He changed Tiwat

Once in a deep abyss of layered rocks.

The two attacks orchestrated by the Abyss Order failed to end his life.

Both attacks occurred after Zhongli opened the Salt God Ruins for Han Fulai.

Han Fulai had certainly not offended the Abyss Order in any way. Before that, he had never even fought an Abyss Mage, making him a harmless bystander to the Abyss Order.

But he really offended the leader of the Rouran, the people of the salt god's descendants, in a way that was utterly humiliating.

Because he inherited the legacy of the salt god.

After Wan Yan, the fake archaeologist from Yinyuan Hall, brought back news of the opening of the Salt God Ruins, the Rouran and Wan Yan became irreconcilable enemies.

In any world, heretics are more despicable than pagans.

Especially a heretic who has truly inherited the mantle of the gods, a heretic who might take away the faith of the salt god's descendants.

Let alone Han Fulai being just a human of unknown origin, even if Han Fulai were Heulia's own son, the Rouran would still tie him to a cross and stab him a few times with "Salt Sorrow".

Therefore, the Rouran asked their allies to help assassinate Han Fulai.

Although the assassination attempt failed, it yielded valuable intelligence.

The Emperor and the immortals will not give Han Fulai any special protection. Even though the Emperor opened the Salt God Ruins for him, it does not mean that he cannot be killed.

The Emperor will stand idly by and watch humanity fight.

that's enough.

The dead cannot control Liyue.

Han Fulai can be killed.

Ningguang can also be killed.

Of course... he could also be killed.

Finally, Luoxia placed a tall crown on Rouran's head, and the preparations for the ceremony were complete.

Next, he will gather the blood of himself and his people to unseal the divine artifact and obtain the authority left behind in the "Salt Sorrow".

Rou Ran stood up and glanced at Luo Xia, who was kneeling quietly beside him.

"Luoxia... if I die, find a good family to marry into," he said softly.

"Young Master..." Luo Xia looked up in alarm, and for a moment even her way of addressing him changed back to how she used to address him when she was a child.

"It's nothing, I was just joking." Rou Ran smiled and stepped out of the secret room.

Chapter 363 I Do Not Kill [4k]

It seems Liyue is about to undergo a major upheaval.

For the powerful families residing high in Yujingtai and the wealthy merchants of Feiyunpo, this premonition was becoming increasingly close to reality.

Within just half a month, the scope of this corruption case, which started at the Yaoguang Saltworks, has expanded significantly.

Not only Yinyuan Hall, which was in charge of the salt industry, but also many important figures in Baishui Hall and Dali Hall were imprisoned.

Recalling the inexplicable popularity of the book "Pearls and Gems" at this point, some people began to realize that perhaps this was a storm that had been brewing for some time.

The anti-corruption storm.

A similar thing happened when Ningguang first took office as the star of Tianquan.

In terms of intensity, it was just a thunderstorm back then, merely a way for the newly established emperor, whose power was not yet firmly established, to assert his authority. Such things happen every few decades when the government changes, and afterwards the storm passes and things return to normal.

But this time, Ningguang seems to be serious.

This time, what has befallen the Liyue leadership is a true storm.

After the investigation of the Yinyuan Hall steward, a former high-ranking official of the Baishui Hall was implicated, and the former high-ranking official of the Baishui Hall in turn implicated the current supervisor of the Baishui Hall. After the members of the Tianxuan Song family were arrested, they were also implicated in their superior, Jiang Lingjun, the daughter of the Kaiyang Star Jiang family and the director of the Baishui Hall.

The usual "new broom sweeps clean" approach has never reached the level of the Eighth Director – after all, he is the future Seven Star.

Moreover, Ningguang is no longer a "newcomer"...

When this corruption case reached this level, it was clear to everyone that Ningguang's target was Liyue's entire financial and tax system, and even the Seven Stars on the Jade Palace.

—What if Ningguang wants to be a "new official" again?

Those who are more sensitive to this have already begun to look for their place in the future.

In the highest courtroom of the Dali Hall, where the plaque with the inscription "Heavenly Justice Will Runs On" hangs high, Ningguang sits in the main seat today.

The two people who accompanied her during the trial were, strictly speaking, Ningguang's secretaries.

Sitting to the left is Ningguang's former private secretary, Bai Xiao, the executive deputy director of the Dali Hall.

Since the matter involves Liyue's tax authorities, the seat on the right should have been occupied by the Whitewater Chambermaster, but since the Chambermaster himself is currently sitting in the defendant's dock, the seat has naturally been taken by someone else.

