Edited by: Juicetin
Proofreader: Arya
Gu Qing Shan glanced over at the Empress, his mind quickly moved.
The fact that the Empress appeared at a banquet with eye bags so heavy is a strange thing in and of itself.
As a Professionist, her current condition can only be a result of constant all-nighters, leading to her body being unable to endure.
So she’s been pulling all-nighters?
Without any clear reasons, Gu Qing Shan became cautious.
Something isn’t quite right.
While he was thinking, the Empress spoke up first.
She held the Emperor’s hand, smiling at him alluringly, then turned to look at Gu Qing Shan.
“Last time in the Confederate, although His Majesty was intent on inviting you here, I didn’t feel like you’d really come, so I was a bit cold. Please pardon me for that, young scientist Gu” the Empress said.
Hearing that, Gu Qing Shan instantly smiled and replied: “There’s no need for apologies Your Highness, I’ve always admired such a heroic figure like His Majesty, so even if you didn’t say anything, I would’ve came here regardless”
The Emperor kept up an expression of intrigue listening to them.
But they both said nothing else.
Gu Qing Shan raised his glass again: “Here’s to His Majesty’s long life without end, here’s to Her Highness’ eternal beauty”
The Emperor laughed and replied: “Now who could really live without end, but I still like these words of yours”
He received the glass from the Empress and downed it all in one gulp.
The Empress raised her own glass and took a sip.
Returning the empty glass to the Empress, the Fuxi Emperor asked: “Today is young scientist Gu’s first visit, why don’t you let him have the first dance?”
The Empress didn’t even glance at Gu Qing Shan, only smiled at the Emperor longingly and said: “I don’t want to dance today”
“Then what do you want to do?”
The Empress then said to the Emperor and everyone around: “I’ll go play some cards, you all can enjoy the banquet”
“Another all-nighter? Just look at yourself, your eye bags are showing” the Emperor smiled and asked her.
“I lost so bad yesterday that I just have to get back at them today. Dear, won’t you let me?” the Empress begged him.
“Let us take a picture with our scientist here, then you can go” the Emperor accepted easily.
As he waved his hand, a few officials responsible for the royal press came out.
“Mr. Gu, please stand a bit closer to His Majesty” one of them said.
The Emperor extended his hand.
Gu Qing Shan could only reach forward and shake it.
The Empress stood on the Emperor’s side.
The three of them looked straight at the camera, waiting for their pictures to be taken.
“One, two, three, long live His Majesty”
A perfect picture for diplomatic news was born.
“Then I’ll go play cards now”
Saying so, the Empress quickly left, not even glancing at Gu Qing Shan a single bit.
The Emperor ordered the press: “Put it out immediately”
“What occasion should it be, sire?” the press official asked.
The Emperor thought a bit, then answered: “A charity banquet —–after all, our young scientist Gu had just donated an entire school to one of our rural areas”
News surely travels fast, Gu Qing Shan silently thought.
“Later on, I will also form a national budget for scholarships to encourage education” the Emperor looked at Gu Qing Shan and smiled.
“How magnanimous of you, sire” the official said as he bowed and dismissed himself.
The tune for the first dance started to play.
The Emperor then spoke to Gu Qing Shan: “You can go enjoy yourself, I wish you a wonderful night”
“That I will, Your Majesty” Gu Qing Shan smiled and replied.
He walked down step by step, came to a beautiful lady and politely asked for the first dance.
The beautiful lady looked a bit conflicted, turning to ask the Emperor.
The Emperor nodded.
The lady had no choice but to accept Gu Qing Shan’s invitation and entered the dance floor with him.
“I’m only doing this because of father’s influence, after this dance, I hope you’ll know your place and do not bother me again” the lady smiled beautifully and said.
Others couldn’t hear what she said, so based on her appearance and smile, they’d even think she was following normal etiquette.
“Very well” Gu Qing Shan happily nodded.
The music began to go in tune.
The first dance had started.
Gu Qing Shan held the princess’ hand and danced.
At this point, he had confirmed one thing.
The Empress Varona is a truly smart person.
