The fall of Albourne caused the shadow of destruction to truly fall upon the Empire’s head.
No one in the Yongle Garden Star City dared to joke about it anymore.
The nobles feared the rebel army like demons crawling out of the abyss – especially after the fall of Watson Star City, when countless nobles were enumerated for their crimes and subjected to heavy penalties or even death. It was nothing more than killing one to warn a hundred.
Emperor Andrew Odin’s mental state was becoming increasingly unstable.
In recent years, the emperor often went mad in the middle of the night, shouting or crawling in front of the portrait of Odin I, crying like a child.
“Zhen’s empire… shall last for thousands of years! Haha, thousands of years!! Hahahaha… wuwuwu… wuaaaa…”
When the emperor woke up the next day, all the servants who had witnessed his disgraceful behavior would be executed.
Whether day or night, the red-haired, green-eyed tyrant Odin I always stood silently in his cold posture within the picture frame, watching the sun of the Holy Human Empire set in the west.
In the 62nd year of the Old Imperial Calendar, the decisive battle began.
The rebel fleet was about to leave the sub-star system to face off against the Empire’s last major elite force in the Purple Silk Cosmic Domain.
This time, the emperor frantically committed all his forces, and the rebels had no way to retreat.
If they won, Purple Silk would be in their grasp, and it would be no problem to directly attack the imperial capital Yongle Garden.
If they lost, they would have to retreat to defend the sub-star system, which could very likely lead to the loss of the recently captured Albourne, or even result in the failure of the rebellion.
“We have pushed our strength to the limit,” Jiang Jianming said softly. He lay back in the treatment cabin, his voice slightly distorted by the oxygen mask covering his face.
He closed his eyes slightly, panting with pale lips for a while before continuing, “…we need some external force.”
Outside the window, a fine, needle-like rain was falling. Albourne’s rainy season this year was particularly gentle.
Mechas and small starships could be vaguely seen flying through the clouds. They were the troops making final preparations.
Ryann reached out to raise the built-in bed of Jiang Jianming’s treatment cabin a little, lifting his upper body slightly to allow him to breathe more smoothly.
“The space pirates, or the Glorious Autonomous Dominion?”
Jiang Jianming shook his head gently. “Not the space pirates, they’re too… cough…”
He ran out of strength to continue speaking, his brows furrowed tightly, only able to emit a series of low, gasping sounds. As he exhaled, his frail chest cavity sank in, with even his raised ribs faintly visible.
Ryann’s expression darkened slightly as he reached out to massage Jiang Jianming’s chest. “I understand, you don’t need to say more. Just catch your breath first.”
That organ beat wearily and weakly against his broad palm.
Ryann’s eye twitched slightly. He could feel Jiang Jianming’s heart beating under his palm, as if it might give out at any moment.
…Since receiving Sylph’s help, Jiang Jianming’s condition had improved somewhat for a time. However, at the beginning of this year, he unexpectedly fell into a deep coma, spending a week in the emergency room before regaining consciousness. After that, his condition began to deteriorate again.
Now, he was too weak to be off life support for long periods, spending more time lying in bed than standing up, and no longer able to personally lead troops on the front lines.
Apart from a few familiar and reliable doctors, no one knew the true species and illness of the commander.
Seeing that the commander was leading troops less frequently, people only thought that Aslan’s merits were threatening his superiors, and that His Majesty Kaios intended to suppress his influence. They couldn’t help but discuss it privately.
But there were some things that only Jiang Jianming, Kaios, and Lin Ge knew clearly.
For example, if they couldn’t take Purple Silk this time, the rebel commander might not have the chance to see another strategic decisive battle.
The sound of rain pattered outside. Jiang Jianming dozed off groggily for half a day, his breathing gradually steadying, his eyes closed as if he was about to fall asleep.
But after just ten minutes or so, he suddenly woke up with his limbs convulsing. This led to another bout of rapid breathing, and cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
Ryann abruptly opened the treatment cabin door and embraced the disabled human, patting him soothingly. “Tranquilizer? I’ll get you…”
“No need, I’m fine,” Jiang Jianming said, his mind suddenly clearer. He complained, “I almost fell asleep mid-sentence, and Your Majesty didn’t even wake me… Really, there’s no need to find medicine, just pour me a glass of water.”
Ryann’s gaze darkened. As he stood up to pour water, he accidentally knocked over a glass. He felt he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, perhaps the tranquilizer should be given to himself.
Ryann took a deep breath, his gaze suddenly stopping on the vase beside the bookshelf.
