The first thing Aurelian Dragon did upon returning to Phoenix Palace was to seek out Phoenix Vane, for she had too many questions that needed the brilliant and beautiful woman to answer.
Stepping into Phoenix Vane's cozy, fragrant boudoir, the beautiful hostess, dressed in a loose, soft robe, leaned against the headboard, quietly awaiting Aurelian Dragon's arrival, as if she already knew he would come to see her.
"Would you like to eat something first? There's Eight Treasure Lotus Seed Soup on the table."
Upon seeing Aurelian Dragon, the beautiful female general's phoenix eyes lit up, and she pointed a slender, jade-like finger at the desk beside her bed.
Aurelian Dragon walked to the fragrant couch, sat down, and immediately reached out to embrace the beautiful woman who was deeply in love with him, saying with heartache, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Phoenix Vane shifted her alluring body, making herself more comfortable in Aurelian Dragon's arms, then chuckled and said, "I knew you'd be back late, so I sent them all to sleep."
Aurelian Dragon caught a whiff of a cool, sweet fragrance emanating from the beautiful woman in his arms, which made him feel very refreshed. He asked, "Did you just take a bath?"
Phoenix Vane wrapped her arms around his thick neck, nodded slightly, and said, "I took a nap and just took a shower after waking up."
"Are you done washing up and waiting for me?"
Aurelian Dragon kissed Phoenix Vane's delicate, smooth cheek and said with a hint of pride.
Phoenix Vane gave him a charmingly disdainful look and said, "Dream on!"
Aurelian Dragon laughed and was about to kiss her again when a soft, white hand blocked his mouth.
"You've been out all night, and you haven't even gone to wash up first."
Aurelian Dragon thought it made sense, so she tightened her grip on Phoenix Vane and whispered in her ear, "Let's shower together?"
Aurelian Dragon was overjoyed and poured out his doubts to the celestial beauty in his arms, asking his exceptionally wise wife for advice.
When it came to serious matters, Phoenix Vane composed herself, her phoenix eyes gleaming with wisdom as she organized the information in her mind. She looked at Aurelian Dragon and said slowly, "Let's start with the barbaric warriors of the Heavenly River Kingdom."
"Tianhe Kingdom was originally a small principality located between Pali and us, often wavering between us and Pali. Although the country has a small population, the fighting power of its warriors should not be underestimated, especially their barbarian warriors, who evolved from the berserker warriors of the demon race during the war of a hundred races. Their fighting power is terrifying. Some people even say that the barbarian warriors are actually a hybrid of the ancestors of Tianhe Kingdom and berserker warriors, which has its credibility."
"Seven years ago, under the planning of Gilmans, Jeff, who was then the Left General, led an army of 60,000 to attack Pari by passing through the Kingdom of Tianhe. However, the news was leaked, and Pari's cavalry were already on high alert at the border. Seeing that there was no opportunity, Jeff had no choice but to retreat."
"Perhaps fearing the embarrassment of returning empty-handed, someone suggested to Gilmans that Jeff, on his way back home, should take advantage of the opportunity to destroy the Tianhe Kingdom and annex it into our territory. So, when Jeff passed through Tianhe's capital, Tianye City, he suddenly launched an attack, annihilating the unsuspecting warrior group. It is said that only one prince from the Tianhe royal family escaped, while the rest were all executed on Gilmans's orders. The Tianhe Kingdom was renamed Tianhe County and became Gilmans's fiefdom."
Hearing this, the man, secretly astonished, murmured, "These guys are really cunning and resourceful! They even came up with such a brilliant move. But the people from Tianhe are also idiots; how could they be so careless?"
Phoenix Vane smiled and said, "This incident caused a great sensation internationally, which is why Parry's cavalry continued to attack Tianhe County for the next three years under the banner of restoring Tianhe.
"Then our Flying Phoenix General appeared, right?" As she spoke, Aurelian Dragon casually took advantage of the beautiful female general's body. "My dearest master!"
"You don't need to call me Master. What you really need to do is set aside some time every day to learn military strategy and tactics. I will keep a close eye on you!"
