Contemplate as he may, Emperor Yuansheng could only sigh. “Queen Neath, let us speak in private.” Before he left, he shot Luo Ming a glare.
Luo Ming just smiled back, proving he deliberately divulged Emperor Yuansheng’s identity in Ah Neath’s presence. Dugu immediately had a tent erected, then told everyone to leave so that he could personally stand guard for the important people to talk inside.
Emperor Yuansheng provided a brief summary of Luo Ming and his background in addition to the purpose of their trip. Ah Neath still couldn’t believe it until Feng Xue whispered something to her.
Heavenly Swordsman was a name known to all of Nanjiang, especially the royal families as he was the only man to enter Nieyao and survive. While the inhabitants believed him to be skilled enough to not fear the cursed city, those abreast of the facts couldn’t just treat him as a conversation topic.
Ah Neath was taken aback to learn she met Heavenly Swordsman, but that was trivial compared to learning Hero Li was the man who ruled over the largest expanse of land. By the same token, Emperor Yuansheng was cognisant of how Ah Neath would react. Nonetheless, Baimu’s support was integral to his plan. Indeed, he felt he could trust her owing to the time they already spent together and Ah Neath as a person, but Luo Ming was the one who persuaded Emperor Yuansheng to stop concealing his identity.
Luo Ming already proved he was a man who could reliably forecast the future and plan for it. Had Empyrean Zha not fallen down from heaven, Luo Ming would’ve had the imperial court by the nose. Luo Ming was too proud to be the sort of man to admit to his wrongs, only to go back on his words. If he exposed Emperor Yuansheng, then he must’ve trusted Ah Neath, though only Luo Ming knew what he saw.
“… Are you planning to get involved with Xiacang Anxi, Your Majesty?” Ah Neath looked up at long last.
“Huh?”
Ah Neath’s cheeks would’ve easily led to someone mistaking she was drunk. “Please take a seat! Feng Xue, tea!” She pulled out a brush, paper, pulled over a table and began drawing. “This is Baimu. This is Xiuyu City. This is your city in the south. In my opinion, we should make Xiuyu the import and export zone as it is the most convenient place for us to trade. Additionally, Baimu’s scenery is enthralling, our animals adorable, and our people are friendly. We have lions, wolves, tigers and leopards in spring. In summer, we have lions, wolves, tigers and leopards. In autumn, we h-”
“Slow down. Slow down. This sort of topic…”
Ah Neath curled her lips. “Do you not want to join hands with us?” Before Emperor Yuansheng could answer, she softly gasped. “You rushed to Wanyu because you and Wanyu have already…!”
Emperor Yuansheng could only shake his head whilst chuckling. The new Queen very much reminded him of when he was brimming with energy when he was first enthroned. Because he was always overzealous to help the people, he ended up embarrassing himself several times. Putting on the airs of a mentor, he said, “The forest is no place for discussing diplomatic relations. I should send a diplomatic envoy to you with gifts as an expression of sincerity. I cannot be so casual about this. You need not question my sincerity. Baimu has an abundance of goods. The people are nice, and the location is perfect. I have wanted to join hands with you for a long time. I am very fond of Baimu’s specialties,” afraid she wouldn’t believe him, he added, “especially the honey peaches.”
“Huh? My state’s honey peaches?”
Emperor Yuansheng faked a cough. “In any event, I came south for Nieyao. To tell the truth, the current Shaman Monarch at Sanggongmo is Ming Feizhen.”
“Jiang Zhouzi? Does that mean he killed the four monarchs?”
“Killed four monarchs?”
Ah Neath surmised Ming Feizhen would be as capable as his strength, which would make it a breeze for him to slaughter the four rulers. In contrast, it was suspending reality for Emperor Yuansheng.
“Call Miss Shen in,” Emperor Yuansheng decreed.
Ah Neath was confused as to why Shen Yiren was called in until Emperor Yuansheng enlightened her. “No wonder why I thought it was weird for a businesswoman to exude your aura,” Ah Neath remarked afterwards.
Shen Yiren just politely smiled back – not because Ah Neath gave her a hard question but because Emperor Yuansheng threw her a curve ball. She couldn’t share what transpired at Sanggongmo.
Ming Feizhen changed following the sparring match with Shen Yiren. There was a cold and aggressive aura around him. Everything he did and said, he did and said authoritatively. It was Shen Yiren’s first time seeing him so decisive and fast. He killed the four sovereigns without a shred of doubt, any signs of remorse or leaving their corpses intact.
As opposed to saying Shen Yiren left Sanggongmo, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Ming Suwen sternly dragged her off. Ming Feizhen isolated himself in the cold room. The last time she saw him, his eyes resembled two scarlet gems.
Emperor Yuansheng snapped Shen Yiren out of her thoughts, bringing her back to the tent, where everyone was waiting on a reply from her.
“I am not privy to the details of their deaths. Mayhap there is more to it than what we know. That said, I can confirm that he is posing as Shaman Monarch to obtain the fengqi shenmu hidden at Mount Wanyu Peak.” Shen Yiren then expounded why fengqi shenmu was necessary.
With an ashen countenance, Emperor Yuansheng asked, “The death of the four… will bring disastrous turbulence to Nanjiang, and Shaman Faith will go to war with the various states. Queen Neath, did you march your forces here for this very reason? Even though his duty is to exterminate the beasts, has he considered how many lives he is sacrificing? Has he considered how many innocents will be implicated? How are his actions any different to the beast he is trying to slay? Yiren, be honest: is this really Ming Feizhen’s idea?”
Shen Yiren remembered that energy in Emperor Yuansheng’s eyes; it was the very same gaze he had when he decided to annihilate Demon Sect.
“… Yes… But I believe he has the ability to turn the tide.”
