A wise ruler appeared

"It would be good if it could protect Yuanqing Prefecture from being drawn into the war."

Fang Zelin nodded and looked up at the sky.

Is the person you're waiting for that important?

Seeing that Fang Zelin still seemed somewhat indecisive, Jiuchuan was puzzled.

The two haven't seen each other for so long, surely they shouldn't still seem distracted at a time like this?

"Isn't it noon now?"

Fang Zelin did not reply upon hearing this. He could catch up with the other party anytime, but what was important now was to see that wise ruler.

Upon hearing this, Jiuchuan glanced at his wife behind him; he still wasn't very good at telling time.

It's just noon.

Upon seeing this, the Sanniang behind him immediately responded.

As the voice faded, Jiuchuan was about to say something when he heard shouts from behind him.

Looking back, I saw several children running towards us desperately.

"My husband is a child from the village."

Looking back, he recognized the child who had run towards him.

Upon hearing this, Jiuchuan looked closely and realized it was true.

"What's wrong?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Zelin looked over in surprise.

I saw several children running towards me from afar, and by the time they got close, they were panting heavily.

"Sir, you run really fast."

The child ran up to him, panting heavily.

"You kids, if I hadn't stopped here, you wouldn't have been able to catch up with the carriage even if you ran for dozens of miles."

Seeing the child chasing after them, Jiuchuan was speechless.

The child looked up, took a breath, and said, "The adults saved our village's lives. Even if we run until our legs break, we will definitely catch up and thank them in person."

As he spoke, the leading child knelt down on both knees and kowtowed repeatedly to Jiuchuan in front of him.

Dust billowed as the other children knelt before Jiuchuan to express their gratitude.

Upon seeing this, Jiuchuan quickly stepped forward to help them up, and his three wives and concubines also stepped forward to help the children up.

"No need for that, it was just a small favor for us."

Jiuchuan offered a reassuring sound, but looking at the children in front of him, he felt a mix of emotions.

When I passed through this village just now, it had just been looted. The word "tragic" doesn't even begin to describe the state of the village.

These children survived only because their parents used their own bodies as human shields.

Thinking of this, Jiuchuan couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

"Regardless, you saved our lives, sir. This is our token of gratitude, and we hope you will accept it."

The child in the lead wiped his dirty little hands on his clothes, then took out a circle woven from withered yellow straw and handed it to him.

She looked at Jiuchuan with hopeful eyes.

Jiuchuan was taken aback for a moment upon seeing this, then smiled and half-squatted down.

Upon seeing this, the child immediately smiled and placed the grass ring on Jiuchuan's head.

After finishing, the child respectfully kowtowed to Jiuchuan before turning and leaving.

Fang Zelin stood aside watching this scene, his mouth slightly open, his eyes sweeping over the top of the other person's head.

"This is the Golden Crown? It doesn't seem that different."

It was already noon, and the sun shone directly on the withered yellow grass rings, but the edges were tinged with a golden light.

"What?"

Upon hearing the voice, Jiuchuan turned around and subconsciously asked.

"Do you want to be emperor?"

Fang Zelin didn't answer the other party's question. Instead, he asked a question that surprised Jiuchuan.

When Jiuchuan came to his senses, he said somewhat speechlessly, "Do you think this is child's play? You think you can just become emperor like that?"

"Others might not be able to do it, but you are. I never expected that the person I was waiting for would be you. But it's good that way, I know you quite well now."

What are you saying?

Jiuchuan listened to these words, he became more and more confused.

"A fellow Daoist of mine previously performed a divination, and the divination indicated that I would encounter a wise ruler here, the one wearing a golden crown. Do you understand now?"

Fang Zelin spoke earnestly, then glanced at the other man's wives and concubines, "Among your wives and concubines, there is a daughter of the Aristocratic Clan. If you are interested, this Aristocratic Clan will certainly lend a helping hand."

"A First-Rate master, with a considerable reputation in the martial arts world, could easily command many martial artists to join him."

Jiuchuan was taken aback and interrupted Fang Zelin, "You're mistaken, aren't you? It's true that my Sanniang is a master, but Yun'er isn't from a prestigious family, is she?"

He remembered clearly that his wife was not from a prestigious family. He had even introduced her to Fang Zelin before, saying that she was not from a prominent family.

Fang Zelin didn't speak, but instead looked at the other man's wife.

Seeing Fang Zelin's gaze, Jiuchuan's wife lowered her head slightly, then said with some hesitation, "Husband, he's right. I am indeed from a prestigious family, but my family didn't agree to this marriage, so I ran away on my own."

"Ah?"

Upon hearing this, Jiuchuan felt somewhat confused. "What's going on?"

"You have some standing in Blazing Summer. If you rally some support, you should get a lot of people on your side to help you. Then, you can have a serious talk with the higher-ups. If you can establish a nation, it will be very beneficial for Blazing Summer."

Fang Zelin explained patiently.

Fang Zelin hadn't thought much of it before the grass ring appeared.

But now that he had confirmed that the person was indeed Jiuchuan, Fang Zelin took a closer look and also felt that Jiuchuan was indeed very suitable.

Having status and influence on both sides would indeed make things much easier if one truly wanted to succeed.

"No, then how can you be so sure that I will definitely become emperor?"

"Could it be that the sword strike behind Yuanqing Prefecture was your doing? And what about the demon-slaying incident in the park over in Blazing Summer?"

As Jiuchuan finished speaking, he looked at Fang Zelin with a suspicious expression.

To be honest, when he learned about what happened at the park in the Blazing Summer, he instinctively thought of Fang Zelin.

The main issue was that Fang Zelin's appearance in Yuanqing Prefecture was too coincidental.

If it were just the matter of Yuanqing Prefecture, he wouldn't suspect Fang Zelin, but with the park incident added, Fang Zelin seems much more suspicious, especially now.

Fang Zelin spoke in such a mysterious way that he became increasingly suspicious.

"You can keep this to yourselves, but don't go around telling everyone."

"I've said enough. Go back and think carefully about how to start the uprising."

Fang Zelin stood up to leave after saying this.

At that moment, a white deer with a completely white coat leaped out of the woods in the distance, then slowly walked to Fang Zelin, knelt down, and waited for Fang Zelin to come forward.

"Oh, by the way, this is some good wine I brewed. I'll save you a bottle to try."

Fang Zelin took out a bottle of Clear as Empty from his sleeve and handed it to Jiuchuan. Then he sat on the white deer, which leaped up and landed lightly on the river, then walked away on the water.

Upon seeing this, Jiuchuan froze on the spot.