As the scene shifted again, Ye Xin found herself in a resplendent and magnificent hall.
The domed ceiling was exceedingly high, with dragon columns standing solemnly in their midst, exuding an aura of utmost gravity.
Beneath her feet lay a dais of white jade, and behind her was a broad golden throne enshrouded in a soft, golden-red cushion.
Lin Qian extended his hand, tugging Ye Xin beside him and helping her to sit firmly on the expansive throne behind them.
At that moment, the dense crowd of figures in front of them all knelt down.
"We pay homage to His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress, may the Huaxia Country prosper and flourish forevermore!"
The voices weren’t loud but echoed long in the hall.
Ye Xin, sitting on the throne next to Lin Qian, was slightly dazed. This scene left her somewhat bewildered.
After all, she was just in her early twenties, which was exceedingly young for a Soul Martial Artist, who was known for their prolonged lifespans.
Especially when she noticed in the crowd a familiar figure, the Prime Minister Zhuge Ming, who had taught her many things.
Zhuge Ming’s profound knowledge had earned Ye Xin’s deep admiration, and yet such a man was now kneeling before her, which was an emotional experience for her.
"Everyone, please rise!" At the same time, Lin Qian raised his hand, signaling the audience to stand.
Upon receiving Lin Qian’s command, those who were kneeling and paying their respects rose and looked towards the thrones.
"Today, I have summoned you all for two reasons—one, there has been significant progress with the puppet body project. The success of the Soul Pearl also made it possible for the Empress to come and observe the Empire, and to meet everyone; that’s the second."
After Lin Qian finished speaking, the crowd below all broke into smiles, nodding their heads in agreement.
"These are the true elites of the Huaxia Empire, the backbone of the Empire, the existence upon which the Empire relies," Lin Qian turned to Ye Xin, explaining to her, "the people of the Huaxia Empire are like family to me."
Just as Lin Qian’s words ended, a loud thud startled Ye Xin.
As she looked towards the source of the noise, she saw a burly man, as big as a bear, banging his head fiercely against the ground, "Your Majesty, I am moved!"
As the man shouted, he also wept, and his head struck the floor of the entire hall, trembling with each impact, yet his forehead showed not a scratch, leaving Ye Xin utterly dumbfounded.
"You big lug, Guan Yi, hurry up and stop him!" Seeing Xu Meng lose his mind, Lin Qian quickly shouted to the man with a reddish face and well-groomed sideburns.
Guan Yi was the only one present with the strength to pull Xu Meng up!
Guan Yi hurried forward and after much tugging, it wasn’t until Lin Qian pretended to be angry that Xu Meng stopped crying and making a scene.
At this, Lin Qian helplessly explained to Ye Xin, "That crying man is named Xu Meng, the commander of the Second Legion of the Huaxia Empire, personally leading the Divine Shield Army; he’s in charge of all the shield soldiers."
"As for the one with the handsome sideburns and reddish face, his name is Guan Yi, commander of the Fourth Legion, leading the Divine Blade Army; he is responsible for the swordsman troops."
"Xu Meng here is simple and straightforward, honest to a fault. Guan Yi, on the other hand, is cheerful and values loyalty, very enthusiastic."
After hearing Lin Qian’s introductions, Ye Xin nodded slightly, curiously observing the two men.
Seeing Lin Qian mention herself, Ye Xin looked their way and the two also performed a salute.
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Lin Qian then pointed to the figure garbed in a crane-feather cloak and wearing a headdress, Zhuge Ming, "This Prime Minister, in charge of the Heavenly Art Department, you’ve already met Xinxin, I presume."
"Of course, the Prime Minister taught me a lot," Ye Xin said, nodding and smiling towards Zhuge Ming.
Below, Zhuge Ming also smiled and greeted her with a hand over fist, "Her Majesty the Empress is exceptionally bright; being able to impart knowledge to your Majesty is my honor."
"The Heavenly Art Department is responsible for the Empire’s research while the corresponding Fire Department is tasked with making all these things. The Fire Department is split into male engineers led by Mr. Lu and female craftsmen led by Tang Zhi."
Following this, Lin Qian pointed to a man and a woman not far behind Zhuge Ming; they were the ones who had initially developed the Starlight White Skirt—Mr. Lu and Tang Zhi.
"That man with the small mustache is Mr. Lu. I think it looks awful, and wanted him to shave it off, but he refuses. The woman in the brocade floral skirt is Tang Zhi. She personally fashioned your body, after all, it would not do to have a male engineer construct your puppet body."
Mr. Lu and Tang Zhi shared a smile and saluted Ye Xin on the dragon throne, "We’ve met Her Majesty the Empress. May I ask if you are satisfied with the Starlight White Skirt?"
Knowing what these two did and hearing them ask, Ye Xin certainly realized that the Starlight White Skirt she was wearing was their handiwork, "It’s truly wonderful, I like it very much. Many women have seen it and are quite envious."
Mr. Lu and Tang Zhi’s faces beamed with smiles—who wouldn’t like their creations to be appreciated, especially by Her Majesty the Empress.
"And who is this sister..." When Ye Xin’s gaze turned to the woman standing shoulder to shoulder with Xu Meng and Guan Yi, her eyes lit up, and she quickly asked Lin Qian.
"Commander of the First Legion, Hua Ling, at your service, Your Majesty the Empress," before Lin Qian could respond, Hua Ling introduced herself and offered a respectful salute.
Ye Xin fixed her gaze on Hua Ling, filled with both curiosity and admiration.
For Hua Ling was wrapped in Light Armor that endowed her with a valiant aura, a veritable female warrior deity, of an extraordinary temperament.
"She is the only female among the Legion Commanders, leading the Divine Sword Army; the swordsmen are under her command," Lin Qian added with a smile.
Then he extended his hand to point at Ji Qing, wrapped in a black robe and pale-faced, "Commander of the Third Legion, leading the Divine Investigation Army and in charge of the Swift Soldiers. His skills in assassination and espionage are exceptionally noteworthy."
After Ji Qing saluted, Lin Qian pointed to the young man with a pale face, "Li Rong, Commander of the Fifth Legion, his arrows never miss their mark. He leads the Divine Bow Army, and the archers also follow him."
"As for the last Legion Commander, that’s Zhao Long, whom you’ve already met. He’s the only military officer currently allowed to leave the Huaxia Empire, my personal guard and the commander of the Sixth Legion."
The six Legion Commanders, the Prime Minister, and the heads of male engineers and female craftsmen are the very pinnacle of the Huaxia Empire, its absolute pillars.
Ye Xin, observing these individuals, saw an extraordinary light in their eyes. Just the temperament they exuded was unlike any she had commonly seen.
However, Ye Xin also found it strange; logically, they should be very powerful, yet their auras seemed as ordinary as any normal person’s.
Curious about this, Ye Xin turned to Lin Qian, "Little Qian, why do their auras seem so sparse and ordinary? This isn’t right."
"That’s because they are using their Soul Power to completely suppress their auras. Otherwise, just the aura emanating from them would be too much for the Soul Power in your Soul Pearl to withstand without collapsing," Lin Qian explained with a laugh, "I am the Emperor, their auras don’t affect me."
At that moment, a hearty laugh echoed from outside the hall. As the source of the laughter entered the great hall, he kneeled towards Lin Qian, "Your Majesty, I, Ao Zun, have arrived late, please forgive my offense!"
Upon seeing the newcomer, Ye Xin on the dragon throne covered her mouth in shock, clearly startled.
After adjusting this weekend, we’ll move to three updates daily next week, and then a big surge at the end of the month. That’s the plan!