There were five or six golden roses inserted there, gleaming alluringly in the lamplight.
This was a genetically modified variety developed by the Science Academy to commemorate the Blue Mother Star uprising. It was very fragrant and bloomed year-round. He had brought a large bunch to Jiang Jianming a few days ago, but hadn’t really given it much thought.
Unexpectedly, it was the gravely ill commander who had the leisure to cut a few stems and put them in the vase, apparently quite fond of them.
Ryann plucked a stem and held it in his hand, returning to the treatment cabin.
He handed both the water glass and the rose to Jiang Jianming. “After overthrowing the Odin Empire, let’s make the golden rose the national flower of the new empire. What do you think?”
Jiang Jianming was surprised at first, then smiled, his dark eyes curving gently.
He lowered his head to sniff, pretending to smell the flower’s fragrance. “That sounds nice, very meaningful. Let’s plant many in front of the new imperial palace then.”
Ryann: “Alright.”
A faint light shone in Jiang Jianming’s eyes. “Oh, and after the new empire’s situation stabilizes… Your Majesty should build a school in the capital star city, a school where the poor and disabled humans can also receive education.”
“Alright.”
“Could there be a library next to the school?”
“Alright.”
Jiang Jianming laughed again. “What do you mean ‘alright’? We’ve gone off topic.”
“Where were we… Oh, is Your Majesty wondering why the Glorious Autonomous Dominion would help us?”
Ryann thought to himself: You’re wrong, I’m wondering how I can keep you here longer, until the day when the new empire is filled with golden flowers, and the school and library are built.
Of course, saying this aloud would earn him a scolding from the commander. So he didn’t show it on his face, just said, “I’ll send someone to negotiate first and see.”
He knew this wouldn’t be easy to negotiate.
The Glorious Autonomous Dominion had always criticized the interstellar imperial system, hoping to follow the democratic republican path that prevailed in the late period of the old Blue Mother Star. Although they had cooperated with the rebel army for a time, they were ultimately not on the same path.
If Yongle Garden was captured by the rebel army, the Glorious Autonomous Dominion would have to worry about whether the new empire would be friend or foe. Actively seeking support at this time, the outcome was very uncertain.
“If the negotiations fail…”
Jiang Jianming lowered his eyes, “I want to make my background public.”
“Or rather, you can make my background public, and then negotiate again.”
He said this casually, while Ryann was still thinking of other things, so when he came to his senses, he almost doubted what he had heard.
“What did you say?”
“I am Helga’s only son. Back then, the Snow Dove Red Leaf Society owed my mother and me a lot, and they’ve been looking for me all these years.”
Jiang Jianming held the golden rose in his hand, calmly saying, “Although this method isn’t very honorable, Your Majesty, you can exchange me for quite a lot.”
This could also be considered a pit that the Glorious Autonomous Dominion had dug for themselves, Jiang Jianming thought secretly.
Who told them to keep promoting Helga’s deeds and spirit, openly searching for that missing disabled human child, claiming they would spare no expense to bring him home.
How much of it was sincere and how much was for show was hard to say. After all, logically speaking, the chances of a disabled human child surviving in the wild until now were extremely small.
If I hadn’t encountered Ryann, I would have also long ago…
Suddenly, Jiang Jianming’s face was forcefully lifted up.
“Are you not fully awake, or has your mind become muddled from illness?”
Ryann’s face already showed obvious anger. Years of warfare had given this future new emperor sufficient intimidating presence. “Are you planning to make your race public!?”
Jiang Jianming: “Yes, I’m very sure.”
Ryann laughed in extreme anger. “And then what after making it public?”
There was no ‘and then what’.
If it had been made public in previous years, the Commander could have pressed those new humans with objections in front of simulation combat machines one by one, saying “You’re not convinced? Fine, let’s have a match.”
But that was no longer possible now. Dawn Aslan had deceived the rebel army and people for so many years, wearing bracelets or gloves, mysteriously concealing his true appearance.
And when everything was revealed, he turned out to be just a…frail disabled human who even had difficulty getting out of bed.
Weak, powerless, sickly, having to rely on His Majesty Kaios – yes, a powerful new human – for protection to survive.
It was exactly the stereotypical image of disabled humans, without the slightest difference.
Such a disparity was not something the public could accept.
The White Bird Red Leaf would be “morally kidnapped” like this, and it was even less likely for them to treat him sincerely.
More likely, they would use him, the former Commander, as some kind of political tool to threaten or exploit the current rebel army and the future new empire.
Ryann suddenly stood up, his gloomy face submerged in the darkness, icy jade pupils faintly visible. “Have you thought about what will happen to yourself like this?”
