Chapter 302: Stubborn, Decayed, Conservative Old Minister

"Ning Jingli!" He disregarded everything, flung his arms wide, and pressed the tall, supple figure into his chest. "Ning… you finally agreed to see me! Fifteen years, I've waited for you fifteen years! I won't let you close the Spacetime Portal again! I also won't let you leave me again!"

As soon as the words fell, he suddenly found his arms empty.

He jerked his head up and saw that, at some unknown moment, Ning Jingli was standing two meters away again.

"Ning… you—" Xiao Qidi's eyes were full of astonishment, "Why did you dodge? Don't you want to be with me?"

Ning Jingli only gave him a half‑smile, half‑smirk.

His heart throbbed with pain, and he gritted his teeth: "You love me too, isn't that right? Even though we've had conflicts, I… I still want to be with you."

Ning Jingli remained silent, her smile becoming even more enigmatic.

Xiao Qidi grew angry, clenched his fist and roared, "Were the life‑and‑death bond we once shared, the deep feelings we once had, all a lie? Tell me, what on earth am I to you!"

"Little brother…" Ning Jingli finally spoke, "Around Zhong Yuan there are the Western Xirong, Northern Beidi, Southern Man, Eastern Yi; beyond the Rong and Di, there is an even broader world."

Xiao Qidi was slightly stunned.

Then, as if performing a magic trick, Ning Jingli waved her hand, and a huge world map materialized before Xiao Qidi.

Xiao Qidi stared in shock, instinctively scanning the world map for Daxuan's territories; the more he looked, the more he felt that, compared with the whole world, Daxuan's vast lands were nothing.

"I understand," Xiao Qidi's deep eyes flashed, "Conquer the whole world as a betrothal gift to you!"

Ning Jingli gently shook her head, "I've never wanted any betrothal gift, and… do you really want to be emperor?"

Xiao Qidi saw a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

That faint disappointment was like a thin, sharp needle, slowly and precisely piercing Xiao Qidi's heart.

At the same time, Ning Jingli's figure quickly became hazy and translucent, about to vanish completely.

"No… it's not! I didn't!" Xiao roared, "Ning! Don't go!"

A single howl jolted him awake.

All the previous scenes vanished in an instant, replaced by a study filled with books and documents.

Xiao Qidi lay on the desk, lifted his head and stared blankly for a long while before coming to his senses; he realized he had fallen asleep at some point and had a strange dream.

A dim, yellow desk lamp stood beside the desk, casting light on his beard‑stubbled face.

Fifteen years had passed; he had matured a lot, yet his brows and eyes still resembled those of his younger self.

Xiao Qidi pinched his bridge of the nose, turned his head toward a wall in the study, where two maps were displayed.

One showed Daxuan's current territories; the other was a complete map of the entire world.

He closed the documents on his desk, rose, walked to the maps, and gazed quietly.

Unnoticed, a pale dawn light began to show on the horizon.

Outside the study, the standing guard began to change shifts.

The former Palace Guard had been reorganized into the Guard Corps, their armor switched from copper‑iron plates to dark combat uniforms.

When a burly, tall fifteen‑year‑old buzz‑cut boy appeared leading a rotating squad, the night‑shift Guard Corps members all saluted in unison.

Even though the Guard Corps members were over ten years older than the buzz‑cut boy, their respect for him was sincere.

Just as the two Guard Corps finished swapping posts, a person hurried over from a distance.

"Captain Xing, those people are requesting an audience again," the newcomer said with a helpless expression, "They also said that if they still aren't granted an audience this time, they'll kneel at the palace gate and starve themselves to death."

The buzz‑cut boy's sword‑shaped eyebrows lifted, his face darkened, "These antiquated, stubborn old fools, buzzing around like flies, keep disturbing us endlessly. This time they showed up at daybreak; I've tolerated them long enough! They're courting death, so I'll grant it!"

A few dozen minutes later.

The buzz‑cut boy arrived alone at a palace gate.

Outside the gate, dozens of people knelt.

Even the youngest were in their forties.

All were dressed in official long robes from over a decade ago; upon seeing the buzz‑cut boy, they bowed and said, "We petition His Majesty for an audience, pleading that Grand General Xing Lie grant us permission!"

Xing Lie glared angrily, emphasizing, "Last year an announcement was issued: officials shall no longer call themselves 'subjects', and Mr. Xiao shall no longer address the king; the old monarch‑subject system is completely abolished! Do you treat the rules as wind in your ears?! If it weren't for Mr. Xiao blocking me, I would have cut you down long ago!"

