Chapter 367

【"Frivolous tricks……"】

【When you finally see the four glaring big characters in the state letter, you are first dazed, then silent, and finally… you burst out laughing in anger!】

【You painstakingly sought a way forward, letting mortals develop independently for decades, and this is the result you achieved—only to have it dismissed with a single phrase: "Frivolous tricks."】

【And the wording in the state letter is even more filled with an arrogant, pompous old‑fashioned tone: things like "The Celestial Dynasty, vast land and abundant resources," "No need to trade with foreign lands," "Western barbarian chieftains," …】

【Just a few words, and they sketch out the image of an arrogant, conceited face!】

【You simply cannot understand: Is the emperor of the Shun dynasty opposite you an idiot?】

【If you had merely sent him some delicate little toys, his saying "Frivolous tricks" would indeed be arrogant and rude, but it wouldn't be completely unreasonable.】

【But you clearly sent him the latest firearms and cannons—could it be that in the Shun emperor's eyes these too are "Frivolous tricks"?!】

【Nonsense! If used well, this stuff would surely beat ordinary people, and even against cultivators it would likely win!】

【If they had these latest scientific achievements, the Shun dynasty would soon become wealthy and strong; then suppressing the various rebel and restoration armies would be much easier, and as long as those true gods don't personally descend to unleash unstoppable power, the Shun dynasty would basically be assured victory.】

【You don't believe the Shun emperor could be so stupid as to miss this point, especially since you're not a colonist and bear them no ill will—your sincerity this time is total—but the result is… damn it, why on earth?!】

【You feel wronged and angry, somewhat like Lü Dongbin being bitten by a mad dog…】

【So, the contents of the state letter quickly spread, causing an uproar among the officials and populace!】

【After the uproar came righteous indignation filling their hearts!】

【"Damn it! Giving them face and they throw it back! Pasha just wanted to give them aid, for everyone to get rich together; they refused, that's fine, but why insult us?!"】

【"They even call us Western barbarians… I haven't even called them Southern Ocean savages yet! Islanders of the Southern Lands! Send them shells one by one, blast them to the sky!"】

【"President! Wheelchair President! Please give the order! Give those Southern Island barbarians a taste of their own medicine!"】

【"……"】

【The crowd's emotions ran high, with cries to raise troops and go to war rising and falling; they all begged the President to send heavenly justice to Jambudvipa and destroy these Shun monsters!】

【And this is exactly what you wanted to see: the Shun emperor already has a death wish; refusing trade and cooperation would be bad enough, but he even insults people—sheer stupidity beyond redemption.】

【It seems necessary to give them a long lesson—using the "Frivolous tricks" they look down on—to give the Shun emperor a surprise…】

【Ding! Having been mocked by the Shun emperor's state letter, your heart is full of anger; since these heaven-defying people insist on seeking death, let them have it! You choose: (?)】

【A: Open the doors! Free trade! Reach out with your invisible hand and give those Southern Island barbarians a good shake! B: Stay calm for now, analyze carefully—you always feel this reply letter is off!】

【Zhao Si:?】

【Not…… How did Lin Six suddenly get assigned a late‑Qing foreigner script?!】

【"One is a Qing‑era script, the other a foreigner script…… We can't really go fight the Shun dynasty and make them cede territory and pay indemnities, can we?"】

【Zhao Si well understands Lin Six's anger, after all he painstakingly laboured for decades before finally having some presentable scientific achievements; this time, with good intentions, he wanted to rope the Shun dynasty into developing mortal productivity together, thereby driving out the lower‑realm true gods that stir up chaos.】

【Moreover, Xiniu Hezhou under Lin Six's rule is not a genuine colonialist foreigner in reality; he truly wishes to develop peacefully with the Shun dynasty, mutually beneficial.】

【Unexpectedly, the Shun dynasty utterly fails to appreciate the gesture; not only does it refuse trade, it even insults him with phrases like "Western barbarian chieftain"—simply intolerable!】

【With that spirit, if Lin Six doesn't beat them in the "Western Hunt" and "Northern Hunt" this round, he might as well not bear the surname Lin!】

【But……】

【Those in the midst are confused; the onlookers see clearly.】

【As a high‑dimensional existence, Zhao Si is not like Lin Six, whose anger gets the better of him; he merely begins to think seriously:】

