You're Strong But Now You're Mine
Chapter 142 - 141 A Greater Interest

Chapter 142: Chapter 141 A Greater Interest

The stench was overwhelming by the Half-City River.

In the pavilion on the high slope by the river, Qin Le Yin was articulating his intrigues.

"The Governor, the magistrate, the commander, the merchants... we admit, merely with the power of our Radiant Four Guards, we cannot contend with the ruling organization composed of these authorities, the Silver Blood Association. Therefore, our previous strategy has been to fan the flames and let them be preoccupied with internal strife, which, if not beneficial to the country, at least reduces their harm to it."

"If luck permits, and causes factions within the grand merchant families to fight amongst themselves, it could even lead to a significant weakening of the Silver Blood Association."

"The hidden machinations between the five great merchant families, Ting, Luo, Lan, Quan, and Jing; the internal strife within the families; the schemes and plots among the Governor’s office and magistrates; and the factions within the Heyang Army... They are all embroiled in irreconcilable conflicts of interest themselves, and we are only accelerating their battles."

"That’s why we value the Youth Daily so much—the Youth Daily essentially does what we’ve been doing, but to a far greater effect!"

"And how could we miss such a golden opportunity as the Jing family’s four sons fighting for inheritance?"

Qin Le Yin chuckled, "Let me reiterate, achieving something is hard, but ruining it is easy. Helping you, Young Wei, become the Patriarch—while the Radiant Four Guards won’t help you overtly in that sense, we can... hinder your brothers."

Le Yu pondered for a long time, slowly exhaling: "And your sister’s engagement to Jing Zhengwu..."

Qin Le Yin shook his head: "It’s unrelated to the Radiant Four Guards; it’s indeed an engagement set by Jing Zhengwu and my sister at first sight. Even for the country, I won’t sacrifice my dear sister."

"Isn’t your Qin family all part of the Radiant Four Guards?"

"Not at all, only I am a Ritual Guard walker." Qin Le Yin shook his head again, "My father, brother, and sister were never involved. But rest assured, after our collaboration, our Qin family won’t aid Jing Zhengwu anymore—of course, if you want us to hinder him, that’s also fine."

Le Yu found it hard to believe: "Why go this far? Jing Zhengwu is your brother-in-law, and I had previous grievances with you. Wouldn’t it be better for you to push him up? Moreover, by helping me, aren’t you also harming Jing Zhengwu and indirectly your sister?"

Qin Le Yin smiled, "First, although I value my sister, that doesn’t mean I agree with her every decision—to keep Jing Zhengwu safe just because she likes him? Would I help her husband commit murder if she liked a killer? My sister’s marriage is important, but your Youth Daily is even more so."

"Secondly, I do not believe in so-called romance. I don’t know if my sister truly likes Jing Zhengwu or if she sees this merely as a transaction of interests. If it’s the latter, then naturally, I don’t need to consider my sister’s feelings."

Le Yu: "What if it’s the former?"

"Didn’t I mention? I don’t believe in so-called romance." Qin Le Yin shrugged, "There are plenty of men in this world; at most, I’ll compensate her with a man who’s well-endowed, skillful, handsome, and charming—if one isn’t enough, then ten. That would surely make her forget the sorrow of losing her fiancé."

This man is quite daring, Le Yu thought.

"Of course, without other unforeseen events, I will support Jing Zhengwu on both emotional and rational grounds." Qin Le Yin tapped the stone table: "But you, Young Wei, have appeared with the Youth Daily."

"We, the Radiant Four Guards, indeed are very sincere."

"Making you the Patriarch of the Jing family is merely a gift to seal our cooperation. If our cooperation proves effective, after the collapse of the Silver Blood Association, we can even help you achieve dominance in Xuanzhu County."

Qin Le Yin spoke earnestly, as if Le Yu only needed to agree to immediately ascend to the pinnacle of life, drunkenly residing on beauty’s lap, drunkenly wielding power over the world.

But Le Yu felt no great joy, calmly playing a direct card:

"I have a little doubt."

"Please speak."

"Why are you so urgent?" Le Yu asked: "According to your words, the Radiant Four Guards already has a comprehensive strategy. Just give you all a few more years, maybe even just over a decade, and the Silver Blood Association will eventually collapse from internal strife. You’ve also made it clear; the Youth Daily only accelerates the process of the Silver Blood Association’s collapse. The collapse itself is inevitable."

"The only reason you’re seeking cooperation with me is because... you cannot wait any longer."

Qin Le Yin smiled, "No, it’s because we feel..."

"Let’s have an honest conversation, Hongle." Le Yu straightened his back: "Why are you in such a hurry to destroy the Silver Blood Association?"

Qin Le Yin was silent for a moment, nodded, then shook his head:

"It’s not that we cannot wait, but rather... we fear unexpected events."

"Fear of what accidents?"

"Fear that the Silver Blood Association truly produces an overlord, someone who harnesses countless merchant capitals, interferes with power, commands armies, and upends the world."

Le Yu was slightly puzzled: "What do you mean?"

"We believe, compared to the existing Radiant Imperial Court system, the Silver Blood Association can more effectively extract and enhance productivity." Qin Le Yin said calmly, "And war is about resource consumption, and resources... are the manifestation of productivity."

