Chapter 35
Chapter 35
“Why is that?”
Going through such great lengths to test Ye Ning, wasn’t it to ascertain his character and integrate him into the plan to revive Great Zhou?
If they weren’t going to include him, why go through the trouble with Xiao Qianqian?
“Because I feel that Lord Ye is not suitable,” Xiao Qianqian had her own thoughts.
“Do you still think he’s not reliable?” Ji Mingyue asked.
“Of course not. Lord Ye is both virtuous and talented. There’s no one more reliable than him in this world. But precisely because of this, he’s not suitable for joining our plan,” Xiao Qianqian took a deep breath, speaking with certainty.
“Your Majesty, don’t you see? Lord Ye’s character is all about being upright and straightforward, too zealous against evil,” Xiao Qianqian said.
Ji Mingyue’s expression changed. She seemed to understand Xiao Qianqian’s meaning.
“What are we doing? It’s about endurance, silent accumulation, moving forward in the shadows,” Xiao Qianqian continued.
“For the sake of Great Zhou, Your Majesty is being reviled by the world, regarded as a foolish ruler.
“Liu Shen is labeled as the greatest treacherous minister for eternity. How many people wish to dig up his ancestors’ graves.
“And as for me, I’m just dwelling in the brothel.
“We all have no good reputation. It looks glamorous on the surface, but in reality, no one understands us better than ourselves.”
With a bitter smile, Xiao Qianqian continued, “Your Majesty can empathize with this feeling.”
She wasn’t a foolish ruler! She just had to conceal herself because of a great mission.
In fact, no one loved the land of Great Zhou more than her.
But the literati and military officials cursed her, the common people cursed her, even the people in the palace cursed her behind her back.
They believed that if it weren’t for her, Great Zhou wouldn’t have declined so quickly.
But they wouldn’t consider that if she weren’t a “foolish ruler,” the oppression from the Immortal Sect over the years would have been even greater.
A person who wasn’t a foolish ruler, but bore a malicious reputation, only those who experienced it firsthand could understand the taste of it.
The two looked at each other, seeing the bitterness in each other’s eyes.
“Do you think Ye Ning can’t bear this bitterness?” Ji Mingyue sighed and asked.
“It’s not that he can’t bear it, but he simply won’t bear this kind of bitterness,” Xiao Qianqian said.
“Your Majesty hasn’t seen it yet? Lord Ye’s character is all about being firm, without any softness!
“He might not be ignorant of endurance, but he won’t choose to endure!
“Because he fears neither life nor death, his mission is to fight against injustice in this world!
“There’s probably no one more upright than him in the world. I’m afraid that if Lord Ye knows what we’re doing, he won’t be able to resist, and he’ll fight for our vindication!”
Upon hearing this, Ji Mingyue’s heart trembled, hastily saying, “How can this be?”
Their accumulation wasn’t enough yet.
It wasn’t time to reveal their hand, and once exposed, all their previous efforts would be in vain.
“So, we can’t let Lord Ye join us,” Xiao Qianqian said.
“You’re right, he’s indeed not suitable,” Ji Mingyue closed her eyes, acknowledging this point.
She had thought that she could be colleagues with Ye Ning, but in the end, she had to give up.
This made her somewhat regretful.
But she completely understood Xiao Qianqian’s suggestion, which was completely correct.
“And I also think that Lord Ye not joining us might be even more useful. He’s destined for another path,” Xiao Qianqian had a new perspective.
“What path?” Ji Mingyue showed an eager listening expression.
“This world is divided into two sides, black and white. Some people have to walk in the shadows, while others have to stand in the light,” Xiao Qianqian said very seriously.
“In the past, Great Zhou only had those of us who hid in the shadows. We worked hard, sacrificing our lives for Great Zhou.
“But no one knew… What they saw was a foolish ruler, treacherous ministers, and courtesans.
“As time went on, they truly believed that Great Zhou had rotten to the core. Throughout the court, there was no righteous person left.
“Your Majesty, this is not good. It’s very bad.
“If one day we succeed, but at that time, will Great Zhou still be Great Zhou? Will there still be righteous people in the world? I’m afraid not, because there will be no soil for them to survive on.
“That’s not the Great Zhou we want.
“But Lord Ye’s existence fills in the side of light.
“He tells the world that there are still loyal and righteous subjects, poverty and lowliness cannot corrupt them, wealth and status cannot seduce them, might cannot bend them… This is not a story written by a sage, it’s a real thing.
“He will become a banner, and those with righteousness will automatically gather around him.
“At that time, although we are seemingly opposed, in fact, we are headed in the same direction.”
This speech was thought-provoking.
It greatly shook the Empress.
“You’re right, Great Zhou needs such a person. Ye Ning can awaken the fighting spirit of the righteous. He will tell the world that there are still people in the court who won’t yield!” Ji Mingyue murmured.
Kneeling for too long, sometimes you really can’t stand up anymore.
Often, people need spiritual encouragement more than anything else.
“The only thing we need to worry about is that the cost of being a banner is often sacrifice. Lord Ye standing in the sunlight will become a target for all the villains. Treacherous ministers, the Six Kingdoms, the Immortal Sect, and ambitious noble families, none of them will let him go!” Xiao Qianqian expressed some concern. “I’m just worried that if someone really wants to harm him, what should we do?”
Ji Mingyue suddenly stood up.
She interrupted Xiao Qianqian’s words.
In her beautiful eyes, a cold killing intent flashed.
“Whoever touches him, I’ll kill them!”