If it were the previous Song Qingyue, he would have almost cursed Ao Shuyi, saying, “You old immortal, you don’t have much time to give me? You’ve lived so many years, haven’t you already lived them in vain? Year after year, lying in the Dragon Palace like a corpse for thousands of years, completely useless! Now in front of the young master, you’re starting to put on airs, cherishing time?”

Or even if he didn’t curse him to his face, this dog of a Dragon Palace attendant, relying on the master’s power, would inevitably get a beating. What kind of thing dares to be arrogant towards me?

But now was not the previous. He, Song Qingyue, was no longer that young water race member who could hide behind a tall figure. There was no longer the gentle aunt, and no longer the majestic father. He had to shoulder the responsibility of the Qingjiang Water Mansion, even if the authority had been repeatedly stripped away.

He also once had that childish moment. He thought the world was so big, but it was only Zhuang Country. Qingjiang was so wide, how could it compare to the long river? He also once had grand ambitions, wanting to break free from his father’s protection, trying to strategize and make moves.

And these years he finally saw how this world operates. He finally understood that being able to make moves on this small piece of land was already his father’s protection. Zhuang Tianzi took away his right to play chess and casually placed him on the chessboard. What could he do?

In terms of schemes, in front of Du Ruhui he was almost like a stubborn child. In terms of strength, today’s Zhuang Country could easily suppress the Qingjiang Water Mansion. Jiujiang Xuanjia and Xin’an Baiyu, even if just one of them was dispatched, could cut the river and break the mansion. Zhuang Gaoxian could even crush him to death with one finger.

He could only repeatedly tell himself: Song Qingyue, you must endure, you must wait. You have already seen the water hyacinths blooming all over Qingjiang, watched the eight hundred li of red. In the ancient legends of the water race, this represents a long drifting journey that has reached its end. The dream of the Yongning homeland is not too far away.

The Long River Dragon Palace is so luxurious. Gold bricks pave the ground, white jade serves as steps, there are crystal pearls as big as millstones, and blood coral that three people can hug… The Zhuang Wang Palace, compared to it, is simply a latrine.

From this perspective, Zhuang Gaoxian is truly fearsome. The Zhuang Wang Palace, what it looked like two generations ago, is still what it looks like now. He can restrain himself during times of low-key endurance and still restrain himself after reviving Zhuang Country to its zenith. This shows he has bigger ambitions, ambitions that are far from satisfied.

Song Qingyue sometimes also felt despair! In the golden and magnificent great hall, the water monarch from Qingjiang, for the first time, saw the legendary common lord of the water race. It was a figure wearing a golden long robe, sitting on the Dragon Lord’s throne. His face could not be seen clearly, only a not-too-warm gaze quietly looking down.

Song Qingyue at this moment realized that this hall was so quiet, as if for hundreds of years, thousands of years, no sound had ever been transmitted. The Dragon Palace attendant who had led him over, he didn’t know when, had quietly disappeared without a trace.

How long had it been? Had his mind been captivated? Vague thoughts turned over in his brain, and then he heard the Dragon Lord’s voice say: “The Qingjiang water race… this branch originally belonged to the Shenchi water race. From the time Song Xingqian migrated to Qingjiang, he established the water mansion. Considering the difficulty of this branch’s long migration, I granted a jade register and decreed an honored name. But from then on, those surnamed Song no longer set foot in the Long River. Are you Song Xingqian’s grandson? How can you still remember me?”

Song Qingyue also knew that his branch of the water race had migrated in his grandfather Song Xingqian’s generation, gradually establishing themselves in Qingjiang and establishing the water mansion. But he didn’t know where they migrated from, nor did he know what the Shenchi water race was. When his father Song Hengjiang was alive, he was secretive and evasive about this, and he didn’t care much either. He was born in Qingjiang, grew up in Qingjiang, and only wanted to guard Qingjiang. He didn’t care about any origins or old lands. Qingjiang was his hometown.

