"Of course, I'll set off immediately."
The messenger carefully put away the letter and bowed deeply to Xu Shi, saying, "I hope you all take care on your journey."
Xu Shi was also his savior, so of course he hoped that the other party could return safely, and it would be even better if he could return in triumph.
"Speaking of which, since none of us are here, is it alright to leave Sister Chengcheng alone on the island?"
Xia Wuyou suddenly remembered, "She's not good at fighting, and I'm always a little worried about her."
They are all in the main territory of the empire, so it's not easy for anyone to make any small moves. But now that they've all gone to sea together, there's a fear that someone might take the opportunity to cause trouble.
"It's not a big problem. If we really want to say who would do this, it's probably only the Vatican... but they're currently taking a wait-and-see approach and most likely won't actually do it."
Xu Shi smiled and waved his hand, "Even if they really are shameless, Ye Shanshan will be with her, and Cheng Gujian will also take care of things, so there's no need to worry so much."
"It doesn't matter if Cheng Gujian stays on the sidelines. Before she left the main city, I had already handed over command of the naval combat teams to her."
If we're being honest, those dozen or so warships he hid at sea were Xu Shi's biggest trump card. With that in hand, Jiang Chengcheng would be no problem at all. She's not a fool; she knows how to protect herself.
Of course, it would be best if everything went smoothly, and he didn't want to reveal this trump card so soon. However, if someone really didn't know what was going on, it wouldn't hurt to let them experience what it meant to be haunted by nightmares.
Hearing him say that, Xia Wuyou felt relieved.
It's clear that her relationship with Jiang Chengcheng is getting better and better; she even calls Jiang Chengcheng "Sister Chengcheng" so naturally... This may not necessarily mean she truly acknowledges that you're the boss and I'm the second-in-command, but it's still a form of expression.
Not long after the messenger left, a loud shout came from not far away: "Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"
The once bustling crowd fell silent upon hearing her words, and they all knelt on one knee to welcome her arrival.
Dongfang Xiao made quite a grand entrance today, dressed even more elegantly and luxuriously than when they first met. Surrounded by a group of ministers and knights, he slowly arrived at the port.
"Rise."
She nodded slightly, looked at everyone and spoke calmly, her tone naturally dignified, a stark contrast to the slightly lively and carefree little empress she had been before.
It's clear that, as an emperor, she was very proficient in the basic skills required.
"I am greatly pleased that all of you are willing to devote yourselves to the fight against the Sea God."
She then added, "I'll have to rely on you to take good care of me, Grand Duke Gujian."
"Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail in your trust."
Cheng Gujian quickly replied.
"Long live the Emperor!"
No one knows who started it, but everyone rose up and bowed to him again.
"And envoy Xu... You are not subjects of the empire, but I also hope that you will return safely, at which time the two nations will surely be at peace forever."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Xu Shi was originally on his own ship, but out of politeness, he had to come and make a show of it.
She had actually said this once yesterday at the drill ground, but saying it again now has a different meaning—it's a way of making her stance clear to the world.
The trading post had not been open for long, and many people were still confused about these outsiders. Some people were born with conspiracy theories and subconsciously felt that those who were not of their kind must have different intentions.
This is easy to see – when Jiang Chengcheng and Yu Xingchuan took over the shift, the command ship had already arrived. In the past few days, many people have been pointing fingers at it. If Cheng Gujian hadn't sent people to guard it in advance, who knows what unexpected trouble might have arisen.
Her public statement reassured everyone.
Of course, she did this for another reason: to declare that Xu Shi and the royal family were on the same side. After all, the Hualan Empire was not solely ruled by the royal family, and there were many people who were dissatisfied with it, both openly and secretly.
They naturally trusted another force, and as they spoke, another shout was heard, "Her Highness the Holy Maiden has arrived—"
The scene fell completely silent.
The Papacy's pomp and circumstance were not much smaller than that of the royal family; in fact, they were evenly matched. A veiled girl slowly approached, protected by red-robed priests, while the Knights Templar stood on either side, accompanying her to the port.
"Greetings, Your Highness—"
There were many fanatical followers of the Vatican here, and their worship and veneration were no less impressive than those who had just worshipped Dongfang Xiao.
The show's here.
This thought suddenly popped into Xu Shi's mind.
Indeed, the struggle between political forces is often reflected in all aspects. If we really want to take it to a higher level, even if one less person worships you than I do, there is a lot to make a fuss about. This so-called pre-war mobilization is no exception.
However, at this moment, his attention was more focused on the saintess herself—judging by her figure, she was definitely a good girl, but with her face covered, it was hard to say.
He doesn't believe in God, so naturally he's not interested in this kind of thing. Maybe he only covers his face because you're ugly, right?
Of course, even if this saintess is as beautiful as an angel, it doesn't matter. He has seen countless women and wouldn't be so easily captivated by every pretty one he sees. In comparison, how to maintain balance and manage the relationship between the two sides is more important.
"Your Highness, Holy Maiden."
Dongfang Xiao nodded. "It is the royal family's duty to subdue the sea god. I did not expect that the Holy See would also be willing to contribute its strength. This is truly gratifying to me."
This is actually quite interesting. The subtext is that the Papacy is also part of my royal family... Sure enough, open and covert struggles exist in every corner.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
The veiled saintess spoke in a clear, melodious voice, her words neither humble nor arrogant: "Maintaining the stability of the empire is part of our doctrine, so how could we stand idly by?"
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