The royal family holds regular banquets at Windermere Palace every year, both for the purpose of exchanging benefits and for family alliances. If there are any unmarried female insects of marriageable age among the noble families, they will attend the banquet, because such occasions often have the most male insects.
Brand had received the royal invitation last week, but the night before the banquet, an official from the palace suddenly came over and gave him a special reminder:
"This year's Winter Banquet will be held at Winderton Palace as usual. His Majesty said that he hopes His Majesty will also be able to attend."
The His Majesty was naturally referring to Asui.
Although Brand didn't know why the Insect Emperor had to see Asui, he thought it was not too strange. After all, they were the only two crown princes in the empire, and it would be strange if he didn't meet him.
Brand nodded slightly: "Thank you for your help. I will bring His Majesty with me."
In any case, the Insect Emperor was extremely tolerant of the marriage between Asui and Nanbu, and even ignored the open and secret disputes among other ministers, and directly let Asui live in Brand's house. It was not right to refuse his face in terms of both emotion and reason.
Asui has been busy with another thing recently. He pulled out all the artificial flowers planted in the garden and threw them away, turned the soil over again, and spent a lot of money to buy a handful of radish seeds on Starnet, intending to plant some crops.
When Brand returned to the house, he saw Asui squatting in the garden, rummaging around and picking up things, like a hardworking... groundhog
Ah Sui thought so too. This is a big city, it must be different from the countryside. He looked at the light-colored soil in the flowerbed again, thinking of the mountains, forests and flowers in his hometown, and asked curiously, "When will the pollution in the soil be cleaned up?"
Brand didn't want Asui to waste his efforts: "This soil has no nutrients. The seeds will die if you bury them in it. You won't be able to grow anything even if you try for a hundred years."
very nice,
Brand didn't think much after hearing this and pulled Asui up from the ground: "Wash your hands and go in to try on the clothes. If the dress doesn't fit, you can alter it tonight."
Ah Sui went to the greenhouse next door to wash his hands, went upstairs and took out the light blue suit from the closet to try it on. It was the first time for him to wear such a formal suit, and he always felt that something was a bit strange: "The shoulders of this suit are a bit tight, not convenient for fighting."
Ah Sui was studying the soil with his head down. He frowned and said, "I'm planting, but the seeds haven't sprouted even after being buried for several days. It's strange."
Admiral Ellis always had a smiling face. "I heard that both Your Majesties will be present at today's banquet. No wonder there are so many insects. Winters in previous years were not so lively."
Ah Sui is like a child sometimes. Hearing this, he held Brande's face with his hands and gave him two kisses: "If a bug bullies you, I will protect you."
The next day's banquet was held at night. Although it was freezing cold, the interior of the palace was warm as spring. The nobles were dancing in their well-tailored dresses on the dance floor, while the older generation of rulers gathered together to toast each other and exchange the latest intelligence news about the imperial capital.
Asui and His Majesty Lu Yuan both have black hair and black eyes, which makes it hard for Chong not to suspect that they are from the same place.
The clothes should have been tried on a long time ago, but Brand was so busy with official business that he forgot to remind her. If the officials had not just come to the palace, he would have probably forgotten about it.
The area of land cultivated in the Salilan Law is scarce, and even a little bit of it can be sold at a sky-high price. Moreover, most of it is controlled by the state, making it difficult for ordinary people to access it.
From the first time they met, Asui liked the blonde beauty in front of him.
He paused and added, "If a bug bullies you, I will take care of it."
Ah Sui said, "You can grow soil. I have done it before in my hometown, but it's a bit slow."
Chief Harrington was also in the conversation, but he kept looking toward the door, as if he was waiting for someone. Hearing this, he answered absentmindedly, "Really? Why do I feel they are all the same?"
Brande raised an eyebrow in confusion: "What do you use to feed it?"
Brand shook his head: "The research institute uses special nutrients to irrigate the soil."
They really didn't know each other, the most they knew was that they had taken the same bus.
Brand's face seemed to turn green for a moment, but it was not very obvious. He asked with difficulty: "Why do you use feces to water the vegetables in your hometown?"
