Chapter 2266: Mulan Secrets

Regarding Xia Duo's request, Jiamu did not take it upon himself to make a decision for Prince Aben, but instead said he needed to report back first, while guaranteeing a definitive answer within a day.

Xia Duo could certainly understand; Jiamu was merely an ordinary Tax Official, and he lacked the courage to make decisions for a Prince. During the waiting time, Xia Duo and Niya remained on the Magic Ship.

……

On the other side, leaving aside Jiamu's report to Prince Aben for the moment, within a hidden dimension somewhere in Yinnupulasi, a conspiracy targeting Xia Duo was quietly unfolding—

"I have received notice from above, saying that all Mulan near Yinnupulasi are to be gathered, preparing to be selected by that Easterner."

"Are you sure that outsider is an Easterner? Didn't he come over with the merchants from Keman?"

"I am sure. I have seen the other party with my own eyes: black hair, black eyes, and features softer than those of foreigners. He is exactly the Easterner passed down through the words of our ancestors for generations."

"But how could an Easterner appear here? Could he be in collusion with the Yimaska?"

"Why couldn't he be here to save us? Legend says our ancestors were also people of the Eastern World, were they not?"

"You are overthinking it. Even in legends, Easterners are high and mighty masters. We are just the descendants of the conquered; we are not their kin at all. How could they possibly save us?"

"Then what should we do now? The kin near Yinnupulasi are involved in a key part of the plan. If they are taken away by that Easterner, we no longer have another millennium to prepare."

"Oh, my Lord! Why must you arrange such a tragic fate for us Mulan!"

"Watch your tongue!"

"It is not the worst time yet. For now, those above only require me to gather the people. It is not yet certain whether that Easterner actually wants them; after all, we possess no talent for craftsmanship!"

"But this uncertain fate is truly too hard to endure. We must do something!"

"I just came from outside. The Council of Elders already intends to wait and see for now. Even if those kin are taken away by the Easterner, it is not necessarily a bad thing."

"But that would completely cut off their hope of returning to their homeland!"

"Those old stubborn fools only know how to endure and wait. Do they not know that our people have already endured and waited for over a thousand years? How many of our current kin have forgotten our origins and are content to take pride in being slaves to the Yimaska! Another millennium, and I truly dare not imagine it!"

【To be honest, I have been using a source-switching app to read and follow updates recently. It has many voices for text-to-speech, and it works on both Android and Apple.】

"Then what do you want to do?"

"Kill that Easterner!"

Once these words were spoken, the hidden dimension fell into a deathly silence, but the dozen or so slightly hurried breaths that followed revealed the attitude of those present.

It is unknown how much time passed before one of the Mulan spoke slowly, "This matter must be discussed with the Council of Elders first. We cannot act alone. If we ruin the plan, the price is not something we can afford!"

"Those old stubborn fools certainly won't agree. They only know how to endure and wait!"

"Andiye bu, the Elders are all wise seniors. It was they who found the path for our people to return to our homeland. I do not wish to hear disrespectful words about the Elders again!"

"Yes."

Andiye bu agreed with his mouth, but his eyes still revealed obvious reluctance. Afterward, he did not continue to discuss with the others, but instead found an excuse to leave the place.

"Time is about up. My master may look for me at any time, so I am heading back. Let's set a new time to talk again later. As for the Council of Elders, I will not bother with them anymore; I have already fulfilled my duty."

After Andiye bu left, the remaining Mulan did not discuss for much longer. After all, their current status was that of slaves; being able to leave their master's sight was already a luxury, let alone spending time on meaningless discussions.

This meeting was largely for that companion who had just returned from outside the city to share the arrangements from the Council of Elders, while the others shared some of the recent situations within the city.

Next, if there are no major changes, this group will likely be unable to meet again for some time.

……

One day later.

Xia Duo received a formal invitation from Prince Aben. The location was in a high tower north of Red Square. It was initially just a place for a small group of craftsmen to relax and communicate in private, but later, as its reputation spread, it became a rather famous craftsman's club in Yinnupulasi.

Of course, because the number of people received increased, dimensional facilities were built there. All internal activities took place within a hidden dimension, rather than the physical building in the Main Plane.

When Xia Duo arrived, he went directly to a suspended platform on the fifth floor via a Portal at a reception area outside the high tower, and then entered the club from the entrance on this suspended platform.

According to Jiamu's introduction, the entrance on the first floor of the high tower now served only as a decoration and was only opened when maintenance was occasionally needed; it was not used normally.

"By the way, Tax Official Jiamu, when I meet Prince Aben later, will you be present?"

"Mage Asuosi is worried about the language, right? Actually, there is no need to worry. Prince Aben himself is proficient in Elvish, so he can communicate with you freely without a translator."

Jiamu did not answer directly, but it could be considered a disguised answer. The Prince would never allow him to be present when meeting foreign guests; even if a translator were needed, it likely wouldn't be his turn.

Xia Duo was somewhat surprised by this. On the way to Yimaska, Poche had already said countless times that Yimaska was xenophobic, and Xia Duo's own experience had indeed not felt much warmth.

That a prince of such a country was actually proficient in Elvish also caused Xia Duo's impression of Yimaska to change slightly; xenophobia did not equate to resisting foreign information; it might just be an attitude.

……

Soon, Xia Duo met Prince Aben in a reception hall decorated with gold and Gemstone. Although the meeting venue looked extremely luxurious, the Prince himself looked as simple as an ordinary Scholar from Xilu.

The only things that could highlight his status were perhaps the multiple rings on his fingers and an accessory hanging by his ear that resembled a hearing aid.

"Netherese Asuosi has met Prince Aben. May Your Highness's Wisdom be like fire, rising and never ceasing."

"Mage Asuosi, nice to meet you. I also hope your path of Magic is smooth and that you reach the pinnacle!"

Prince Aben spoke very authentic Elvish. Xia Duo seriously suspected that the other party might have been to the Elven Nations of Xilu; otherwise, it would be difficult to explain how a foreign prince far from Xilu could be so proficient in Elvish.

As for the "Asuosi" that Xia Duo called himself, this was not actually a deception. Perhaps it could be said that this was his Elvish name; the name "Xia Duo" was actually a Chinese transliteration, then written in Netherese script.

The corresponding Elvish vocabulary simply did not exist, so he chose a pseudonym he had used many times in the Projection Plane to serve as his translation name in Elvish.