Young’s Letter

The side hall was adjacent to the main hall. Vic guided them to the gate and stated, "Proceed inside, the Regent awaits you."

Lee and Tang crossed the high doorstep, and entered the main hall, seeing there were several figures within.

A serious man sat on the throne. He was wearing a black robe with golden threads winding across it, outlining the shape of a black-scaled snake. Lee knew he was the Regent Locke, the king's uncle, currently the most powerful man in the Falling-Moon Kingdom.

To Locke's left side stood a kindly-faced man staring Lee and Tang with a smile. Medium-sized with a noticeable belly, he wore a loose-fitting red top and a black pleated skirt, an ensemble that surprisingly complemented his appearance.

There were two on Locke's right side. The standing man had a stern face and wore gray armor. Lee guessed that he must be Andrew, the army captain. Seated beside him was an elderly woman, much older than Todd, who leaned on a cane to support herself and not fall.

In addition to them, there were six guards standing on the two sides, monitoring Lee and Tang's movements.

Stopping twenty paces from Locke, Lee and Tang bowed deeply. "The Regent, Lee and Tang bring greetings and good wishes from our sovereign, King Young of the True Kingdom."

As the envoys of the True Kingdom, they didn't need to kneel before the Regent, even the king of the Falling-Moon Kingdom. 

"Welcome, esteemed friends," Locke responded, his voice clear and composed. "Rise. What news do you bring from your lands?"

"The Regent, our sovereign has sent me to convey his deepest respect and to deliver this letter to the king," Lee said, and glanced at Tang.

Tang presented the letter with both hands, careful and solemn.

A guard came over and took the letter, then handed it to Locke with reverence.

Locke browsed this letter, hesitated for a long time and did not open it. The front envelope of the letter had a few words on it: "To His Majesty King Knight, Kingdom of the Falling-Moon."

Locke turned right, inquiring the old woman, "Francesca..."

"You are the Regent, it is up to you," the old woman interrupted him with light voice. "Do you want me to teach you how to govern a country?"

Locke was awkward. The man in armor standing aside sneered.

"Silence, Andrew," Francesca rebuked.

Andrew immediately behaved, lowered his head slightly, though a trace of hatred flashed across his eyes.

At this moment, the kindly-faced man on Locke's left spoke up, "Locke, now you are in charge of the country on behalf of the king, so it is reasonable you open this letter."

Locke nodded and finally broke the seal, reading its contents. His initial expression was serene, then turned to excitement before settling into disappointment. 

"So this is your mission? Take Danny's Buddhist relics back?" Locke sighed.

"What?" Andrew was shocked. "Danny left Buddhist relics?"

"Yes, the Regent," Lee replied. "Our king hopes you can help us to find it."

"How can you know that? I've never heard it," the kindly-faced man questioned. 

"Didn't Danny die in Cactus?" Lee wondered.

"He did, but his remains were taken back to Luzac by other Buddhists. We have received no further information," Locke explained.

"Luzac?"

"A small place outside Cactus, and most of monks live there," the kindly-faced man said.

"My friends, I am afraid I can't help you in this matter. We have an agreement with those monks and promise to not intervene anything in Luzac," Locke said with regret.

"But you are the Regent..." Tang spoke.

"My mission is to keep the country peaceful," Locke replied firmly. "Not to mention whether there are Buddhist relics or not, even if there are, they will defend the relics to the death. I can't start a war with those monks for this."

"I understand," Lee said.

"You should try, Locke," Francesca interjected. "Try to communicate with them, as long as it is worthy."

Locke understood what she was referring to, so he said: "How about this, you stay in Cactus for a few days, and I will send someone to verify whether the relics is real."

"We thank you, the Regent. We eagerly await your response," Lee said respectfully.

Locke nodded from his throne, signaling for their departure. Lee and Tang bowed once more and exited the main hall slowly.

"What is Young's exchange condition in the letter?" the kindly-faced man asked immediately after Lee and Tang left.

"He proposes allowing us to reconquer the entire Big Desert," Locke said with a wry smile, raising the letter.

"It just belonged to the Falling-Moon Kingdom, why do we need his permission?" Andrew spoke out loud, seemingly very furious.

Francesca ignored his nonsense, and she said: "Sounds unfair. He needs to do nothing but a vague promise."

"But it's indeed a opportunity to control the whole desert again," the kindly-faced man sighed.

Young's proposal seemed absurd, but very attractive to the Falling-Moon Kingdom. In fact, the area of Falling-Moon had been shrinking over the years. If they couldn't expand their territory, the kingdom's downfall was just around the corner.

"I don't think he is so kind. He may think of luring our army out and then destroying it," Locke remarked calmly.

Silence descended upon the main hall as each person considered the situation—whether it was an opportunity or a peril, none could say.

"Let's deal with the matters at hand first," Francesca broke the silence. She was very old, but she seemed more decisive than others in the main hall.

"Leave it to me," the kindly-faced man said. "I'll send Steven to Luzac, you know, he is good at that."

The kindly-faced man was Steven's father, Quinn, the chief counselor of the Falling-Moon Kingdom.

Locke nodded in agreement, and he said: "Good, do it as soon as possible."

Suddenly Francesca laughed with her hoarse and low voice: "Actually, I am curious too. If Danny left Buddhist relics? I wonder what miraculous effects it may possess."

The other three understood this old woman Francesca was afraid of dying, and she would use her power and influence to live longer, including obtaining the Buddhist relics if possible.

Then they noticed that Todd came in the main hall. Todd's body condition was really good and he walked very fast.

"Todd, what do you want today?" Locke had a headache for this cousin. Todd was a complete mess in government affairs, but he always wanted to hold great power. Knight gave him a sinecure to comfort. Now Knight left, and this cousin bothered him everyday, asking a new position.

"Today not for myself, but for the kingdom," Todd replied. "Do you have a choice for the new king?"

Then Todd felt killed by their gazes.