Chapter 158 Leaving

The mother and daughter stood facing each other, yet both remained silent.

The innocent princess was at a loss, unsure how to interact with her reunited mother. The resentment of years of neglect intertwined with the joy of their sudden reunion, leaving her speechless.

She didn't know how to greet her naturally, yet she couldn't bear to turn and leave just like that. Standing there blankly, she appeared strangely cold.

Yuan Meng, however, had more to consider.

Such as who had saved her daughter, what their purpose was, and whether they were plotting against the Yunmeng Lake merfolk, and so on.

The complexity of an adult dragon was evident at that moment.

Dampening much of the simple joy of the mother-daughter reunion.

"Stay here and don't move. I'll return and talk to you in detail then." Yun Meng finally remembered her priorities.

Of course, this was also a kind of escape.

Unable to immediately face her daughter, she chose this method to avoid the situation and sort out her emotions first.

Turning, she transformed into a dragon, let out a roar, and plunged into the snow-capped hot spring.

The powerful water pressure was not a problem for the dragon race, who were born with the ability to control water.

Soon, Yuan Meng reached the bottom of the hot spring and saw the Yunmeng Cauldron standing in the deep pit.

Its unique rhythm, the characteristics of regulating and suppressing the mountains and rivers, could not be concealed or imitated.

This was the Yunmeng Cauldron.

With it, Yuan Jia and Yuan Meng could completely free themselves from complicated affairs and truly take charge of the Yunmeng water system, integrating the various forces within Yunmeng Lake to a certain extent.

The overall strength of the Yunmeng merfolk would advance several levels.

Joy flickered in Yuan Meng's dragon eyes. She couldn't wait to swing her massive dragon tail, wanting to coil around the Yunmeng Cauldron and drag it out of the bottom of the pit.

The joy of reuniting with her daughter and the joy of recovering the Yunmeng Cauldron intertwined, making her so happy she wanted to shout.

Fortunately, she was no longer a young dragon. She had a city within her chest, and even encountering two great joys did not make her completely lose her composure.

Meanwhile, Ye Chuxiao, who had been watching the live broadcast remotely, also timed it perfectly.

The mark imprinted on the Yunmeng Cauldron was instantly triggered.

The weighted stone instantly exchanged places with the Yunmeng Cauldron.

In an instant, Yuan Meng, whose tail only grabbed a pile of stones, let out an earth-shattering roar at the bottom of the water.

Bang!

With a loud noise, Yuan Meng exploded out of the pool, soaring into the sky in anger.

At this moment, Shi Huang, Yuan Jia, and Zhao Wang, who had also arrived, all saw the azure dragon flying out in a rage.

Even with the naked eye, they could clearly see Yuan Meng's anger.

"What happened?" Yuan Jia asked anxiously.

Yuan Meng did not transform into a human form but directly in her most complete form, scales and claws flying, glared at Shi Huang and Zhao Wang: "Again and again, again and again, good... truly excellent. We Yunmeng merfolk shelter your Yunmeng Eight Prefectures, yet you repay us in this way? It is truly disheartening."

"Yuan Jia! If you have any spine left, then immediately return with me to Yunmeng Lake and train the merfolk soldiers day and night."

"Let us part ways with this Daheng Dynasty from now on!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Jia was slightly silent, but after a moment, he said, "I don't know what you saw down there, but since you said so, then I will follow your lead."

"From now on, my Yunmeng merfolk will no longer be allies with your Daheng."

"The affairs of the Yunmeng Eight Prefectures are for you to handle yourselves. Whether there are floods, droughts, or three years without rain, it will have nothing to do with my Yunmeng merfolk."

After saying that, Yuan Jia and Yuan Meng were about to leave in a blaze of light.

But before leaving, Yuan Meng secretly glanced at the princess, but ultimately did not invite her.

Nor did she reveal the relationship between her and the princess.

Leaving the princess standing blankly in the distance, with a wooden expression, feeling lost.

For the second time, she had been abandoned by her mother.

Whatever the reason, it was a deep wound for her.

Shi Huang looked at the departing dragons, and then glanced at Zhao Wang, who had a bewildered expression, and then seemed to realize something, his face changing drastically. He snorted coldly and said, "Your Royal Highness Zhao! Are you satisfied with how things have turned out?"

"Report to the Duke of Zhenhai!"

"Since he gave the order in the first place, let him handle it."

After saying that, he also flicked his sleeves and left.

From Shi Huang's perspective, no matter what the hidden secrets were, suppressing the Yunmeng Cauldron and not returning it to the Yunmeng merfolk was somewhat unethical.

Of course, more importantly, the Yunmeng Eight Prefectures… were Daheng's territory, and the billions of people living in these eight prefectures were Daheng's citizens.

