World’s First Traitor System [Isekai Transmigration]

 

Night had fallen, and the Rivers and Mountains Pavilion blazed with light. Fan Li sat at his desk, facing a mountain of memorials. The affairs of state were indeed burdensome; even for a traitor, being a high-ranking official was no easy task. However, Lu Fubao wasn't by his side.

The earlier conflict between the two women had alarmed Fan Li. For Lu Fubao's safety, he had sent her back to her father, Lu Chunqiu, who had come to Peng City under the pretense of attending Yan Yuan's funeral. Lu Chunqiu could only stay for a few days; he would have to depart once Sage Ruler Yao Guang’s sermon concluded. In truth, that had been his true purpose all along.

“Have you eaten your fill?” Fan Li asked, feeling a slight ache in his wrist. He set aside his brush, a gentle smile gracing his lips as he looked at the small, furry creature curled up on his desk.

A plate of crescent moon-shaped meat lay empty beside it. Tuan Tuan, lying on its back, its belly slightly distended, seemed to be fast asleep, ignoring Fan Li’s question.

These days, Tuan Tuan seemed to do nothing but eat and sleep, rarely moving. Fan Li had been worried, wondering if the divine beast, separated from the true Emperor of the Great Chu, had fallen ill. Wu Gang, however, had assured him that young beasts, like human infants, spent most of their time eating and sleeping—it was part of their development.

“Has it grown larger?” Fan Li gently lifted Tuan Tuan into his palm.

The creature was now too large for his hand to fully encompass. It had indeed grown since their first encounter.

“Such a sound sleep, nothing can wake it?” Fan Li said enviously.

He yearned for such a carefree existence, free from worries and responsibilities, but both in his past life and this one, such a life had eluded him.

His current task was reviewing several intelligence reports concerning population statistics. Sage Ruler Yao Guang’s sermons had caused quite a stir. The Three Kingdoms—Wei, Han, and Wu—had all experienced a significant population drain.

Approximately two hundred thousand women had left Wei to join the Brahma Sound Pure Land. In Han, the number was around one hundred and seventy thousand, and in Wu, about one hundred and fifty thousand.

"Wei suffered the greatest loss because Sage Ruler Yao Guang held her first sermon there," Fan Li noted. "Han and Wu learned from Wei’s experience and implemented countermeasures, but the results were minimal.”

Population was the foundation of any dynasty.

Sage Ruler Yao Guang’s sermon in Peng City was scheduled for three days later. Fan Li’s task was to minimize the potential population loss.

“This is outright plunder.” He was unable to contain his annoyance.

As the de facto ruler of the Great Chu, Fan Li had already anticipated Yao Guang’s approach to nation-building. She would form alliances with the Four Kingdoms and leverage their support to establish her own nation. However, Fan Li had expected her to offer something in return, perhaps land or resources, in exchange for population.

He hadn't expected Yao Guang, despite her benevolent facade, to be so… unscrupulous. Using her sermons as bait, she was essentially stealing citizens from the Four Kingdoms at almost no cost.

“How can such an alliance last?” he thought, then chuckled at his own naiveté.

The alliance between the Pure Land and the Four Kingdoms had been forged under the threat of the Great Ming Dynasty. As long as the Great Ming remained a threat, the alliance would hold. If they succeeded in defeating the Great Ming, the alliance would crumble, replaced by a struggle for dominance among the Five Kingdoms.

Fan Li was not one to suffer losses in silence. Sage Ruler Yao Guang intended to create a nation where women held absolute power? He was intrigued.

He picked up his brush and swiftly wrote down several decrees.

“Accelerate the development of the Great Chu’s cosmetics industry. Establish a complete production line, from raw materials to finished products, and prioritize export services.”

“Promote the growth of the fashion industry, focusing on women’s clothing. Make ‘Chu fashion’ the world’s leading trend.”

