Chapter 312 The PreludeSummer Solstice loved flowers and plants.

As the hostess of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai, she seldom appeared in public.

Commercial finance?

She did not understand.

Political diplomacy?

She was incapable.

The general trend of the Dark World?

She never partic.i.p.ated in it.

Some secret research projects of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai?

She was too lazy to look at them.

Except for her husband and children, the delicate and bright flowers and plants consumed her entire world.

She had a husband who could shelter her from the storm, so her life was simple.

In her daily life, she moved those flowerpots, made a meal when she was in a good mood, went shopping when she felt bored and talked with her husband at night. Her life seemed to be carefree and colorful.

She was Summer Solstice.

She liked the early summer best. At that time, the gra.s.ses were tall, and the nightingales were in the air. All the flowers were blooming gloriously and splendidly. It was like her world, pure and fresh, without any gloom.

Summer Solstice was busy in her new research.

There was a thermostatic chamber, in the palace where she lived with w.a.n.g Tianzong. It was small, but she could measure the growth habit of some flowers and plants she had improved.

Summer Solstice carefully watered flowers with a kettle. In front of her was a pot of white and red flowers, with delicate petals. As the drops fell, petals slightly opened and closed, being quiet and beautiful.

Summer Solstice watched the petals close slightly and could not help giggling.

She played with the petals joyfully. After a long while, she left the thermostatic chamber reluctantly and walked into the living room.

In a large and simple living room, w.a.n.g Tianzong was sitting on the sofa and watching TV.

The TV screen was divided into many images, which were videos shot at different times.

w.a.n.g Tianzong was so serious and focused that he did not perceive Summer Solstice when she approached him.

“What are you looking at? Why are you so serious?”

Summer Solstice mumbled with some dissatisfaction. After a casual glance at the screen, she was suddenly stunned.

There were images of thunder and storm, and images of day and night. Most of the time, there were images of a young man.

“Li Tianlan?”

Summer Solstice looked at w.a.n.g Tianzong with astonishment. She said helplessly, “You’ve been watching this these days?”

“It’s very interesting.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong chuckled and took the remote controller to adjust the windows on the screen.

Many small windows became two. The windows took up the entire screen.

The left image was of a clear sky, but it became incredibly blurred.

In the picture, the figure, who was barefoot in white, stood in situ quietly. The sword curtain around him was messy. Holding the Curtain of Night, Song Ci fell from the sky.

Li Tianlan made a handprint with both hands. All of a sudden, he inflicted heavy injuries on Song Ci. Then, w.a.n.g Shengxiao arrived on time.

The right image was of a dark night.

Li Tianlan, Dongcheng Rus.h.i.+ and Jiang Shangyu stood together. They seemed to be chatting.

Summer Solstice gawked at the image with a look of doubt.

“It’s like two people.” w.a.n.g Tianzong whispered.

In the past few days, he said the same thing several times. But that time, there was a note of affirmation in his tone.

“What?”

In a daze, Summer Solstice even forgot the reason she had gone there.

“If Li Tianlan is stronger than Shengxiao, would he dare kill him?” w.a.n.g Tianzhong suddenly asked.

…

When it came to w.a.n.g Shengxiao, Summer Solstice was completely concentrated in a flash.

“He wouldn’t dare.”

Summer Solstice said, “If he kills Shengxiao, he can’t live. He understands this.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong looked at the screen in front of him quietly and said nothing for a while.

“Is he sure that he’s stronger than Shengxiao?” Summer Solstice sat beside w.a.n.g Tianzong and seriously asked.

…

“I also lost to Li Kuangtu that year, right?”

w.a.n.g Tianzong smiled and said smoothly, “Before reaching the Invincible Realm, the Li family’s 24 Moves of Sword have some advantages. It’s undeniable.”

“It’s different,” Summer Solstice began to speak and then hesitated.

