Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

2258 Treacherous Deal

Li Jiande smiled. The more kindly he smiled, the more aggressive the brutality in his eyes became. “So, my beloved granddaughter, do you think that the alliance of the four Kurfürst families is so unreliable that you can turn them against each other with a few fancy words? If so, the four families would’ve started fighting each other hundreds of years ago. How on earth could we have worked together to maintain the balance of the Imperium to this day?”

“I am turning nobody against anybody but just speaking the truth that other people do not dare nor want to talk about.”

Li Linghai said calmly, “The most direct evidence is right before us—the incident of the Blood Oath Alliance. Assassinating an elder of the Dongfang family in such a simple and straightforward way without caring about the consequences is certainly not my style and brings zero benefits to the reformists. It was really not done by us. If I may be so bold to ask, did the four Kurfürst families plan it, and was the Li family involved?”

After a brief silence, Li Jiande shook his head and said, “I swear by the name of ‘Silver Fox’ that the Li family definitely did not plan or participate in it. We did not know anything beforehand.”

“I didn’t do it, and the Li family didn’t do it. So, it was the Dongfang family who did it on their own?”

Li Linghai grinned, baring her sharp teeth. “After the demise of one elder, they became the greatest victim. Then, they established the special investigation committee as quickly as lightning, eliminating the dissidents, framing up the decent officials, and extending their influences to multiple battle areas to earn tremendous benefits for themselves.

“As a result, the Dongfang family gets the biggest slice of the cake, whereas the blame is taken by the four Kurfürst families together. Dongfang Wang has indeed made thorough plans. If I may ask, does such a sordid and shameless action signify their loyalty to the alliance of the four families?”

The wrinkles below Li Jiande’s eyes constricted, as if they were pinching a nonexistent mosquito hard, but he did not refute Li Linghai.

Encouraged, Li Linghai grew even more excited and raised her voice again. “Grandfather, this is the most corrupt and the darkest age of the Imperium, but this is also a great age to embrace world-shifting changes! The Imperium’s counterattack in the past decade has drained the national treasury. The enormous expedition army needs to be subsidized, the disabled and retired soldiers need to be compensated, the newly-recovered areas need to be reconstructed with tremendous capitals, and countless remote worlds whose economy is on the verge of collapse need rest and appeasement.

“Everything requires money and resources. Astronomical money and resources!

“Yes. The four Kurfürst families, with the wealth and the powerful troops, may turn a blind eye to the miscellaneous troops and the Immortal Cultivators from the remote worlds. But they are certainly not going to wait to die if you do not give them a chance to live.

“Today, I am asking for the support of the Li family as the leader of the reformists, but even without me, even if I am completely erased by the family, the strength that struggles for survival and seeks changes will not be gone. Instead, it will completely go out of control and become a raging flood that will destroy everything on its way!

“How can we harness the crazy strength? Where can we find the astronomical money and resources for the subsistence and reconstruction? Very simple. Any of the four fat and huge behemoths, once collapsed, will be enough for other people to feast on for decades and live through the most difficult years of the reconstruction of the newly-recovered territory!

“After the newly-recovered territory that was greatly sabotaged by the Covenant Alliance is reconstructed by us and yields all kinds of resources incessantly, and when the local people get rid of the Covenant Alliance’s brainwashing, it will be the turning point for the rise of the Imperium!

“All in all, the renaissance of the Imperium requires the sacrifice of a behemoth. If you do not wish to see the Dongfang family fall down, it will only be the Li family who does. There is not a third option!

“You have seen and heard the torrent of changes congregated by the wrath and hunger of the millions of Immortal Cultivators from the remote worlds, a torrent that has crushed your face overwhelmingly. Instead of resisting it stubbornly, you might as well control the strength in your hands tightly!

“I am willing to lead all the reformists and the soldiers of the coalition fleet to be the sharpest saber in the hands of grandfather and the Li family while we fight on the frontline to deal with the Dongfang family. All we need is a boost from the Li family in the back. One boost will be enough!”

Li Linghai spoke so passionately and enthusiastically that even her fair skin was emitting redness.

Li Jiande, however, remained untouched. He said coldly, “However, according to the rumors I have heard, the purpose of the reformists is more than that. You are not just dealing with the Dongfang family; you are going to destroy all the four Kurfürst families!”

“Yes, I’ve said that on a lot of occasions.”

Li Linghai did not deny it at all but said nonchalantly, “That is the thing about ideals. How could I have attracted so many hotblooded fellows of honor and integrity to me, and how can I make them cooperate with the Li family as willingly as the saber in Grandfather’s hands?

“As to exactly whether or not the saber will run out of control and even swallow the holder, it will depend on how you wave the saber. Are you not confident in manipulating the reformists, grandfather?”

