The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

Song Zhiyuan noticed Emperor Chu’s breath cold and gloomy, completely losing his earlier good mood, so he coughed once.

”Actually, you shouldn’t feel like you were played by Cabinet Minister Ning. Try to look at the positive side; as long as Xia Houzhe and Cabinet Minister Ning are executed, they’ll lose their pack leader. Once the leader is gone, it takes time to choose a new one, doesn’t it?”

”They need that time, and we do too. Just because they’re developing doesn’t mean we stop. Once the naval transport is opened and the navy is well-trained, we might go explore Western Countries. Who knows, we might bring back some interesting skills. Forget about gold and silver or treasure mountains. I’ve heard they have cannons and guns; when the time comes, we can study them and blast the enemy away if they dare to come.”

Emperor Chu halted his steps, truly amused, turned his head and glared at him: ”You, what should I say about you? Earlier, you spoke as if our troops were already at the gates, and now you’re telling me to look on the bright side? You’re both the god and the ghost, talking so well that the dead seems alive. Were you a storyteller or an actor in your previous life?”

Song Zhiyuan chuckled, hiding his face with his sleeve: ”I’m just trying to compensate a little after ruining your mood and pouring cold water on it.”

”Oh, stop with that.”

”But I’m serious, without the pack leader, even if they want to do big things, they’ll have to choose a new leader. Everyone has their own motives; they are just subordinates, each wants to be the top, each not convinced by the other. This internal conflict could very likely snuff them out even without our intervention.”

Emperor Chu chuckled: ”Yet you said that if the weeds aren’t removed by the roots, they’ll grow back when spring wind blows. And you’re advising me not to play a frog-boiling game.”

Song Zhiyuan chuckled: ”That’s considering from your perspective. How can you tolerate others sleeping soundly beneath your throne? If this threat can be nipped in the bud, naturally it’s a good thing. But if not, then we can only leave it to our successors. Forcing too much isn’t beautiful.”

”You’re contradicting yourself.”

Song Zhiyuan bowed and apologized: ”It’s also because sugarcane can’t be sweet at both ends; things can’t be perfect. I say this to provide some comfort.”

Emperor Chu chuckled twice, showing him the look of ’Isn’t your face hurting?’

”Frankly speaking, when you pass away, who cares if the world goes to hell? We won’t be here to see it, so why worry about something that distant? We’ve already done what we can; why burden the younger generation? Do we really want to raise another Xia Houzhe, watching him squander everything—that’ll be infuriating, won’t it?”

”You talk a good game, but aren’t you exhausting yourself for the Song Family’s hundred years?” Emperor Chu eyed him disdainfully.

Song Zhiyuan said: ”That’s why I’m diligently cultivating the young ones. The foundation we lay depends on future generations; I don’t believe I’ll catch a glimpse of the world’s splendor after I’m gone. You look at Xia Country’s Emperor Xia Ying, indulged in pleasures until death, a true advocate of carpe diem. Did he ever truly care about Xia Country’s future?”

Emperor Chu, pensively remarked: ”And that’s why he lost the kingdom. Now, even the common people curse him as a damned fallen ruler.”

Song Zhiyuan: ”...”

Let it be; if you argue, you’re correct!

I dare not refute.

Old Eunuch Zhou shrugged his shoulders repeatedly, quickly lowering his head. Oh my, he’s about to die laughing from these two masters. Together they have a hundred years, yet they’re squabbling like little children—truly childish.