With his cleverness, it was not difficult to hear the complaint in the Long River Dragon Lord’s words. But this complaint was also really interesting. The Dragon Lord said as if the establishment of the Qingjiang Water Mansion entirely depended on his decree. That would have to be traced back to ancient times, when the Lieshan Human Emperor was still alive and the Long River Dragon Palace had this authority! For a long time, the Long River Dragon Palace’s practice of granting names on the jade register was just a formality. After a water mansion was built, if some tributes were given, they could get the name, not even needing the Dragon Lord to appear.

And even this formality was not unique to the Long River Dragon Palace. Any country with some power had the qualification to decree water lords and issue jade registers. To put it plainly, when his grandfather Song Xingqian visited the Long River Dragon Palace that year, it was to give this nominal common lord of the water race a boost and find ways to send some tributes. Who owed whom the favor was really hard to say.

This old Dragon Lord, was he looking at me, Song Qingyue, being young and taking me as easy to fool? These thoughts were swirling in his heart, and he became increasingly unhappy, but he didn’t show it at all on his face. He just said in surprise: “Shenchi water race?”

“Heh.” The Long River Dragon Lord lightly laughed once. This laugh actually held some indescribable loneliness, and then he said: “In these short few thousand years, the name Shenchi is no longer passed down. The human race doesn’t know, the water race doesn’t know. It truly makes me not know what to say.”

Song Qingyue solemnly performed the rites: “Qingyue has no elders now and does not know history. I still ask the honored one not to be stingy with teaching.”

“The Shenchi water race has a long history. When I divided and enfeoffed the world’s water races that year and decreed the construction of water mansions, this branch was formed. After the beginning of the Daoli era, an astonishingly talented water race prodigy was even produced, inheriting Shenchi, ascending the Derivation Path, and titled ‘Shenchi Heavenly King’. This title, I also recognize it.” The Long River Dragon Lord slowly said: “Three thousand nine hundred and twenty-two years after the beginning of the Daoli era, I no longer see any water race prodigy who can be similar to that one.”

This was truly too high an evaluation! It made Song Qingyue involuntarily yearn, wanting to know exactly what kind of prodigy he was, who actually dared to take the title of Heavenly King in an era where the human race was greatly prosperous and the Dragon Lord was cultivating obscurity.

The Long River Dragon Lord continued to say: “Unfortunately, ah, the Shenchi water race was extremely prosperous because of him and also declined because of him. He lost the life-and-death struggle with Tang Yu, and also lost the entire Shenchi.”

Tang Yu, this name, Song Qingyue did indeed know… The founding emperor of Jing Country, who could not know him? Shenchi Heavenly King actually died at the hands of Jing Taizu? This matter was not seen in history books.

No, that’s not right. Why did the Long River Dragon Lord suddenly talk about this history? What exactly was his intention? Although Song Qingyue dared to privately criticize the Dragon Lord, he did not dare to truly underestimate the wisdom of this old dragon. To be able to always sit firmly in the position of Dragon Lord in an era where the human race was increasingly arrogant, how could it be done with just a single word of “endure”?

He sighed once: “Originally, we Qingjiang water race are actually descendants of the Shenchi water race. We actually still had that glorious time. Where is Shenchi now? Is it still in today’s Jing Country territory? To which mansion does it belong?”

The Long River Dragon Lord said: “Later, Shenchi was filled in by Tang Yu, and the city ‘Jidu’ was built, marking the beginning of Jing Country. The Shenchi water race was also thereby dispersed and scattered all over, wandering to the ends of the earth.”

The capital of Jing Country, Jidu City! Jidu is also the name of an ominous star. Great Jing is a military court empire. Naming the capital this way means “Son of Heaven suppresses the ominous”. Later generations who hear this ambition can perhaps catch a glimpse of the spirit of Jing Country’s Taizu. Perhaps only such a fierce capital can nurture that kind of fierce imperial clan.

Song Qingyue sighed with emotion, “Oh,” once, and said regretfully: “All in the past!”

He should have talked about his and the Shenchi water race’s relationship, and the bloodline origins of Shenchi Heavenly King. He should have talked about why after several thousand years, the water race no longer produced a second Shenchi Heavenly King, and why there were so few prodigies in the water race. Why is the growth environment of the current world’s water race so much harsher than that of the Canghai sea race? Why are the qualifications of the current world’s water race simply inferior to those of the sea race? He should have talked about some secrets and pains of history, talked about the clues and hooks within the Dragon Lord’s story.

