Firefly Journey

Chapter 281 Trying to Scoop the Moon from the Mud (6)

The figure sat casually in the corridor, dressed in gray linen clothes, standing out from the armored guards around him.

Henry I's bedroom was magnificent and filled with extravagance. Guards patrolled back and forth, but none of them noticed him sitting there.

Until Henry I returned from the meeting.

The emperor, the most legendary man in the empire, had barely stepped into his bedchamber when the other man followed him in, even faster, and sat down on the bed.

"I plan to meet with the envoy from the State of Chu tomorrow."

Henry I stood in the center of the room, looking at the person on the bed, and said.

"Having not seen each other for half a month, this seems a bit too deliberate."

"No matter what they ask for, you must agree to it."

"Agree to everything?" Henry I was somewhat taken aback. "Why? The State of Chu came wagging its tail, thinking that offering a batch of treasures would please us. Little did they know that once we take them down, everything will belong to the Empire."

Henry I’s speech was full of arrogance.

The empire tasted success through continuous conquest, and Henry I naturally believed that this was the result of his command. As his victories became more and more illustrious, he gradually became arrogant and disdainful of others.

"Have you conquered it yet?" The man made no attempt to hide his disdain. "The empire may be strong, but it has no ability to launch a war of annihilation. You should save your words for when you actually conquer it."

"A land that does not accept the protection of the God of War is heretical and evil. The Chu Kingdom should certainly be destroyed, but we must also consider the right approach."

The seven major ancestral churches, along with countless smaller churches, have long coveted that land. They've eked out a living for over a decade; it's time to reap the rewards.

Henry I was initially resentful at being mocked, but upon hearing the second half of the man's words, his eyes lit up with fervor.

The fact that the former empire failed to completely eliminate the Chu state in its battle was arguably the first major setback of his life.

Now that he has the chance to try again, nothing could excite him more.

"Does the divine messenger mean to lull them into complacency and then find an opportunity to launch a war?"

The gray-linen-clad envoy stood up, took two steps, and asked, "What do you think is the reason why the Chu Kingdom is showing goodwill to the Empire?"

Over the past decade or so, although the two countries have maintained trade relations, Chu has maintained a tough diplomatic stance, refusing to budge an inch. Now that Chu is showing weakness, there must be a hidden agenda behind it.

"It's simply because they realized their own weakness and wanted to seek protection."

"Then why didn't we destroy the Chu Kingdom in the last battle?" The divine envoy sneered, his voice impatient. "The Chu Kingdom has produced many talented people and has already sensed the danger. Very well, let the storm rage on."

I want to see how the State of Chu, without the support of the church, will resist the wrath of God.

"The pace of the empire's northern expedition can be slowed down for now."

Henry I was startled, and his eyes immediately burned with even greater fervor.

For many years, the Empire has waged war against the North, naturally with the aim of plundering its resources. The northern tundra is rich in natural industrial raw materials, and the Empire has reaped considerable benefits through continuous conquest, using war to sustain itself.

For the Debasa Empire, the northern campaign was like a sure-fire investment, with returns far outweighing the costs.

In this situation, He slowed down His pace, the intention of which was self-evident: it was something the Empire was about to do, and the benefits would be far greater than conquering the tundra.

"I understand."

The divine messenger hummed in agreement and vanished in an instant.

Henry I paced back and forth in his bedchamber for nearly two hours, pondering his strategy before summoning the master of ceremonies.

"Inform Mond Toby to return to the capital immediately. There's a big deal to be done."

……

……

The next day, Lin Yuanran, dressed neatly, arrived at the Debasa Empire's council with his deputy, Du Guangting.

As visiting officials, the two were naturally not qualified to attend the empire's internal meetings. Today's meeting was a separate event initiated solely to show respect for the envoys, and the presence of the envoys, who were also key officials of real power in the capital, was already a great honor.

Among these people, Lin Yuanran knew one named Clifford.

To be honest, Lin Yuanran was a little nervous, having never had any experience with this before. But he had to appear calm and collected, lest he be perceived as easy to talk to or manipulate.

Fortunately, Lin Yuanran was a level 3 transcendent being, possessing a unique aura befitting a transcendent being. In this respect, the imperial officials could not see through his state of mind.

Du Guangting was much more composed.

Born into an official family, he learned from his father from a young age and developed a calm and composed demeanor, which was superior to that of the original Lin Yuanran, who came from a poor background.

The number of participants in the diplomatic meeting was kept to a minimum. In the large meeting hall, there were only about ten people, including Lin Yuanran and his companion.

Judging from their attire, these people must hold high positions within the empire. Lin Yuanran wondered if they would give him a show of force and demonstrate the empire's strength.

After all, this alliance was proposed by the State of Chu, so the Empire would naturally assume that the other party was inferior to itself. Therefore, it was a necessary measure to demonstrate its strength.

As Lin Yuanran was lost in thought, the main character of the meeting arrived.

Henry I entered, dressed in a glittering gold tunic adorned with ornaments and carrying a longsword, and took his seat in the main seat.

This outfit reminded Lin Yuanran of the noble costumes of ancient Western times in the original world. It wasn't exactly the same, but it was almost identical.

"Mr. Ario Morris has come from afar and must be tired from his journey. I have made sure to give you some time to rest." A smile appeared on Henry I's face.

The smile was somewhat eerie to Lin Yuanran; it was a forced smile, polite on the surface but condescending in reality.

Lin Yuanran, of course, did not believe his nonsense.

Get a divorce! Arrogance is arrogance, everyone knows that, what's the point of all that useless talk? Who believes it?

Lin Yuanran reached out, and Du Guangting sensibly handed him a notebook.

Lin Yuanran said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. This is a list of gifts presented by our Great Chu. Please take a look."

Henry I nodded to the attendant beside him, who immediately came over, took the gift list, and handed it to his emperor.

Henry I glanced at the list casually, put it down quickly, and maintained his disgusting smile: "These are all valuable gifts; thank you for your trouble."

Lin Yuanran said, "These gifts were personally selected by His Majesty the Emperor of Great Chu. They are all specialties of Chu. If we are to form an alliance, how can we not show some sincerity?"

Henry I said, "We'll talk about the alliance later. There's something I'm curious about, and I hope you can answer it."

"Please say."

"You are a citizen of the Duchy, and you only went to the State of Chu a few months ago. You have risen to a high position in such a short time, which is rather sensitive. What I want to ask is, what is the relationship between the State of Chu and the Duchy?"

Lin Yuanran's background was no secret; a simple investigation would reveal it. Henry I's purpose in saying this was clear: hadn't your Chu Kingdom already been in cahoots with the Duchy of Bema?

Two great powers, one in the east and one in the west, squeezed the Debasa Empire in the middle. Suddenly, they changed their usual tough stance and came to form an alliance. What did the principality say?