Chapter 450: Image Packaging, Upholding Integrity

"The human-dividend reclaimed through Donghua's reforms will inevitably enter under the Heavenly Court's rule, forming a virtuous cycle."

"It aligns with the human strategy, expanding the Heavenly Court's competitive potential."

"Fuxi the Great Sage struck at the root, saying, 'This is the honorable proper path by which the demon race can hope to surpass the Wu clan; it can be called the 'great trend'.'"

"Now a portion of that dividend has already flowed into marital relations, desperately pairing people into couples, striving to eliminate the single population."

"The next step is to encourage childbirth… usher in the era of multiple births!"

"The human-dividend seized by reform will be allocated to the childbirth domain, focusing on multiple births and eugenics."

"This is the great trend."

"But…"

"Although the great trend is certain, there are subtleties in the details."

Xihuang's gaze was deep, "Like an enforcer."

"Yes!" Báizé the Yao Marshal realized, "Naturally the enforcer is unquestionably, and can only be, the Grand Minister of Destiny—Donghua Emperor."

"Only he clearly knows how to allocate all the dividends gathered by the reform, able to exert twelvefold efficiency in resource allocation."

"But I don't know which of his wires got crossed, giving Di Jun room to intervene."

"Thus the possibility of 'transplanting flowers and grafting branches' arises."

Báizé seriously deduced, "When the Heavenly Emperor's children are born, still in a litter, the Heavenly Emperor's Majesty feels pleased, issues an edict advocating empathy, pitying all parents under heaven."

"Thus, for the sake of the Imperial Prince and Princess, a general amnesty is proclaimed…… oh, no, that's wrong—it's granting a dividend to every demon race subject who has children."

"Moreover, this dividend will flow continuously as the Imperial Prince and Princess grow healthily…… until they can handle state affairs, at which point it will be entrusted to them."

"Then, the dividend distribution will be raised another notch!"

"Under this scheme, the Imperial Prince and Princess gain immense prestige and influence…… at least, they will be revered and worshiped by seventy or eighty percent of demon race subjects who are unaware of the behind-the-scenes machinations."

Báizé sighed, "With such prestige, even if they cannot become actual power-holding heirs, if they merely hold a nominal position…… how could the Heavenly Court's ministers refute it?"

"Yet often, the opening is made this way."

"First gain a name, then contend for actual power…… this is the kingly way, vast and righteous!"

"First name, then authority, is the kingly way; reverse it, and it becomes tyranny."

"The way of emperors lies in combining hegemony and kingship, thus they can roam freely within the universe."

"In this game, the human masses have become pawns……" Báizé murmured, "They mostly care only about who directly issued the dividend, paying little heed to who actually created this dividend."

"Fuxi, your 'transplanting flowers and grafting branches' isn't bad either."

"Thus, I feel more mystified about the life and death of my Donghua Dao friend……"

Báizé sighed, shaking his head, then moved on and looked at Fuxi, "August Emperor, your reaction is impressively quick? In such a short time you've sensed Di Jun's possible pulse."

"Heh!" Fuxi chuckled, "Actually I've just been a bit idle lately, so my scope of attention has widened a little."

"By incarnating and wandering the Myriad Heavens, personally engaging in even the tiniest human evolutions, broadcasting live countless splendid and miraculous operations, my reactions have become a bit quicker."

"For example, image packaging…… essentially it is the power to manipulate funds, squeezing employees below, distorting human thought and social trends; though not spoken of, the deeds are not quite proper."

"Generation after generation of men enslaved, women forever prostitutes——this was originally a rather vicious curse, right?"

"But its performance there, though somewhat euphemistic, is remarkably similar…… Of course I believe it's all coincidence, pure coincidence."

Fuxi smiled, "Even in such a situation, they still handle things very well and perfectly, perfect in image packaging."

"Like spending hundreds of millions yearly on security yet still being caught on camera strolling alone, appearing affable and approachable; or like having, from birth, a flawless glorious image of goodness——while others in childhood must endure hard study, the protagonist is either on the path of charity or on the path of protecting small animals…… and each time there will be 'just right' records and publicity, ultimately using this splendid life résumé to enter world-renowned universities——because of excellence in both character and learning!"

"……" Báizé glanced askance at Fuxi, saying nothing.

