Chapter 132 The Situation: Should we welcome back our old master, or establish a new one? ...
Three days after He Qinglan arrived, Xue Rang came to see her.
He Qinglan agreed.
The autumn air is crisp and clear, the sky is high and the clouds are light.
A breeze wafted through the wide-open window, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms.
He Qinglan held a cup of osmanthus tea, sat at the table, and waited calmly.
Dressed in plain white clothes, Xue Rang, led by Fang Wangshu, knocked on the door and entered the house.
The young man bowed respectfully to He Qinglan.
Fang Wangshu quietly left the room and closed the door behind her. The last thing she heard was that the goddess invited Xue Rang to sit down and talk.
"What do you think Xue Rang wanted to talk to the goddess about?" someone asked, craning their neck to look into the goddess's study, full of curiosity.
Staff member A: "Could it be that Xue Rang wants to cooperate with us?"
Soldier B: "Perhaps he saw that the goddess was different from others and wanted to recognize her as his leader?"
Staff member C: "What you said makes sense. It's clear that the capital can't be defended now, so it's normal for him to want to find another way out."
Soldier Ding: "But is it possible that he intends to harm us?"
"Probably not, after all, the goddess has been kind to him."
Feng Jiawei wasn't appointed as the head of the intelligence department for nothing; he knew the story of Xue Rang, Xue Caiwei, and the Lu siblings, so he told it to his colleagues.
Everyone: "..."
Oh no! My savior actually killed my fiancée?!
Zhu Youchuan unfolded his fan, "This is truly... Did Xue Rang come to see the Goddess merely to thank her for revealing the truth, or...?"
Qi Shuyu's gaze sharpened. "The goddess said that the dead cannot be brought back to life." Besides, Xue Caiwei is now just a pile of bones.
“But what if Xue Rang tries to force me?” Xi Baolu said, glancing uneasyly towards the study.
Yun Youning said, "He had better not try to threaten the Goddess." The Goddess hates being threatened the most.
Feng Jiawei leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and said, "Given Xue Rang's personality, he might very well want to take a gamble."
Hearing his words, Fang Wangshu subconsciously asked, "But?"
Feng Jiawei smiled and said, "But he can't defeat a goddess. How can a mortal fight against a goddess?"
Yun Youning laughed. "Indeed." How could a mortal possibly defeat a goddess?
The study was quieter than everyone had expected.
Xue Rang first expressed, "If Your Excellency can lead the way into the capital, I will surrender to Your Excellency with my men and hand over the Imperial Seal of the State."
He then asked He Qinglan to let him see Xue Caiwei one more time.
He Qinglan looked at him and emphasized earnestly, "There is no reincarnation in this world, no ghosts. When a person dies, they are truly dead."
Xue Rang was stunned.
He couldn't accept it. "Then why did you have Senior Sister Mei bring this to me before?"
He Qinglan explained, "That was just a clip from the past."
Even the most vivid video is still just a 3D video.
Xue Caiwei is dead.
There is no reincarnation in this world; her soul ceased to exist the moment she died.
Xue Rang stared intently at He Qinglan, who calmly met his gaze.
Xue Rang was dejected.
After a long silence, he said, "The video quality is very good. Could you let me see it again?"
He Qinglan said, "Sure, I can give you the footage from whichever time period you want, but I have one condition."
She looked at Xue Rang and said, "Give me the Imperial Seal of the State now."
As Fang Wangshu saw Xue Rang off, Xue Rang stood at the study door and said without turning his head, "Someone told me that there is a way to revive Caiwei."
Fang Wangshu was greatly surprised.
He Qinglan's eyes turned slightly cold. "You can give it a try."
The method is to kill He Qinglan, seize her system, and replace her as the new mission taker.
Then, make a deal with the system, wish to revive Xue Caiwei, and accumulate points by traversing small worlds and completing tasks.
What advice did he receive?
Xue Rang shook his head with a wry smile, "Of course I know I'm no match for you, so I've never had such thoughts."
How could someone who can produce images from the past be someone that a mere mortal like him could handle?
Xue Rang had this self-awareness.
Watching Xue Rang's figure disappear through the door, He Qinglan's face showed a sneer: What can't she get rid of? She wants to rely on the power of the male protagonist of the small world?
