110 Expedition Part 1 (1/2)
”It is quite a coincidence that the convoy from the Cloudflow Empire is here early.” Lex thought about the nobleman, a feeling of uneasiness surfacing within her again. Had they used the teleportation portal to the capital to make it in time and press charges on Mokolari’s son?
”My daughter, this problem can be solved easily. I have decided to personally lead an expedition to Loulan.” The Qin Emperor’s words were shocking. Saleen had not even realized that anything was amiss by the time the grand swordmaster’s expression had changed.
The crown prince and the lower house had put pressure on the emperor, causing him to possess a never before seen determination. A personal expedition! If the emperor were to lead an expedition, wherever he went, there would be voluntary troops around to assist him in battle. The number of troops would be at least half the number of troops stationed there. If they did not assist him, it would be considered treason.
With the emperor away on an expedition, Safilos would need to stay in the capital. Lex would only need to follow her father and return safely to Bitter Water Prefecture.
However, an expedition by the emperor involved a huge risk. In the capital, the emperor had the protection of three Grade 9 sorcerers. These sorcerers would not follow the army. They would stay in the magic towers at the palace, protecting the generations of people in Holy Rock City rather than just the emperor alone.
The Qin Empire had long passed its stages of establishment. Not many sorcerers would want to follow along on an expedition. Many low-grade mages would want to go, but anyone wanting to assassinate the emperor would definitely be an elite of at least Grade 7 or above.
”Emperor, you cannot do this!” A strict voice resounded from outside the study. It had a tinge of anger to it.
”Safilos, you are here.” The Qin Emperor said this monotonously. The door to the study opened and the crown prince stood outside, a look of anger on his face.
Only the crown prince himself would have the guts to burst into the study of the emperor.
Safilos took large steps into the study and said loudly, ”Your Majesty, the emperor is the symbol of the entire country. It is unheard of for an emperor to personally lead an expedition while the empire is in chaos.”
The emperor gave a cold laugh and said, ”Is forcing the emperor to marry away his daughter a tradition of the Qin Empire?”
”Your Majesty has a crown prince already!” Safilos defended himself. He looked similar to the emperor, and in his fit of anger, he possessed a similar authority as him too.
”If my son had not died in the accident, would you have wanted to replace him too?” The emperor’s voice was growing colder by the minute. Saleen backed away silently. He had realized that the surroundings of the emperor and the crown prince had begun to form an impenetrable screen. The two most powerful men in the empire had drawn their swords and were ready to attack.
Safilos’ hair was nearly standing on end at this point. He was so angry that he was at a loss for words at what the emperor had said. He took a while before saying, ”Chanake, my two sons do not strive for anything. What have I strived for?”
”My daughter Lex was good, but she was chased out by you for over a decade. She has been governing Bitter Water Prefecture perfectly.” Seeing his younger brother in a rage, the emperor decided to speak calmly. ”I have endured enough. This time, my mind is made up. I shall personally bring the troops out on an expedition. If you think that what I am doing is wrong, you may take over my position in the capital. The three masters in the palace will not make life hard for you. How about that?”
Safilos had many things he wanted to say, but he was defenseless against the emperor’s words. He looked harshly at Lex and said, ”Very good, Lex. The entire capital has been in chaos since your return. If you are thinking about establishing a county, you can forget about it. I will never agree to that.”
Lex began to grow agitated. Raising her hand and showing him the god’s ring on her finger, she said to Safilos, ”Uncle, do you recognize this?”
Safilos stood rooted to the ground. God’s ring. Brother actually gave the ring to Lex!
Safilos pointed at the emperor and the viscountess. His voice was shaking as he said, ”You… both of you…”
”Safilos, I have two proposals here which I have already prepared.” The emperor took out two documents and said, ”You can either let Lex set up her own duchy, or let her become the crown princess, which you can go back and tell the lower house.”
”You can go tell them yourself!” Safilos exploded in a fit of rage and turned to leave. A golden light shimmered from him and with a loud bang, the door of the study was turned into fine powder from the impact of his sword aura.
Saleen’s heart was beating rapidly. Safilos’s sword aura was terrifying. Even though he had suppressed it, it had still destroyed the door of the study that had been filled with magic arrays. He had always looked down on swordsmen, and Lex had managed to kill a silver grand swordmaster using tricks and tactics. Who would have thought that even though a gold and silver grand swordmaster were only a single grade away, they were basically two different people.
At the same time, Saleen’s impression of the emperor had subconsciously become even better. The emperor treated Lex the same way as Jason had treated him.
”Father.” Lex saw her uncle destroy the door and did not know what to say.
”Lex, going on the expedition is something that I need to do. In addition to bringing one hundred thousand elites, I can bring with me two battalions of palace swordsmen. I will send you back to Hadisai City. We will walk a thousand more miles and I can hire more soldiers then. Safilos knows the importance of this. If I leave, he will support your brother.”
”Sigh…” Viscountess Lex could only sigh, knowing she could not change her father’s mind. She was only able to ask, ”How many palace mages can you bring with you?”
”One Grade 8 and two Grade 7 mages.”