The new secretary is Gan Yu, the executive secretary of Yue Haiting and the secretary of the Seven Stars Council.

Jiang Lingjun had a slicked-back hairstyle and wore a Mondstadt men's suit. He sat in the defendant's dock with his legs crossed, his leather shoes gleaming. If he were to have a pipe in his mouth, it would be impossible to tell whether he was male or female.

In January of this year, she was sitting high in the court, looking down on Mao Cai Gong. Just four months later, she found herself in the same position as him. If there was any difference—Mao Cai Gong stood during his trial, while she had a seat.

After all, she is currently only suspended from her duties and under trial due to her involvement with subordinates of the Baishuiting, and the charges against her have not yet been determined.

Procedurally, she should have been placed under quarantine for investigation before appearing in court. However, the Supreme Court's trials are conducted in closed settings, not much different from quarantine investigations. Since the Supreme Court, which is in charge of the law, made this arrangement, no one else could say anything—or rather, if someone else's words were useful, Jiang Lingjun would not have been tried.

Even sitting here, Jiang Lingjun remained fearless.

Although Ningguang is in charge of the law, the legal system in Liyue is not limited to Ningguang alone. The former head of the Dali Hall was her father, the current head of Kaiyang Star, Jiang Ziyuan. The Jiang family wields considerable power in the Dali Hall, and Ningguang's efforts to have her secretary, Baixiao, infiltrate the organization were precisely intended to counterbalance their influence.

Unlike Mao Cai Gong, who was a "former nobleman," Miss Jiang was a true noblewoman.

As the apple of the Jiang family's eye, Jiang Ziyuan doted on his daughter. Even though she was unconventional and identified as a man, her father would only say, "Lingjun is naturally bold and unrestrained, a girl with a boyish appearance, just like me."

Like the way Mao Cai Gong tormented his servants, Miss Jiang had done it many times before, even whipping people in the street, and Ning Guang had never expressed any opinion about it before.

As for conflicts with other businessmen, such as smashing up their businesses on the spot, those are countless. Even the young masters of other aristocratic families would avoid this young lady, because she would resort to fists and even draw her sword when she got angry.

There was even a saying among the merchants in Liyue Harbor: "Don't be so arrogant, or you might run into Miss Jiang when you go out."

But no matter how much she makes a fuss, at most she'll just have to pay some money and that'll be the end of it.

As long as the Jiang family tree stands, Miss Jiang will always be Miss Jiang.

Even if Ningguang were to forcibly convict her of some crime now, it wouldn't matter.

Judgment and punishment are two different things.

Even if she loses her official position in Baishuiting, she doesn't necessarily have to go to prison; her family has plenty of ways to get her "medical parole."

For example... "psychological intervention and treatment for transgender people" and the like.

Jiang Lingjun glared at Ningguang with unbridled arrogance, his face filled with provocation.

Ningguang seemed completely unconcerned about the rudeness of the people being tried below the stage. Her expression was calm and quiet, and her wine-red eyes revealed no emotion.

That look made Jiang Lingjun very uncomfortable.

It was like a pair of eyes looking down from the clouds, coldly observing the scenery before them.

Yes, scenery.

Jiang Lingjun felt as if Ningguang didn't take her seriously. Ningguang's eyes weren't looking at her, not at a specific person, but at something she couldn't explain.

—That look in her eyes, she seemed to have seen it somewhere before.

where is it?

Oh right, it's from the "Invitation to the Immortals Ceremony" I watched when I was a kid, those golden eyes peeking out from the clouds.

It looks very close, yet it feels very far away.

That's the impression people get of immortals and gods.

Do you think Ningguang is the "ancestor of all immortals"?

Bah, fake immortal!

Looking at Ningguang, who was high above him, Jiang Lingjun wondered what it would be like if such a woman were to fall to the mortal world and beg for mercy beneath him.

Ningguang shifted her gaze to Ganyu, who was sitting below her.

"Miss Gan Yu, let's begin."

"Yes, Lady Ningguang."

Gan Yu picked up a stack of case files with a blank expression and began reading them aloud from the beginning.

From colluding with the Silver Hall to embezzle tax funds, to allegedly leaking information about the gold reserves of Mora, having close ties with the Fools, to fighting, injuring people on horseback, and oppressing merchants and the public, Gan Yu read out the list of offenses for five minutes.

Jiang Lingjun sneered. If these charges were really going to fall on her, she wouldn't be sitting here listening to Gan Yu chant sutras now; she would have been spending her life in jail long ago.