…

At the Fire-flaming Realm, w.a.n.g Tianzong competed with Li Kuangtu and Lin Fengting. It was neither a win nor a loss. After reaching the Thunder-shocking Realm, they fought again. w.a.n.g Tianzong surpa.s.sed Li Kuangtu by half a move.

That was different from the combat between Li Tianlan and w.a.n.g Shengxiao.

If w.a.n.g Shengxiao lost in the Thunder-shocking Realm, he would probably not win again.

Summer Solstice looked at w.a.n.g Tianzong.

She knew her husband very well, so she did not think that Li Tianlan had a chance to reach the Invincible Realm.

“Will Shengxiao lose?”

Summer Solstice asked for confirmation again.

“I don’t know.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong shook his head.

Summer Solstice fell silent.

She exactly knew what that answer meant.

w.a.n.g Tianzong was not unknown, but he was hesitating.

He hesitated, thinking whether he would kill Li Tianlan before the maneuver.

If he launched attacks personally, 10 Li Tianlan were not enough for him to kill at one stroke.

“Maybe I should go to Lin’an.” w.a.n.g Tianzong whispered.

…

Summer Solstice’s face changed slightly, with a touch of resentment and depression in her eyes. She was lively and cheerful by nature, but at the moment she was sullen, with startling tenderness.

“Is it necessary?” Summer Solstice softly asked.

…

“It’s necessary.” w.a.n.g Tianzong said with certainty.

…

“In that case…”

Summer Solstice tipped her head and carefully said, “Maybe we can let Kunlun City launch attacks…”

“Gu Xingyun may not be Senior Li’s match, so only I can do it. If I go to Lin’an, Gu Xingyun will have to go too. Only in this way, there won’t be room for failure. After all, I can beat Senior Li. But if he wants to leave, I can’t stop him.”

Summer Solstice fell silent.

She clearly knew what w.a.n.g Tianzhong meant.

If he wanted to kill Li Tianlan, w.a.n.g Tianzong must beat Li Honghe.

Otherwise, if Li Tianlan died, once Li Honghe went mad, even if he could not beat w.a.n.g Tianzong, he was competent enough to cause ma.s.sive damage to the w.a.n.g family of Beihai.

Kill Li Honghe first.

Kill Li Tianlan later.

That was the most correct order.

“If Li Tianlan has an accident… that, ah, the h.e.l.l of Heaven Capital? Will it make a move?”

Summer Solstice paid little attention to the Dark World and even called Purgatory of Heaven Capital by the wrong name.

“It probably won’t. It won’t for a while.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong thought for a moment and said flatly, “Even if they make a move, we are superior in strength.”

“They won’t take actions?”

Summer Solstice stared at w.a.n.g Tianzong’s eyes.

“Probably.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong said, “It’s because of Senior Li. He is stubborn, so the Purgatory of Heaven Capital won’t make a move.”

Summer Solstice looked at w.a.n.g Tianzong and saw some killing intent deep in his eyes.

“Have you ever thought about what will happen to Yuetong if you kill Li Tianlan?”

His body stiffened. After a long while, w.a.n.g Tianzong plainly said, “Time will heal almost everything. I’m her father, but also the patriarch of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai. Whether I want to or not, I’ll be responsible for the w.a.n.g family of Beihai.”

“Li Tianlan can’t affect the w.a.n.g family of Beihai now,” Summer Solstice said.

…

“But he will.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong sighed and continued, “No matter what reason we had in the past, we always looked on indifferently. If the Li family falls silent, we won’t take it too seriously. However, Li Tianlan appeared. Do you know what that means? The Li family’s voice had lot strength in the Southeast Group of that year. My father was good as a martial artist, but he was mediocre in character. Senior Li was in the Southeast Group then, so his speaking rights surpa.s.sed my father’s. In the Southeast Group, he has too many direct descendants.”