【"This matter, something's off……"】

【First, the Shun emperor cannot be an idiot…… Even if he were, his ministers certainly aren't idiots, and a foolish emperor could never truly hold real power, so the Shun emperor must be a normal person.】

【And since he isn't an idiot, he must be able to see just how useful the good things Lin Six sent are—internally they can boost the economy and people's livelihood, externally they can suppress rebels!】

【Moreover, the crucial point is that the Shun dynasty is not peaceful nowadays; although the true gods won't descend to unleash unstoppable power, the restoration armies they support are truly a major threat to the Shun dynasty! So, if the Shun emperor still wants to pacify the realm and maintain his rule, this batch of aid from Lin Six is something he will certainly have to accept.】

【The free dishes are all laid out, yet he doesn't lift his chopsticks, and moreover he arrogantly mocks the host as a "Western barbarian chieftain," calling the delicious feast "Frivolous tricks"……】

【Such a reaction, stirring up hatred to explosive levels, is obviously not what a normal person should have.】

【"Something's fishy—don't act rashly!"】

【After Zhao Si pondered deeply, he ultimately gave up the impulsive option of posing as a foreigner and chose another alternative:】

【"Choose B!"】

【You chose B, stay calm for now, analyze carefully—you always feel this reply letter is off!】

【In a state of extreme anger, you were angry all day……】

【"Something's not right!"】

【You barely restrained the impulse to go to war, then turned and looked over the state letter again.】

【Upon rereading the state letter, you more vividly sense the other side's extreme arrogance and contempt for the Western Lands—it feels… like… slapping a swollen face and still trying to look plump……】

【Does the Shun emperor have a screw loose? A bunch of puddle‑turtle‑like true gods, plowing his land back and forth, pose a constant threat of national annihilation…… In such a perilous situation, how dare he discard the lifeline sent to his door? How dare he create another external enemy?】

【This is pure lunacy!】

【"Wait……"】

【Just then, you suddenly spot a blind spot: Wait a minute, hundreds or thousands of true gods have been carrying out restoration efforts in Jambudvipa for over fifty years—by rights, the Shun dynasty should have been buried long ago?!】

【How is it still alive?】

【"Something's fishy……"】

【The belatedly aware you furrow your brow, deciding to go see the Shun dynasty with your own eyes……】

【"……"】

【In the 37th year of the New Heavenly Court, the 186th year of the Shun dynasty, after a Western envoy had left a year prior, a scarlet‑red silhouette quietly crossed the ocean and reached this homeland long unseen.】

【Of course, this time you are going incognito, so you notified no one, nor did you use the conspicuous Western Lands wheelchair‑bound youth's flesh, nor even a true god's true form—instead you came across the sea as an incarnation.】

【Thus, your arrival attracted no one's notice……】

【Returning to the homeland, you feel a deep sense of emotion; gazing at the familiar streets and passersby, you feel relieved yet also sigh.】

【For over fifty years, the Shun dynasty has remained utterly unchanged, as if it had been this way since thousands or tens of thousands of years ago, while the Western Lands and the Eastern and Northern Continents, under your two great hands' careful governance, have been renewed day by day.】

Between the Four Great Continents an iron curtain seemed to have risen, dividing Great Shun from the other three continents into two worlds: one leaps forward by developing mortal technology, the other stagnates due to the meddling of true gods……

After sighing, you began to carefully inquire about the current state of affairs in Great Shun.

And yet not investigating would have been fine; once you investigated, you were utterly shocked!

Because the present Great Shun is less an independent court and more a tool used by various true gods to rule the Southern Continent……

Originally, after the true gods descended to restore the kingdom, Great Shun actually fell into a state of fragmentation: thousands of restoration armies each held a prefecture or county, constantly attacking each other, throwing the world into utter chaos!

