Chapter 126

Chapter 126

After the coronation ceremony of the Crown Prince, as per tradition, they were to move to an inner hall to continue with the internal celebration.

In layman's terms, this was essentially a large reception. Everyone gathered together, casually chatting in a pleasant atmosphere. Interspersed within seemingly trivial conversations were discussions that, for these high-profile individuals, involved deciphering hidden messages—a crucial skill. The more discreet ones skillfully used the art of language to subtly convey their intended messages. Beyond this, more direct means were body language and facial expressions, though these nobles and ministers and their descendants often weren’t accustomed to expressing their emotions in such 'blatant' ways...

But there are always exceptions.

Newly coronated Bai Sha followed behind Cecil Ronin as they entered the venue. Ministers and nobles, who rarely saw the Emperor, boldly approached him, each wanting to exchange a few words with him—even though they all maintained a 'just right' level of enthusiasm, without appearing too obsequious, the cumulative effect was enough to engulf the Emperor in a noisy crowd.

The Emperor, known for his reserved nature, was not a tyrant, and thus bore the socializing patiently.

As Cecil Ronin observed the surging crowd, he instinctively stepped back, intending to pull his niece to the forefront to divert attention, but his hand grasped at air.

The Emperor paused momentarily, looked up in the direction where his niece had been standing, and saw Bai Sha—

But she was not alone; surrounded by her companions.

"Sino from the Us family, Jiya from the Ji family, and others like Cen Yuehuai and Yu Yan, all faces very familiar to the Emperor. In addition, there were four individuals invited by Bai Sha from the Federation."

"Bai Sha's left arm was grabbed by Yan Jingyi, while her right arm was clutched by Cen Yuehuai. The two groups stood on either side of her, creating a clear divide, almost forming a vacuum around Bai Sha."

"Yan Jingyi and Cen Yuehuai had grabbed Bai Sha at the same time. Both were startled by each other's boldness."

"Yan Jingyi raised an eyebrow, staring directly at Cen Yuehuai, with no intention of letting go. Cen Yuehuai's demeanor was just as assertive, his eyes shining bright, like a hawk eyeing its prey."

"The two silently increased their grip, then started a silent contest of strength."

"...Ouch, wait, what are you two doing?" Bai Sha winced in pain, trying to free her arms, but realized they were holding on tight, as if letting go meant losing. She looked up helplessly, "Okay, okay, I'm staying right here, I'm not going anywhere."

"The two snorted and finally released their grip."

"Bai Sha sighed, looking down to straighten her slightly wrinkled sleeves."

"After returning to the Empire, Bai Sha's imperial genes seemed to be stimulated, finally having the space to flourish. In less than a year in the Empire, she had grown significantly, gradually shedding her youthful appearance. As for what she would eventually look like, there was no doubt—just look at Cecil Ronin for a good guess."

"They originally bore a striking resemblance. After shedding the poor disguises, the similarity was so profound that even Cecil’s own child would likely look the same. Therefore, people could understand Cecil Ronin's decision to appoint his niece as the Crown Prince early. They felt that part of the Emperor's favoritism towards his niece was due to this resemblance."

"Overtly and covertly, countless eyes were on Bai Sha, and after silent observation, they had to admit that at least her etiquette and demeanor as the Crown Prince were impeccable."

"The only irregularity was her invitation of a few Federation people to her coronation ceremony... But it was known that the Crown Prince had once been stranded in the Federation and made some friends there, so it seemed quite normal..."

"In an instant, Yan Jingyi keenly sensed several discreet gazes. These glances lingered back and forth on her and the other Federation Military Academy students."

"Someone is watching us," she said.

"You few are the only foreigners here. Who else would they stare at if not you?" Cen Yuehuai said matter-of-factly. "That's why I told you to keep your distance from the Crown Prince. Even catching up should be done in a quieter place, not in public."

"It's fine," Bai Sha said with a gentle smile. "I've already secured the position of Crown Prince. Why should I worry about what others think in everything I do?"

Cen Yuehuai pondered for a moment: "That's true..."

Sino stepped forward and added, "But the ceremony must go on, and now is not the time for reunions. Many people haven't completed their formal greetings yet, Your Highness. They will come to you sooner or later."

After all, this was a social scene that neither the Emperor nor the Crown Prince could escape.

"If Your Highness doesn't mind..." Sino turned his head, exchanging a knowing look with Jiya, "how about we introduce those people to you?"

Jiya also bowed with a smile: "I would be honored to serve you."

Bai Sha pondered for a second, then nodded: "Alright."

This left Yan Jingyi and the others with nothing to do.

