Of course, the Yan family was the most affected by General Qin's strong return. Yan Zihe had also heard about Yan Ziyu's incident in the school cafeteria, and her reaction was quite intriguing.
“Yan Ziyu, you’re not young anymore. Do I need to remind you how to conduct yourself as a member of the Yan family?” Yan Zihe held a finely crafted black whip in her hand, poked the stiff brim of her hat with her index finger, and there was no smile on her lips.
Yan Ziyu was terrified of her cousin, Yan Zihe. The arrogance she displayed in front of everyone else vanished without a trace in Yan Zihe's presence. In fact, she was more afraid of her cousin than anyone else, and she was even more obedient in front of Yan Zihe than she was in front of her parents.
As a member of the Yan family, she naturally knew better than any outsider how her cousin had managed to become the head of the Yan family.
Because they understand better than anyone else, they fear more than anyone else. Perhaps everyone in this empire knows what a legend Qin Muge is, and you can find Qin Muge's supporters everywhere, but few people know how the Yan family got to where it is today.
In her eyes, Yan Zihe was just as capable as Qin Muge.
Therefore, when she was reprimanded this time, she lowered her head in shame and dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction.
Yan Zihe had always known her cousin's temperament. Although she could be a bit domineering at times, she was very sensible at home. If she had a few more years of experience, her future position in the army wouldn't be low.
Seeing that she had taken her words to heart, Yan Zihe suppressed her reprimand and began to talk about Chaoge: "As for that guy Yan Chaoge," her lips suddenly curved, and a smile that sent a chill down Yan Ziyu's spine flashed in her eyes, and she slowly continued, "just leave him to Yan Xi to work on. She'll have to be of some use eventually."
Yan Ziyu was somewhat surprised that her cousin would mention Yan Xi, and then hesitated before voicing her doubts: "Cousin... Yan Xi, after all..." Although she felt it was not good to use her own people like this, her eyes clearly showed joy.
Yan Zihe could tell at a glance what her cousin was thinking. She was worried that Yan Xi's big incident would threaten her position in the family.
In a large family, the fewer people who compete with you for things, the better.
Her tone remained unchanged, but her words carried a touch of intimacy unique to family members: "If she can succeed, that would be wonderful. But if she can't even control her own little sister, we won't count on her in the future. Even so, Ziyu, have you forgotten the Yan family's precepts?"
Those who betray their family will not be tolerated.
Seeing her cousin's gaze suddenly sharpen, Yan Ziyu finally felt at ease. She met her cousin's eyes and couldn't help but give her a cute smile.
"Ziyu would never forget." The voice in response was full of energy.
She knew that in the end, her cousin still valued her the most.
"That's good. General Qin returned unharmed today and discussed with the countries of the Red Cloud Star System about reopening the Star System Conference in half a month. Before that, the royal family will be holding a ball. The time is set for this Saturday, so please make preparations." Yan Zihe remembered that the atmosphere in the military was subtly turbulent when Qin Muge returned, and she was even more convinced that Qin Muge was planning to play another card.
This inevitably brings to mind the group of personal guards who were withdrawn from the planetary fortress of Tianzi Star a while ago. Although she suspected that the group of personal guards had requested to return on their own initiative after receiving orders from Qin Muge, Yan Zihe still seized the opportunity without hesitation to place her own people in their place.
Since they couldn't fathom Qin Muge's thoughts, they wouldn't try. They would meet force with force; the Yan family wouldn't engage in treason or collusion. Whatever Qin Muge intended to do, having their own people in the planetary fortress belt would ensure they received the news immediately.
However, what these people in power can't stand the sight of something they can't understand is what they see. Whenever such a problem arises, they will try every means to find out the reason.
What exactly is on the P4 Nebula? What was Qin Muge doing during the time he was missing? Why was the Royal Guard withdrawn from the front lines of defense?
The Red Cloud Galaxy Conference has been reconvened. Since Qin Muge became the sole heir to the throne, this first court ball is unlikely to be as simple as it sounds.