Ah Sui was silent for a moment: "… Pig manure? Sheep manure? Cow manure? Water it when you plant the vegetables."
It is natural for female insects to protect their male insects.
It's all poop anyway.
They met when the snow was falling heavily, and they will still be together when the snow stops next year...
Brand smiled and said, "It shouldn't be far away. Those polluted animals are slowly returning to normal. One day the soil will also return to normal."
Brand helped him tighten the buttons and whispered, "You are a pure-blooded male insect. Even His Majesty won't touch you easily. Who dares to bully you?"
Brande poked his fair face with the invitation and said, "Your Majesty has invited me, so I can't refuse. Besides, the Seventh Prince Justu and his lord Lu Yuan will also rush back to the imperial capital. I heard that His Majesty really wants to meet you. Do you know each other?"
He also discovered that these contaminated soils are extremely poor in barrenness, easily become hardened and lumpy, and have no water-retaining properties. The seeds buried in them cannot absorb nutrients and cannot sprout. No wonder they are so difficult to grow.
Brand: “…”
Ah Sui shook his head when he heard that, threw the soil back into the pit, patted his palms and said, "No need, I will plant it slowly, and it will eventually grow."
Asui's hands were dirty, so he didn't answer: "I remember you said a long time ago that the dress you made for me is still hanging in the closet and I haven't worn it yet. Do I have to go?"
Asui said honestly: "I don't know him."
Ah Sui wondered: "Don't you use these to water it?"
It would be interesting to plant real flowers in the garden. Those artificial flowers are too fake. They don’t wither even when it snows, and their fragrance is also synthetic. Asui doesn’t like them.
Brand couldn't help but burst out laughing when he heard this. He subconsciously looked towards the balcony. Through a glass door, he saw snow falling outside and the night was silent.
He paused and asked, "Do you really want to farm? How about I buy you some soil for planting?"
After he finished speaking, he suddenly remembered something and took out a golden invitation from his pocket and handed it to Asui. On the cover, there was a long sword and a scepter crossed each other, holding up a slowly rising sun. It was the royal totem of the Gonghedra family. "This is an invitation from the royal family to you. His Majesty will hold a banquet at the Wenjueton Palace tomorrow. You are invited to join us."
Brand picked up a handful of soil in his hand and took a look. "These are all contaminated soils. It's hard to grow anything. Although the contamination source stone has been sealed and removed by the research institute, it's hard for the soil in Salilanfa to purify itself in the short term."
Brand was amused by his own strange idea. He stepped over the artificial flowers that were worth a lot but scattered all over the floor, leaned over and squatted in front of Asui and asked, "Asui, what are you doing?"
Brand was originally helping him adjust his clothes. Upon hearing this, his eyelids twitched and he sternly warned him, "A Sui, you can't fight at the banquet."
Ah Sui blinked in confusion: "What if a bug bullies me?"
Admiral Ellis snorted, "Harrington, don't be so ungrateful. I've heard from His Majesty that His Majesty Asui and Brand will soon set a date for their wedding. There are only two pure-blooded male insects in the empire, one is in the royal family and the other is in the south. What else are you not satisfied with?"
Chief Harrington was always well-informed. He shook his glass and said meaningfully, "Who said there were two? Maybe there were three. Horsburgh sent a message a few days ago saying that a pure-blood appeared there as well."
Admiral Ellis's expression changed slightly when he heard this: "Another pureblood appeared? Is it real or fake?"
Chief Harrington was about to say something when he heard a commotion at the door. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Asui and Brand had arrived at the banquet.
At least half of the guests present today came for Asui. When they saw Brande followed by a tall, handsome male insect in a blue suit, their eyes seemed to be glued to him and could not be pulled away.
As Sui's steps froze involuntarily when he entered the room. He saw that all the insects were staring at him, so he subconsciously looked down at his clothes and found that the buttons were all fine. He tilted his head and asked Brande: "Is there something dirty on my face?" Brande patted his back and silently comforted him: "It's okay, they have never seen you before, so they are a little curious."
