Chapter 90

Nan Lingsha indeed couldn't bear these two people anymore.

It felt as if there was some kind of tacit understanding between them.

She glanced at Zhu Minglang again, and he didn't seem particularly outstanding, yet why did Li Yunzi seem to indulge him so much?

Could it really be because of that fleeting romance?

"You two continue your flirtatious glances; I'll take my leave." Nan Lingsha stood up, carrying a hint of resentment.

"Shuang'er, see her off... give her an umbrella." Li Yunzi looked outside the courtyard, seemingly noticing the dark clouds slowly overshadowing the bright sky.

"No need!" Nan Lingsha said irritably. She glanced at the cake on Zhu Minglang's plate, which was being held by a napkin, and very coquettishly wrapped it up, tying a beautiful bow, then gently picked it up.

"Xinghua's pastries can't all go to him." She said, then hummed a little tune proudly and walked out with the pastry.

Zhu Minglang held the bean cake in his hand, his gaze lingering on Nan Lingsha's figure, revealing a hint of reluctance.

Such delicious bean cakes, and she took them all!

He wondered if there were any left in Li Yunzi's house, and if he could pack some to take home.

"Fourth Miss, here's your umbrella. Take it, or your pastries will get wet." Shuang'er took an umbrella and quickly followed her out.

True to her role as Li Yunzi's maid, she was so clever and wise, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere without any awkwardness.

"Are there any more? This flavor is really good; I haven't tasted such delicious pastries in a long time." Zhu Minglang finished the last half of the bean cake, took a sip of tea, and asked after the pastry crumbs had completely dissolved in his mouth.

He wanted to be greedy but also graceful.

"None left." Li Yunzi said, gently passing the plate in front of her, which she hadn't touched much, to Zhu Minglang. She probably noticed that he had skipped lunch to enter the Li family royal courtyard.

"Although you said you feel better this time, I sense that you are still worried. Is something troubling you? Tell me, it's better than keeping it bottled up inside." Zhu Minglang said.

"Alright." Li Yunzi nodded.

Zhu Minglang was somewhat surprised. He had only meant it as a polite gesture, purely out of concern for Li Yunzi's well-being.

He didn't expect her to really want to confide in him.

Under normal circumstances, Li Yunzi shouldn't hide everything in her heart, right?

"It's fine, you eat, and I'll talk." Li Yunzi saw Zhu Minglang sitting stiffly and spoke in a gentle tone.

"Okay." Zhu Minglang wasn't too formal.

"Before the New Year, all the soldiers hoped to return home, including the southern city-states, who thought we would definitely withdraw before the New Year. But in the end, my troops attacked and occupied their capital on their New Year's Day." Li Yunzi narrated calmly.

Zhu Minglang suddenly felt the pastries stuck in his throat and hurriedly poured a cup of tea to soothe it.

The southern city-state was occupied???

In just one winter???

That's a city-state, though not as prosperous as Zulong, it shouldn't be so easily...

A few simple words, but they left Zhu Minglang deeply shaken.

New Year's Day, on one side, was filled with lanterns and festive joy, while on the other, it was besieged, with the land in turmoil!

Even without seeing it with his own eyes, Zhu Minglang could imagine the soul-stirring scene.

"Wutu, the military guard was established, and by summer, the Wutu city-state will be established, with Zhang Tuo as the chief military advisor and Zheng Yu as the city lord." Li Yunzi continued.

Zhu Minglang took a deep breath.

From Zheng Yu's letters and the constant border wars, Zhu Minglang had already sensed Li Yunzi's ambition.

What he didn't expect was that in just one winter and half a spring, two city-states around the Zulong city-state would belong to Li Yunzi alone!

"Zulong is the foundation. No matter how many cities I take, if anything happens to the Zulong city-state, my seventeen battles over the past half year will be meaningless." Li Yunzi continued.

"Lingxiao City has started to condemn, and the Zonggong has started to obstruct. They see me as a demon, constantly stirring up wars and causing the people to suffer." Li Yunzi looked at Zhu Minglang.

Zhu Minglang refilled Li Yunzi's tea and looked into her eyes.

"I don't see the joy of seizing power and cities in your eyes. You are not obsessed with power, nor do you care about wealth. What do you want? Can you tell me?" Zhu Minglang finally couldn't help but ask.

What does she really want?

On this land, although wars have never ceased, half of the current wars are due to Li Yunzi, and all of them are wars of occupation.

Taking the southern city-state, making Wutu an independent city-state, and if the Zulong city-state is completely under her control, she will rule three city-states alone!

At this moment, Li Yunzi's eyes finally showed emotion, like a sword's brilliance, sharp and dazzling.

"Establish a nation!" she said.

Nation, this is not an unfamiliar term to the major city-states, but there is no nation on this land.

City-states are independent, with no alliances. Apart from the Zonggong's balancing role, each city-state is essentially a small kingdom!

What Li Yunzi wants is the unification of city-states and the establishment of a nation!

What an ambition!!

Zhu Minglang felt he had really underestimated Li Yunzi. He thought she was just reclaiming her rightful power, but he didn't expect her to want to be the true ruler of the entire land!

"So your enemy is actually the Zonggong?" Zhu Minglang said with a bitter smile.

"I don't have a true enemy, only obstacles on my path forward." Li Yunzi replied.

"I don't understand. If you really want to achieve the position of a national ruler, you could wait for Wutu to flourish, slowly consume the southern city-state, and even wait for the internal situation of the Zulong city-state to stabilize. Why now..." Zhu Minglang shook his head.

No, although Li Yunzi has achieved great success and unexpectedly taken the southern city-state, her foundation is not solid, and she faces internal and external threats. It won't be long before she is forced into a corner!

She couldn't have failed to foresee this, so why is she so eager?

To establish a nation, one cannot be hasty.

"To take the southern city-state, I was injured. The people who are obstructing me already know this." Li Yunzi said.

Zhu Minglang opened his mouth but then closed it, at a loss for words.

Was Nan Lingsha's visit at this time also to check on Li Yunzi's injuries?

In that case, Nan Lingsha is still one of Li Yunzi's obstacles. She holds the power of the Nan family, and even if she doesn't care about the power struggle, as long as she has the intention to obstruct, Li Yunzi will find it hard to stand firm in the Zulong city-state...

With many enemies, returning to heal, Lingxiao City will not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the Zonggong will impose sanctions on Li Yunzi.

"You don't have any guards around you, it's too unsafe. After all, there are many people with ulterior motives in this Li family royal courtyard." Zhu Minglang stood up and looked around the courtyard.

Even with his spiritual senses, Zhu Minglang couldn't detect any experts around Li Yunzi.

"Even with ten thousand troops, there are few who can be trusted. So-called loyalty and faith are no match for threats and temptations." Li Yunzi's words carried a hint of sorrow.

Having experienced a fall, tasted the bitterness of humiliation, she now understands better than anyone that so-called support and loyalty are like clouds, dispersing at the first strong wind.

"..." Zhu Minglang, upon hearing this, suddenly felt a pang of pain.

Human nature is indeed like that. Even in Wutu, giving them a chance to live, if there is a better interest, they will quickly betray and even despise.

Such things have happened before.