Chapter 363: Turning Against Each Other on the Spot

Lei En had previously heard Ai Mili Si speak of this person's existence.

Wei Sela of Zhuo Geng Bao—his grandfather was an uncle of King Xi Rui Ya, a pure‑blood dragon descendant, but he broke family tradition by marrying a non‑dragon woman, who bore Wei Sela's father. Wei Sela himself was the result of his father's drunken dalliance, a bastard.

By seniority, Wei Sela is Ai Mili Si's older cousin.

However, the Zhuo Geng Bao family only recognizes dragon descendants as its own kin; Wei Sela could never enter the royal house, lest he defile the noble true dragon bloodline.

Not to mention he is a bastard; in the status‑obsessed Kangjiatuo, bastards are derisively called mongrels and have always been despised.

After the Zhuo Geng Bao dynasty fell, the vast majority of dragon descendants were slain; Wei Sela, because of his low status, luckily escaped. He fled with Ai Mili Si to Hai Tuo Ke, and, being a few years older than her, always acted as her elder brother, privately adopting the surname "Zhuo Geng Bao".

Wei Sela lacked the qualification to practice the Zhuo Geng Bao family's Meditation Method, could not become a dragon‑descendant apostle, so he joined the Storm Temple and became a storm priest.

His talent is quite good, and backed by family influence and resources; he is now a ninth‑rank storm priest, only one step away from legend.

Within the Storm Church, Wei Sela's standing is also high.

Thanks to the church and his family's connections, he thrives in Hai Tuo Ke, weaving deep networks among the local aristocracy and befriending the city lord.

Within Ai Mili Si's restoration faction, Wei Sela ranks just below her, essentially the second‑in‑command, even A Si Tan and Wa Luo Gen give him a few points of respect.

At this moment, Wei Sela stared coldly at Lei En, showing no concealment of his hostility.

Lei En, however, seemed indifferent and averted his gaze.

Instead, Wa Luo Gen beside him glanced at Wei Sela, his soul's hue shifting for an instant before snapping back to normal.

The carriage crossed the manor's lawn and stopped before the main hall's doors.

Wa Luo Gen hurried down the steps, like a steward personally opening the door, and said courteously, "Princess Your Highness, welcome home."

Ai Mili Si placed her hand on Wa Luo Gen's arm, feigning support as she stepped down, lifted her hood to reveal her beautiful face, and whispered, "Lord Wa Luo Gen, there is no need for such formality."

"It is my honor to serve Your Highness," Wa Luo Gen said sincerely.

His gaze shifted to the newly dismounted Lei En; a round face broke into a smile, "Honorable Count, I, Wa Luo Gen, have admired you for a long time; today I finally meet you, truly worthy of the Empire's famed hero, so handsome and dashing, ha ha…"

He speaks so smoothly.

Lei En internally muttered, then nodded at him, "Lord Wa Luo Gen, you flatter me."

"I have not uttered a single false word," Wa Luo Gen declared solemnly, then looked toward the dismounted guards, "Lord A Si Tan, Mr. Ding La Ji, Mr. Bi Ge Bei Er, and all of you, thank you for your efforts."

In a brief encounter, he managed to attend to everyone.

At that moment Wei Sela stepped forward and said, "Ai Mili Si, you've been in Mo Du for almost two years; I was about to go find you. Fortunately, you have returned." His eyes were full of affection, completely ignoring the others, as if they were insignificant.

Even a blind person could see Wei Sela's intent; it was a provocation toward Lei En.

The scene became briefly awkward.

Ai Mili Si frowned, her face showing displeasure.

Wa Luo Gen hurriedly smoothed things over, saying, "Your Highness, Count, everyone, please come in quickly." He led the group into the manor villa; servants brought in washing implements, cleaned the guests after the dust settled, and seated them in a secluded side hall.

Lei En's gaze swept the hall, and he nodded inwardly.

A Soundproof Force Field is set up here; behind an expensive tapestry lies a hidden magical door, evidently an emergency escape passage.

Ai Mili Si sat at the head and asked, "How are the preparations on the Hai Tuo Ke side?"

"Your Highness."

Wa Luo Gen was about to stand and report, but Ai Mili Si stopped him, having him sit again, and then continued, "When I received your message last month, I dispatched people to the Empire and various parts of the New Continent to summon the mercenaries back. Because the distance is great, only a little over a hundred have returned so far; I expect to reach three hundred within a month, and all mercenaries will be gathered within two months."

"We have been preparing pre‑war supplies and equipment for many years; they are more than sufficient."

