Chapter 304: She Is the White Moonlight, Also a Deity

The midday banquet began, and the dishes were brought out one after another.

"Come, eat." Xiao Qidi said with a smile to everyone who had taken their seats.

"Start eating, start eating!" Xing Lie flung his chair back carelessly and sat beside Xiao Qidi.

Everyone seated at the tables began to eat.

Xiao Qidi lifted the lid of a large platter of braised pork knuckle in the middle of the table, picked out a sizzling piece of fatty meat and placed it into Xing Lie's bowl, "You love big fatty meat the most, here you go, eat more."

"Hehe, good!" Xing Lie grinned and lifted his bowl.

"Duan Wu, you like chicken butt, here you go." Xiao Qidi tore open the roasted chicken's rear and hand‑picked it for him.

He then proceeded to serve the others in turn, each chopstick precisely picking the dishes they usually favored.

The atmosphere at the table was harmonious, and the other tables were the same.

Especially on Xiao Qidi's side, the few people ate joyfully, digging in heartily.

"Alas... unbecoming! Unbecoming!" Sun Yunzheng shook his head repeatedly, "A dignified His Majesty, yet dines together with others, even personally serving dishes to his subjects! Look at this... alas!"

Meng Xiao made a face of iron‑to‑steel hatred, "And look at His Majesty in front of everyone, that vulgar manner of eating, truly full of disgrace! This, this shows no trace of royal dignity at all!"

The two deliberately raised their voices and gave a signal to the other conservative old ministers behind them.

The group of conservative old ministers understood tacitly, and also sighed loudly, shaking their heads, all wearing expressions as if Xuan Guo were about to fall.

This commotion stood out starkly in the harmonious dining atmosphere, finally catching Xiao Qidi's attention.

"Are you saying I'm unfit to be Daxuan's leader?" Xiao Qidi swept his gaze over them.

The great hall of the council fell silent instantly.

Sun Yunzheng knelt on the ground, clasped his hands in a bow, lowered his eyes and said loudly, "His Majesty should not use the untimely term 'leader'; you must be clear that you are a king, the king of all the people, civil and military officials. Yet you seem to have no idea how to be a good king of a nation. Even those close to you do not know how to help you be a proper king."

Xiao Qidi narrowed his eyes, "Is that so? According to you, only you know?"

Sun Yunzheng still kept his humble posture, avoiding eye contact with the king, but his expression grew more arrogant as he straightened his back and declared loudly, "In the past ten‑plus years, the world has changed dramatically, Daxuan has unified Huaxia Zhong Yuan, the so‑called new currents have spread everywhere, and now only we, the former noble old ministers of Bo Guo, You Guo, and Ze Guo, truly understand the way of ruler and subject."

Xiao Qidi's gaze enveloped Sun Yunzheng and his group, "Interesting, you are the surviving elders of extinct states, and I didn't expect you could all stand together."

Sun Yunzheng said proudly, "Because we are all Confucian scholars, our thoughts are naturally the same, and we all act for the king and the realm."

"What a king and realm," Xiao Qidi stood, paced to them, "You really know how to wave a tiger skin as a banner! I know your group most reveres ancient rites, believing that ranks between people must be strictly distinct, that the Son of Heaven and nobles should tower over the subjects, and that officials are a level above common folk, while the countless commoners should serve as oxen and horses without complaint, right?"

"Isn't that so?" Sun Yunzheng retorted confidently.

Xiao Qidi laughed, a laugh born of anger.

Sun Yunzheng added, "So His Majesty actually knows these things, but doesn't know how to act. The old ministers think it's because you lack mentors, therefore we must teach you how to be a proper king."

With those words, an invisible killing intent surged in the great hall.

Everyone wore stern faces, glaring at Sun Yunzheng's stubborn conservative faction; had Xiao Qidi not been present, Xing Lie, Duan Wu and the others would have been unable to hold back.

Xiao Qidi's smile grew more evident, but the chill in his eyes grew more chilling, yet Sun Yunzheng's group lowered their eyelids, unable to see his expression.

"Then tell me, how do you plan to teach me?" Xiao Qidi asked.

Sun Yunzheng initially felt a chill that made his spine tingle.

But hearing Xiao Qidi's gentle tone, he secretly exhaled, felt joy, thinking the king finally was willing to listen, and said:

"Your Majesty, the old minister believes that the root cause of Daxuan's current loss of propriety, hierarchical chaos, and the people's loss of ancient virtue, lies in the appearance of the 'Jinli Fairy' over ten years ago."

Upon hearing that, Xiao Qidi's face clouded with gloom.

