"Ah, finally back. After all these years away, the place remains, but the people have changed." Leng Xiyue was at the gates of Spirit City, seated beside Qian Renxue in an open-topped royal carriage flying the flag of the Empire Convention. Qian Renxue sat stiffly upright, while Leng Xiyue lounged against her seat. They looked less like they were making an official visit and more like a royal husband and wife touring together.
This had been Xue Ye's idea. He had said that, to demonstrate how close the alliance between their two countries was, they might as well sit together, making Spirit Hall hesitate to strike the rat for fear of breaking the vase and ensuring nothing unexpected happened on their journey. Leng Xiyue had no particular objection; she merely felt it would probably accomplish little.
After all, the Heaven Dou Empire was only an extra thrown into the bargain. If they truly intended to attack her, would they still care about Heaven Dou's stance?
Spirit Hall had not neglected this high-level visit either, sending two Platinum Bishops. One was the Platinum Bishop in charge of foreign affairs, whom Leng Xiyue had met when the Jiuzhou Empire was founded.
Leng Xiyue was very familiar with the other: Javier, the chief steward at Bibi Dong's side. He had since been promoted, though she did not know what he primarily managed now.
Leng Xiyue knew how the Platinum Bishops in Spirit City were divided. Each wore the insignia of his respective department, but she did not recognize the insignia Javier now wore. It seemed to belong to a new department Bibi Dong had established afterward.
Still, it did not seem difficult to guess. It was probably a tool for strengthening her rule, something like the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
What surprised Leng Xiyue