Free Web NovelChapter 221: Magic / 6.8 : Court shenanigans
Yitian woke up and sat up.
"What are we going to do Beloved is still sore with us?"
"Did you have to tease him like that?"
Yitian rubbed his eyes.
"I was angry. Who knows how long he’s been in the imperial city without letting us know?"
"Still it only made things worst. He is Sheng Zihang’s firstborn which means if he stayed in beast valley all this time he must’ve had a good reason to and I’m sure Yan’er had something to do with it."
Yujin sat up and continued:
"You remember how eloquently father would speak about Atlas. There’s no way the person he described to us would just abandon his family."
Yitian looked at his brother.
"I know but how were we supposed to know who he was when we made those comments? He didn’t want anyone to know that he was alive for a reason but we saw it as him hiding."
Yitian passed a hand through his hair frustrated. Yujin said:
"We’ll talk to him and gain his forgiveness. I have an idea."
Yitian’s eyes lit up.
Yujin caressed his head. Even if everyone sees Yitian as this cold emperor now he knows how hard things have been. When their father passed it hit Yitian harder than he thought it would.
Yitian became cold to everyone but him. He put all his hopes on Atlas and every day he was hoping that their beloved would come but he never did.
Now that he is here Yitian is worried he might’ve done something that would make them lose him forever.
He’s been feeling guilty since they left the cave. He felt as though it was his fault. Even if they were never going to let him go they hoped he would come to see them willingly.
Right now it doesn’t matter why he came all that matters is that he’s here. After bathing and eating breakfast Yitian and Yujin left for court. Yitian took a seat on the center platform and Yujin sat on one side with the ministers.
Yan entered with his father and they bowed to the emperor. Yitian simply nodded and they went to take their seat.
When Sheng Zihang entered everyone looked at him. They all feel curious about what happened to Atlas. He bowed to the emperor and nodded at Yujin. They both nodded and he took his seat.
Court went on as usual. In the end, the emperor ordered:
"If anyone has any important business share it now before the court is adjourned."
Zihang stood up and bowed to the emperor. He looked Yitian in the eyes and said:
"I would like his majesty to put someone else in charge of the investigation of the dark mage."
Hearing that all the ministers looked at Bei Huang. They felt like it was a personal dig at him since he is the minister of justice and handling the investigation of the dark mage.
Huang stood up and said:
"This minister has everything under control."
Zihang sneered:
"If the minister of justice had everything under control there wouldn’t be a new sacrificed body for the mage’s dark ritual found every two days."
Huang’s eyes darkened but he stayed calm. They told the dark mage to only use villagers so no one would notice their disappearance but lately, he’s bolder and bolder.
Huang said:
"An investigation takes time but what would the minister of officials know about that? Let us work and justice will prevail."
Zihang tilted his head.
"When? When the dark mage managed to finally turn people into puppets and try to take over the imperial city with his army?"
Yan looked at his father and knew that he was close to losing it. He stood up and called:
"Uncle..."
Before he finished Zihang cut him.
"I’m the minister of officials you will address me as such in the future."
Yan has always called him uncle just as Atlas would call Huang uncle but he’s done with that. Even if after he thought Atlas died he knew that Huang was trying to get rid of him he never blamed Yan because he believed him innocent.
But Yan is just as despicable as his father. He had no reason to not believe his words when he came back half dead. He almost took his son’s life just because he was jealous and weak.
It’s hard to be in the same room as them and not kill them but he trusts Atlas and he’ll do as he said.
Yan looked at Zihang stunned and he felt his heartbeat quicken. Zihang’s eyes were cold and he didn’t see the affection he would see in his eyes when he would usually look at him.
That means Atlas told him what happened. The only thing that reassures him is that he is sure Atlas didn’t tell him he is the one who threw the claw or he would’ve already tried to kill him.
Even if everyone sees them as calm and wise Zihang is none of those things when his children are involved.
He smiled politely.
"Minister of officials father has been working very hard and I have been helping him so we’ll bring him to justice." ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Huang said with a pride smile:
"With the best mage in the imperial city helping me we’re sure to catch him."
All the ministers nodded approvingly. They’ve all seen how amazing Yan is so they don’t doubt that he’ll find him.
"How long have you been helping the minister of justice?"
Yan seemed to have been taken by surprised by that question. He chose an arbitrary number and said:
"7 months."
Zihang smiled mockingly.
"You’ve been helping with the investigation for seven months and you still haven’t found him? Aren’t you the best mage in the imperial city? How can you not track back his magic to him using one of the many bodies he left behind?"
Yan opened his mouth but nothing came out. All the ministers looked at him waiting for his reply. It’s a legitimate question. Yitian looked at his brother.
Yujin heard in his head:
*Say you’ll take care of the investigation from now on.*
Yujin looked at Yitian then nodded. Huang looked at his son who seemed to have clammed up. He hates that about Yan, he can never think on his feet.
He is so used to everyone worshipping him that he doesn’t know how to respond when someone goes against him.
"My son uses elemental magic and it can only do so much compared to dark magic."
Zihang asked:
"So what you are saying is that the dark mage is stronger than your son the best mage in the imperial city?"
Huang looked at Zihang furiously.
"How dare you? My son could’ve been stronger if he hadn’t gotten hurt because of your son." freeweɓnøvel.com
Zihang simply laughed like Huang had said a funny joke. He looked at the emperor again and said:
"This humble minister suggests that his majesty put someone else in charge. A fresh pair of eyes might see things differently."
Yujin said:
"This great general will handle the investigation from now on."
Yan felt his already rapid heartbeat quicken. He said:
"Great general..."
Yujin cut him and looked at Huang.
"Bring all the evidence you’ve accumulated so far."
Despite his anger, Huang said submissively:
"Yes, great general."
Zihang bowed to Yitian and Yujin and they both nodded.
"Court is adjourned."
All the ministers bowed until the emperor was gone.
Atlas walked up the stairs of the palace with a smile. His father is the best, he not only made the court see that the delays in the investigation were weird but now they see that Yan isn’t as powerful as people think.
Huang and Yan will now have to deal with the dark mage because he’s sure to spill the beans if he is caught. The only reason Yan was able to defeat the dark mage in the OG timeline is that he poisoned him ironically.
The dark mage is so used to poisoning people that he never thought in a million years someone would poison him. As soon as he died all his puppets died since he was linked to all of them.
Yan was seen as a hero when he sacrificed thousands of people just so he could become emperor. When Atlas passed the ministers who were walking out they all looked at him.
The entire imperial city knows that Atlas is back and there are plenty of rumors flying around. The funniest to Atlas is bestiality. Some say that he fell in love with an esse beast and stayed there for it but once it died he came back.
There’s also the rumor that the reason he was dressed to ninth is that he is the lover of a rich king in one of the neighboring kingdoms. They’re all ridiculously hilarious.
He wishes he had a rich sugar daddy the truth is way less glamorous. He lived outside unable to move for a year then upgraded and lived in a cave. Zihang walked to his son and Atlas tilted his head.
Zihang winked and Atlas smiled. He said:
"The emperor summoned me I’ll talk to you later."
Zihang caressed his son’s head.
"Be careful."
"I will."
Zihang smiled and they both left a different way. After a few steps, they both stopped and looked back. Atlas smiled and so did Zihang. His eyes softened and he felt more himself than he did in a long time.
Every time Atlas would leave they would look back one last time, it became a habit and he always felt that everything would be okay if he did.
The day he disappeared he didn’t since he didn’t tell him and he always felt that it was the reason why. Now that he is back he won’t let anyone take him from him again.