Phoenix Vane smiled and said something that gave Aurelian Dragon a headache.
"No way, you want me to study? I'm terrified of that!"
"Aurelian, you are now the highly anticipated Governor of the East, there are some things you must learn. At most, everyone will keep you company," Phoenix Vane said with a stern face, "Otherwise, we won't let you into the room tonight."
Aurelian Dragon knew Phoenix Vane meant well, and seeing the conditions she offered, he had no choice but to surrender. However, he was also a man who knew how to find joy, and immediately thought of ways to add some fun to his studies.
"If you want me to learn, then I'll recognize you as my master. That way, whenever I make progress, my master will reward me in this way."
As he spoke, his hands greedily caressed that beautiful, delicate body that he could never tire of touching.
Phoenix Vane gently patted Aurelian Dragon's face with her delicate hand, and said reproachfully, "Is this how you treat your master?"
"Ah, I'm so sorry, Master! Please forgive this ignorant little apprentice!"
Aurelian Dragon's affected manner made Phoenix Vane smile, and she sincerely said, "It's so much fun being with Aurelian." These words instantly brought back happy memories of their childhood, when the silly boy and the clever girl always shared countless laughs.
The silver lamp on the table burst into brilliant light, startling the two from their reverie. Aurelian Dragon and Phoenix Vane exchanged a smile, their deep affection evident in each other's eyes.
"Do you know? Actually, the biggest suspect in your assassination attempt tonight was the Dark Fragrance Pavilion," Phoenix Vane said suddenly, looking at Aurelian Dragon who was gazing at him with deep affection.
"No way, how could it be them?" Aurelian Dragon was greatly puzzled and her eyes widened.
"Even if the Dark Fragrance Pavilion wasn't the mastermind, they're certainly involved. And those black-armored knights are definitely connected to Prince Elnario!"
Phoenix Vane then analyzed the events of the evening for Aurelian Dragon, along with her views and suggestions regarding Aurelian Dragon's actions. Aurelian Dragon was utterly impressed by her intelligence and astonishing insight; this beautiful woman could see the true nature of things through the fog of confusion—truly worthy of being called a beautiful war goddess!
"Great and wise Master, please accept my bow!"
"I speak with a mixture of respect and admiration," Aurelian Dragon said solemnly, but his actions showed no respect whatsoever. He tapped Phoenix Vane's ample, high breasts repeatedly with two fingers while muttering incantations.
"One knock, two knocks..."
Phoenix Vane found it both funny and amusing, but a strange feeling gradually rose in her heart. Her bright and beautiful phoenix eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of moisture, shining with an alluring light.
"That sounds great. Call me 'Master' a few more times, and I'll teach you more later."
The beautiful female general's sweet, coquettish voice only fueled the man's passion. Aurelian Dragon couldn't resist lowering his head and licking her smooth, glistening, beautifully curved ear.
"People say that if you want to learn, you have to sleep with your master! That makes so much sense!"
After saying that, he honestly and unceremoniously took the delicate earlobe into his mouth and rubbed it a few times.
Phoenix Vane let out an extremely seductive moan. She knew this despicable man knew all her sensitive spots, so her resistance to him was completely zero. However, she also thoroughly enjoyed the pleasure he brought her and didn't even think of resisting.
Amid Phoenix Vane's soft moan, Aurelian Dragon swept her reclining body into his arms and strode towards the back, laughing as he said, "Come, let this little disciple serve Master during his bath!"
Phoenix Vane happily wrapped her arms around Aurelian Dragon's neck and said coquettishly, "What kind of disciple dares to lay a hand on his master?"
Aurelian Dragon looked down at her beautiful face, the peach blossoms on her cheeks adding to her allure, and shook his head, saying, "Wrong, I'm not only going to lay hands on Master, but I'm also going to eat Master. Will Master object?"
Phoenix Vane extended a delicate, orchid-like finger and lightly touched Aurelian Dragon's nose, sighing softly, "It's truly a misfortune for our sect to have such a disciple!" Aurelian Dragon smugly entered the bathroom behind Phoenix Vane's boudoir.
