Chapter 1902: Wanting Power

"Palace Master? Are you still well?"

When Yuan Xuan approached, the sunlight had already begun to slant westward.

Qingyang sensed his concern from his tone, and without turning her head, said: "Right here, right under my very eyes, I actually can't sanction the Yangshan Merchant Guild."

Yuan Xuan had been standing nearby just then, hearing every word of Bai Tan and her conversation, and now he comforted her: "Yangshan has held on this long only because of the war. Once Bai Tan finishes these few battles, their good days will be over."

Qingyang's gaze grew increasingly gloomy.

She had served as National Preceptor for over a hundred years, regulating the flow of qi and observing the court, but rarely paid attention to commerce, and with so many matters to worry about in Tianshui City, she had not noticed how Yangshan Merchant Guild differed from ordinary merchant guilds.

A merchant guild—what else is it but managing industries and buying and selling materials?

Today Bai Tan came specially to plead, and only then did she suddenly realize: Gao Xiong had, through the Yangshan Merchant Guild, extended his reach into every corner of the Jinjin Plains, including this very land beneath her feet!

You clearly want to strike him, yet you still have to do business with him.

Absurd!

Why can't even she, even the Heavenly Gods, deal with a few small branches of the merchant guild? Because Yangshan seems to have taken root in this land, its interests deeply entwined with everyone's—whether commoner or noble.

The Heavenly Gods thought a few orders would be enough to uproot it, but who knew that as soon as they moved, the people here would howl in protest and jump up in opposition, for this pain is like breaking a bone while tearing the tendons—it leaves a mark etched into the bone.

The Heavenly Gods' followers actually came forward to defend Gao Lingchuan's merchant guild, even daring to defy their master openly while obeying in secret.

Gao Lingchuan didn't even need to lift a finger himself; right here, he provoked mutual conflict.

This practice of "deeply binding interests with an opponent's inner circle" Qingyang had seen before, but only at the very heart of the bureaucratic vortex in Lingxu City—a high-level struggle of power and intrigue, where only the elite could participate, and it still required years of effort to gradually build such a vast web of interests.

She never imagined that on the Jinjin Plains, someone could apply this tactic to commercial operations, and do it so swiftly and covertly.

Even if Gao Lingchuan began laying plans upon entering Yaoyao, how long could it have possibly taken? He had already woven this net.

Looking back now, when he once dominated Tianshui City, led the trends, and ceaselessly attracted nobles to invest in the new city and in Yangshan, was he already laying the groundwork for today's situation?

At that time, Qingyang still thought his goal was to overthrow her, little knowing that Gao Lingchuan had long since surpassed her, turning his gaze toward something deeper and farther.

He who does not plan for the whole cannot plan for a single domain.

In such a hot early autumn, she yet felt a chill rise from her back.

Even the few Yangshan branches in Yaoyao are hard to deal with—how many layouts and hidden moves has Gao Lingchuan buried across the entire Jinjin Plains?

Who can stop him?

Is it still in time?

"You know, why is it that in just two short years, Gao Xiong managed to embed the Yangshan Merchant Guild throughout the entire Jinjin Plains?"

Why can others not do it, yet only Gao Xiong succeed?

Unprecedented in history.

This answer, she had pondered for a long time.

Yuan Xuan knew she wasn't truly asking him: "Please, Palace Master, instruct me."

"His merchant guild opposes no force in the Jinjin Plains; it seems to hold only two goals—peace and profit—and sometimes suffering a small loss doesn't matter." Qingyang spoke slowly, "Everyone lets their guard down against him, and he can thus gradually numb their vital centers. But to them, it's like they've taken ma san—they don't just feel no pain, they actually feel quite happy."

"He treats the allied forces this way, and Yaoyao the same way."

Yuan Xuan shivered involuntarily. Exactly so!

Though Yaoyao was destroyed by Bai Tan and the Heavenly Gods acting together, Gao Xiong also played an indispensable role. He stirred up conflict between the Yaoyao king and Qingyang, pinched Yaoyao's economic lifeline, yet the Yaoyao king, even to his death, hated nothing more than him!

Across the entire plains, Yangshan Merchant Guild is clearly a colossus, openly letting its own flesh and blood grow together with the Jinjin Plains, yet no one feels it poses a threat to themselves—including Bai Tan.

"Yaoyao cannot do it, because it fundamentally lacks this opportunity!" Yaoyao has long lain upon the Jinjin Plains, sucking its blood, and those with insight can all realize this. How could it possibly resemble Yangshan, being benevolent toward others everywhere?

"But he won't remain this benevolent forever. The rumors spreading now are precisely his prelude to turning hostile. Bai Tan, you fool!" She exhaled a breath, rarely speaking so bluntly in anger, "Short-sighted!"

Even knowing Gao Xiong's schemes are formidable, Bai Tan has thrown himself body and soul into the war in Yaoyao, only able to notice the immediate expediency. Could one really defeat the Nine Abysses Great Emperor through him? This thought even Qingyang herself finds absurd.

But she cannot laugh.

The Jinjin Plains have become like this, and now… she closed her eyes, softly exhaled a breath, and wondered where she should go from here?

Just then, a fluttering of wings sounded from outside.

Yuan Xuan went out, and shortly returned holding a small clay figurine, placing it on the table: "Sent by the Duowen Heavenly Gods Temple."

"You may go."

This clay figurine is shaped like an owl, finely crafted, round and plump, looking endearingly silly.

Qingyang reached out and stroked the figurine, whereupon it suddenly trembled and came to life.

This book was recently updated!

It turned its head a full one hundred eighty degrees, facing Qingyang, and spoke in human speech:

"Message from the Between Between Between Beijia Emperor."

Actually a verbal message sent by the Emperor! Qingyang immediately rose, and facing it, performed a respectful bow:

"Qingyang listens."

Tianshui City is far from Between Between Between Beijia—mountains high, roads long—and even if avian spirits deliver messages, the flight back and forth takes considerable time, and items are easily lost en route. Thus, for the Emperor to communicate with Qingyang, the swiftest method is via the Heavenly Gods as intermediary.

The advantage, of course, is speed; the disadvantage is that the Heavenly Gods also hear everything clearly, making it hard to say anything in secret.

Therefore, the Emperor's message is also very brief, mainly stating three things.

First, as the highest executor of the Heavenly Palace in the Jinjin Plains, Qingyang must take the initiative to attack the Nine Abysses Great Emperor Gao Xiong and his subordinate forces, break falsehoods and cut evil, and nip the threat in the bud.

Second, investigate the true cause of death of Miao Zhantian and Bai Ziqi.

Third, the forces left by the Heavenly Palace and Between Between Between Beijia in the Jinjin Plains—such as the Tao beasts and great demons—are to be fully dispatched by Qingyang.

Qingyang accepted, and the owl ceased its chirping, returning to its clay figurine form.

She walked outside, gazed at the distant mountains, and let out a long sigh.

The Heavenly Gods still disdain the "Reincarnated Dragon God," but finally they have delegated authority to her—this is the result of her own struggle.

The news of Miao Zhantian's fall had just arrived, and Qingyang had already conveyed her judgment to the Emperor through Duowen Heaven.

She and Bai Ziqi are different. Bai Ziqi, as a Yun Envoy of the Heavenly Palace, fundamentally has no right to say "no" to the Heavenly Gods, cannot defy the Heavenly Gods' will. Even if an order goes against his heart, he must still carry it out.

Qingyang was, however, the Demon Emperor's trusted confidant; this title of Heavenly Palace Protector was merely a nominal post convenient for carrying out affairs. If she wanted to throw in the towel, she would — even the gods could do nothing about her.