People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

6 This is no longer an active awareness, but a passive skill.

Trying to fathom the emperor's intentions is a death sentence; if the emperor so desires, several heads wouldn't be enough to cover it all. Even if you're wrong, it's not so bad, especially if you truly understand the emperor. If you've figured out his thoughts, when he makes a decision, is it his own choice, or are you guiding him to do it?

Naturally, this risk was passed on to Ning Ciqiu, and the Grand Tutor had no worries. After all, if he were to guess, no one could guarantee that Ning Ciqiu wouldn't leak it. Even if she intended to keep it a secret, what if she accidentally let slip something while drunk, causing trouble in the bedroom? Not only would she harm herself, but she would also implicate him, the Grand Tutor of the court, making him the most unjustly brought down in the history of the Great Yan Dynasty.

This is not just needless worry!

Why do the upper echelons of the Great Yan Dynasty now think that the current emperor is "narrow-minded and jealous"? He even had his throne given to him by Wei Yanwu, so what is there to be jealous of?

Isn't it precisely because his position was illegitimate, his foundation weak, and his imperial education insufficient that he used "jealousy" to cover up his true nature of being "unworthy of his position"? It is also because of this personality that he is adaptable, seeks change, and wants to do something to prove that his position is legitimate and justified.

It's not that this is bad; in fact, the modern-day Zhenlong has successfully transformed this pressure of insecurity into motivation, performing exceptionally well in many areas. However, the price to pay is that if you dare to try and guess his thoughts...

Tsk tsk, the people of Yan have taboos; they wish to speak of the living but not the dead.

After decades of ups and downs in officialdom, the only person I could truly trust was myself.

Ning Ciqiu, unsuspecting, nodded, pondered for a moment, and gave her first answer:

"Grand Tutor has served the country with extensive experience and has a long-standing relationship with Prime Minister Ernst. The possibility of His Majesty sending you on another visit should be very high."

"Ha ha ha ha."

Upon hearing this, the Grand Tutor laughed and shook his head.

"The analysis is correct, but it's precisely not me."

Ning Ciqiu's reasoning is correct. If His Majesty the True Dragon were a machine that only cared about national interests, he would definitely make such a choice.

But the true dragon is human; he needs to weigh things and, more importantly, to maintain checks and balances.

The last time the Grand Tutor went on his trip, he solved one-sixth of the problem of the Sui fragments for the Yan Kingdom. After Nian and Xi were sent to Xielag, their communication with the inside of the Great Yan Kingdom was almost completely cut off. As a result, the Sui, who had already developed some vague consciousness in the tomb under the Hundred Stove, also fell silent again.

The Celestial Master personally investigated the Sui Mausoleum and concluded that "there was nothing unusual."

This is enough to show that Sui was not doing anything funny after waking up, but actually fell asleep again!

Even though many in the court are still dissatisfied with the Grand Tutor's radical way of ending the year, it is still a great achievement! After this incident, the Grand Tutor's faction has gradually gained mainstream power in the court!

The Grand Tutor was fully aware of this, yet he was powerless to change it. This was because the Grand Tutor's faction wasn't necessarily a party he had formed; rather, it consisted more of opportunists who had aligned themselves with him during his period of power. The Grand Tutor could only control the core members of his own faction, not everyone else, and thus was naturally powerless to change the situation.

I can't control it, and I don't want to.

This is also the time for the true dragon to exert its power and restraint.

This time, anyone could go, but it certainly won't be the Grand Tutor himself.

Perhaps, to ensure a smooth process, the envoy would send one or two of the Grand Tutor's former entourage to facilitate communication between the two sides. However, the main leader would certainly be of higher rank than these entourage members, to demonstrate the "composition" of this delegation.

Of course, the Grand Tutor wouldn't say these things outright. He simply picked up the teapot on the table, pointed to the two cups of tea, added some to his own cup, poured some out of Ning Ciqiu's cup, and finally put the teapot down steadily.