Before leaving, Bai Sha turned back to them: "This will take a long time to finish. You can wait for me at my house on Youdu Star — um, let me register you for access first."

Bai Sha operated her light computer for a moment, then hesitantly said, thinking she had never invited friends over before: "How about everyone comes?"

Yan Jingyi: "..."

Cen Yuehuai: "Yeah, let's do it."

Bai Sha nodded with a smile, then continued her "Crown Prince socializing" with Sino and the others.

Yan Jingyi watched Bai Sha's retreating figure in silence.

Left with nothing to do, Cen Yuehuai and Yu Yan exchanged a glance. As a native of the Empire, Cen Yuehuai felt obliged to play the host, so she offered, "Do you have any preferred flavors? There are quite a few delicacies at the celebration. I can introduce you to some." Starting a conversation with food was always a safe bet.

"No need," Yan Jingyi said indifferently, "I'm not hungry."

Yanning spoke up, "I'm actually a bit hungry..."

Cen Yuehuai replied, "Then let me show you around."

"—I'll join you," Zhou Ying said with a smile, inserting himself into their conversation. "I'm quite interested in the Empire's unique culture and cuisine."

Cen Yuehuai, seeing no reason to doubt, nodded in agreement and headed with Yu Yan, Yanning, and Zhou Ying towards the tables laden with food.

Yan Jingyi approached Zhou Xiao and asked, "Didn’t your brother always claim to have feelings for Sha Sha? Now that he's in the Empire, he hasn't even spoken a word to her."

"Knowing Aying as I do, he's probably trying to extract information from the others," Zhou Xiao lifted his eyelids, his understated dark blue attire making him appear almost sculpted from jade. There was a calm, icy tranquility in his eyes, which made him notably distinguished in the crowd. "Besides, this isn’t really a suitable occasion for reminiscing. Even though everyone here is from the Empire and theoretically poses no great threat to Sha Sha, their stances are unclear and hard to read."

"And besides..." Zhou Xiao’s voice paused for a moment, his gaze discreetly glancing towards Cecil Ronin, "he has been keeping an eye on this side."

Cecil Ronin.

He was Bai Sha’s uncle, but also the Emperor of the Empire. What were his views on Bai Sha’s friendship with her Federation friends?

The Emperor’s attitude was crucial.

With Zhou Ying’s astuteness, he naturally wouldn’t be too clingy with Bai Sha under the watchful eye of this formidable figure.

Unable to resist, Yan Jingyi turned her head for a quick glance—just a momentary look before she swiftly shifted her gaze away.

"By the way, what is Youdu Star?" Yan Jingyi asked quietly.

"It's the Emperor's sleeping palace," Zhou Xiao answered.

"After the ceremony, Bai Sha and her companions boarded a starship to Youdu Star."

"However, on the starship, apart from them, there was also Cecil Ronin."

“……”

"The entire cabin of the starship fell into silence."

"Zhou Xiao and others, coming from the Federation, did not dare to speak before understanding the Emperor's attitude."

"Bai Sha's classmates were even more restrained, especially Sino and Jiya. They were already conscious of their roles as subjects, always on alert under the Emperor's gaze, careful not to speak or laugh too freely to avoid any impropriety."

"Soon, Bai Sha couldn’t tolerate the stiff atmosphere any longer. She coughed softly, turning her gaze towards Cecil Ronin."

"Receiving Bai Sha's plea for help, Cecil sighed, 'You are all her friends. You can treat me as an ordinary elder and relax a bit.'"

"Cecil appeared somewhat tired, closing his eyes slightly. The imposing aura about him also faded substantially."

"People of the Empire often retain their youth. Even in his prime, Cecil’s appearance made it hard for others to view him as an 'elder'... But at this moment, everyone could feel that they were not only in the presence of the Emperor but also of 'Cecil Ronin' himself."

"'There’s a game room where I live; we can go play later,' Bai Sha initiated a topic, 'The chef on Youdu Star is also quite good; maybe we can stay for dinner? Hmm, I can also show you my workshop and laboratory... I have some things to show you.'"

"Bai Sha's invitation was a bit awkward, but it effectively broke the ice."

"Everyone started discussing enthusiastically about what games to play next."

"It's always easy for peers to bond, especially since they had competed on the field, making communication effortless. As everyone found their place in the group, they gradually relaxed."

"Unbeknownst to them, Cecil Ronin was only feigning sleep, silently observing the lively young people. With just a few glances, he discerned the subtle intentions of some... and mentally crossed off two young individuals."

"He would let it slide this time."

"But next time, he was determined to remove those coveting his niece from the Youdu Star access list."