“Then—”

Li Jiande asked with a smile, “What can you personally get from all this? Just save the bulls*it that you are just doing this for the revival of the Imperium and the future of the family.”

Li Linghai smiled and licked her lips. “If I say that I want to be the leader of the Li family while I am also the queen of the Imperium, would you consider it too outrageous, grandfather?”

Li Jiande said calmly, “There has never been an example of that in the Imperium.”

“Examples are always created by people.”

Li Linghai said without giving in, “The Imperium has never witnessed such a great era of changes in history either!”

After staring at Li Linghai for a long time, Li Jiande gave in first and changed the topic, “How exactly do you want the Li family to support the reformists?”

Without any hesitation, Li Linghai proposed her demands quickly, “First of all, I want the Divine Rain Fleet and all the armed forces deployed on the Divine Rain Planet to surrender to us. No. ‘Surrender’ seems to be too harsh. Please ask them to completely transfer their commandership to us. From this moment on, the Divine Rain Sector will be a temporary base for the reformists. As long as it is not armed, we will not interfere with the normal operations of the Divine Rain Planet. Of course, we will also have to ask grandfather to continue shipping resources to us for the daily consumption of our fleet. I’ll send the detailed list of assets over after discussing it with General Lei.”

The wrinkles on Li Jiande’s face were very steady. He asked peacefully, “What about the battle? How are we going to explain it to the family and to the public?”

Putting on a malicious smile, Li Linghai said softly, “A drill accident.”

Surrounded by enormous silence, Li Jiande failed to come up with anything until half a minute later. “Go on.”

“Secondly, I want the elders of the Li family and the vassal families to propose a motion in the Council of Elders tomorrow to express your concerns about the investigation of the Blood Oath Alliance, ask for the reorganization of the special investigation committee by reducing the members of the Dongfang family, and terminate the trend where the investigation is expanded randomly.”

Li Linghai said quickly, “Of course, the suspects of the Blood Oath Alliance who have been arrested randomly must be released too. Considering the complexity of the issue, half of them can be released first.

“Thirdly, the other motion is about General Lei Chenghu’s military rank. I know that the Council of Elders has been discussing it since a long time ago and there’s no objection in principle, except that the Council of Elders hoped to let General Lei work in the capital after he’s accoladed with the title of Supreme Commander. However, we feel that the frontline is still in dire need of the supervision of an influential general considering the instability of the area. Therefore, it will be most appropriate if General Lei is also nominated as the commander of the new expedition army and be fully responsible for the regrouping of the expedition army.

“Fourthly, the Li family will coordinate and ensure the security and smoothness of all the media and network of the reformists. I want every voice that the reformists make to be heard by everyone in the Imperium, or at least the Immortal Cultivators. I have collected countless shocking scandals and crimes of the Dongfang family in the past decades, and I’m waiting for this moment to turn them into cannonballs!

“Fifthly, and the last strike, grandfather will impeach Prime Minister Dongfang Wang in person and make sure that his cabinet collapses!

“As long as Dongfang Wang’s cabinet collapses, a chain reaction will inevitably be raised. All the forces in the entire Imperium will stand on the opposite side of the Dongfang family, hoping to bite a few pieces of meat from the shaking behemoth. By then, the Li family will certainly be able to replace it, or at least get the largest share and the fattest meat, right?”

Li Jiande was amused. “If I were two hundred years younger, I might’ve been convinced by you. But would it be really so simple when it is put in practice? You are asking the Li family to completely stand on the opposite side of the Dongfang family. We will be sworn enemies forever!”

“Exactly.”

Li Linghai declared aloud, “If you do not show your attitude clearly that you and the Dongfang family cannot live under the same roof, how can the reformists completely trust the Li family?

“Alright, grandfather, I have said everything I need to say. You must be tired too. This is an important matter that requires careful consideration, but I will not stop dying together with my enemy. In twenty-four hours, if I do not get a satisfying reply, the entire Li family will die with your granddaughter!”

Li Linghai demanded angrily; her face full of intimidation.

Li Jiande seemed to have been both lost for words and could not take her deterrence anymore. His eyes bulged wider and wider and gradually turned frozen. Suddenly, he grunted and collapsed.

The other side of the light beam immediately turned into havoc. The picture was moving up and down nonstop, mixed with panicked screams. By the time the crystal camera was squared again, Li Jiande was already nowhere to be seen. Li Mingxuan, Li Linghai’s father, was the one who pointed at the picture in fury and shouted, “You… You… You unpardonable witch, do you really dare to destroy your family?”

“What do you know, idiot?”

Li Linghai smiled sincerely and leaned back in the chair comfortably. Taking a long breath in relief and wiping off her sweat, she said casually, “It’s none of your business. Grandfather has agreed to my deal!”