The others in the great hall all showed shock and anger.

"Shut your crap!" Xing Lie slammed the table and rose, "How dare you slander the Jinli Fairy! You're courting death!"

His palm not only smashed the dining table into pieces, but the force penetrated the floor, cracking the stone slabs.

It showed how furious he was.

Even Xing Lie, a youth who had never met Ning Jinli, was provoked, let alone the other six.

Duan Wu, Li Yao, Qi Zhan, Mu Cheng, Li He, and Lin Sui—each of these six had once fought side by side with Ning Jinli, received her aid, instruction, or guidance; the depth of their bond with her was beyond ordinary comprehension.

Moreover, Ning Jinli left Daxuan countless valuable ideas and material technologies.

Even at her final appearance, she brought to Daxuan hundreds of top‑tier technical researchers from the Huaxia Guo of her world.

Even though she has not appeared for fifteen years, everything she left—thoughts, cultural materials, scientific technology—has propelled Daxian's rapid daily‑by‑daily advancement.

Fifteen years have passed; she is not only the White Moonlight of all Daxuan's leadership team, but also, in the hearts of every commoner who lived through her era in this world, an untouchable deity.

Among the six, Duan Wu, Li Yao, and Li He, at the moment Xing Lie slammed the table, felt murderous intent surge, rose swiftly, stepping forward with the posture of executing Sun Yunzheng on the spot.

Even the oldest, Mu Cheng, and the most gentle, Lin Sui, could not suppress the murderous intent bubbling in their eyes.

The soaring killing aura invisibly even caused the air in the great hall to solidify and chill; Sun Yunzheng and the others felt unprecedented fear, and more than half of the conservatives instantly went limp.

At the critical moment, Xiao Qidi raised his arm, signaling Xing Lie and the others not to advance.

Before his even stronger stabilizing ability, the seven regained their senses; otherwise, the next second, Sun Yunzheng and the others would have bled the hall.

"Continue." Xiao Qidi, as if showing no emotion, calmly uttered three words.

The fleeting aura of death just now drenched Sun Yunzheng in cold sweat, yet Xiao Qidi's demeanor made him feel his gamble was worthwhile and full of hope.

He was not unaware of Ning Jinli's status and influence in the hearts of Daxuan's people and leadership.

The reason he dared to gamble was that he also knew that the most pivotal figure of Daxuan, Xiao Qidi, seemed to be giving Ning Jinli the cold shoulder.

Otherwise, in the past fifteen years, why would Xiao Qidi stop visiting the Xianzi Temple, why would he avoid mentioning Ning Jinli in many occasions?

Sun Yunzheng's group was convinced deep down that Xiao Qidi truly was a king.

Since ancient times, any king would not allow a bystander's influence to surpass his own, even if that person has vanished, even if they are revered as a deity.

But Ning Jinli's influence is so great that he cannot simply eliminate her; otherwise civil unrest would erupt, so he chose the cold treatment, letting time's torrent gradually erase her traces.

From this speculation, Sun Yunzheng also became certain that he alone understood Xiao Qidi's inner thoughts; otherwise, even with eight hundred doses of courage, he wouldn't dare speak so bluntly before everyone.

Moreover, Xiao Qidi's permission to continue at this moment made him 100% sure he had not guessed wrong.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Sun Yunzheng looked disdainfully at the few people blocked by Xiao Qidi, and with increasing confidence began to speak.

"What Jinli Fairy? She's nothing but a demoness who perverts the Heavenly Gang. The ideas she brings, even the so‑called scientific technologies, are all twisted, heretical, and false teachings!"

"The world thinks it was her appearance that enabled His Majesty to unify the realm, but that's not true; with His Majesty's great talent and vision, unification was inevitable! On the contrary, she used His Majesty's power to blind the people, making them think all the credit belongs to her! Such conduct, stealing Heaven's merit, deserves ten thousand deaths!"

"Therefore, we senior ministers beseech His Majesty to promptly announce this demoness's crimes to the world, to set the record straight, purge the deviant winds and evil qi! Restore Daxuan's bright heavens and earth!"

A series of extremely 'righteous' statements nearly made Xing Lie and the others swoon.

They were about to burst, having reached the point of no longer being able to endure.

Lin Sui's eyes suddenly lit up, and he whispered to the other six, "Hold on, I think Mr. Xiao is holding back a big move. After all these years, others may not understand his true way of acting; could we still be in the dark?"

His words instantly enlightened the other six.

Qi Zhan exhaled, saying, "You're right; that old fellow's words were infuriating, and I was momentarily blinded by anger."

