Chapter 298

Chapter 298: Truly, ignorance is bliss.

Shen Sheng Sheng did not enter the Imperial Palace with Ming Xu.

Sheng Sheng’s bloodline was far too special.

The magic array set up within the palace was no less than a forbidden land’s great protective array of sacred sites. The palace was also the Dragon Eye of Wu Kingdom’s Mountain and River Fortune.

The majority of demons would be considered enemies.

Xu Ming worried that as soon as Sheng Sheng stepped into the palace, she’d be instantly annihilated by the palace’s grand array.

Upon arriving at the palace, there used to be searches conducted by maidservants who stored away item pouches to prevent assassination attempts during an audience with the Emperor.

But this time, there was none of that.

It goes without saying; it was definitely a deliberate instruction from the Emperor of Wu to emphasize “my one hundred percent trust in you.” We are ruler and subject—no doubts! Transparency itself! It must be said, such actions indeed could win favor.

If it were those passionate youths, they’d probably already want to “sacrifice their heads and spill their blood for the emperor, dying for a worthy friend.”

However, for Xu Ming, this effect was rather mediocre.

Because Xu Ming had no intention of “selling himself to the imperial family.”

Moreover, the feudal society’s concept of ruler-subject roles meant nothing to Xu Ming.

A palace maid led Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han to the entrance of Qingxin Hall.

Eunuch Wei was already waiting at the entrance of Qingxin Hall.

“Ah, Princess, Minister of Civil and Military Affairs, your servant has finally waited for both of you,” Wei Xin quickly approached, welcoming them.

“Eunuch Wei.” Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han bowed respectfully and greeted him.

“Ah ah ah, no need for such formality, your servant can’t bear it,” Wei Xin sidestepped, avoiding their bow, “Please enter, Your Majesty is already waiting.”

“Alright.”

Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han nodded, Wei opened the doors of Qingxin Hall. After they entered, Wei personally closed the door behind them.

“Minister Xu Ming/Your humble daughter Yan Han pays respects to Your Majesty/Father Emperor.”

Walking into Qingxin Hall, seeing the Emperor sitting at the front, Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han called out together.

“Ho ho ho ho, no need for so many pleasantries, we’re all family here, why be so formal?”

The Emperor stood up, walking towards Xu Ming and his own daughter, helping them up.

The Emperor carefully examined Xu Ming, like a proud elder for his younger generation, patting Xu Ming on the shoulder: “Excellent, excellent, Xu Ming, you have not disappointed me!

I thought your martial talent and literary brilliance were already remarkable.

But it turns out you can cultivate, even becoming a sword cultivator! Not only that, you’ve even survived unprecedented ten thunder tribulations!

I am truly delighted for you! To have someone like you is truly a blessing for our Wu Kingdom! Ancestral protection indeed!”

“Your Majesty flatters me too much,” Xu Ming bent down to bow deeply, showing no arrogance, “My achievements today are all thanks to Your Majesty’s cultivation. And my opportunity to become a sword cultivator during my trials was entirely due to Your Majesty’s dragon fortune. Without Your Majesty, how could I exist?”

“…” Listening to Xu Ming’s sweet words, Wu Yan Han felt goosebumps rise.

Why don’t I see you being so grateful to my father usually?

This is too fake.

Honestly speaking, Wu Yan Han now also felt that it was a pity this guy wasn’t in office.

Xu Ming’s thick-skinned nature, smooth interpersonal skills, and skillful flattery made him a good candidate for officialdom.

“Ho ho ho… Xu Ming, you’re too modest, too modest!” The Emperor laughed heartily, clearly enjoying Xu Ming’s flattery.

The Emperor held Xu Ming with one hand and his daughter with the other: “Come, come, let’s not stand here, take your seats. It’s noon already, I’m sure you two are hungry. Let’s eat together.” “Thank Your Majesty.”

Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han politely responded and sat beside the Emperor.

This table was just a normal square table, not very large, like an ordinary family dining together.

It was clear that the Emperor deliberately did this to show intimacy, and the smaller the table, the closer the distance between them.

Under the Emperor’s invitation, Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han ate their meal slowly.

All these dishes were made from ingredients rich in spiritual energy.

For example, this steamed sea bass wasn’t an ordinary bass but a rare Sea Dragon Bass, extremely valuable.

Just the cost of this table of dishes alone might be worth more than a thousand gold taels.

And even if you had a thousand taels of gold, you might still not be able to buy all these dishes.

The three of them chatted casually while eating.

Mostly, it was the Emperor asking questions, and Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han answering.

The questions mainly revolved around Xu Ming’s interesting travel stories over the past year, without touching any crucial matters.

As for what kind of opportunity Xu Ming obtained to embark on the path of cultivation, the Emperor didn’t ask.

After all, everyone has their secrets, and something like Xu Ming’s opportunity should not be probed too much.

This meal was eaten in a very harmonious atmosphere. Xu Ming felt that the Emperor simply wanted to build some rapport with him.

Actually, the Emperor also wanted to reward Xu Ming.

But since Xu Ming had merely survived the thunder tribulation without establishing any significant merit, the Emperor thought about it and decided to wait.

They would soon head to the Rootless Mystic Realm, and after Xu Ming returned, he would be rewarded then.

After lunch, the Emperor pulled Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han to go hunting.

Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han did not refuse.

“Why don’t we have a little competition? No use of any other means, just using our bows and arrows, see who hits the most prey, what do you say?” the Emperor suggested.

With the Emperor suggesting this, how could Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han refuse?

It’s like when your boss asks if you want to go to KTV tonight; can you say your throat hurts? When your boss offers you a cigarette, can you say, “Not Hua Zi, I cough”?

So, Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han each rode a horse, holding ordinary bows and arrows to go hunting.

And just when Xu Ming and Wu Yan Han left, the Emperor’s eyes slightly narrowed, calling out to the empty surroundings: “Someone.”

In the next instant, more than ten people with face veils surrounded the Emperor.

“Do as I instructed you earlier,” the Emperor told them. “There must be no mistakes!”

“Yes!”

Everyone nodded and disappeared from before the Emperor in an instant.

“My daughter ranked in the top ten of the Red Beauty List and is a Martial God Body, yet she still needs to resort to such methods.”

As he spoke, the Emperor gazed ahead, sighing involuntarily.

“Xu Ming, this young man, truly doesn’t know how fortunate he is.”