“To improve the quality of life and enhance happiness among the people, we shall invest heavily in the luxury goods industry. Gold, jewels, and other luxury items will have a prominent place in the world of cultivation.”

Fan Li sneered.

“Damn it! You steal my people, I steal your money… No, I'll steal your resources!”

He added further instructions:

"Prioritize the establishment of trade routes specifically targeting the Brahma Sound Pure Land. Ensure that Great Chu products have absolute market dominance there."

“Cultivation resources will be the sole currency for trade."

"This includes, but is not limited to, spirit stones, spiritual herbs, spiritual springs, and various finished products like spirit treasures and medicinal pills.”

He chuckled to himself.

Sage Ruler Yao Guang might be a woman, but she wasn't necessarily more knowledgeable about women than he was.

Ideas flooded Fan Li’s mind as he continued writing.

What were face masks? What were lipstick and nail polish? Had Sage Ruler Yao Guang ever heard of toner, body lotion, sunscreen, or perfume? Fan Li was certain that once women tried these products, they would become lifelong devotees.

The Great Chu had an abundance of skilled artisans. While Fan Li lacked knowledge of their manufacturing techniques, he could provide conceptual designs, and the professionals at the Fan Clan Trading Company could handle the rest, developing marketable products within a short timeframe.

As for quality? There was no need to worry. If the initial version of a face mask wasn't good enough, they could simply upgrade it periodically, holding product launch events to showcase the improvements. Fan Clan Face Mask 2.0 Plus!

“Are you busy?”

A cold voice suddenly spoke from behind him.

Startled, Fan Li’s hand trembled, nearly dropping his brush.

Tuan Tuan also stirred, opening its eyes and looking around blearily. Seeing an opening in Fan Li’s robe, it crawled inside, snuggling against his chest, and promptly fell back asleep.

"Do you… need something?" Fan Li asked, feigning composure.

He set down his brush and gathered his newly written decrees and product ideas.

The visitor was, once again, Sage Ruler Han Yue.

As usual, she had arrived unannounced.

“Am I not welcome?” she asked coldly.

At least one thing pleased her—the spacious Rivers and Mountains Pavilion held only Fan Li; Imperial Noble Consort Lu Fubao was nowhere in sight.

“Of course you’re welcome. Please, have a seat,” Fan Li said, gesturing towards a chair.

Han Yue maintained a cool and aloof demeanor, like a snow lotus blooming high in the mountains. Instead of taking the offered seat, she sat beside Fan Li, their bodies nearly touching, as they had done that day at the Luming Academy.

“About earlier…” she began.

Fan Li tensed. Had she somehow seen through his plans to target the Brahma Sound Pure Land? He didn't dare underestimate the keen eyesight of a Great Vehicle realm cultivator.

Thankfully, he had misjudged her. Han Yue, seeing the stacks of memorials and documents on his desk, felt a twinge of admiration for his dedication to his duties. She had no intention of prying.

“That creature earlier, was it a cat or a dog?”

She was talking about Tuan Tuan.

Of course, Fan Li couldn’t tell her the truth.

“A hybrid,” he replied casually. “It's not surprising you’ve never seen one before.”

As if understanding their conversation, Tuan Tuan poked its head out from inside Fan Li’s robe.

“Meow-Woof-Woof-Roar?”

“’Damn it! That sounded like an insult, and a rather vulgar one,’ Fan Li thought.

Han Yue frowned. "A hybrid? Are you trying to fool me?"

"Have you ever heard of a liger?” Fan Li quickly countered. “A lion and a tiger can mate and produce a liger. It’s the same principle.”

To his surprise, Han Yue had indeed encountered a liger.

"I see," she accepted his explanation.

Fan Li suppressed a chuckle. Thankfully, this world lacked biologists, and no one seemed to know the difference between feline and canine species.

Their brief exchange eased the earlier tension. Han Yue finally revealed the purpose of her visit.

“Why does Imperial Noble Consort Lu Fubao dislike me?”

 

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