In this simulation, Bibi Dong directly entered a state of seclusion.
She would frequently go into closed-door cultivation, neglecting worldly affairs. Not only did she stop keeping an eye on Zhou Sheng'an, but she was also completely unaware of how deeply Qian Renxue had infiltrated the upper ranks of the Spirit Hall.
Since Bibi Dong no longer paid attention to Zhou Sheng'an, the people beneath her naturally stopped working as diligently as before.
As a result, Zhou Sheng'an lived a peaceful life and began to soar in power.
…
[Douluo Calendar, November 17, 2024: Zhou Sheng'an is placed in charge of Zhu Nation's military, commanding one hundred thousand troops, tasked with defending against the Heaven Dou Empire and preventing border incursions.]
[Douluo Calendar, November 21, 2024: The Star Luo Empire dispatches renowned generals from within the country—MacArthur, Xiao Tianhe, Dorgon, and Xing Yusen—in a four-pronged campaign to retaliate against the Heaven Dou Empire!]
[Douluo Calendar, December 11, 2024: A series of victories is reported.]
Zhou Sheng'an won first merit, but his achievements stopped there.
The Star Luo Emperor did not continue to promote Zhou Sheng'an. Instead, he kept him stationed in Zhu Nation.
After all, Zhou Sheng'an had joined the military under the alias "Zhou An."
Thanks to the handiwork of Empress Zhu, no one knew that Zhou An was actually Zhou Sheng'an.
Otherwise, if it were known that Zhou Sheng'an came from the Zhu family as a former retainer, how could the Star Luo Emperor possibly allow him to oversee the military affairs of Zhu Nation?
…
Once again, Empress Zhu sat together with Zhu Zhuqing. This time, she treated Zhu Zhuqing with greater regard. The two sat facing each other, a lavish spread of food and wine laid out before them.
Empress Zhu personally poured a cup of wine for Zhu Zhuqing.
"Good Zhuqing, you truly have a discerning eye. That Zhou Sheng'an is indeed extraordinary. He actually earned the high praise of the veteran General Xiao Tianhe. I once tried to arrange for them to become master and apprentice, but do you know what General Xiao Tianhe said in response?"
Empress Zhu smiled as she spoke.
Zhu Zhuqing blinked and played along. "What did he say, Aunt?"
Empress Zhu pursed her lips into a smile and said, "He told me, 'Although General Zhou's talent in military affairs is outstanding, this old man is already advanced in age—how could I become someone else's disciple now? I'd be laughed at.' Ha… He actually felt inferior to him."
Empress Zhu shook her head with a laugh. Although Xiao Tianhe's response was more likely a refusal to align himself with the Empress's faction, the excuse he gave was certainly sincere.
General Xiao Tianhe believed himself inferior to Zhou Sheng'an!
Zhu Zhuqing let out a soft laugh, her chest rising slightly with pride. Zhou Sheng'an had been her 'diamond in the rough.'
She understood even better—Zhou Sheng'an's abilities were far beyond this!
With Zhou Sheng'an's command talent, once he grew to his full potential, he would at least be able to defeat the second-best general in the world!
Securing second place while contending for first—that was the true level of Zhou Sheng'an.
"It's a pity I can't continue pushing for Zhou Sheng'an to gain more merit. His identity still has too many holes. I need to supplement his background. And I can't let the Emperor realize that he's someone from the Zhu family!"
A cold glint flashed in Empress Zhu's eyes as she spoke in a low voice.
Zhu Zhuqing maintained a calm expression, but her heart skipped a beat.
'Aunt's ambition has grown far too much. If the Star Luo Emperor were weak, then the empire might truly see a change of ruler in the future!'
Now that Zhou Sheng'an was involved, just how far could things go?
'For Zhou Sheng'an… would this really be a good thing?'
Speaking of which, fearing that the unknown player from Spirit Hall might discover her existence, she hadn't dared let Zhou Sheng'an guide her in her soul power cultivation.
