li.

She no longer passively sensed Chi Li's emotions; occasionally, when Chi Li had free time, she would point to the words on the report that she couldn't understand and ask what had happened.

Chi Li would choose some less bloody stories to tell her, explaining the conflicts and solutions in a way that she could understand.

She discovered that although Tang Lu was simple-minded, she had a keen intuition and sometimes even raised questions that seemed naive but hit the nail on the head, forcing her to rethink the issues from a different perspective.

On this day, a report was presented regarding the renewed conflict among several tribes in southern Xinjiang over a rare spiritual plant called "Moonlight Alfalfa".

In the past, Chi Li would usually decide ownership directly, forcefully suppressing all objections.

But this time, as she looked at the report, she glanced at Tang Lu, who was listening intently with a curious expression, and a thought struck her.

She summarized the report and told it to Tang Lu, then asked, "In your opinion, how should this matter be handled?"

Tang Lu tilted her head and thought for a moment, then counted on her fingers and said:

"They all really want that glowing grass, don't they?"

Just like Tang Lu and Li Li both love to eat honey-glazed fire spirit dates.

Her eyes lit up: "Then... can we make that grass grow a little more?"

Or, could we have everyone take turns caring for it and share the benefits it brings?

That way we won't have to fight over it!

Taking turns caring for each other?

share?

Chi Li was slightly taken aback.

This line of thinking completely deviates from the law of the demon realm: the survival of the fittest and the concentration of resources.

In her opinion, it was far too idealistic.

The thought, "...a child's perspective," naturally came to mind.

But the next moment, she "heard" Tang Lu's inner murmur:

"But... when everyone's fighting over it, no one's happy, and the grass gets trampled. That's not good..."

Looking at Tang Lu's slightly regretful expression, and then at the report in her hand, Chi Li couldn't help but follow Tang Lu's "naive" train of thought.

Moonlight alfalfa has demanding growing conditions, and it may not be feasible to forcibly expand its cultivation.

However... if the royal court were to step in, demarcate the area, guide these tribes to jointly protect it, distribute the spoils according to their contributions, and use this as an opportunity to establish a more stable alliance...

It seems that it's not entirely impossible?

This is far better than forcibly suppressing one side and causing resentment to accumulate.

Although the process will be more complicated and require more supervision and coordination.

However, if successful, it might fundamentally resolve these kinds of conflicts.

This idea came as a surprise even to Chi Li herself.

She was actually seriously considering the whimsical idea of ​​a "little tree spirit".

Seeing that Chi Li remained silent for a long time, Tang Lu thought she had said something wrong and nervously tugged at her sleeve: "Li Li, did Tang Lu say something wrong?"

Chi Li snapped out of her daze, looked at her cautious manner, reached out and ruffled her hair, her tone unreadable: "Never. Your idea... is quite interesting."

She neither promised to adopt it nor denied it.

Tang Lu was delighted by the phrase "somewhat interesting," feeling that Li Li was actually listening to her!

Seeing her bright smile return, Chi Li's gaze fell back on the report, and she made a new decision in her heart.

She may never become a pure compassionate person like Tang Lu, but her tree spirit is assimilating this deep pool filled with power and intrigue in her unique way.

Although it did not change the nature of the pool, it did create different ripples on the surface.

Beneath these ripples, something that has stood firm for millennia seems to be quietly loosening.

Chi Li ultimately adopted Tang Lu's "somewhat interesting" idea.

Instead of directly deciding on the ownership of the moon clover, she sent a senior official known for his impartiality to the southern border with the royal decree.

They summoned the tribes that were still arguing and discussed a plan for joint protection and orderly distribution.

**

That day, as usual, Tanglu went to that quiet garden to visit the shade-loving spirit plants.

As she approached the thriving patch of black moss, before she could even squat down and channel her wood spirit energy as usual, a wave of intent, clearer than ever before, timidly touched her spiritual consciousness.

"...The little tree...has arrived..."

[...Comfortable...I like it...]

【……Thanks……】

The thoughts were fragmented and incoherent, more like a transmission of pure emotion, carrying affection, joy, and a touch of gratitude.

Tang Lu stopped in surprise, her amber eyes wide open.

She looked uncertainly at the patch of deep green moss at her feet: "Was...was it you talking to me?"

Mo Yutai was naturally unable to answer with words, but the emotional fluctuations conveyed to her, filled with dependence and warmth, became even clearer.

Immediately afterwards, the silver-lined ferns nearby also emitted a similar subtle jubilation, and even the usually most silent "star-spotted orchids" began to emanate a gentle ripple.

This spiritual plant garden, which could only passively receive her nourishment, was now awakened by the increasingly refined wood spirit power emanating from her, which carried a certain aura of "approval".

Start trying to communicate with her using their methods.

Tang Lu was filled with surprise and warmth. She carefully squatted down, no longer simply transferring the wood spirit energy, but trying to gently envelop it with her own spiritual sense, conveying emotions of comfort and joy:

"You're welcome. I'm happy as long as you're all doing well."

Her response seemed to rouse the little creatures, though they were still unable to engage in complex communication.

But the joy of being understood and accepted spread throughout the small plant garden.

Tanglu stayed in the garden longer than usual, until the sun began to set, before reluctantly leaving.

She walked back with light steps, wondering if she should bring some purer spring water for them tomorrow.

As you walk through a corridor connecting the garden and the main hall.

She inadvertently glanced out the corridor and saw two low-ranking plant spirit maids talking quietly next to a clump of "purifying bamboo" that was usually responsible for purifying the air.

"Have you heard? His Majesty didn't directly suppress the rebellion in dealing with the affairs of the Southern Frontier this time..."

"Yes, that's really strange. It's said... it was on the advice of that young master?"

"Really? That young master... seems to have a very kind heart."

A few days ago, I twisted my ankle while cultivating and was feeling unwell by the roadside. She even stopped and gave me a wisp of wood spirit energy..."

"That's right, their aura is so pure, and they treat us so kindly, they're completely different from the rumors..."

Their conversation was in low voices, but Tang Lu's spiritual awareness was now sharp enough that she could hear it clearly.

She felt a little embarrassed, but also a little happy, when she heard words like "kind-hearted" and "amiable" used to describe herself.

She walked quietly away without disturbing them.

But the warmth in my heart from being recognized by my fellow plant spirits (even though they were low-level plant spirits) lingered for a long time.

It turns out that Lili adopted her suggestion not only to make her happy, but it seems... it also improved the opinions of other "green" people towards her?

This made her feel that she was no longer a precious treasure protected under Lili's wings, but... that she could also influence the surroundings in her own way and bring about a little bit of positive change.

When she returned to her bedchamber, Chi Li had just finished a meeting with her ministers.

Tang Lu, after a long absence, pounced over and hugged Chi Li's leg, tilting her little face up with bright, sparkling eyes:

"Lili! Lili! Today, the grass and flowers can 'talk' to Tanglu!"

They say they like Tanglu! And also, Tanglu heard other elves say that Tanglu is a good fairy!

She excitedly shared what she had seen and heard that day, her face flushed with excitement, and several tiny golden flowers even sprouted from the ends of her hair, like she was wearing a small flower crown.

Chi Li looked down at her joyful expression, listened to her incoherent yet vibrant narration, and felt the pure joy and sense of accomplishment that she conveyed through soul resonance.

The gloom in my heart, brought on by years of dealing with conflicting political affairs, was largely dispelled by this sunny mood.

She reached out and gently touched the few small yellow flowers in Tang Lu's hair, a smile curving her lips.

"Yes, I understand."