Chapter 353 - Entering the Kokyo
Chapter 353 Entering the Kokyo
Xiao Bing entered the dining room, and the servant immediately went to inform Princess Nami. A short while later, Princess Nami skipped down the stairs happily.
Xiao Bing smiled and said, “Your Royal Highness.”
“Good morning.”
The two had already made a deal that Xiao Bing would call her Nami if there were only the two of them, but if someone else was there, he would call her Princess or Your Royal Highness.
However, from Princess Nami’s attitude, only the blind wouldn’t see that the relationship between them was more than just a working one.
After entering the dining room, Princess Nami looked at Xiao Bing with affection as she ate breakfast. After the confession yesterday, Princess Nami became more proactive toward Xiao Bing, and she was so enthusiastic that Xiao Bing felt he couldn’t stand it anymore.
Xiao Bing ate faster. Then he put down his chopsticks, looked at Princess Nami, and asked, “Are you going to the Imperial Palace today?”
“Yes. After dinner. I haven’t seen my grandfather in a long time. I’ll take you to see the Emperor first, and then we will visit my grandfather at night. He is the best martial arts master in our country, and maybe he can teach you some skills.”
Xiao Bing pretended to be respectful, “It’ll be an honor.”
Princess Nami beamed and said, “If he knows… knows us…” she giggled, “he will be nicer to you and may accept you as the last disciple.”
Xiao Bing knew what Nami wanted to say. If her grandfather knew she liked him, he would probably accept him as a disciple, but Xiao Bing was not very interested. He thought he’d better keep a distance from the old man in case he raised any suspicion. If that happened, even if he managed to return to Huaxia, the task would probably fizzle out.
“Aoki, last night… what happened between you and her?”
Xiao Bing said calmly, “We are done.”
Princess Nami’s eyes brightened, and she asked in surprise, “Really?”
“Yes.” Xiao Bing nodded.
Princess Nami was ecstatic. Even though they didn’t break up, she was confident that with her looks and status, she would become Xiao Bing’s wife sooner or later. As for the other women, including his former girlfriends, they would be nothing but mistresses at most. But it was better that they parted ways. After all, no woman would like her man to have more than one woman.
Princess Nami smiled happily. “Aoki, in fact, I don’t think that woman is worthy of you at all. It is better that you broke up with her. It is a wise choice.”
Xiao Bing didn’t say anything. Actually, he had a good impression of the woman who was very affectionate and beautiful. But now he needed Princess Nami to help him with the task, so there was no point in offending her at this time.
Princess Nami laughed. “Well, don’t be upset. We’ll be going soon.”
“I’m not upset. Actually, I wanted to break up with her long ago. Oh, do you need Fukuda Ogawa to follow us to the Imperial Palace?”
Originally, Fukuda Ogawa was also one of Princess Nami’s personal warriors, but because of Xiao Bing, Princess Nami barely went out with him, since she didn’t want anyone to disturb her and Xiao Bing. Princess Nami was about to refuse when Xiao Bing whispered, “I suggest that Your Royal Highness take Fukuda. After all, he is your personal warrior, and if you have one more master beside you, it will be safer. If you only have me by your side every day, I will have one more enemy.”
Princess Nami wanted to say that he was just a subordinate and there was nothing to be afraid of. But thinking of Xiao Bing hating class discrimination, and how she finally reconciled with him, she didn’t want to displease him.
Princess Nami reluctantly said, “Well then, take him with us.”
Xiao Bing smiled. “Then Your Royal Highness, please have someone inform him.”
“Well.” Princess Nami turned her head and spoke to the maid behind her, “Go tell Fukuda to come to the door of my villa immediately. I need him to go out with me.”
“Yes, Your Royal Highness.”
Xiao Bing stood up, looked at Princess Nami, and smiled, “Let’s go out and wait.”
“Oh.” Princess Nami was reluctant but didn’t refuse.
Xiao Bing and Princess Nami stood at the entrance of the hall. Xiao Bing stood slightly behind her and looked respectful. He didn’t want anyone to gossip about them. Princess Nami didn’t want him to do this, but because Xiao Bing insisted, she had no choice. Soon after, Fukuda Ogawa came.
Fukuda Ogawa was in a good mood. In the past two days, he was actually very hostile towards Xiao Bing, because although he had become Princess Nami’s personal warrior, she took only Xiao Bing with her wherever she went. It was a humiliation. Was he weaker than Xiao Bing?
