READ WEBNOVEL Chapter 231: Outside the Nation
Chapter 231
Zhou Qichen asked in surprise, "You're not planning to go see your parents, are you?"
The parents Zhou Qichen referred to were naturally Gu Sang's parents from ancient times.
Gu Sang shook her head, her eyes filled with indifference and coldness: "No."
Gu Sang didn't feel much sense of belonging to her parents from this era, and she dared not gamble on human nature, let alone bet on the affection of ancient parents for their daughters.
A girl who has experienced true familial love...
Would never be moved by small favors!
The meager affection from the ancient Gu family was something she utterly disdained!
If Gu Sang were to go to the Gu family, Pei Changying would likely receive the news as soon as she stepped foot in the Gu Mansion.
"Do you need me to leave some helpers behind for you?" Zhou Qichen hesitated.
"No need. I have weapons from the future. In this capital, if I want to leave, no one can stop me."
Seeing Gu Sang speak so confidently, Zhou Qichen could only nod.
Gu Sang went in to inform the Elder Princess, who didn't ask about Gu Sang's plans for staying here.
She looked at Gu Sang with determined eyes and said:
"If you encounter any danger, I will immediately send troops to rescue you!"
"Alright," Gu Sang said, her red lips curving into a gentle smile.
Gu Sang carried an electromagnetic pistol and an electric baton with her, leaving her backpack with the Elder Princess.
After personally witnessing the Elder Princess and her people leave the capital, she then turned to attend to her own matters.
-
The Prime Minister returned home after court, only daring to sigh when no one was watching.
It was truly a calamity.
With the Elder Princess's army at the city gates, this dynasty was likely doomed!
"What has happened to make the Prime Minister so dispirited?"
The sudden voice in the room startled the Prime Minister, but years of psychological training prevented him from crying out.
When he realized it was Gu Sang sitting in the chair, the Prime Minister's face showed an expression as if he had seen a ghost.
"M-M-Miss Gu?!"
"It's me, Prime Minister. Long time no see!"
Gu Sang greeted him with a smile, pouring herself a cup of tea.
The tea had gone cold, tasting bitter and astringent in her mouth.
The Prime Minister looked at Gu Sang in astonishment, suddenly asking, "You! How are you in this era? You've returned? Did you help the Elder Princess escape?"
Seeing Gu Sang nod, the Prime Minister asked again, "What brings you here at such great risk?"
"It's refreshing to talk to a clever person. I'm sure you've already guessed some of it, Prime Minister."
"I've taken such a big risk to come find you, of course it's to advise you that a wise bird chooses its tree!"
"Heh." The Prime Minister's laugh was indescribable, neither mocking nor carrying any other emotion, just a low chuckle devoid of feeling.
"I know that many of Pei Changying's ideas came from you."
"Without you, he wouldn't be able to keep his throne stable."
But so what?
Did that mean he should betray the emperor because of it?
Ridiculous!
Although the Prime Minister didn't say the latter part, Gu Sang could see it in his expression. She smiled and said, "Prime Minister, look, it's been so long, can't you see that Pei Changying is incompetent and cruel, not a wise ruler?"
"I know what hurdle you can't get over, but given the current situation, can't you face reality?"
"If he weren't so incompetent, why would you sigh in disappointment upon returning home?"
The Prime Minister didn't rush to refute Gu Sang. He looked at her meaningfully and said:
"Miss Gu's eloquence has improved day by day, even more capable of stirring people's hearts than before."
"No wonder Zhou Qichen, General Qin, and the others were swayed by you to join the Elder Princess."
Gu Sang countered, "Isn't it because Pei Changying is incompetent?"
The Prime Minister snorted but said nothing.
As a subject, one could only obey orders.
Gu Sang took the initiative to invite, "I suggest you find time to visit the Plague City and see how the people are living."
"I believe you are a person with ambition who truly cares for the country. You should know what choice is best for the nation!"
Plague City...
There was no one in the Central Plains who didn't speak well of that place.
But the Prime Minister was still unwilling to admit it in his heart. When he heard the name, his expression changed slightly, and he began to dismiss his visitor.
"This Prime Minister doesn't want to hear your sophistry. Miss Gu, please return to wherever you came from."
Gu Sang remained seated in the chair and suddenly asked, "Let me tell you about the history that happened in our time."
"While the country was consumed by internal strife and closed off from the outside world, other countries had already undergone earth-shattering changes..."
Gu Sang's words were very straightforward, without much emotional embellishment.
But the Prime Minister still heard in these words the humiliation of facing the Eight-Nation Alliance, the anger and helplessness when confronted with unequal treaties.
Every word written in history was composed of blood, tears, anger, and humiliation.
For the first time, he directly faced the wheel of history rolling towards him, and he was just a speck of dust, only able to watch helplessly and angrily as everything unfolded.
The history Gu Sang spoke of was from her era, and such humiliating history had not yet occurred in the Prime Minister's time.
But this blood and tears made the Prime Minister feel a sense of trepidation.
He knew that overseas, there was Fusang, there was Joseon...
He had heard of these countries, although they were thousands of miles away. After hearing the history Gu Sang described, the Prime Minister began to worry: if overseas countries were to attack, could they resist?
Would they repeat the history of another timeline?
At this moment, the impregnable wall finally developed a tiny crack, which then grew larger and larger until it finally collapsed with a thunderous crash.
"Prime Minister, you only see the Central Plains before your eyes, you only see a mere Pei Changying. You think the peace of the Central Plains is true peace, you think the Elder Princess is a rebel. You refuse to admit defeat, refuse to help, stubbornly loyal to a fool with prejudice and bias."
"But you've seen it, the Elder Princess has developed gunpowder, developed ammunition!"
"Do you know if anyone else in the world beyond our borders has developed gunpowder even earlier?"
"Is your choice really the right one? Do you know what other foreign lands beyond the Central Plains are constantly progressing?"
"To fall behind is to be enslaved!"
"If you can't take this step, your descendants, your subjects, those common people who know nothing, will sooner or later bear terrible consequences!"
"..."
Gu Sang's words echoed in the Prime Minister's ears like a spell.
The Prime Minister closed his eyes slightly, his tone very light, as if he had used up a lifetime of strength to tell Gu Sang, "Miss Gu, I understand."
At this moment, what echoed in his mind were the scenes of Gu Sang's performance.
That such misery had actually occurred in history, how could it not make one feel angry?
The strength of foreign lands.
The humiliation of the people.
Beyond our nation, there are other nations.
The world is vast beyond measure.
Tens of thousands of miles away, there might exist terrifying powerful countries. They might not have the ability to cross the ocean now, but one day...