The two cups of tea were nearly at the same level.

The Grand Tutor picked up his teacup again and raised it towards Ning Ciqiu.

Ning Ciqiu seemed lost in thought.

The answer is already there.

The cup in the Grand Tutor's hand was for his own consumption.

The cup in front of Ning Ciqiu represents another faction in the imperial court.

The tea in that cup represents power, and the hand that pours the tea represents the true dragon.

"Thank you for your guidance, Grand Tutor!"

Ning Ciqiu stood up and solemnly bowed to the Grand Tutor.

The Grand Tutor waved his hand, not returning the bow, but instead asked softly:

"Ci Qiu, aren't you going to drink this cup of tea?"

Ning Ciqiu was somewhat puzzled. But the Grand Tutor smiled:

"Now that you understand what I mean, you should drink this cup of tea."

Ning Ciqiu frowned slightly. Although she was somewhat puzzled, she still picked up her teacup and took a sip in front of the Grand Tutor.

The finest tea from Jiangnan has a slightly bitter yet refreshing aroma upon first sip, a flavor that my grandfather's generation loved.

The Grand Tutor nodded to Ning Ciqiu:

"So be it."

He could tell that Ning Ciqiu understood, but not completely.

But it doesn't matter. Even if he doesn't explain, Ning Ciqiu will return home and his grandfather will explain for him. Some things are not suitable for him to say.

As expected, not long after, at the Ning residence, the white-haired Minister of Rites, with his long beard, listened to his granddaughter's report and his face slightly contorted: "2 chu." He nodded, his smile kind:

"Ci Qiu, this is your chance."

Ning Ciqiu lowered his head and asked, "What does Grandfather mean?"

"The tea in the cup represents the Grand Tutor on one side and the Grand Commandant on the other, while the hand that pours the tea is a true dragon. Since you already know this, why did the Grand Tutor invite you to drink that cup of tea?"

The old man earnestly taught,

"It was His Majesty the True Dragon who poured that cup of tea for you. The Grand Tutor's invitation for you to drink it is a way of telling you that you are the one favored by the True Dragon!"

Ning Ciqiu was startled, somewhat incredulous:

"Coco, I'm not on the Grand Commandant's side."

Before she could finish speaking, the old man coldly rebuked her:

"Nonsense!"

"Where did this 'Grand Commandant's side' and 'Grand Tutor's side' come from? We all serve His Majesty the True Dragon. When we're out in the world, we only represent the 'Great Yan' side!"

Whether it's the Grand Commandant or the Grand Tutor, the water is poured by the emperor, and the power is naturally given by the emperor. To put it bluntly, they are all working for the emperor.

If the true dragon forbids it, and the water stops flowing, what difference will there be between the Grand Commandant and the Grand Tutor? Won't they both die of thirst?

Throughout the history of the Great Yan Dynasty, there have been powerful ministers who used a cup of tea to overturn the heavens, but at least the Grand Commandant and Grand Tutor of our time are not like that, nor do they possess that kind of power!

Looking at the girl lost in thought, the old man sighed softly and gave a helpless smile.

My dear granddaughter still has a lot to learn.

I need to take advantage of the fact that my old bones can still move and plan out a few more options for her.

Chapter 562 Shocking! The Empress is actually a remnant of the Witch King!

"Are you going or am I going?"

Leitania, the Twin Towers Bridge of the Queen, where the two rulers of Leitania are having a secret meeting.

Calling it a secret meeting isn't quite accurate, as neither Herlinmat nor Ivignad intended to keep it a secret. They simply agreed tacitly not to bring their entourages with them.

On the spacious Twin Towers Bridge, there was only a table, two chairs, some snacks brought by Ivy Gnad, and a phonograph brought by Herlinmat.

Compared to the Gemini Queens' usual enjoyment, this level of luxury is certainly not considered extravagant, but neither of them has any objections.

Because this is their past.

