The spirit vessel made its way through the protection arrays around the city and Han Lingshi stood at the bow with a shocked expression on her face. She did not expect that when she comes back the face of the city would have changed to such an extent.
From the skies, the entire city seemed to have been dressed in red like a bride ready to get wedded. She asked, "What is going on here?"
Hao Ren took her hand and said, "Yin, put her away, I will take Lingshi down."
Yin nodded, and then Hao Ren took Han Lingshi down to the front of the palace gently. Han Lingshi was mesmerized, the streets were decorated with red lanterns, and city was bustling with noises of cheer and joy. She could even make out the sounds of the people praising the Empress.
Hao Ren and Han Lingshi landed in front of the palace. The guard unit saw them and they all quickly bowed their heads and greeted in unison, "Welcome back, Your Majesty."
Han Lingshi instinctively nodded as she walked inside with Hao Ren. She noticed that the armors of the palace guards have changed completely. Earlier they all wore a white and golden set of armor. However, now, a color of red had been added to the armors. In the center of the chest guard, on the background of red color a white crescent moon was painted with golden outline.
The images of a dragon and a phoenix were engraved on both the shoulders. Han Lingshi sensed that the aura of these soldiers seemed to have increased even more. She was surprised, and amidst all this, she reached the interior of the palace, which was bustling with the movement of the maids and servants.
They were busy will cleaning the place, and decorating it. However, they all would stop and bow to the couple as they wanted through the corridors and Han Lingshi peeked through the doors like a curious child who came to the zoo for the first time.
Soon, they reached the study room and Hao Ren pushed it open without knocking. Han Lingshi caught sight of Hao Mei and Maya Okudera discussing something with Ye Yin and the rest of the people.
She asked, "What are you discussing in such a secretive manner? I could not even hear you all."
Hao Mei smiled and said, "We had a barrier erected around the room, so that our conversation does not leak out. We are discussing the security detail for the Coronation tomorrow."
Han Lingshi nodded and asked, "You can go ahead, I will watch from the side. I have no idea how strong most of you are."
Hao Mei nodded with a smile and went back to holding the meeting. Surprisingly, Maya Okudera and was leading the conversation and arrangements in tandem with Ye Jill.
Hao Ren said, "The seventeen young men and women you see are Ye Generals. They are my sworn brothers and sisters. As for the people in white robes, they are the Overseers of the Crescent Moon Restaurants." Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs nοvelfire.net
Han Lingshi nodded, and Hao Ren looked at Ye Si, who was sighing in the corner. The young man smiled and beckoned her over as he sat down on the chair. Ye Si came and knelt down beside him with a huff. Han Lingshi looked over with curiosity and Hao Ren asked, "Why are you putting up a sour face?"
Ye Si said, "Minister Maya assigned Ryu, Teng, and Trent for the western point of the city. That place has the best view you know. I was told to stay beside you and Sister-in-law with cold face Jian."
Hao Ren let out an amused smile and asked, "So, you want to leave the site of the coronation and sit on the wall?"
Ye Si rolled her eyes and said, "I want to beat up all those from the north western provinces if they try to make trouble outside the city walls."
Han Lingshi raised her brows, and Hao Ren shook his head, "I am afraid that even if they did not stir up trouble, you will make them suffer to settle the past accounts."
Ye Ryu who was standing on the side, stifled a laughter, as Ye Si reflexively looked over to him with a threatening gaze.
Han Lingshi smiled and said, "Sister Si, if you stay beside me, I would feel safer."
Ye Si shook her head and said, "You do not understand, Sister-in-law, these weak men will treat the enemy like some bejeweled guest. This should not be allowed."
Hao Ren shook his head and said, "You troublemaker."
Then he knocked her forehead with the back of his knuckles. Ye Si pouted but did not protest, Hao Ren had spoken. Soon the security detail was finished, and Hao Mei said in an icy tone, "If any of you failed to quell trouble in your respective sectors, I will throw you in the Thousand Nightmare Valley for training. Do you hear me?"
The people replied, "Yes, Big Sister Mei."
Hao Ren cleared his throat and gathered everyone's attention before he stood up and asked, "Who is invited and who is not. I want the list right now, also get Xiao Mei to attend the event. Install the camera's and connect them to the dungeon to monitor everything. Assign the Shadow Guards as the serving staff inside the guest area.
I will erect a Spirit Suppression Array and give you all the tokens needed to move around freely. I do not want any tom, dick and harry to raise ruckus and act entitled. They may be royals and nobles in their nation, but it is not there nation. Also, have the public safety department to patrol on higher frequencies in big groups accompanied by five guards from the palace guard, make sure that the citizens are safe and there is no bad element there."
Maya Okudera nodded and said, "I will have the staffs of the Crescent Moon Restaurants come over to the city and have them handle this in cooperation with the palace guard to make sure we have sufficient man power."
Hao Ren nodded, and then he was given a list of the guests. He began to mark the names of the sects and the forces that caught his interest upon hearing the details from Maya Okudera and Ye Yin.
After some thought he said, "Have the potential allies sit in the right side of the ascension path. As for the enemies have them sit on the left."
Maya Okudera nodded, and Hao Ren said, "Xiao Yue."
A calm voice sounded from the corner, "Here, Big Brother."
Hao Ren looked over to a very pretty girl. Han Lingshi was shocked to see such a gentle girl inside this room. Hao Ren said, "You will receive the alleys, and negotiate them. I want them to comply with us. As usual, we do not want to meddle in their administration, but we will not allow them to handle things independently. Find a way to reach a midpoint with them before the coronation."
Ye Yue nodded and replied softly, "It will be done."
Ye Peng said, "Xiao Yue, don't hypnotize like last time. They might kill themselves if they found that you tricked them like that Young Master Tie."
Ye Yue rolled her eyes, and Han Lingshi suddenly woke up from a trance. She realized that she had been looking at Ye Yue for some time now. It was Ye Si who poked the back of her palm to wake her up. Ye Si said, "Sister Yue is a Dao Integration Realm expert, and she is a master in the arts of Charm. No man or woman who she wants to control has managed to get away. One time, a young master killed himself realizing that despite his vow to remain single and cultivate the ultimate Yang, he was charmed by her."
Ye Yue blushed a little and weakly protested, "I never put a spell on him. It was his weak mind and my not so well controlled path resonance. You people are all bullies."
The Ye generals all laughed and Hao Ren said, "Enough! This is the last time you all mention this incident. If you do it again, I will take let you spar with Yin and seal your cultivation."
The people fell silent. Ye Yue sighed in relief. Han Lingshi asked, "Yin is so cute, yet these people are scared of her as if she will eat them?"
Ye Si looked at Han Lingshi and said, "Sister-in-law, she really can eat us, you have no idea, how strong she is."
Han Lingshi replied, "I know she is strong, but if you fear her when you all should be trusting each other like family members are supposed to do, will it be a good thing? It may not seem like a big deal, or even look like a joke, but such things stay bottled up inside our hearts and have a chance to develop into heart demons. That is why Hao Ren told you all not to talk about this."
The people nodded, and the Ye Generals suddenly replied in unison, "We will keep it in mind, Sister-in-law!"
Han Lingshi was surprised, but it was at this moment, the entire group recognized her as one of them. It was not her strength that mattered to them but the character. Someone who sees them as family. Today, Han Lingshi did that, and it won their recognition.