After rebirth, I became a treacherous minister Black Moonlight

The rat remained silent.

Zhongli Yuan stared at him intently for a long while before saying in a low voice, "You are the true royal family of Xiye, aren't you? And who is Si She?"

The rat remained silent.

Zhongli Yuan nodded: "I understand. You are both princes of Xiye. It's just that one of you wants to revive Xiye, while the other has other ambitions."

This is a tremendous discovery.

Why aren't your eyes blue?

Zhongli Yuan asked.

Zishu said, "Because my mother is from the Central Plains, not from Liuli Island. I am of lowly status and have never been favored by my father since childhood. To my father, my mother was nothing more than a tribute or a plaything offered by a lowly soldier. In my childhood, I had the same eyes as the people of the Central Plains and suffered all kinds of bullying among the princes of Xiye. My father was even unwilling to acknowledge me as his son. I have always wanted to prove to my father that I am his most outstanding son! What is Lan Che? He is nothing but a good-for-nothing who doesn't even care about his own people."

As he spoke, he gradually became agitated.

Zhong Liyuan understood his resentment.

"Do you know that you are his brother?"

After Zhongli Yuan finished asking, Zi Shu gave a self-deprecating laugh: "How could he know? Father never told him of my existence. In Father's heart, he only has one son, Lan Che!"

"What exactly are you doing all this for? Is it just to prove to your father that you are superior to Lan Che?"

"Yes."

The rat clenched its fist.

Zhongli Yuan shook her head: "But your father has passed away, and your mother has also passed away. They will not be able to see what you are doing now. Why bother? If you are restoring Xiye for the sake of the people of Xiye and the rise and fall of Liuli Island, then perhaps it will have some meaning."

"Holy Maiden, you don't need to preach these grand principles to me. Everyone has choices and their own obsessions, and aren't you the same? If you didn't want to forcibly break through the restrictions of the Qiankun Sect and reunite with your family, why have you been dragged into reincarnation by the Qiankun Sect time and time again?"

Zhongli Yuan looked at him and said softly, "You know more than I thought."

Zishu smiled bitterly: "What good is knowing? It won't change anything, and I still won't get the Holy Maiden's help."

Zhong Liyuan: "I didn't say I wouldn't help you."

Zishu suddenly looked up: "Holy Maiden, are you really going to help me?"

Zhongli Yuan looked out the window, where stars shone and the Milky Way glittered: "Ever since the Holy Temple took control of Liuli Island in place of the Xiye royal family, there has been constant strife on the island, and the islanders are suffering terribly. I originally intended to end all of this, not to help you."

Zishu: "But Holy Maiden, you and the Holy Church..."

Zhongli Yuan smiled and said, "Are you saying that my daughter has a close relationship with the Holy Church's daughter and you're worried that I won't be able to do it? I never said I was going to deal with the Holy Church. I'm not helping you restore your kingdom; I'm just restoring Liuli Island to its former order. Whether you can become the King of Xiye depends on your own fate."

"In any case, Zishu thanks the Holy Maiden."

The Rat bowed respectfully, opened the door, and went out, where he unexpectedly encountered the returning Snake.

Looking at his younger brother, who had been pampered by their father since childhood, Zishu felt a mix of emotions. This time, however, he seemed to feel less jealousy and resentment.

He didn't speak to the snake, but simply looked away and brushed past it.

Suddenly, the snake stopped in its tracks and softly called out, "Big brother."

The mouse was stunned.

……

"I've seen the saint."

Inside the Saintess's room, the Snake (巳蛇) bowed to Zhongli Yuan.

Zhongli Yuan smiled gently: "Have you met your elder brother?"

She heard him call her "big brother" just now.

The Snake did not deny it. Zhongli Yuan said, "Tell me, why did you come to see me?"

It would be quite difficult for the Rat to see Zhongli Yuan, but for the Snake, who has a close relationship with Meng Qianqian, it would not be a problem.

The Snake spoke, "The Holy Goddess is all-powerful, able to freely traverse the Gate of Heaven and Earth, and even reverse life and death. I beg the Holy Goddess to allow me to see my parents one more time."

After listening, Zhongli Yuan sighed and said, "You have mythologized me too much. The Gate of Heaven and Earth is indeed magical, and I can indeed travel between two worlds through it, but I do not have the ability to bring the dead back to life, nor can I let you see your deceased relatives."

A hint of disappointment flashed in the calm blue eyes of the Snake, but it was only for a moment, as if he had expected it, yet still held onto hope.

“I understand,” he said. “I’m sorry to have disturbed the saintess.”

Zhongli Yuan asked, "Don't you want to restore the Kingdom of Xiye? Don't you want to be a prince of Xiye again?"

The Snake looked honestly into Zhongli Yuan's eyes and said quietly, "My elder brother is more suitable to be the King of the West Night than I am."

Zhongli Yuan looked up at the top of the snake's head.

This journey through the Gate of Heaven and Earth brought her new changes; she could now see people's aura.

The snake is surrounded by purple aura; it is destined to be the Purple Star.

The Rat was also surrounded by purple aura, though not as intense as the Snake.

But right after the Snake finished speaking, his purple aura seemed to gradually converge in a certain direction.

The Snake has always known of the existence of its brother, whom it considers invisible, and has always felt indebted to him.

Since his brother wanted to become the king of Xiye, he would grant his brother's wish.

As the Snake departed from the Holy Maiden's door, Zhongli Yuan spoke up, "You didn't become one of Marshal Chu's Twelve Guards just because you lost to him, did you?"

The Snake nodded slightly, and Zhongli Yuan understood.

She looked in the direction where Zishu had left and said softly, "I hope that one day you can see the affection that your father didn't give you. Your brother did it. You were never alone."

After leaving the Saintess's courtyard, the Snake met the Queen.

The queen seemed to have been waiting for him.

"The Snake," the Empress said.

The Snake (巳) bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty the Empress."

Yao Qingluan stepped forward and said, "Accompany me to the market."

The Snake said, "Your Majesty, my mission was to escort His Majesty and the Imperial Concubine safely back to the capital from the West City. Now that the mission is complete, Your Majesty, if you wish to travel, please summon your own guards."

Yao Qingluan hesitated, then said, "You've taken such good care of me all the way here..."

Snake (巳): "I am merely following the orders of the Grand Commander."

Yao Qingluan: "You—when did you become a member of the Governor's Office? Why are you taking orders from Lu Yuan?"

"This is my matter, and I have no need to explain it to Your Majesty. Your Majesty, I, Si She, take my leave."

He left so resolutely, his back like a sharp sword blade slicing through Yao Qingluan's heart, making even breathing painful for her.

"Because I am the queen?" she demanded loudly.

The snake did not answer.

Yao Qingluan bit her lip, took a deep breath, and mustered her courage to resolutely chase after the snake.

Just as she reached out to grab the snake, an excited shout came from outside the courtyard:

"She's going into labor! Young mistress, she's going into labor!" (End of Chapter)