34. Marrying the Princess

"What? You want to enter the palace?" Count Caesar exclaimed in surprise.

After returning from the border to Mist City, Mo Fei wasted no time. The next day, he hurried to the imperial capital to discuss with Count Caesar his intention to enter the palace and meet Emperor Tyron.

"That's right! The situation of Mist City is extremely awkward now. We have a formidable army of a hundred thousand warriors that is not directly under the empire's command. I'm afraid this has caused much suspicion within the empire. My purpose in entering the palace is to reassure His Majesty," Mo Fei explained to Count Caesar.

The following day, Mo Fei and Count Caesar went to the royal palace together.

Emperor Tyron received Mo Fei in the palace gardens. Vivian happened to be there as well. The two had not seen each other for months, and Vivian naturally missed Mo Fei dearly. But with Emperor Tyron present, she suppressed the urge to throw herself into Mo Fei's arms.

"Marquis Mo Fei, I have yet to congratulate you on your great victory at the border, which brought glory to the Dragonrock Empire. Tell me, what reward would you like?" Count Caesar, understanding Mo Fei's true purpose, deliberately probed him. Mo Fei was here to clarify his position, after all.

"Your Majesty, it is my duty to serve the empire. I dare not seek rewards," Mo Fei replied.

"Marquis Mo Fei, you have rendered such great service to the empire; it is only right that you receive a reward. If you have any request, do not hesitate to speak!" Emperor Tyron was now only worried that Mo Fei would not accept any reward, that he would try to distance himself from the empire.

"Since Your Majesty puts it thus, then I do have one request, and I hope Your Majesty will grant it." Mo Fei finished speaking and looked at Vivian beside Emperor Tyron.

Vivian seemed to guess what Mo Fei was about to say. Her cheeks flushed, her face radiant with happiness as she turned hopefully to her father.

"Oh? Speak, and if it is within my power, I will certainly grant it," Emperor Tyron said joyfully.

"Vivian and I are deeply in love. I hope Your Majesty will permit me to marry Princess Vivian. At the same time, I hope Your Majesty will grant me the Death Forest at the empire's frontier as my fief. Mist City will then be relocated entirely to the Death Forest," Mo Fei stated his carefully considered request.

He had not been in this world for long and felt no profound attachment to the Dragonrock Empire. But for Vivian, the girl who moved his heart, Mo Fei was determined to spend his life with her.

Mist City had been founded in a moment of impulse, without regard for the current predicament. He had no ambition to conquer the world, only to give oppressed races a safe home.

Mist City's current power threatened the empire, arousing suspicion. If he did not wish to supplant the empire, he had no choice but to "escape," to leave the imperial heartlands and move to a place that posed no threat to the empire.

Emperor Tyron was both delighted and surprised by Mo Fei's request.

He was delighted because, with Mo Fei's current status, marrying Princess Vivian was more than appropriate. Once Mo Fei became the imperial son-in-law, he would no longer harbor ambitions against the empire. The surprise was that Mo Fei, while asking to marry the princess, also proposed abandoning Mist City and relocating to the remote Death Forest.

But none of this mattered to Emperor Tyron. What mattered was that the threat of Mist City would be eliminated, and Mo Fei's interests would be firmly tied to those of the empire. He readily agreed.

The wedding date for Mo Fei and Vivian was set for a month later after discussions between Mo Fei and Emperor Tyron. Once they were married, Mist City would begin its relocation.

After the negotiations, Emperor Tyron and the nobles left Mo Fei and Vivian alone, giving the reunited pair time together. After months apart, their reunion was naturally filled with affection.

Holding his beloved in his arms, Mo Fei gazed at the stars in a daze. Today's decision was the best solution he could devise.

He had asked Emperor Tyron for Vivian's hand and decided to move Mist City, not wanting his city to become a tool of the Dragonrock Empire because of him.

The two hundred thousand citizens of Mist City needed a place of protection. He did not wish to betray the original intent behind Mist City's founding.

After a sleepless night, Mo Fei returned to Mist City the next day to announce his decision to the people.

In front of Mo Fei's small residence, the four main leaders of Mist City gathered.

"Lord Mayor, how did Emperor Tyron respond to your proposal?" Elder Warton couldn't help but ask.

"What else could he say? He couldn't wait for us to leave. But we have to wait until after my wedding with Vivian," Mo Fei replied with a smile.