"Having seen many such schemes, I've broadened my horizons." Fuxi gazed toward the sunstar, where Di Jun accompanies his heavenly consort Empress Tianhou in pregnancy, "These schemes, some are yin and deceitful, unseen by people, will be despised by the masses."

"Others are honorable and proper, simply using resources to gag you, leaving you speechless."

"Given Di Jun's current capital, he need not play dark…… a mere show can help his children produce a perfect life résumé."

"Even if his children are not truly virtuous, lacking the qualification to command the Myriad Heavens as heir…… that's fine."

"As long as we make about half of the demon race subjects 'believe' that the Heavenly Emperor's children possess this ability…… that's enough!"

"Moreover……" Fuxi chuckled, "Di Jun has never been a simple role; with his ability, educating his children to excellence is not difficult."

"After all, this can compare to the starting capital of the human race's heir, being greater by thousands or even ten thousands of times!"

"Pouring so many resources in, even if conversion efficiency is low, it doesn't matter."

Fuxi shrugged.

"This…… sigh……" Báizé wanted to say something, but could only lightly sigh, finding no suitable words, only able to reluctantly shift the topic, "Donghua Dao friend, as Grand Minister of Destiny of the Heavenly Court, he most values fairness and justice; will he stand by and watch this happen?"

"That depends on what scheme Donghua is hatching…… anyway I don't know." Fuxi shook his head, indicating he is unaware, don't come ask him.

"Actually, you can just relax, keep a 'what's it to me' attitude to watch the show."

Having thought of something, Fuxi chuckled, "Even if Di Jun truly plotted this way, whether it succeeds is still a fifty-fifty chance."

"Oh?" Báizé exclaimed.

"The Wu clan!" Fuxi reminded, "Solo joy is less than shared joy…… Di Jun being able to designate his children as heir greatly strengthens his authority, advancing further on Pangu's path."

"As his mortal enemy, will the Wu clan stand by and let this unfold, allowing Di Jun to proceed smoothly?"

Báizé's eyes brightened instantly, "You mean……"

"If I were the Wu clan's decision-making layer…… hehe!" Fuxi gave a cold laugh, changed tone, imitating the voice of the Wu clan's Di Jiang Zu Wu, "You want to push a multiple‑birth strategy? Still launched an image ambassador? Bound to your children? Preparing for the heir plan?"

"Ha!"

"What the enemy insists on, we must destroy!"

"Come!"

"Shoot down the opposing Imperial Prince!"

"If Di Jun can bear ten sons, shoot nine of them, leaving only a lone sprout!"

"Tell him——prices are so high, multiple births are a dead end; only a single child offers hope!"

There's still more...

Where are the fine young men of our Wu Clan?

Quickly deploy, kidnap the princess of the opposing Monster Clan Heavenly Court!

However many there are, abduct that many!

Don't leave a single one for the opposing side!

They've taken Di Jun's big cabbage and stripped his little cotton jacket!

Fuxi gave an impromptu performance, guest-starring as Di Jiang Zu Wu, full of vigor, pointing out the rivers and mountains.

Hearing this, Báizé's mouth twitched.

This is truly vicious!

Listen!

Are all these the doings of gods?

After shooting the Imperial Prince and kidnapping the Imperial Princess, wouldn't Di Jun's mindset explode and play for keeps with you?

Perhaps seeing Báizé's strange expression and peculiar mood, Fuxi calmly said, "Standard procedure, stay calm… Báizé, you've seen plenty of big scenes, why be surprised?"

"Not the same, not the same…" Báizé shook his head, "The scenes I've seen never reached this status while still pulling such flamboyant moves."

"That is, in stories you often see… when both sides have national and family grudges, the woman can still be lovesick, leading to a twisted romance."

"Generally, for such people, I always slap a brainless label from afar, then flee with the wind, avoiding tens of thousands of miles, fearing my pure, kind, and upright worldview would be harmed."

Báizé explained earnestly.

This god, although he does many unsavory jobs—including, but not limited to, taking money to beautify figures in Honghuang history, summarizing the great trend of humanity's preferences via the Way of Wisdom and Data, then following the trend to stockpile oddities for a small profit, harvesting the intelligence tax…

But Báizé firmly believes—he is a good god!

