“Sui, I am in such pain. Why did something so irreversible have to happen… You are my future wife, yet you are carrying a child. What am I supposed to do…”
Fanli looked at him calmly. “Do not expect me to have an abortion. I can accept a broken engagement, but I will not accept that.”
His inner thoughts exposed, Xitian felt a flicker of embarrassment and quickly changed the subject. “Break the engagement? How? Neither of our regimes is stable yet. Breaking the engagement would only give others an opening to strike.”
“I only want to ensure the Light Sea is safe. As long as it isn't Suye, I don't care who rules. Perhaps you cannot let it go; that is for you to decide.”
“No, you truly don’t understand me… It’s not so much that I hate you, but that I hate Suye. He got such a bargain! Sui, you have always been a rational, dignified, and self-respecting woman. I allowed you to go and set the trap because I trusted you, and yet you…”
“You are overthinking this.” Fanli sighed, closing the book in her hand. “We are merely in a partnership. Why are you agonizing over it so much?”
Hearing this, Xitian looked up at her. “A partnership?”
“Yes. There’s no need to act as if we’re in a romance.”
As she spoke, she noticed his eyes looked somewhat innocent and sorrowful amidst the flowing light of the water, as if he weren't quite as furious as he performed. She added uncertainly, “…Right?”
“Right. Just a partnership.” He gritted his teeth. “How many people know about you and that man?”
Thinking of Suye now made Fanli’s heart feel as though it were shattering.
“Only he and I know,” she said expressionlessly, though deep inside, she felt as if she were suffocating, soaked in sorrow.
“Then you had better hold your tongue. Do not let a third person find out.”
“I won’t speak of it.” Had he not mentioned it, she had already intended to bury that past in the depths of her memory, letting it rot into dust.
Finally, Xitian said in a weak voice, “Sui, I’m sorry. I have high standards for my wife. You have truly disappointed me.”
*What a suffocating man,* Fanli thought, exhaling a string of bubbles. She was growing impatient. “Prince Gath, I hope you understand one thing: I only wish to abolish slavery. I have little interest in the stability of the regime. Therefore, I ask nothing of you. If you say one more word, I will take the initiative to announce the cancellation of our engagement.”
“You’re something else. You really are.” Xitian laughed self-mockingly. “Remember, no matter what happens in the future, you brought it on yourself.”
“Fine.”
The very next day, Xitian mated with a girl who had been pursuing him for a long time, beginning a long, vengeful journey of wandering through a sea of flowers. Yet he remained in agony; images of her beneath Suye constantly flashed in his mind, filling him with both shame and rage.
After learning she was pregnant, Fanli’s mood actually relaxed significantly—it turned out her recent emotional fluctuations were entirely physical. She froze the fertilized egg within her body and threw herself wholeheartedly back into her work.
One of the most convenient aspects of being a female of the Sea God Race was that freezing a fertilized egg had no impact on the body. One could give birth whenever they wished, though they could not conceive a second child while the first was frozen. Since she had no intention of conceiving another man’s child anytime soon, she simply let the egg remain frozen.
On October 1st, Fanli and Xitian officially held their wedding at the Temple of the Light Sea in St. Yejiana.
Because the Seven Seas had been unified, the grandeur and scale of this wedding far surpassed even that of Suye and Saint-Typhon Fengjin years ago. All seven Clan Sovereigns brought their clan members to attend. Politicians from every sea, warlords, famous generals, business tycoons, scholars, and experts… every guest was a household name in their respective fields.
Beneath the open-air dome, radiance spilled into the temple, illuminating Xitian’s snow-white toga, his golden circlet, golden earrings, and his floor-sweeping cape. His features were deep and his aura majestic as he waited with the crowd for the bride’s arrival.
Then, amidst the singing of blue whales and holy children, four small dolphins—their heads adorned with pure white sea-silk bows—swam slowly into the temple, holding the corners of Fanli’s wedding veil in their mouths.
