Yue Guan looked troubled and hesitated, saying, "Your Holiness... this matter might involve too many people, perhaps even the Families of several Elders..."
Bibi Dong's gaze darkened, "Hmm? Yue Guan, are you also involved?"
"No, of course not."
Yue Guan broke out in a cold sweat and quickly explained, "Your Subordinate means that if we investigate thoroughly, it might cause considerable turmoil..."
Bibi Dong sneered, her eyes revealing intense killing intent: "Elders or not, they are useless. Whoever dares to occupy a position without fulfilling its duties, whoever dares to resist this Self-Inspection Campaign, I, this Sovereign, will have them killed!"
When Qian Daoliu hadn't granted her authority, those people dared to feign compliance while acting contrary, and I didn't blame you.
But now that Qian Daoliu has fully relinquished authority, you still dare to pull this trick on me?
Didn't that old Bastard relinquish authority for nothing?
"Yes! Your Subordinate obeys your command!"
Yue Guan swallowed hard, not daring to raise any further objections, and finally realized just how furious Bibi Dong was this time, feeling secretly relieved.
Fortunately, his stance had been firm before, and he hadn't been dragged down by those people.
Otherwise, this time he probably wouldn't have a good outcome.
Crown Princes Mansion.
Reading Li Yuan's words, Qian Renxue agreed wholeheartedly.
She became even more determined to learn from Li Yuan.
Thus, she sent another Message to Li Yuan.
[Child Without Parents: Li Yuan, I understand everything you told me yesterday. You want to tell me that to defeat Tang San, we must thoroughly sweep out the Cockroaches in the house, right?]
On the other side.
Nuoding Academy Dormitory.
When Li Yuan saw the Message, his first reaction was:
Is this guy crazy?
Was what he said yesterday about defeating Tang San?
Wasn't he just talking about the most basic things a power should do?
[Li Yuan:??? (Subway Elder Looking at Phone emoji)]
[Child Without Parents: Wasn't that the meaning?]
[Li Yuan:...]
[Child Without Parents: Oh, I get it! I understand!]
[Li Yuan:...What have you figured out now?]
[Child Without Parents: You mean that as long as our Spirit Hall cleans out these Cockroaches, we can recruit Powerful Wild Cultivators on a large scale, and Spirit Hall will become bigger, stronger, and glorious again, right? (Full of confidence)]
Li Yuan held his forehead, looking utterly resigned.
"I finally understand why Qian Renxue can't beat Tang San... It might not just be because of her love-brain tendencies; her Thought Process is truly bizarre..."
On the other side.
Qian Renxue scratched her head, looking at Li Yuan's string of speechless ellipses, and muttered, "What's wrong with Li Yuan? Why isn't he replying to my Message? Could he be stunned by my suggestion?"
The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. A confident smile appeared on the corner of her lips: "That's right, it must be! My idea must be correct!"
[Li Yuan: Bullshit! Trash! I finally know why the three of you busty, brainless women combined can't beat Tang San!]
Qian Renxue's delicate brows furrowed, and she lightly bit her silver teeth: "Me? Busty? Brainless?"
She subconsciously lowered her head and glanced at the proud curve of her chest.
Hmm, it is quite big.
The large White Pieces are truly milky!
She not only admitted this but also emphasized that they were not only big but also white.
But she absolutely wouldn't admit to being brainless.
With her deep wisdom and strategy, having infiltrated the Heaven Dou Empire for many years, how could Qian Renxue be a brainless person?
Just as Qian Renxue was about to retort, Li Yuan's Message popped up again.
[Li Yuan: I know you're anxious, but don't rush yet.]
[Li Yuan: Do you think the decline of a power can be reversed just by sweeping out the middle and lower ranks? (Soul Questioning.jpg)]
[Child Without Parents: Isn't that right? Isn't the future decline of Spirit Hall due to these people occupying positions without fulfilling duties and Widespread Corruption? (Righteous Indignation.jpg)]
[Li Yuan: Naive! I ask you, can these middle ranks change the future direction of Spirit Hall? If you want to change Spirit Hall, you must start cutting from the top, understood? (Hitting the Nail on the Head.jpg)]
Qian Renxue was startled. Upon careful reflection, it seemed... indeed reasonable.
