"They couldn't hold back?" Upon hearing Lin Qian's words, the three clan leaders looked at each other in confusion, unsure of what he meant.
Seeing their puzzled expressions, Lin Qian smiled and said casually, "Oh, it's nothing major. Eight forces from the Central Region of the Human Territory are banding together to attack the Hua Xia Empire."
"What!" Hearing this, Mu Houde, Cui Bailin, and Zhu Dingtian couldn't help but exclaim in shock.
The Central Region of the Human Territory was currently the most powerful area within the human race. Compared to the Western Continent, the forces there were like the elites among the upper-class clans.
And now, eight such forces were planning to attack the Hua Xia Empire simultaneously!
"Your Majesty, although our Wood Spirit Clan's combat strength is weak, in times of life and death, we are willing to offer our service. All of our soul warriors are ready to fight the enemy!" Mu Houde quickly responded after a brief moment of thought.
Cui Bailin and Zhu Dingtian, standing beside him, also voiced their resolve, nodding firmly, "Your Majesty, although our two clans have just joined the Hua Xia Empire, we are also willing to contribute our strength. We want to show that we are sincerely part of the Hua Xia Empire and will live and die with it!"
Seeing the determined and righteous expressions of the three clan leaders, Lin Qian was somewhat touched.
In truth, the people of this world were quite endearing. If you genuinely treated them well, they would never disappoint you.
However...
"You don't need to be like this. Do you really think the Hua Xia Empire is facing annihilation over something so trivial? Talking about life and death—what a joke." Lin Qian couldn't help but laugh at their serious expressions. "Mu Houde, you'll be in charge of hosting Cui Bailin, Zhu Dingtian, and their clans. You should be quite familiar with the empire by now."
"As for those eight forces from the Central Region, they are nothing to me. In fact, I've known about their plans for a while now." Lin Qian's eyes gleamed with a hint of mockery as he looked at the three clan leaders. "If they had held off their attack, I might have let it slide for the sake of unity among humans. But now that they've made their move, I won't be polite."
"It seems clear that after this, the Hua Xia Empire's territory will expand once again. You don't need to worry about the war; that's not your concern. Your task is to properly manage the Ministry of Agriculture for me. That will be your best way of repaying me. Understood?"
Cui Bailin and Zhu Dingtian exchanged glances, hesitating as if they still wanted to say something.
But before they could speak, Mu Houde waved them off, saying, "Since His Majesty has spoken, we shouldn't worry too much. Let's focus on our own duties."
Lin Qian nodded approvingly at Mu Houde's sensible response and then turned to leave.
After Lin Qian left, Zhu Dingtian looked at Mu Houde and said, "It's been a while since I last saw you, but you've changed quite a bit."
Mu Houde chuckled, replying, "It's all thanks to His Majesty's grace. If not for him, I wouldn't be where I am today." Seeing the admiration in Zhu Dingtian's tone, he added, "In this empire, as long as you work hard, you'll be rewarded. The stronger the empire becomes, the better our lives will be. So, let's work together from now on."
"But what if the Hua Xia Empire were to be defeated? We've just joined the empire, and we're sitting in the rear while others are fighting and risking their lives. I don't think I could live with that," Cui Bailin said, a look of guilt on his face as he glanced at his two companions.
Mu Houde considered this for a moment before replying, "I felt the same way at first, which is why I offered our forces. But after calming down, I realized that His Majesty was right. Eight forces working together might not be enough to even trouble him."
"Oh? And why do you say that?" Zhu Dingtian asked, intrigued.
"You may not know this, but the entire Southern Region is now part of the Hua Xia Empire. His Majesty led the empire into war against 1,972 states of the Southern Region simultaneously—and won decisively."
"Furthermore, the Imperial Army that defends the Hua Xia Empire has a minimum strength of the Life and Death Realm. Each state has a stationed army of ten million Life and Death Realm soldiers, not to mention the hidden Beast Army scattered in the mountains and forests!"
Mu Houde proceeded to explain all the things he had learned about the Hua Xia Empire, including its many wonders, such as the soul-viewing devices and other innovations.
His words left Cui Bailin and Zhu Dingtian utterly stunned, standing in place with blank expressions, overwhelmed by everything he described.
Once Mu Houde finished his explanation, the two clan leaders finally realized the full scope of the empire they had joined.
"So, His Majesty is practically guaranteed to win this battle," Cui Bailin concluded with a wry smile. "In that case, all we need to do is stay in the empire and focus on using our talents. What a worry-free life."
"Hua Xia Empire is truly amazing," Zhu Dingtian added with a satisfied grin, recalling the delicious meals he had enjoyed aboard the floating battleship.
"By the way, Brother Mu, what is this Ministry of Agriculture His Majesty mentioned?" Cui Bailin asked, his curiosity piqued.
Hearing this, Mu Houde's expression turned serious. "The Ministry of Agriculture is one of the most important departments in the entire Hua Xia Empire. It oversees the management of food resources, spiritual wood, environmental concerns, and much more..."
As Mu Houde detailed the responsibilities of the Ministry of Agriculture, both Cui Bailin and Zhu Dingtian's expressions grew increasingly complex. They hadn't expected Lin Qian to entrust such a critical department to them, three non-human clans.
In this moment, they fully understood and believed in Lin Qian's commitment to equality among all races.
Meanwhile, Lin Qian had already made his way over to Ye Xin, saying to her, "Xin'er, let's return to the Hua Xia Palace."
Ye Xin had been busy teaching Cui Yu how to help her people obtain identification papers, clearly training her to become a capable assistant.
When she heard Lin Qian's words and saw the cold glint in his eyes, she knew something important was happening and nodded softly.
"Cui Yu, make sure to help out, okay?" Ye Xin said gently.
"Don't worry, sister, I'll do my best!" Cui Yu replied earnestly, smiling brightly.
Ye Xin patted Cui Yu on the head, then ascended into the sky with Lin Qian.
In an instant, the Hua Xia Imperial Warship appeared in the air, carrying Lin Qian and Ye Xin as it sped off towards New Qin City.