Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

"I do not guess you guess guess?"

Unburdened and carefree, Shen Liang was so engrossed in the moment that she didn't care about anything anymore. She immediately retorted, leaving Coral Palace Liuge speechless.

"Is that what you're thinking too? You even have your subordinates come over, one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop, with you being the good cop?" Shen Liang tilted his head and spread his hands, saying, "That way, even if the negotiations break down, at least you priestesses will leave a good impression on me, and we won't completely fall out?"

The young priestesses who had previously stood up for Shen Liang looked aggrieved, but now it was Coral Palace Ryuka's turn to speak, so they didn't dare to interrupt, otherwise they would definitely argue loudly.

“If you think so, then so be it.” Coral Palace Liu Ge responded in the way Shen Liang liked. She didn’t explain, but just smiled. “Liang-chan, I really treat you like a child. How could a mother bear to put her child in danger?”

"I've been an orphan since I was a child, Miss Liuge, your words won't move me." Shen Liang shrugged.

Having already torn off all pretense of civility, Shen Liang had no scruples. Aside from regretting that his efforts for Haiqi Island had been wasted, he was more interested in seeing their reaction.

“If you’ve been an orphan since you were little, why don’t you recognize me as your mother? I’ll betroth my heart to you, and you can rule Haiqi Island together. That would be a beautiful story.” Coral Palace Liuge actually got serious, her smile charming. “I’d rather you call me mother than aunt.”

Shen Liang didn't even bother to respond.

"You won't?" Ruka Sangokami looked disappointed.

Shen Liang felt a little strange. How could this guy be so...unreliable! We were just arguing and shouting at each other, and suddenly you steered the conversation to something about mothers and mothers...Are all women's priorities so weird?

"It seems Mr. Shen is ultimately an outsider." In the end, someone spoke with disappointment.

"Yes, yes, I am an outsider. Do you have a problem with that?" Shen Liang nodded generously. "You were saved by an outsider, and you placed your hopes on an outsider. Now you want to make demands of him. Even without this outsider, you are just a bunch of useless pigs. You seem righteous and have a clear sense of right and wrong, but in reality, you are stupid and unreasonable. Just an hour ago, you regarded me as your savior who turned the tide, and now you regard me as your enemy... Does anyone care about your thoughts?"

The man was speechless, but someone else immediately jumped up like a clown, angrily shouting, "Don't look down on us! We were fighting before you came! Even in the most critical moments, we never gave in! We have fought against the shogunate until now through trust, friendship, loyalty, and shared beliefs! Who do you think you are? Just because you saved us once, do you think we should worship you?"

This statement was met with approval from many people.

Indeed, Shen Liang has only been here for a little over a month. Did the Coral Palace not fight before that? Was Haiqi Island just sitting ducks all this time?

We're trying our best, okay?

What gives you the right to look down on people like that?

Shen Liang looked indifferently at the group of righteous and furious rabble, and nodded with satisfaction. "Well said! I admire your beliefs. You are indeed worthy of being the Haiji Island Army, which has fought against the Shogunate for so many years. Well then, I'm leaving. Goodbye, no need to see me off."

He activated the teleportation screen.

The crowd stirred, and the person who had been in front immediately shouted anxiously, "Mr. Shen Liang, wait a moment, you..."

"Shut up." Shen Liang sneered. "Shut up, don't call me so affectionately. Look at yourselves, you worthless bastards who have been swept into the sewers have no right to address me by my name so kindly."

Coral Palace Ryuka sighed.

She had intended to tone down the tension, but it seems she failed miserably.

The man's face turned ashen, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Don't go too far."

"I'm so tired of hearing this," Shen Liang said listlessly, turning his head and picking at his ear.

"I'm really curious why there are people like you in the world who don't understand their own situation. Do you really think you're on the side of justice and goodness? You're trash, you're bedbugs destined to be swept into the sewers, you're an obstacle to the policies that this country is trying to implement to move forward. Your existence harms most of the people of Inazuma. You are a scourge to Inazuma!"

"You are nothing but a fart in front of General Thunder, you, you, and you." Shen Liang pointed at these people and called them out one by one, "You are only alive because of General Thunder's pity, otherwise this war would not have been fought!"

