Lu Wanqing entered isolation mode. Until the parasites within her were cleared, she could not go out, as no one was sure if the parasites left by She Wanwan in her body could infect others.
Even her third brother was kept at a distance by Lu Wanqing, who forbade him from getting too close.
However, technology in the interstellar era was very advanced. Although she couldn't go out, she could access the Star Net and play with everyone online, so the gap wasn't that large.
With nothing else to do, Lu Wanqing decided to help the Yu family sell plants in their online shop.
After she left the Yu family, Shushu and Yu Nong opened a plant shop on the Star Net.
Normally, when people's plants got sick, they could ask Shushu and Yu Nong to treat them for a fee. Besides that, their small shop had expanded its business to sell various flowers, plants, and landscape plants.
Shushu had to go to school during the day, and Yu Nong had to go to work. The father and daughter only had time to treat people's plants online after school and work, so plant consultations were usually only available when Shushu or Yu Nong were free.
Selling plants did not require such a high level of expertise. Yu Nong's mother, now having free time, also helped watch the shop. When there were orders, she would pack them for customers and have them shipped out by courier.
The Yu family's living standards were vastly different from other families, but they never gave up working hard. Their lives were getting better and better. They had even slowly paid back the money they owed Lu Wanqing over the years. From now on, their family's life should only get better.
Time passed like this, and three months later, the Empire was in turmoil.
This time, the reason for the internal conflict was no longer Harvey's collusion with space pirates, but Lu Yang's harboring of Lu Wanqing.
According to the regulations of the Federation and the Empire in recent years, all humans infected by parasites were to be apprehended and dealt with.
Those who could be separated from the parasites were to have them removed promptly. After separation, they would undergo a year of quarantine. Only after confirming they were free of infection could they be released from isolation and return to normal life.
In special circumstances, those whose minds were completely controlled by the parasites, or those from whom the parasites could not be separated, would be executed to prevent further harm.
Lu Wanqing's situation fell into the latter category. The parasites had burrowed into her heart in a particularly critical location. If they were forcibly removed, Lu Wanqing would die on the spot.
How could Lu Yang bear to let the woman he cherished so much die like this? Therefore, for the past few months, he had only kept Lu Wanqing in isolation within the Imperial Palace, preventing any physical contact with outsiders. However, he had not restricted her in other ways, nor had he followed the regulations by executing Lu Wanqing.
This news somehow got out and instantly trended online.
Many people accused Lu Yang of breaking the law he himself had enacted, and of not adhering to it!
Many people had lost loved ones to parasite infections, who were executed according to the law. Why should their loved ones be executed while Lu Wanqing was protected and not put to death?
On the Star Net, the shop opened by Shushu and Cuicui was also vandalized. Even the headquarters of the Mu Group's corporation was the scene of public disturbance. However, the Mu Group was powerful enough to arrest the ringleaders and take them to the interstellar court, making an example of them. Others then dared not cause further trouble.
Shushu's situation was similar. Their household registration was under the Yu family, and the shop was registered under the Yu family's name, having no connection to Lu Wanqing. With the protection of the Mu Group, they also issued a warning that those who led the disturbances would be prosecuted in the interstellar court. Most people became scared and stopped their vandalism.
Cuicui's situation was worse. After leaving the Wei family, Cuicui's household registration was transferred to the Empire, making her part of Lu Wanqing and Lu Yang's family of three, under the same household registration. Now, all the accusations were directed at Lu Wanqing and Lu Yang, rendering the Mu family's protection ineffective for Cuicui.
Xavier and Harvey's situation was also not good. Because Xavier and Harvey were former space pirates, many people used this background to stir up trouble, claiming that Lu Wanqing and Lu Yang were harboring and colluding with space pirates. A long list of alleged illegal activities by Xavier's arena was posted on the Star Net.
The situation escalated, becoming increasingly uncontrollable. Many ordinary citizens were incited and joined the bandwagon. For a time, the entire interstellar community demanded that Lu Yang hand over Lu Wanqing. It was argued that only by killing Lu Wanqing along with the parasites within her could humanity's overall safety be guaranteed.
Amidst this fierce public opinion, some anonymous accounts quietly fanned the flames, leading the charge in accusing Lu Yang of being unfit to be the Emperor of the Empire, and raising a host of other issues.
However, what the clamoring crowd did not know was that Lu Wanqing and Lu Yang had long anticipated all of this. The Empire's main computer and the intelligent system Yinghuo had been monitoring the situation on the Star Net. After days of observation, they successfully identified the masterminds.
It was the notorious evil space pirate, and Xavier's former arch-nemesis – Hans!
And the high-ranking officials who had previously fled from the Federation!
These individuals had colluded, their plan long in the making. It was an act of revenge and a bid to regain power, so they conspired with the Empress of the bugs to meticulously orchestrate all of this.
Lu Yang ignored the external outcry. Once Yinghuo had locked onto the targets, he and Zhong Li Feiyu joined forces, slipped out, and directly raided the hideouts of these masterminds.
With the masterminds gone, the public outcry subsided significantly by evening. The netizens' discussions became less sharp and intense. As time passed, the heat of the matter gradually cooled down and finally stopped its frenzied climb.
Another month later, Lu Yang convened a grand assembly of the Empire's high-ranking officials, a public assembly broadcast throughout the entire interstellar community!
Lu Yang announced that from this day forward, he would transfer the position of ruler of the Empire to his daughter, Cuicui. Simultaneously, the Empire's main computer would recognize Cuicui as its master, and all Imperial affairs would henceforth be decided by Cuicui!
However, given Cuicui's young age, he appointed four elder statesmen of the Empire, including Bai Jinian, to assist Cuicui in managing the Empire. He also appointed Xavier as the Empire's Grand General, to protect the new Empress Cuicui along with the four elder statesmen!
This news sent shockwaves throughout the entire interstellar community!
However, the shock of the public had nothing to do with Lu Wanqing and Lu Yang at this moment. Lu Yang had already arranged for a spaceship. After the assembly concluded, he and Lu Wanqing departed via spaceship through an artificial wormhole.
Artificial wormhole technology was a top-secret project of the Federation and the Empire. Only the highest-ranking personnel of the Federation and the Empire had the right to access the usage data of artificial wormholes. This meant that, apart from Cuicui, Xavier, Bai Jinian, and a few high-ranking officials of the Federation, ordinary people would have no way of knowing where Lu Wanqing and Lu Yang had gone.