69novels Page 39
Page 39
Seeing Lin Jiu'an's calm demeanor, Rosalyn seemed to realize something, and her gaze towards him became even stranger.
"If you're sick, get treatment. Considering we've been drinking together for so long and we're practically acquaintances, I'll pay. You should go to 'Bu Bu Lu' (a traditional Chinese medicine clinic) right away, or you'll go blind."
Rosalyn wasn't angry, but her expression was strange.
"You don't really think you and Gan Yu are just having breakfast together, do you?"
"Is there a problem?"
Lin Jiu'an retorted irritably, "I like it, so what?"
"If you think I'm having an affair with Gan Yu."
"So if we drink together every two days, and we spend more time together than we sleep, does that mean we already have a child?"
"So that's really what you think?"
Rosalind looked at him strangely, as if she had discovered a new continent.
"Although I don't know how you met that female Qilin, or how she fell in love with you, but..."
"Can't you tell that she likes you?"
"She... likes me?"
Lin Jiu'an chuckled and said, "Have you been reading too many romance novels lately? Is your mind filled with nothing but love and romance?"
"Forget it if you don't believe it."
Rosalyn looked at Lin Jiu'an as if he were a mentally challenged child, her gaze filled with a sense of superiority in terms of both intelligence and emotional intelligence.
"If I didn't like you, I wouldn't have let it go."
"How could she possibly make the long walk every morning to have breakfast with you during this busy period, when the granary burned down?"
The distance between Yuehai Pavilion and his residence is not short; it takes at most half an hour to walk there.
Recently, due to the burning of the granary and the road blockage, Gan Yu, as the secretary of the Seven Stars, must be very busy.
Lin Jiu'an suddenly fell silent as he listened.
But...
Seeing Lin Jiu'an's still somewhat unwilling expression, Rosalina looked at him with a touch of sympathy.
"I think I understand, after all, I look at you like I'm looking at a silly child."
"It's normal for a Qilin that has lived for over three thousand years to have a different concept of time and a different way of expressing love than a human."
Rosalyn, who had finally found an opportunity, began to mock him.
However, Rosalyn regretted it as soon as she said it.
She watched helplessly as the faint smile on Lin Jiu'an's face disappeared.
He sat down, head down as if deep in thought, expressionless.
Gradually, he began to exude an aura that even made her feel a little scared, like a volcano that could erupt at any moment. She could even hear the sound of his hands clenching.
A long, long time passed.
Just when Rosalyn was about to reach her breaking point with the oppressive atmosphere, Lin Jiu'an suddenly spoke up.
"Rosalyn."
Lin Jiu'an's voice was very dry and flat, like the calm before a volcanic eruption.
Listening to that voice that suddenly became completely devoid of emotion.
Rosalyn opened her mouth, but couldn't make a sound.
She watched Lin Jiu'an smile, but that smile didn't convey any emotion whatsoever; all she could feel was fear.
Even though she knew that Lin Jiu'an's inexplicable anger wasn't directed at her, Rosalyn still felt inexplicably afraid.
"what happened?"
Rosalyn's voice also became a little dry, but that was due to nervousness.
"Just kidding, why are you suddenly angry?"
"I'm not angry with you, I just..."
"I'm just angry at myself."
Lin Jiu'an smiled, paused, and then his smile became even brighter.
Looking at that radiant smile, Rosalyn suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.
Lin Jiu'an said softly, "I'm very angry right now, and I really want to kill someone."
"So, let's change our original plan. I think it's too bland, so bland that it makes me sick."
With that, Lin Jiu'an got up and left the private room.
"Let the young master do it."
Chapter 8 Ningguang's Troubles
Ningguang has been very annoyed lately.
She had already anticipated that Lin Jiu'an would definitely try to burn down the granary.
after all.
Lin Jiu'an had asked her those four questions in her previous life, and she had always remembered them.
After "converting grain into cherry blossoms," the next step should be to burn down the granaries and block the official roads, plunging Liyue into a food crisis.
To this end, she deployed heavy troops to guard many granaries in advance and sent people to keep a close watch on Lin Jiu'an and the fools' every move.
At the same time, she had previously convened a meeting to persuade Liyue merchants, and also opened up granaries to prevent grain prices from being inflated.
But to her surprise, the granary was still burned down.
The "second problem" that Lin Jiu'an mentioned occurred after the first problem.
The two are like cause and effect.
And after all those things happened.
Despite her advice, many Liyue merchants who saw the business opportunity did what Lin Jiu'an had predicted in "The Second Question".
