Zhao Linchuan lifted his teacup and took a sip. In a gentle voice, he said, "Xue'er, I have to congratulate you. In six months at most, you'll have complete control of this empire."
"We should be congratulating each other!"
Qian Renxue leaned forward, bracing both hands on the table. Excitement gleamed in her eyes. "Linchuan, what should I do next?"
"That plan you mentioned last time—we can put it into action now, right?"
"How do I smoothly transfer the power of the Heaven Dou Empire into Spirit Hall's hands?"
Zhao Linchuan set down his teacup. "To transfer power to Spirit Hall, we need a reasonable pretext—a 'righteous cause' that leaves the people of the world with nothing to say."
Qian Renxue held her breath and listened intently.
"After Xue Ye dies," Zhao Linchuan continued, "don't rush to show your hand."
"Instead, create the illusion that Xue Ye's death was so sudden you hadn't had time to fully take control of the government. That way, the court officials and powerful nobles won't take you, the 'new ruler,' seriously."
A meaningful curve lifted the corner of his mouth. "Then we can find a way to lure the Star Luo Empire into invading while Heaven Dou is in mourning."
"The Star Luo Empire?" A glint flashed in Qian Renxue's eyes. "You mean..."
"Exactly." Zhao Linchuan nodded. "As long as Star Luo dares to send troops, you can pin Xue Ye's death on them without raising suspicion. 'The Star Luo Empire has the heart of a wolf and the lungs of a dog. They invaded during our nation's mourning period. There must be something fishy about the late emperor's death—surely they were behind it!'"
"That will inflame public opinion and unite the court and the people against a common enemy. Your position will only