……
Eunuch Xiang said with a joyful expression, "Not only that, Your Highness has also specially conferred upon you, Master Wang Shouzhe, the title of 'Protector Duke' to commend your extraordinary contributions to Great Gan. Look, I've even brought the seal of the Protector Duke for you."
Protector Duke!
Wang Shouzhe was utterly shocked.
He never expected that not only did Prince An forcibly elevate the Wang Clan to third-grade, but he also arranged for him to receive the title of 'Protector Duke.'
Wasn't this just making sure he couldn't stay low-key?
"Duke," Eunuch Xiang beamed at Wang Shouzhe, "Your title as Duke is hereditary and unchangeable, making you the third Duke in Great Gan. His Highness wanted me to ask you, are you surprised and delighted?"
Surprised, yes, but delighted, not really.
Wang Shouzhe was speechless.
Was Prince An afraid he would run away, or was he just bored? The Duke title wasn't something he particularly coveted.However, since the decree had been issued, and the Wang Clan was a subject of Great Gan, he had no reason to refuse it.
Wang Shouzhe had no choice but to accept the decree, cupping his hands in thanks, "Shouzhe thanks His Highness."
"For the time being, this old servant will stay with the Wang Clan to oversee the construction of the Protector Duke's monument. Also, the plaque at your home should be changed to 'Protector Duke's Mansion.' In the future, all your benefits and support will be covered by the national treasury~"
Thank you, treasury, for supporting me~
Wang Shouzhe rolled his eyes secretly.
With Prince An's spending habits, he'd be grateful if the treasury didn't frequently ask the Wang Clan for loans.
"Also, His Highness said he's too busy to come in person this time," Eunuch Xiang added.
Hearing this, Shouyong and Shoulian behind Wang Shouzhe couldn't help but chuckle secretly.
His Highness wasn't busy; he was just afraid of being beaten, right?
Knowing full well that Fourth Brother liked to keep a low profile and hide his talents, yet deliberately making such a big deal out of it, wasn't this just intentionally giving Fourth Brother a hard time?
However, Shouyong and Shoulian were still very happy that Fourth Brother was conferred the title of 'Protector Duke.'
After all, this represented another step forward in the overall strength of the Wang Clan. The Wang Clan had always been loyal subjects of Great Gan, never thinking of betrayal, and now their descendants were honored, which was a tribute to their ancestors.
In the future, when Fourth Brother advances to the Lingxu Realm, he might even be conferred as a king of a different surname.
But with Prince An making such a fuss this time.
Wang Shouzhe's upcoming grand banquet and Duke's banquet couldn't be taken lightly. Helplessly, he had to start preparing the banquet seriously, planning to invite relatives and friends from all over the world on a chosen date.
……
Around the same time, at the main base of the Great Gan Defense Zone in the outer regions, as the Wanghai officially docked at the port, the passengers disembarked from the ferry.
What they saw left many first-time visitors astonished and amazed.
The newly arrived Ximen family was also stunned by the scene before them.
Before coming, they had imagined countless possible appearances of the demon realm, recalled many ancient rumors, and considered many potential difficulties, but none of them expected the main defense base in the outer demon domain to look like this.
The dome here was clear and bright, the demonic energy in the sky had been cleared and isolated, and the red sun shone down without any strange colors, looking clean and pure.
Everywhere was reinforced concrete, with towering buildings, clean and tidy roads, and large amounts of unique greenery from Great Gan planted on both sides.
Compared to the original base, this place seemed to have transformed completely, with the area expanded several times over.
Now, the main base of this defense zone had a total population and rotating garrison of over a million, and even within the base, one had to take public transportation to get from one place to another.
Led by the warm and kind Old Liu family, the Ximen family transferred between several public buses and successfully arrived at the outer demon realm branch office of the Great Gan Development Department.
It was a towering office building dozens of stories high.
In other places, such a tall building would undoubtedly stand out as a landmark, but in this base, buildings of this height were everywhere, making this office building seem quite unremarkable among the cluster of high-rises.
With the help of the staff, the Ximen family quickly verified their visas, applied for a development order, and randomly drew their development land from a sealed box.
Only after drawing their development land did they notice that the stack of maps for available development lands was quite thick, with each map marking hundreds of development sites. What they drew was just an insignificant one among them.