But he only said, “All in the past.”

The Long River Dragon Lord was high on his throne, looking down at this Qingjiang Water Monarch who had not been in office for many years. He realized that Song Qingyue and Song Hengjiang were completely different. Being Ao Shuyi, of course he would not show any urgent expression, so he just said lightly: “Past matters are indeed nothing to talk about. Qingjiang Water Monarch, you have come to visit now, for what matter exactly?”

Song Qingyue said: “Qingyue’s trip is not for myself. Rather, it is on behalf of the Great Zhuang Heavenly Son’s order to pay respects to the Dragon Lord!”

“Where does the rite come from?” the Long River Dragon Lord asked. This “see rite” is a ceremony, not a gift. If you must say so, it means a state envoy bringing some local products, or perhaps it counts. Haven’t those already been handed over to the Dragon Palace? How could he still want them? The old fellow is endlessly greedy, no wonder the Long River Dragon Palace is so rich!

Song Qingyue’s face did not change color. He took out a sealed yellow silk scroll from his bosom: “Respectfully present a piece of Great Zhuang Heavenly Son’s ink treasure.”

The Long River Dragon Lord’s eyelids twitched slightly. I have been sitting in the Dragon Palace for who knows how many thousands of years, witnessing how many heroes. Do I lack an ink treasure from your Zhuang Gaoxian? Too poor! Of course, this was actually just a letter, not even sure if it was personally written by Zhuang Gaoxian, so it was even difficult to count it as Zhuang Heavenly Son’s ink treasure.

He casually beckoned, held this yellow silk scroll in his hand, but did not look at it. He lightly lifted it up and looked at Song Qingyue, saying: “What is written in the letter?”

Song Qingyue said: “This is a private letter between the Great Zhuang Heavenly Son and the Dragon Lord. How does this small dragon have the qualification to peek?”

“Then you, the esteemed Qingjiang Water Monarch, have come just to be a messenger?” The Long River Dragon Lord leisurely said: “This matter can be done by even a commoner.”

“How honorable is the Dragon Lord? How can a commoner see him?” Song Qingyue held the rite very respectfully: “This small dragon has come to be a messenger, but not merely a messenger.”

The Long River Dragon Lord appeared casually uninterested: “Is there anything else? Feel free to speak.”

Song Qingyue said loudly: “Since ancient times, Qingjiang and Lanhe have been one family, with living water flowing between them and ethnic groups migrating mutually. Since the state system greatly prospered, human race heroes have divided the land, and mountains and waters are all divided by borders. Qinglan has also thereby been divided into two. Now times change and borders turn, the stars move positions, Qingjiang is clear, Lanhe is turbid… Often there are Lanhe water race members, ragged and coming to seek refuge, yet blocked by the so-called human race borders, looking at the river and crying. The decline of Lanhe often makes this small dragon pained and lamented!”

To say that the Lanhe water race members went in ragged to seek Qingjiang, the Long River Dragon Lord did not believe it at all. Today, Emperor Yong Han Xu, with the support of the Mohists, the state treasury is不知道how abundant. The Yong Court has governed the river for不知道how many years. With Han Xu’s methods, how could he not win the hearts of Lanhe? Your Qingjiang water race’s days are not necessarily more comfortable than the Lanhe water race. Of course, the decline of the Lanhe Water Mansion is a fact… But wasn’t that precisely beaten by your Qingjiang water race?

But some things, the key is not in believing or not, but in being willing or not to believe. Song Qingyue, or rather the Zhuang Gaoxian represented by Song Qingyue, his intention was already very obvious. Not long after the previous Zhuang Yong country war had settled down, Zhuang Gaoxian once again had thoughts of taking the authority of the Lanhe Water Mansion!

In his, Ao Shuyi’s, eyes, seeing the Zhuang Yong war was different from what ordinary people contacted. That earth-shaking war was essentially a matter of Zhuang Gaoxian and Han Xu each taking what they needed, the former expanding territory, the latter a hero breaking his wrist. The two monarchs both had absolute confidence in themselves and developed their respective territories with Suolong Pass as the boundary. It was originally thought that it would take at least ten or eight years for follow-up stories to occur. Unexpectedly, Zhuang Gaoxian was so impatient.

