"Do you want to become the Pope?"
Huh?
Zhao Linchuan thought he must have misheard. His brow lifted slightly as he looked at Qian Xunji, trying to find some trace of a joke in the face flickering in the candlelight.
But Qian Xunji looked far too serious to be joking.
Before Zhao Linchuan could react, Qian Xunji continued:
"You've been away these past few days, so Dong'er and I discussed Spirit Hall's future development."
"I realized that her heart is too soft."
He rose to his feet, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked to the entrance of the hall, gazing out at the layers of rain.
"Spirit Hall needs a ruler who is gentle on the outside but strong within."
"When faced with a major matter, he must never show a woman's weakness."
"Besides, you wouldn't want your future wife to be out in public all day, attracting the attention of petty men, would you?"
Hey!
Zhao Linchuan raised his brow slightly at those words and muttered to himself.
Wait, why did this Pope sound so much like a Japanese officer?
That tone, those words—if you didn't know better, you'd think some actor from an island country was trying to bully someone.
He suppressed his strange feeling and thought it over seriously before answering slowly:
"But Your Holiness the Pope, if I become Pope, what will happen to Dong'er?"
"You should know that Spirit Hall's entire upper echelon has already assumed she'll be the next Pope."
"Even if she doesn't object, the others will inevitably start wondering about it."
"Besides, if you suddenly decide that Dong'er can't become Pope, given her temperament, she might start doubting herself or even get stuck in a mental rut."
"You don't need to worry about that." Qian Xunji waved his hand and