Chapter 73

Chapter 73

After a brief assignment, the adjutant finally returned to the Emperor Star once again.

The biggest gossip in the Royal City of the Emperor Star lately was that – His Majesty had brought someone back with him.

The adjutant had heard from multiple sources that His Majesty had found a lover.

It was said that this person was from the Z galaxy.

He pondered seriously, and his only impression of the Z galaxy was that it was very backward – so much so that he wouldn't even be assigned there on a work trip.

To have found someone from the Z galaxy to bring back?

Was this for real??

After two years and seven months since His Majesty lost his fiery companion, had he finally broken down?

The adjutant found it hard to believe, but when he asked others, they all confirmed the same story.

Not only that, he was showered with gifts by some audacious nobles with ulterior motives, urging him to learn about what a lover is like.

They could groom someone identical as well.

This was the start of a precedent.

Presumably, more people would request his assistance in the future.

It demonstrated how rare such an occurrence was.

The Monarch had finally accepted a tribute from a certain galaxy.

Where there's one, there's bound to be another – that was probably what they were all thinking.

The adjutant still couldn't wrap their head around it after much contemplation, "Wait, seriously? Is this for real?"

But even the attendants within the Royal City were in unison.

Curiously, the adjutant asked, "Is it very similar to the previous Queen?"

Yet, the servants exchanged glances, "We're not sure."

The adjutant asked, "None of you have seen this person?"

"One hasn't been released since His Majesty brought him back. We wouldn't have had the chance to see him even if we wanted to," a servant whispered, adding quietly, "But there are rumors that he looks very, very similar, even in terms of personality."

The adjutant was greatly astonished, "It's not just a rumor?"

The servant glanced at him, "No, it started as a rumor. Everyone thought it was fake, but then His Majesty actually brought someone back. It's been several days now."

The adjutant was left speechless.

Just how much did they have to resemble each other for His Majesty to act so uncharacteristically? It must be a near-perfect resemblance, right?

The servant didn't dare to exaggerate, "Back then, that person arrived directly on a starship from the Z system. His Majesty seemed to have taken him inside the palace, so none of us have seen him."

The adjutant leaned back.

He even brought him to the Inner Pavilion, a place where non-royals usually had no access.

It seemed that His Majesty was taking this seriously.

The aide lowered his voice. "Has Young Master been informed?"

The attendant nodded.

"And is Young Master alright?"

The attendant thought of the young master who had been strictly ordered by the emperor not to leave and couldn't help but feel sympathetic.

"Young Master is currently in the study. Perhaps you should go see for yourself."

The aide nodded and strode quickly towards the study.

Sure enough, he found a little plump ball seated in a chair there.

Trafficker Number One!

Lu Danjiao also spotted him and immediately became vigilant.

The aide was curious. "Why are there so many people?"

The attendant explained that it was to ensure the completion of studies.

Pang Qiu looked at him pitifully with big, round eyes.

This stirred a sense of compassion in the aide.

The little prince was already forced to accept the emperor's kin, yet he was still confined to studying and couldn't leave.

Danjiao raised his small, plump hand. "I don't want to do this anymore."

Aide: "But wasn't it said that this is the emperor's order?"

Danjiao skillfully covered his head. "Oh, my head hurts."

The aide's eyes lit up, understanding his hint. "Does it hurt a lot?"

Danjiao fell to the ground, wailing, "It hurts so much!"

Pang Qiu's face turned pale, putting on an exaggeratedly miserable expression. The adjutant held his chubby little hand, "Oh no, it seems like his heart rate has skyrocketed due to a genetic ailment."

Upon hearing the adjutant's words, the attendants panicked.

The adjutant picked up Danjiao, "I'll take him to see a doctor."

After they left the study,

Little Pang Qiu let out a sigh of relief.

Without any prior training, the two had successfully acted out their scene and escaped from the attendants' watchful eyes.

Danjiao's eyes sparkled, "Thank you!" This was the first time he was this grateful to Smuggler Number One.

The adjutant imagined a whole scenario in his head and sighed, "You've had it tough."

Thinking about the lover he had brought back, the adjutant secretly glanced at Danjiao.

He didn't dare to ask if Little Pang Qiu was aware of the matter.

After all, it would be too cruel for the young prince to know about it.

Danjiao inquired, "Where is Father now?"

The adjutant hesitated before speaking.

With an inquisitive gaze, Little Pang Qiu stared at him, and the adjutant couldn't bear to say that he was with his lover.

The adjutant struggled for a while before finally managing, "Anyway, he's somewhere within the Royal City."

Danjiao asked, "So we won't get caught if we sneak out, right?"

The adjutant reassured, "Of course not. If you're discovered, just act a little coquettish."

Danjiao wore an expression of mild disdain.

Well, he certainly knew how to play the part.

But he didn't want to act coquettish with the terrifying uncle.

Danjiao didn't actually want to know where the uncle was. He just wanted to gauge whether it would be possible to escape by understanding the uncle's location.

Thus, Little Pang Qiu asked again.

Hearing his resolute question, the adjutant could only imagine: The young prince already knew about His Majesty seeking a lover. The consecutive questions weren't because he wanted to know where the emperor was, but rather, he was trying to figure out if His Majesty was with his lover.

The adjutant wiped away his tears discreetly. "I heard it's in the inner palace."

Danjiao: "Oh, is the inner palace far from here?"

Adjutant: "Not too far, not too close."

Pang Qiu's heart bloomed with joy. "That's good to hear."

The adjutant crouched down and whispered conspiratorially, "You want to sneak a peek at the person His Majesty brought back, don't you?"

Little Pang Qiu: "?"