"If we relocate the entire city, won't the empire compensate us?" Elder Ove wondered. Mist City was not short of money now, but relocating two hundred thousand people and building a new city would be a massive expense. He had to consider it. They had nearly been driven mad by financial woes during their initial founding.

"What do you think? He's marrying his own daughter to me—doesn't he have to prepare a dowry?" Mo Fei laughed heartily. Just then, the magic crystal card Mo Fei had given Elder Ove started ringing loudly.

"My heavens!" The ringing went on and on, and Elder Ove was so delighted that his hands trembled, as if the card were growing heavier.

"Lord Mayor, how much did you ask for?" Elder Ove asked excitedly.

"I told His Majesty we'd be relocating to the Death Forest, and he was overjoyed. Then I mentioned that our estimated relocation costs were about a billion gold coins."

"So much?" The others gaped in astonishment.

"I told him that once we've earned enough from trade to cover the relocation costs, we'll move immediately," Mo Fei chuckled.

"Who knows how long that'll take! Emperor Tyron surely can't withstand the pressure at court, having a hundred thousand elite soldiers not under imperial control in the heart of the empire!" The group laughed loudly.

Dragonrock Empire was renowned for its commerce, with an ample treasury. Paying Mo Fei a billion gold coins removed an unstable element. And it wasn't just a gift; Mo Fei would soon be the imperial son-in-law. If the empire faced trouble in the future, he would hardly stand by and do nothing.

"With this sum, I can now plan the relocation," Mo Fei said. "Should we send people ahead to build the city and then move everyone?"

"That's not wise," Elder Warton replied. "We don't know the empire's exact intentions, but one thing is clear: if we split up, our strength will weaken. If we send people ahead to build, at least half of our population would have to go. How would we divide our armed forces? Should the ballistae go? No matter how we split, our strength will be dispersed and easy to defeat piecemeal. If I were the enemy, I would never pass up such an opportunity."

"Indeed, with more people, city construction will be faster, and we can rotate defensive duties. So there's no rush to build. What we should focus on now is the mayor's upcoming wedding in a month! As the lord of Mist City, marrying a princess, the ceremony must be grand and known throughout the land!" Elder Wade, Cain's father, declared.

Thus, Mist City was abuzz with activity in the days that followed. Everyone knew that their mayor was about to wed, and the whole city sprang into action.

"Lord Mayor, these past two weeks the city's enthusiasm for your wedding has been overwhelming. Mist City looks completely renewed. The elders even sent people across the land to search for rare treasures as bridal gifts. We can't let anyone think Mist City is shabby," Cain said to Mo Fei, observing the joyful atmosphere.

...

Time passed swiftly, and in three days it would be Mo Fei and Vivian's wedding. Today, Mo Fei dressed formally and led a thousand elite berserkers and a thousand elven crossbowmen to the imperial capital to fetch his bride.

A grand procession of two thousand warriors escorted twenty wagons laden with bridal gifts, marching proudly toward the imperial capital. For these two thousand chosen as the bridal escort, it was a tremendous honor, and they would not allow a single mishap along the way.

Of course, no bandits dared to target such a procession. The escort arrived smoothly at the Dragonrock Imperial Palace the next day.

The palace, like Mist City, was decorated with lanterns and banners, brimming with festive cheer. After all, it was Emperor Tyron's beloved daughter—her marriage could not be taken lightly. A red carpet stretched from the palace gates to the main hall.

Music played joyously as Mo Fei walked along the carpet toward the hall. Banquet tables lined both sides, with ministers and nobles seated.

Before the hall, Vivian stood in a golden dress befitting royal nobility, waiting quietly with Emperor Tyron for Mo Fei's arrival.

Among the guests, Mona, dressed in pale green, looked at Vivian and the approaching Mo Fei with a complicated expression. Once, she had dreamed of such a scene, but now it was impossible.

On this continent, marriage ceremonies were not overly complicated. When Mo Fei reached the hall, he took Vivian's hand from Emperor Tyron. Amidst the blessings and cheers of the emperor and guests, Mo Fei held Vivian's hand and accepted their good wishes.

The palace banquet lasted into the evening. The nobles and ministers seized the chance to curry favor with Mo Fei, each offering him wine. Though Mo Fei's cultivation gave him unusual stamina, he was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and ended the night thoroughly drunk.

If not for the need to bring his bride back to Mist City the next day, Mo Fei would surely have been completely incapacitated by drink tonight!