The overall direction and fundamental policies of Spirit Hall are determined by the Supreme Pontiff and the Elder Palace. No matter how rotten the middle and lower ranks are, it is only a matter of execution. If the decisions and philosophies of the upper echelon are not fundamentally changed, even if all the "Cockroaches" below are swept away, it is merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause, and a new batch of Parasites will breed in a few years.
But the problem is... if she has to start cutting from the top?
Wouldn't the first target be her mother, Bibi Dong?!
[Child Without Parents: But that's my mother! I can't possibly lay a hand on her, right?]
Li Yuan curled his lip. It seemed it was time to give Qian Renxue a shock with some "Historical Events from Previous Life."
As the saying goes, Li Yuan has no eldest son, and Shimin has no eldest brother.
Nod yes, shake head no. Fengtian Jingnan, go go go!
Come is come, go is go. Double kill inside Xuanwu Gate!
Capable Monarchs never follow the line of succession. Love your mother? See her at Xuanwu Gate.
What's a biological mother?
I suggest sending her to me; I'll watch her for ten months and guarantee she'll be obedient through Stick Education.
Cough, cough, cough... I got sidetracked.
Li Yuan quickly cleared the Distracting Thoughts from his mind.
[Li Yuan: It's true that she's your mother, but that's no reason for her to obstruct the development of Spirit Hall. How can you manage Spirit Hall well when you're with these Vermin?]
[Child Without Parents: If they are Vermin, what am I?]
Qian Renxue pouted. Wasn't he just finding another way to insult her?
Bastard Li Yuan!
[Li Yuan: Don't interrupt. I'll tell you a story, and you'll understand.]
[Li Yuan: Once upon a time, a person came to buy a melon named Liu Huaqiang—ah, ptooey ptooey ptooey, I mean, once upon a time, there was a person named Li Shimin... (Starting Storytelling Mode)]
...An hour later.
Qian Renxue felt immensely shocked, as if her Worldview had been reshaped.
The second son killed his eldest and third brothers to seize power?
He even "voluntarily" invited his own father to become the Retired Emperor, essentially putting him under house arrest?
Even more outrageous was that such a large country underwent such a massive upheaval, yet not only did its National Strength not decline, but it even leaped to become the strongest Empire in the World at that time.
And he created the Prosperous Era of the "Reign of Zhenguan"?!
Damn it... Qian Renxue wouldn't dare to do this even in her dreams!
This move is simply Heaven-Defying!
[Li Yuan: Alright, I've finished speaking. It's time for you to make a choice. Will you spare her out of Mother-Daughter Affection, or will you preserve Spirit Hall, and... your mother's life?]
Qian Renxue swallowed, her gaze gradually becoming resolute. An unprecedented determination surged into her heart: "Damn! Li Yuan is right! How can we manage Spirit Hall well when we're with these Vermin?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she froze, then her pretty face flushed slightly, and she spat:
"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey, why did I use Foul Language? It's all that Bastard Li Yuan's fault; talking to him for so long, I was almost led astray!"
[Child Without Parents: You are right. I have decided, I want to be Qian Shimin! (Cutting the Nails and Severing the Iron)]
[Li Yuan: Huh? Wait? (Almost choked on his own saliva)]
[Child Without Parents: Is there a problem?]
[Li Yuan: No, no problem... I think this suggestion is excellent!]
"Puhahaha..."
Li Yuan couldn't hold back his laughter.
As everyone knows, Shimin is Li Yuan's son.
So, if Qian Renxue wants to be Qian Shimin... wouldn't Bibi Dong essentially belong to Li Yuan?
Although the Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty isn't the same Li Yuan as him, it doesn't affect the implications.
Li Yuan was quite happy to accept the implication.
As the saying goes, enter a garden to pick someone's melon, tease someone's child to think about their mother.