Chapter 476

The security here was tight, but the guards bowed respectfully when they saw him.

"Mother, your son has arrived," Dai Xiaoyao called out softly.

A graceful and luxurious woman in palace attire walked out from the inner chamber.

She looked to be just over thirty, with skin like jade, eyebrows like paintings, mature and beautiful, and an excellent figure.

The beautiful woman took her son's hand and looked him up and down: "Xiaoyao, let Mother see; are you getting used to being a king?"

Dai Xiaoyao smiled: "With Mother's care, everything is fine. The officials of Tian Ce are very polite to me, and the imported weapons and equipment are also supplied with priority."

The beautiful woman nodded with satisfaction: "That is good. And your older brother?"

Dai Xiaoyao's older brother was his half-brother, so the beautiful woman's emotions were not very strong.

Dai Xiaoyao said confidently: "He cannot stir up any trouble. With Tian Ce supporting me from behind, that stray dog will never be able to return."

Since ancient times, the struggle for the throne has been a matter of life and death.

The beautiful woman sighed softly: "If your father were alive in heaven, seeing you brothers killing each other..."

Dai Xiaoyao interrupted: "Mother! Now is not the time to talk about this. Are you... doing well in the inner palace of Tian Ce?"

A blush appeared on the beautiful woman's face: "His Majesty treats me extremely well. A few days ago, he even bestowed upon me a Youth-Preserving Pill."

Previously, the beautiful woman did not know what a woman's happiness was, but now she was simply unable to stop, and she had become much younger from being nourished.

Speaking of this, she suddenly lowered her voice, "Xiaoyao, Mother tells you, the strength of Tian Ce far exceeds your imagination. After this Ten Thousand Flowers Assembly, the landscape of the south will surely change drastically. You must hold firmly onto His Majesty's thigh."

Dai Xiaoyao nodded solemnly: "I understand. By the way, at the banquet today, His Majesty seemed to value that merchant named Zhao Jing quite a bit. Does Mother know the relationship between this person and His Majesty?"

Since he had come all this way, Dai Xiaoyao also wanted to gather some information.

The beautiful woman pondered for a moment: "The Zhao Group is very famous in the southern kingdoms, and Zhao Jing is the helmsman; you know this too. However, his meeting with Li Chen was also a matter of chance. I heard Imperial Consort Zhu mention that they met when His Majesty was traveling incognito. For this person to gain His Majesty's favor, he must have extraordinary qualities. You might as well interact with him more in the future."

The mother and son chatted about some family matters, and seeing that it was getting late and the beautiful woman still had to strive for an opportunity to serve the Emperor in his bedchamber, Dai Xiaoyao reluctantly took his leave.

Walking on the road back to the guesthouse, Dai Xiaoyao looked up at the starry sky, feeling a thousand emotions in his heart.

Once upon a time, he was just an unfavored prince. In order to keep him from competing with his older brother for the throne, his father sent him to the Tian Ce Dynasty to study, far away from court politics.

At that time, he just thought about being a cultivator and living a carefree life; perhaps that was the meaning of the name his father gave him.

But now, he has become the ruler of a country.

All of this is thanks to the support of the Emperor of Tian Ce.

Previously, Dai Xiaoyao did not have the idea of being an emperor, but as a prince, who doesn't want to be an emperor?

You watch your father showing off his power on his own turf every day; don't you want to become like that?

If you don't have the strength, you certainly don't want to; if you have the strength, who wouldn't want to try?

Recalling Li Chen's peerless demeanor, Dai Xiaoyao muttered to himself: "This is the true emperor. If I could learn one-tenth of His Majesty's ability, this life would be enough!"

Just as he was about to return to the guesthouse, a familiar figure suddenly appeared at the street corner. The other party called out in surprise: "Brother Dai, is that you?"

Dai Xiaoyao looked closely and was pleasantly surprised: "Xiao Shan? Why are you here?"

