Little Dragon Girl stood aside, smiling brightly, her eyes filled with pride and joy.
This is her husband!
On this day, Ding Ling proposed forming an army to march northward.
Guo Jing naturally agreed.
With Ding Ling at the helm,
The lands lost by the Great Song would soon be reclaimed!
He was very excited.
However, Huang Rong seemed to have seen something, and she sighed inwardly, and after this meeting, she privately approached Ding Ling, saying:
"The Great Song Court is utterly corrupt, and the rewards for you have been variously deducted and embezzled. The rewards that reached Xiangyang City were less than a thousand taels of Silver."
She felt ashamed:
"I failed to do what I promised you; itâs my dereliction."
"Itâs not your fault."
Ding Ling remained calm and composed.
This was the late Southern Song.
The court being corrupt was normal.
According to the usual course of history, the complete annihilation of the Southern Song was only about thirty years away.
Guo Jing and Huang Rong would also perish in the future with the fall of Xiangyang.
One familyâs strength was no match for a nationâs might.
Unless they reached Ding Lingâs Grandmaster Realm! With Fusion Qi driving forward, invincible to those who came near, then there might be a chance to turn the tide, otherwise, itâs just wishful thinking!
How strong is Ding Lingâs Martial Arts Grandmaster?
He could leap forward over ten miles in one breath! He could ignore attacks from anyone below the Initial Tier Innate! Protected by the Nine Yang Divine Skillâs Gang Qi along with his own Defense, even an ordinary rain of arrows from mortal men would be useless, unless a group of first-class peak masters besieged him with arrows!
In addition to that, his endurance was extremely strong, maintaining peak combat strength, fighting continuously for five days and nights without the slightest problem!
Defense, attack, speed, stamina!
He possessed them all!
Moreover, his resistance to poison was equally strong, ordinary poison couldnât kill him at all!
So capable, asked who in the world dared confront him? Who could stop him?!
Huang Rong extracted a lot of real information about Ding Ling from the mouths of the super homebody, super naive Little Dragon Girl, and coupled with various pieces of information from all directions, she roughly inferred Ding Lingâs current combat power, realizing that Ding Ling already possessed the capability to easily influence the entire worldâs direction and layout with his own strength!
Such a Divine Being!
What choice would Huang Rong make?
Her mind turned, she said:
"Ding Ling, what exactly do you want? If it doesnât go against your original intention, our entire family will fully support you."
"Do you want to become the empress?"
Ding Ling suddenly asked.
"?!"
Huang Rong was stunned, somewhat baffled, but soon, she didnât know what to think of, her face reddened like an apple, looking at Ding Ling in disbelief:
"You, you, you..."
"Donât get the wrong idea."
Ding Lingâs mouth curved slightly:
"Iâm asking whether you intend to make Guo Jing the emperor. If so, I will cooperate with you."
He sighed deeply:
"I wonât stay long in this world. After restoring the mountains and rivers and settling Little Dragon Girl, I will ascend and leave, so I canât be the emperor. Observing this Jiuzhou Territory, there are really too few righteous, upright, meticulous people like Guo Jing and Hero Guo, who are willing to act as a spokesperson for the people!
As it is so.
Why canât a suitable person be made emperor? Wouldnât you agree?"
Ding Ling looked at Huang Rong:
"You are extremely clever, you should know that without me stepping up, with your Guo familyâs ability, how long can you hold Xiangyang on your own? After all, the Great Song Court is so corrupt. Without subsequent support, how long can you hold on relying solely on your family?!
By then, if the family dies in battle? Donât you find it a pity, pathetic, lamentable, hateful, painful?
You are fighting for the people.
Itâs for the people of Jiuzhou.
And not for that high and mighty, utterly corrupt court.
Huang Rong. Many people call you the Female Zhuge. Iâve said this much, how to choose. You decide for yourself."
"This, this, I, I..."
The Female Zhuge, like Huang Rong, was also dumbfounded by what Ding Ling had said!
She originally came to probe Ding Lingâs thoughts and tried to persuade him.
She never expected Ding Ling was actually thinking of helping Guo Jing become emperor, and making her the empress!
Empress...
Huang Rongâs heart skipped a beat.
Calm, witty, astute, cunning as she was, she was now in a daze, bewildered.
She couldnât even remember how she bid farewell to Ding Ling or returned to her chamber!
There was only one thought in her mind.
âShould she become the empress?!â
"Whatâs wrong with you?!"
Guo Jing eyed her, perplexed, concerned:
"Did something happen with Ding Ling?"
He had matured greatly.
The trials of blood and fire had made him see through many people and events.
The only thing that hadnât changed was his noble, patriotic nature for the country and the people.
Huang Rong glanced at Guo Jing, thinking to herself:
"Ding Ling was not wrong at all. If things continue like this, Brother Jing, FuâEr, and even including the child in my belly might all die untimely. This is absolutely unacceptable. I must prepare in advance, not let things develop this way."
Before, there was no turning point.
Nor was there any help from a benefactor.
They could only resist with all their might, ready to sacrifice their lives!
Now there was a turning point, and help from a benefactor.
Huang Rong felt a great sense of relief, as if the clouds parted and the sky cleared, the whole world seemed to become entirely different, where previously she was confined to the realm of Xiangyang, she could now see across Jiuzhou, even the world!
She thought:
"The court is corrupt like a terminally ill patient, even if barely saved, it wouldnât last many years, we might still be secretly executed due to high achievements once Ding Ling leaves.
In history, there have been many examples of the elimination of the useful immediately after winning!
With such a corrupt court now, can we expect them to be magnanimous and treat meritorious officials generously? Isnât that like expecting pigs to climb trees, or wild dogs to fly in the sky?!"
With a clear mind.
Huang Rong had a plan in her heart.
Of course, she also knew that talking to Guo Jing about such matters now wouldnât be settled immediately.
They could only plan step by step.
After thinking it through.
Huang Rong immediately felt clear and bright inside, her entire being became vibrant, rejuvenated as if in the second spring of her life.
Guo Jing looked on, puzzled, and said directly:
"RongâEr, just a moment ago you were in a daze as if sleepwalking, how in the next moment are you so radiant?"
Huang Rong simply smiled and said:
"Brother Jing, this matter cannot be explained to you clearly immediately, Iâll just ask you one thing, do you trust me?"
"Of course, I trust you. If I donât trust you, who else can I trust?"
"Thatâs good. Since you trust me, you must trust Ding Ling. Follow him, whatever he tells you to do, just do it."
"Oh?"
Guo Jing was puzzled, but seeing Huang Rongâs serious tone, he could only suppress his inner confusion.
...
Starting from that day.
Ding Ling, Guo Jing, Huang Rong, Little Dragon Girl, Zhu Ziliu, and others all donned armor, mounted their horses, and headed towards the Northern Lands.