Monarch of Evernight - Chapter 972

Chapter 972: 972

Within the Streamdew Courtyard in the depths of the imperial palace, red flowers were dancing amidst the jade-green bamboo and the breeze was caressing the supple willows . Empress Li sat leaning on the parapet, gently stroking the snow-white cat on her lap and seemingly thinking about something . At this point in time, the person, the scenery, and the cat, everything was as beautiful as a painting—but there was something disharmonious about it .

The white cat was struggling constantly in the empress’ hands, its eyes filled with terror . It was as though the animal had just seen something extremely terrifying . It tried to cry out but no sound came out, and no matter how it struggled, it couldn’t escape Empress Li’s gentle caress .

A maid arrived in brisk steps, arriving behind Empress Li as though she were walking on water . “Empress, Steward Liu is back and has obtained the thing you wanted . ”

Empress Li’s dark eyebrows moved slightly . “Summon him . ”

“Yes . ” The maid thus withdrew . All this time, she had kept her head lowered, not looking at the cat even once .

The white feline seemed to have lost all hope after the maid’s departure . It no longer struggled or cried out, allowing the empress to stroke it as she wished .

Eunuch Liu arrived moments later . He had one hand on a young servant, his steps leisurely and his countenance, jaded . At a glance, he looked just like an elder with one foot in the grave and no semblance of an expert’s demeanor .

Seeing Eunuch Liu arrive, Empress Li stood up and waved her hand gently . “Seat . ” A maid responded immediately, carrying in a brocade-lined seat and placing it toward the side .

Eunuch Liu didn’t deny the gesture and duly took his place . Only after the old man was seated did the empress resume her position and send the attendants away .

A wisp of anxiety and anticipation appeared on the empress’ face after everyone was gone . “How did it go?”

Eunuch Liu said slowly, “There were some twists and turns, but things can be considered to have gone quite smoothly . That Luo Bingfeng is unexpectedly powerful, probably on par with me on the holy mountain . Fortunately, he was too upright and magnanimous . In the end, he fell to the combined scheming of the seventh young noble and Zhang Buzhou . The passage has been secured and Young Noble Kuanglan has successfully entered . I think I’ve completed my mission . ”

Empress Li still looked a bit worried . “It’s lucky that you were there . Do you think Kuanglan will encounter danger in the Great Maelstrom?”

Eunuch Liu said, “Anything can happen in the Great Maelstrom, but Young Noble Kuanglan is a highly proficient swordsman and blessed with great fortune . She should be fine . As for the detailed situation, I cannot see into the Great Maelstrom, so I’ll have to disappoint you . ”

The empress replied, “If it wasn’t for you restraining the one on the Throne of Blood, the empire wouldn’t have taken the passage successfully . Sigh, this passage leads straight to the depths of the maelstrom, a place no one had been to before . I hope Kuanglan will be alright . But I heard there were other setbacks in the process, do you know the details?”

Eunuch Liu explained briefly how Yun Zhong and Yun Hai had tried to harm Qianye . “I’ve personally killed the two traitors . ”

Empress Li frowned . “What are their origins? Why did they do this?”

Eunuch Liu replied slowly, “This matter is highly complicated . I’ve sent people to investigate, but I don’t know if they’ll succeed . ”

Empress Li frowned as she noticed Eunuch Liu’s hidden words . “Is there anything you can’t do? If needed, I can lend you my command token . ”

Eunuch Liu shook his head . “I’m old now, so there are times when I’m muddled . Even if I have your command token, I might not remember how to use it . ”

Empress Li’s brows relaxed after hearing this . She said with a faint smile, “Since that’s the case, then I won’t force you . Now that you’re here, why don’t you tell me how that person performed?”

Eunuch Liu’s expression was serious . “Do you want the truth or polite words?”

“Of course the truth . There’s no one else here, so you need not fear anything, speak frankly . ”

Eunuch Liu said, “But there’s a cat . ”

Empress Li smiled faintly . “Just an animal, it can’t do much . ”

“Yet anxious animals might scratch . Your body is of the utmost importance, it won’t be good if you get scratched . ”

Empress Li smiled radiantly . “Such a small wound is nothing . If that happens, I’ll let this animal see the immensity of heaven and earth, reminding it to stop thinking about nonsense . ”

Eunuch Liu nodded . “Since that’s how you think, I won’t hide it from you . What do you want to know?”

“What do you want to tell me?”

Eunuch Liu pondered momentarily before saying, “The Throne of Blood had an eye on me so I didn’t stay until the end, but I heard his last strike was extremely terrifying . ”

Empress Li’s brows rose high and her smile became more dazzling . “This is the best news I’ve heard in recent days . ”

Eunuch Liu said, “It’s only half good . I have something for your eyes . ”

He produced a palm-sized scroll from his chest pocket and passed it over . Empress Li received the object, tapping lightly on Eunuch Liu’s hand as she did so .

