"Alright, alright, I’ll give Brother Long so face." Wang Shouzhe went along with it, then questioned Long Wuji, "If you consider deeply, by forcing , Wang Shouzhe, to submit to such a lord, do you not feel that you’re pushing into a fire pit?"
"Uh... I didn’t think so before, but now that you ntion it, it does seem a bit like that." Long Wuji felt a bit embarrassed, "Well, it doesn’t matter now, as the plan failed anyway. Do as you please, Shouzhe. It just feels a bit stifling to think that in the future, you and I will be in opposing camps."
"Brother Long, you still intend to support Prince Kang? What are you hoping to achieve?" Wang Shouzhe looked at him strangely.
"What else could I hope to achieve? After all, he is my nephew..." Long Wuji said awkwardly, "Given our relationship, I can’t exactly go and support Wu Mingyuan, can I?"
Were he to actually do that, not to ntion his father, Ancestor Dexin would beat him to death.
"Brother Long, do you have any dreams of your own?" Seeing Long Wuji visibly wavering, Wang Shouzhe delivered the critical blow.
"Dreams?"
Long Wuji was taken aback and then fell into deep thought.
After a while, he took several gulps of wine in silence, and slowly spoke, "Perhaps, it’s to achieve sothing and prove myself~ I also want to escape far away, to avoid seeing that old..."
"If that’s the case, I have an immature idea." Wang Shouzhe suggested, "Brother Long, you know well that this world is vast, and the overseas regions are extensive. Why don’t we collaborate and explore overseas together?"
"Explore overseas?" Long Wuji’s eyes brightened, "This aligns with what I had in mind. But the offshore waves are wild, the risks aren’t small."
"Exploring the overseas continent, whether through trade or developnt, contributes to the Daqian Kingdom and is better than petty internal struggles and infighting." Wang Shouzhe persuasively said, "Brother Long, you’ve changed your surna to ’Long,’ yet remain trapped inland with the Jiaolong Gang in the Anjiang. At this rate, you’ll beco nothing more than a crossing river flood dragon. Only by entering the ocean can you transform into a true dragon and truly display your flair."
"Well said." Long Wuji responded with slight excitent, "I’ve long been tired of this small Anjiang~ Return of dragons to the sea, that’s where my true stage and destiny lie. Younger Brother Shouzhe, your words really hit the mark with ."
"As expected of my big brother, truly ambitious. Co, co, let’s have a drink. Later, I’ll show you the iron armor ship I’ve spent decades designing and creating."
"Let’s drink!... Hold on, an iron armor ship? I fear sails can’t propel an iron armor ship. Could it be driven by an array? But that would burn spirit stones too fiercely."
"Of course, it isn’t solely driven by a talisman array. Allow to keep a small secret for now. Once we finish this drink..."
"What drink? Let’s go, take to see it. If it truly works, I’ll call you big brother."
"But Brother Long, we are still in opposing camps..."
"Opposing what? What camps? Whether Wu Chengsi loses or gains a supporter like is inconsequential. Shouzhe, our brotherly cooperation to explore the overseas world transcends factional alliances."
"Of course, it transcends factional alliances. Our joint efforts in exploration strive for the rise of the Daqian Kingdom. Co, let’s have a drink."
"Cheers!"
The love and romance n have for tal ships seem ingrained in their souls. Upon hearing the words "iron armor ship," Long Wuji beca thrilled.
After drinking half the night, he anxiously had Wang Shouzhe take him to see the iron armor ship.
Then, an even more exhilarated Long Wuji continued to drink with Wang Shouzhe.
And this drinking lasted for several days.
Even though Long Wuji was an Ancestor of the Purple Mansion, with a robust constitution, without using Profound Qi to expel the alcohol from his body, after a few days, he was also quite tipsy. Riding the wave of his drunkenness, he swore brotherhood with Wang Shouzhe.
From that day on, the terms "Brother Long" and "Younger Brother Shouzhe" beca their formal addresses.
And right after that drinking session, Long Wuji also boarded Wang Shouzhe’s "pirate ship," preparing to conquer the vast ocean and beco a mariti kingpin.
Yet.
The news of Long Wuji swearing brotherhood with Wang Shouzhe, preparing for comprehensive comrcial collaboration and overseas exploration, spread swiftly like the wind.
Soon, even within Gui Long City, this news began to circulate.