Everything was shrouded in a huge fog, and all the military personnel could do was obey and wait for the general to reveal his ultimate goal.
Having some knowledge of military affairs, Yan Ziyu was naturally surprised to hear this news: "She really came back... But, a court ball? Could it be?" Yan Ziyu thought of her surprise when she first learned Qin Muge's gender. Could it be that their empire's great general had finally reached, uh, the time when his heart was fluttering with spring fever?
But this kind of thing seems so unreliable. According to my cousin's description, General Qin is not the kind of person who would care about such things.
Although it is true that she is a woman, most people prefer to deify her, and in some people's minds, she has even reached the level of a celestial being who is detached from worldly affairs.
This is enough to demonstrate Qin Muge's deep cunning; at least in the current military, no one has guessed her thoughts.
But! What else could a court ball be used for besides fostering relationships between aristocratic families and the upper echelons of the empire? Countless guesses immediately popped into Yan Ziyu's mind, but he dismissed each one as soon as it came to mind.
No wonder even my cousin couldn't get her to back down; she's too cunning!
"Hmph, who knows what tricks she has up her sleeve? We'll just have to watch. That's enough for now. And you'd better stay away from that lunatic at school." Yan Zihe inwardly sighed, realizing her cousin was still too naive; her thoughts were written all over her face. What if she really did hand the Yan family over to her in the future…
After turning off the video, Yan Zihe shook her head inwardly, trying not to think about the problem.
Because she had many more things to deal with.
Prior to this, although Qin Muge made a high-profile return, his first destination was the military conference hall within the palace. After issuing several orders, Qin Muge made no mention of the P4 Nebula.
Therefore, although everyone wanted to know some information about that place, seeing that the general did not mention it, they had some guesses in their hearts, so no one brought up the topic.
Only Yan Chen pushed up his glasses, seemingly wanting to interject with a comment about the recent progress of the P4 Nebula by the Technology R&D Department amidst the conversation.
Qin Muge noticed his movements and, before he could speak, casually brushed the topic aside: "As for the P4 Nebula, it will be discussed at the galactic conference."
It was called a discussion, but it was clearly a matter of skipping the military meeting and having one person's opinion represent the entire empire's position at the intergalactic conference.
Yan Chen pushed up his glasses again, the glare from the lenses obscuring his gaze for a fleeting moment. After that, he remained silent, no longer intending to speak.
His silence didn't mean others wouldn't speak. Yan Zihe was undoubtedly one of the leaders of meetings like this, practically holding half the military's speaking power. "We are all overjoyed that the General has returned safely from the P4 Nebula. However, before that, the advance troops and the General's entourage were nowhere to be found, which shows how dangerous the P4 Nebula is. I think the General should inform everyone present of the details so that the military can make preparations as soon as possible."
"I second that." A lieutenant general, one of the supporters of the Yan family, chimed in after her.
"I... second that."
"I second that."
...
One after another, both neutral parties and those affiliated with the Yan family voiced their opinions. The dangers of the P4 Nebula clearly exceeded their usual understanding. It was as if an invincible person had finally hit a wall, and naturally, they would become curious about the path that blocked their way.
If the annihilation of the advance force only made them realize that the wall was somewhat tough, then Qin Muge's personal visit, with only herself and her guards returning, left them with no more illusions.
The strength of the personal guard is evident to all, and Qin Muge's formidable power is known to everyone. But what about the ordinary troops of Tianzi Star?
Could this wall be harder than ever before?
Many people couldn't help but have this question in their minds.
However, there would be no voices among them, only those of the personal guard. Ling Tianchu, Ling Tianquan, Ling Tianji, Ling Tianxuan, Yang Yuheng, Min Kaiyang, and Su Yaoguang—the seven captains of the guard—showed their support for their superiors through silence.
If they had to be said to have any faith, it would undoubtedly be in General Qin. They knew Qin Muge was more powerful than anyone they had ever met, and coupled with their own individual motivations, their loyalty to Qin Muge was unparalleled in the empire. Everyone might have moments of doubt about the general's decisions, but they would never.