Following the veil was a group of adorable children, led by a slightly older Yujin, whose tail was still endearingly chubby. He and the other children carried baskets filled with red algae, scattering the plants into the water as they swam.
The edges of the snowy veil were hand-woven with golden water patterns, half-concealing Fanli’s slender figure. As the songs rose and fell and people watched with smiling eyes, her holy, shimmering tail fin danced gracefully through the water. The massive deep-blue diamond, engraved with the words "To My Wife," reflected the moving light of the water at the base of her tail.
Through her veil, she glanced up at Xitian.
Those eyes were bluer than the diamond.
Xitian stood frozen.
From the moment she began her swim toward him, Xitian’s gaze never left her. Even later, when the High Priest stood at the altar holding the scriptures and reciting the wedding vows, he could not successfully look away. He merely cooperated with the proceedings in a daze.
Then, the High Priest announced they could kiss.
The little dolphins lifted Fanli’s veil, revealing the bride’s face, which was regular to the point of near-perfection. She smiled at him.
The pounding of his heart made Xitian’s hands go cold. He clenched his fists, telling himself not to be nervous, then cupped her face and kissed her.
As thunderous applause erupted from the hall, he felt that the moment was both too short and far too long.
Fanli was breathtakingly beautiful that day. Her circle of friends—Fengjin, Feisi, Heke, Shasha, and Xunyue—served as her bridesmaids, weeping with joy and offering their sweetest blessings. Yejia and four other noble sons formed the groomsmen, but they were far more sensitive; in their conversations, they pointedly avoided mentioning the old friend who used to have the strongest presence but was now absent.
“You finally got married after all,” Yejia said with a smile to Fanli after the ceremony. “I thought you’d never marry in this lifetime.”
“I had to get married before you did, didn't I, little sister Yejia?”
“???”
Though Fanli was smiling, her heart remained unmoved by the wedding. She had defined the nature of this marriage long ago; she felt she only needed to fulfill her duties as a wife and a partner.
During the banquet, Xitian boasted to others that he would build a magnificent palace for his wife, the High Oracle, to be named the "Sui Palace."
Fanli had no idea about this and quickly whispered in his ear, “Don’t. The economy of the entire Light Sea needs restoration after the war. Do not waste so much money on extravagance.”
“My dear wife, you are the first High Oracle to hold such immense practical power. How can you not have a palace?”
“There is no need to build one. As long as it is publicly announced that I live with you, there will be no lack of prestige. The Hall of Justice is already quite magnificent.”
Hearing the phrase "publicly announced," Xitian felt an inexplicable surge of irritation. “It’s a political marriage. There is no need to live together.”
“True. Then arrange things as you like. Regardless, I do not advocate for the construction.”
Feeling helpless, Fanli left his side to chat with her friends. Seeing her back, Xitian grew even more resentful; the more he thought, the angrier he became. He didn't know how to vent his emotions, and as a result, he was so incensed that he didn't even spend his wedding night alone with her.
Fanli assumed Xitian had gone drinking with his brothers and didn't think much of it. The next day, she changed back into her ordinary clothes, put on her glasses, and returned to work at the research institute.
Xitian disappeared for a week straight. Fanli grew a bit worried and took the initiative to call him, asking what he was doing. His attitude was cold and stiff, as if he were sulking. She checked the time, remembered she had a meeting with the Chief Justice of St. Yejiana to discuss the drafting of a bill, and hung up after a few polite words.
Four days later, the final draft of the bill was confirmed. Fanli received the document at the institute and, excited as a fluttering bird, rushed to Xitian’s villa with the manuscript. She swam to the door of the second-floor bedroom, only to see the air sacs on the large bed inflated. Xitian and a young Sea God girl were inside, unclothed, rolling around passionately in their land-dwelling forms, kissing hungrily.
Fanli’s smile froze on her face.
Should she leave, or should she politely knock to show she had been there?