She had exposed the truth to Gu Qing Shan with a single sentence, then flexibly and swiftly left the scene.
“Last time in the Confederate, although His Majesty was intent on inviting you here, I didn’t feel like you’d really come, so I was a bit cold. Please pardon me for that, young scientist Gu”
That’s what she said, but in truth, at the time she wasn’t cold at all.
Gu Qing Shan remembered clearly how she was the one doing her best to convince him and Anna to visit.
He still remembers her exact words.
“Two weeks later, during the hottest day of the year, we’ll let you come with us to our Northern Palace, the weather there is quite fine. You can go hunting in the morning and there’s a place for a ball in the evenings, if you’re lucky, we might even be able to observe some space monsters with the telescope” (TN: ch200)
Which means, everything she said just now was wrong.
But the Emperor didn’t react at all when he heard that, he was even smiling.
What does this actually mean?
Perhaps others will think that women were simply hard to understand and liked doing things as they saw fit. But thanks to Anna, Gu Qing Shan knew a few things about the Empress.
In official occasions, she has always been a woman of royalty that respects and follow etiquette to a T.
Then, did something happen between the Emperor and Empress?
If it’s only some personal conflict between the Emperor and Empress or political struggle, Gu Qing Shan wouldn’t even want to step in.
But the Emperor did seem a bit off.
Gu Qing Shan contemplated, a bit hesitant.
He was still following the dance at the princess’s pace.
Originally, he was only here for a negotiation.
No matter if it’s a monopoly on technology or cultivation scriptures, he fully trusts that the Fuxi Emperor would consider it.
But now, never mind negotiating, seems like other things are amiss.
He suddenly remembered.
In my past life, the Frost Calamity started in the Fuxi Empire didn’t it?
The dance ended.
The princess very curtly let go of his hand, went off the dance floor and headed towards a tall, handsome Fuxi Empire officer.
Gu Qing Shan turned to leave, found a secluded place and slowly enjoyed a large glass of liquor.
At this point, the Emperor himself went on the dance floor, accompanied by a charming mature lady, kicking the atmosphere of the party up to its peak.
Gu Qing Shan called a servant over, politely asked where the toilet was and headed there.
He went inside, closed the stall door and took out a ball of paper.
As he did the hand kissing etiquette, the Empress had secretly given him this.
Gu Qing Shan opened it up.
[Death’s Relic is in Anna’s hands]
A very simple comment.
Gu Qing Shan looked for a bit, then put it away.
This is quite the clever comment.
First of all, even if this paper is found, the content only involves the Medici clan’s own matter, others don’t have any reason to interfere with it.
Second, Anna only received Death’s Relic again from Gu Qing Shan as she had to go on her way to the bestowal.
This is supposed to be a secret that only his own group knows about.
Since the Empress also knows, it could only mean that Anna had told her everything.
The Empress was emphasizing Anna’s and her close relationship.
——-they were the last two women of the Medici clan after all.
Which means this paper is meant to let Gu Qing Shan know she can be trusted.
After that, the comment that Empress Varona spoke in front of the Emperor to Gu Qing Shan was supposed to tell him there’s a problem.
Combining the two gives an entirely new message: “You have to trust me, there’s a problem with the Emperor”
Gu Qing Shan fell silent.
He muttered: “If I didn’t see it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it”
The Fuxi Emperor is a powerful Professionist, one of the most powerful Professionists, in fact. No one would be able to get through the countless layers of security to get to such a powerful person AND manipulate him without being known.
Which means, perhaps the Emperor himself is the one trying to fool everyone for some sort of plan.
Gu Qing Shan sighed.
Everything is a bit harder now.
Empress Varona is Anna’s aunt, so if anything happens, I’ll have to save her.
If that’s the case…
Gu Qing Shan released his inner sight.
As an Ascended realm cultivator, the range of his inner sight is quite large.
And the people of this world doesn’t know what inner sight is.
So no one will be able to discover him.
Very easily, Gu Qing Shan’s inner sight covered the entire palace, and then some.
In just a few moments, he would know about even the tiniest detail of the smallest blade of grass in the oasis.