Did he think anyone could kill the transmigrators and seize the system like Si Chen did?
Si Chen was able to accomplish this because he was a cultivator at the time, but Xue Rang was just an ordinary human with a mortal body. Even with the protection of the Heavenly Dao, he couldn't defeat this dragon girl.
After seeing Xue Rang off, Fang Wangshu was a little worried and secretly came to see He Qinglan.
“Goddess…” she hesitated, “Xue Rang’s last words, did he… did he intend to harm you?”
If he dares to harm the goddess, then we must find a way to get rid of him.
No matter how difficult it is, we must do it.
Fang Wangshu's gaze was firm.
Seeing her worried expression, He Qinglan said, "Don't worry, he can't do anything to me."
Having received the goddess's affirmative reply, Fang Wangshu felt relieved. "That's good."
However, Fang Wangshu still told others about it, urging them to remain vigilant.
She reiterated this, saying, "It is the goddess's business to deal with those who are hostile to her, but it is our incompetence to allow these people to break through our defenses and reach her."
Xi Baolu, who was about to say something, shut her mouth. Fang Wangshu's words made perfect sense!
“Admittedly, we are incompetent, but we cannot remain incompetent forever,” Fang Wangshu said. “Otherwise, what is the point of the goddess choosing us?”
Yun Youning: "..." As expected of the secretary-general, her skills in manipulating people are superb, yet they are impossible to refute.
Ning Huai'an said, "Strengthen our defenses and absolutely prevent anyone from disturbing the goddess again!"
Zhu Youchuan closed his fan and slightly closed his eyelids. "Offense is the best defense."
The war continues.
Xingzhou was, after all, the capital city, and it was not easy to conquer. In addition, Xue Rang was a good commander.
However, there were also talented individuals among the Allied forces. Strategists and generals used their strengths to compete with the imperial army.
Two months later, the capital city fell.
Yue Yao was the first to enter the city.
This was completely unexpected.
Ye Hui: "You mean, Zhang Zigao has entered the capital first?"
Lu Hong: "Damn it, we held back the main force, but he got the advantage!"
He Qinglan: "The right time, the right place, and the right people."
Zhao Jiashu: "So what if we enter the city first? Does that mean everyone will acknowledge Zhang Zigao as the new ruler of the world?"
Sun Yannan: "Yue Yao, he really is a talent. It's such a pity that such a talent is under the tutelage of Zhang Zi."
Zhang Zigao was overjoyed and praised Yue Yao highly.
Yue Yao scratched the back of his head and said modestly, "It's just a coincidence."
Zhang Zigao laughed loudly, "That's because you acted decisively and seized the opportunity, Ayao! Otherwise, why would you be the first one to enter the city?"
He patted Yue Yao on the shoulder happily, "We'll drink to celebrate for you tonight!"
A few days later, the other Allied forces entered Beijing one after another.
The heads of the various families sat in the palace where the emperor used to hold his morning court, staring at each other.
Zhang Zigao looked somewhat worried and said, "Xue Rang is not in the city."
Everyone: ?
Zhang Zigao continued, "After we entered the city, we searched the whole city but couldn't find him. The Lu family and his mansion were already deserted."
He couldn't help but wonder, "Could it be that Xue Rang led people to find... His Majesty?"
“Impossible.” Sun Yannan immediately denied it. His army was stationed on the west side, and he was certain that Xue Rang had not broken through his defenses and headed west.
Lu Hong asked, puzzled, "Where did Xue Rang go?"
Ye Hui thought for a moment, "Perhaps he is still in the city, hiding somewhere?"
Lu Hong was still worried and said, "Let's search again. We must find him!"
He Qinglan spoke up, "No need."
All eyes were on her.
Ye Hui asked in confusion, "Governor He, do you know where Xue Rang is?"
He Qinglan nodded. "He took his fiancée's body back to his hometown. He will never come back."
Everyone: ?
Sun Yannan couldn't accept this answer. He laughed, "Governor He, it's not that I don't believe you, it's just that you mentioned Xue Rang..."
Before he could finish speaking, He Qinglan took out the Imperial Seal of the State.
Sun Yannan: "!"