Not at all.

Lu Danjiao had no interest in his friend's possible stepmother, but he could certainly help his friend take a look and gather relevant information. Then, he could inform his friend, allowing him to prepare accordingly.

However, their father still hadn't been found.

Between the two options, finding their father was undoubtedly the priority.

Danjiao rubbed his chubby little hands together. "Let's not do that then."

The adjutant interpreted this as enduring humiliation and fear of confrontation.

Sympathetically, the adjutant exclaimed, "Let's sneak in!"

Pang Qiu was picked up and carried away immediately.

"Wait—"

The aide assumed that he still had reservations: "Doesn't Prince Junior wish to know who that person is?"

This struck Danjiao's heart directly.

He also harbored another thought deep down—if, just if, Father was indeed the Queen of the terrifying uncle.

Wouldn't that mean Father had been cuckolded...

Of course, this notion was firmly rejected by Little Pang Qiu.

With his cheek on one hand, Little Pang Qiu sighed deeply.

The aide's words somewhat bolstered Little Pang Qiu's determination.

"Very well, let's go take a look."

The Royal City was larger than Danjiao had imagined; without someone guiding him, he would never have found his way out alone.

As Little Pang Qiu silently memorized the directions, he cursed inwardly.

If he were alone in this Demon City, how long would it take him to find his way out?

This surge of anger was keenly perceived by the attentive adjutant.

The adjutant thought to himself: It seems that the young prince is indeed very angry.

Their conversation didn't quite align, but at least their destination was the same for now.

With the adjutant's guidance, they proceeded unimpeded.

They moved stealthily, finally reaching the vicinity of the inner palace.

The inner palace was a massive structure from the previous dynasty, shaped like a tower. Only those with royal blood could enter, and usually, the Emperor did not come here. The young prince had never been allowed to visit before.

Unexpectedly, they were now bringing someone else along.

The adjutant felt a mix of admiration and helplessness.

Holding the young prince's hand, they passed the entrance inspection without a hitch.

The interior of the palace was arranged like a garden and courtyard, with low-rise structures dotting the landscape.

It seemed particularly suited for habitation.

As they ventured deeper, they could indeed hear faint signs of human activity.

Apparently, their destination wasn't too far ahead.

The adjutant lowered his head to meet Pang Qiu's gaze, both seeing the gravity reflected in each other's faces.

The adjutant made a pact with him, "We'll only take a quick look and leave."

Little Pang Qiu also nodded seriously, "Okay."

The two, one big and one small, slowed their footsteps and continued walking in.

They passed through the garden tunnel and saw the freshly watered lawn.

Traces of human voices and activities.

Lu Danjiao was somewhat nervous.

In Pang Qiu's mind, an image of a stepmother who would brutally beat his child had already formed.

It felt similar to the wicked witch in Father's stories, quite terrifying.

The adjutant was also a bit apprehensive, fearing they might be caught in the act.

But both of them didn't stop walking.

After passing through the garden, they arrived at a house within the courtyard.

The house had a window.

As long as they peered inside the window, they should be able to see that person!

The one that His Majesty had brought back.

They proceeded with cautious steps.

Nervously, their heart seemed to leap right out of their throat.

The aide swallowed hard, approaching the window for a look, only to discover – it was empty inside.

There were signs of use, but no one was present.

The aide rubbed their head, "Could it be that we've come to the wrong place?"

Perhaps His Majesty hadn't placed the person in the inner chambers after all?

Or had they simply arrived at an unfortunate time, and the person had already left?

Just as they were filled with doubt, a male voice echoed:

"What are you doing?"

Both the aide and Lu Danjiao trembled like thieves caught in the act.

As they trembled, they began to perceive the situation.

Adjutant: It's as if a memory slumbering in my mind has been stirred awake.

Lu Danjiao: Such a familiar voice!

They both turned around simultaneously and saw the person standing behind them.

The figure stood on the other side of a bridge.

Due to the obstruction of vision, he could currently only see the tall adjutant.

The man had a neat crop of black hair, his eyes exceptionally captivating, as he bestowed the adjutant with a gaze of suspicion. He was dressed in a simple short-sleeved shirt, revealing toned muscles on his forearms, evidence of diligent exercise.

Isn't the person in front of me the father he's been searching for days?

In an instant, the young one's entire foundation of belief crumbled.

Pang Qiu: No!!!

At this very moment, a two-and-a-half-year-old child's heart was utterly shattered.

The adjutant was no less astonished than him.

His eyes were glued to this person as he examined him from head to toe before letting out a thunderous exclamation.

"Ahh!"

Since the adjutant's bulky figure blocked Danjiao, Lu Wei could only see him and asked casually, "Who are you looking for?"

The adjutant stammered, "I-I'm looking for someone, anyway."

Lu Wei sized him up and guessed that he was probably a staff member here, but he had no idea what rank he held.

He assumed the man had just wandered in by mistake.

Wondering how furious His Majesty the Dog would be when he found out, Lu Wei clicked his tongue. "You're in the wrong place. I suggest you leave quickly."

He added, "Otherwise, you'll suffer greatly."

The adjutant wanted to leave, but his feet wouldn't budge an inch.

His eyes seemed to have been plucked out and glued onto this person before him.

He had heard of similarity.

But never this level of resemblance, right?

This face, this tone, this demeanor... Even though it had been almost three years since he last saw that person, everything came flooding back at the sight of this one.

Where on Zeta system did they find this person?

No wonder His Majesty brought him back. Anyone would be stunned by this.

"Not—"

The adjutant sucked in a sharp breath, his lips trembling but no words coming out.

Bai, are you a spicy chili pepper??