Chapter 1509 - 1507: Just a Nightmare
Chapter 1509: Chapter 1507: Just a Nightmare
Chapter 1507
The envoy hadn’t finished speaking.
Zhao Junyao’s face had already turned ashen.
He still couldn’t believe that Chenchen had been captured alive.
But even if it was fake, he didn’t dare take the risk.
That was his son, the Monarch of the Great Chu Dynasty.
To compromise with a few sea bandits, where would the dignity of the Great Chu Dynasty be placed for centuries to come?
Moreover, compromising without going to war first would greatly damage the morale of the soldiers.
An utterly harmful act with no benefits cannot be done.
However, the envoy’s next words left Zhao Junyao’s freshly made decision shattered.
He said smugly.
"Words without evidence, promises without guarantee! You surely still don’t quite believe!"
"But don’t worry, you must have retrieved a corpse over the past few days, that person was the Hidden Guard beside your Emperor!"
"Hahaha... Their master and servant have long been captured by us!"
"Of course, if you’re still in doubt, another corpse will float to the sea tomorrow, and then you’ll know upon inspection!"
Zhao Junyao’s face grew even darker.
The feeling of having one’s lifeline held tightly by the enemy was truly unpleasant.
He clenched his fist in secret, his gaze colder than frost.
Yet the envoy remained unafraid, arrogantly continuing.
"The message has been delivered. I hope Taishang Huang considers carefully whether profits are more important... or the life of your Great Chu Dynasty’s Emperor!"
"The message has been delivered. I bid farewell!"
After speaking, he left swaggeringly.
In the room, Zhao Junyao and the others were left wide-eyed, unable to respond for a long time.
Everyone was extremely quiet, and no one dared provoke Taishang Huang at that moment.
It was unclear how much time had passed.
Zhao Junyao rubbed his hands and resolutely issued several orders.
"First, send people to search the coast! If Chenchen has truly been captured alive, he will definitely leave some traces behind!"
"Second, tonight send people to approach the enemy’s warship, one or two people will suffice, not too many, and don’t alert the snake!"
"Third, pass down the command to prepare the ships. Tomorrow at noon, I want to personally meet this Monarch of the Southern Ocean Kingdom!"
"Yes!"
The people below swiftly accepted the orders, and no one dared to advise against it.
...
After dispersing everyone.
Zhao Junyao sat alone in the room, feeling regret and frustration.
How come he hadn’t thought of it?
How come he didn’t consider that there were several bandit-like kingdoms in the south?
Their resources were scarce, productivity lagging, and population sparse.
How could they be considered kingdoms, they were practically bandits ruling the mountains.
No resources, no food, no cloth, even the Royal Family was of pirate descent.
In such a place, who would care about credibility and etiquette? Who would talk about benevolence and righteousness?
They are a bunch of desperadoes, willing to be shameless for food and warmth, for profits, as much as they can.
So taking advantage of others in peril is something they can definitely do without surprise.
Chenchen could think of this, why couldn’t he?
Zhao Junyao frowned and shook his head.
But no matter how regretful, it wouldn’t solve the problem.
He had to force himself to go over those once-familiar documents again.
When he was studying, the teacher told him.
If you can’t find any clues, review what you’re familiar with, you’ll surely discover something new.
He followed suit.
And then... indeed!
In the gazetteer of the Southern Ocean Kingdom, there were several pages dedicated to introducing plants.
On one page corner, there was an extremely small line of text that read impressively.
’Coagulation Grass, grows on sea reefs, seabirds that eat it become paralyzed and die!’
Previously, due to the tiny font and its triviality, he hadn’t paid attention.
Now it seemed that the poison among the Hidden Guards might well be related to this Coagulation Grass.
Zhao Junyao exhaled deeply, his gaze colder.
What to do?
He had only one thought in mind.
No matter what, he must protect Chenchen.
Be it through negotiation or otherwise.
The Great Chu Dynasty cannot afford this disgrace, nor can he abandon his beloved son.
...
On Xia Ruqing’s side.
When Zhao Junyao returned that night, it was already long past dinner time.
He seemed somewhat absent-minded, the whole person downcast.
Xia Ruqing knew he had been busy all day, surely encountering some tricky matters, so she refrained from asking too much.
As he washed up, she accompanied him.
As he fell asleep, she remained quietly by his side without speaking.
If he was restless asleep, she would hold his hand.
Throughout, she didn’t think much, merely assumed it was a problem with disaster victims in the city.
Until... Zhao Junyao in his dream cried out Chenchen’s name.
He urgently reached out, loudly exclaiming.
"Chenchen, don’t be afraid, you won’t be harmed, father is coming to save you!"
"Chenchen, don’t die!"
Xia Ruqing instantly broke out in cold sweat.
’Chenchen? Don’t die?’
She frowned deeply in thought, Chenchen was fine distributing aid in the city, how could he die?
Lost in thought, Zhao Junyao had already woken up on his own.
He was drenched in sweat, looking as if awoken from fright, his face pale as if blood had been drained.
Xia Ruqing was even more puzzled, it was merely a nightmare, how could it scare him to such a degree?
"What’s wrong?"
She finally couldn’t resist asking.
Zhao Junyao’s expression flickered vaguely, then coming to his senses, he calmed his chest.
"I..."
"Just a nightmare, Qingqing, there’s no need to worry!"
Xia Ruqing hesitated slightly.
"Really?"
Zhao Junyao nodded resolutely.
"Yes!!"
"I dreamt of Chenchen floating on water, unconscious, surrounded by a bunch of sea bandits!"
"And no matter what I did, I couldn’t get close! I was anxious, then..."
"Qingqing... "
He suddenly embraced her.
"Do you think... am I unqualified, unfit to be a father?"
Xia Ruqing sighed in relief, smiling as she patted his shoulder.
"What nonsense are you talking, it’s just a dream!"
"Chenchen is fine, stop overthinking!"
"It’s late, quickly sleep, tomorrow you still need to help Chenchen!"
Zhao Junyao nodded.
"Yes!"
"Tomorrow I still need to help Chenchen!"
He had decided, tomorrow no matter what he must rescue Chenchen.
Even if it means ceding territory, he wouldn’t hesitate.
However... promising is promising, ceding is ceding, it’ll be their skill if the Southern Ocean Kingdom can hold it.
Everything has just begun, let’s see how it unfolds.
Even if he’s old, no longer the wise man of his youth, he won’t retreat a single step.
Even if it costs him his old life, he must protect his land and his child.
...
He coughed heavily for a while, drank some water, and then lay down again.
Xia Ruqing also lay at his side, still dressed.
Only one candle remained lit in the room.
In the dim light, she turned her head to stare at Zhao Junyao’s face.
Feeling worry, and unease.
’He promised he wouldn’t deceive me again, but she always felt a bit uneasy in her heart.’
’Was he hiding his physical condition? Not that!’
’Those Imperial Physicians have all said his health is temporarily fine, it shouldn’t be a lie, so... what is it then?’
What else is he hiding?
Could it be... Chenchen?!!
Xia Ruqing’s expression instantly grew grave.
Indeed, the plague rages in the city, various strange diseases proliferating, Chenchen enters and exits different places in the city each day, inevitably...