When Ye Guan left the main hall, he immediately headed straight for the Star Spiritual Mine, where he had previously been imprisoned. He wanted to kill the Great Daoist Brush Master! As long as that man was still living, he wouldn't be able to eat or sleep in peace. Now that he had the token given to him by Sang Han, he encountered no obstacles along the way. When he arrived at the mine, his face darkened. The Great Daoist Brush Master is gone! He's fucking gone! The manager of the mine trembled before Ye Guan. He truly hadn't expected that the prisoner from before would suddenly become someone under the direct command of the Governor. He was both shocked and terrified. Ye Guan looked at the trembling manager. "How did he manage to leave?" The manager quickly replied, "He was taken away by a guard." Ye Guan frowned. "A guard took him away?" The manager nodded. "Yes... As for the reason, I don't know." As he spoke, he glanced cautiously at Ye Guan. After a brief silence, Ye Guan turned to leave. After taking a few steps, he recalled something and turned to look at Zhan Yun in the distance. Zhan Yun was still mining. Ye Guan said, "Give me that man." The manager hurriedly responded, "Yes, yes!" A moment later, Ye Guan took Zhan Yun and left the mine. In the starry sky, Zhan Yun excitedly said, "Brother Ye, how did you do this?" Ye Guan looked at Zhan Yun and smiled. "Brother Zhan, you're free now." Zhan Yun exclaimed with excitement, "Brother Ye, are you with the Governor now?" Zhan Yun was thrilled. "With your help, the chances of our rebellion's success will greatly increase!" Ye Guan asked, "You're still thinking of a rebellion?" Zhan Yun immediately said, "Of course! Our goal is to overthrow this tyrannical empire. Ye—" Zhan Yun stopped, realizing something. He looked at Ye Guan. "Brother Ye, you..." Ye Guan said, "Brother Zhan, let me give you a piece of advice. The governor here is no ordinary woman. If you still plan to rebel, I suggest you move to a different province." With that, he turned into a streak of sword light and vanished into the depths of the starry skies. He had originally intended to win over this group of people, but based on what he saw, further observation was needed. Sometimes, a bunch of foolish allies could be more dangerous than a powerful enemy. He wasn't in the Guanxuan Universe; every step had to be taken carefully. In addition, the Great Daoist Brush Master had already escaped. He knew the real battle between them had just begun. Now, he couldn't afford to make a single wrong move. Back at the Governor's mansion, Ye Guan sensed something was off. Everyone seemed unusually busy. He knew something was happening again. He was still nominally a bodyguard, so he had to follow Sang Han. When he arrived at her great hall, everyone outside was kneeling. He looked inside and saw Sang Han standing in the center, and in front of her stood a richly dressed elderly man in a black robe, reading from a yellow parchment. Someone from the capital was here! Ye Guan knew that there had to be a new edict. What shocked him, though, was that Sang Han remained standing while the decree was being read. In the Empire's strict hierarchy, receiving an imperial edict required kneeling, but she was standing tall despite that. Since Sang Han was standing, Ye Guan naturally remained standing, too. The robed elder's face turned into a warm smile once he was done. "Governor, His Majesty says that external threats often bring internal disasters. Please be extra cautious in the coming days." Sang Han nodded. "Is His Majesty well?" The elder respectfully replied, "All is well." Sang Han said, "Lord Zhu, I know you're busy, so I won't keep you here. When I visit the capital in the future, I'll come to pay my respects." This was a great show of courtesy, and the elder's smile widened. "You are one of the pillars of our Empire, carrying a great responsibility on your shoulders. Please take care... Many have submitted petitions requesting your reassignment to the Empyrean Star Battlefield frontlines. "Even the Prime Minister has hinted at it..." Sang Han's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'll remember this favor, Lord Zhu." Lord Zhu smiled and said nothing more before departing. To him, doing harmless favors often brought great returns in the future. After he left, a voice echoed in Ye Guan's mind. It was Sang Han's voice. "Come." Ye Guan entered the