“The w.a.n.g family of Beihai has done nothing extraordinary over 20 years. It has consumed a lot of energy to counter the influence of the Li family on the Southeast Group. Even so, we haven’t done enough. As Li Tianlan had appeared, the past glory of the Li family may reappear in the Southeast Group. Ning Zhiyuan is one, but his voice is not the loudest.”

“The glory of the Li family would reappear? What about the w.a.n.g family of Beihai? Summer Solstice, you should know that the w.a.n.g family of Beihai and the Li family can’t work together anymore. Since things are like this, if Li Tianlan grows, the Southeast Group will probably fall apart. What about the strength of a disintegrated Southeast Group? Until then, we won’t have enough discourse power, and we won’t be able to keep the w.a.n.g family of Beihai.”

“Do I want to aim at Senior Li? I have no choice.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong stood up, looked at the screen on the wall, and continued, “Even without that reason, the re-emergence of the Li family is not good for the w.a.n.g family of Beihai. Since we’ve grown apart, the resurgent Li family is our opponent, even if it can’t take over the Southeast Group. I don’t think there is anything wrong with destroying our opponent ahead of time.”

In the screen, Li Tianlan stood on the high platform. In a flash, the Sword Qi all over the sky was boiling with a loud crash.

w.a.n.g Tianzong narrowed his eyes and whispered, “I can feel that Li Tianlan will reach the Invincible Realm soon. At least, he is walking on the right path, and he even sees the end, but unfortunately…”

“So what?”

Summer Solstice lightly said, “Even if he reaches the Invincible Realm, you still can kill him with one stroke, right? The Li family and the w.a.n.g family of Beihai are really separated, but many people still remember hundreds of years of mutual affection. Li Tianlan refused to join us, but he did not show hostility toward us. Why are you in such a hurry to attack him? Can’t you wait for a moment?”

w.a.n.g Tianzong hesitated.

He looked at his wife and shook his head slowly.

“I can’t wait.”

His eyes suddenly focused, “You probably don’t know that I’ve refined a whole set of Immortality Potion in the laboratory.”

“A whole set!?”

Summer Solstice screamed, “What happened?”

“To have it on standby.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong shook his head, “Nothing has happened yet, but I have a feeling that something big is going to happen in the Dark World. It’s something big beyond our imagination. To kill Li Tianlan in advance means to eliminate a variable ahead of time.”

Summer Solstice’s face changed.

She could not imagine what kind of thing would make w.a.n.g Tianzong feel uncertain, to a degree that he would refine a set of Immortality Potion as backup.

“I should not tell you this.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong went over and touched her hair. He softly said, “I’ll strike Senior Li down, so I’m afraid that you would blame me if I didn’t tell you.”

Summer Solstice looked somber and shook her head, whispering, “What else can I say?”

“Sorry.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong hesitated and clasped her in his arms. “I’ve embarra.s.sed you.”

Summer Solstice gently leaned on his arms and whispered, “Senior Li was our matchmaker. Without him, I might have married someone else.”

“I am very grateful to Senior Li.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong whispered in an unusually soft voice, “It’s my luckiest thing to have been able to marry you.”

“What?”

Summer Solstice raised her head while in his arms and said with a forced smile, “Don’t fool me with sugared words. You were lucky to marry me?”

w.a.n.g Tianzong frowned and thought, then said with an honest smile, “You’re pretty.”

There were beauties in each generation.

Situ Cangyue, Governor of Sigh City; Yun Qinxi, the Phantom Sword Master of Mount Shu; Bai Qingqian, the top leader of the Guandong Province…

They were all rare beauties.

But in w.a.n.g Tianzong’s eyes, Summer Solstice had always been the most beautiful.

“Just because I’m pretty?”

With her eyebrows raised, Summer Solstice was about to lose her temper.

“You cook very well,” w.a.n.g Tianzong continued.

…

“Anything else?”

Summer Solstice narrowed her beautiful eyes.

“Well… When I’m not here, you can look after the house. I’m relieved,” w.a.n.g Tianzong continued.