They are the sharpest blades in Qin Mu's song, and what she points to is the path they take forward.
Ling Tianchu is the head of the Ling family, and his voice here is no less powerful than anyone else's, but he didn't say a word at all during today's meeting.
Qin Muge was well aware that concealing the truth was, in a sense, truly cruel. But based on the information she currently possessed, if such an opponent truly existed, it would be a catastrophe for the entire Red Cloud Galaxy.
In fact, as things stand, apart from her, who possesses the core AI of the Heavenly Star, no one in the entire Red Cloud Galaxy has any hope of defeating that thing.
One person may be very strong, but one person alone can never defeat an army. And this army could very well be from another star system.
Her revelation of this matter brought nothing but panic to the entire empire.
Even though the intergalactic war had exhausted most of the nations in the Red Cloud Galaxy, the Crystalless Empire was able to stand strong thanks to its powerful military. Many people in the Red Cloud Galaxy could no longer withstand another battle.
Qin Muge simply wore his usual smile, quietly watching the scene led by Yan Zihe. His smile was full of confidence, an aura that came from the very core of someone who held royal power.
Then she parted her red lips slightly and said, "Until the surviving soldiers are found, the development of the P4 Nebula is hereby terminated. Meeting adjourned, everyone, see you on Saturday."
After speaking, he picked up the white military cap on the table, turned around, and walked out first.
The remaining people exchanged bewildered glances and all looked towards Yan Zihe. However, Yan Zihe remained remarkably calm, showing no emotion whatsoever, as if she had long been accustomed to Qin Muge ignoring her opinions.
She was the second to leave the meeting room, followed by a group of Yan family confidants, as if afraid others wouldn't know they were in the same faction.
However, just like the unspoken understanding among the military, the seven captains of the royal guards also headed towards another part of the palace. Since they had authority second only to Chaoge, they made their way to the large living room outside Qin Muge's study.
A group of men in various colored military uniforms gathered together before the start of the intergalactic war. Once the war ended, they all returned to their posts; such a gathering during peacetime was extremely rare.
Yang Yuheng, who is usually lazy and sleepy, was surprisingly energetic today and spoke first: "Tianxuan, it's been a long time, I've missed you dearly." As he spoke, a silver tongue ring appeared and disappeared between his lips as his tongue slid in his mouth.
The smile on her lips had a wicked, teasing quality to it, as she stared intently at Ling Tianxuan.
Ling Tianchu immediately frowned, revealing his protective nature.
Ling Tianxuan didn't mind at all, and gave Yang Yuheng a big smile, choosing to listen to only the first half. Ling Tianquan was bored, resting his chin on his hands on the table, and when he heard this, he only glanced in Ling Tianxuan's direction and replied indifferently, "Being so ugly, of course it's unforgettable."
Ling Tianxuan instantly bristled, practically jumping up from the spot. At 1.6 meters tall, she was no match for these people. She angrily said to Ling Tianquan, "Ling Tianquan! If I'm considered ugly, you're no better!"
Ling Tianxuan is the youngest daughter of the Ling family and grew up under the loving care of many. In the Ling family, Ling Tianshu grew up carrying the hopes of the entire family, and it can be said that he was destined to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the family.
The four members of the Ling family grew up in very different environments, resulting in each of them having different characteristics. However, this meant that Ling Tianshu, as the eldest son, was destined to have a lot of headaches.
Sure enough, the family members who hadn't seen each other for a long time started bickering more enthusiastically than anyone else when they met, which made him feel deeply ashamed.
But the guards seemed used to the atmosphere, even the usually quiet Su Yaoguang had a gentle smile. Yang Yuheng lit the fire and ran off, chatting with Su Yaoguang: "I heard you recently replaced Kaiyang as an instructor in Yuandu, how is it?"
Su Yaoguang thought about it carefully and answered her very seriously: "I can withstand the test and endure hardship."
