I have added this story to my Patreon. You can support me and read the 40 latest and advanced chapters there. It also fed and motivate me to write more chapters!
Link: Patreon.com/AVRkingsTL
—------------------—
...
"We need the three of us to sit down and jointly revise it until everyone is satisfied."
"Good! Lady Yuehua is indeed quick-witted!"Emperor Xue Ye laughed heartily.
Once the core framework is set, the royal family has plenty of negotiation experts to work out the details.
No matter how many talents Moon Pavilion has, can they compare to the royal family?
Given enough time for discussion, Emperor Xue Ye was certain the royal family would have the upper hand.
"Moon Pavilion has done me a tremendous favor this time, coming up with such a brilliant plan that has truly solved my urgent problem."
"As the ruler of a nation, I have always been fair in rewarding and punishing."
"However, Moon Pavilion is incredibly wealthy, and Lady Yuehua is renowned throughout the land. I don't know how to thank you properly."
Tang Yuehua slightly turned her head, exchanging a glance with Luo Nan. She smiled sweetly and said softly,
"Your Majesty is too kind. Sharing the burdens of the empire is our duty."
"However… if we're talking about gratitude, Moon Pavilion does indeed have something we need the royal family's help with."
"Oh?" Emperor Xue Ye immediately became interested. He leaned forward slightly and asked curiously,
"Your Moon Pavilion has money and connections. Is there anything that requires my personal assistance?"
"Speak freely. As long as I can do it, I will not refuse!"
Luo Nan, who was standing to the side, spoke up at this moment.
"Your Majesty, it's actually nothing much. I've taken a fancy to a piece of land."
"A piece of land?" Emperor Xue Ye was stunned, and Yu Luomian, who was standing to the side, also showed a surprised expression.
They thought that Luo Nan would ask for an exorbitant amount, such as the mining rights of an important mineral vein, or the tax exemption of a certain province, or even a hereditary dukedom.
But who would have thought that this peerless powerhouse, whose strength was unfathomable and who didn't even put titled Douluo in his eyes, would only ask for a piece of land?
"Mr. Luo Nan, if you want to expand Moon Pavilion in Heaven Dou City, or want to build a luxurious manor..."
"I will immediately issue a decree to bestow upon you the most magnificent royal garden in the south of the city!"
Emperor Xue Ye waved his hand generously.
"Your Majesty misunderstands. I do not wish for land within the city."
"The land I desire is not within Heaven Dou City, but outside."
"Moreover, that land is not small, spanning over a hundred li in circumference."
"However, it is currently just a desolate wasteland, devoid even of decent vegetation."
Luo Nan looked at Emperor Xue Ye: "That land belongs to the direct domain of the royal family."
"I hope Your Majesty can issue a special imperial decree, completely allocating that land to Moon Pavilion as Moon Pavilion's private domain."
"No one, including the imperial army, may enter without permission."
Upon hearing this, the air in the imperial study seemed to freeze for a moment. Emperor Xue Ye frowned slightly.
A piece of wasteland outside the city was not valuable in itself; even if it covered dozens of miles, it was just a drop in the ocean for the vast Heaven Dou Empire.
However, Luo Nan demanded that it be turned into private territory and that the army be forbidden from entering without permission.
This was tantamount to establishing a state within a state, independent of imperial authority, right under the nose of the Heaven Dou Empire!
What exactly did Luo Nan intend to do with this land?
Was it to secretly train his own private army?
Or was it to establish a brand new, massive sect?
Countless thoughts flashed through Emperor Xue Ye's mind in an instant.
But when he raised his head and met Luo Nan's calm yet all-seeing gaze, he suddenly realized that he didn't actually have the power to refuse.
Luo Nan was not someone he could afford to offend.
"Fine!"
Emperor Xue Ye took a deep breath, slammed his hand on the imperial desk, and made a decision.
"Since Mr. Luo Nan has spoken, why would I hesitate to part with a mere piece of wasteland?"
"Tomorrow morning at court, I will personally issue an edict, granting that land to Moon Pavilion!"
"From this day forward, it will be Moon Pavilion's absolute private territory!"
Luo Nan nodded in satisfaction, picked up his teacup, and raised it to Emperor Xue Ye from afar.
"Your Majesty is wise. A pleasure to cooperate."
…
As night fell, the hustle and bustle of Heaven Dou City gradually subsided, but the lights in the depths of the palace and on the top floor of Moon Pavilion remained bright.
To Luo Nan's surprise, the Heaven Dou royal family acted with astonishing speed.
That very night, Emperor Xue Ye's special edict and the land deed for that vast territory were personally delivered to Moon Pavilion by the royal family's most trusted chief eunuch.
Looking at the parchment scroll stamped with the seal of the Heaven Dou royal family on the table, Tang Yuehua smiled and said,
"It seems His Majesty is really anxious this time."
"However, it's all thanks to the fact that the land you've set your sights on is a barren wasteland."
"The area outside Heaven Dou City is infertile; even spirit beasts don't want to inhabit it. The royal family keeping it is a waste, completely unusable."
"Otherwise, no matter how much His Majesty tries to win us over,"
"The Imperial Treasury and those noble ministers would jump out and obstruct us in every way possible. Getting this land approved would probably take a long time."
Luo Nan leaned back on the soft sofa, casually picked up the land deed, glanced at it, and then tossed it back onto the table with little interest.
"The land has been approved, and it's even larger than I expected, enough for us to make our mark."
Luo Nan rubbed his temples. "However, a new problem has arisen, and it's a big one."
"Oh? There aren't many things that can cause you trouble."
Tang Yuehua put down her wine glass, walked behind Luo Nan, and gently massaged his temples with her slender, soft hands. "Tell me about it?"
Luo Nan sighed and pointed to the simple map of the territory on the table.
"Destruction is always easier than construction."
"I can raze a mountain to the ground overnight, but I can't conjure up a magnificent complex overnight."
"That land is currently a blank sheet of paper. We're going to build Moon Pavilion's future core base on it, and even a city of our own."
"From the initial terrain survey, overall planning, and architectural design, to the procurement and transportation of various rare building materials."
"Then recruiting thousands of craftsmen for construction, and finally setting up defensive positions and soul-guided equipment…"
"This whole series of things is extremely tedious and troublesome." Luo Nan's head throbbed as he spoke.
"I don't want to waste time looking at architectural blueprints and supervising construction; these trivial matters are just too annoying."
Hearing Luo Nan's complaints, Tang Yuehua couldn't help but chuckle.
"I thought it was some huge problem, but it turns out it's just this." Tang Yuehua's hands continued moving.
…