Chapter 943: Chips
The ‘meeting’ in the main hall ended successfully. After the crowd dispersed, Lex the Great asked Chen Rui to stay.
“You surprised me, my son. You are a mechanic grand master? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“Because Your Majesty didn’t ask.”
Lex’s eyes flashed, “Then I will now officially ask you, what have you achieved in these 7 years?”
“Accurately speaking, I have acquired… some abilities to survive.” Chen Rui said calmly. “The past Arthur was already dead. He was stabbed in the back. I don’t remember the person who stabbed the knife. Maybe it’s a terrifying enemy or even more terrifying relative. Once is enough for this kind of lesson. Now, at least I won’t work for those who plotted me.”
Lex savored and pondered the meaning of these words.
“If Your Majesty has nothing else, I’ll leave first.” Chen Rui bowed.
“Tonight, you can go to the s.h.i.+on Palace. Someone is waiting for you there.” Lex said suddenly.
“The s.h.i.+on Palace?” The familiar place name made Chen Rui’s memory throb again. When those deep sea-like blue eyes engraved in his heart appeared in his mind, many dormant fragments of memory began to revive again.
“Tonight?”
“Just tonight.” Lex said indifferently, “You should understand that she is Sophil’s concubine. Although your short-lived uncle has been dead for a long time, he is your uncle after all. Do you understand?”
Chen Rui rubbed his temples, “I seem to remember something. She iss the n.o.ble lady of the Blue Glory Empire and a teacher at Starlight College. She eventually became the victim of a political marriage with an old guy, which was also instigated by Your Majesty, right?”
“Yes.”
“For the benefit of the empire?”
“For the benefit of the empire!” Lex’s tone was firm.
“So, ‘Arthur’ at that time begged for 3 days and 3 nights, and he was still rejected by Your Majesty? What a fool.” Chen Rui shrugged after sorting out the flood of memories that popped up in his mind.
Lex frowned, “With your current judgment, you should understand that the ident.i.ty of that woman is not suitable for you at all. Princess Landbis is the perfect match for you.”
Chen Rui did not go on. He said indifferently, “Similarly, with my current judgment, I have also figured out more things… Your Majesty’s decision at that time was not just for ‘Arthur’. Perhaps Sophil was the main point! The pathetic Uncle Sophil, the pathetic woman, and the pathetic… ‘Arthur’, were just victims.”
Lex was displeased when he heard this calm, outsider-like tone, “Are you questioning me?”
“It’s nothing, just lamenting. The s.h.i.+on Palace has been closed by Your Majesty’s imperial guards since ‘Arthur’ came back. Now that I’ve shown some value, Your Majesty has changed your mind and uses this chip… Although she was the woman of my dead uncle; although it is only for 1 night.”
“Who am I? Who is she?” Chen Rui smiled while looking straight into Lex’s cold eyes, “My Your Majesty, I want to know, in your eyes, is anyone but yourself just chips?”
“No,” Lex’s voice became cold, “including myself.”
Chen Rui was slightly surprised. He was silent for a while before he spoke up, “Since this is the case, then, please forgive me. Today’s topic is no longer suitable for discussion. If there is a chance, I hope to have a smoother conversation with Your Majesty.”
Lex looked deeply at the complete stranger-like son as if this was the first time he looked at him, “You’re not the ‘Arthur’ I know.”
“As I said, from the moment of disappearance, the past prince was already dead.” Chen Rui’s words were implicit, “In front of you, is an ‘Arthur’ who has changed a lot in order to survive.”
“Indeed, I can no longer judge you according to the initial impression. I really don’t know whether to be sad or happy, my prince.” Lex sighed, “Now you are qualified to inherit my position, perhaps even more so than Garfield and Luke.”
Chen Rui noticed that he used ‘prince’ instead of ‘son’, indicating that Lex had raised his position to a real height, which was also the entrance to another ‘battlefield’.
“Your Majesty, as far as rulers are concerned, you are still very young, so I don’t think any prince should have too many lofty ideas.” Chen Rui seemed extremely calm. The reason why Garfield was still alive is not necessarily without Lex’s support. This ruler’s scheming and skills are unfathomable, far surpa.s.sing Raizen’s. The entire empire is firmly in his hands.
This kind of control is naturally exclusive. Even the closest person who wants to touch this kind of control will be regarded as an enemy.
“My presence will upset the balance and even more things, but I can definitely promise 1 thing, I will not shake Your Majesty’s rule, only make it stronger.”
Lex frowned, “So, what do you want?”
Chen Rui recited the words ‘Holy Light Robe’ silently in his heart, but he definitely couldn’t bring it up now. He just showed an indifferent smile, “You will know, Your Majesty. If you really understand what I want, then, it will be the day when ‘Arthur’ will call you ‘father’ again.”
