Chapter 769 - 361: No One Supports My Lofty Ambition

Chapter 769: Chapter 361: No One Supports My Lofty Ambition

Due to the presence of too many outsiders, Estella didn’t have much personal time apart from the early treatments, and she appeared to the outside world mostly under the persona of "Ella"; only a limited few knew the inside story.

"Li Xin is truly crazy, daring to confront the Evil God; his audacity is unmatched," Celestia remarked nonchalantly while nibbling on a Gourmet’s snack, "If you weren’t here, he would have suffered greatly. I’ve heard that the soul gaze from a Deity can cause anyone below an Angel to explode and even drive those above Angels insane. Seeing him still able to eat and sleep makes me want to... study him."

"Celestia, Dragon Capital is in a tough spot right now. Is there anything we can do to help? How much do we still have in Dragon Capital?" Estella asked.

"Your Highness, what are you planning to do?" Celestia widened her eyes and asked cautiously, "You’re a Princess of Moncalleta, not Li Long. If you do this, over on His Majesty’s side..."

"Celestia, I know, but since we’re here, we can’t just stand by and watch so many innocent people suffer. If we can help, let’s help a bit. Please think of a way for me; I know you’re the smartest," Estella replied.

"You sound just like that guy lying there," Celestia frowned, "There are ways, of course. As the smartest of the George Family, we can’t give it directly. Change the approach: route it through the Hundred Martial Hall, then support the Night Patrol through them, and consider it a loan, or rather, an early investment. Just call it ’profiting from a crisis’ when we return. After all, we still need the Hundred Martial Hall to move goods. If it collapses, our interests won’t be guaranteed. As for when, and how much to repay, isn’t that for us to decide? Even if His Majesty asks, there’s nothing they can hold against us. They might even praise you," Celestia suggested with a smile.

"You’re such a genius!" Estella pinched Celestia’s cheek, and the two women playfully interacted.

Li Xin, due to his injury, had some peaceful days, with meals served and clothes handed to him. Every scholar at the Celestial Principle Academy was envious, and not even a mosquito could approach the area.

However, Chen Rutang and Lu Shuai didn’t enjoy such treatment.

Upper Council.

As the original Council was destroyed by the Bloodthirsty Monarch, the City Hall temporarily served as its replacement.

The post-disaster rebuilding required unified decrees, so the position of Grand Governor couldn’t remain vacant for long. Although Ye Shidao proposed restoring the Royal Family, no one brought it up again. However, the various actions of Ji Mingyue over the years restored the royal family’s political rights, allowing royal members to become councilors and even join the Cabinet. With Ye Shidao’s death, Princess Mingyue directly entered the Cabinet.

This decision faced no opposition, as the Royal Family’s status was already present, and many were their supporters. Ji Mingyue’s vision was half-realized, which was essentially a crucial step.

The election for the Grand Governor was held, with the candidates being Nalan Jingguo and Chen Rutang. In a comparison of overall strength, Nalan Jingguo had a significant lead; the once-largest disruptor, Ye Shidao, was utterly defeated, along with his followers. Now, the Potter Family’s power stood unrivaled.

The voting site was intensely tense. Nalan Jingguo stood tall, feeling distanced from disasters and death, while the coveted seat of the Grand Governor was right before him. Regardless of whether he was under the Potter Family’s restraint or control, he would be the Grand Governor. Ye Shidao, once a mere minion, had reached today’s status, so once Nalan became Grand Governor, breaking free from the Potter Family would be just a matter of time.

Chen Rutang remained calm. Regardless of the outcome, he had done his best, understanding that changing Li Long was a lengthy process, not achieved by one victory nor instantly. He was mentally prepared for this protracted battle.

As the Hall Master of the Hundred Martial Hall, revitalizing Li Long was Chen Rutang’s lifelong ambition and desire.

Lu Shuai stood beside Chen Rutang as his most effective assistant. Chen Rutang looked at Ji Mingyue, who was presiding over the meeting; Ji Mingyue, in turn, looked at Lu Shuai, both nodding silently to each other.

Although Duke Potter was not a candidate, he seemed to dominate the entire council, but Nalan Potter was unhappy because Ji Mingyue politely rejected him once again.