Yong Country now has the support of the Mohists. If Zhuang Gaoxian still dares to reach into Lanhe, it must be because Yujing Mountain behind him has provided some kind of support. Starting from Lanhe is a relatively mild choice. Especially since the Long River Dragon Palace can indeed affirm that “Qingjiang and Lanhe were originally one family”. Although the Long River Dragon Palace only has symbolic meaning, this layer of symbolic meaning can also play a role. As long as the Long River Dragon Lord recognizes Qinglan as one, the Qingjiang Water Mansion can rightfully accept the Lanhe water race. As for how to accept them, how to lure the Lanhe water race to come seeking, that is Zhuang Gaoxian’s own business.

The Long River Dragon Lord lightly laughed once, but did not speak. Acknowledging that Qingjiang and Lanhe are not divided families is just a matter of nodding his head for him. But why nod this head?

Song Qingyue immediately said again: “If I can govern Lanhe and bring peace to the Qinglan water race. When paying court to the Dragon Palace, year after year the tributes will not cease!”

The Long River Dragon Lord laughed: “The lords of the countries in the world all divide water rights, only the Zhuang Heavenly Son sends the rights to me. Is he sure I won’t see it?”

Song Qingyue respectfully said: “It is just my family’s Heavenly Son’s respect for the common lord of the water race.”

The Long River Dragon Lord waved his hand: “In this life, I only inherit the last command of the Lieshan Human Emperor. I only wish for stability in the present world and harmonious long-term relations between the human race and the water race. I seek nothing for myself. I have even given up the water rights of this Long River. What benefit are the Qingjiang water rights to me?”

“You may not care, but we cannot not acknowledge it.” Song Qingyue said: “My family’s Heavenly Son said that the Dragon Lord is the common lord of the water race. This is the holy command of the ancient Human Emperor. How can we not respect it? We are willing to co-govern mountains and waters with you!”

The Long River Dragon Lord smiled but not smiled: “Little child, tell me honestly. How much loyalty do you have to the Zhuang Heavenly Son, and how much does he believe in you?”

“I am loyal to the Great Zhuang Heavenly Son with all my heart!” Song Qingyue first said this sentence, and then slightly revealed his thoughts: “But my family’s Heavenly Son has great talent and strategy, he does not care about loyalty or not, only whether things can be successful. Therefore, Qingyue will be a Qinghe Water Monarch who can make things happen.”

The Long River Dragon Lord lightly stroked the yellow silk in his hand. In his long years, what words had he not heard, what people had he not seen? “You say so, I just understand.” He leisurely said: “Perhaps the attendant who led you here just now had some rude place?”

Song Qingyue said: “Today I saw the attendant as gentle and obedient, not at all rude.”

The Long River Dragon Lord nodded and said: “A few days ago, this impolite servant, I don’t know where he hugged back a little child who cried in this palace for several days. I then asked this little girl why she was crying. She said her whole family was locked in a cage, and only she secretly ran out… Eh? What kind of place is Luo Country? How can someone there actually dare to abduct and trade our water race people?”

Song Qingyue did not know how to answer for a while. The Long River Dragon Lord continued: “I often stay deep within the Dragon Palace and actually did not know this. Qingjiang Water Monarch, how can you teach me?”

To use the results of suppressing Luo Country’s trafficking industry of water race members to win the Long River Dragon Lord’s nod. Can Zhuang Gaoxian do this deal? Good and evil will not be a problem Zhuang Gaoxian considers, the only thing that can make Zhuang Gaoxian hesitate is interests. But one must know that in the previous Zhuang Yong war, Luo Country was still considered an ally of Zhuang Country!

Song Qingyue bowed deeply: “Qingyue is foolish and dares not speak wildly. I am willing to obtain my family’s Heavenly Son’s intention and present it to the lord again.”

The Long River Dragon Lord lifted his hand: “Go. I have plenty of time, it doesn’t hurt to wait.”