It was clear how vast the lands awaiting development were.
The development contracts were ready-made. Under the guidance of the staff, Ximen Song quickly signed a series of contracts, received the development order, a certificate of land reclamation with a land code and the official seal of Great Gan, and a detailed map of the land.
It was a moderately sized development land, but it had a vast area of 500,000 acres of wasteland.
This was simply blinding to the Ximen family.
Five hundred thousand acres of wasteland, five times more than the land the Ximen family already owned!
It was like a giant pie falling from the sky, leaving the Ximen family dizzy and excited.
However, with the land in hand, a problem arose.
They were now penniless, with less than twenty family members. How could they possibly develop 500,000 acres of wasteland? Would they have to return to gather more family members and tenant farmers right after arriving in the demon realm?
But even though the outer demon realm had been transformed, the air still contained thin demonic energy, which ordinary tenant farmers couldn't handle.
"Are you the Ximen family, new to developing the outer demon realm?"
Seemingly anticipating their predicament, before they could start worrying, a young man approached and introduced himself, "I'm Little Li, a business representative from the Wang's Large Agricultural Puppet Machinery Rental Department. Your development land is quite large, isn't it? With so few people, it's not enough. But don't worry, our department has several types of large agricultural machinery puppets that can solve your manpower shortage..."
"Let me introduce our department to you..."
With Little Li's series of pictures and explanations, the Ximen family felt like they were opening the door to a new world, each of them dumbfounded.
They never expected that developing the demon realm could be so convenient.
But where would the money come from?
Ximen Song felt a bit guilty and anxious, "Little brother, the puppet machinery you introduced is very expensive. We can't even afford to rent it, let alone buy it."
"No worries, no worries~ For new pioneering families like yours, not having money isn't a big problem." The young man was unfazed, enthusiastically leading them in another direction, "Come, come, come, I'll take you to Wang's Bank for a loan. Since you've been granted a development order, your family's character must meet the standards, making it very easy to apply for a startup loan with low interest."
There's a bank for loans too?
Ximen Song breathed a sigh of relief.
Although loans had to be repaid, if they could borrow some money, at least the initial investment for development would be covered, making future development smoother.
The young man was very enthusiastic, helping the Ximen family with loan business while introducing the situation to them, "New families like yours can apply for many subsidies and tax exemptions. Once your population increases, you can apply for new development orders."
Soon, the Ximen family completed the loan process, successfully rented large agricultural puppet machinery, and boarded the railcar to their development land.
This railcar seemed to lead to the future, carrying the Ximen family's burning hopes.
The future of the family, the hope of rising, all lay within.
They wanted to establish themselves in the development land quickly, bring over other family members as soon as possible, and help the family rise, embracing a new future.
And in the entire Great Gan Defense Zone, there were many families like the Ximen family.
With the Wang Clan's relentless promotion, this wave of outer region development was sweeping across Great Gan at an astonishing speed. The Ximen family was just one of the countless waves in this development tide.
As this wave grew stronger, the entire Great Gan Defense Zone was rapidly developing and expanding at a breathtaking pace.
……
Red Moon Demon Dynasty.
Demon Capital.
Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.
The Eastern Palace has always been the residence of the Crown Prince, located on the eastern side of the Demon Emperor's Palace, hence it has always been called the "Eastern Palace."
As part of the Demon Emperor's Palace, the Eastern Palace's history is almost as long as the entire palace itself, with many halls that have existed for thousands, even tens of thousands of years. From a distance, it appears ancient and majestic, almost making one feel as if they've traveled back in time to thousands or even tens of thousands of years ago.
Such a palace, by today's living standards, would inevitably have many design flaws.
Fortunately, this isn't the Demon Emperor's Hall, so there aren't as many restrictions on renovations. Every Crown Prince, upon moving in, would make some modifications to the halls according to their preferences and habits. When the current Demon Emperor was Crown Prince, he made renovations to the Eastern Palace, and the current Crown Prince did the same upon moving in.
Therefore, despite the Eastern Palace's ancient and majestic architectural style, the interior is quite modern, featuring many new elements that have recently become popular in the Immortal and Demon Dynasties.
Compared to the Demon Emperor's Palace, the furnishings here are noticeably more youthful, more suited for young people.
