Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Wholehearted Loyalty

Xia You had only seen the Emperor on the star-net headlines and setting foot in the royal palace was a first for him.

While he did feel some nervousness, he wasn’t overly uneasy.

Having lived through the apocalypse, much of Xia You's reverence for high-ranking individuals had waned. After all, the Emperor wouldn’t have gone to great lengths to trick him into the palace just to harm him.

Xia You pondered as he walked through the palace corridors alongside the chief guard.

If he could get through today, he would truly have secured a powerful ally. Even if something happened to the Marshal, he could lead a comfortable retirement life by virtue of his status as a survivor.

Xia You respected Marshal Lu Yinghuai, but their acquaintance was brief and during a time when Xia You was not fully conscious.

Given the circumstances, while repaying a favor was essential, seeking benefits for oneself was currently the utmost priority.

The Emperor of the Empire was in his prime. The old Xia You was only interested in the world outside the capital star and never cared about nobility or politics, so he knew very little about this Emperor.

But one thing was crystal clear to him.

The Emperor’s psychic power level, like his own, was Class C.

Historically, all emperors of the Empire had a minimum psychic power level of Class A. This Emperor had faced many challenges upon his accession. With his Class C psychic level, he ascended the throne, stepping over the blood of his kinsmen.

However, due to the nature of royal affairs, many public accounts were vague. On his journey to the palace, Xia You spent a considerable amount of time piecing together various bits of gossip about the nobility from the depths of his memory.

— It appeared that the Emperor’s successful ascension was inextricably linked to his Empress.

However, what was rarely spoken about in the Empire was the fact that the Empress seldom appeared in public. After the birth of the Crown Prince, no one in the palace had seen her again.

Yet, with the Emperor refraining from issuing any decree, the Senate was reluctant to advise him to remarry.

Additionally, given the Emperor's lack of camaraderie with the Senate nobility before his accession, and not having sought their support during his rise to the throne, the Senate simply had no influence over him.

This discord has persisted between the two parties ever since.

The black panther walking beside Xia You seemed to sense his distraction. Its long, whip-like sleek tail gently brushed against the back of Xia You's hand.

Coming back to his senses, Xia You realized he stood before a palace door and immediately composed his expression.

Inside the inner chamber, the Emperor had clearly dismissed those around him, leaving only a man of average features. At first glance, he seemed unremarkable, but the embroidery on his robe marked him as the Minister of Internal Affairs.

While this position might not rank as highly as some other titles, everyone knew that the holder of this role was among the Emperor's most trusted and intimate confidants.

Xia You did not dare to stare at the Emperor too long, but the brief glance he cast left him somewhat surprised.

Contrary to his public image at grand ceremonies, the Emperor seated in the reception hall looked calm and serene, with a hint of a smile around his eyes, exuding an understated, yet palpable aura of authority.

"You're here? Please, have a seat." The Emperor set down his tea cup and spoke warmly.

"Xia You pays his respects to Your Majesty."

First performing the customary noble salute, Xia You took his seat under the guidance of the chief guard.

However, before he could even settle, the black panther, with its elegant and graceful gait, approached and sat neatly next to him. Its long tail rose, curled slightly at the tip, resting on Xia You's hand.

The Emperor, seated in the primary position, arched an eyebrow slightly. A fleeting look of surprise passed through his half-lidded eyes, quickly turning into a teasing smile.

"It's the first time I've seen Yuan Yuan so close to someone."

Yuan Yuan?

Xia You blinked, immediately making the connection.

Of course, if the Marshal had a pet panther, it would have a name. One couldn't just keep calling it 'panther.'

But the name 'Yuan Yuan'...

Upon hearing its name, the panther's tail, which was resting on Xia You's hand, stiffened momentarily, and its ear twitched.

Xia You couldn't help but reveal a slightly bemused expression.

He found it hard to imagine a scene on the battlefield where the formidable Marshal would call out to his war companion with a name as endearing as “Yuan Yuan”.

Seeing the easily readable expression on the young man's face across from him, the Emperor chuckled lightly, "When he was young, he disliked human interaction and always preferred to hide in high places or inside cabinets. He looked like a dark, fluffy mass, hence the name Yuan Yuan."

Xia You tilted his head in curiosity, "So, Your Excellency the Marshal has been raising a panther since childhood?"

The Emperor's lips curved even more, "Indeed. However, Ying Huai isn’t particularly fond of Yuan Yuan."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Who knows?" The venerable man shrugged, displaying an unexpectedly easy-going demeanor, "As Ying Huai grew older, he disliked our meetings with Yuan Yuan, making the panther also less attached to us."

Listening to this, Xia You felt a pang of sympathy for the hidden panther. Instinctively, he reached out to pet it. As he did so, the elegantly poised panther lifted its head to glance at the young man, its glossy tail wrapping around the boy's wrist.

