This Is What a Villain Is Like

Throughout the Prime Minister’s Mansion, from its pavilions and corridors to its palace walls, red lanterns still hung, creating a festive atmosphere.

Jiang Lan passed through several courtyards and verandas. When he arrived, his father, Jiang Lintian, and his mother, Li Qingshu, were strolling and chatting in the rear garden, smiles on both their faces.

Jiang Lintian held a bag of fish food. Li Qingshu took a handful and scattered it into the pond, causing the many exotic fish within to scramble and fight for it.

"Father, Mother." Jiang Lan approached and bowed.

"Lan’Er, why are you in such a hurry to come home? You should have stayed in the palace for a few more days. Your maternal grandfather thinks quite highly of Xia Junxi, you know. You two are newlyweds; it’s the perfect time to deepen your relationship."

"Besides, the ceremony just ended. Aren’t you afraid leaving so soon will displease Xia Junxi?"

Li Qingshu’s gaze was gentle. As she spoke, she walked over to smooth out the wrinkles on his collar. "That Xia Junxi doesn’t know the first thing about taking care of someone," she said. "We’ll have to make time for her to learn. Someone needs to teach her properly."

"Emperor Xia is the ruler of a nation and the future sovereign of the world. How could she possibly learn such things? My dear, if she heard you say that, her resentment would only grow deeper." Jiang Lintian sounded somewhat helpless.

Li Qingshu snorted. "I don’t care if she’s a ruler. She’s married to our Lan’Er now, which makes her his wife. She needs to learn how to be a proper wife and mother and stop her scheming. The fact that I’m not already demanding she give me a plump grandson is me being more than generous."

"I may not involve myself in the affairs of the Court, but how much power has the Prime Minister’s Mansion already ceded to her?"

"In the past, the matter of the lost National Treasure would have caused a massive uproar. Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion would have been entirely implicated to appease the Court’s wrath. We would never have let her have her way like this."

Jiang Lan’s brow twitched. ’His mother was clearly beyond displeased with Emperor Xia. If not for the family’s grand plan, she would’ve probably died before letting him marry the woman.’

’This mother-in-law and daughter-in-law dynamic is going to be a real headache. Fortunately, it doesn’t really affect me.’

’After all, I only married Emperor Xia for the sake of destiny and the Prime Minister’s Mansion’s plan. The opportunities for my mother and Emperor Xia to meet in the future will be few and far between anyway.’

"Mother, there’s no need to be angry. These are trivial matters. I’ll be sure to teach her properly in the future," Jiang Lan said placatingly, playing the peacemaker.

"Mengning never used to know how to take care of anyone, but look how well she’s learned now, hasn’t she? Lan’Er, why don’t you bring Mengning to the palace to look after you? It would be the perfect opportunity for Emperor Xia to learn from her," Li Qingshu suggested, still scheming.

Jiang Lan sounded like he was getting a headache. "Mother, please don’t say things like that again. I don’t want Mengning to be put in such an awkward and unfair position."

Jiang Lintian also chimed in at the perfect moment. "Let the young people handle their own affairs. My dear, don’t make things more complicated for Lan’Er."

Li Qingshu had only been half-joking. After all, Li Mengning was the True Inheritor of the present-day Sui Ji branch of the Li Family and the Saintess of the Taiyi Sect. Her status was exceedingly noble.

Even if Mengning herself were willing, those old fossils from the Taiyi Sect would never agree.

"It’s good you’re back, Lan’Er. There are some things I need to discuss with you." Jiang Lintian’s casual demeanor faded, replaced by a serious expression.

"Please, Father, go on." Jiang Lan looked at him.

In truth, Jiang Lan had a vague idea of what his father wanted to discuss, as it concerned the future direction of the world.

’The plot has advanced considerably, and even some of the events involving me have changed. But the primary trajectory of this world is surely immutable.’

’It is a force of heaven and earth, an inexorable tide. A person may die, but the sun will still rise. The world doesn’t change for a single individual.’

’In the great, rolling river of time, a single person is merely a speck of dust.’

’In the original story, the period of most intense conflict between the Prime Minister’s Mansion and the Royal Family was also the dawn of a golden age, a time when the world’s destiny surged and opportunities erupted everywhere.’

And true to the principle that every peak is followed by a decline, the Court was thrown into turmoil during that period, and the situation spiraled out of control.

Wars erupted along the borders. Commandery Princes and Vassal Princes alike rose in rebellion, preparing their armies, carving out their own domains, and ruling as regional warlords.

Order collapsed. The various Immortal Sect Lineages and great Noble Families concerned themselves only with self-preservation. Many took advantage of the chaos to seize opportunities and hoard resources.

The same was true for the other provinces across the Nine Provinces Land. An eruption of opportunities and fortuitous encounters meant the endless emergence of Celestial Prides and peerless talents. The entire world was on the cusp of a brilliant era of great contention.

The old order ceased to exist, and the Celestial Central Province became a prize for which all the Holy Dao Lineages vied.

"Your maternal grandfather, Li Ran, is a Saint of this age. Many years ago, he foresaw this shift in the world’s destiny. He knew that the world would enter an unprecedented golden age—an era of unimaginable opportunity and creation."

"In an age like this, every Cultivator, every living being, has the chance to reach realms unattainable in past eras and achieve incredibly long life..."

"That is why your grandfather began laying his plans long ago. He had me assist the late Emperor of Great Xia in conquering the other nations, clearing out the kingdoms entrenched across the Celestial Central Province. We restored Great Xia to its former glory, a time when its might awed the world and the Hundred Kingdoms came to pay tribute."

"This was all part of your grandfather’s far-reaching strategy. Otherwise, with Great Xia’s strength and foundation at the time, it would have been nearly impossible to sweep away so many obstacles," Jiang Lintian explained with conviction, laying out the history for Jiang Lan.

Great Xia, while powerful, has only existed for a few thousand years. You must understand, the Celestial Central Province is not short on ancient and powerful Noble Families—clans whose ancestors once included Saints, and who possess entire Little Worlds as part of their family’s foundation.