63 _ War preparations.
"Let him in!" Jianhuo ordered the men that guarded the doors to the Throne Room. The decorated doors was pulled open and Huo Xun appeared before the Emperor , his body bearing a number of welters and bruises...
Gifts from his encounter with Dai Fang.
Jianhuo was getting impatient by the minute as he tapped his fingers errantly on his throne. He was clothed from head to toe in a shiny, silk white robe with a red Dragon design embroidered in. as the commander of his personal Guard bowed before him giving his report on the recovery mission of Mizuki Yang.
His entire squadron had been brutally slaughtered by the king of demons himself, at least that was how Huo had described it. Whatever could destroy a whole squad of imperial soldiers in one blow had to be a demon or something much worse.
Jianhuo Huang was lost in deep thought. The Yang Heiress was alive and well but that was of low or no priority to him. He only desired to attain her to secure trade negotiations with the Yang Clan and it being that she was renowned for her beauty was an additional bonus. When she had escaped, it had ruined the entire plan conspired by the royal family. But now he could sense a better opportunity in her scandal.
From what Huo Xun had told him , the supposed King of Demons seemed to be harbouring Mizuki Yang though for reasons he knew not why.
Dai Fang.
Jianhuo had heard numerous accounts of him since he was a young child. Dai Fang, The ever elusive Devil King, Sovereign of Demons, Monarch of Hell. Hundreds of Thousands had been slain by his Blade , villages torched by his hand. The name alone invoked fear and complete reverence through out the five kingdom , just from being spoken.
Yet he had never been found.
He had learned by experience never face a problem as a difficulty. Instead Jianhuo thought as every problem as an opportunity , with hidden potentials.
This could be the key to regain his Empire. Presently , the people were against the Empery and its counterparts for injustice , a veiled term for Nobles were idling around doing nothing but wining and dining while they worked all day everyday. But with this development, the people would be made to see that The Emperor was indeed working to defend the inhabitants of Kanerria.
Mizuki Yang was the daughter of a Wealthy Merchant but a merchant none the less and Merchants were still classified as part of the common people. Say he made it seem that the Devil King, a known and recognized villain had abducted her for nefarious purposes? If he was the one to slay the Devil King , all the hidden treasures that lay within the forbidden Palace would be his and he would as well win the adoration as well as fear of all.
At this point , Mizuki Yang did not matter anymore. Dead or Alive she was of no use to him but for good measure ...
It was better she was stone cold dead.
"Huo Xun..." He regarded his commander with impassive eyes as he handed him a sealed letter marked with the Imperial Stamp. "Deliver this letter to the General Mu Shú immediately."
The Commander bowed and made to leave when The Emperor stopped him. "Send for My advisor too ; on your way out." Huo Xun bowed again to his regal majesty and excused himself out.
As he got on his steed and began riding towards the residence of General Mu Shu . He turned over the past events in his mind with anger. His plan was going awry. It was simple, kill Mizuki Yang and stop the supply shipment that could aid the capture of his brother. When he had seized her that night instead of stabbing her immediately, he couldn't resist Mizuki's beauty and wanted to get a taste of her. But unfortunately things went sideways when she managed to elude both him and the deadly creatures of the forest. Now it seemed like she had even won the heart of the Feared Dai Fang.
Huo Xun knew he had to extinguish the life of the young heiress before his connection to the fugitives in the Hidden Forest was realized.
The Devil King would be an unwelcome obstacle in his aforementioned plan but one thing was certain....
Mizuki Yang must die.
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