Even when doing dirty work, it's just a willing hitter and a willing receiver, not actively deceiving!

With upright thoughts and sound worldview, how could he be lumped together with brainless lot?

Báizé solemnly pointed out what he considered a loophole in Fuxi's words, which must not tarnish the noble spirit of a friend.

……

Fuxi's expression was inscrutable, the corner of his eye twitching, as if he very much wanted to voice another opinion.

Just looking at Báizé on the verge of "friendship's end," he finally swallowed his words.

"Alright, alright… your worldview is normal, your personality wholesome, you can tell right from wrong." Fuxi said weakly, "Who doesn't know of the ancient god sages?"

"You, me, and Jieyin, in the Dragon-Phoenix Era we were a trio of good friends, part of the same small circle, renowned for high virtue and excellent morality across Honghuang!"

"Three thousand Great Luo, three thousand gods—we three led the trend for a time… Without our few, would those innate divinities know what a lower… upper limit is?"

"Exactly, exactly!" Báizé lamented, "Precisely because we exist, we have created for mankind the chance to seek light—we have given them black eyes!"

"If heaven did not give birth to us, the ancient vastness would have no endless night!" Fuxi sighed, "We are the myth in the eyes of later generations… because we are only ever imitated, never surpassed."

"However, the times are treacherous… even with our excellent existence, we struggle to guard the average moral line of the entire Honghuang Great Luo community."

"But we are ultimately not the sole protagonists. Likewise, many crafty sorts, eager to try, seek to break the good situation we maintain, plunging Honghuang into a crisis of trust between people."

"Like that Wu Clan that ruined my sister…" Fuxi said sadly, "Inside are those who perm their hair, those who tattoo, those who wear strange attire, those who carry all sorts of junk accessories—truly a bunch of shamate…"

"Such an organization has too many bad people… if they scheme, a group of powerful beings could set a trap, and Di Jun's children might very well step into it!"

"Also." Báizé nodded gloomily, "Although I don't care whether Di Jun's children live or die, if we use them for image packaging and something goes wrong, the damage is to the Heavenly Court's interests—this would make us, who have investments in the Heavenly Court, lose money!"

Báizé spoke from the heart.

What do the Imperial Prince and Princess's life or death have to do with him?

But if the Heavenly Court's stock price drops, then it concerns him!

"But… I'm also quite curious." Báizé shifted tone, "If Xihe and Changxi have problems… can the Wu Clan really bring themselves to kill them?"

"Huh… is that so?" Fuxi seemed to be seriously pondering, "Good fellow, Di Jun's standing level has risen again!"

"Using children to order the lady, then using one's own wife—disgusting the Wu Clan's ancestral witch layer."

"This not only kills Di Jun's son to leave a lone sprout, but also abducts his daughter, rendering the Demon Race's multi‑birth strategy ineffective."

"If we go hard on them… Changxi and Xihe would be unhappy, successfully driving a wedge between them."

"This round is a scheme within a scheme!"

"Interesting… truly interesting!" Báizé clapped his hands in praise, "I really want to know, under this series of yang‑scheme operations, how can the Wu Clan resolve it?"

"It truly makes our Heavenly Court raise troops in fury; even if Nüwa completes the plug‑in express plan for merging humanity and the Wu Clan, it will still be caught up."

"Even so, in the ancestral witch‑level game, we have lost a son, the initiative seized, and the high ranks could be turned."

……

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Then Di Jun really is shameless."

"What's the point of face for an emperor? That's being irresponsible to one's subjects… swelling one's face to look fat is unacceptable."

"What should we do?"

"You're the head, you decide."

In the highest holy hall of the Wu Clan, several ancestral witches sat in council, discussing the grand situation of heaven and earth.

The above conversation took place between Houtu Zu Wu and Di Jiang Zu Wu.

Di Jiang Zu Wu commands the Way of Space, encompassing and covering the vast Honghuang; he is the Wu Clan's all‑map, all‑vision plug‑in…… When he is paired with the Time Ancestral Witch Chu Jiuyin, it becomes even more formidable.

At this moment, Di Jiang, representing the space‑time duo, reported a crucial piece of information to the supreme leader of the ancestral witches—Houtu—causing Houtu Zu Wu to become solemn.

(End of chapter)