Because Phoenix Vane takes a bath every day, there is a private bathroom for her behind her room. Although it is not very big, it is very exquisite and ingenious, showing the owner's thoughtfulness in every detail.
Immersed in the fragrant, jade-like water that seemed to melt his entire body, Aurelian Dragon felt as comfortable as if he had ascended to heaven, and all his fatigue vanished in an instant.
A pair of warm, smooth hands rested on his shoulders. Aurelian Dragon turned his head and was immediately dazzled.
At some point, Phoenix Vane had changed her outfit. Her flawless body was clad only in a thin silk bodice with mandarin ducks playing in the water, revealing most of her snow-white, high, and firm breasts. Her fair and rosy skin made people want to reach out and touch it.
With her long, beautiful black hair cascading over her shoulders, Phoenix Vane's bright, phoenix-like eyes shone with a hint of allure. Coupled with her slightly upturned cherry-red lips, this stunning beauty, posing with such a charming demeanor, instantly stirred the hearts of men who were powerless against beautiful women, causing a sudden surge of heat to rise in their lower abdomens.
Aurelian Dragon's eyes shone brightly as she stared intently at Phoenix Vane as she gracefully descended into the bath. Enveloped in mist, she resembled a celestial being, though her attire lacked the solemnity of a fairy. Moreover, with each step, the eagle-eyed man noticed that the pointed hem of her bodice revealed a glimpse of pubic hair between her legs. Such a magnificent sight would move even a stone statue.
At that very moment, Phoenix Vane said in an extremely seductive voice, "Fool, what are you looking at? Didn't you say you were going to serve me a bath?"
Coming to her senses, Aurelian Dragon inhaled the faint, exquisite fragrance emanating from Phoenix Vane's delicate body and said with a grin, "I promise to serve Master wholeheartedly!" Before she finished speaking, someone had already stepped forward and embraced Phoenix Vane, groping and kneading her all over.
Soon, a voluptuous and supple body appeared before him. Aurelian Dragon shook his head and said, "With such a master, don't blame your disciple for being impolite!"
Phoenix Vane, panting softly, nibbled on Aurelian Dragon's ear and said in a sweet voice, "You've been rude to me for a long time!"
The fragrant water rippled, the jade pool shimmered, and Phoenix Vane, held tightly in Aurelien Dragon's arms, her shapely, long, and incredibly supple legs wrapped tightly around his waist. She murmured passionately, "Aurelian...it's wonderful...so beautiful..."
The fragrant bathwater rippled in waves, mingling with the heavy breathing and soft moans of the men and women within, creating a vibrant and passionate lovemaking scene in this beautiful and fragrant bathroom.
As a result of Aurelian Dragon's devoted service, Phoenix Vane woke up the next day close to noon, feeling incredibly refreshed from the intense lovemaking. However, Lynette Quill, pouting, grabbed the satisfied Phoenix Vane and said, "Sister, you're so unfair! You promised to invite me, so why did you enjoy it all by yourself?" Left with no other choice, Phoenix Vane had to agree that Lynette Quill would arrange the next time.
※ ※ ※
When Aurelian Dragon arrived at the Eastern Governor's Office, she ran into Lucian Swiftfire leading a squad of city guards in red armor. She couldn't help but laugh and say, "That outfit is certainly eye-catching!"
Lucian Swiftfire laughed heartily and said, "If we're not eye-catching, won't we fail to attract attention? I've even thought of a name: the Eastern Governor's Enforcement Team. What do you think?"
"Eastern Governor's Enforcement Team!" Aurelian Dragon repeated a few times. "Quite easy to remember. Lucian Swiftfire, you've got a knack for it!"
"Of course, this young master is no pushover!" Lucian Swiftfire said proudly, then led his troops to salute the Aurelian Dragon, and the group marched out of the Eastern Governor's Office in a grand procession.
"That kid!" Aurelian Dragon shook his head at Lucian Swiftfire's retreating figure, then led the eighteen female guards into the city's main hall.