The leading long‑bearded elder spoke righteously, his words filled with anguish:

"The unification ceremony is imminent; we must die‑advise His Majesty! The ancient rites must never be abolished! If the ruler does not act as ruler, the subjects are not subjects, and you let the people learn ideas of universal equality, let women study like men, leading to troublemakers daring to confront officials, openly debating state affairs, even daring to utter His Majesty's name! The whole atmosphere has become increasingly devoid of hierarchy! How can Daxuan's realm endure this?"

"Old relic, do you believe I'll punch you now?" Xing Lie said, too lazy for further talk, issuing a warning.

A flash of terror crossed the elder's eyes.

He knew exactly how formidable the boy before him was.

Rumor had it that when Xing Lie first learned to walk, he already possessed strength comparable to a robust adult man.

At ten, he could single‑handedly slay an enemy force of a hundred men.

Between thirteen and fourteen, he fought in numerous great battles, repeatedly achieving extraordinary feats, capable of beheading enemy commanders amidst ten thousand troops.

Even Mu Cheng, Qi Zhan, Duan Wu, and Li Yao—renowned Daxuan generals—praised him as the greatest warrior of all ages.

Now, with Huaxia unified, he has become Xiao Qidi's personal guard, also commanding a guard corps of several thousand, his strength and status far beyond the ordinary.

"I'll give you a chance: either you and your people leave, or…" Xing Lie narrowed his star‑shaped eyes, "be as useless as this stone block!"

As the words fell, he casually lifted a several‑hundred‑kilogram marble block beside him, tossed it a few meters high, and when it fell, he kicked it mid‑air, shattering it to pieces!

The guards stationed beside the palace gate watched, their eyes bulging.

Among those kneeling on the ground pleading for an audience, some wet their pants on the spot, some trembled and lay on the ground, and others shivered all over, feeling a desire to retreat.

The long‑bearded elder, pale with fear, nevertheless forced himself to speak, "Grand General Xing, your might leaves us with no chance of resistance; but if you truly intend to take my life, go ahead! I shall be recorded in the annals forever, while you, Grand General, will earn the name of a butcher of Daxuan's loyal subjects!"

"Do you think I care?" Xing Lie sneered, "Seems it's truly necessary to kill a chicken to warn the crowd!"

Then, stepping forward, he lifted the long‑bearded elder with one hand, ready to snap his neck in public.

Seeing his seriousness, the elder's gallbladder seemed to burst, and he opened his mouth to beg for mercy.

But before he could utter a plea, a deep scolding voice came from behind Xing Lie.

"Xing Lie, put him down."

Hearing this voice, Xiong Lie, even if his killing intent were intense, honestly put the long-bearded elder back on the ground.

"His Majesty… His Majesty!" the long-bearded elder wept bitterly, "You finally deign to see your old servant!"

The remaining dozens of people immediately performed the great kowtow, shouting aloud, "We pay our respects to His Majesty!"

Xiao Qidi walked slowly up to them, his brow slightly furrowed, examining each one in turn.

Before the Six Nations were conquered and Zhong Yuan unified, the palace nobility of Daxuan had already been eliminated; thus, after the great unification was completed, there were no old ministers or nobles of the former Xuan Guo jumping out to obstruct his reform of the system.

However, among the former Six Nations, there were still many who wished to staunchly uphold the ancient system, and they were all former court officials and noble remnants of each state.

Even though these people had submitted to Daxuan, they resisted from the heart the abolition of the ruler‑subject and aristocratic systems.

Even though a year had passed since the complete unification, they still lived according to the ancient system in every respect and strove to block the implementation of the new system.

Xiao Qidi's face showed hardly any expression; he stared for a moment, then calmly said, "Let's hold a meeting at noon and have lunch together."

The old ministers kneeling on the ground looked at one another, unsure what His Majesty intended to do.

But upon second thought, at least they now had a chance to offer proper counsel to His Majesty.

Thus they all kowtowed and said, "We, your servants, obey your command!"

After this group rose and retreated backward, a hint of gloom appeared in Xiao Qidi's eyes.

"Xiong Lie, do you think… I've become increasingly soft‑hearted and lenient?" he suddenly asked in a low voice.

Xiong Lie replied without hesitation: "Yes, you are far too soft‑hearted and lenient; if it were the past, they wouldn't be alive now! These stubborn old fogeys simply don't grasp your intentions and far‑sighted vision; since we can't reason with them, there's no need to talk—just kill them outright, otherwise they'll think you dare not draw your blade."

Xiao Qidi suddenly laughed, raising his hand to ruffle Xiong Lie's hedgehog‑like head, "Time really flies—in the blink of an eye you've gone from infant to half‑grown lad, and I'm already thirty‑three… Haven't you had breakfast yet? Come, let's get something to eat."