"You're about the same age as Ah Hong. May I address you directly as Xiao Yu?"

Ah Hong probably referred to Crown Prince Qin An Hong, who was indeed around the same age as Xia You.

From the beginning, the Emperor before him did not display a condescending demeanor. Relaxed, Xia You's eyes crinkled in a smile, "Of course, it would be an honor, Your Majesty."

The Emperor silently observed the interaction between Xia You and the panther. A range of emotions flickered in his eyes. After a moment, he began, "Xiao Yu, do you know who the previous Marshal of the First Legion was?"

Even if Xia You wasn't particularly interested in politics, he knew the name of the previous Marshal.

With a serious expression, he nodded, "Yes, it was Lord Lu Jiu Zhu."

Strangely enough, mental energy disorder should have been a rare disease, but in the First Legion, many soldiers suffered from it.

The previous Marshal, Lord Lu Jiu Zhu, was one of them. Less than three years after her diagnosis, there was a violent eruption of her mental energy. This paved the way for Lu Ying Huai to become the youngest Marshal in the Empire's history.

Wait... Lu?

Xia You's eyes widened momentarily.

The Emperor's fingers, resting on the arm of the sofa, flinched slightly at the mention of a particular name. After a pause, he continued, "Lu Jiu Zhu was Lu Ying Huai's biological sister and, at the same time, the Empire's only Empress."

The Empire’s Empress? That would mean...

Xia You: "..."

Unexpectedly bombarded with court secrets, Xia You instinctively clutched and stroked the panther's tail to calm his nerves.

So, the Emperor, known for not having good external relations, is actually the brother-in-law of Marshal Lu?

No wonder, after the unexpected marital match with Marshal Lu, it was the ever-busy Emperor who sought to speak with me.

"Your Majesty," Xia You, having realized the situation, sat upright, hands respectfully on his knees, and spoke solemnly, "I understand that being betrothed to the Marshal is a grave matter, but it will not change my prior commitment to collaborating with the Marshal's residence."

The Emperor listened to Xia You's response without interrupting, displaying patience and tolerance.

Xia You hesitated briefly, understanding the gravity of this meeting, and gathered courage to add, "While I come from nobility, I do not condone the practices of the aristocracy manipulating marriage ties for their benefit, nor do I wish to be a pawn my father uses for his gains."

The young man's candid and bold statement made the Emperor chuckle, teasingly remarking, "Yet by marrying into the Lu family, you might become an even more valuable asset for your father."

"But neither the Marshal nor Your Majesty would allow such a thing to happen, right?" The youth's clear eyes, devoid of the cunning calculations common among nobles, were sincere and earnest, "No one said a pawn can't choose its board. I am willing to serve both the Marshal and Your Majesty."

Xia You's eyes curved into mischievous crescents as he playfully remarked, "Given the Marshal's care and support for the First Legion, I believe he won't mistreat his matched partner, would he?"

With interlaced fingers resting on his knees, the Emperor gazed at the young man, who could easily be called a 'kid', and smiled, asking leisurely, "What does Xiao Yu wish for then?"

Xia You thought, 'This is it', looking directly into the eyes of the man opposite him, he stated deliberately, "I want to sever ties with the Xia family, receive the Marshal's protection, and ensure a sufficient supply of energy stones during my spiritual power development phase."

The young one was serious and clearly knew what he wanted and what he could offer.

This was rare.

Who would have thought that just by casually saving a boy, Ying Huai inadvertently found a young man who matched him so well in every aspect... in certain contexts, it almost felt like a match made in heaven.

"Spiritual power development?" The Emperor, with sharp intuition, caught onto a particular point and raised an eyebrow in query.

Xia You never intended to hide this from the beginning; firstly, the energy stones required for advancing spiritual power were not a trivial amount, and secondly, though he might be at a disadvantage now, Xia You believed he couldn't rely on others forever, he had to grasp his own power.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Xia You replied earnestly, "My spiritual power talent has mutated. It can be stimulated to a higher level by absorbing energy stones, but the process might be...protracted."

With his last words, Xia You subtly implied that he might not be able to reach a high level before the Marshal's condition worsened.

The Emperor chuckled softly, choosing not to speak further but gave a slight nod to the Chief of Internal Affairs standing beside him.

The Chief understood, quickly moving behind a desk to retrieve a stack of documents and presenting them to Xia You.

Xia You, taken aback, accepted and began to skim through.

After reading just a few lines, everything before his eyes went dark.

Xia You raised her hand, trying to avoid the leopard's head that brushed up obstructing her view. Yet, the persistent leopard head followed closely. Left with no choice, Xia You rested her chin between the panther's ears, and together, human and leopard harmoniously flipped through the documents.

It was a planetary assessment report. The more Xia You read, the more intrigued she became, until she reached the last page where she found the planet's name—unexpected yet completely logical.