…

“You treat me like a doorman…”

Summer Solstice raised her hand. w.a.n.g Tianzong held her in his arms before she finished speaking, “I have many reasons, but I can’t tell you. I’m afraid that you would become conceited.”

“Screw you.”

Summer Solstice blushed and escaped from w.a.n.g Tianzong’s arms.

She kept herself from thinking about Senior Li and whispered, “Well, I came here to ask you to see my new work. Let’s go and see. It’s very beautiful.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong looked at his watch and said with a smile after some hesitation. “You should go first. Qinglei has just come back. I invited him for tea.”

Qinglei.

w.a.n.g Qinglei.

He was the Former Governor of the Wuyue Province, one of the youngest members of the Zhongzhou Decision Making Committee, and the province’s top leader.

w.a.n.g Qinglei joined the Decision Making Committee less than two years back, but he had worked in Wuyue for more than 10 years, so his foundation was steady. In some small circles, he was called the King of the Southeast Group. He was one of the most important figures of the w.a.n.g family of Beihai and the Southeast Group, and a leader of a huge branch in the w.a.n.g family of Beihai.

Summer Solstice’s beautiful eyes changed.

w.a.n.g Qinglei was w.a.n.g Tianzong’s distant cousin. Although his home was also in Mount Dibing, he worked in Wuyue all year round. At ordinary times, he did not have much contact with his family. At the moment, w.a.n.g Qinglei had personally returned to Mount Dibing; it wasn’t due to a festival or a holiday, so it could only mean one thing.

“Have Commander Ning’s affairs been determined?” Summer Solstice softly asked.

…

“It’s time for them to be determined.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong said with a calm tone, “If we don’t take action, there will be more and more voices inside the group. We can’t let Zhiyuan go on making trouble.”

He would transfer Ning Zhiyuan first, to give a warning to those inside the group who supported the Li family, and then launch attacks against Li Honghe.

Summer Solstice lightly sighed.

“I’ll give Li Tianlan one last chance,” w.a.n.g Tianzong whispered.

…

“What’s the chance?” Summer Solstice subconsciously asked.

…

“I’ll see Qin Weibai here tomorrow. The message must have been delivered. I don’t know if she will dare to come.” w.a.n.g Tianzong indifferently said.

…

…

When w.a.n.g Qinglei walked in the hall, w.a.n.g Tianzong had turned off the TV.

There were two cups of tea on the tea table. The tea seemed to have been just made because it was steaming hot.

“Is my sister-in-law not at home?”

w.a.n.g Qinglei looked at the tea on the tea table and naturally smiled.

He was of medium build, but he had a square face with a fierce look. The most outstanding things were his eyebrows, as thick as a sword. When he slightly raised his eyebrows, people around would feel a very strong sense of oppression.

“She is playing with her treasures.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong looked at his cousin, who had been a little alienated from him, and chuckled, “She said that there were some new research findings. Leave her be.”

He pointed to the teacups, “Have a taste. It’s made with freshly picked tea leaves from Qiushui City. If it is to your liking, you can take some back.”

w.a.n.g Qinglei waved his hand and smiled, “There is a top Dragon Well tea in my office. I have been drinking for years.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong nodded and did not force him, “Have you talked with Zhiyuan?”

w.a.n.g Qinglei became serious and nodded, “We’ve talked.”

“Is the result not ideal?” w.a.n.g Tianzong laughed and said.

…

w.a.n.g Qinglei looked at w.a.n.g Tianzong with some surprise.

“Before the establishment of the Border Control Corps, Ning Zhiyuan was part of the military staff of the Western Theater of Operations and ranked as a Major. When Zhongzhou State conflicted with the Heng State, Senior Li saved his life at the border of Heng State, then mobilized him to the Eastern Theater of Operations, and promoted him all the way. Senior Li saved him and helped his career…” w.a.n.g Tianzong whispered.