"I have already sent people to thoroughly investigate the neighborhood where the incident occurred, and I have also retrieved the records of people who have entered Esnia recently." Shi Yixin looked up from the pile of documents and greeted Aurelian Dragon. "It is indeed a great relief that you, sir, have thought of sending out a security patrol team!"
Aurelian Dragon casually picked up a document and flipped through it a few times. "Are these all documents from the military?"
"No, it also includes documents from other departments, but mainly from the military." Shi Yixin answered while marking up the documents. "Those are the ones I've read, and I've highlighted the important points. Please give me your instructions, sir."
Aurelian Dragon looked in the direction her diligent recruit had indicated and was startled to see a stack of documents, half a person's height, neatly arranged. It seemed her recruit was truly exceptional; he had processed so many documents in just half a day.
"You've seen it, so that's fine. I trust the general's work."
Shi Yixin glanced at Aurelian Dragon and smiled, "Aren't you afraid that I might take advantage of this opportunity to do something underhanded, sir?"
"I'm not afraid!" Aurelian Dragon said with great bravado. "If the general is that kind of person, then even if I've misjudged him, I'll accept my fate."
Shi Yixin paused for a moment, then continued writing, saying, "I have already discussed with some other generals about forming several more security patrol teams to completely change the street atmosphere in Esnia."
"Good. Make sure they carry out the law diligently. I will take full responsibility for everything!" Aurelian Dragon nodded and said seriously.
"When Lucian Swiftfire came to select team members, the city guards were all very happy. It seems that you hold a high position in their hearts." Shi Yixin spoke to Aurelian Dragon while still flipping through the documents on the table. His swift speed and meticulous attitude made Aurelian Dragon secretly glad that he had made the right bet.
"That's probably because they saw me having some luck when they accompanied me to Yuzhou last time."
Aurelian Dragon exchanged a few words with his subordinates who were preparing to lead a patrol through the streets, then waved them away. Thus, the Eastern Expeditionary Force, later known as the "Red Lancers," was formed almost unnoticed.
※ ※ ※
The sensation caused when these crimson processions marched through the streets of Esnia was self-evident. People flocked to watch these imposing figures, applauding their tireless efforts in maintaining order and punishing evil.
Within a day, the reputation of the Eastern Governor's Enforcement Team spread throughout the streets and alleys of Esnia. Its deterrent effect on criminals far exceeded its actual capabilities. After several arrogant and unruly servants were severely punished by the Eastern Governor's Enforcement Team, everyone knew that the Eastern Governor was truly determined to rectify Esnia's security this time. Furthermore, rumors circulated that even the subordinates of the powerful Left Chancellor, Gilemans, had been punished by the new Eastern Governor. Those in power began warning their subordinates to behave themselves and avoid provoking the Eastern Governor's Enforcement Team.
Several self-proclaimed experts challenged the authority of the Eastern Governor's Enforcement Team, only to be utterly defeated by Lucian Swiftfire's astonishing strength. It was only then that people realized there were many capable people in the Eastern Governor's Office.
In the following days, the Eastern Governor's Office issued a series of new regulations to strengthen the security of Esnia, and at the same time, truly implemented the various imperial decrees that had previously been ineffective. This made the people of the capital very happy. For the first time, they felt that those arrogant nobles and their subordinates were no longer as domineering as before. The orderly life made everyone extremely grateful to the new Eastern Governor.
Meanwhile, the man whom the people of Esnia saw as their hope was spending all his time visiting Serena Vale's shop, displaying an admirable determination to win her over. This baffled Serena Vale. How could this Eastern Governor have so much free time? Why was he so interested in her? Didn't he have plenty of beautiful women around him? Even Phoenix Vane, hailed as the most beautiful woman on the continent, was with him. Was someone like her worth all this effort?
Thus, this most leisurely governor in history spent most of his time in Serena Vale's little shop, so much so that later people called the place "the second governor's residence".
