Mortal Mage

Royal study room.

"Your Majesty, the Jade Dragon is here."

"Xuan."

Yulong, wrapped in white mourning clothes, walked into the hall.

Zhang Mingxuan raised his hand to send away the servants in the room, and said to Yulong, "If you have any questions, just ask."

Yulong's face was uncertain and he didn't answer.

Zhang Mingxuan spread a new piece of rice paper on the table, picked up a brush made of fine charcoal, and began to draw.

After a long time.

The rice paper on the table was dotted with many criss-crossing lines.

"Your Majesty, it's time for dinner." Xiao Feizi's voice sounded outside the door.

"A piece of food?"

Zhang Mingxuan put down the charcoal pencil in his hand, raised his eyebrows and asked.

Yulong remained silent.

Two young eunuchs spread out a small table in the study and placed five plates of side dishes and a bowl of rice on it.

"Add a bowl of rice." Zhang Mingxuan sat down cross-legged. "Let's eat together. It's not poisonous."

"Gurgle," Yulong's stomach growled.

He gritted his teeth with embarrassment on his face, and finally uttered four words: "I dare not."

"Am I scary in appearance, or am I scary when I eat?" Zhang Mingxuan said while eating.

"Your Majesty, you are too polite." Yulong bowed and knelt.

"How many troops does the prince have in his personal army? I asked Xiao Feizi to send you 2 billion taels of silver. Has it been distributed?"

“Not a cent has been touched.”

"Uh, why?" Zhang Mingxuan almost couldn't swallow his rice.

“General…” Yulong’s expression turned from cloudy to bright and he looked embarrassed.

"You are so frugal with words that you say one sentence three times." Zhang Mingxuan swallowed a mouthful of rice and continued, "I say, you just need to answer, okay? Or is it or not? Or is it right or not? Is that okay? We are of the same age. Look at me, I am the emperor now, and look at you, what a mess you have become."

"That's not right." Yulong replied calmly.

Zhang Mingxuan choked on another mouthful of rice. He held his breath and slowly took a sip of water.

After a long time, he gradually recovered. "Forget it, the prince is not dead, why are you wearing mourning clothes?" Then he shook his head and said again, "You are wearing mourning clothes because the prince went to the upper world?"

"Correct."

"You don't receive your salary because I usurped the throne?"

"Correct."

"Okay, then I tell you, I didn't usurp the throne. This position was given to me by the prince." Zhang Mingxuan said and continued eating.

Yulong looked puzzled.

"I don't need you to fight. I need you to help me relocate all the people in the city. I need Taihe City to be an empty city. Is that okay?"

"Okay, where to move to?"

"Take them wherever you can keep them alive."

"Row."

"Can you spare some troops to delay the Tianze Empire's army?"

"No."

"I'll add money."

"No, there are not enough soldiers."

"How many of the prince's personal troops can you mobilize?"

"Less than thirty thousand."

"Is that so?" Zhang Mingxuan raised his eyebrows, chewed the rice in his mouth carefully, and after thinking for a long time, he continued; "Can all the people in Taihe City be relocated in six days?"

"It's difficult. I can pay more."

"Okay, I'll give you another 1 billion taels of silver. Is that enough?"

"many."

"Okay, that's it. If there's no problem, go to the treasury and get the money. Happy cooperation." After Zhang Mingxuan finished speaking, he began to shovel rice into his mouth frantically.

"Will the prince come back?" Yulong knelt on the ground, slowly raised his head and looked at Zhang Mingxuan, with expectation in his eyes.

"Difficult." Zhang Mingxuan's mouth was full and he could only utter one word.

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