The "Fifty-Year Pact" between Long Wuji and Wang Shouzhe, and the mutual admiration between the brothers beca a popular topic of discussion.
This news was just idle chatter for the lower-tier noble families, but for the upper-tier ones, it undoubtedly was like throwing a stone that stirred up a thousand ripples.
The Jiaolong Gang’s boss, Long Wuji, is the son of Prince Yoong’an, an important figure from the Dexin lineage of Prince Dexin. This fact was a sowhat open secret among the upper-tier noble families, understood tacitly by all.
And now, this individual was mingling with the enemy camp’s Changning Wang Family. Does this not signify discord within Prince Dexin’s lineage?
The series of disturbances this event caused among the upper-tier noble families need not be ntioned for now.
In the Imperial Palace, within Zhuozheng Pavilion.
Emperor Longchang half-reclined in a large, comfortable chair, his eyes half-closed, appearing very leisurely. Old Yao stood to the side, vividly recounting one passage after another.
If one listened closely, they’d be stunned.
Every word he spoke was what Wang Shouzhe and Long Wuji said while drinking at Broken Dragon Gorge. When retold by Old Yao, it was vivid, with no deviation in tone or words.
It’s unknown who leaked that conversation to His Majesty.
"If you peruse historical records, you would know, our Emperor Longchang..." Old Yao uttered this part while smiling obsequiously, adding afterward, "Your Majesty, though Patriarch Shouzhe is a rural noble family leader, he certainly has so uncommon insights. He knows how hard you’ve strived as a Great Emperor, with notable achievents."
Emperor Longchang’s aged face displayed a content smile, "Old Yao, could it be that Wang Shouzhe intentionally said those things for to hear, knowing soone around Wuji was my man?"
"You’re overthinking it, Your Majesty. That Wang Shouzhe even disparaged your youthful maneuverings, you know~" Old Yao teased while smiling, "Jiaang Yusong, the elite trained by personally, is warm and restrained, with superb concealnt, and the identity and story arranged for him are impeccable. Even after years by the side of Prince Yingji, he’s shown no flaws. Even with Wang Shouzhe’s cunning calculations, he couldn’t anticipate he’d be your man."
"Resourceful maneuverings." Emperor Longchang’s smile faded, slightly displeased, "That should be called wise and resourceful! Hmph~ to actually claim I bragged in my youth. If he dared say that in front of , I’d sure let him taste what ’imperial majesty’ ans."
"Well, no problem. Considering his other comnts are kind of ’fair,’ I’ll reluctantly forgive him this once. Old Yao, continue~"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Old Yao, well acquainted with Emperor Longchang’s temperant, showed no sign of discomfort and continued reciting with a smile.
"Was there ever such darkness shadowing Daqian under His Majesty Longchang’s governance?"
"The dawn, the dawn, who’s dawn is being broken now? Who’s being cursed?"
"The emperor’s power, the desire to control everything, is his main concern."
"Floods, droughts, earthquakes, plagues in various places, yet not once did he cast a glance..."
"How could such a pretentious quasi-crown prince make a good Great Emperor?"
As he approached the latter part, sweat began to bead on Old Yao’s forehead. However, he dared not fabricate, continuing to recite word for word.
Emperor Longchang’s expression grew darker and more somber with each passing mont.
"Bang!"
The Ten Thousand Years Spirit Wood desk shattered into dust.
Old Yao trembled in fright and imdiately fell silent.
"Am I, Longchang, just a shadow of darkness looming over the Dexin lineage?"
"Dexin boy, nurturing Prince Kang with such unscrupulous ans, isn’t it because you resent for growing old too slowly, causing you to miss your chance?"
Low and angry shouts escaped Emperor Longchang’s mouth one after another.
His expression had turned extrely grim: "Summon that bane, Wu Chengsi, to see !"
"Your Majesty, Prince Kang and the Great Celestial Pride Ce have gone to the Outer Domain Battlefield to slay the enemy." Old Yao replied, cold sweat dripping.
"Slay the enemy? Haha~ Shouzhe was right, it’s all to better their image, glorify themselves. They deal with the ministers, tackle the top noble families of nurous counties, handle the Zhao Family, manipulate the prince. Now, he’s looking to take over the military system. Tsk-tsk, quite the ambitious Prince Kang."
"If I don’t abdicate, who’s to say he won’t rebel one day."
"The dawn, the dawn of what, indeed!"
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