While she was hesitating, the two of them noticed her. The girl shrieked and shrank to the foot of the bed, while Xitian was first startled, then wore a look of profound embarrassment.
This was the girl’s first time seeing Fanli in person. Fanli was wearing a white lab coat, glasses perched on her high bridge, her voluminous curly hair tied back in a ponytail. A few stray strands fell across her cheeks, serving as an accent that made her look a few degrees more charming. She wore no makeup, yet her lips were red and full, and her entire being radiated a somewhat distant, intellectual aura.
“Academician Sui…” The girl used the sheets to cover her chest and climbed off the bed. Entering the water, she immediately reverted to her sea-dwelling form. She crawled and swam until she was beneath Fanli, tugging at her white coat and sobbing piteously. “Please don’t blame His Highness Gath. It’s all because I love him too much; I couldn't help myself. I know you’re newly married, and I’ve ruined the relationship of the most perfect couple in the Light Sea. It’s all my fault. I’m a bad woman, a temptress… please, whatever you do, don’t divorce because of me…”
“Er… Miss, I have an urgent matter. Could you please move aside a bit?” Fanli bypassed her and swam to Xitian, handing him the document. “Take some time to look this over in the next day or two. If there are no issues, we can officially launch it.”
“And then?” Xitian looked up at her coldly.
“I am very happy.” Fanli clenched her fists, unable to suppress her excitement. “Everyone sacrificed so much for this day; it was truly too difficult. But it doesn't matter—we are on the road to success!”
“Is that all you have to say to me?”
“Ah, uh.” Fanli didn't know what he wanted to hear. She just felt that her appearance was a bit of a mood-killer, so she cleared her throat and said pleasingly, “Great physique. Nice eight-pack.”
Xitian’s mouth pressed into a thin line of fury.
Fanli sensed intuitively that this wasn't the answer Xitian wanted. But her flattery skills were limited, and seeing that the atmosphere was poor, she decided to make her escape.
“Sorry for disturbing you two,” Fanli said as she swam to the door, looking down at the girl. “Go back to bed quickly; the floor is cold.”
The girl’s tears hadn't even finished falling. She clutched her chest in confusion and glanced at Xitian. Xitian had lost all interest; he punched the headboard of the bed violently. A few seconds later, Fanli swam back, but she didn't poke her head in, only whispering from the doorway: “By the way, Xitian, remember to have Jieli sign for the funding.”
On November 9th, the *Sea Race Slave Abolition Test Act*, proposed by Academician Sui and the Dictator’s government, was prioritized for implementation in certain areas of St. Yejiana.
As soon as this news was released, the citizens of the Sea Race were both unsurprised and surprised. They weren't surprised because this wasn't the first time Academician Sui had worked on liberating slaves; she had initiated two waves spontaneously before in the Starry Sea and St. Yejiana. The first time she created a nation, and the second time she caused a bloodbath. Given her obsession with the matter, a third wave was inevitable. They were surprised because this time, she was pursuing the official government abolition of slavery.
The topic instantly became the focal point of the entire Light Sea. If implemented across all seas, the entire social structure would be affected; some rejoiced while others worried.
But Fanli was the most worried of all. Her previous two experiences with releasing slaves had taught her a lesson: if the government did nothing afterward, the liberated slaves would not be happy. And this time, they couldn't even go back to their slave masters to beg for work. To ensure their livelihoods, the government had to act. If the government did nothing, this test act might truly remain just a "test."
But clearly, Jieli had no interest in whether slaves were free. He only knew that Suye’s legacy weighed heavily on him. He had to start a few fires as a new official to extinguish the public’s nostalgia for the former Dictator.
Jieli’s new trade policy planned to drastically cut tariffs, which would severely deplete savings and weaken the government’s power to redistribute wealth—a move that was entirely detrimental to slave liberation. Unlike Suye, who had the Starry Sea and strong military power as support, Jieli was not a "Dictator" in the absolute sense. No matter what ideas he had, he had to obtain the consent of the Gath Clan. Thus, after he proposed this idea to the Gath Sovereign, he immediately met with Fanli’s strong protest. Subsequently, the two of them engaged in all sorts of intrigue. Fanli even desperately tried to have Randy Rose whisper in his ear, to no avail. He was obsessed with the tariffs; even if his mother crawled out of her crystal coffin, she couldn't pull him back.