In her view, Ningguang's actions were nothing more than "coercion," merely an exchange for certain conditions.

She even wanted to remind Ningguang that these things should be discussed with her father, and that she shouldn't waste her time listening to Ganyu's sermons.

When Gan Yu read out the clause about "forcibly taking a subordinate's wife," Jiang Lingjun finally couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Bai Xiao couldn't help but slam his fist on the table to maintain order in the courtroom, but Miss Jiang continued to laugh.

"It's common for a man to have three wives and four concubines. If a man is useless, is it a crime for his wife to be willing to be with him?"

Miss Jiang not only dresses as a man, but also shares the same orientation as most men, belonging to the category of "male, female-loving".

Of course, there is no such thing as a "Marriage Law" in Liyue, otherwise Yanfei wouldn't have to worry about marriage cases every day. This top legal consultant in Liyue is most afraid of encountering such complicated family matters.

As long as a man has power and influence, it's not a problem for him to have three or four wives, or even a dozen or twenty wives—as long as he's not afraid of trouble in his harem.

Jiang Lingjun identifies as a man and is powerful and influential, so of course he would want multiple wives and concubines. Anyway, there's no marriage registration system in Liyue, so it won't stop homosexual relationships or lesbian relationships. As long as it's consensual, even women marrying women is allowed, and the tabloids have been spreading plenty about Ningguang and Beidou's "intimate relationship."

Even Miss Jiang's own father reluctantly accepted his daughter's hobby, so others didn't really have much to say about it.

As a seasoned womanizer, Miss Jiang's "techniques" alone are probably superior to those of most men.

Miss Jiang was a frequent guest at social balls for the socialites of Liyue. She would try every means to get close to any pretty girl she saw, and many noble ladies had fallen victim to her "poisonous hands". One of her proudest achievements was that she danced with a certain lady at a ball and made her fall into her arms and go home with her.

Gan Yu shook his head and said, "Mutual affection is fine, but that lady had no choice but to comply because her husband would lose his job. And you're locking her up at home; that's an abuse of power and personal imprisonment."

As Gan Yu spoke, she read aloud another passage from the victim's accusation. The gist of it was that the lady had been lured to the mansion by Miss Jiang, who then used various forms of coercion and enticement to keep her as her personal possession. She had tried to escape several times but was caught by the servants and even beaten. Only when Miss Jiang grew tired of her and sought a new lover was she finally released.

Jiang Lingjun looked at Gan Yu's aloof and ethereal face with amusement, his gaze sliding down her face.

"How do you know it wasn't because she got something out of it and was too happy to leave? That's not what she said when she was clinging to me. It's just one side of the story. She just thought I was going to fall from grace, so she gave me a push. Any woman who's been with me knows how good I am."

She even made an ambiguous gesture towards Gan Yu.

"If Miss Gan Yu is interested, you might want to give it a try?"

Gan Yu looked at her gestures, her cheeks slightly flushed, as if she were shy and timid.

Jiang Lingjun laughed even more wildly.

Gan Yu turned her head away shyly, her two small hands awkwardly crossed.

Ningguang watched Gan Yu's movements with great interest. She seemed to see a celestial talisman flash briefly in Gan Yu's palm.

The next instant, Jiang Lingjun's smile froze on her face as she discovered that a lotus flower made of ice crystals had suddenly grown out of her hand.

The ice lotus flower enveloped her entire right hand.

She felt a biting cold and pain, but it didn't last long. Jiang Lingjun discovered that her hand, which had conquered many women, had lost all feeling.

A moment later, under the influence of gravity, the ice lotus flower suddenly fell from her hand, along with a hand encased in the ice lotus.

Jiang Lingjun stared blankly at his right hand; there was nothing left in front of his wrist. A thin layer of frost covered the junction of his palm and wrist, and beneath the transparent frost, red flesh and white bone fragments could be seen.

The frost seemed to be spreading up his arm.

"Waaah! Help, help me!" Finally realizing what was happening, Miss Jiang burst into tears, her earlier madness completely gone.

She frantically shook her wrists, as if trying to knock off the frost.

But no matter what she did, the frost continued to spread steadily toward her arm, and it looked like it was about to cover her entire right arm.

She felt no pain in her arm, not at all, but the erosion of this numbness was the most terrifying thing, and this numbness would soon cover her whole body.

If it's not stopped soon, she might watch her own body and that hand meet the same fate while she's still conscious.

"Oh dear, what's wrong?"

Gan Yu blinked, then stood up and walked over, looking very curious.

With a snap, it seemed she had accidentally stepped on something and broken it.