"You parasites, how dare you tell me what beliefs you have in your fight?"

"Who are you calling a parasite?!" Even the priestesses couldn't stand that.

"I'm very sorry, but I'm not insulting you. I'm just pointing out the facts. You are people abandoned by Inazuma, begging rats, lowly people who were swept to the corners of this country because you have no value, huddling together for warmth on the most useless land. You are a group of cowards who parasitize a country under the belief of the Thunder God and worship the losers," Shen Liang said calmly.

"Before you came here, this place belonged to the followers of the Thunder God. After you arrived, you drove away the native Inatsuma people through exclusion and policies, leaving only the Umiji people. Your greed angered the Inatsuma people, who began to increase taxes on you. When you could no longer survive and wanted to rebel, you discovered that everything from the clothes you wore to the fishing nets you used was exported to you by Narukami Island. From beginning to end, you could only eat the scraps bestowed upon you by the Shogunate, yet you still dreamed of one day devouring your master. You are an inferior race in terms of both morality and strength, yet you are still complacent and self-righteous. Am I wrong?"

Shen Liang looked around and shrugged.

“Inferior…” The crowd chewed on the word, each person gritting their teeth and their eyes reddening.

In truth, anyone can say harsh words. As an Earthling, his sense of superiority over this alien world is innate. Whether it's national situations, political analysis, or moral standards, Earthlings are far superior to these natives.

His disapproval of the shogunate does not mean he approves of Umijima, or even the entire Inazuma region. In the eyes of Earthlings, these so-called international powers are inferior races.

He can easily pierce their hearts with just a few words.

Originally, this wasn't necessary, but now that he's already torn off all pretense, it's only natural to use the sharpest knife to stab them in, to make them face the place they least want to face, to humiliate them to the point of unbearable pain.

"So you've always looked down on us..." someone clenched their fist and whispered.

“No,” Shen Liang replied calmly, “quite the opposite, I started looking down on you just now.”

Chapter 61 Can I go back to Liyue with you?

The tit-for-tat insults have ended.

Shen Liang knew that his last bit of affection for Haiqi Island had probably vanished. He hadn't tolerated it out of consideration for Coral Palace Liuge and Coral Palace Xinhai, so Haiqi Island probably wouldn't tolerate him either.

"Are you done talking?" asked Ruka Sango.

"It's over."

No one spoke in the South Study; all was silent.

The masses who are completely disappointed in Shenliang and Shenliang who is completely disappointed in the masses.

"It's over now, it's all over, let's both calm down." Coral Palace Ryuka said indifferently, "Since we can't reach a good conclusion, let's not talk about it anymore, let's all go home and get some sleep, and let's not mention this matter again."

Shen Liang glanced at her.

He didn't quite understand what Coral Palace Liuge was trying to do today. She watched Shen Liang being attacked and watched him tear off the mask.

What is she thinking...?

But whatever she thought, after this incident, Shen Liang had no goodwill towards Haiqi Island anymore, and Haiqi Island could no longer rely on him.

This "Sea Queen" is probably only in name now.

"Since everyone wants peace, and the shogunate probably wants a ceasefire as well, there should be hope even without handing over Ryou-chan," said Sangomiya Ryuka lazily. "Let's leave it at that. I'll find other ways to achieve peace. Ryou-chan, don't worry. Spend these days traveling around with Shinkai and building up your relationship. I'm looking forward to holding my grandson."

It's a way of smoothing things over, but it also shows our stance.

Coral Palace Ryuka prevented the situation from completely collapsing, temporarily easing the conflict in this way. Even if things turned ugly, they couldn't let Shen Liang really leave Haiqi Island; they had to drag it out, no matter what.

Besides, what's the big deal about a falling out? Even married couples make up after a fight in bed. It's nothing for young people to act impulsively. In a year or two, everyone will forget about it. This public spat might even become a legendary battle of wits.

Miss Ryuka is a cunning old fox.

But Shen Liang realized something was wrong.

—If the little witch and I had a child, wouldn't it be a grand-nephew or grand-niece?