So he was very depressed these two days until he received the notification from the maid informing him that the princess wanted him to go out with her. He finally felt at ease. Seeing Xiao Bing also standing behind Princess Nami, he glanced at him with a bit of hostility and then he retracted his hostile eyes. He approached Princess Nami calmly and said, “Your Royal Highness.”
“Well, you two will go to the Imperial Palace with me today.”
Fukuda Ogawa’s eyes lit up. The Imperial Palace was like the Forbidden City in Huaxia. Naturally, everyone was interested. He immediately agreed.
Xiao Bing and Fukuda Ogawa followed Princess Nami into the car and sat on each side of her. As the driver started the car, they slowly left the manor, heading toward the Imperial Palace.
Along the way, no one said anything. While Princess Nami played incessantly with her mobile phone, Fukuda Ogawa quietly looked at her and Xiao Bing looked outside. When she saw that Xiao Bing was not looking at her, Princess Nami got really depressed. Was she less beautiful than the view outside?
About half an hour later, the car finally reached the bridge leading to the Imperial Palace. It was the second time that Xiao Bing came here. Last time, he sneaked in at night but found nothing. He had been in Country R for more than a week and the longer he stayed, the lower the probability of him accomplishing the task. He was anxious to find some clues this time.
The guards on the bridge seemed to recognize Princess Nami’s car and let it pass without fuss. The car went directly into the Imperial Palace.
The car stopped outside the Kokyo within the Imperial Palace, and Princess Nami said, “This is where the Emperor lives. You both come with me.”
Xiao Bing and Fukuda Ogawa got out. Xiao Bing opened the door and helped Princess Nami out of the car.
“Let’s go. Mr. Aoki, bring along my gift.”
“Okay.” The gift was a piece of calligraphy by a master in Country R.
There were many steps to the Imperial Palace. They climbed together, step by step, to the top and saw a gate about five or six meters wide. Two guards with long rifles stood outside the gate. Seeing Xiao Bing and Fukuda Ogawa, the guards pointed at them with their guns. Princess Nami’s face soured as she said, “They are my men.”
“I’m sorry, Your Royal Highness, these two are not allowed to carry weapons in.”
Princess Nami turned back to look at Xiao Bing. She didn’t care about Fukuda Ogawa but she was afraid that Xiao Bing would be angry.
Xiao Bing shrugged and smiled. “It’s the palace where the Emperor lives, so I can understand.”
As he said, he took out the long knife and placed it on the ground. Then he raised his hands to signal to the guards that they could do a body-search. Fukuda Ogawa did the same. Although the Emperor had less power, he was still a very sacred symbol. Fukuda Ogawa could not bring weapons with him. It was disrespectful to the Emperor and he had no problem with that.
After searching them, the guard nodded and said, “You may go in.”
Princess Nami hummed. Although she was used to it, she still felt uncomfortable when they insisted on searching Xiao Bing. Because Xiao Bing was very precious to her.
In the hall of the Kokyo, there were more than a dozen women who stood like maids. There were also guards scattered around in the open and in the shadows. The two guards at the door had unusual power and they had reached the Concealing Strength Stage. People inside the hall were at the Concealing Strength Stage as well and there were more than ten of them. With so many masters, normal people wouldn’t dare break into the palace unless they had a death wish.
Princess Nami looked at a girl and asked, “Where is the Emperor?”
“Nami, you’ve finally come to see me, hahaha…” An old-sounding voice came from within the room at the same time as the sound of footsteps.
Xiao Bing became alert. He could make out the footsteps of two people. He knew that the weaker one would be the Emperor’s and the other one who walked rhythmically should be a master who protected the Emperor, and he would have reached the Innate Realm.
There were indeed many masters inside the palace.
As expected, as the Emperor came out, he was followed by a stern-looking samurai who also carried no weapons. He was taller and thinner than average. In addition, he had an aura of strength. Xiao Bing felt that he would have reached the Gang-strength Stage.
Xiao Bing nodded secretly. Even in the Dark World in general, the man would be regarded as a powerful entity. Moreover, he seemed to be 27 or 28 years old which meant he could still improve. There were some martial arts talents in Country R, and this man was one of them. Feng XIII would be one of them too.
Xiao Bing secretly glanced at the Emperor again. He did not dare to look at him directly in case he was noticed.
The Emperor was about 70 years old. He looked skinny but his spirit was not bad. At this moment, he was coming over with a smile on his face.