The cave dwelling of Zhao Hongxue was simple yet elegant, a plain white cubic space with a small wooden house standing alone, with a big tree planted in front and back...

Before the guests had a chance to admire the scenery, Zhao Hongxue went straight to the point and expressed her opinion.

"If you are here to seek reinforcements for Zhao Chenlu, then you better give up early. There is no turning back in this matter, just wait patiently for the outcome of the public hearing."

Having said that, Zhao Hongxue sighed first and sat down on the ground under the tree shade. "I am not stalling or perfunctory with you, but that is indeed the truth. You may think that having ruled over Golden Jade City for so many years, Zhao Chenlu should have numerous supporters, only that they haven’t stood up to voice out yet, but this is merely an illusion. Though she has many supporters, they are all concentrated in the lower and middle levels. Those truly capable of influencing the situation, the upper echelons, have been gritting their teeth against her for years."

"You should also know how she came to power back then, that process was even uglier than today’s coup. We old folks were stepped down by her, becoming laughingstocks was not just me alone, but the entire upper echelon of Golden Jade City at that time." Zhao Hongxue said, reaching out from a storage bag for a stack of newspapers, "Take a look at them, the newspapers and magazines of other cities from that year that I kept, the remarks on them are extremely harsh, you can read if you are interested, I won’t read them one by one. In short, she stepped on a thousand-year-old tradition of Golden Jade City’s inheritance, shattering it. From that moment, she was destined to stand against everyone at the top..."

Zhao Hongxue continued: "I don’t know if you young people understand what I’m saying, but the conclusion is that Zhao Chenlu is not welcomed in the upper echelon of Golden Jade City, no matter how many great ideas she had that prospered everyone, still they despise her. Of course, half of it is her own problem."

At this point, Shen Qingming couldn’t help speak up for the justice: "Her problem? Making everyone in Golden Jade City, including those who hate her, rich has become a problem? Does it mean she should have wiped you all out instead?"

Zhao Hongxue laughed heartily: "If she really did that, it might not have been a bad thing. At least it would prove that she took the position of the City Lord of Golden Jade City seriously and not treated everything as if it were an indifferent game. Though she commanded Golden Jade City over these years, earning great merit, even those who dislike her have to admit it, but still, her confidants are pitifully few, why do you think that is? Are the people of Golden Jade City naturally indifferent, selfish? Or is it that she as the most beautiful woman in the world particularly unlikable?"

"Actually, the answer is simple." Zhao Hongxue didn’t really wait for the other side to respond and announced the answer, "Because confidants must be cultivated, not dropped from the sky. Those scenarios where someone commands great loyalty just by a grand gesture simply never happen in reality. However fertile the soil, farmers must sow it before it can bear crops. But she never spent any energy to cultivate her confidants. When she first assumed the City Lord, the number of people who tried to ally with her was innumerable — Sect Leaders of cultivation sects, Heads of Great Trading Houses... Zhao Chenlu broke the old structure, meaning that the former interests and privileges in Golden Jade City could all be redistributed. This was a huge piece of meat, so many were eyeing it. If she could hold this opportunity tight, she could have swept away those unfavorable old guys very easily and placed those loyal to her. With her means of sweeping the old guys, she could have built an impenetrable Golden Jade City in less than three to five years. Yet, she did nothing, refused all who came to her and wiped the old guys to the ground, letting them slowly crawl back to lick their wounds, gather strength, like a cat playing with a mouse, waiting for them to challenge. So she raised tigers to danger on one side, and disappointed a large batch of people who placed high hopes on her on the other."

At this point, Zhao Hongxue glanced at the young girls like Shen Qingming, Li Chaolu, and said, "You are all young girls, you should most understand the feeling of unrequited love. One or two years breed grievances, three or five years grow entanglements, ten or eight years transform into deep-seated hatred."

The young girls felt shivers down their spines as they listened.

Zhao Hongxue sighed: "Many of the supporters from back then now oppose her more fiercely than Zhao Hongwu and others, because she brought it upon herself. In Golden Jade City, only the people at the lower to middle levels like her, because indeed they have benefited from her without enduring much turmoil. In the upper-middle levels, almost no one is interested in her rule, so don’t expect me to rise up to call for support for her, it’s useless. The fact you all managed to find me suggests that indeed, she is out of options, hmph, she tossed me away like trash back in the day, yet the first person she thinks of now when in trouble is me..."