Lu Hong hurriedly asked, "How...how did it end up in your hands?!"
He Qinglan said, "Xue Rang gave it to me before he left."
Lu Hong: "Why would he give it to you?"
He Qinglan didn't answer again. She repeated, "Xue Rang won't be coming back. There's no need to waste any more time on him."
The young woman held the Imperial Seal of the State aloft, her cool gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Next, shall we welcome back the old master, or establish a new one?"
Everyone had their own thoughts, and the question He Qinglan raised was not one that could be answered through a war of words.
Therefore, the meeting ended unhappily.
On the way back, we passed by the Lu family mansion.
The once bustling Prime Minister's residence is now deserted and desolate.
He Qinglan stood at the door for a while.
Ning Huai'an's gaze slid from the luxurious mansion to the people on the roadside.
The people of this capital city are no different from those of people in other places.
He heard Zhu Youchuan ask the goddess, "Will Xue Rang really commit suicide?"
He Qinglan replied, "Yes."
He was saved by Doctor Xue, but because of him, Doctor Xue's only beloved daughter was murdered. This only beloved daughter was also his white moonlight.
Now that the Lu family has fallen and all three members are dead, Xue Rang has no more attachments in this world.
Zhu Youchuan sighed and said nothing more.
Ning Huai'an wasn't concerned about Xue Rang; he asked, "What will happen next?"
Each faction harbors ambitions to become emperor and will not willingly allow someone else to ascend to the throne, so the war will not cease.
He Qinglan said, "I'll give the imperial seal to Lu Hong, and we'll go back to Jinzhou."
Ning Huai'an was shocked, "Huh?"
Zhu Youchuan was also puzzled, "Goddess?"
He Qinglan said, "We've just swallowed the Southwest and are about to swallow the Northwest, so we need to digest it first."
There's no point in scheming and infighting in the capital. Even if everyone can divide power fairly and jointly elect a ruler, it will only be temporary.
They'll fight again sooner or later.
Instead of wasting time in the capital, it would be better to go back to Jinzhou and focus on development, spending time and energy in the southwest and northwest.
"But you handed the imperial seal to Lu Hong?" Zhu Youchuan still didn't quite understand.
He Qinglan said, "Lu Hong has never taken me seriously. If I give him the imperial seal, he will take me even less seriously."
Lu Hong thought He Qinglan was afraid of him and was trying to please him.
If it were Sun Yannan, he could have used one knife against Lu Hong and the other against He Qinglan without delaying either.
Zhu Youchuan: "That doesn't stop Sun Yannan from taking action against you."
He Qinglan: "So we'll go back immediately and continue the construction."
Lu Hong and Sun Yannan were locked in a struggle in the capital.
Since Zhang Zigao was the first to enter the capital, and the imperial seal was in He Qinglan's hands, the two were initially evenly matched in their struggle.
However, He Qinglan's giving of the imperial seal to Lu Hong was seen as an indirect show of support, which made Lu Hong even more arrogant.
Ye Hui learned of the news and came to see He Qinglan.
She was very puzzled. "Aren't you going back now? Why don't you try to fight it out?"
He Qinglan looked at her and suddenly asked, "If I win, I will give you Ningzhou, Maozhou, Shengzhou, and Chaozhou?"
Ye Hui smiled upon hearing this, "That would be great."
He Qinglan continued, "But what if I were to assign Ningzhou to Zhao Jiashu?"
Ye Hui's face darkened.
The two looked at each other for a while, and Ye Hui understood what He Qinglan meant. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said, "This osmanthus tea is really fragrant."
He Qinglan's expression remained indifferent, showing no change.
Ye Hui said, "I understand what you mean."
If I accept his orders, then they are orders; if I don't accept them, then they are just a piece of waste paper.
Ye Hui took another sip of tea. "But no matter what, if we can openly seize a prefecture or a state, wouldn't we save on military manpower in the future?"
He Qinglan also took a sip of osmanthus tea and said, "That's not necessarily true."
Even if God were to grant you this state, I would not accept it and would fight for it. In order to protect your territory, you would still have to expend military resources.
Ye Hui: "..."
She sighed, "What you're saying makes me want to go back too." She had indeed been away from Ningzhou for a long time.
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Author's Note: 16000/20000
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