In the end, the solution provided by the Gath Clan was a compromise: both the slave and trade reforms would proceed simultaneously and gradually.
Upon hearing this news, Fanli was so angry she wanted to flip a table. She really wanted to tell them: *I don't care what you think, I care what I think. Listen to me. I said don't do free trade, so don't do it. I have the final say.* But the Gath Sovereign was an old fox; he cared more about balancing power between the Dictator and the High Oracle to stabilize his own position than about the comprehensive development of sea power. Jieli was no Suye; he lacked the vision and the boldness to seize the entire Light Sea in one breath. He wouldn't listen to reason.
Sometimes, when she ran into Jieli at the entrance of the White Eagle Palace, Fanli desperately wanted to say: “Are you trying to overturn everything Suye built? Do you want to use the future of the entire Light Sea to demonstrate the IQ gap between an ordinary person and a genius military strategist and politician born once in a million years?” But in the end, she could only offer a faint smile: “Good afternoon, Lord Dictator.”
“Good afternoon, High Oracle.” Jieli smiled back. From his expression, she knew he was cursing her in his heart just as much.
Half a month later, Fengjin asked Fanli how her married life was going. Fanli honestly told her what she had seen.
“You actually went through the same thing I did.” Fengjin gave her a hug and patted her back. “But you’re much unluckier than me. Didn't Xitian tell you beforehand that he would be polygamous? This counts as betrayal.”
“He said he wanted to sign a polygamous marriage certificate with me.”
“No, no, that doesn't count as telling you beforehand. Signing a polygamous certificate might just be to reduce the cost of divorce; it doesn't necessarily mean he intends to be polygamous. This kind of thing should be like Suye—telling you face-to-face, word for word: ‘My relationship with you is a polygamous one; once you confirm your acceptance, we will continue.’ Only then is it valid. Although that bad man is now probably soaking in some corner of the deep sea eating food scraps, I still have to say, he was a model among polygamous male Sea Race members.”
“Is that so?” Fanli had never even considered a polygamous relationship and didn't understand their so-called model standards.
“Isn't it?” Fengjin tilted her head and blinked twice. “He didn't say that to you?”
“…”
“Don't be shy, I already know. The father of the child is Suye, right?”
“…”
“So, he didn't tell you beforehand?”
“He did.”
“And you accepted?”
“I didn't.”
“Then…?”
“Later, he promised to only date me.”
“Oh, I see.” Fengjin nodded, then suddenly let out a "pfft." Feeling it was unladylike, she quickly covered her mouth and exclaimed, “You’re talking about Suye? Suye went monogamous for you?!”
“He didn't have much choice, I suppose, because I simply don't accept polyamory.”
“My Saint-Typhon Ancestor God… I simply can't believe it. He truly loved you, Sui-Sui. Your brother truly loved you… How could you be so ruthless to him? Fine, I understand, it was for the big picture. But, but… if it were back then, when I still loved him, and he did that for me, I would definitely have been in agony. I wouldn't have known how to choose…”
“There was no other way. If I could choose, I would want both my career and my love.” Speaking of this, Fanli thought of the matter that had been bothering her lately. “It’s like trade protection policies and mandatory trade intervention. You can only choose one. If you want both, the economy will eventually collapse.”
“…What did I mention just now that made you think of trade policy?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m talking to you about your husband’s infidelity, and you’re talking to me about trade policy? You just spent an hour telling me how annoyed you are with Jieli’s trade policy. I finally managed to change the subject—how did you manage to force it back? If you mention the word ‘trade’ one more time, I’m leaving right now, believe it or not.”