hall and gave a small bow to Sang Han. Sang Han asked, "Where did you go?" "To rescue someone I know." Sang Han looked at him. "You know he's a rebel, right?" Ye Guan nodded. "I do." "And you still saved him?" "When I was imprisoned, he helped me. I owe him a favor." Sang Han stared at Ye Guan and said again, "He's a rebel." "In my eyes, your vision is too grand to be bothered by something so petty." Sang Han's eyes narrowed, and a terrifying pressure enveloped Ye Guan. He felt as though the weight of mountains was pressing on him, but his face remained calm as he met her gaze head-on. He had come to understand that Sang Han was a strong woman who would allow no one to challenge her authority. Yet, at the same time, she disliked blind obedience. He couldn't be someone who simply followed orders. Otherwise, he would lose his value to her. Simply put, he was a type of woman who couldn't be indulged too much. "If there are rebels, there must be a reason behind it. I believe you know. Of course, we don't need to discuss it now. I believe your mind is as vast as the universe, and it shouldn't be concerned with such a small matter." Sang Han replied, "You think rebellion is a small matter?" Ye Guan nodded. "Not just to the Empire, even to you, it's an insignificant matter. If you wish, you can crush them any time, can't you?" Sang Han looked at him. "Then tell me why I haven't crushed them." Ye Guan said, "Two possibilities—either you're baiting a bigger fish, or you're using them to increase your own importance." Sang Han stared at him silently. Ye Guan said, "I have an idea. Would you be willing to hear it?" Sang Han replied, "Speak." Ye Guan said, "I've interacted with them. Their rebellion and strength are nothing compared to your power, but if more people like them were to appear, they would become dangerous. And why would more of them appear? Naturally, it's because of the Empire's flawed system. "Power and benefits are concentrated in the hands of noble families and clans. Ordinary people have no hope of rising up, which eventually leads to resentment..." Sang Han stared deeply at him. "It seems I underestimated you. And you have some nerve to speak so boldly. What, do you really think I won't kill you?" Ye Guan said, "To work with you, I must be honest. I will neither lie nor deceive you. Of course, if you prefer flattery, I can do that, too." Sang Han looked at him. "Continue." "To resolve this at the root, the solution is simple—a fairer distribution of interests. If the commoners have hope, they won't think about rebellion. In fact, they'll work for you." "And how do you achieve fair distribution?" Sang Han's eyes narrowed. "Of course, that can't happen now. Right now, we must help the empire win the war. But if you trust me, I can contact those people and stabilize them so that they won't stir up any trouble during this crucial period." Sang Han asked, "Do you know what kind of people they are?" "You know?" Sang Han frowned. "How?" Ye Guan nodded. "I've been with him for over ten years. He told me everything." Sang Han asked, "Why did he tell you everything?" "He didn't believe that either of us would survive, and I also told him that I was a rebel as well." Sang Han looked at Ye Guan but said nothing. Ye Guan asked, "May I continue?" Sang Han replied, "Continue." Ye Guan said, "I've studied our empire's system and found a major flaw." At that, he looked at Sang Han. She looked back at him but said nothing. "The Imperial Family sits at the top of the pyramid, enjoying countless privileges. Even if they do nothing all year, they'll live in luxury. For instance, a prince can receive at least a million Star Spiritual Crystals annually for doing nothing. And we have over one hundred and twenty princes. Below them are the noble families and clans who control the empire's economy and the most profitable industries." "In short, the rich die rich, and the poor die poor," Ye Guan added. "And they've ensured that those at the bottom can't easily rise up. For commoners, unless they are exceptionally lucky, it's nearly impossible for them to rise up the ranks. "I investigated the so-called 'Welfare Lottery' and found that it's a complete scam meant to pacify the masses..." "May I continue?" asked Ye Guan, staring at Sang Han. Sang Han looked at him silently. Just then, a mysterious voice echoed in her mind. "Kill him! He knows too much. He must not be allowed to live!"