Seeing this situation, in order to prolong the nation's fate as much as possible, the Great Shun court gritted its teeth and sent troops to suppress— and the result was naturally a defeat……

First, two restoration armies jointly captured Shun Capital, forcing the Shun Emperor to hastily flee north……

Then several more restoration armies seized land here and there, nearly tearing Great Shun apart……

Finally, eight restoration armies together again captured Shun Capital, forcing the Shun Emperor to hastily flee west while negotiating peace with the allied eight armies: 'Stop fighting! Please……'

The outcome of the negotiations was that the Shun Emperor was forced to recognize the legitimacy of those eight restoration armies, granting them many prefectures and counties for their restoration, causing the Southern Continent to split…… Moreover, the restoration armies not only demanded land but also interfered in the selection of the Shun Emperor's successor, declaring that whoever they chose would become emperor.

Thus the eight 'Prince-electors' appeared out of nowhere!

Since the new Shun Emperor was chosen by them, of course he must obey them: first, send troops to help suppress other restoration armies; second, each year give them a generous 'annual tribute'; third, forbid Great Shun's civilians from spontaneously attacking them, violators deemed rebels……

Afterward, although new restoration armies kept rising to replace those eight armies' Prince-elector status, the overall situation never changed again.

From then on, Great Shun completely became their tool…… but precisely because Great Shun is a useful tool, everyone deliberately maintains its existence, lest it collapse, allowing it to limp along for over fifty years……

When you fully understood Great Shun's current situation, you could only sum it up in one sentence: obvious at a glance, needing no explanation! But you still don't understand: if Great Shun's predicament is so abstract, why did you still refuse my goodwill?

Clearly, with aid you could enrich the country and strengthen the army, yet you still refuse……

Holding doubts, you privately sought out an official of the Shun Dynasty's Ministry of Rites; a pat from the Blood God Son made him speak freely, holding nothing back.

'Why did the Shun Emperor refuse the goodwill of the Western Continent's envoys earlier?'

'You truly harbor no ill intent……'

The official answered sincerely: 'Actually it's not that the False Emperor wants to refuse, but that the Prince‑electors won't let him agree.'

Simply put, everyone can see how great the benefits of your gifts are, and if Great Shun really used them, wouldn't it truly become rich and strong?

Once rich and strong, how could anyone still control Great Shun?

Therefore, under unanimous opposition, the Shun Emperor, even knowing your goodwill, could only reluctantly refuse, even boasting unrealistically in the state letter and belittling you and the Western Continent's progress……

Such content in the state letter is, of course, anti‑intellectual!

After grasping this crucial point, you couldn't help but frown: does this mean I really have to send troops to invade Great Shun?

'Impossible!'

The official shook his head repeatedly: 'President, you must absolutely not fall for their trap! This is the Prince‑electors' scheme of entrapment through law‑enforcement!'

'They let the False Emperor disparage you in the state letter precisely to lure you into sending troops; once you really dispatch troops, they will immediately claim you provoked the war, then summon the true gods behind them to jointly annihilate you!'

'You don't realize, the gods have long noticed your movements in the Western Continent; ever since your million‑strong army marched east to Liangzhou, they have regarded you as a thorn in their eye, a splinter in their flesh, wishing to eradicate you as soon as possible.'

'They simply never found a pretext, so they delayed acting… therefore you must never give them an excuse!'

Hearing the official's earnest analysis and answer, you were startled: it turns out I've been waiting for you here!

Come to think of it, although you only had eight true gods when you marched east, you eight are not from the Heavenly Court; in the eyes of those true gods born from the Heavenly Court's dissolution, you eight are outright heretics among heretics.

If they weren't each harboring secret motives and unable to form an unbreakable alliance, they would have long since joined forces to destroy you, this potential threat.

So you must never give them a reason to unite; you must continue to develop in a low‑key manner.

Thinking this, you secretly rejoice: fortunately you didn't get angry and launch an army, otherwise you'd be done……

But then a great curiosity arose in your mind: 'You, a mere mundane official, how do you know all these secrets?'

He replied faithfully: 'I am a person specially dispatched by the Tai Bai Star Lord to the Shun Dynasty, to assist the Shun False Emperor in keeping the court running……'

You frowned: 'Li Ziliang? Where is he?'

'……Behind you.'

You stared, then turned your head.

The white‑haired Li Ziliang faced you in silence; the scene was momentarily awkward……

……

In the courtyard of the Ministry of Rites official's residence, the official who had been brainwashed by the Blood God Son stood obediently at the side; although this was his home, he was clearly not the main character here……

Li Ziliang curiously examined the crimson avatar opposite him; after a long while he sighed: 'You are very cautious, sending only a single avatar…… if you hadn't moved my people, I would never have noticed you.'