At the mention of breakfast, Xiong Lie's eyes lit up and he immediately agreed.

Xiao Qidi directly had the kitchen staff send breakfast to the study.

Considering Xiong Lie's big appetite, he had the kitchen make extra, and a heaping pile of meat almost filled his desk.

Xiong Lie grabbed a whole roasted duck with both hands, eating until oil dripped from his mouth.

In front of outsiders he would watch his image, but before Xiao Qidi he needed no restraint.

Watching him wolf down his food, Xiao Qidi teased, "Thanks to our nation's soaring productivity, otherwise I couldn't afford to raise you, kid."

Xiong Lie grinned and said, "I've heard that some research uncles and aunts have bred new livestock and poultry varieties with more meat and better flavor—when can we get some to try?"

"Hahaha!" Xiao Qidi burst out laughing, "They haven't even tasted it yet, and you're already craving it, you greedy little brat!"

Xiong Lie said, "Those uncles and aunts once told me they would work hard to build our side up as well, so that everyone here could live as well as they did in their original world; Uncle Qidi, when do you think we could reach that level? Just hearing their description makes it seem unbelievable."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qidi fell into silence.

Xiong Lie continued enthusiastically, "They also said our nation's overall level has barely reached that of their parents' generation; I really want to go see that world myself, and by the way, I'd love to see the Jinli Fairy in person!"

Since Xiong Lie could remember, his mother had countless times recounted to him the events before his birth.

The Xiao clan was wholly loyal and brave, especially his father and grandfather, who, seeing the king of Xuan Guo, Xiao Qidi, slaughter the entire Xuan Guo nobility to prevent the people from being bled dry by royal and aristocratic elites, were deeply moved and wished to emulate him; as a result, the king of Ze Guo ordered the extermination of their entire household.

Xiong Lie's mother barely escaped the purge.

Fortunately, he chanced upon Ning Jinli and Xiao Qidi, and thus the last bloodline of the Xiong clan was preserved.

Under his mother's guidance, Xiong Lie has always felt gratitude toward Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli; moreover, over the past fifteen years, aside from studying, he has spent most of his time at Xiao Qidi's side, and his feelings for Xiao Qidi are like those for a birth father.

As for Ning Jinli, he feels not only gratitude and reverence, but even more so curiosity.

Since childhood, Xiong Lie has likewise heard countless legendary tales of the Jinli Fairy; moreover, had she not descended into this world and selflessly devoted her full strength to aiding Daxuan, how could the realm have been unified and pacified so swiftly, and how could the people of Daxuan have so quickly enjoyed prosperous, well‑fed lives?

"Uncle Qidi, what on earth has the Fairy been doing?" Xiong Lie chattered on, "It's been fifteen years—why hasn't she appeared at all? And those several hundred research uncles and aunts—aren't they from the Fairy's world? Doesn't the Fairy also bring them back home to visit their families?"

Crack—

Suddenly a cracking sound.

Only then did Xiong Lie notice that Xiao Qidi's expression had turned terrifyingly cold, and even the teacup he held in his hand had been crushed to powder.

"Uncle Qidi…" Xiong Lie hastily sat upright, speaking carefully, "Did I say something wrong again…? Sorry."

This had happened many times before; whenever he brought up the Jinli Fairy out of curiosity, Xiao Qidi's reaction would become odd, though Xiao Qidi always insisted nothing was wrong.

This time, he spoke a bit more when he was happy, and consequently Xiao Qidi's reaction was even stronger.

Xiong Lie added, "Uncle Qidi, I'll never mention her again—please don't be angry."

Xiao Qidi wanted to speak but held back; in the end he merely softened his expression and let out a light sigh.

"Mr. Xiao!" a shout came from outside the study door, "I have an urgent matter to report to you!"

Xiao Qidi said, "Please come in."

The door was pushed open, and an official hurried in, placing a large stack of documents and books he had been holding onto the desk.

"Eh? What's this?" Xiong Lie wiped his hands and picked up a book.

On the cover, four large characters were plainly visible: "True Dragon Son of Heaven."

He immediately flipped through it; after a few glances, his expression turned sour.

The official, wiping sweat, said, "Mr. Xiao, that faction devoted to preserving the ruler‑subject system secretly compiled and altered a book promoting the dynasty's ruler‑subject regulations, as well as content ranking nobles and commoners, entitled 'True Dragon Son of Heaven Book,' intending to distribute it among the populace; fortunately we discovered it early, seized it in time, and are now retrieving the copies that have already been circulated."