Chapter 250 Authority of the Emperor
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"Stop." The gray-robed man yelled sharply.
He was an advisor to the Red Prince Xiao Yu, yet he would not dare to hang the flag of the Xiao Clan imperial family in this stretch of the open sea, nor would he dare to tell others his true identity. The Guotong Prefecture ship must also be the same. If the two Princes who were the most powerful in Beili did not dare to display such fanfare, then who of the imperial family could this person be?
"It's the Feathered Plume of the Eastern Sea Municipal Government." Han Chengzhi sheathed his long sabre. Nevermind that the ship was displaying the Xiao Clan imperial family’s Great Divine Phoenix flag, just the fact that it was a ship from the Eastern Sea Municipal Government was already someone he couldn’t afford to offend. They were the true governing body of this entire region of sea. Even the prefectural navy forces had to obey their commands.
The gray-robed man racked his brains, but he couldn't figure out which member of the imperial family could be on that ship.
"Another boat is here to join in the fun?" Lei Wujie frowned. "And it's such a big boat. I'm afraid we won’t be able to handle them."
Xiao Se didn't speak, but his expression had changed slightly.
Tang Lian drew his own conclusion. "It doesn't seem to belong to the same group, and the people on the opposite side seem to be a little afraid of this ship."
Mu Chunfeng glanced at Tian Mozhi, and Tian Mozhi said slowly, "The ship is from the Eastern Sea Municipal Government."
"Will the Sea Municipal Government attack us?" Mu Chunfeng asked faintly.
Tian Mozhi didn't shake his head nor did he nod. He only said, "Every year, half of the Sea Municipal Government’s official salary comes from Qingzhou."
The cedar longboat named Feathered Plume was coming closer and closer and Mu Chunfeng looked on curiously. "I wonder which member of the imperial family is arriving? After the Uprising of the Eight Princes, most of Mingde Emperor’s brothers were kicked out of Heavenly Revelations and sent to their own fiefs. They were only allowed to enter Heavenly Revelations once a year during the Worshipping Heaven Ceremony. To leave their own fiefs, they had to report to Heavenly Revelations to obtain an imperial decree. All these years, not a single Prince has dared to report. As for the imperial family who live in Heavenly Revelations City, only the White Prince and the Red Prince would have the authority to mobilise the Sea Municipal Government."
"Those two ships facing us were sent by the White Prince and the Red Prince," Xiao Se said.
Mu Chunfeng raised his eyebrows. "Could it be the one known as the most beautiful man in Heavenly Revelations, that Lanyue Marquis in his golden robe and long sabre? I have admired him for a long time. If I could also meet him today…"
Finally, the figure standing on the deck of the Feathered Plume became more or less recognisable. On the Golden Cross, with the exception of Xiao Se who remained stoic, everyone else was shocked.
They knew this person.
And they’d just met him not long ago.
The Heavenly Revelations Five Grand Eunuchs, Eunuch of Sword, Jin Wei Gonggong.
"It’s this eunuch again." Mu Chunfeng clicked his tongue.
It was not any of the Princes, nor any of the Marquis, and he wasn’t even named Xiao. He was merely an eunuch. But, he was one of the most powerful eunuchs in this country. Although his family name was not Xiao, he was indeed qualified to raise this Great Divine Phoenix flag, because everyone knew that the Five Grand Eunuchs only followed one person’s orders. Whenever they left Heavenly Revelations, everything they did represented the will of one person and one person only.
Mingde Emperor Xiao Ruojin.
Therefore, this Great Divine Phoenix flag was more prestigious than any of the Marquis or Princes.
Because that was the authority of the Emperor.
The gray-robed man was stunned for a moment. "Why is Jin Wei Gonggong here?"
Han Chengzhi looked at him. "Do we retreat?"
The gray-robed man hesitated briefly. Why was Jin Wei Gonggong here? It seemed that His Majesty the Emperor in Heavenly Revelations City already knew about this matter and he was also expressing his position with regards to this matter.
The Feathered Plume finally arrived next to the Golden Cross and lined up right next to it. Xiao Se looked at Jin Wei Gonggong who was not far away and said, "Gonggong was still worried, so you’re here to bring me back?"
Jin Wei Gonggong shook his head. "Since the Prince has already come all the way here, there’s no further point in bringing you back. In this vast and open sea, it’s too easy to die so I’m sure my Prince would threaten me with that."
Xiao Se smiled and said, "Gonggong is smart."
"His Majesty’s orders were to bring you back before you set sail because he was afraid that you would undertake this risk. But, since you have already stepped onto this risky path, Jin Wei is incompetent, and can only help my Prince to clear some of the obstacles in your way." Jin Wei Gonggong drew his Abyssal Eye sword.
"Prepare the crossbows." A general decked out in exquisite armor was standing next to Jin Wei Gonggong, and he gave the order listlessly with half-lidded eyes.
Three ports opened up in the center hold of the ship, and three crossbows took aim at the opposite side.
Three Sirius crossbows. This was a warship of the Eastern Sea Municipal Government.
"Retreat?" Han Chengzhi asked again.
Another ship appeared quietly in the distance. A flag hung on its bow and on the flag was a headless goshawk with spread wings.
Xiao Lingchen, dressed all in white, waved his folding fan as he stood in the sea breeze. He murmured to himself, "Looks like I’m not needed after all."
"They have the authority to hang the Great Divine Phoenix flag so blatantly and even use a warship of the Eastern Sea Municipal Government. They must be representing Mingde Emperor’s will." Wang Pichuan who was standing beside him spoke up.
"Mingde Emperor really loves and spoils this son of his." Xiao Lingchen waved his hand. "Let's go."
Wang Pichuan nodded and shouted loudly, "Return sail."
"Retreat?" This was the third time Han Chengzhi asked this question.
The grey-robed man still did not answer. He was weighing the decision of killing the man in front of him, but offending Mingde Emperor and whether it was worth it.
"Don't think about it anymore." Han Chengzhi seemed to read his mind. "Since the Eastern Sea Municipal Government is already here, then you will definitely fail to kill him."
Xiao Se looked at Jin Wei Gonggong one last time. "Then we’ll be leaving now."
"Actually, I should go with my Prince." Jin Wei Gonggong sheathed his Abyssal Eye sword. "But I assume my Prince would not be willing."
Mu Chunfeng glanced at Tian Mozhi, and Tian Mozhi gestured with his hand. "Full speed ahead."
The two government ships still did not retreat, but they silently gave way. The Golden Cross passed between the two ships and sailed on ahead. The Eastern Sea Municipal Government’s Feathered Plume did not retreat either. The hold ports were still opened and the three Sirius crossbows inside were still gleaming with cold light.
The listless general onboard still had his eyes half-lidded. "So that was His Majesty the Emperor’s most favored son?"
Jin Wei Gonggong looked into the distance. "He used to be."
"Perhaps once he returns, he will still be."
On the Golden Cross, Xiao Se clasped his hands together behind his back, looked into the sky and stayed silent for a long time. Finally, he said faintly, "My father is really good to me."
"But the matter you want to investigate is contrary to Mingde Emperor's will. You want to prove that your father was wrong," Tang Lian said slowly.
"Everyone can make mistakes, even my father, the Emperor," Xiao Se replied.
"What if he really made a mistake?" Tang Lian asked.
"Why did he do it? Who made him do it? Why did that person make my father commit this wrong?" Xiao Se paused, and said slowly, "I know my father and I also know my Langya wang-shu. This mistake is beyond reason. I think there may be someone in the background forcing my father to have no choice but to make this decision."
"I want to find that person."
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