Abyss Solo

"Oh, Daphne... are you sure?"

The Old Emperor looked at the middle-aged maid who returned first by his side, who nodded gently.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I'm sure, there's no mistake. They've indeed gone that far, and I can sense that Daphne has completely fallen under the embrace of your chief knight, although your chief knight isn't that fond of Princess Daphne, he has accepted her presence.

"Between them, it's Daphne depending on Duke Hanton, but they are indeed a couple now."

"That's good."

The Old Emperor chuckled:

"Apart from her looks, dancing, and singing, what combat or leadership skills does Daphne have? None, she's just an ordinary child. Being able to win over such an Ancient God Warrior as the White Ghost is already her maximum value.

"Where are they now?"

"At the entrance, Your Majesty. As per your request, there's a simple outdoor press conference there to announce the arrival of the White Ghost at Emperor Star."

"Oh, thank him for his efforts."

The Old Emperor pressed a button at his side, smiling:

"I want to go greet them at the entrance. Also, step up the specifications for the banquet. Let my favorite chef prepare more delicacies."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Hehehe, ah," a sharp gleam crossed the Old Emperor's eyes, "this is the best news I've heard in recent days."

...

Yang Ming received a bear hug from the Emperor of the Empire as soon as he saw the Old Emperor.

"Oh, Hanton! You finally came over! How have you been these days? Some elders want to suppress your influence, you've made them feel uneasy, Hanton."

The Emperor can slap his back forcefully, but he dared not slap the Emperor's back strongly.

If one slap caused a spinal fracture, he, the White Ghost, would directly become a regicide.

Although becoming a regicide isn't necessarily a bad thing, but... it's not time yet.

After the Old Emperor let go, Yang Ming performed a knight's salute, with the badge on his chest shining brightly.

He said gently: "Your Majesty, I understand who is targeting me, they're not afraid of my combat power, rather my influence over grassroots military officers, soldiers, and the populace. Their fear is due to projecting their own selves, and partly out of jealousy."

"Jealousy? Hahaha!"

The Old Emperor laughed out loud with his hands on his waist, his finely made robe shaking continuously, his loose-skinned old face smiled like a blooming chrysanthemum.

"Indeed, Hanton, they are jealous of you. Come, have some tea first, I've already informed a few to come over."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Yang Ming smiled and followed, with his hands behind his back.

Ignored by the Emperor, Daphne at this moment watched the scene with a smile, then walked towards the corner of the hall, where her exclusive resting area was in such situations.

With time pressing, Yang Ming decided to get straight to the point.

He glanced around, and said softly: "Your Majesty, the situation is quite complex now, I won't guess your intentions, I'm afraid of guessing wrongly and delaying your major affairs... Count Quigen's death, did you arrange it?"

"How could it be?" the Old Emperor laughed, "Though I want to stir things up within the Empire, it would be those holding real power among Great Nobles, how could I orchestrate a class conflict within my own Empire?"

"Not you?" Yang Ming nodded, and asked again, "Then you called me over..."

"It was my younger uncle, Director Eno, who insisted on calling you over."

The Old Emperor's eyes slightly flickered, leading Yang Ming on a stroll by the pool in the center of the hall, laughing:

"Previously, you might not have known what happened, as these pieces of information are confidential, only circulating within a very small circle.

"Sometimes, this nation isn't entirely governed by me, the Emperor, as you might know, my elders always exert various constraints on me.

"This incident was orchestrated by them, they believe you've already become a threat to the Empire, so they intended to resolve that issue... To protect you, I thought of having you establish some military achievements on Dominicos Star."

Yang Ming laughed: "You want me to dirty my hands, so they wouldn't fear me?"

"Hmm," the Old Emperor smiled with squinted eyes.

The two looked and spoke as if discussing yesterday's fishing gains, showing no sign of discussing anything significant.

The Old Emperor continued:

"But unexpectedly, Hanton, you expressed resistance towards this matter and refused the order to seize Slave Status, forcefully reprimanding the Military Department to shift towards counter-terrorism.

"The Military Department has a group of old-timers, who've embedded their roots deeply into the Military Department's soil, some hope to be part of that small circle... Overall, it's very complex, and so they retaliated by organizing that release conference.

"Within all this, they could say it's for the stability of the Empire's consideration, given that the Empire's existing order was set by them, instability would be detrimental to them.

"But more so, it's about subduing you, due to you revealing your status as an Imperial Duke and reprimanding them... Tsk, that was refreshing!"

The Old Emperor laughed: "You scolding them was akin to me scolding them."

Yang Ming appeared enlightened: "I wondered why they tried to intimidate me using Dreadnoughts... do they think I was born from fear."

"Now they're coming to seek favour from you again," the Old Emperor smiled with squinted eyes, "In a while, six of my uncles will bring members from the Elder Court, Military Department, Foreign Affairs Bureau, and Political Affairs Department over. They still intend to pressure you, oh, Eno will also be there, he should speak a few words in your favor."