Tap! Tap-tap!
After Prince Houying finished speaking, he walked out of the lounge without looking back, leaving Princess Qinghe standing there, her expression somewhat flustered and astonished.
Prince Houying rarely concerned himself with the state affairs of R Country, but that didn't mean he was unaware of the actions of the R Country's high echelons. On the contrary, he knew them all too well, but simply had no interest in interfering!
This guy! Princess Qinghe adjusted her breathing, calming her mind. The slight astonishment and helplessness on her beautiful young face slowly gave way to an excited, expectant smile.
She had initially thought that Mr. Bai might need to make a visit on this side, but this guy, he had always known...
Truly two strange individuals!
No! They were monsters, through and through...
She gracefully walked out of the room, got into a car, and departed from the Prince's mansion, heading towards a side hall of the Imperial Palace's main building, which was her residence.
Prime Minister Kōnoi Tōi and several other high-ranking officials of R Country were already waiting there.
In the outside world, due to the burning of the 'Shrine,' society, both online and offline, was in an uproar. At the 'Shrine' site, the surrounding park fires were being extinguished, not due to the efforts of R Country's fire department, but because everything flammable had already been consumed by the flames...
Yet, the entire Shrine remained engulfed in flames. More media outlets were participating in reporting, and live streamers and influencers were also seizing this opportunity to gain traffic... In a short period, almost everyone in the world knew about this incident.
What a spectacle!
Meanwhile, the Imperial Palace appeared serene and quiet. But beneath this tranquility, undercurrents surged, and a major upheaval concerning R Country was about to unfold.
At the side hall of the Chōwa-den, Princess Qinghe alighted from the car and entered her palace.
In the main hall, upon hearing the movement outside, Kōnoi Tōi and the other high-ranking officials immediately rose to greet her.
"Princess Qinghe!"
"We apologize for disturbing you so late!"
The several high-ranking officials of R Country showed utmost respect. It wasn't merely out of a desire to ask for a favor; the mere existence of the terrifying Prince Houying within the royal family meant that even they, the true power holders of R Country, dared not show the slightest disrespect!
"Prime Minister, you jest. Your presence here is an honor for Qinghe." Princess Qinghe bowed her head in return, her etiquette impeccable.
"Prime Minister, honored ministers, please be seated."
The group settled onto the ground, and Princess Qinghe signaled for a maid to pour fresh tea.
"Prime Minister, may I ask what brings you to the Imperial Palace so late?"
Kōnoi Tōi glanced at the Chief of the Imperial Household Agency. The Chief of the Imperial Household Agency smiled, his eyes narrowed, and nodded.
Prime Minister Kōnoi Tōi said, "Your Highness, to be frank, we have come to ask for your help in saving R Country."
"I believe you are already aware. Just now, our magnificent 'Shrine' caught fire, and it remains engulfed in flames. This was no accidental fire, but the work of a very formidable enemy! This enemy is capable of shaking the development of our empire..."
"Currently, the only solution is to request Prince Houying to intervene. We believe that with the Prince's mystery and power, he can certainly help us overcome this crisis. Therefore, we wish to implore Your Highness to help persuade Prince Houying to save our Great R Empire!"
All the ministers present wore solemn expressions, with anxiety and unease hidden deep within their eyes. Only the Chief of the Imperial Household Agency, behind his solemn facade, harbored excitement and a smile.
Princess Qinghe, seated to the side, also smiled. Her reaction was beyond the expectations of Kōnoi Tōi and the others. For such a solemn and important matter, they had expected Princess Qinghe to show some astonishment or seriousness, yet she simply smiled faintly.
And her response further shocked them all.
"It is not impossible for me to ask Prince Houying..."
Upon hearing this, Kōnoi Tōi and the other high-ranking officials became instantly excited, their faces beaming with joy and delight. Just as they were about to express their enthusiastic gratitude, Princess Qinghe spoke again.
"However, Prime Minister, why must it be an enemy who was at the Shrine?"
At these words, the smiles of Kōnoi Tōi and the ministers immediately froze. The Chief of the Imperial Household Agency's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of a smile appearing, unnoticed!
Kōnoi Tōi's gaze flickered. He regained his composure and said, "Because he came from Da Xia Country, he destroyed our magnificent 'Shrine,' and he intended to reveal our empire's revitalization secrets..."
"Your Highness, we did consider recruiting him! But he ignored us, showed us no respect, and acted as if he were superior, treating us as masters..."
"Therefore, he is undoubtedly our enemy!" Kōnoi Tōi argued. His loyal ministers' expressions already showed signs of anger.
However, Princess Qinghe's elegant and polite smile turned somewhat mocking.
"Respect? Prime Minister, if I may be so bold to ask, does the deity enshrined within the Shrine, the one who just left, show us any respect?"
Princess Qinghe's rhetorical question caused Kōnoi Tōi and the others to turn pale! They had never imagined that this woman, who seemed so ethereal, knew all the unsavory secrets of the Shrine!
Princess Qinghe slowly stood up. The endearing, intimate, and elegant nobility she exuded gradually vanished, replaced by a cool, confident 'queenly aura' that subtly permeated the air.
"Your concern for R Country's development is merely a desire to protect yourselves..."
"In fact, solving this crisis is not difficult!"
[Wishing everyone a belated New Year greeting. Happy New Year! May all your wishes come true! May you be in good health! I'll stay up late tonight for an extra update...]