While the Governor-General here was slacking off every day, often having nothing to do all day, the affairs of the Governor-General's office were running smoothly and efficiently. All the paperwork was handled by the Governor-General's military advisor, while the actual work was carried out by generals such as Lucian Swiftfire and Garrick Stonewall. Feeling the trust that the Aurelian Dragon placed in them, everyone was highly motivated.
The female guards would truthfully report Aurelian Dragon's daily whereabouts to Phoenix Vane, which Phoenix Vane found very interesting. She even accompanied Aurelian Dragon to Serena Vale's small shop and praised Serena Vale's cooking skills highly. From then on, people in this area often saw several stunningly beautiful women sitting around a table with a man, chatting and laughing freely, which was quite enviable.
※ ※ ※
In the Left Prime Minister's residence, after sending people to investigate and verify the matter, Gilmans berated Sirofiha, who had complained to him, "Why did you get into a conflict with Aurelian Dragon over a woman like that? She's not pretty and has no wealth or power. If Aurelian Dragon likes her, he can just give her to him. Getting a lecture from Aurelian Dragon and his men for this kind of thing really makes me lose face!"
"You'd better hurry up and find out where that woman is! You bunch of good-for-nothings, you've been searching for so many days and haven't found a single clue!"
These words left Sirofhiha dejected, and he quickly left the hall.
Gilmans even announced to his men that they should not provoke the people of the Eastern Governor's Office and should restrain their behavior for the time being.
The bewildered subordinates whispered amongst themselves, wondering what was wrong with their lord. How could he tolerate the Eastern Governor's Office making a scene in Esnia? This was unprecedented. When the news reached Gilmans' ears, he gave a cold laugh and said to the woman beside him, "What a bunch of idiots! Don't they know that this will cause a conflict between Prince Elnario's group, who has the most power in Esnia, and the Eastern Governor's Office?"
The alluring woman gave a seductive laugh and said, "My lord, we have the whereabouts of those people you asked me to investigate. According to my men, there is a group of highly skilled individuals hiding in the southern city. Their actions are very secretive, and it seems they are working with the assassins who attacked you."
Gilmans said "Oh," and then ordered, "Find a way to get this message to the people in the Eastern Governor's Office, and send them to fight!"
※ ※ ※
Shi Yixin's efficiency was quite astonishing. In just two days, he had organized all the documents accumulated by the Eastern Governor's Office and made significant progress in investigating the assassinations of Aurelian Dragon and Gilmans.
Aurelian Dragon flipped through the documents in her hand, nodding in admiration, "Military Advisor Shi is truly remarkable; he has found so much intelligence in such a short time."
Shi Yixin shook his head and sighed, "What's the use of that? It only reveals problems after they've happened. It's only truly useful if we can detect the signs before they occur."
Aurelian Dragon laughed and patted Shi Yixin on the shoulder, saying, "Old Shi, don't be so hypocritical. You've already done very well, so don't be modest."
Shi Yixin's expression remained serious, but his eyes were full of laughter. "My lord, this is not me being modest..."
Aurelian Dragon waved his hand to interrupt him, glanced at the data again, and said, "Now that we've discovered suspicious individuals in the South City, we should be prepared."
Shi Yixin cautiously said, "Right now, all we can be sure of is that those sneaky guys disappeared in the South District. That place is the territory of the Southern Governor Marco Bwe, where the power is deeply entrenched and the situation is quite complicated. Lucian Swiftfire and I have discussed it, and we will take action as soon as we have definite news."
Aurelian Dragon snorted and said, "Sometimes you need to act quickly and decisively, without waiting for absolutely certain information."
Shi Yixin shook his head and said very seriously, "That won't do. We should act in accordance with the law."
Aurelian Dragon thought for a moment, and seeing Shi Yixin's very serious expression, she had no choice but to compromise and say, "Alright, then let's wait for now!"
On the surface, the imperial capital of Esnia appeared peaceful and tranquil, but beneath the surface, undercurrents were surging, and those with keen senses could detect a subtle tension. Just by looking at the people of the Eastern Governor's Office coming and going, busy as bees, one knew that something big was about to happen.