Li He raised a concern, whispering, "But... think about it, for over a decade Mr. Xiao's attitude toward Sister Jinli has been ambiguous, and he often avoids mentioning her; even we can't figure it out. What if Sun Yunzheng actually hit upon his true thoughts, what then?"

The few who had relaxed after Lin Sui's reassurance instantly tensed again at Li He's words, all looking anxiously toward Xiao Qidi's back.

His nearly two‑meter‑tall, upright and majestic figure now seemed shrouded in an impenetrable mist.

The grand hall of the meeting fell into a death‑like silence that lasted over ten seconds.

Xiao Qidi spoke slowly and without emotion, "Daxuan needs ideological guidance for development. If you consider Ning Jingli a demoness and her ideas twisted heresies, then tell me what kind of ideological benchmark I should establish?"

Sun Yunzheng felt ecstatic inside; since His Majesty had taken the words this far, it proved he had seized the initiative.

He steadied his excitement and hurried, "Reply to His Majesty! We should take the ancient rites that we Confucian scholars have long upheld as the benchmark; the way of ruler, minister, and people has never changed from antiquity to now. His Majesty ought to follow them, and the people of the realm should as well!"

"And what about the technologies she left behind?" Xiao Qidi asked again.

Sun Yunzheng replied without hesitation:

"The senior ministers say those are all false teachings! Since they are false, they must be completely abolished! Rest assured, His Majesty, we have nearly a thousand capable practitioners of alchemy under our command—some can achieve immortality and move mountains, others can manage the populace and suppress evil spirits; they are capable of anything! With the abilities of these alchemists and the ideological guidance of us scholars, Daxuan's realm will be eternally stable for ten thousand years, and His Majesty's name will be enshrined for eternity!"

A faint, inscrutable smile flickered on Xiao Qidi's face, and he continued, "Then, what about the reforms currently being implemented? Do you also have thoughts on that?"

"Indeed, indeed," Sun Yunzheng said, more animated, "The so‑called implementation of a new system is actually a retrograde move that destroys the inheritance passed down since antiquity. Originally each nation had its own regulations; the subjects of each state lived under their own rules, dutifully maintaining their proper status and duties, everything orderly. Now forcing all scripts, measurements, roads, vehicles, as well as behavioral codes, laws, and rites to become uniform will only plunge the regions into chaos."

"Oh? Then what does Lord Sun mean?"

When Xiao Qidi addressed him as Lord Sun, Sun Yunzheng nearly had tears well up, and hurriedly pulled a pre‑prepared booklet from his chest, offering it with both hands.

When Xiao Qidi took it, Sun Yunzheng bowed and said, "His Majesty, this is the roster of the original national Confucian scholars compiled by us senior ministers in unity, totaling one hundred forty‑eight individuals, together with the one thousand two hundred seven alchemists we have jointly recruited from various places. We are willing to give our very flesh and blood for His Majesty and Daxuan! As long as His Majesty immediately stops the reforms, restores the feudal enfeoffment system, and returns everything to its original state, we can fully display our talents and make Daxuan's realm eternally firm!"

"Good, very good... you truly are diligent," Xiao Qidi said, a barely perceptible cold smile curling at his mouth, his eyes cutting through the names on the booklet like a blade.

Receiving Xiao Qidi's praise, Sun Yunzheng's heart raced wildly, his breathing became rapid.

Meanwhile, the conservative senior ministers nearby, including Meng Xiao, secretly rejoiced.

Although they endured hardships and even risked execution, in the end they succeeded.

"All of you have exhausted yourselves for Daxuan with sincere effort; I am pleased. You may withdraw and rest now," Xiao Qidi said with a gentle smile, personally helping Sun Yunzheng to his feet.

Sun Yunzheng put on a demeanor of humble awe at receiving favor, performed several mock gestures of gratitude toward His Majesty, bowed repeatedly, and then rose with the others to depart.

When they left the grand hall, they walked with heads held high and chests out, as if they already controlled everything.

Only after passing through the palace gates did Sun Yunzheng finally burst into loud laughter.

Meng Xiao laughed along, not caring even though his cheeks throbbed painfully.

"Hahaha!" Sun Yunzheng wiped the tears from his laughter, saying triumphantly, "Xiao Qidi is still too young; I guessed his thoughts correctly, and indeed I persuaded him! Everyone, our good old days are returning! The Bo Kingdom, You Kingdom, Ze Kingdom and the like that we once served have been swallowed by Xuan Guo—so what? It doesn't matter! As long as our power and status remain solid, that's all that counts! Which nation isn't the same?"