In the interstellar age, a planet fully preserving its original ecosystem was rare. Perhaps only the home planet, which had been long plagued by the apocalyptic virus and remained closed off to imperial citizens, was an exception.

Blue Star.

The Emperor patiently waited for Xia You to finish reading. Observing the affectionate interaction between the boy and the panther, he only spoke when Xia You looked up with a questioning gaze:

"The traffic on the Imperial Capital planet is complex, and various forces have been probing into Ying Huai's condition. Hence, Ying Huai has been recuperating on Blue Star and only recently returned to the Imperial Capital due to the persistent meddling of the Senate."

"However, this match has thoroughly crushed the Senate's original plans of annexing the Lu family."

After all, with a 100% match rate, the Senate had no grounds to object. And Xia You, being a duke's son with a birth mother who once served in the First Legion, had an unassailable reputation.

"So now, the initiative is in our hands."

Xia You tried to listen, but the panther, upset at being ignored, leaned its head closer to her, searching for something, all the while purring loudly.

Instinctively, Xia You channeled her psychic energy, stroking along the panther's body until the creature calmed down.

The Emperor tapped his leg twice, paused, then continued, "Xia You, I have a favor to ask."

"Healers with psychic abilities can somewhat alleviate Ying Huai's pain during outbreaks. However, because the healers at the Healing Center can't leave the Imperial Capital planet, Ying Huai has never been comforted by this psychic energy over the years."

"After settling your affairs in the Imperial Capital, I hope you'd consider moving to Blue Star with Ying Huai."

"Of course." Xia You replied breezily, visibly relieved.

The Emperor was momentarily taken aback.

Seeing this, the Minister of Internal Affairs added gently, "Master Xia, Blue Star has yet to undergo large-scale development due to certain energy leaks, so the living conditions might be challenging."

Xia You realized, so the technology on Blue Star was relatively primitive compared to the Imperial Capital?

Hmm... Xia You's impression of Blue Star was mostly of post-apocalyptic devastation.

But regarding living there, she saw no reason why not.

After all, where in the world can one find something absolutely perfect?

The Emperor observed the subtle changes in Xia You's expression and, recalling specific notes in the boy's dossier, remarked, “The Blue Star, being a top-secret military planet, is significant because over a third of the energy stones used by the military come from its mines.”

“Furthermore, due to its pristine environment, Blue Star is known as the galaxy's primary haven for wild animals.”

Xia You's eyes visibly lit up at the mention.

……

After seeing off Xia You, the Minister of Internal Affairs returned to the Emperor's side.

The Emperor, engrossed in his paperwork, paused and inquired, “What do you think?”

The Minister chuckled, “He's a good lad, quite different from the rumors outside.”

“Duke Xia indeed lacks vision,” mused the Emperor, his gaze lowered. “I recall Xia You's birthday is next month. The Xia family should show some gesture.”

“Yes, I will see to it.”

“Also, inform Meng Wenxuan about Xia You's psychic power mutation.”

“Understood.”

As the door to the study opened and closed, the Emperor glanced out the window, his eyes revealing a hint of weariness.

According to Meng Wenxuan's report, Ying Huai's current unstable phase seemed different from previous ones. There was hope for an awakening. The Emperor wished that before returning to Blue Star, Ying Huai could at least wake up once.

On Blue Star...

Thinking of the beloved he hadn't seen in over three years, a heavy sigh escaped the Emperor's lips.

***

Upon returning from the palace, the panther unapologetically followed Xia You to his residence.

When trying to remove the muzzle from the Marshal, had it not been for Xia You holding the panther, Wei Cheng almost got his wrist bitten.

The muzzle, which had restrained the Marshal for an entire day, was torn to shreds by the panther's claws and fangs right in front of Wei Cheng.

Sensing a veiled warning, Wei Cheng was left speechless.

Once the dejected adjutant, Xiao Se, had left, Xia You burst into laughter, embracing the panther's head, showering it with kisses and caresses.

The overtly biased panther, not only tolerated the boy's closeness but even raised its paw to rest on the youth's shoulder. It opened its mouth, intending to lick Xia You's golden hair, but the boy, anticipating the move, deftly evaded.

Holding his head, Xia You playfully protested, “Stop licking! Your tongue has barbs, and you'll make me bald!”

The boy and the panther played together for a while until Xia You, glancing at the time, suddenly remembered something.

Holding the panther's head close, he affectionately rubbed his cheek against it, asking softly, “Yuan Yuan, what do you usually eat?”

Xia You had only asked casually, preparing to contact Major Wei, but the panther seemed to understand. It stood and walked towards the door, pausing to glance back when it noticed Xia You wasn't following.

Momentarily stunned, Xia You quickly rose to his feet and followed.

After about a fifteen-minute walk, as Xia You rounded a corridor, the space suddenly expanded before him.

Recognizing what lay ahead, Xia You gasped in astonishment, “Is this—”