"Backed by the sea, connecting to Scathach, with flourishing commerce and abundant resources, all-pervasive, the Silver Blood Association has the perfect base. Once the world descends into chaos, and heroes vie for supremacy, then... the Silver Blood Association will be the most promising force to overthrow the Imperial Court!"

Qin Le Yin let out a long sigh, revealing his true thoughts: "The world in chaos, it’s just a matter of these few years. If the Silver Blood Association doesn’t collapse within these few years, in the future, they will either become the Dongyang warlord or the strongest supporter of the warlord."

"The Silver Blood remains unvanquished, the Imperial Court finds no peace."

Le Yu’s face was calm: "Isn’t this quite normal?"

"Although I detest the Silver Blood Association, it indeed represents a more advanced system of productivity than the Imperial Court. Isn’t it only natural for the advanced to eliminate the outdated?"

"The Silver Blood Association is indeed exploitative, but many have survived because of it. Now, everywhere in the regions of Huiyao, there is famine and chaos... The Silver Blood Association is wretched, but the Imperial Court is worse."

Qin Le Yin’s expression turned somewhat unpleasant: "The Imperial Court is terrible, but we can change it. We can learn from the Silver Blood Association’s experiences and reform the Imperial Court..."

"Reform, easier said than done! How can the nobility cut their own flesh?" Le Yu laughed: "If that were the case, I’d rather step back and let the Silver Blood Association grow strong, have them destroy the Imperial Court, flatten the old palaces, and build brand new factories... wouldn’t that be better than pinning our hopes on Imperial reform?"

"After over two thousand years, it is time for these old things to rest in peace."

Of course, Le Yu was just speaking hypothetically. The art of haggling for clothes is to denigrate the garment until it’s worthless. Now that Qin Le Yin needed a favor, Le Yu was sure to haggle intensely, to see if he could extract more benefits.

However, Le Yu indeed looked down on Qin Le Yin’s reasoning—destroying something somewhat less wretched in order to protect something worse is too absurd. Is this the ability to obscure flaws with a single strength?

Originally, Le Yu didn’t particularly dislike the Imperial Court, but now he was even eager to watch from the sidelines as the outdated Imperial Court was pummeled by the Silver Blood Association.

Qin Le Yin remained silent for a long time, then placed a card down, saying:

"Many people used to think the same."

"Huiyao has existed for so many years; it’s time for a change of dynasty."

"Huiyao is falling behind, the nobility is decayed; it’s time to redefine wealth and status."

"The Huiyao Emperor is foolish, treacherous officials fill the court, and the government exploits—it’s time for an uprising."

"What they say is true; when the world is corrupted, someone must change it. We at the Huiyao Four Guards aren’t so selfish as to believe everyone is selfless, nor so arrogant as to believe everyone should endure the Imperial Court’s waywardness."

"But the term ’world’ should be divided in two."

"The ’world’ is a grain of rice under a thousand lights, a brick in countless miles of city."

"And the ’way’ is what people aspire to."

"So those who sought to change the heavens and the earth all failed."

"Because many, like us, silently support the ’way’ which has continued since the year two thousand and thirty-eight!"

Qin Le Yin took out the golden coin used to determine the order earlier, with the Huiyao emblem facing up.

"This gold coin is only 30% gold, 17% copper, and the rest is steel alloy. In terms of value, it’s not worth a thousand cash, but why do the merchants and commoners acknowledge its value?"

"They don’t recognize the coin, but the two characters of Huiyao on it!"

"Do you think the Huiyao Four Guards serve to protect that decaying Imperial Court? We are unwilling to risk our lives for them too. But now the Holy Sword of Glory hangs suspended, the world is on the verge of division, and without the Imperial Court, who knows how many would call themselves kings or emperors."

"The Backlight Organization, the ambitious warlords, all claim to champion the people’s cause, but in the end, is it not for their self-interest, pushing the people into the throes of battle?"

"Many only see the immediate gains and losses of a change in dynasty but cannot see that the Huiyao heritage is the greater benefit."

"If Huiyao were to end, peace would elude this world. We defend Huiyao to prove to the world that Huiyao, unvanquished, is the Celestial Mandate; those who dare trigger war are doomed to fail, to deter future opportunists from changing dynasties."

"Those who wish to change the country can enter politics, play court intrigues, usurp the Emperor, or even massacre officials and purge the upper echelons; it’s far better than stirring conflict and inciting war!"

"Limiting the struggle to high levels is the greatest responsibility to the common people."

Qin Le Yin turned to look at the bright moon: "Every thirty years, Huiyao has minor reforms; every hundred years, major ones. In two thousand years, the times the country has fractured into civil strife can be counted on one hand... this is the power of heritage, the force of public will."

"But once these things are lost, they cannot be regained."

"What we want to do is to buy the Imperial Court a little time. Within the Huiyao Four Guards, there are those like me dealing with the Silver Blood Association, and naturally... those dealing with the Imperial Court’s high aristocrats."

Le Yu played a direct strike card: "What if the Imperial Court continues to rot?"

"Then we can only..."

Qin Le Yin revealed a counterattack card.

"Render service to exhaustion, die afterwards."