Chapter 412

Chapter 412: Your Majesty’s Greatest Anticipation Is You

Ao Yiner returned to her seat, excitedly shaking Ming’s arm. “Ming, Ming! Your Majesty is truly breathtaking! And standing by her side, I felt such an aura of authority that I could barely speak.”

After meeting the Dragon Empress up close, Ao Yiner wanted to share her feelings with Ming just like a child sharing something significant with their friend.

Ming understood Ao Yiner’s excitement.

When he first met the Dragon Empress, he too was captivated and couldn’t look away for a long time.

Not even considering the Dragon Empress’s appearance,

just her presence alone was unmatched.

Especially her deep eyes, which seemed to have witnessed countless cycles of hope and despair.

In her gaze, one could see not only strength and majesty but also a profound loneliness that stirred compassion.

This sympathy would then turn into an impulse, making you feel willing to give everything just to ease the solitude in her eyes.

“Ming, do you think I can become someone like the Dragon Empress?” Ao Yiner looked at Ming expectantly.

Ming: “…”

Ming was genuinely at a loss for words.

What on earth is this girl talking about?

Can you become someone like the Dragon Empress? How can you even ask that?

Let’s not talk about looks and physique. To reach the level of the Northern Sea Dragon Empress, you’d first need to become the Empress of the Eastern Sea.

The problem is, your brothers would never let you be the empress.

Because you’re a girl, they don’t see you as a threat. If you posed any threat to the throne, they wouldn’t be so affectionate towards you anymore.

And with your personality, even if you did become the empress, you’d probably be sold without realizing it—worse, you’d help count the money while being sold.

You know you don’t have that ability, right? Not to mention the “beautiful, strong, tragic” aura of the Dragon Empress, which comes from deeply loving someone and never letting go, chasing them for ten thousand years without finding them.

Never mind, never mind. We shouldn’t say more. The more we talk, the sadder the Dragon Empress seems.

“Ming, say something! Why aren’t you talking? Do you think I can become like the Dragon Empress?”

Seeing Ming remain silent, Ao Yiner continued shaking his arm.

For some reason, Ao Yiner felt that Ming must be thinking something very disrespectful, as if he didn’t trust her at all.

“I think you don’t need to become like the Dragon Empress,” Ming started to coax the innocent girl, trying to prevent her from going down this wrong path. “You are who you are, not anyone else, and you don’t need to become anyone else. This is already the best version of you, no worse than anyone.”

“Huh?” Hearing Ming’s words, Ao Yiner blinked her almond-shaped eyes, raising a delicate fist to lightly hit Ming, her cheeks flushing red.

“You… what are you saying? Don’t talk nonsense!” Ao Yiner lowered her head, her hands nervously rubbing her thighs.

Ao Jin watched his sister acting coy toward this pig, infuriated enough to down two cups of wine! Ming felt someone staring at him from the right. When he turned around, he saw Zhu Cici’s resentful eyes.

Ming: “Zhu miss? Is there something wrong? Do you need anything?”

“Nope!” Zhu Cici turned her head and drank a cup of wine in anger, accidentally choking herself and coughing violently.

Ming: “…”

Lu Xiaoliu smiled at these young people and sighed, feeling how wonderful youth was.

The future belongs to these youngsters. But as they grow up, will these young people sitting together end up standing together or on opposite sides? And when they face each other as adversaries, how will they feel?

“What’s wrong, Brother Lu? Do you feel youth is great?” Mr. Liu looked at Lu Xiaoliu, raised his wine glass, and instantly saw through his thoughts.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t youth be great?” Lu Xiaoliu raised his glass and clinked it against Mr. Liu’s.

Mr. Liu finished his tea in one gulp: “Back when you, Ink Pool, and Wenmou were together, I had the same feeling—that this world belonged to you, and you would surely become the master manipulators of the heavens.

But look at you three now:

One recklessly went to the mortal dynasty.

One is trapped by love, unable to let go.

One spends all day relaxing at the White Deer Academy.”

“Sorry, sorry, we really disappointed Master Liu.” Lu Xiaoliu apologized and personally refilled Mr. Liu’s cup. “But Master Liu, what you said isn’t entirely correct. Only I am slacking off.”

“You three…” Mr. Liu took a sip of wine. “When will you wake up?”

“Our sincerest apologies.” Lu Xiaoliu casually replied, then pulled out a long box from his sleeve.

“Cici, get ready, it’s your turn.” Lu Xiaoliu called out to Cici ahead.

Zhu Cici snapped back to reality, realizing that the Yin-Yang Sect from the Western Regions had just finished presenting their gift, and it was now the White Deer Academy’s turn.

Zhu Cici stood up, holding the long box, and walked gracefully up the steps.

“Zhu Cici of the White Deer Academy presents this gift to Your Majesty, wishing prosperity to the four seas.”

Zhu Cici approached the Dragon Empress, elegantly bowing like she was holding a lute.

The Dragon Empress looked at Zhu Cici and slowly said,

“Every gift prepared by the White Deer Academy is always the most ingenious. I particularly look forward to it.

But this time, what I look forward to the most is not your academy’s gift.

Do you know what it is?”

Zhu Cici was somewhat surprised, not expecting the Dragon Empress to say these words to her.

She bowed again and looked at the Dragon Empress. “Cici does not know. I hope Your Majesty will enlighten me.”

The Dragon Empress stared directly into the young woman’s eyes: “What I look forward to the most is you.”

…

…

[Today I saved two drafts, so tomorrow I can update more.

I’m mainly considering whether to save drafts for the New Year period because the closer it gets to the holiday, the less I want to write.

So I thought it would be good to save drafts during this time, so I don’t have to write during the holiday and can just release the saved chapters.

I’ve saved six chapters over the past two days, which is about right. Tomorrow I’ll continue writing ten thousand words.]