"However, I have also secretly gathered a portion as a supplement; the detailed accounts will be presented to Your Highness shortly."

"Regarding the centaurs, I recently sent them a batch of supplies and mentioned the deployment to Ka Li Sa, the tribe chief; he did not object, but Ka Li Sa requested a private audience with Your Highness. I cannot decide, so I must ask Your Highness to go to the grasslands."

One by one the matters were reported, and only Wa Luo Gen's voice filled the room.

His reasoning was clear, and each issue was handled properly.

Ai Mili Si occasionally interjected with questions, and Wa Luo Gen could answer immediately, providing explanations; even when uncertain, he promised to resolve it at once.

The group's emotions were all highly excited.

The plan, plotted for many years, could finally be put into action, each person brimming with confidence.

Lei En did not join the discussion; like A Si Tan, he remained silent from start to finish, as an outsider. He did not wish to partake much in pre‑war preparations; Ai Mili Si and her group have planned for years, so no problems should arise, and he only needed to handle the fighting.

Having finished the preparations, Wa Luo Gen moved to the most important agenda item.

"Your Highness, give me at most another two months and everything will be ready," Wa Luo Gen said, "Should we not determine the departure time and where to land in Kangjiatuo?"

Everyone looked to Ai Mili Si; only she could decide.

Ai Mili Si pondered for a moment, then said, "The time will be set from the end of June to early July, with the first battle on Dragon Crystal Island."

"Dragon Crystal Island has a deep‑water port, but few guards; our ships can sail directly in, seize control of the island. Once we capture Dragon Crystal Island, we can nail a foothold on Kangjiatuo's coast as our forward base."

"Moreover, Dragon Crystal Island is my fief, bearing symbolic significance."

"What do you think?"

The two chief strategists, Wa Luo Gen and Ding La Ji, both agreed; in fact they had long considered the issue, aligning perfectly with Ai Mili Si's thoughts.

Wa Luo Gen looked at Lei En and asked, "Lord Count, will your knights and Weizelan's Wizards travel with us by sea, or after seizing Dragon Crystal Island, be teleported onto the island?"

Lei En couldn't help but glance at him.

Obviously, Wa Luo Gen had learned from Ai Mili Si that he could construct a teleportation array.

The number of troops to retake Kangjiatuo will exceed seven thousand; they cannot all be teleported, as the cost is too high—just the consumption of Arcane Energy Crystals would amount to hundreds of thousands of Gold Shield, and there is also considerable risk.

However, transporting a small number of people is feasible.

The Wizards together with the knights number only a few hundred; using the teleport gate can achieve a surprise effect, dropping directly onto Dragon Crystal Island to breach it from within.

Lei En thought for a moment, then said, "If you have the materials ready to build the teleport array, the task of seizing Dragon Crystal Island can be entrusted to me."

Attacking land from the sea, even with few defenders, is not an easy task.

Dragon Crystal Island is equipped with steam crossbow cannons; if a few ships were pierced, the loss would be huge. Wa Luo Gen had been waiting for Lei En's words, and immediately agreed, "Then I shall trouble the Count; all materials will be delivered tomorrow."

Lei En nodded and said nothing further.

Next, Wa Luogen spoke again about the current situation in Kangjiatuo.

He had once been a senior minister of King Xi Rui Ya, and was very familiar with Kangjiatuo; even while abroad, he successfully built a massive intelligence network that infiltrated the major families, keeping the news flowing.

The present king, who is also Ai Mi Li Si's greatest enemy, Ma Erke Labor Dier, was the one who personally hammered Ai Mi Li Si's brother to death back then; the former crown prince, a highly prestigious and capable heir, who then seized the throne.

Ma Erke had been king for over forty years, yet showed little interest in governing the country.

This king was engrossed in cultivation and pleasure, delegating all domestic affairs to the Imperial Council, whose chief official is Prime Minister Ni Weite Dansi, Duke, who is also the king's father‑in‑law and the queen's father.

The Dansi family is also one of Kangjiatuo's seven great families, possessing the Dansi Principality, within which many gold mines have been discovered; it has long been Kangjiatuo's wealthiest family.

The operation that overthrew the Zhuo Geng Bao dynasty back then was launched behind the scenes by the Duke of Dansi.

But in the end, Ma Erke ascended the throne.

To win over the Duke of Dansi, Ma Erke married the duke's eldest daughter as queen, forming an alliance so the two families jointly ruled Kangjiatuo.