“…” Fanli quickly pressed her back down into her seat. “I won't mention it, I won't mention it.”
In February of the following year, Fanli was officially inaugurated as the High Oracle of the Light Sea. Because of the illustrious name "Sui," one-third of the citizens of St. Yejiana came to watch.
Atop the Gate of Creation in the Holy Capital, the deep-blue statue held its hands to its chest, eyes half-open, looking down at the magnificent city below. Surrounding her were seven other statues: Gath-Titia, Buke, Odakis, Saint-Typhon, Sephilus, Miserere, and Jante—the seven Ancestor Gods who had dissipated thirty million years ago.
Fanli wore a white cape embroidered with gold thread, four meters long and three meters wide. She knelt on one knee before the gate in her land-dwelling form. The cape flowed with the water, while also supporting her cascading rose-colored hair.
“Lord of the Infinite Ocean, Deep Blue, who loves all things within the deep sea and guards me upon my soul. With a heart that pardons my sins, praises my glory, and grants me the Holy Code. Finally, I realize the grave sins of this life. In the name of God, I return to my Lord the *Four Graces of Praise*. First, for the grace of Deep Blue creating the sea. Second, for the grace of Deep Blue’s redemption. Third, for the grace of Deep Blue repelling the demons and guarding us. Fourth, for the grace of Deep Blue’s sacrifice in dividing the seven sea regions. Today, in the name of Deep Blue, I grant you the position of High Oracle of the Light Sea.”
The High Priest recited the scriptures while slowly pinning the Holy Sea Feather to Fanli’s platinum circlet and touching the center of her forehead with the Light of Arcana.
A mark of the Sea’s Light appeared on her brow.
This scripture reminded Fanli of a scene from the past.
As the human Fanli, she had accidentally entered the lower levels of the Wind-Moving Temple. Before the phantom altar of the Temple of Memories, she had seen a man reciting scriptures. He had looked up at her, and from then on, she had been trapped indefinitely.
Then, she reached out her hands and took the High Oracle’s staff from the High Priest.
From that day on, construction officially began on the Sui Palace, the residence dedicated to the High Oracle. However, Fanli and Xitian remained like strangers. From the start of construction to its completion, Fanli never stayed in the Sui Palace even once.
Post-war economic recovery was indeed difficult. To ensure currency liquidity, the Bank of the Holy Capital planned to increase Holy Capital Coin loans by nearly 21 trillion Fu next year, 7 trillion more than the previous year. Regarding the post-war economic crisis financial policy, the Bank of the Holy Capital proposed paying attention to policy side effects and considering a timely exit. Large-scale stimulus policies were like the foam on a beer mug—utterly hollow. Joyous when they began, but exceptionally painful when they stopped.
Fanli repeatedly hinted to the Dictator to cherish the current monetary and fiscal policies, to cherish the surplus, and to avoid flooding the market with liquidity or monetizing the deficit. But as time passed, the side effects of the war between the two Veda parties became increasingly apparent. Economists predicted that 24731 would be the best year of the past millennium, and 24732 would be the best year of the next millennium. The economic recession the Sea Race faced would be a hundred times more severe than during the Great Famine. Unemployed people who couldn't afford to eat rioted everywhere; police stations were burned, police ships were bombed, and tens of thousands of rioters were arrested.
According to previous regulations, all government officials and clergy in the Holy Capital would receive a 2% salary increase in July. But for the sake of economic repair, and to formalize and rationalize the Slave Abolition Act in the Holy Capital region, High Oracle Sui announced in June that all clergy in the Holy Capital would have their salaries frozen for the next five years to protect employment, support the economy, and seek stability. She had already taken a pay cut at the beginning of the year and took another cut based on this new standard. Although public finances faced great challenges, no clergy would be laid off.
At the same time, she operated in the shadows, having the Underground City secretly take in those liberated slaves who were temporarily homeless.
And so, amidst a life of relentless busyness, twelve years passed in the blink of an eye.
***
