Chapter 847 — My Path Is Not Lonely

"According to the analysis of the royal advisors, if the disaster those dark priests set in motion had erupted, the entire Augustus family would have suffered tremendous losses—and in the end, none of it erupted..." Luo Yan spoke slowly, watching Matilda's reaction with appraising eyes. "Gao Yang Cecil had his own purposes. What he provided us was not 'help given freely,' but in fact, we owe him a favor."

Matilda's expression turned somewhat strange, as though she did not know how to answer her father's words, but after a few seconds of silence and thought she still shook her head. "A favor can be repaid with a favor. The Empire's interests are another matter."

"That is the best answer you have given today," Luo Yan's stern expression softened. "Go about your own affairs—you must be tired after keeping this rambling old father of yours company for so long."

"Conversing with you always leaves me with much to gain," Matilda rose to her feet and bowed deeply to Luo Yan. "Then I shall take my leave first, Father."

Luo Yan waved his hand lightly, and Matilda left the little hall, wrapped in sunlight and the fragrance of flowers.

The room fell quiet, and only the bright late-morning sun kept company with the no-longer-young Luo Yan Augustus. The ruler of Typhon sat still for a while in the tranquil air, and only then did he slowly turn his gaze, letting it fall upon the round table before him.

A large book, finely printed and stamped with gold on its cover, lay quietly there, bathed in the bright sunlight so rarely seen in Aldernan.

It was a gift Matilda had brought back from Cecil—a gift from that "Gao Yang Cecil" to him.

"You are a lucky one," Luo Yan suddenly laughed softly, reaching out to pick up the book as he murmured to himself. "All of Aldernan has cleared to welcome you."

His eyes moved across the pages, and line after line of neat text came into his view—

"...The state is an ordered collective, a union bound by a consistent cultural identity and shared interests, encompassing both the people and the land...

"Maintaining social stability and development is one of the fundamental missions of a state's ruling class..."

In the quiet little hall, soon there was nothing left but the sound of turning pages.

A long while passed before a sigh, laden with some nameless complexity of feeling, rose in the little hall: "I can understand what you mean to say..."

...

"Sir Golosh, Lady Asharena, I hope you have found your stay at the Autumn Palace comfortable," Gao Yang said with a smile in the reception room of the Cecil Palace, regarding the dragon-blooded envoys before him. "Our knowledge of the customs and habits of the Holy Dragon Duchy is limited. If anything has been arranged poorly, please speak up freely."

"No, your hospitality has already left us thoroughly satisfied," Sir Golosh said with an easy laugh. "We can feel Cecil's sincerity and goodwill—for a first contact, this is a very good beginning."

"That is good to hear," Gao Yang nodded. The pleasantries and courtesies of yesterday were over; today was the time to discuss real matters, so he quickly came to the point. "Then let us begin directly—the Cecil Empire wishes to establish a closer relationship with the Holy Dragon Duchy. Not just a single transaction, not just sending envoys a few more times; we hope to establish a fairly stable commercial channel between our two nations. This will benefit the living standards of both peoples as well as the economies of both countries."

Sir Golosh clearly appreciated Gao Yang's straightforward manner of speaking. Having realized that this newborn "Cecil Empire" was not, as the records described human kingdoms, steeped in endless red tape and stale convention, his own attitude had likewise grown relaxed and direct: "Frankly, this is also the wish of Grand Duke Ba Yang'er—though the Holy Dragon Duchy does not often communicate with the outside world, that does not mean we are closed and stubborn. We too are curious about the outside world, and we too are very interested in your nation's arcane technology. But I wonder what kind of 'commercial channel' you envision between our two nations? Or, to put it more bluntly, what do you intend to sell us?"

The corners of Gao Yang's mouth curved upward slightly, revealing a sincere and cheerful smile.

When facing business partners, he always smiled very sincerely.

"Sir, when you came, you rode our arcane train—are you interested in it?"

Sir Golosh and Asharena exchanged a glance.

"Ah..." Two seconds later, Golosh blinked and nodded. "That is a marvelous thing, with very obvious uses. Naturally, we are interested."

Gao Yang smiled and gestured for an attendant nearby to bring over several documents. "Then, in response to your interest, we have a comprehensive investment proposal."

(Recommending a book, *Chronicles of the Border Song Heroes* written by Flower-Planting Giant Panda, authored by Dawn Bookfriend—a story of a man who crosses into the late Northern Song with a wuxia system and farms the land. Everyone, please lend your friendly support.)

Miaoshuwu