Lixin Study.
This is where the current Crown Prince Shentu Jingming conducts his daily work and assists in governance.
Unlike his carefree days as a prince, where he could travel and live leisurely, as the heir to the throne, the Crown Prince must gradually delve into state affairs and begin assisting the Demon Emperor in handling various national matters.
The Demon Emperor himself has been stationed at the demon realm base in recent years, with only a projection in the Demon Emperor's Palace. Therefore, Crown Prince Shentu Jingming has to take on more responsibilities.
Fortunately, the Crown Prince isn't alone; he naturally has his own team, including many talented individuals. These are young elites from various demon dynasty noble families that support the Crown Prince, as well as top talents from various fields.
Compared to decades ago, Shentu Jingming now wears the noble attire of a Crown Prince, with a slight beard on his chin and eyes that are serious and deep, lacking the recklessness of his youth, exuding a more dignified and steady aura.
With the assistance of his team, he skillfully handles a series of complex and trivial matters, the entire process flowing smoothly without any hitches.
Clearly, thirty years as Crown Prince have made him very familiar with these tasks, handling them with ease.
Several hours later.
Finally done with a pile of tedious matters, Shentu Jingming swiftly dismissed everyone except Zhuo Lao.
Once everyone left, the steady and capable demeanor he had just moments ago seemed to vanish, as he eagerly propped his feet on the table, slumping back into his chair in a lazy manner.
The once wise and mighty Crown Prince now appeared utterly exhausted and exposed.
"So annoying, so damn annoying," Shentu Jingming groaned, complaining, "What a bunch of nonsense, bothering me with trivial matters."
No wonder the old man at home went to the outer demon realm; if he had to live like this for thousands of years, he'd want to quit too.
"Crown Prince, please have some soup to refresh yourself," Zhuo Lao said, feeling a bit sorry for him, and quickly brought over a carefully prepared bowl of soup.
Shentu Jingming took it and gulped it down, then wiped his mouth and said, "Is Ruobing still in seclusion? I heard the cultivation resources I sent last time were returned again?"
"Crown Prince," Zhuo Lao comforted in a low voice, "I think you need to take it slow with this matter. Occasionally sending a gift or receiving a thank-you gift is fine, but sending a large amount of cultivation resources, with Miss Ruobing's character, how could she accept them easily? If she did, what kind of person would she be?"
"Oh, women's hearts are really complicated and hard to understand," Shentu Jingming sighed, rubbing his temples, "By the way, I heard that Zhaoyu wrote back again?"
"Uh... this is already the thirty-first letter," Zhuo Lao chuckled, "Every letter complains about how terrifying the Wang's Clan School is and asks you to bring her back."
"She wanted to go play with Wang Fugui, and now she's crying to come back. Is there anything in this world so easy?" Shentu Jingming thought of Princess Zhaoyu's suffering at the Wang's Clan School and couldn't help but feel secretly pleased, "Besides, I can't make that decision. The old man clearly wants her to stay at the Wang's Clan School to study well. Without his approval, who dares to bring her back?"
"Well..." Zhuo Lao helplessly pulled out another letter, "Wang Fugui also wrote you a letter."
"Fugui wrote me a letter?" Shentu Jingming was taken aback.
Wang Fugui clearly disliked him, so why would he take the initiative to write a letter? Could it be that Fugui finally couldn't resist making a move on Zhaoyu?
However, upon opening it, he realized he had overthought it.
It was just an invitation from Wang Fugui, inviting him and Wang Ruobing to visit the Immortal Dynasty and the Wang Clan, to comfort the emotionally scarred Princess Zhaoyu.
Moreover, Wang Fugui mentioned that he had already communicated with His Majesty the Demon Emperor about this matter.
"Visit the Immortal Dynasty?" Shentu Jingming pondered for a moment, feeling a bit tempted, "Although the relationship between our Demon and Immortal Dynasties has thawed and is gradually warming... there hasn't been a precedent for a Crown Prince visiting the Immortal Dynasty. This might be a good opportunity to spend more time with Ruobing and improve our cold relationship~"
"Alright, I'll discuss it with the old man first~"
With that, Shentu Jingming made up his mind.