He couldn’t understand why. Weren’t they made for each other, senior and junior brothers, childhood friends, well-matched? There was no other choice.

Yet, Ji Mingyue rejected him once again.

The Potter Family proposed Ji Mingyue become Queen and marry Nalan Potter. The Church Court wanted exclusive faith, recognizing the Moon God as the sole deity of the Li Long United Kingdom, excluding all others as heresy.

This was a tripartite win-win collaboration, yet Ji Mingyue didn’t agree, only asking to enter the Cabinet and allow royal involvement in politics, promising to protect the Potter Family’s interests.

As to whether she could become Queen or her marriage with Nalan Potter, that would be seen later.

To the Potter Family, it was a rejection, but the election needed Ji Mingyue and the Royal Family’s support, so they weren’t anxious. They planned for Nalan Jingguo to become Grand Governor and gradually weaken others; the Potter Family had always prided itself on patience over the years.

But to Nalan, the young man, Ji Mingyue’s rejection’s only reason seemed to be her disregard for him.

Standing above, Ji Mingyue maintained her usual elegance and serenity; though it was her first time presiding over a council, she adeptly mirrored Ye Shidao. It seemed she was born for this role; her demeanor reassured many royalist supporters.

Voting began, with councilors from both the Justice and Freedom factions overseeing the count. Both Nalan Jingguo and Chen Rutang appeared confident; the vote numbers climbed alternately. Nalan felt a wave of excitement; he had great confidence this time, for becoming Grand Governor was his lifelong dream, bringing glory and standing at life’s pinnacle.

But after holding the line for some time, Chen Rutang’s vote count began to rise, gradually widening the gap with Nalan Jingguo.

Freedom faction councilors started murmuring among themselves; Duke Potter’s expression turned sour, looking to Ji Mingyue on stage, then at the Justice faction, frustrated by caution fostered over the years and outsmarted by a young girl.

Gradually, Nalan Jingguo’s face turned red; the widening gap signaled diminishing hope. Were the remaining votes all his?

But they weren’t. The contest remained fierce, with the gap resolvable; eventually, counting ended with a tally of 321 to 211, resulting in Chen Rutang’s decisive victory, becoming the new Grand Governor.

The venue burst into applause and congratulations, with Lu Shuai standing tall, glancing at Ji Mingyue, who was also looking at him.

Before the election, Lu Shuai found "Senior Sister Yue" in a crucial negotiation, finalizing a collaboration that undercut the Potter Family.

A few months earlier, meeting Ji Mingyue was tough for Lu Shuai with little room for negotiation even upon meeting. But things had changed; representing Chen Rutang, and backed by many supporters, Lu Shuai appeared influential both within the council and the Hidden World.

Therefore, the two could comfortably sit and enjoy coffee together.

Lu Shuai expressed his hope for Ji Mingyue and her resources to support Chen Rutang’s Grand Governor candidacy.

"What can you offer me?" Ji Mingyue asked after sipping her coffee, bypassing any pleasantries or displays, she got straight to the point.

"Senior Sister, cooperating with the Potter Family, whether as a nominal Queen or Empress, or anything else, you’ll always be a puppet. If the Moon God becomes the exclusive faith, do you think the Moon God Church would appreciate you, or the Potter Family, unduplicated henceforth?" Lu Shuai replied with a smile.

"Oh, just that?"

"Of course not; mainly, you dislike the Potter Family, especially Nalan Potter, who have been straightforward in their goals. Had you been willing, you’d have accepted long ago; yet, you’d rather choose Ye Shidao over them," Lu Shuai stated.

"What do you have?" Ji Mingyue remained indifferent.

"In the council, we have considerable representation from the Justice faction; in the Hidden World, there’s the Secret Castle, the Celestial Principle School, and the Night Patrol; in the civilian sector, the Hundred Martial Hall and the Saxon people," Lu Shuai explained, abruptly spreading his hands, "Besides these, there’s me. What Luthor can do, I can do too. I didn’t climb rapidly due to others’ incapability. To be honest, our family has a tradition of relying on others."

What was a serious atmosphere shifted as Ji Mingyue couldn’t help but smile, symbolizing a position.