lcionline Chapter 121 Appreciation
Chapter 121 Appreciation
"Are you satisfied now?" the emperor asked Kong Yiche on the way out. He had initially disliked this young foreigner, but after observing him, he found him to be quite composed. He wasn't just a love-struck fool; he had also managed to remain calm despite being provoked like that. It seemed that this commander's position wasn't entirely due to his family background.
"Thank you very much for your frankness, Your Majesty." Kong Yiche was actually a little unsure of himself. Not only had His Majesty introduced him to Keslan, but their transaction had not been kept secret from him, a high-ranking official of the Forest Empire. So he asked tentatively.
"Don't worry, I know what you're thinking. Your status is high enough that you should understand that no country is without these shady dealings. It's not easy for such a large empire to operate smoothly. If the problems aren't cleaned up in time, they will gradually grow into malignant tumors."
"There's no point in avoiding this. And it's not something you can use to blackmail me, is it?" The emperor walked ahead with his hands behind his back, his tone unhurried.
“You are absolutely right. However, I still assure you, and I swear on my personal honor, that not a single word of what happened today will come out of my mouth.”
The emperor smiled with satisfaction and then said, "Kaslan did not refute it, so it seems that these two children did indeed have a deal, and that Kaslan remembers them."
That's exactly it. Moreover, Kong Yiche boldly guessed that Keslan and they had some kind of connection, and it was most likely Jiang Yu, because this was clearly the first time the two had met, yet he sensed Keslan's malice towards him.
He pursed his lips. Although he had no chance with her anymore, he couldn't just stand by and watch his beloved be slandered and hurt. This Keslan was a complicated person, and he was neither good nor evil. It would be better to pray to God for protection than to rely on him.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for investigating this matter." Kong Yiche bowed to express his gratitude.
"Who exactly are you thanking on behalf of, child? As far as I know, Jiang Yu has clearly rejected you, yet you're still going to such lengths and troubles. Don't you think it's a waste of effort and a loss?" The Kong family is ruthless and decisive. Kong Yiche's father, as the supreme commander of the Forest Empire, is known for his ruthlessness and cold-blooded decrees, but unexpectedly, he has a devoted son.
"I regret that my feelings didn't develop into mutual love; it was ultimately just wishful thinking on my part. But there's no need to blame anyone for it. Once the other person clearly rejected me, love became my own affair," Kong Yiche said with a wry smile.
"What I'm doing now isn't to ask for a favor later, or to get Jiang Yu to give me another chance because of what I did for her. It's my conscience and my feelings that are driving me to do this. As long as I can see that she's safe and sound, I should set off back to the Forest Empire."
"With your character, missing out on you would be a great loss for that child," the emperor sighed.
"Everyone has their own love. Everyone has their own considerations. My pride does not allow me to humbly beg for love, as that would disregard the reputation of my family. Since we are no longer meant to be, I will not continue to demand it."
This is why he could never stand Ren Kecheng. Stupidity is not terrible; what is terrible is being stupid without realizing it, relentlessly demanding feelings that do not belong to you. Such obsessive behavior, which becomes known to the world, is not a heroic act that moves the world, but rather an evil deed that makes people want to stay away and despise you.
If this leads to harming others, it becomes even more unforgivable.
"I heard that your visit to the palace this time was because of Totini?" The emperor took the robe handed to him by the servant. After dark, the temperature dropped, and coupled with the fact that he had been sitting in that cold and gloomy palace for a long time, his body was already feeling the strain.
“Indeed, Lady Tini’s family and our Kong family have always been old friends,” he said with a hint of helplessness. “That’s why Lady Tini is so determined to connect me with Lord Ren Kecheng.”
"However, Your Majesty, regarding Zhong Qin, he is, after all, from the Forest Empire. Perhaps it would be more convenient for our family to investigate him."
"Ignore him, he's just a clown." The emperor pulled his heavy robe tighter, a strange look on his face. "She's usually restless, so it's not a bad thing if this kind of amusing thing can win her some favor. Don't worry about it, it's not important."
Seemingly stunned by the amount of information in the emperor's words, Kong Yiche froze on the spot. He had been sent away by Ren Kecheng, and by the time he returned, the situation had already spiraled out of control. Now, as he pieced together the clues in his mind, he unconsciously took a deep breath.
If we go by his current understanding, then could Jiang Yu and the others be in this predicament because they stumbled upon Mrs. Tini and Zhong Qin...?
No wonder Mrs. Tiny wanted them dead...
But the emperor clearly knew all this, yet he still let things develop like this. What kind of game was the emperor playing?
"So intelligent, if only you were a child of my Great Ocean Empire. Now even I feel a little regretful. If Jiang Yu could take you in, you could serve me, hahahahaha." The emperor laughed heartily.
Kong Yiche had no time to respond to the emperor's teasing; the more he thought about it, the deeper he became.
Although women are not required to be faithful, and there are many women who have five legal husbands but still have affairs and keep mistresses, no one dares to challenge the authority of the empire and the order of the law.
But Lady Tiny, as the wife of the ruler of the Ocean Empire, disregarded all decorum and committed illicit acts right under the emperor's nose, even attempting to harm other precious women as a result.
No man could endure such humiliation, let alone an emperor. She was playing with fire and getting burned.
Looking at the emperor's kind and benevolent face, he suddenly recalled the emperor's cold remark not long ago, in which he had said he would kill them all. He felt a pang of sympathy for Lady Tini and Ren Kecheng. As for Zhong Qin, as His Majesty had said, he was unimportant.
“You’re still too young, it’s normal that you can’t digest it all. That’s enough for today, go and rest. He’s always very efficient, maybe we’ll have good news tomorrow.” The emperor rarely reached out and patted his shoulder, giving him a warm smile.
“Our Ocean Empire isn’t just about your sweetheart. You haven’t had a proper chance to explore these past few days. I’ve had the servants prepare some of the most authentic local snacks and specialties. Go back to your room and try them. The palace can’t replicate the taste of these time-honored establishments.”
"By the way, when you come to the Ocean Empire in the future, just give me my name. As long as I am still the emperor, the palace of the Ocean Empire will always welcome you."
Kong Yiche responded to the emperor's kindness by bowing respectfully and watching the emperor leave surrounded by servants before following the attendants to his palace.