Later, he went to the Demon Emperor's Palace to discuss the matter of visiting the Immortal Dynasty with the Demon Emperor's projection. After all, this was the first formal diplomatic interaction between the Demon and Immortal Dynasties since the last immortal-demon war, and it needed to be handled with caution.
……
Some time later.
A rumor suddenly spread like wildfire in the Demon Capital, saying that Crown Prince Shentu Jingming was about to accept an invitation from the Immortal Dynasty to visit and discuss a series of future plans to jointly resist the demon realm, accompanied by the younger generation of noble families from the Demon Dynasty.
At the same time, another rumor circulated privately among the noble families, saying that the Crown Prince also had a special mission to comfort Princess Zhaoyu, who was studying in a small country within the Immortal Dynasty.
Logically, if Princess Zhaoyu were to study abroad, she should have enrolled in the royal school of the Immortal Dynasty, or at least the Immortal Palace. Why study in a small country?
Naturally, it was a sacrifice.
But why sacrifice Princess Zhaoyu?
Among the noble families, there were those skilled at analyzing the situation, and soon someone "guessed" the most likely reason.
When the Demon and Immortal Dynasties agreed to jointly resist the demon realm, the situation was promising, but then the Demon Lord and Little Demon Lord stabbed them in the back.
Although the Immortal Dynasty didn't suffer too much damage in the end, this undoubtedly planted a seed of distrust in their hearts. To uphold the greater good of humanity, the Demon Emperor had to sacrifice Princess Zhaoyu as a hostage, with even a hint of marriage alliance.
Poor Princess Zhaoyu, in just a few decades, had written thirty-one letters home, each filled with tears and blood, claiming to be living a very hard life and wanting to return home. Given the Demon Emperor's previous affection for the little princess, he would have brought her back after the first letter, but for the sake of future cooperation between the Demon and Immortal Dynasties, he uncharacteristically refused to allow her return.
This time, the Crown Prince's visit to the Immortal Dynasty should include a proper visit to comfort Princess Zhaoyu.
With this rumor, the reputation of the Demon Lord, which had just started to recover over the decades, took another hit. Many people secretly blamed him.
If it weren't for his scheming back then, why would the Demon Dynasty have to make such a huge sacrifice with the young Princess Zhaoyu?
It even implicated Chao Qianxue, whose reputation was rising, causing him to receive quite a bit of criticism.
As the rumors spread, the Demon Lord, who was fishing in the Demon Abyss, naturally heard various reports and rumors.
Elder Yun, reporting by his side, couldn't help but feel indignant about the criticism the Demon Lord had faced recently, "It's truly infuriating how all sorts of filth are being thrown at us. What does Zhaoyu's stay with the Wang Clan in the Immortal Dynasty have to do with us? I'll mobilize our forces to clarify these rumors."
"No need." The Demon Lord was indifferent, still as deep as an abyss, "This is just the old demon of Red Prison deliberately guiding public opinion to give me a hard time. Such tricks are nothing more than petty schemes and won't affect the bigger picture."
"But, Demon Lord, are we just going to let them continue to slander us?" Elder Yun frowned, still unwilling, "This wave of rumors is growing, and it's affecting Young Master Qianxue!"
Elder Yun had initially looked down on Chao Qianxue, but as he gradually demonstrated his abilities and charisma, she began to see him in a new light and considered him the future of the Chao Clan.
"You mentioned that Wang Ruobing is also going to visit the Immortal Dynasty and will accompany Shentu Jingming to visit Zhaoyu?" The Demon Lord asked, slightly opening his eyes.
"That's the information we've gathered," Elder Yun replied, "Previously, Shentu Jingming, Wang Ruobing, and Wang Fugui of the Changning Wang's Clan had formed a bond of camaraderie, having each other's backs in times of need, so their relationship is quite good. Presumably, both sides want to use this opportunity to strengthen their ties."
"Good, very good." A fierce gleam flashed in the Demon Lord's deep eyes, and his tone turned cold, "As the saying goes, 'the clouds part to reveal the moon,' this is the opportunity I've waited for decades. If I can refine and devour Wang Ruobing's bloodline, I can certainly advance to the mid-stage True Demon. Then, let's see what the old demon of Red Prison can do against me."
"Master, the Wang Clan is cunning; you must be careful of a trap," Elder Yun quickly reminded.
