novelraw Chapter 35
Chapter 35
35~ Conversation~
"Fei, I have a very important thing to ask you."
"Mm? Go ahead."
The Empress seemed to have guessed early on, waiting for her question.
"That room below, do you know who left it behind?"
"Don't know. When I discovered it, it was already there."
The Empress never deigned to lie, so this statement was true. She didn't know who left behind this massive room, so her plan to try to find the builder hadn't even started before falling through.
The little Princess was somewhat disappointed. She had thought she could find someone who, like herself, was reincarnated. The result was indeed an empty hope. Looking at the rust-covered items in that room, some even completely corroded beyond recognition as "steel," this had to have been untouched for at least several decades, right?
It could be said that in that massive room below, there wasn't a single thing left that could be utilized. Even if they wanted to disassemble and study the structure within, they could only imagine what it looked like when it was built. With this world's backward craftsmanship, it simply wasn't possible.
However, she quickly rallied again. At least she wasn't alone, right? She wasn't the only one reincarnated to an alternate world. There were others, just that she didn't know where they were or when they reincarnated.
Although after such a long time, that person suspected of being a reincarnator had already laid down in a coffin, she still held a certain hope about this.
"However, this was once the original site of Scarlet Radiance Nation's imperial palace, which is the predecessor before the former Scarlet Phoenix Nation split off."
Scarlet Phoenix Nation was established after the former Scarlet Phoenix Nation, and the former Scarlet Phoenix Nation was a product of Scarlet Radiance Nation's split. After Scarlet Radiance Nation's downfall, it split into eight nations large and small. Including the former Scarlet Phoenix, that was nine total.
And now, the territory of the former Scarlet Radiance Nation had almost all been conquered by the Empress. Just one more Donglai and she could recover all the former territory of Scarlet Radiance Nation...
"Perhaps after conquering Donglai Nation, you might get the answer you want."
"Mm..."
Looking at it this way, there was one more reason she had to help the Empress conquer Donglai Nation.
Sympathizing with people suffering from war might be a joke in some rulers' eyes, but Scarlet Phoenix Nation seemed somewhat different. After conquering and occupying a city, they wouldn't further plunder the city's resources, but rather provide resource assistance for recovery...
Although those who didn't submit would be executed on the spot, overall it was relatively friendly. Simply put, it was an occupation method of "those who follow me prosper, those who oppose me perish."
For the military, they also applied this same method. They would properly settle the original compliant troops to guard the city. The excess would be reorganized, then insert Scarlet Phoenix Nation's garrison troops among them and appoint a new city lord. A city would be roughly settled. After recovering the people's livelihood for a period, they would slowly implement institutional coverage and legal revision.
In the slums below, they would conduct conscription, raise military welfare, select promising seedlings for training who could become members of the army in the future.
"Scarlet Radiance Nation... huh?"
She had seen it before. Two hundred years ago, the largest nation in the Eastern Region. With one nation's strength, simultaneously resisting the Western Region's five great nations' invasion, even directly pushing the battle line to the front of the five great nations' doorstep, forcing the former five great nations to sign surrender documents. Calling it an eastern giant beast was not an exaggeration.
Although today's Scarlet Phoenix Nation was powerful, its territory even several parts larger than Scarlet Radiance Nation, its strength still wasn't even half of the former Scarlet Radiance Nation. The Western Region wasn't any better off either. After the former five great nations split one by one, they no longer had their former strength. By this generation, it could be said they had fallen from S1 battle of the gods to S3 noobs pecking at each other.
History didn't clearly record the reason for Scarlet Radiance Nation and the Western Region's former five great nations' split. Those like Scarlet Phoenix Nation that had undergone two dynastic changes had already experienced severe information gaps. Even after conquering the nations that split off from Scarlet Radiance Nation, they still couldn't find the reason.
However, the Empress believed that as long as she brought all the parts that split off from Scarlet Radiance Nation back under her control, she would eventually find the reason for Scarlet Radiance Nation's split from the nine nations' histories.
Her intuition told her that when the nine puzzle pieces were put back together, she would find the key to unifying the entire continent.
"Mo, it seems our goals are surprisingly consistent~"
She wanted to conquer Donglai Nation to reclaim the last part that split off from Scarlet Radiance Nation, while the little Princess wanted to know about Scarlet Radiance Nation's past, weaken the Alliance Nations' strength, and divert the Alliance Nations' attention.
She understood all of this. The little Princess wasn't some naive fool, but rather a clever, smart, cunning little scheming princess. Otherwise, she wouldn't have come here to personally negotiate with her, wanting to exchange comfort at a smaller cost.
"Only temporarily consistent."
The little Princess said disdainfully.
Given the current situation, she could only choose to do this.
"Your Highness~ Your sweets and tea are ready~"
Xiyan carried a plate of sweets identical to what she made before, happily bouncing before the little Princess.
The little Princess picked up a piece to taste:
"Mm... your cooking has improved again, Xiyan."
The little loli maid who received praise was proud and smug, as if flying to the sky.
"Your Highness, reward, reward!"
The little loli maid's eyes shone, both hands placed in front of her chest asking for a reward. The little Princess was also not stingy, using her other clean little hand to properly smooth the fur of this little loli maid.
The little loli maid was comfortable, and she was comfortable too. This wave was called a win-win!
"Ahem, Xiyan, go out first. I still have some important matters to discuss with Mo."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Although it was somewhat regrettable, there was no helping it. She would also feel guilty for interrupting Her Majesty and Her Highness's important conversation.
After Xiyan completely left, the Empress pinched the little Princess's face.
"Mo, will you help me?"
"Haven't I already agreed to help you unify the Eastern Region..."
The little Princess turned her face away.
"That's still far from enough... there's also the Western Region."
Not knowing why, the Empress always had a mysterious obsession with this, wanting to occupy the entire continent. But after occupying the entire continent, then what? What should she do then?
She didn't know why the Empress always thought about unifying the Eastern Region, unifying the continent. She also didn't know what exactly the Empress regarded her as. So she was very curious, but also very afraid.
Curious about the Empress's true thoughts, also afraid of the Empress's true thoughts...
So some things were better left unrevealed. Just let them stay hidden and tucked away for a lifetime.
"The Western Region has nothing to do with me."
The Western Region and Eastern Region hadn't waged war for two hundred years. Ever since the former five great nations signed the surrender document with Scarlet Radiance Nation, the exchanges between the two sides were almost all trade exchanges. She didn't want to be that sinner who triggered a war between the two regions.
"What if you don't get the answer you want after conquering Donglai Nation? The Western Region's former five great nations have quite a deep connection with Scarlet Radiance Nation, you know?"
Damn Empress! Actually using this to tempt her!
Very good, she was tempted. Even knowing this was a trap, she still wanted to continue walking forward.
She really wanted to know the true identity of that suspected reincarnator.