‘Father?’
Lex the Great leaned on the throne while watching the unfamiliar yet familiar back gradually fade away. His eyelids closed gradually, either in contemplation or nostalgia.
In the palace.
Chen Rui wandered for a while, and he finally walked in the direction of the s.h.i.+on Palace.
Veronica. Sherbert.
The Blue Glory Empire’s n.o.ble lady. In the eyes of the huge Blue Glory Royal Family, she was only a dest.i.tute person.
The woman whom ‘Arthur’ once longed for. She was ‘Arthur”s most obsessed teacher and sister at Starlight College. In the end, because of a tragic political marriage, she was forced to marry the prince of the Dragon Bright Empire, Sophil, who was older than her father.
Back then, ‘Arthur’ had been begging his father, Lex, for 3 days and 3 nights outside the palace, but he still couldn’t stop the marriage. Since then, Arthur’s t.i.tle for Lex had changed from ‘father’ to ‘Your Majesty’.
As Chen Rui questioned Lex today, this marriage was actually more of a part of Lex’s plan, and the target was Prince Sophil who had become a powerful threat to the ruler at the time.
Less than a year after the marriage, Prince Sophil as well as his many wives and children died in a mysterious accident. Then Veronica ‘exposed’ a conspiracy against the royal family as a witness. The result of this incident was a big reshuffle. In the end, Lex the Great completely consolidated his absolute rule, and Veronica also became the ‘legitimate wife’ from a concubine because of the ‘merit’. Of course, the ident.i.ty was just the widow of the deceased prince. She could only stay in the palace and could not return to the Blue Glory Empire.
Chen Rui didn’t know the truth of Prince Sophil’s death, but he was certain was that both ‘Arthur’ and Veronica were just p.a.w.ns and poor victims in the whole chess game.
Now, Veronica was once again used as a bargaining chip and pushed in front of Chen Rui.
1 night?
Chen Rui’s face was a bit gloomy. It was more of the anger from the ‘Arthur’ part.
This kind of anger was just an instinctive emotion of fusion consciousness, and it could not dominate Chen Rui’s own thoughts. For Chen Rui, at least, it was necessary to meet this Veronica.
Since he had inherited the consciousness and body of ‘Arthur’, plus since he had made a public appearance as ‘Arthur’, it was naturally impossible to escape some of the things or responsibilities that ‘Arthur’ had to face.
This kind of face-to-face would make the strength of the soul-integrated state of mind truly complete.
It was also the only way forward.
In front of the s.h.i.+on Palace.
The large number of imperial guards stationed at the gate had already received orders from Lex the Great, and they all bowed without stopping him.
Chen Rui entered the hall of the s.h.i.+on Palace unimpeded all the way. The s.h.i.+on Palace was small and there were few people. There were only 2 maids in the entire hall. Chen Rui was told that Veronica was in the garden.
Chen Rui came to the small garden at the back of the hall. The area of the garden was proportional to the rudimentary facilities of the palace in front, but it was the only place in the s.h.i.+on Palace that could be called exquisite. It could be seen that this place was being managed well. Perhaps it was the only place Veronica could pour her heart out.
There was only 1 person in the garden.
Even if there were thousands of people, he would only see that figure in his eyes, the figure that ‘Arthur’ had always dreamed of.
This was a feeling that was engraved in Chen Rui’s consciousness, and it even blended into his emotions. His mind that had been calmed down on purpose suddenly throbbed uncontrollably. His heart beat rapidly, and he just stood there in a daze for a while.
The person who could only be seen in countless dreams finally appeared in front of him.
The woman turned her head slowly, just in time to see him.
The golden-brown hair was casually scattered on the shoulders, and the tight white robe with blue borders showed off the mature and graceful figure. Her face was covered with a veil, covering the face. Only the pair of blue eyes looked profound and graceful.
The moment she saw Chen Rui, her body suddenly trembled. At the same time, Chen Rui felt that his vision began to blur quickly.
Slowly blur, and then it gradually became clear.
At the same time, those beautiful blue eyes that were as beautiful as the sea were clear, flas.h.i.+ng with crystal-like tears.
“Little Arthur… is it really you?” The familiar voice was hoa.r.s.e with a bit of excitement, but more of an unbelievable surprise.
Chen Rui blinked hard, took a deep breath, and stepped forward.
“Teacher.” It was almost without hesitation and natural, “I’m back.”
As soon as he said it, he was already tightly embraced by the woman. He was unaware of the plump and seductive touch, but he completely melted into that kind and warm hug.
At this moment, he was not only Chen Rui, but also Arthur, the real Arthur.
TL: Now he has more than enough power to bring Veronica away or even turn the entire Dragon Bright Empire, what will he do?