—This great witch…

—You're taking advantage of me again!

After the meeting concluded, the priestesses and military personnel took their leave one by one. Coral Palace Ryuga, who had been using Shen Liang as a pillow all afternoon, handed Shen Liang over to Coral Palace Kokoro to take away. The priestesses on both sides were dismissed.

Only the barking tail and the coral palace's flowing song remain in the South Study.

“The rumors have died down,” said the barking tail in a low voice. “Currently, the news about the massacre is only circulating at the front lines. The Shogunate army released this news to make us fight against Mr. Shen. I have given a death order that this news will never reach the ears of the Haiji people. But, as you know, secrets can't stay hidden forever, and the news will leak out sooner or later.”

Coral Palace Ryuka pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache coming on.

"The people of Coral Palace were already restless with just the terms of peace. If they knew that the shogunate had also threatened to massacre the city if they didn't hand them over... Ha, if I were Ryo-chan, I'd be afraid they'd tie me up in the middle of the night, cripple my limbs, and send me there."

"The people of Haiqi have longed for dignity and peace for too long, and now these are right before their eyes, Your Highness. Everyone is restless."

“Dignity and peace… Is dignity and peace truly obtained through charity? Feiwei, you and I both know that.” Coral Palace Liuge leaned back wearily, instinctively wanting to touch Shen Liang’s smooth face, but then realized there was no one in her arms, so she smiled and said, “Feiwei, it’s been a long time since I’ve heard you call me ‘Your Highness’.”

Yes, in the Coral Palace's priesthood, only the "next living human god priestess" can be addressed as "Your Highness," such as Coral Palace Heart Sea. Priestesses like her, who have already ascended to the status of living human god, are usually addressed directly as "Lord Coral Palace" or "Your Majesty."

This word only appeared in her innocent and carefree teenage years.

"Among those who have ever addressed you as Your Highness, only this old minister remains in this world." A smile actually appeared on the cold, hard face of the pirou. If Goro were here, he would be stunned. "But this old minister is already half dead, while Your Highness is still stunningly beautiful. The age-preserving ability of the Eye of God is truly amazing... It is truly unfortunate that those who are not favored by the gods are not blessed."

Coral Palace Ryuka smiled sweetly, "Thank you for the compliment, but I already have someone I like."

Barking Tail chuckled, “Mr. Shen is indeed intelligent and adorable. If Wulang were a girl, this old minister would also be tempted to compete with Your Highness for her affections.”

"Yeah, right~"

The two laughed for a while, then Ruka Sangokami changed the subject, "Yes, everyone is getting restless. Everyone feels that the dawn is just around the corner, but they can't see the essence of the problem. So we need to speed things up and finalize the situation before they realize what's happening and before Ryou-chan is completely disappointed in them."

"Your Highness, I will certainly not fail in your trust."

"Thanks." Coral Palace Ryuka grinned, but then she abruptly asked, "But old buddy, you didn't even complain when I sent you to your death?"

Barking looked up and saw Coral Palace Ruka resting her chin on her hand, blinking her big eyes curiously. The candlelight flickered, and a slight feeling stirred in his heart. It was as if he saw Coral Palace Ruka more than twenty years ago, when she was still a young girl.

—She has never changed.

—She has always been that war witch.

“Your Highness is in the prime of your life and has nothing to fear, so what do I have to fear?” Feiwei chuckled softly. “But I only hope that Your Highness will achieve great success this time, return safely, relinquish your position as a priestess, find a man you love to marry, and live a normal life from now on, never having to worry about others again.”

"Hey, hey, hey, I told you I only like Liang Jiang! But I treat him like my son, okay?!"

--------

"When did you start to suspect that I have spatial abilities?"

At the hot spring in the mansion, Shen Liang sat in the pool wearing only a bath towel, enjoying the comfort of the hot water. Next to him, Coral Palace Xin Hai, who was not fortunate enough to share the hot spring, was kneeling on the edge of the pool, angrily making tea for him and peeling eggs.

It's the kind that's boiled in hot springs.

Upon hearing this, the little witch pouted, but still honestly replied, "I've had my suspicions from the very beginning."

"At the beginning?"