The Emperor Meets Prince Rong in Huo's Mansion

The day after the morning court session, His Majesty, without causing any commotion, changed into casual attire and accompanied the Grand Princess to the Marquis Huo's mansion, proceeding directly to the front gate. It was a gesture of honor from the Emperor to Marquis Huo, and a display of the respect he believed was due to his loyal veteran.

As Marquis Huo rushed to the gate, he bowed to greet the Emperor. Before he could fully kneel, the Emperor reached out to support him, saying kindly, "Marquis Huo, please rise. The Emperor grandfather has already granted you the privilege of seeing him without the need for kneeling, let alone me. In recognition of your long service, I come today not as the Emperor, but as a junior, to present you with a birthday gift. It would be improper for me to accept your obeisance."

The Emperor's demeanor at the gate immediately spread among the curious onlookers, adjusting their attitudes towards the Huo family's upcoming birthday banquet. Many officials hurried over to pay their respects to the Emperor.

Without further ado, the Emperor walked straight through the gate. The eldest son of Marquis Huo courteously invited those gathered outside to join them for a celebratory feast at his home the following day. Understanding the situation, the guests took their leave.

Understanding he was no outsider, Yuwen Qing, accompanied by Huo's second son, escorted the Grand Princess away in front of the Emperor. The group strolled into the inner courtyard, eagerly exploring the gifts brought from Dongbin. They selected the most delicious and entertaining items, filling several large baskets for the Grand Princess.

Here, Marquis Huo personally accompanied the Emperor and led him to the study room for a private conversation. Marquis Huo dismissed everyone and closed the door tightly before walking to the bookshelf and pressing a mechanism, which opened a hidden door in the wall.

"Father, I finally see you! I had only intended for Yuwen Qing to lure sister Sisi here, but I didn't expect you to come in person. I almost thought I wouldn't get to see you." Rongzhi emerged from the secret chamber in tears and knelt before Emperor Yunmeng.

"Rongzhi? What are you doing here? Get up quickly. Didn't your Uncle the deputy minister Tian and Minister Cui say they were sending you to the military for training?" Emperor Yunmeng was greatly surprised by the unexpected sight in the study, which had been an impromptu decision to bring his daughter to Marquis Huo's mansion.

"Father, please come with Marquis Huo to the secret chamber, and I will explain in detail." The group entered the secret chamber, where Rongzhi recounted his experiences and the chain of events, including the evidence collected by Price Mo over the years to clear the Qiao family's name, and the situation in Coastal Defense Haifang City.

After Rongzhi finished speaking, Emperor Yunmeng was stunned beyond words. The most terrifying thing at the moment was that for over a decade, a city of nearly ten thousand people had changed hands without him, the true emperor, receiving even a whisper of it. A tightly woven web of deception had blinded and deafened him, and he had no idea who had woven this web or how many people were involved.

If the reports were true and the Wa pirates were planning a large-scale invasion during the upcoming tide, then this prolonged internal and external preparation was not just about bandits; it was about rebellion! With less than three months left, he had to make a quick decision.

"Father, there's a message from Xiaobei." The voice of Huo Changfeng, the eldest son of Marquis Huo and the General of the Cavalry, came through a special communication orifice.

"Your Majesty, it's a hawk message, most likely sent by Duke Mo." Marquis Huo understood his son's code word.

"Let Changfeng come in too."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Marquis Huo immediately instructed Huo Changfeng to bring in the message and present it to the Emperor for inspection.

The letter contained the urban planning map of sunrise bay - Xiawan New City, as well as details of the situation inside Haifang City and Cheng Mo's strategic plan, all written in a coded manner. The code was devised during their time in Dongbin, using a combination of phonetics suggested by Xiangbei, Arabic numerals, and a book of poetry. Both Huo Changfeng and Duke Mo could decipher it.

"Excellent, Chang Mo's plan of switching the beams and capturing the turtles is ingenious. This code is quite unique. It will be a sharp tool for the military. I shall commend you for this."

"Reporting to Emperor Father, this code was actually devised by Miss Tong, the daughter of Miss Huo. She taught us both the phonetics and the numerals." Rongzhi mentioned Xiangbei, instantly reverting to his loyal and somewhat foolish self as a fan of Xiangbei.

"Oh? Isn't she elder Huo's granddaughter? I heard she's also a business partner of my Prince Mo. Hehe, good, very good indeed." The Emperor seemed lost in thought for a moment, his previously somber expression suddenly replaced by a fox-like smile. Then his demeanor became serious again as he stood up from his chair and addressed the group, "Marquis Huo, would General Qiao come to congratulate you on your birthday tomorrow? I appoint you to deliver a secret decree on my behalf, restoring General Qiao's title and military honor. Ask General Qiao to secretly command the Qiao family navy to sail south from the sea, with Rongzhi leading as the vanguard general. After this battle, I will proclaim to the world, clearing the name of the Qiao family."

"Your Majesty, Huo is grateful for Your Majesty's grace on behalf of Old Qiao! Old Qiao is loyal to Your Majesty." Marquis Huo understood the injustice suffered by his comrade-in-arms, General Qiao, over the past decade, and his steadfast patriotism. Hearing the Emperor's secret decree at this moment, he felt deeply moved.

"Marquis Huo, I've been blind and deaf for too long. The old case from over a decade ago, the current war right before us, I no longer have the time to discern. I can only take drastic measures to nip it in the bud. At the grand court meeting in three days, I will have Minister Cui appear seriously ill in the hall. Only when he is seriously ill can those rotten elements rise to the surface. Marquis Huo, as a three-generation veteran, I need you to attend court."

"Your Majesty, the Huo family is ready to serve at any time." Marquis Huo knew that it was time for his family to step forward in the capital.