"Naturally," the Demon Lord replied calmly and confidently, "But I already have a comprehensive plan and won't waste such a heaven-sent opportunity. Qingyun, send a message for me."
"Yes, Master."
……
As the Demon Lord began to take action, a grand conspiracy "targeting" the Wang Clan unfolded like a giant net, slowly enveloping the Wang Clan.
The first significant change occurred in the Great Gan outer battlefield defense zone.
Over the years, the rapid progress in development here had brought substantial benefits to the Wang Clan, Great Gan, and many noble families within Great Gan. Naturally, these changes were also noticed by other defense zones in the outer regions, especially the joint defense zone of Western Jin, Southern Qin, and the Yinsha Sect nearby.
At this moment.
In the main base, which had been rebuilt using high-grade cement from the Wang Clan and now appeared extremely modern.
Wang Liyao, the current commander of the Eastern Gan Defense Zone, was presiding over a meeting in a conference room.
Being in the outer regions, she wore military attire, her light blue armor gleaming coldly under the lights, giving her an inexplicable sense of cold authority.
Having been stationed in the outer regions for many years, Wang Liyao's appearance hadn't changed, but her demeanor had become more mature and composed, her profound energy as deep as an abyss. Even sitting still, she exuded a powerful sense of pressure, clearly showing her as a figure of authority.
Her cultivation had already reached the late stage of the Purple Mansion Realm, steadily climbing towards the peak. With just a bit more time, breaking through to the Divine Realm would be as easy as eating or drinking.
"Our Great Gan Defense Zone's two Demon King Fortresses, Giant Scythe and Demon Wood, along with the three Demon King Fortresses of the Western Jin and Southern Qin Defense Zone, have mobilized troops and joined forces to attack us," Wang Liyao's voice was steady and restrained, showing no hint of fear, as if it was all expected, "Meanwhile, the Jin-Qin Defense Zone is in a turtle-like state, watching the tigers fight."
"So it finally begins." Emperor Longchang, stationed at the main base, remained calm and dignified, "We've prepared for so many years for this day, haven't we? Yaoyao, this time I'll lead the troops to war and sweep away the five Demon King Fortresses."
Beside him, the charming Jade Talisman Immortal looked at Emperor Longchang with shining eyes, full of admiration, "Brother Chang is still as domineering and impressive as ever. I wish to join you in the expedition."
"Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Jade Sister, you should stay and guard the base." Emperor Longchang said with overwhelming confidence, "My semi-immortal sword, the Great Treasure Sword of Heaven and Earth, has long been eager for battle. This time, I'll let them taste my might."
"Oh, you~" The Jade Talisman Immortal blushed, stamping her foot coquettishly.
"Jade Sister, I was wrong."
"Brother Chang, I forgive you."
A series of dialogues made the other attendees' skin crawl, wishing they could drag their chairs further away.
If you want to have a twilight romance, go ahead, but don't spill dog blood in the meeting room~~ What did they do to deserve this old dog food?
Speaking of which, after Emperor Longchang was injured, Wang Shouzhe forcibly summoned him back for healing. Upon hearing this, the Jade Talisman Immortal was worried and naturally went to take care of him. Before long, the two of them hit it off like dry wood and fire.
It wouldn't have mattered if they just got together, but whenever they were together, they would recite outdated sweet dialogues, making everyone sick of hearing it.
And the mastermind behind all this was Wang Ningxi.
What sin did he commit?
Wang Liyao's eyelids twitched as she listened, quickly maintaining her expression and speaking up to stop them, "Your Majesty, this time, my father's intention is to fight slowly and create a sense of difficulty. Therefore, you must hold back."
"Tch, that brat Wang Shouzhe is always full of schemes and bad ideas. If I don't listen to him, what can he do to me?" Emperor Longchang snorted coldly, full of pride.
"My father said that if Your Majesty doesn't follow military orders, he'll confiscate the semi-immortal artifact, the Great Treasure Sword of Heaven and Earth, that was lent to you."
"..." Emperor Longchang's expression changed instantly, then he nonchalantly adjusted his tone, "Well, although that brat Shouzhe is full of bad ideas, he does have some skills. This time, I'll heed his advice."
"......"
The others present were collectively speechless.
……