The fief of Li Si, Prince Lingbing of the Heaven Dou Empire.
It lay on the continent's northwestern frontier, with a stretch of wasteland in its midst and scarce resources-a region with nothing, no matter what you asked for.
When Li Si was first granted this fief, it had stirred enormous controversy. People thought the Heaven Dou Empire was mistreating a meritorious subject, indirectly dragging down the imperial family's reputation.
Yet after the Spirit Hall Empire was founded, this region, which bordered both the sea and the frontier, miraculously escaped disaster. It was not annexed, remaining independent and still belonging to the Heaven Dou Empire.
After all, following years of infiltration by Spirit Hall, the nearby subordinate kingdoms and duchies had either been bought off or turned. They flocked to join the empire as soon as it was established, running over without so much as looking back.
Only Fasinuo stood like a crane among chickens amid that heap of vassal states sliding to their knees in surrender, so conspicuously out of place. On closer examination, the reason had much to do with that Prince Lingbing.
Just one month before the Spirit Hall Empire's founding, His Highness had still been a duke. Because Emperor Xue Qinghe favored him so deeply, he had been promoted to prince, becoming the only prince outside the imperial bloodline in Heaven Dou, Star Luo Empire, or even the Spirit Hall Empire.
These various abnormalities had plunged Li Si and Xue Qinghe into a maelstrom of public opinion, with people wondering whether there was something gay going on between them.
However, after the Spirit Hall Empire was founded, such speculation gradually vanished like smoke and clouds. An improper relationship with the emperor alone plainly could not prevent annexation by the Spirit Hall Empire.
Li Si's methods, cunning,