Doing this would ultimately harm only the common people.

Zhao Wang looked at the direction the two dragons had left, and then at Shi Huang's departing figure, stomped his feet fiercely on the spot, and then ignored the princess, who looked weak, helpless, and pitiful at the moment, and also turned and went down the mountain.

Yuan Jia and Yuan Meng's complete break with the imperial court had huge consequences, and a slight carelessness could even create a chain reaction.

What was even more troublesome was that the Duke of Zhenhai was vaguely aligned with the Empress Dowager.

Once part of the inside story of this matter was exposed, it would inevitably lead to a large-scale attack from the pro-imperial party, and the imperial party and the Empress Dowager's party would fight endlessly in the court. If it spread to the martial world and the entire world, it would be an extremely violent storm.

Although he also sensed that there were still strange things happening, Zhao Wang chose to protect himself, suppressing the confusion and temptation in his heart, and still did not enter the bottom of the hot spring to take a look.

Some answers, whether you see them or not, have different meanings.

Knowing too much is not safe.

Even if he was a Daheng clansman, a dignified Zhao Wang, it was still the same.

On the other side, Ye Chuxiao put away the Yunmeng Cauldron and also sorted out his further plans.

Letting the Yunmeng Lake merfolk 'lose control' and abandon the Yunmeng Lake Eight Prefectures was in his main plan and backup plans.

It was just that the means to promote the original main plan were more gentle.

Unlike now, where it was expressed fiercely by detonating contradictions.

Following Shi Huang back to the Ministry of Justice, Shi Huang, as expected, summoned a large number of Silver Badge constables and above to hold a meeting.

"From now on, dispatch all available Bronze Badge constables and above to the eight prefectures surrounding Yunmeng."

"If there are local officials colluding with local clans in the event of natural disasters such as floods, droughts, etc., taking the opportunity to hoard food and force the people to sell their land, with complete evidence, they can be executed!"

"If there are merchants who arbitrarily raise food prices, they can be executed!"

"If there are those who take the opportunity to cause trouble, rebel, preach, or bewitch the villagers in the chaos, they can be executed!"

Shi Huang was decisive. In just a few dozen seconds, he uttered twelve 'executes' in a row.

Everyone present unconsciously tensed up, straightened their backs, and was brought into a solemn atmosphere by Shi Huang's series of 'executes'.

Yuan Shen, the Minister of Justice, who came upon hearing the news, happened to hear Shi Huang say, "Those who use the imperial decree as an excuse to arbitrarily open dams, dig embankments, and destroy farmland to protect the gentry can be executed!"

"Lord Shi! This is too intense!"

"Moreover, this move... greatly oversteps our authority." Yuan Shen advised.

Shi Huang said angrily, "Once the Yunmeng merfolk withdraw from the eight prefectures, the water vapor in the eight prefectures will inevitably be disrupted. In a month or two at most, or ten days at least, disasters will definitely occur in the eight prefectures. If those local parasites are allowed to misgovern, I am afraid that the eight prefectures will be ruined in an instant."

"Even so, we must first report to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and then discuss it in the court, and after setting a strategy, then act..." Yuan Shen said.

Shi Huang sighed and said, "How can I not know that if we really act so violently, and without the permission of the six ministries, it will bring disaster to my Six Doors?"

"It's just that most of the court is involved in party strife, and I am afraid that this matter will involve a good deal of mutual recrimination."

"By the time a specific proposal is made, I am afraid that the eight prefectures will already be devastated."

"If Daheng loses the Yunmeng Eight Prefectures, it will lose more than half of its rice production. If there are a few more natural disasters in the coming year, the entire Daheng will be in chaos."

As he spoke, Shi Huang waved his hand and said, "If there is any crime, then I, the old man, will bear it all."

"Tang Gong was noble and sacrificed his life to the Dao, completing decades of flawless boundaries. We must not disappoint his expectations, and instead let this world become chaotic again."

Yuan Shen was speechless upon hearing this, obviously persuaded by Shi Huang.

The many Gold Badge and Silver Badge constables present also had different expressions.

Some seemed excited and agitated, obviously influenced by Shi Huang's words, their blood boiling.

But there were also some who showed hesitation and hesitation, obviously realizing the consequences of promoting this.

Although Shi Huang said that he would bear it all, how could one person bear it if things got out of hand?

After Tang Sudong died, weren't those who followed him in reforming also demoted or killed?

"I will ask the court to send a team to Yunmeng Lake first to appease the Yunmeng Lake Dragon King and Dragon Queen. If we can persuade the Yunmeng merfolk not to withdraw from the eight prefectures, then this matter will only be a false alarm." Yuan Shen said.

Shi Huang was slightly stunned upon hearing this, and then clasped his fists.

"Brother Yuan, noble!"