"Your Highness, I uncovered a major secret last year, and it was only confirmed recently. Using this secret might help us lessen the resistance to restoring the kingdom," Wa Luogen said, a hint of mystery and schadenfreude on his face.

"What secret?" Ai Mi Li Si perked up and asked eagerly.

"The three children the queen bore are not Ma Erke's offspring, but the result of incest between the queen and her brother Kost," Wa Luogen said, then suddenly looked at Ding Laji sitting beside him, as if awaiting his reaction.

"Really?"

The few people in the room were all astonished.

The most shocked was Demon sorcerer Ding Laji; his ugly face froze, his gaze grew complicated, and he couldn't help asking, "Wa Luogen, are you sure this is true?"

"It's absolutely true," Wa Luogen replied resolutely.

Ding Laji's usually unrestrained demeanor collapsed at once, as if unable to believe the fact.

Lei En, however, was a bit bewildered.

Ai Mi Li Si leaned over and whispered, "Ding Laji comes from the Dansi family; that queen is his older sister."

Lei En's mind cleared.

What a tangled web: Ding Laji, the prime minister's son, defected overseas to pledge loyalty to Ai Mi Li Si, plotting to overthrow his own brother‑in‑law—the king—and even opposing his prime‑minister father; it's nothing but another melodramatic family ethics saga.

So all that commotion was just internal squabbles, the grudges and feuds among several families.

After everyone digested the news, Wa Luogen continued, "Your Highness, should we leak this secret?"

A king, indeed, had his queen wear a green hat on him, and what a huge one!

Not even a king could bear such humiliation; even a common man couldn't accept it, and worse, all three children were born of the queen's incest with her brother.

To cleanse the disgrace, Ma Erke and the Dansi family might become mortal enemies, perhaps even go to war.

If other families take sides, it could spark a civil war.

When Kangjiatuo's great families have largely slaughtered each other, draining their strength, the chance will arise; perhaps we can reclaim the kingdom with little effort.

Ai Mi Li Si glanced at the still‑dazed Ding Laji, did not hesitate, and nodded, "That's the plan, Wa Luogen, within half a month this secret must be known to everyone in Kangjiatuo."

"Your Highness, I have already positioned personnel in the kingdom's main dozen‑plus cities; we'll start tonight, and it won't take half a month—by tomorrow it will spread," Wa Luogen said with a sly smile.

Lei En guessed his method and sent people to scatter flyers throughout the night.

Common folk love this kind of gossip, especially the ruler's scandalous rumors; once spread, they cannot be concealed.

After another brief discussion, everyone rose and dispersed.

After a lavish dinner, Wa Luogen had already prepared a room; Ai Mi Li Si habitually slipped her arm around Lei En's, intending to go upstairs with him for the night.

A Si Tan, Ding Laji, and Bi Ge Bei Er were accustomed to it and showed no reaction.

Wa Luogen was not surprised at all.

Only Wei Se Lai's expression darkened, his face twisted, anger seeming ready to erupt from his eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "Ai Mi Li Si, did you sleep with him?"

The question was so blunt that everyone was stunned.

The banquet hall was silent as a pin dropping.

Ai Mi Li Si turned to Wei Se Lai, expression blank, and replied, "Wei Se Lai, this is not something you should inquire about; please restrain yourself."

"I am also a member of the Zhuo Geng Bao family; as your cousin, why can't I ask?"

Wei Se Lai, suppressing his fury, his chest rising rapidly, pointed at Lei En and demanded, "He is not a Dragonborn, merely a common mortal; he was lucky to be under a Holy Soul Wizard's patronage. We can cooperate with him, but you must not sleep with him!"

"The noble blood of the Dragonborn lineage must not be defiled by mortals."

"Moreover, you are the future queen of Kangjiatuo; if you bear children with him, they would not be Dragonborn, so who will…?"

"Without Dragonborn, how can we revive the Zhuo Geng Bao family?"

"If the family cannot grow strong again, what meaning does our restoration have?"

"Could it be that future kings of Kangjiatuo will have to change their surname to Augustus?"

Wei Se Lai's barrage of questions was accompanied by a fierce glare; gusts of wind and thunder roared around him, water and lightning elements coalescing about his body, clearly in extreme anger.

Ai Mi Li Si fell silent.

Wa Luogen and the others were all nervous, fearing that Wei Se Lai's words might cause Lei En to turn hostile, which would ruin decades of plans.

They bowed their heads in apology, vowing never to set such flags again, thinking that once spoken they must be fulfilled as self‑pressure, but they broke their word.

This feeling is too painful… I'm sorry for being clumsy, everyone!

(End of Chapter)