As homunculus created by the rebellious Electors of the Witch King using the secret arts of the Sarkaz, Gaul, and Letania, their childhoods were far from happy. These brief moments of leisure, however, are their most profound and cherished memories from their childhood.

Moreover, calling it simple is an understatement. The snacks brought by Ivignad were gifts from the Lateran Pope, and Herlinmat's phonograph was a masterpiece by the Letanian master, with an astonishingly high price.

The two women knew very well that no matter how much they reminisced about their past in this way, they could never go back to those days. The Twin Queens, two voices—even as homunculus born at the same time, they couldn't read each other's minds, nor could they be completely in agreement or work together on every matter. And this was not good news for the nation of Letania, nor for any ruler who desired centralized power and absolute control.

Take this international summit, for example.

The invitation from Kjerag was delivered by Vina to the Leitanian ambassador to Kjerag, who then passed it on to Trinitylme, and finally to the Twin Queens. The two were of one mind about whether to attend.

I definitely will go.

Airship technology, the second satellite-hunting project, the Terra isolation layer and the unknown space beyond it—these are all just appetizers.

The real highlight is the international summit itself, which will truly define the future world order of Terra. Letania has been stuck in this limbo for far too long, and they certainly won't let this opportunity slip by.

But who should go became the point of contention between the two.

Ivignad wanted to go, and she had good reasons. As the Queen of Letania, known as the "Eternal Grace," she was in charge of Letania's domestic and foreign affairs. And, although it might be a bit harsh to say this to her sister, it had to be said that Ivignad was more approachable than Helimat.

Herlinmat was too tough and too rigid; her attire was that of a soldier, not the elegant and noble Empress of Letania. This stereotype was indeed accurate, as she was in charge of military and political affairs related to war in Letania, and even had a rather frighteningly ruthless title—[Ruthless Authority].

However, Helena unexpectedly broke the division of responsibilities between the two and expressed her desire to go.

Her reasons were clearly not convincing to Ivignad:

"There has been no war in Letania recently, and the various Electors have not shown any unusual behavior. The army's training does not require my constant presence. Compared to you, I have more time to go there."

Time? In terms of time, Ivignad's time is no less than Helinmat's. Anyway, given Letania's current situation, unless another war on the scale of a Gallic invasion of Letania occurs, the only city she truly needs to govern is Trilintelme.

The other matters will be handled by the Grand Election Lords and local nobles themselves.

Ivignad could tell that there was something else that had prompted Herlinmat to have this idea, and she was curious about what it was.

Helena naturally couldn't tell her directly, because it was about someone both of them knew, but who they both avoided talking about, and who to some extent became someone Letania was wary of—Fremont.

Fremont, Lord of the Sarkaz Lich King's Court and contemporary scribe.

In theory, nothing in Letania can escape the eyes of Her Majesty the Supreme Queen, especially the movements of the Lich King's court hidden within Letania. Within Letania, Ivignad should be aware of any private meetings Fremont has with anyone.

Unless it's another empress trying to keep it from her.

Herlinmat and Fremont have a long-standing relationship, and the two can even be considered allies to some extent. The shared interest that fostered this alliance is the pursuit of the Witch King's legacy.

It sounds somewhat ironic that Fremont, the former close friend of the Witch King and the one who personally developed the artificial weapon specifically designed to attack the Witch King, is now searching for the legacy of the Witch King, whom they killed together, alongside Helimat, the artificial weapon designed to attack the Witch King.

One of the queens of Letania is actually the biggest remnant of the Witch King? Even if a media outlet like the Wine Gazette, which loves sensationalism, published this story, it would be considered groundbreaking!

But this is the fact.

Admittedly, not everyone who pursues the Witch King's legacy can be called a remnant of the Witch King. Helena's pursuit of the Witch King's power also had other reasons, but her conspiracy with Fremont to research the Witch King's legacy and investigate the whereabouts of the legendary "Horn of Origin" is indeed true. It is precisely because of this relationship that Fremont, an honorary professor at Ludwig University in Letania, was able to represent Letania in the Games of Nations as an ordinary person shrouded in mystery—because behind him was the tacit approval of an empress.