—Among them, quite a few began to secretly sabotage trade routes and even burn down granaries, all so that they could sell their stockpiled grain at a higher price.
Of course, none of this matters.
The burning of the granary and the unscrupulous profiteering of some merchants are not really major problems.
With Liyue Harbor's massive throughput, they'll manage eventually; at worst, she'll just have to spend more money.
In her past life, in order to stop the "Vortex Demon God" from destroying Liyue, she was willing to use the Jade Pavilion, which embodied her life's work, to smash it.
The reason is quite simple.
The light is clear.
In any case, Liyue is her base as the "Tianquan Star".
As long as "Liyue" still exists, as long as she is still the "Tianquan Star" of Liyue, even if she is penniless, she can earn it back double through her abilities and the rights of Tianquan Star.
If "Liyue" is gone, then her "Tianquan Star" among the seven stars of Liyue will also be finished.
Not only will the vast majority of wealth be lost.
Without her identity as "Tianquan Star" and having left Liyue, the outside world would no longer provide her with such a favorable business environment, and the "rich" would not give her a chance to make a comeback. It would be impossible for her to regain her current wealth.
and so.
That's why she didn't hesitate to smash down Qunyu Pavilion back then.
And the current situation is the same.
She clearly saw the recent attacks against her in Liyue Harbor, thanks to information gathered from her informants. She even knew exactly who the rumors came from and who the financial backer of that person was.
The reason they didn't stop it.
It's because she intends to 'turn the tide'.
Let the bullets fly for a while.
When the public's dissatisfaction with her grew due to the rumors, and they believed that she disregarded their lives for money, and when negative emotions accumulated to a certain extent...
She then suddenly announced that as the "Star of Heavenly Power," she should take responsibility for this matter and would donate a large amount of Mora to suppress the rapidly rising food prices.
Wait until then.
The worse her reputation was before, the more perfect it will be afterward.
It's only a year anyway.
She can afford it.
Then, we will use the power of "Tianquan Star" to change the law and force everyone to remove the cherry blossom trees and restore the crops.
Then, they used public opinion to shift all the blame onto the foolish masses and those merchants who profited from the national crisis.
At that time, not only will she be able to completely reverse the unfavorable public opinion after the Emperor's departure, but she will also be able to firmly establish herself as the "Star of Heavenly Power," and no one will be able to question whether she can take over the Emperor's power as general, in politics, and in business at the same time.
They could also convict the fools and those merchants, and reasonably reclaim a large amount of land, making her recover double her losses this time.
all in all.
Regarding the current predicament.
Ningguang wasn't flustered at all; in fact, she almost laughed.
This isn't a crisis for Liyue; it's clearly the perfect opportunity for her to 'take over' the Emperor's position.
The only problem is...
"Does Lin Jiu'an not know how to deal with this situation?"
"Will they use other methods later?"
The thought of the man who was completely different from her previous life made Ningguang's delicate eyebrows furrow tightly.
After meeting him, she finally understood that Yelan's defeat was not unjust, that Mondstadt was slaughtered like a chick by him, and that the death of "Doctor" was not an accident.
The person looks completely different now compared to their past life!
If she had known that life could change him so much, she would never have thought of using him and then kicking him to the curb, even if she were beaten to death in her past life.
But she also had something to say.
At that time, Lin Jiu'an had become the target of everyone's condemnation in Liyue because of the reforms. If she insisted on protecting him, she would not be able to secure her own position. Although her initial idea of 'seducing' him was this, she really couldn't protect him even if she wanted to.
After all, she's a businesswoman too!
If anyone's to blame, it's that guy who was so naive in his past life.
He actually believed that she, a merchant who valued Mora above all else, wanted to work with him to carry out reforms in Liyue, suppress merchants, and separate her power into politics and military to counterbalance the merchants.
What about the traditional social classes of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants?
The status of businessmen should be at the very bottom; they should not be allowed to enter politics or the military.
Really.
She was so stupid she didn't know what to say.
Even though what you said makes sense.
Even if I deceived and seduced you first, and then tricked you into revealing information after gaining your trust, is it really appropriate for you to say such things in front of me, the richest man in Liyue who holds legislative and military power?
So, you want me to get rid of myself?
She was quite satisfied with Lin Jiu'an's current appearance, and her words about marrying him that day were not empty promises.
In her past life, she admired his ideas, but he was too foolish, too naive, and too trusting of others, especially when it came to his words and thoughts. His stupidity and naivety shocked her.
But this life is different.
She has a perfect personality and outstanding abilities; apart from lacking ambition, she meets all her criteria for a partner.
pity...
of course.