The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 1156 - 626: Zhao Douan: Long Time No See, Prince Jing
Prince Chen felt a surge of anger in his heart, but when he glanced at the few experts behind Zhao Douan, he could only manage a forced smile: "Hehe... indeed..."
Absolutely arrogant!
No one present had expected Zhao Douan to reveal such a domineering stance as soon as he entered.
He didn’t even bother with formalities, as if he had completely taken control over Prince Chen.
Yet, the entire Prince Chen Mansion dared not speak up, as they were already intimidated by the number of cannons on the Divine Mechanism Camp’s battleships that had gradually arrived in recent days.
Let alone the cultivation experts.
If Zhao Douan wished, he could easily have Prince Chen and his wife killed here with a single thought.
Unable to compete, the Prince Chen Mansion could only lower their heads and submit.
"Governor, please have a seat first. Today coincides with our Marine Road Spring God Festival. Since the governor is new to the Capital, you might not be familiar with the local customs, so we have some local delicacies prepared." The Princess Consort was forced to speak, smiling pleasantly.
But Zhao Douan shook his head, pointed to the seats of Prince Chen and his wife, and smiled: "Perhaps you two are seated wrongly."
The Princess Consort feigned ignorance: "Really? The governor is a guest from afar, and as hosts, we should..."
"No," Zhao Douan shook his head and said seriously, "Has the Princess Consort not heard, ’Under heaven, nothing isn’t royal land’? I am appointed by His Majesty and act on his behalf, as if His Majesty himself were here. Therefore, this host’s position should be mine... Such a protocol cannot be mistaken even a bit, Prince Chen, don’t you agree?"
Outraged!
At this moment, the entire banquet hall fell silent, and all the guests hadn’t expected Zhao Douan to metaphorically "open fire" as soon as he entered.
Even if everyone knew today’s banquet was essentially a negotiation.
A little tension was inevitable, but surely there should be some pleasantries first?
Even Guo Zhun, who was in charge of arranging the banquet, was stunned, remembering the intelligence reports that mentioned the buildup of forces, encircling Daluo Island with the Seaside Navy... He gulped and wiped the sweat from his brow.
But Zhao Douan seemed unconcerned, as if he had no real intention of attending a banquet.
Faced with his words, the faces of Prince Chen and his wife darkened, unable to respond for the moment.
If they relinquished the host’s seat, it would clearly be a stance declaration, but if they refused, they risked the negotiations breaking down at any moment.
As the atmosphere in the room grew increasingly tense.
Suddenly, from another direction in the banquet hall, came the sound of commotion, accompanied by loud laughter: "Haha, Brother Chen, I am a step late, sorry to keep everyone waiting!"
Swish—
In an instant, countless eyes turned towards the source of the voice, even Zhao Douan and the Empress turned their heads.
Only to see the crowd slowly parting, with a grand procession of dozens approaching.
Leading them was none other than Prince Jing, Xu Wen, clad in a python robe, exuding authority without anger!
To his left and right stood Princess Consort Lu Yan’er, dressed in an elegant light blue gown.
And a short, flat-nosed, cloaked Qingshan Senior Brother, the Worldly Realm master Duan Shuiliu!
Not just the two of them!
Zhao Douan’s gaze swept past them, more surprised as he recognized several familiar faces.
Chai Keqiao, wearing coarse hemp clothes with an axe tucked in his waist.
Xiao Ran, slender and cold-eyed.
The Swordsman Qi Ye, whose eyes were covered with a black cloth, holding a sword sheath!
Qingshan Disciples!
These three, who had once traveled to the Capital and "sparred" with the court tribute Qingshan Disciples a year ago, were reappearing!
Zhao Douan’s slight perception revealed, to his surprise, that they had all advanced to the Worldly Realm.
Besides them, some others followed, uncertain if they were Qingshan disciples or guards of Prince Jing Mansion.
Their entrance immediately sparked waves of exclamations.
"Prince Jing!"
"Qingshan Martial Artists!"
"Why are they here?!"
At this moment, the guests panicked, thoughts of retreating emerging.
These local powerhouses, though mighty in their regions, were like ants before true influential figures. They lacked information and were unaware of many of the upper-level movements.
It wasn’t until now that many realized today’s banquet was likely not a negotiation at all.
But a trap, a battlefield, a vortex capable of swallowing people whole.
As if reflecting the crowd’s mood, at this moment, the clouds in the sky began to gather, the sunlight was obscured, and the wind turned chilly.
...
In the distance.
On Yutou Mountain, in an inconspicuous pavilion.