Tang Shan stepped forward quickly and gripped Dai Xiaoyao's hand excitedly: "After we parted that day, I came to the Imperial Capital to develop. But you, why did you suddenly appear in the Imperial Capital of Tian Ce?"

Dai Xiaoyao sighed with feigned helplessness: "Alas, I originally intended to return to my country and be a carefree prince, but I had to follow the will of the people and was pushed onto the throne."

As he spoke, he also pretended to adjust his collar carelessly, revealing the dragon-patterned jade pendant at his waist.

This was deliberately showing off.

Everyone used to think you were awesome, but now I am the awesome one.

Tang Shan widened his eyes, looking at Dai Xiaoyao in disbelief: "You... you are now the King of the Kingdom of Xing Luo?"

Tang Shan was surprised; he did not expect his buddy to have done so well. They used to cultivate together in the Chensha Dao Sect and were members of the top combination, the Seven Freaks of Chensha.

Now that they have gone their separate ways, Tang Shan has obtained secret support from the remnants of the Wang family, opened several shops in the Imperial Capital, and recruited talent for his own use, also possessing a certain amount of power.

Thinking of this, Tang Shan enthusiastically pulled Dai Xiaoyao: "Let's go, let's go, let's find a place to reminisce. I opened a restaurant in the south of the city; it's just right for you to taste our shop's craftsmanship."

Dai Xiaoyao readily agreed, and the two arrived at a seven-story restaurant called "Liuxianju," the luxury of which made Dai Xiaoyao secretly click his tongue.

"Not bad, Xiao Shan, this scale is not small." Dai Xiaoyao looked at the magnificent hall.

Tang Shan smiled proudly: "Just luck; I have managed to gain a foothold in the Imperial Capital."

He lowered his voice, "However, the biggest problem now is the lack of connections. Since Brother Dai is already a ruler of a country, I wonder if you could introduce a few high-ranking officials of Tian Ce?"

Upon hearing this, Dai Xiaoyao's heart stirred.

He was just worrying about how to expand his connections in the Tian Ce court, and this old classmate might become a breakthrough.

But on second thought, the highest-ranking person he knew in Tian Ce was Li Chen, but how could the Emperor be so easily approached?

After three rounds of drinks, Dai Xiaoyao's gaze lingered on Tang Shan's handsome face for a moment, and suddenly a flash of inspiration struck: Since Emperor Li Chen likes beauty, and Tang Shan is so handsome, his mother must also be a stunning beauty.

As long as I offer his mother, wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?

But I cannot tell Tang Shan about this; if he goes to offer her, the credit will be his.

I have to ask where his mother lives, observe if she is beautiful, and then offer her. That way the credit counts as mine, and his mother can also help him in the inner palace; wouldn't that be a win-win?

Thinking of this, Dai Xiaoyao asked with feigned concern: "Xiao Shan, speaking of which, we have been classmates for many years, but I have never paid my respects to your mother. I wonder where your mother is now?"

Tang Shan did not suspect anything and sighed: "My mother lives alone in the ancestral home in a small village in the south. Now that you mention it, I have indeed not visited my mother for a long time."

Dai Xiaoyao pursued the question: "The south? Which village exactly? I happen to be passing by on my way back to my country this time; I can visit on your behalf, or should we go see her together?"

Tang Shan thought that he could take this opportunity to get close to Dai Xiaoyao, and by the way, go to his country to observe and discuss cooperation.

Thinking of this, Tang Shan said: "Qinglin Village, right under the Cloud Mist Mountain in the southern border of Tian Ce. I haven't been back for a long time; why don't we travel together? I also want to see how Brother Dai is developing in the Kingdom of Xing Luo."

A smile appeared on Dai Xiaoyao's face, and he said: "No problem, when we return to the country, I will definitely drink until we are both drunk with my brother!"

Just like that, two guys, each harboring their own ulterior motives, plotted together.

(End of this chapter)