While they were talking, Chief Harrington came up with a glass of wine. He was always smiling, and now that Brande's marriage was settled, his mood was inevitably getting better: "Asui, Brande, why did you come just now? His Majesty has been waiting for a while."
Brand explained: "There was some traffic on the way here. Has Your Majesty arrived yet?"
Chief Harrington calmly pointed upstairs and said, "His Majesty has arrived a long time ago and is chatting with His Majesty the Seventh Prince upstairs. Come on, I'll take you upstairs."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Asui again, his whole body showing satisfaction, and he praised him, "What a handsome male insect, Asui, good things come in pairs. How about we hold a banquet today, and then I will ask His Majesty to grant you a marriage?"
As soon as Brand heard this, he knew that Chief Harrington was trying to trick Asui again, but Asui was fooled every time. Hearing this, he was visibly happy: "Really? Isn't this too much trouble for Your Majesty?"
Upon hearing this, Chief Harrington's smile deepened: "What's the trouble? His Majesty likes to grant marriages to insects. Come on, I'll take you upstairs."
Chief Harrington was determined not to give any nobles the opportunity to get close to him. After he finished speaking, he pushed away those colleagues who came up with wine glasses to show their courtesy, and went straight upstairs with Asui.
This move inevitably disappointed the female insects who wanted to hook up with Asui. Someone urged, "Why don't we follow him and see for ourselves?"
"Yes, yes. Your Majesty usually has a good temper and should not be angry."
Hearing this, Brand paused and looked back. His light blue eyes swept over the female insects who were dressed up seductively and wanted to follow Asui. Although he was smiling, his eyes contained a warning: "Everyone, if you are not summoned by His Majesty, I don't think you can trespass upstairs."
Today's banquet was about lifelong events, and Brand didn't want any blind female insects to jump out. After he finished speaking, he ignored the colorful expressions of the female insects, nodded politely, and turned to go upstairs.
Although the Insect Emperor often held banquets, he rarely showed up and stayed in the meeting room most of the time. When Asui and Brand went up to the second floor, they saw several guards guarding the stairs. They didn't know what Chief Harrington said, but they put down their guns and let them go.
One of the internal affairs officers was particularly polite to Asui, nodded with a smile, and led the way, saying, "Everyone, please come in. His Majesty has been waiting inside for a long time."
After he finished speaking, he opened one of the doors and saw a lot of insects sitting on the circular sofa inside. In addition to the Seventh Prince and the Eighth Prince, even their master was among them.
The internal affairs officer bowed to the female insect in the middle whose age could not be determined but whose aura was quite majestic, and said, "Your Majesty, His Majesty Asui has arrived."
Asui originally thought that emperors were all a bit fierce, but he didn't expect that the insect emperor in the middle of the sofa looked quite kind. Hearing this, he sat up straight and told the internal affairs officer, "Please come in."
Asui had already learned etiquette at home. Upon hearing this, he walked into the house with Brande, put his hand on the shoulder, and bowed to the Insect Emperor with a noble salute: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
The Insect Emperor raised his eyes slightly upon hearing this, and calmly looked at Asui and Brande, then smiled and said to Chief Harrington: "The girl is handsome and the boy is pretty, they are a perfect match, don't stand anymore, sit down."
Chief Harrington was a close minister. Hearing this, he sat down on the right hand side of the Insect Emperor and said with a smile, "It seems that I am not the only one who feels this way. Your Majesty feels the same way. Spring is coming soon. How about you choose a good day for them to get married?"
As soon as the Insect Emperor heard what he was up to, he knew what he was up to. He deliberately didn't say anything, but looked at Brand and asked, "Major General Brand, what do you think?"
This female insect has always been well-behaved and polite, a model among the nobility. She shouldn't be as impatient as her female father, right
Brand hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to put aside his reserve and make the most of his life. He smiled and nodded, "Your Majesty, early spring might be a good day."