"Technically, you are only a second-best option. The best option, Zhao Jincheng, was taken away," Wang Jiu corrected.

"...You don’t need to explain it that thoroughly!"

"Anyway, having someone to advocate is better than having no one." Wang Jiu said, "When one person’s strength is insufficient, then use two or three people. Even if her personal prestige is not enough to attract supporters, your prestige as a former City Lord surely can influence many people."

"That’s right." Zhao Hongxue scratched his head. "Indeed, if I as the former City Lord firmly stand on Zhao Chenlu’s side, many in Golden Jade City would speculate whether Zhao Chenlu has promised something to her supporters. But in reality, Zhao Chenlu has not promised anything to anyone, so why should I use my own reputation to guarantee for her?"

Wang Jiu nodded: "That indeed poses a problem."

"It is not a problem at all!" Shen Qingming retorted, "She is your daughter!"

"Stop right there!" Zhao Hongxue’s face darkened, "She was never my daughter, nor do I have the right to be her father. She just happened to be born from my wife’s womb, other than that, there’s no more connection between us."

This cold and resolute statement really disheartened Shen Qingming: "...Even if she went too far in the past, you don’t need to say such heartless words?"

Zhao Hongxue said, "These are her words."

"...Huh?"

"As long as thirty years ago, she arrogantly told me that she’s not my daughter, because I didn’t have the qualification to be her father. Given my mediocre talent, even if I became the Stallion King of Xiangzhou and sowed a thousand or ten thousand times, I still couldn’t produce such an unparalleled daughter as her." Zhao Hongxue looked at the dumbfounded Shen Qingming and others, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, "These are all her original words."

The girl recalled the behaviors and actions of Zhao Chenlu since they had known each other, and had to admit, it indeed seemed like something she would say.

"But at the time, she was just a child, she spoke unrestrainedly. Why bear a grudge with her?"

Zhao Hongxue said: "Yes, I thought so too, Chenlu was just a naive child back then, what did she know about the worldly truths of genetic mutations, recessive genetic transmission, the neighbor’s old Wang, extraordinary power through extraordinary means? Admittedly, in the Zhao Family of Golden Jade, I was merely mediocre, but noble and pure cultivator blood flows within me, as long as I work hard enough, I can definitely produce a child not inferior to Zhao Chenlu — Okay, even if I can’t reach her height, at least I can give birth to a talent of a generation, right?"

Shen Qingming said, stupefied. "It sounds reasonable, then what?"

Zhao Hongxue said: "Then, I had Jincheng, that child..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qingming suddenly had an urge to break down in tears.

"You, you’ve had it tough too."

Zhao Hongxue nodded: "So many years have passed. Time really is the best healing holy medicine, looking back at the events of those years, now I can laugh them off. You might as well just go back to QingCyan Cloud yun City to live your happy lives, and after a few decades, looking back, today’s coup in Golden Jade City is actually just so-so."

Having said that, Zhao Hongxue stood up and stretched lazily: "Let me see you to the door."

"Wait!" Shen Qingming interrupted in time, "The conversation isn’t over yet!"

Zhao Hongxue said: "That’s about enough; I’ve kindly explained so much to you, it’s enough to pay back my gambling debts, isn’t it? Do you still want to force me to stand for Zhao Chenlu? That girl is naturally indifferent, won’t even remember my kindness, I won’t do such a foolish thing. I just lost a game, not my whole life!"

Hearing this, Wang Jiu looked up. "In that case, how about betting a life game? The specific project is for you to choose, the losing side loses their whole life."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hongxue’s body trembled, and his gaze slowly turned to Wang Jiu: "You want to gamble life with me?"

Wang Jiu said: "If I win, you will stand for Zhao Chenlu; if you win, I’ll be at your service."

Before the words fell, the young girls beside them were already exclaiming continuously.

"Ah Jiu, don’t joke about this!"

"This is a huge bet!?"

Wang Jiu did not care about these distractions, just waited seriously for the other’s answer.

Zhao Hongxue squinted slightly: "At your service... Although I haven’t looked into your detailed information, I guess you’re not an ordinary person. For Zhao Chenlu to seek help from you when in trouble, that already is a miracle. To get help from someone like you, the benefits are almost unimaginable."

"So, willing to gamble?"

"Hahaha, isn’t that nonsense, of course not! You just used such a bizarre method to win against me once, how foolish would it be to fall for it again and wager my life?"