The eunuch seemed not to have noticed . He merely said with a bow, “I’ll take my leave, then . Please look through the item after I’m gone . ”

Empress Li nodded and stood up as a gesture of farewell . “Take care . ”

After waiting for the eunuch to leave, Empress Li removed the seal on the scroll and slowly opened it up . There was a pair of black wings on the small painting scroll, so lifelike that it was about to fly out of the paper .

Empress Li held her breath for a good while, her expression filled with both joy and worry . She sighed gently as she tore the scroll to pieces, crushed it into a ball along with the roller, and then tossed it into the pond .

Countless carps surfaced from the waters and fought to swallow up the paper, even the roller .

Empress Li couldn’t help but reveal a cold smile when she noticed the cat on her lap staring at the pond with wide eyes . The dazed cat felt something was wrong—it looked up all of a sudden and started crying mournfully upon seeing the empress’ expression .

Empress Li summoned a maid and handed the cat to her . “Bring it away, dig out its eyes, and keep it at the imperial villa . End your own life if it dies along the way . ”

Trembling, the maid picked up the cat and, grabbing it tightly, left with hurried steps .

Empress Li sat down contemplating and then broke into a cold laugh . “I’ll take action if worse comes to worst . I must see what kind of tricks you can pull!”

The neutral lands, outside of Tidehark . Song Zining’s flagship had been parked in the air outside of Tidehark for many days now . He himself was training with his spear on the deck, the weapon striking mysteriously like a momentous dragon .

After he had completed a set of spear techniques, someone nearby started clapping . “Good spear technique! This Fueled Fire Spear has gone through such changes in your hands, it seems to have reached a completely new realm . I think no one in the Song clan is your match in spear technique, perhaps with the exception of the old ancestor . ”

Song Zining turned back with a smile . “Eunuch Zhang is one of the top experts in the imperial palace, how can such minor tricks enter your eyes?”

Eunuch Zhang laughed . “Seventh Young Noble is already so talented at such a young age, you’re destined to become a heavenly monarch in the future . I, on the other hand, am content if I can climb two more ranks . There’s no way I can compete with you . ”

Song Zining replied, “Eunuch Zhang will become a divine champion after a single breakthrough . At that point, the head steward position can only be yours . I’ll have to rely on your care in the future . ”

Eunuch Zhang said, “Well said, well said! I came here because I have something to discuss with you . ”

Song Zining smiled . “You’re too kind, let’s talk inside . ”

The two entered the cabin shoulder to shoulder and sat down in an isolated room . After the servants had laid down tea and snacks, Eunuch Zhang leaned forward and said in a whisper, “I want to know something . Who is your backing in the imperial palace?”

Song Zining said with a smile, “Since you’re asking so directly, then I won’t hide it from you . I’ve been helping the empress with some menial tasks recently . ”

The eunuch’s smile grew even wider . “I’m relieved, but I have something I want to ask you . Why do you attach so much importance to the Eastern Sea?”

Song Zining smiled spuriously . “I’ve already moved my entire company over here . Why do you think that is?”

Eunuch Zhang clenched his teeth . “I understand! Although I’m old, I have a good chance of stepping into the divine champion realm within three years, I also have some say in matters within the palace . I think I’ll be of some use to you . I’ve accumulated some savings during my thirty years of service in the palace and would like to bet on you, what do you say?”

Song Zining laughed gently . “The Eastern Sea is a big piece of meat, not something I can swallow on my own . It is, of course, a good thing if you’re willing to join me . ”

The two exchanged glances and laughed with increasing cheer .

In the imperial camp outside of Tidehark, several aristocratic elders were holding a secret meeting . Elder Lu said with a gloomy expression, “We’ve discussed things back and forth but haven’t been able to reach a conclusion . I think we cannot keep on dragging this matter out . We have to take swift action in gaining Eunuch Zhang’s favor . Without him, we won’t be able to dig anything out of Song Zining . ”

Everyone expressed their agreement but soon started fighting over what this investment was and how to distribute it among the families . Ultimately, they never came to a conclusion .

Song Zining looked down at the imperial camp from the deck of his airship, muttering, “A group of jumping clowns . They scramble for power and benefits but never check to see if the food will burn their lips . ”

He walked over to the other side of the deck and gazed upon the forming silhouette of the dark ball above the holy mountain—it was much clearer than several days ago . Song Zining said with a smile, “Heh, I want to see how you’ll get over this trial . We’ve known each other for so many years, do you think I have no way to deal with you?”

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became . He brought out a divination token and placed it on his forehead . “Good boy, Qianye, Good boy, don’t fight back! Let me see how many bad things you’ve done . ”

These words had no effect on divination, nor could it turn one’s fortune around like a charm or incantation . He was just muttering to himself for fun .

However, he had just finished speaking and hadn’t even activated his divination arts when his vision turned dark . He couldn’t see anything at all for a moment .

It felt as though a pair of invisible eyes were slowly opening in the darkness, staring at him .

“Humph!”

A somewhat sullen voice echoed in Song Zining’s ears . Then, his divination token snapped in half, the upper segment of which struck his forehead with considerable force and knocked him out .