He pointed at the official and said: 'What method did you use? You actually freed him from my control……'

'Just a trifle; Star Lord, no need to worry.'

Lin Liu made no mention of the Blood God Son, for it is a threat to anyone; if Li Ziliang knew, he would likely advocate exterminating your true god, adding yet another……

After pondering for a while, Lin Liu spoke:

'I thought you really didn't care about future generations, but I didn't expect……'

'How could one truly not care?'

Li Ziliang shook his head:

'I simply don't want to meddle in human affairs like others do; what ought to be managed, I still manage.'

'If I didn't manage it, Great Shun wouldn't be used as a tool; it would have been wiped out long ago…… those old things are not good people.'

Lin Liu nodded: 'Indeed not good…… how is the Heavenly Court now?'

'How could it be otherwise?'

Li Ziliang sighed: 'Without the Heavenly Emperor's restraint, everyone basically left; only I and dozens of antiquated old things remain, wandering as idle clouds and wild cranes in heaven, obeying heavenly law and not descending to the mortal realm……'

'Of course, heavenly law itself has no binding power—that's why I've come down.'

He seemed to be self‑mocking, also lamenting; after all, the Heavenly Court's present state is truly heartbreaking……

Lin Liu pondered, then asked:

"Does that Star Lord have any ideas to revive the Heavenly Court?"

Li Ziliang laughed: "How can I possibly revive the Heavenly Court now? Just relying on me and those few dozen old corpses in heaven?"

"You must know, the gods of the lower realm originally do not too strictly obey the Heavenly Laws' restraints; if I wanted to forcibly separate humans and gods, they would immediately unite and send me up to the God‑Slaying Platform…"

"Without absolute power or absolute prestige, restoring order to the Heavenly Court is utterly out of the question!"

It's evident that Li Ziliang also very much wants to stop the current chaotic age, but he only regrets his insufficient strength…

Strength?

Lin Liu couldn't help but think of the monkey still practicing cultivation secrets in "Lingtai Fangcun Shan": what he had originally thought was to rely on the monkey's absolute power to rebuild order, only regretting that Patriarch Bodhi did not permit it, thus leading to the present situation…

【After sighing, you asked Li Ziliang: "Star Lord, your personal visit this time is surely not just for a petty official's matter, is it?"】

【"That's right."】

【Li Ziliang frankly said: "I have come to see you this time precisely to form an alliance with you, jointly to quell the signs of war across the world!"】

【Ah? Me?】

【You were quite astonished: "Just relying on us?"】

【"No, if we only relied on the few of us, the plan to defeat the gods and restore the kingdom would be nothing but a mirage…"】

【Li Ziliang shook his head.】

【You became even more bewildered: "Then…"】

【He spoke solemnly: "What I mean is, we support mortals to defeat their restoration righteous army!"】

【"The gods are all concerned about face; their restoration activities in the human world at most merely let mortals handle them, and the gods themselves will not intervene. Therefore, if we can defeat all the restoration righteous armies on the mortal level, we can also restore peace to the human realm…"】

【Having said that, he paused and said: "The small gift you had people send over—I've looked at it all; it's indeed quite good, sufficient to benefit the state and the people, to enrich the country and strengthen the army."】

【"If we can defeat them with this, then…"】

【You suddenly interrupted him: "But didn't you say earlier that if I sent troops from the West, it would force them to join forces against me?"】

【"Yes, so my meaning is not to have you directly dispatch troops from the Western Continent."】

【He chuckled: "What I mean is, you provide the technology, I provide the manpower; let's stir up a tremendous upheaval in the Southern Continent!"】

【This…】

【Proxy war?】

【Your interest suddenly rose…】

【In the thirty‑sixth year of the New Heavenly Court, the 185th year of Great Shun, you and the Grand Ancestor of Shun, Li Ziliang, reached an agreement: you provide the technology, he provides the manpower; in the death‑silent Southern Continent you support mortal armed forces, letting them win for you this important war that will re‑establish order in the human realm…】

……

(End of chapter)