Such matters of external alliances, negotiations, and missions were originally under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites, and there was no need for a Minister of Justice to come forward.

But there was a big pit in this. If it succeeded, there would be no great merit, but if it failed, it would inevitably bear a great blame.

Most of the officials in the Ministry of Rites were pro-imperial party members, and now they were planning to take this opportunity to suppress the Empress Dowager's faction. They probably wished for things to get worse, so how could they come forward to help solve the problem?

In the court, there were people who were concerned about the country and the people.

Naturally, there were also people who only sought personal gain and used all living beings as pawns.

Ye Chuxiao didn't know which category he belonged to.

Fortunately, he had long since stopped limiting and defining himself.

In the world of the extraordinary, as long as you have absolute strength, then any problems that arise will not be a problem.

"My lords! I have an immature idea. I don't know if it will work!" Ye Chuxiao said.

Yuan Shen and Shi Huang, along with the many constables present, focused their attention on Ye Chuxiao.

At this time, no one scolded him.

It was just that most people's eyes were scrutinizing.

"I have participated in the causes and consequences of this matter, so I have some right to speak."

"The problem of the Yunmeng Lake Eight Prefectures, in the final analysis, is the problem of unsmooth water vapor. As long as we ensure that the water vapor is still smooth after the Yunmeng Lake merfolk withdraw, and there is good weather... does this mean that all problems can be solved?" Ye Chuxiao asked.

Yuan Shen and Shi Huang nodded at the same time.

"There is truth in this."

"It's just that water vapor is unpredictable. If there is no ancient inherited artifact like the Yunmeng Cauldron as proof, then a large number of merfolk cultivators are needed to help regulate the water vapor for a long time to alleviate the conflicts and contradictions of the earth veins."

"Although the imperial court also keeps a lot of demons who can dredge the water vapor, it is only a drop in the bucket." Yuan Shen said.

Ye Chuxiao nodded to show that he understood.

Then he said something that seemed irrelevant: "I am proficient in formations, drawing, surveying, and weapon refining. I have learned quite a lot, but I also think I have some achievements."

Hearing these words, everyone present rolled their eyes.

Any one of the things that Ye Chuxiao mentioned was worth spending decades or even hundreds of years to carefully study and polish.

How could a yellow-haired boy like Ye Chuxiao be proficient in them?

What's more, there were so many of them.

"As early as when I contacted the two Dragon Lords of Yunmeng Lake, I was thinking, how can such an important thing concerning the lifeline of my Daheng be controlled by the Yunmeng merfolk for a long time?"

"Wouldn't that be passive?"

"Although my Daheng Dynasty's army is moved, the world does not submit, but it is not everything, and it will come to the point of using artifacts."

"If we can use mountains and rivers as formations, clouds and rain as paintings, and spiritual treasures as contracts, and form a whole to form a cycle, it will be different!"

"Mountains, rivers, wind and rain are all under control, which can be called... Man will conquer nature!" Ye Chuxiao talked eloquently, but in the eyes of others, it was more like boasting.

These things sound simple, but when implemented, you will know how difficult they are.

How to arrange the formation, how to draw, how to refine weapons, how to combine, how to make these three things that are not compatible with each other, form a whole, and operate freely?

If any link is not solved, it will affect the promotion of the overall progress.

Even if the plan is feasible, I am afraid that it will take decades or hundreds of years as the research and development time.

By that time, everything will be too late.

"It's good that you have this intention."

"Everyone! Prepare for departure."

"If there is an accident, I will go first." Shi Huang got up and shouted, his hair and beard stretched out.

Ye Chuxiao took out a stack of drawings and said loudly, "This matter is not difficult, I have already calculated it."

"Lord Shi! Lord Yuan! Please look at the drawings first."

After saying that, Ye Chuxiao handed the drawings up.

The two looked at each other, and then flipped through them.

At first, they didn't care much, but the more they looked, the more shocked they became.

The drawings given by Ye Chuxiao were too detailed.

The details were even so subtle that even the slightest changes in temperature, cloud migration, traces of wind, etc. within a certain hour were considered.

It seemed that as long as they followed it, they would be able to use this three-in-one framework of diagrams, formations, and devices to bind and manage the water vapor in the Yunmeng Lake Eight Prefectures.

As long as everything takes shape, the manager only needs to calculate where to rain every day, every month, where to accumulate water, where to blow wind, and where to spread clouds. All the meteorological changes and geo-qi combing within the Eight Prefectures are idiot-proof operations.

"What a wonderful design, what an ingenious plan."

"Although I don't fully understand it, I... am greatly shocked!" Yuan Shen said with emotion, holding the drawings tightly.

As for Shi Huang, he looked at Ye Chuxiao with the eyes of a national treasure, his eyes were so hot that they were scary.