Yang Yuheng looked at her reproachfully, as if to say, "How can you be so clueless about romance?" He then moved closer to her and said, "Who asked you that?" He winked as he spoke, trying to make her understand his implication.
"Then what are you asking?" Su Yaoguang couldn't understand her wild idea at all.
Seeing that she didn't understand him at all, Yang Yuheng was speechless for a while. After a long while, he finally cheered up and imitated Yao Guang's tone, saying seriously, "I mean, have you found any pretty girls that are easy to flirt with?"
Su Yaoguang was taken aback, then honestly shook her head, "I didn't notice."
Yang Yuheng clutched his chest, looking like he was in angina, and criticized Su Yaoguang with great distress: "So many future flowers of the motherland are waving to me, but you didn't see a single one of them."
Su Yaoguang looked in the direction of Min Kaiyang, wondering if she should sit down there too.
Ling Tianchu was busy mediating and trying to calm his younger sister down. After Tianquan insulted her, he just watched her stomping around with a cold eye, looking quite disdainful.
Ling Tianji sat alone on one side, closest to Min Kaiyang, not at all like a member of the Ling family who would remain detached.
Min Kaiyang glanced expressionlessly at Ling Tianji, who was closest to him, and continued to remain silent.
"The flowers of our motherland's future need to be nurtured, but they cannot withstand harsh treatment." Qin Muge's cheerful voice suddenly came from the direction of the study, and Yang Yuheng's subconscious action was to stand up, straighten his back, and pull in his stomach.
She wasn't the only one with this conditioned reflex; almost at the same time she stood up, everyone present stood up in unison, took off their military caps, and bowed in the unique salute to the king.
"General." The seven voices were in unison.
Yang Yuheng felt a little guilty, although this wasn't the first time she'd been caught doing something wrong. However, she remembered General Qin's instruction not long ago—an instruction that sounded like a command but wasn't quite—to visit the Yuandu Military Academy whenever she felt like it. She wondered if it would be better to go to the military academy after the meeting today.
Qin Muge nodded slightly, and the next second everyone looked up. The various military uniforms in front of her were easy to distinguish.
Seeing her familiar subordinates, her mood improved considerably, and she said with a smile, "To borrow a phrase from Yuheng, it's been a long time, and I've missed you all very much."
The last syllable of "呢" was drawn out, which sent a chill down the spines of all the guard captains who heard it.
My first reaction was, "Oh crap, I haven't done anything lately, have I? No, no, right? Is the general bringing up something from last time again? Wait, isn't that all in the past?"
No matter how complicated their thoughts were for a moment, they remained calm and spoke one by one, expressing how much they missed the general.
"However, I don't recall calling a meeting for the personal guards. What are you all doing gathered here?" Qin Muge changed the subject, looking at the group of people in front of him with a meaningful expression.
The guards: ...Wait, General! This isn't how the script was supposed to go! You said you were so concerned about us, but you only glanced at us and then sent us away! Our hearts are sinking! *sobs*
Apart from Ling Tianchu and Min Kaiyang, who remained calm, everyone else felt somewhat disappointed.
However, as Qin Muge's personal guard, they certainly couldn't let their little thoughts disturb the general. They all maintained a serious expression, as if they were attending a meeting that would decide the future of the empire.
Having spent so much time with Qin Muge, Ling Tianchu knew all too well what was going to happen next. He walked out with lightning speed, as if afraid of being overtaken by someone in the next second. The others, who had initially moved very slowly, were all listening to General Qin's next twist. When they saw Ling Tianchu leading the way and walking so fast, they all glared at him sharply.
"Of course, since you're here, don't rush off. Help me with something, okay?" Qin Muge's much-anticipated twist finally came, and Ling Tianchu's steps froze.
Looking at the gate, which was only three steps away from him, so he could turn around and not be seen by the people inside, Ling Tianchu deeply suspected that the general had blocked him at this moment, shattering his hopes.