…

With a wry smile, w.a.n.g Qinglei helplessly said, “We didn’t have a pleasant conversation.” Zhiyuan meant that the Li family would never betray the Zhongzhou State and the Southeast Group. The case of treason was doubtful. He thought since the Li family had reappeared, the Group should support him and help the Li family to restore their status in the Zhongzhou State.”

He spoke and shook his head first.

w.a.n.g Tianzong took a sip of tea and whispered, “The result met my expectations. Since you can’t find some kind of compromise, give him a position.”

w.a.n.g Qinglei, who had been mentally prepared, asked as he nodded, “Who will take over the Eastern Theater of Operations?”

“Give the position to Dongcheng Wudi. Our people will take over an army group under the Border Control Corps,” w.a.n.g Tianzong thought for a moment and said with a calm tone.

…

“Will you trade the Border Control Corps?”

w.a.n.g Qinglei became thoughtful.

w.a.n.g Tianzong replied with a calm but unquestionable tone, “To appoint Dijiang.”

He was very insistent.

w.a.n.g Qinglei narrowed his eyes and looked at w.a.n.g Tianzong. The Border Control Corps was called the little Army Headquarters. The Commander must be a Zhongzhou marshal with considerable real power. w.a.n.g Qinglei also wanted the position.

However, he felt embarra.s.sed to compete with w.a.n.g Tianzong.

He clenched his fists quietly and nodded. “It’s Ok. How to arrange Zhiyuan? Give him an official post with very little to do? Or ask him to take an early retirement?”

w.a.n.g Tianzong seemed to have a bad headache. He hesitated for a moment and said, “This would have an adverse effect.”

To capture Ning Zhiyuan would give a warning to some of the group who supported the Li family. However, if it was too simple, it would probably cause a backlash. After all, Ning Zhiyuan was far from the age of retirement, and he might develop further.

“I have a suggestion,” w.a.n.g Qinglei said.

…

“Er?”

w.a.n.g Tianzong glanced at him.

“If not, appoint him to Tiannan. Dijiang takes control of the Border Control Corps. Thus, he can also keep an eye on him,” w.a.n.g Qinglei said.

…

Tiannan.

There was no such province in the Zhongzhou State.

In the battle of the border three years ago, the Border Control Corps went deep into the Annan State for 800 miles. Currently, the Zhongzhou State regarded that land as the apple in one’s hand. In the dark, it was called Tiannan Province.

Due to the constant protests in the Annan State, the Zhongzhou State had nominally withdrawn from the land, but they did not withdraw the troops. All the soldiers took off their military uniforms and turned into rebel forces of the Annan State. They confronted the Annan State and the Purgatory of Heaven Capital.

Dijiang was the leader of the rebel army.

If Dijiang controlled the Border Control Corps, it was suitable to let Ning Zhiyuan control the rebel army. Moreover, it was vital to block some people’s mouths.

“However…”

w.a.n.g Tianzong took a deep look at w.a.n.g Qinglei, “Don’t you think the Purgatory of Heaven Capital is strange?”

“Perhaps the Purgatory of Heaven Capital is related to the Li family. Unless Ning Zhiyuan wants to betray his country, he will be more loyal in Tiannan. If something goes wrong, he can always be captured, and no one dares to gossip.” w.a.n.g Qinglei laughed.

…

“In addition, if you are against the Li family, there is still an additional move.”

“Four Spirits have been quiet in recent years. Since the Purgatory of Heaven Capital may have something with the Li family, you might as well send Spirit Tortoise to Tiannan and let them fight each other. If Spirit Tortoise is not obedient, you can capture it with some rumors. If you have no objection, I can handle this.”

w.a.n.g Qinglei laughed and said, “We all know that if Li Honghe is here, the Li family can’t really be traitorous.”

w.a.n.g Tianzong was slightly hesitant and finally nodded, “It’s Ok.”

He approved the transfer.

It also meant that there had been a prelude to the war against the Li family.

w.a.n.g Qinglei laughed, lowered his head to drink some tea. Meanwhile, he concealed all his expressions.