Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 942 – The Diplomatic Mission from the Great Western Continent

The demi-human experts and the elite Red River Beast Guard followed the Empress’s orders and searched the city for the whereabouts of Bie Yanghong and his wife. Coupled with the phenomena from yesterday, White Emperor City was in an abnormally tense mood. The small towns in its periphery closed the gates that faced the mountains and wilderness.

The mists and clouds in the mountains were very difficult to disperse. Only when the sun was at its zenith and the wind was at its most fierce was there a chance to clearly see those nine massive trees that soared straight into the sky, and right now, many eyes were peering towards the mountains of a certain direction.

On the other side of that vast range of mountains was the Western Sea, and deep within the Western Sea was the legendary Great Western Continent.

The most recent rumor said that the Second Prince of the Great Western Continent was coming to White Emperor City to marry Princess Luoheng.

The rumors finally received proof today. The gates of those small towns that led to the mountains were all opened, the official roads quaked, and the monsters fled.

The diplomatic mission from the Great Western Continent was about to arrive at White Emperor City, its representative the Second Prince. The ostensible purpose of the diplomatic mission was to congratulate the White Emperor for his birthday. And given the relationship between the Great Western Continent and the Empress, there was simply no reason for the demi-humans to reject them. When the diplomatic mission finally reached White Emperor City, the tense atmosphere that had persisted for one day and one night was slightly eased, with many commoners from the various demi-human tribes packing the streets to view the spectacle.

The gaze that was also watching Great Western Continent but with incomparable vigilance naturally came from the Human race.

White Emperor City had three important buildings belonging to the Human race.

These were the embassy of the Great Zhou Imperial Court, the Orthodoxy’s Daoist Church of the Western Wastes, and the Tang clan’s company, which represented the powers of the south.

The first reaction of the Imperial Court’s ambassador and the Tang clan’s manager upon learning of this matter was this: if White Emperor City was truly prepared to enter a marriage alliance with the Great Western Continent, they had assuredly made ample preparations, so nothing could be done other than to inform the Imperial Court and Wenshui as quickly as possible.

The bishops of the Daoist Church of the Western Wastes, which represented the will of the Orthodoxy, similarly knew that this matter would be very difficult to stop. But now that the entire continent knew that the Great Western Continent’s Imperial clan had attempted to harm the Pope, how could they possibly stand and watch as this same clan sent someone to marry the Pope’s student?

When the Great Western Continent’s diplomatic mission entered the palace, the Orthodoxy’s Daoist Church of the Western Wastes sent a letter of protest into the palace at the same time, its wording so unyielding that it was practically a letter of challenge. At the same time, the archbishop of the church tore apart the invitation for the dinner to welcome the diplomatic mission in front of thousands of demi-human believers and then stamped on its shreds, not even giving the demi-humans the smallest bit of face.

Upon learning and verifying this news, the Great Zhou’s embassy and the Tang clan’s company also refused the invitation to tonight’s banquet, though they did it in a much gentler manner.

Regardless of what the Human race’s stance was, the banquet still proceeded normally.

On the same night, White Emperor City was festooned with bright lanterns and banners. The Imperial Palace at the very highest point was particularly well lit, oil strongly blazing as the entire place celebrated.

Even after the banquet concluded, the festivities did not slacken. Though the guests of honor, the members of the Great Western Continent’s diplomatic mission, had already gone to rest, many of the other guests did not.

Upon seeing the figures of those guests that remained in the palace, the several hundred Red River Beast Guard in charge of keeping the Imperial Palace safe were very wary, and even rather nervous. However, they did not dare to drive the guests away or even attempt to persuade them. This was because these guests were all important personages of the Demi-human race, and some of them were even their fathers.

The important demi-human personages in these palace halls included generals and ministers, but the majority of them were members of the Council of Elders.

The Demi-human Council of Elders was somewhat similar to the Demon Council of Elders, but it was stronger and had a higher status. The Demi-human race was formed from three-hundred-some tribes, and the clan leaders of twenty-seven of these tribes, the most powerful and most storied, were naturally members of the Council of Elders. Another ten-odd seats were chosen from the remaining tribes. As for how one’s rank in the Council of Elders was decided, it was very simple: the longer one lived, the stronger one was, and the higher one’s seat.

At present, the Chief Elder of the Demi-human race was the leader of the Xiang clan.

It was rumored that this Chief Elder possessed a divine strength that reached the heavens. Although he had not yet entered the Divine, he already had the ability to fight with an expert of the Divine Domain.

The Chief Elder’s mountainous body was incredibly conspicuous as it stood in front of the palace hall, and it seemed just as silent as a mountain.

His silence did not quiet the conversations in the hall. On the contrary, the other guests seemed to indulge, the conversations getting louder and louder, the atmosphere growing increasingly tense.

These conversations were naturally related to the Great Western Continent’s diplomatic mission, and also to yesterday’s phenomena, and also to the rumors that had been going around over the last few days.

Was Princess Luoluo really about to be married off? Was there a need to be in such a hurry? Were His Majesty’s injuries still not better? And truly, why could it not be Princess Luoluo? Although such a thing had never happened in the entirety of the Demi-human race’s history, didn’t His Holiness the Pope resolve her problems?

One rumor could produce many conjectures. Both the members of the Council of Elders and the demi-human generals speculated on the veracity of the rumor as well as many more questions.

Of course, whether or not Princess Luoluo was willing to be married off and who she would be married off to had very little to do with them, because the Emperor of the Demi-humans would always be from the White Emperor clan. The only ones who had the right to care, the side branches of the White Emperor clan, were actually even more quiet and subdued, not daring to express an opinion for fear of offending the White Emperor and the Empress.

But did she really have to be married off to the Second Prince from the Great Western Continent?

Madam Mu slowly strode into the palace hall, which seemed somewhat empty due to its vast size.

The demi-human elders, generals, and ministers within the hall bowed as one.

The giant demi-human Chief Elder had a very deep and vigorous voice, like the echo coming from deep within the mountains.

But he spoke very directly, in absolute accord with the temperament of demi-humans and the manner in which they discussed topics.

“Empress, are you truly prepared to marry off Her Highness to the nephew of your parent’s clan?”

The Chief Elder gazed at Madam Mu, his right hand gripping the handle of an axe, making no attempts to hide his movements.

“If so, we will revolt.”

Madam Mu appeared incredibly tiny in front of him, like a dwarf, but she had an even more formidable presence.

She indifferently said to the Chief Elder, “Then revolt well.”

These words of absolute indifference were the most tyrannical declaration.

She had already been Empress for centuries and shared a deep love with the White Emperor. It had been many years since she had been that young lady entering the land of demi-humans for the first time, and she had an incredibly lofty reputation amongst the Demi-human race. Whether it was the clan leaders of the tribes or the young hunters along the two shores of the Red River, they all regarded her as a god, not daring to pay her the slightest disrespect.

The palace hall became utterly silent at this declaration. No one dared to speak, with only the wind blowing against the hard stone walls.

Even the Chief Elder felt a powerful pressure. He thought quietly for a moment, then said, “We require an explanation.”

Madam Mu expressionlessly said, “Rumors are only rumors. Moreover, even if she is to be married off, why must Elder oppose it?”

The Chief Elder’s expression did not change as he impassively said, “Empress should know the reason.”