As soon as he finished speaking, he caused a good-natured laugh all around. The Insect Emperor shook his head repeatedly, thinking that the Harrington family were all cunning foxes who would not suffer any loss.
Asui didn't say a word from beginning to end, because he suddenly realized that in addition to the Eighth Prince's lord Ashya, there was also a young male insect with black hair and black eyes sitting on the sofa. It was the passenger he had seen on the tourist bus.
Asui wasn't sure whether the other party knew him, so he didn't say anything.
While Asui was looking at the male insect, the male insect was also looking at him secretly, with a somewhat doubtful expression.
Brande was quick to sense something. He took a glass of wine from the waiter's tray and asked thoughtfully, "Your Majesty Lu Yuan, do you know Asui?"
Lu Yuan finally came back to his senses after hearing this, and said a little slowly: "Sorry, Your Majesty looks familiar, but I have never seen him before."
His partner, Justu, was half leaning against the sofa, looking somewhat unruly. Hearing this, he raised his eyebrows with interest: "But you and that His Majesty both seem to have black hair and black eyes? Do you really not know each other?"
Lu Yuan shrugged. "If it was a beautiful female insect, I might have some memory of it, but this one is a male insect, and I don't have a good memory of male insects."
His words caused another round of laughter, and only the Seventh Prince Justu glared at him secretly.
Asui couldn't help feeling a little disappointed: it seemed that this compatriot no longer remembered him.
Brand noticed Asui's mood change and explained to him in a low voice: "This His Majesty went on a trip to another planet after his wedding. He just returned to the imperial capital today. You probably haven't seen him before. He and His Highness Justu have a very good relationship."
Ah Sui showed some interest: "Can we travel after we get married?"
While the other bugs weren't paying attention, Brande quietly pinched Asui's face and said, "Okay, go wherever you want."
Asui smiled brightly upon hearing this, and immediately put aside his previous disappointment. Although there was no dance floor in the meeting room upstairs, there were cakes and drinks. The Insect Emperor and Chief Harrington were discussing state affairs, while Brand was discussing matters that needed to be paid attention to in marriage with the other two married princes. In the end, only Asui, Lu Yuan, and Ashya were left sitting on the sofa facing each other.
"… "
The atmosphere was a bit awkward.
To ease the embarrassment, Asui stood up and went to the table next to him to get the cake. Unexpectedly, Lu Yuan followed him. While others were not paying attention, he lowered his voice and asked Asui, "Hey, aren't you the... that someone sitting on the bus?"
Ah Sui: "... Don't you know me?"
Lu Yuan laughed: "I just made up an excuse, what if His Majesty asks where our hometown is?"
Asui nodded when he heard this: That’s right, they can’t go back to Earth anymore. What if the Insect Emperor thinks that everyone in their hometown is pureblood and forces them to lead the way
Ah Sui looked around and saw that no one noticed this place. He asked nervously, "Are you alone? Have you met any other tourists?"
He actually only wanted to ask one thing: "Have you seen my Third Grandfather?"
Lu Yuan was stunned when he heard this: "Your third grandfather? Who is that?"
Ah Sui put the plate on the table and tried to describe him: "Have you forgotten? The man who wore glasses, sat by the window, was very polite, and had a computer on his lap."
Lu Yuan didn't know what he remembered when he heard this, and he paused for a moment: "What's your third grandfather's name?"
Ah Sui: "Han Yan, the Yan in banquet."
"… "
There was a long silence in response to Asui. Lu Yuan met his expectant eyes, and finally hesitantly reached out his hand, patted his shoulder, and uttered three words with difficulty: "... I am in condolences."
Asui: “??!!!”
Lu Yuan really didn't want to tell him this cruel fact: "I've been to the cliff where the bus fell off. Your third grandfather... should be dead."
And he buried it.
Ashiya sat quietly on the sofa with his legs crossed, wearing glasses and looking gentle and indifferent, as if nothing could attract his attention. But when he overheard Asui and Lu Yuan whispering, his hand that was turning the ring could not help but pause, his fingertips slowly tightened, and his expression seemed a little stunned and surprised.
(End of this chapter)