…
[Douluo Calendar, December 24, 2024: The Heaven Dou Empire dispatches its top general, Ge Long, to resist. Spirit Hall condemns the Star Luo Empire's aggression and sends soul masters to support the Heaven Dou Empire.]
[Douluo Calendar, December 31, 2024: Heaven Dou Empire's Grand Marshal Ge Long launches a feint to the east, striking west instead, and wipes out the Star Luo forces under veteran General Xing Yusen. Military prestige soars, while the Star Luo Empire's morale plummets.]
[Douluo Calendar, January 11, 2025: Heaven Dou Empire sends an elite force to launch a surprise attack on Zhu Nation. Zhou Sheng'an leads troops to resist, slaughters the enemy, and submits a memorial urging the Star Luo Emperor to cease hostilities—his request is denied.]
[Douluo Calendar, January 23, 2025: Star Luo General Dorgon's forces fall into an ambush by the Heaven Dou army, suffer heavy losses, and are forced to retreat back to the Star Luo Empire.]
…
The Star Luo Empire's invasion began to sink into a quagmire.
They were fighting within Heaven Dou territory, which meant they were essentially up against both the Heaven Dou Empire and Spirit Hall. Winning such a war was nothing short of a miracle!
Upon reading this, Zhu Zhuqing sighed. "Let Mister Zhou take the stage! If he's not allowed to act, they're going to lose everything! I brought Mister Zhou to the Zhu family because I wanted to see whether he could bring a new path for us."
"Even though Aunt now recognizes Mister Zhou's ability, she's still far too cautious!"
"If Mister Zhou were to lead the Zhu family… in a rebellion, what would happen then? Besides, Spirit Hall doesn't seem all that focused on Mister Zhou anymore. He should be able to provide some instruction now!"
Zhu Zhuqing nodded to herself. She knew that she could extract memories from simulations.
Although she couldn't remember everything she learned from them, the knowledge gained was an immense treasure.
…
[As the second wife of the Zhu family, you privately summon Zhou Sheng'an to a room. This time, you invite Empress Zhu over and reveal your entire experience of meeting Zhou Sheng'an to her, so she can assume your role going forward.]
Behind a screen, Zhu Zhuqing and Empress Zhu sat kneeling side by side.
Two women, with similarly alluring curves, their silhouettes faintly visible, an exquisite sight.
Zhou Sheng'an, however, paid them little mind.
"Mister Zhou, you truly didn't let me down. You've succeeded. Now, you're ranked as the ninth top general on the continent. I want to ask you—despite your limitless future, are you still a retainer of the Zhu family?"
Empress Zhu's sultry voice rang out, and this time she used her real voice.
Zhou Sheng'an replied solemnly, "It was Second Madam who took me in and gave me the opportunity to display my talents. How could I be someone ungrateful? Of course I remain a retainer of the Zhu household."
"No, I want you to be more specific. I want you to be mine alone—a retainer to me."
Empress Zhu spoke again.
"What?" Zhou Sheng'an was puzzled.
At that moment, Empress Zhu stepped out from behind the screen.
She wore a golden phoenix robe, radiating nobility, but her exaggerated hourglass figure filled the robe with an almost indecent allure.
She sat before Zhou Sheng'an, her body trembling slightly.
Zhou Sheng'an kept his eyes straight ahead, confused as he looked at her.
"There is no 'Second Madam' in the Zhu household. My true identity is the Empress of the Star Luo Empire," Empress Zhu said with a smile.
Zhou Sheng'an's pupils shrank as he stared at her in shock.
Empress Zhu continued, "So I'll ask once more, Mister Zhou—are you willing to be my retainer? Can I rely entirely on your strength?"
Zhou Sheng'an was silent for a moment, then responded firmly, "Of course."
Empress Zhu smiled sweetly and said, "Since Mister Zhou will not fail me, I too will not fail Mister Zhou."
"There is a younger member of my clan I'd like to place under your guidance…" Empress Zhu turned toward the screen and beckoned with her hand.