"Minister, I pay my respects to Your Majesty."
"Tch, how boring." The fox-faced woman casually pulled off her mask, revealing a face of breathtaking beauty. Xu Zhenguan pursed his lips and shook his head, asking:
"Mr. Zhao, how did you recognize ?"
It’s not like you’ve changed your clothes, apart from that mask... Zhao Douan internally complained, but his face remained earnest:
"Your Majesty’s voice and deanor are etched in my heart, even through reincarnation, ti after ti, I could spot our fated connection in a crowd at a glance..."
The Empress spat lightly, her cheeks flushed, as she tapped the table like a rogue heroine of the Martial World:
"Be serious now."
Zhao Douan raised an eyebrow: "Your Majesty knows well, I am always a serious person."
Shaless...
Xu Zhenguan rolled his eyes. The two exchanged a glance and shared a knowing smile.
Zhao Douan, sleeves folded, walked over and sat opposite the Empress, smiling:
"I was counting the days, wondering why Your Majesty hadn’t arrived yet, only to see you co crashing through the window of this wrecked ship."
With the Empress’s cultivation, rushing at full speed, she could reach the Coastal area in just a day and a night, but in reality, it took quite a few days.
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhenguan sighed gently, saying with so sentint:
"After leaving, I slowed my pace along the way. It’s rare to co out, so I took the chance to personally observe the people’s situation. Occasionally, I’d have to bring my Divine Soul back to the Capital to handle affairs, which delayed my journey. It’s been a long ti since I’ve traveled outside."
Putting aside the last ti the Empress was chased back by the rebel army during the Sealing ceremony.
The Empress seldom leaves the Capital.
Initially, as an Imperial Princess, she couldn’t leave without permission, and after ascending the throne, she’s been burdened by affairs of state, every move causing a great stir.
Hence, she could not act recklessly.
Evidently, this rare outing was a novel experience for her, as the traveling Empress shed her usual solemn nobility, even joking with Zhao Douan, playing the part of so martial heroine, a clear testant.
Having lived two lives, Zhao Douan saw through it more clearly.
Seeing the Empress’s deanor, so different from within the confines of the Imperial Palace, he couldn’t help but lose himself briefly, rembering that the woman before him, though not a maiden, was still young.
In the world before he crossed over, it’s the age for holidays, ticking off travel sights, reluctantly wading into the matchmaking scene...
Indeed, she bore burdens not ant for her age...
Though not quite suitable, the woman before him gave him the sense of a bird erging from a cage.
Like one long confined, finally out to breathe free air.
"What kind of look is that?"
Xu Zhenguan, a perceptive woman, sensed Zhao Douan’s gaze, questioning in suspicion.
"Ahem, it’s just that I haven’t seen Your Majesty in person for so long, it’s difficult to restrain my emotions." Zhao Douan habitually responded in a frivolous tone.
Unable to restrain his emotions? The Empress glanced suspiciously at a certain area.
Zhao Douan coughed repeatedly, changing the subject:
"Since entering the Coastal area, I was about to report my observations."
As the talk turned serious, Xu Zhenguan also adopted a serious deanor, listening to his brief report before pondering:
"So, you haven’t encountered any significant resistance along the way?"
Zhao Douan nodded:
"Indeed. But further ahead, once we reach the region of Yutou Mountain, even if Prince Chen has infinite patience, he will have to show himself. Otherwise, if our fleet breaks through his defenses, it will truly threaten his core territory."
Uncle Chen... Xu Zhenguan, recalling mories of this Vassal King, gently shook her head and said:
"I just hope he knows how to gauge the situation. However, decisions in Prince Chen’s Mansion might not be his alone."
Sothing stirred in Zhao Douan’s heart.
He had once investigated and found that Prince Chen seed indecisive, while the true master of Prince Chen’s Mansion was that "Princess Consort."
But alas, the distance from the Coastal area to the Capital is far. He had never seen that couple.
"What are your plans regarding Xu Wen?" Xu Zhenguan asked again.
Zhao Douan smiled and said:
"If I’m not mistaken, once Prince Chen appears, Prince Jing won’t be far behind."
Entering the Coastal area with such pomp, their movents could not possibly go unnoticed by Prince Jing.
How, then, to compel Prince Jing to co and et, rather than slipping back to the Huai River?
The thod is simple: go directly for Prince Chen.
"Prince Jing, wishing to wrestle with the court for power, won’t want to give up Prince Chen as an ally.
Therefore, regardless of their negotiations’ outcos, as long as we make contact with Prince Chen, Prince Jing cannot stand idly by and will inevitably intervene.
Otherwise, if we resolve it or even win over Prince Chen, the Jiancheng Rebel Army will be truly endangered." Zhao Douan stated.
Xu Zhenguan’s eyes lit up:
"So, this is an overt strategy. Xu Wen must appear."
"Indeed," Zhao Douan nodded:
"Not only must he reveal himself, but just as I wish to hunt him, he too would like to seize the opportunity when I’m in Prince Chen’s territory to eliminate .
This way, they eliminate a significant threat and force Prince Chen to choose sides, losing any room for neutrality."
Hunter and prey.
It’s not a one-sided relationship; both can be each other’s prey.
Zhao Douan smiled slightly, his gaze seeming to pierce through the ship’s planks to gaze at the distant Xu Wen:
"He will suspect I have a trump card, but he won’t realize my trump card is Your Majesty."
Xu Zhenguan stared blankly at this man strategizing over the world, montarily lost in thought.
Just then, urgent footsteps approached, and a shout ca from outside the cabin:
"Governor, General Tang requests your imdiate presence! There’s a situation!"
...
Zhao Douan, accompanying the Empress, exited the cabin and reached the deck.
He saw the deck crowded with people, three fishing won standing together on the deck, mingling among the soldiers.
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