The Wine Sword Immortal Zuo Tang was wrapped up like a "mummy" with gauze, accompanied by Aunt Gu, a thin monkey-like man, a middle-aged man with two swords, and several local martial arts experts.
After that battle on that day, they were lucky to survive, with Zuo Tang suffering the most serious injury from the Empress’s sword.
Logically, they should have hidden away until the storm passed, but upon learning of Zhao Douan meeting with Prince Chen and the movements of Prince Jing.
Zuo Tang, despite his injuries, managed to convince them to come and witness the spectacle.
"Alliance Leader Zuo, are you sure there won’t be any incident? It’s definitely going to break out into a fight, right? If we get caught in the crossfire... we might not have the luck we did last time." Aunt Gu said worriedly.
Leaning on his cane, this Wine Immortal no longer had the air of a master, and declared triumphantly, "Don’t worry. Did you see those people around Prince Jing? My Qingshan has already stepped in. Don’t forget, this place is Coastal Road, it’s Qingshan’s territory! Zhao Douan humiliated us like this, today we must see his tragic downfall!"
...
On another mountain peak of Yutou Mountain, in a hidden forest.
A number of soldiers from the Divine Mechanism Camp had already been hiding here.
A massive, exaggerated cannon, almost the size of a house, was hidden in the woodland, camouflaged and concealed by the soldiers with leaves and grass.
"They’re coming!"
The Firearms Camp chief Chen Gui was holding a "Thousand-mile tube," gazing at the commotion over Dongxuan Lake.
"Who’s coming?" Young Master Tang Ping asked nervously.
Chen Gui put down the tube, licked his lips, and said, "Prince Jing..."
Then, he turned to look at the gigantic "Heavenly Element Cannon," resembling a slumbering ancient beast. His eyes were filled with fervor... or perhaps...
Frenzy!
"Damn it, only the priests from the Heavenly Master Mansion could have created a cannon this big. Haha, even I, Chen Huoshen, have this day, to personally handle such a never-before-seen cannon. Even if I die today, I would have no regrets!" Chen Gui murmured.
Tang Ping said with a stern face, "The governor instructed me to protect you. Don’t keep talking about dying, with the governor here, everything today will be under control."
...
"Xu Wen!" As Xu Zhenguan saw Prince Jing, her eyes sharpened beneath her mask, but she expertly hid it.
Yet her hand hanging by her waist involuntarily clenched tightly.
Prince Jing Xu Wen...
Since she ascended the throne, he has been her greatest adversary.
He was more than suspected of being the culprit behind the Eight Princes’ Rebellion.
He was the mastermind who injured her during the Luoshan Sealing.
Recently, she finally met him again.
At this moment, the Empress desperately wished to remove her mask and decapitate him with a sword.
But... she forced herself to endure.
Prince Jing had arrived; escape was impossible, but she needed to gradually bait out all of Prince Jing’s hidden cards, leaving no remnants.
"Xu Wen! You really came!" Zhao Douan sensed Zhenbao’s emotional stir, stepped forward, blocking her from Prince Jing with a cold gaze frozen on him.
At this point, the Prince Chen couple had become completely irrelevant, neither side paid them any attention.
But this was exactly what the couple wished to see.
Two tigers fighting.
A slight misstep by Prince Chen would lead to utter ruin.
"Zhao Douan." Prince Jing paused at the center of the banquet, stared at him with a complex expression: "What, aren’t you happy that I’ve come?"
Their enmity was too deep.
It started when Zhao Douan overthrew the Zhang family brothers, inadvertently revealing spies from Prince Jing Mansion.
Later, he uncovered officials in the Privy Council colluding with Prince Jing, causing him losses.
Then during Prince Jing and the Empress’s distance contest over Taicang silver mine, Zhao Douan killed the governor Gao Lian.
And when Hu Ting opened for business, they completely fell out, with the first assassination attempt on Zhao Douan failing.
The final act was on the eve of the Sealing, inside Jiancheng Mansion, with the second curse killing attempt on Zhao Douan failing.
...
Even disregarding the Empress and the matter of seizing the throne itself.
Their enmity had become a bitter, mortal feud.
"Happy, how could I not be happy?" Zhao Douan laughed, "I am overjoyed, clapping and cheering, raising a toast."
He laughed and said, "Earlier this year, I made a military pledge in the Golden Throne Hall to kill you. Now you deliver yourself to me, how could I not be happy?"
Prince Jing laughed indifferently, his gaze sweeping over the experts behind Zhao Douan, especially lingering on the Empress, his lips mocking: "Kill me? With these lowly chickens and dogs behind you?"
"Heh, wishful thinking!"
