In Wanglong Port, Loran Hill and Aitesi rode in a carriage together, heading towards the residence of Earl Hongyuan, the ruler of this city.
The ruts of the carriage rolled on the white bluish stone slabs, making a slight sound, and the pedestrians and scenery on the street appeared from the vaguely floating curtains.
Through the pale blue curtains, the sunlight scattered onto a blonde girl in the car. She was wearing an exquisite red dress and looked to be about 17 years old. Her soft face was covered with gauze patterns from the curtains, and she had a broken and hazy beauty.
"What kind of person is the Earl of Red Kite?" Loran Hill's light blue eyes turned from the scenery outside the window to look at the solemnly dressed elf princess in front of him.
"She's probably the epitome of a classical aristocrat." Today, Atesi was wearing a white princess dress with gold edges, and a pearl hairnet on her golden hair. She had a princess-like temperament that was rarely seen before.
"His ancestors were scholars from the East who were invited to serve as tutors to the then-emperor. Later, when the emperor came of age, he bestowed upon him a title, and thus the Red Kite family lineage was slowly passed down through the generations."
"Before I left the Western Continent for the East, I had some dealings with him. I felt he was a nice person, with a good reputation locally. He had always maintained a good family tradition. Peace, wisdom, and a poetic temperament were almost the hallmarks of his family. Occasionally, he'd do something out of line in his pursuit of romance, but overall, he was a nice person."
"I've been away from the Western Continent for too long, and I don't understand a lot of things now. Instead of asking around in the tavern for all sorts of gossip whose authenticity is hard to verify, it's better to go directly to him and ask."
"Besides, this place is under the rule of the Duke of Unicorn, who has always had a good relationship with us elves, so there is no need to worry about safety issues."
"Is that so?" Loran Hill nodded. After arriving in Wanglong Port, she had always kept her blonde hair to avoid her true identity being discovered.
Silver hair is still too rare in the world of Ivar, and she can't tell whether her image will be recognized by people in the empire and associated with the sage of Clancy, which will cause a lot of unnecessary trouble.
"Lacey, come with me to meet the Earl. Just tell him you're a friend I met in the East. He won't mind too much."
Aitesi gave a brief explanation, and soon after, the carriage slowly stopped.
"Miss, we're here." The driver's voice came from the front.
"Yeah." Then, Atesi took Loranhill's hand and walked down the beautiful metal and wood carriage.
"Welcome to Her Royal Highness Princess Aitesi." The butler who greeted her at the door recognized the familiar elf girl at a glance.
"Please follow me." He bowed and led the way.
"Long time no see, Federer. You're still so healthy." Etesi simply nodded, then slowly followed, and then the four maids in the mansion also accompanied him.
"Your Highness, you are too kind." The butler, who was about 50 years old, said modestly, and then welcomed the two into an elegant hall.
Sunlight shone through the colored glass onto the sofa and coffee table. The enamel-edged porcelain tea set had already been set out. A young man in his 30s was sitting on the sofa. When he saw the two girls come in, he stood up to greet them.
"It's been a long time since we last met, Your Highness Atesi. I'm sure the Emerald Forest will be much happier to see you return safely."
"Long time no see, Li Lin." Aitesi blinked and looked at the Earl of Red Kite.
"You've matured a lot more than before."
"Can you understand it as I've aged a few years?" Li Lin answered jokingly, then stopped in time.
"Haha, please sit down and have some tea." He invited the two to sit down, and then slowly started talking.
.....
"It seems Your Highness Etesi has had a rough journey this time. Is this beautiful lady a companion you met during your journey?"
"Yes, her name is Lacey. She's the eldest daughter of a business association. This time, she encountered a similar situation as me and was stranded in the East for a long time."
"I see. Hello, Miss Lacey. My name is Li Lin. I am the acting administrator of this city and the heir to the title of Red Kite."
"Hello, Lord Earl Li Lin." Loran Hill bowed slightly, then looked up and took a closer look at the man.
The Earl of Red Kite wore a black fitted suit with a white shirt and silk scarf underneath. One side of his collar was embroidered with a phoenix in red and gold silk thread, creating a strange and beautiful fusion of East and West.
After a brief greeting, Atesi began to ask about the current situation.
"Although Wanglong Port looks peaceful, the empire is actually in turmoil right now. It's no exaggeration to say that it's only one step away from collapse." Picking up the teacup, Earl Hongyuan blew slowly on the surface of the cup before beginning to introduce.
"Your Majesty held the vast majority of power during his reign. Under such circumstances, the empire operated under one voice, making it naturally efficient and powerful."
"But after the Emperor's sudden departure, this left a huge power vacuum in the upper echelons of the empire."
"Who should I listen to now? The petite and innocent queen of ordinary birth, or the emperor's twin brother, or the descendants of the previous emperor?"
"From the perspective of blood relationship and stability, His Highness Edren is the best choice to take over the throne."
"But the Queen has already given birth to a boy. Can His Highness Edren be willing to suppress his desires and become a regent? Even if he has no selfish motives, the people below him may not think so."
"Regents have always had a bad ending. Besides, His Highness Edren should have ascended the throne with his brothers. This is a long-standing tradition in the empire."
Li Lin slowly recounted the source of the chaos in the empire, which was the golden-red imperial throne.
"On the eve of the war's end, His Highness Edren, as Chancellor and ambassador of the Empire, signed a surrender and armistice agreement with Clancy. If it were just the Chancellor and his ministers, this wouldn't be a serious mistake; it was simply a result of current events. However, if he were to ascend to the throne, this would become a huge stain and obstacle. Many nobles in the court used this as an excuse to suppress His Highness Edren."
"During his reign, Your Majesty deprived many of the nobles of their rights and interests. This resulted in a strong backlash from these suppressed voices after his passing. Many even placed all the blame on Your Majesty, threatening to have the throne restored by the late emperor's direct descendants, thus restoring the empire to its rightful place."
"Also, don't think they're just talking. With the royal family's prestige weakening, they've already begun large-scale conscription in their territories, preparing to select the descendants of the previous emperor for support."
"Then who is presiding over the court now?" Atesi asked this key question.
"The Red Queen, Lily Esther."
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