(MC POV)
I watched as Guiying took a sip of her tea before placing it back on the table with a sigh.
"Ahh… If only I can do this every day… Just having pictures of Master around is not enough anymore… Maybe if I could have some of Master's clothes, that might help…"
I don't even know where to start commenting on that.
"So… What did you need from me again?" I asked, trying to remind her that she actually came here for something and not just to play.
"Oh right! Ahem… Master knows about the Dark Sect coming back to cause trouble right?"
I nodded, "That Feng boy was also influenced by them if I'm not wrong. I had also gone to check on our branch Sect the other day and found one of their members hiding there, he told me they were based in the country of Sun now."
Guiying's eyes widened, "As expected of Master! You already found out about this after a few days here! It took us two years to even know about it!"
Well… I did have someone to extract that information from while they didn't so it's no fault of theirs. It's more impressive that they found it by themselves.
I waved my hand, "It's nothing. So did you come here just to tell me that?"
"Ehehe~ Of course not, Master! I wouldn't waste Master's time with such a trivial thing. What I'm here for is to ask Master for a favour…"
"Oh? What favour?"
"Mnnn… You see… We know they are located in the country of Sun but we can't just march in there to clear them out. I mean… We could start another war but most of our resources are tied up in rebuilding the Lin Kingdom, so we don't really--"
I raised up my hand to stop her, "Hold up now, the what Kingdom?"
She blinked at me, "The Lin Kingdom, Master. You know? The former country of Dong? It's already established as the Lin Kingdom with Queen Lidiana reigning in your name."
So Mother is a queen now… No wait… She did get coronated as one back then so she had been a queen all this while, how did I forget about that?
'Ara, ara? Because Master was still in denial back then~'
Gee… Thanks, Iris.
'Ara? Ara, ara? Master… Thanked me? Master thanked me?! Ehe… Ehehe… EHEHEHEHEHE--'
I bonked her with my bonk hammer before she lost herself again.
"Eh? Did something happen, Master?" Guiying asked, looking confused by my sudden action.
"Nothing you need to worry about. Erm… You can continue about what you were saying about rebuilding the… Err… The Lin Kingdom?"
"Ah! Yes! Because we've dedicated quite a considerable amount of resources to rebuilding the Lin Kingdom, we aren't exactly in a position where we can start a war without incurring considerable losses ourselves. Thus we tried the diplomatic approach but… They aren't exactly cooperative either."
I raised an eyebrow, "How so?"
"Nnn… Master knows what the country of Sun is like, right?"
"They're the country of trade right? If I'm right, out of all of us, they should be the wealthiest."
Guiying nodded, "That's correct, Master. But the wealth also made them the most obnoxious of the bunch. They look down on everyone who they deem to be poor, which, by their standards, is literally everyone else."
"Hmm? How the hell did everyone else deal with them then?"
She sighed, "They control the monopoly of the trade between all four countries so none of us can just dismiss them so easily either."
"And yet you were considering war with them?"
Guiying puffed her chest, "Hmph! If we had our full might, we could take on all three of them at once if we have to! Actually, we can even win if we were to fight now! They're just lucky we're occupied with other, more important matters!"
Yeah, I don't doubt that.
Pretty sure Elaria has more than three nukes back home and just launching one would most likely convince the other two to surrender. The real issue is consolidating and controlling the territories after they are conquered.
Without enough manpower, controlling the newly conquered territories would be an impossibility.
I shrugged, "So… What has your diplomacy tactics resulted in?"
Guiying crossed her arms and pouted cutely, "Hmph! Those stuck up arrogant idiots dismissed all of my diplomats! They even dared to demand a huge compensation from us just to arrange an audience!"
"I'm guessing sending Practitioners doesn't work either?"
"They'll be even less useful, Master. The Sects rely on those cultivation herbs and pills which the country of Sun trades in. No Practitioner relying on such herbs would even dare to make any noise there less they want their own Sect to fall."
"Hmm… I know we aren't in the best position to do it, but are they not at all concerned about the threat of war?"
Guiying grasped her head and sighed melancholically, "That's the worst part… Those people in power are too stupid and blind to even see past their own drinking glasses… All they care about is money and how to make more of it. In that regard right now, the Dark Sect is helping them get more of it so the country will protect them… If we were to threaten them with war, they'll actually start one because they don't even think they'll lose…"
I frowned, "The Dark Sect is providing them with money? I thought it was the other way around…"
She shook her head, "That's what we thought at first as well… But it seems like they are paying the country of Sun for protection. Where those vermin are getting their money from, I have no idea. I even made sure to personally check our own financial records and all our surrounding territories but none of our funds are being syphoned by them…"
"Then the countries of Mei and Han?"
"Pfft, those guys use up all their money to pursue their own things, they won't have any to give to them. If you ask me, the Dark Sect might just be conjuring up money out of thin air."
Hmm… Interesting… Someone really powerful must be behind this then.
I smiled at Guiying, "So let me guess. You want someone who can easily offend them without any repercussions to go there, namely me?"
Guiying clapped her hands together, "As expected of Master! You figured out my intentions so easily! If it's not too troublesome, Master? You can refuse of course, it's not really a big deal actually."
I chuckled, "Well, I was already intending to go there to investigate myself, so I don't mind going."
Guiying's face brightened up, "Master will?! That's great! Thank you Master! I love you!!"
She dove forward and hugged me again, cuddling her face in my chest.
"Right, right. Anything I should know before I go?"
"Mmm… Ehehehe~ Master's smell… Eh? Ahem. Master just needs to negotiate with the country of Sun to hand over the Dark Sect to us. We don't even need them to pay reparations, we just want the Dark Sect punished by us. I know Master can wipe them out with a snap but it would be better for us if we can publicly punish them to bolster our name. Then later on we can use this to impose on the country of Sun to improve the trade conditions."
Yeah, Guiying's definitely doing her job properly at least, she already thought so far ahead.
"Alright, I'll do that. Do you want me to teleport you back home?"
"Ah! Before I go, I need to talk to my senior sisters about this too! Master's bringing them along right?"
I nodded, "Umu, it'll be good for them to go out instead of being cooped up here."
"Mmhmm, then I need them to do something there while they're accompanying Master. Can I talk to them, please?"
"I don't see why not? Just… They had a rather tiring night so I'll let them get up on their own, is that fine?"
Guiying stared at me, "You had a big orgy last night didn't you, Master?"
"... Yes?"
She blushed before hugging me tightly, "Master not fair… Me too…"
I sighed and picked up the suddenly bashful Empress, bringing her towards the direction of my room.
For her, I had to put up a silencing inscription first because Guiying really was a screamer.