Jiang Jianming: “Your Majesty need not worry. Even if I go to the Glorious Autonomous Dominion, I’m confident I won’t drag down the overall situation.”
Ryann’s temple throbbed with a pulsing vein. “Stop pretending! You know what I’m asking!”
Jiang Jianming said calmly. “You are the emperor. What you should be considering now isn’t what will happen to me.”
A flash of fury crossed Ryann’s eyes. His fingers clenched tightly, as if he wanted to strike, yet couldn’t.
In the end, the only thing pierced by the real crystal was the golden rose in the patient’s hand.
As the flower petals scattered inside the treatment cabin, Jiang Jianming sighed. “It’s useless for you to lose your temper. This time we really need to compromise a little. I will try my best to handle it, so…”
Suddenly, Ryann took a step back. “Shut up.”
He used a commanding tone.
“Aslan.”
Kaios’s voice turned cold, and somewhat ethereal, “It’s been a long time since you called me by my name.”
Jiang Jianming was stunned for a moment.
Kaios’s face was icy cold, but his eyes were vaguely bloodshot, “There’s one thing I don’t understand.”
“How dare you lecture Zhen like this while addressing Zhen as ‘Your Majesty’ with your mouth?”
Jiang Jianming remained silent, his expression revealing a hint of sorrow.
Ryann turned to leave, halfway through flicking his crystal bones to shatter the vase with the golden rose on the ground, and stormed out without looking back, slamming the door behind him.
****
That night, a fierce wind raged.
In the early hours of the morning, Jiang Jianming was startled awake by a suddenly approaching presence.
Before he could react to what was happening, a great force supported his back, half-dragging and half-embracing him upright—
Jiang Jianming instinctively cried out softly. “Rya… Your Majesty!?”
The pitch-black room had no lights on. Ryann was breathing heavily, his gaze fixed intently on the window where wind and rain howled, while his arms tightly held Jiang Jianming’s frail body against his chest.
Ignoring the disabled human’s startled cries and struggles, he nuzzled the other’s forehead with the tip of his nose, brushed his lips against the other’s neck, and even lightly bit the shoulder beneath the thin pajamas.
He had clearly lost control of his emotions, as if he would die of thirst if he didn’t do something; yet he was restraining himself almost cruelly, not doing the thing he desired most.
He did not kiss him.
“Aslan.” The scorching breath trembled as it exhaled onto Jiang Jianming’s pale earlobe. Ryann closed his eyes and said hoarsely, “I’ll ask you one last time, are you willing?”
Jiang Jianming vaguely became aware of certain things.
In the darkness, his expression softened. He wrapped his arms around Ryann’s broad back, patting gently, and asked as if comforting. “What do you mean?”
“Shh, you know… you know.”
Ryann shook his head, his platinum blonde hair tips brushing against Jiang Jianming’s cheeks.
The young iron-blooded monarch’s voice was actually trembling at this moment, “Aslan, I love you. But this is the last time. If you don’t agree, I will never say it again.”
“Tell me your answer, are you willing?”
Jiang Jianming held his breath, silently widening his eyes.
Over these years, he had heard declarations of love from Ryann far too many times.
He knew best how proud this person’s temperament was, yet solely on this matter, he had shown a somewhat persistent attitude.
At some point, Jiang Jianming had also grown accustomed to it. He even had an illusion: perhaps until he was about to die, his little highness would still be stubbornly asking, what about now, can I love you now?
But, was that so? So this was…
The last time.
The wind carried memories from afar. Everything returned to that wild area on Blue Mother Star, that night, when he had extended his arms and lifted a young child from beneath the burning remnants of a starship.
Jiang Jianming raised his clear black eyes, “Your Majesty needs to be clear, you want to ask me,” his voice was as light as a falling feather, “if I’m willing to do what?”
Ryann: “Be Zhen’s empress.”
His tone was as firm as every time before.
Jiang Jianming lowered his eyes and smiled, the night concealing the tenderness and sorrow in his eyes. He said softly, “…Thank you.”
For loving someone like me, for so many years.
Ryann understood.
The tacit understanding between them no longer needed more words.
“Alright.”
So the young monarch slowly released his embrace, only his reluctant gaze still lingering on Jiang Jianming’s brow, “Then I’ll tell you some good news.”
“The Glorious Autonomous Dominion is willing to cooperate with us, in other words, to join the rebel army.”
“One of the conditions is…a political marriage.”
“Commander, Zhen is going to marry someone else as empress.”