And this time was no exception. Helena wanted to go to Kjerag herself to attend the International Summit. Her goal was clear, but not entirely what Ivignad thought: to gain the upper hand in this power struggle that neither of them had explicitly stated but which had already begun tacitly. Rather, she was after Ernst, the young man favored by Fremont.

But this goal will certainly not be achieved so easily.

Ivignad disagreed with Helena's proposal; instead, she presented a letter, a ring, and a photograph. (Six → Four =)

The letter came from Kazimierz, written by Grand Knight Russell himself. The ring came from a nobleman who was once somewhat famous in Trilintelme. However, the words of worship for the Witch King on the inner ring were unsettling. And the photograph, the person in it was none other than Viviana!

“Herlinmat, things are not peaceful in Letania. Russell wrote to me saying that the remnants of the Witch King’s faction have even dared to kidnap people abroad. Are you going to turn a blind eye to this?”

"Ivignad said slowly. Herlinmat's face darkened as she read Russell's letter with a furrowed brow, then examined the ring on the table. Finally, she sighed softly and let out a murderous click of her tongue.

The fact that Ivignad brought this out meant that her plans were doomed to fail.

The Gemini Queens have a clear division of labor, which is not only a way to improve administrative efficiency, but also a tacit agreement between the two to supervise each other.

If one fails to perform their duties properly, they cannot criticize the other. Because of this clause, the Gemini Queens, the two supreme rulers of the same power, have been able to maintain a relatively peaceful coexistence, preventing disagreements from arising at the top and even causing civil war.

The emergence and activity of the remnants of the Witch King's faction, including kidnapping people abroad, even if they are just ordinary Letanians, means that Helinmat, as the person in charge of military intelligence, has problems with his work attitude, has not fulfilled his duties, and has not met the standards of work efficiency!

You're definitely not going to pass the performance review, and you still want to do other things? You're dreaming.

Herlinmat was somewhat annoyed.

Damn it, the remnants of the Witch King, you bunch of scum! You're no ordinary traitors. Stay where you are and I'll send the Golden Law Guard over there to send you all to heaven!

Ivignad smiled.

How could she not know what Helena was thinking? She could even leisurely offer a reminder: Two

"Don't go too far, Helena Matt."

It's easy to imagine that Letania won't be peaceful for some time to come.

Given Helena's personality, who knows how many nobles will lose their heads because of this, or even the Grand Elephant—the letter mentions at least three—Helena is unlikely to kill them all, but at least, it is very possible that she will whip one, or even kill one, to establish her authority.

For those nobles, such punishment was probably more unacceptable than death.

Should they rebel? Probably not. The evidence against the remnants of the Witch King is irrefutable; if it weren't for the need for stability, Helinmat might have simply annihilated them. After all, this is the power of ruthless authority. To rebel at this time—do you think Helinmat's blade isn't swift enough? Do you think the "fear of the Witch King" that has been instilled in the people for so many years isn't profound enough? Do you think anyone would support you?

Impossible! You won't even be able to recruit soldiers once you hear it's for the remnants of the Witch King's faction! Because the Witch King is evil and the Twin Queens are good—this is already politically correct in Letania, a fact that has become an established truth under Ivignad's propaganda!

She herself would depart for the World Summit before Helena Matt could make her move. She would be "completely unaware" of what was happening at home; she would remain the same kind and gentle woman, the gentler one amidst her ruthlessness.

When she returns, she will stop this political storm. At that time, Letania will be much more stable internally, the electors will be much more restrained, and most importantly, people's impression of Helimat, the Black Queen who stirred up white terror while she was away, will become much worse.

Without comparison, there is no harm. Plans don't need to be overly complex, as long as they're effective. And given Helena's personality, she simply can't avoid this overt scheme.

At that time, with the ebb and flow of fortune, Liselot Ivignad will become Letania's "Eternal Grace".