Chapter 317: Imperial Princess Daphne
The alloy door opened silently, and Yang Ming stood outside the door frame vigilantly.
Soft light shone inside, revealing a spacious reception room with a pretty figure sitting in the corner of a circular sofa.
This is the princess?
Many chaotic thoughts were running through Yang Ming's mind, but his male instinct was not present.
The amount of information he had just received was simply too much.
There are ordinary people inside, which means there is no toxic gas here.
Yang Ming walked into the room and closed the alloy door casually.
The girl looked up, her ice-blue eyes were particularly eye-catching, and her soft golden hair was undecorated, draped over her chest and behind her.
When an observer looks at her, the first thing that should attract them is her eyes;
As the observer's vision expands, it is easy to be captured by her beautiful face;
But when the observer's eyes slide across her thin eyebrows, pretty nose, and light lips, they will unconsciously return to her eyes, wanting to see how many stars are hidden in her eyes.
Her posture was beautiful. She was just sitting in an ordinary position, but she exuded a natural elegance. Her skin was as white as a porcelain doll, and her slightly long neck and her bud-like collarbone happened to depict the most perfect bone structure of a woman.
She stood up slowly.
Yang Ming could see some nervousness beneath her calm expression.
The girl's lips were slightly parted, and her voice completely matched her beauty, though it was a little low.
"Please take a seat, Lord Henton."
"Well," Yang Ming walked to the opposite side of her, sank into the sofa, raised his hand and rubbed his forehead, "What's your name?"
"Daphne. Daphne Sherman."
The girl spoke softly, then stroked her skirt and slowly sat back in her seat.
Only then did Yang Ming notice that she had obviously put a lot of thought into her outfit.
To be honest, her charm is attractive enough that it is easy to ignore the evening dress she is wearing.
"Have you learned all this?"
Daphne asked softly.
Yang Ming nodded and looked into her eyes: "Your Majesty, give me two choices: train me or destroy me."
"I respect you very much. You are a hero who saved the empire from falling into the crisis of great depression."
Daphne whispered:
"I also cannot disobey my father's order. Perhaps we can consider using the model of political marriage, marrying in name only, without affecting each other's lives."
"Marriage in name only? I don't like having green hair on my head."
Yang Ming pointed to the top of his head, and then remembered that the green hat joke was not popular in the empire.
He explained: "If I am sure I want to get married, I would prefer it to be a substantive marriage. Of course, I am still thinking about how to reject your Majesty's kindness."
"Yeah?"
Daphne seemed to be in a dilemma. She lowered her head in thought, her fingers entwined with two strands of hair.
"Sorry," Yang Ming immediately realized that his words might be a bit rude, "I'm not targeting you. You know, I have a girlfriend and we have a good relationship. You are an outstanding woman, at least in terms of appearance."
Daphne nodded slightly: "Actually, you are not my type, and this is indeed a problem... What about Captain Catherine?"
"Do you have a boyfriend too?" Yang Ming asked.
Daphne shook her head. “I just came of age two days ago, and I received my father’s order that day.”
Yang Ming asked: "Do you think that this matter between us was something His Majesty came up with on a whim, or has it been planned for a long time?"
Daphne thought for a few seconds and said, "I can't figure out my father's thoughts, but in my opinion, if we establish a marriage relationship, it will be beneficial to you, My Lord Earl."
"Beneficial?" Yang Ming smiled, "Can you tell me more about it?"
"Well, this is just my personal opinion."
Daphne analyzed calmly:
"You have already stood on the opposite side of the aristocracy. The marriages between the noble families have become a huge and complex relationship system.
"You now have the power granted by my father, the Emperor, and you are always successful in dealing with the nobles. However, when you entered a fixed job, my father found a new tool... I may make you mind saying this, but this is the fact.
“At that time, you will face the wrath of half of the aristocracy, those princes and dukes, who will snipe at you from all sides.
"These include, but are not limited to, using online media to create a black spot for you, causing you to lose your popular support, and turning your achievements in killing insects into entertainment, causing you to lose your image as a superhero in the hearts of the people.
“Please do not doubt that history shows that this is a common tactic used by the privileged class.
"Turning serious topics into entertainment and desensitizing sensitive issues, quietly degrading culture, and then calling it: national entertainment."
Yang Ming's impression of the princess immediately changed.
She seemed to be more than just a vase.
"Your Majesty has given me a difficult problem. The Sherman family..."
"A superficial marriage is your best option, Lord Earl," Daphne said softly, "or, if you can find a way to make me fall in love with you in the future, I will also try my best to maintain the happiness of our future marriage."
Yang Ming frowned and said, "I don't want to abandon my lover."
"Your lover should understand your situation."
"What about you? Since we don't have a connection, you might be in a very awkward situation in the future."
Daphne fell silent, her expression filled with gloom.
Then, Daphne looked at Yang Ming again and said softly:
“I have lost everything.
“When my father told me that I needed to marry you to secure your position in the imperial aristocracy, I had already lost my right to inherit the throne.
“If my father allows me to marry a direct descendant of a hereditary duke, I will gain the support of this family, which will give me precious and rare external resources of the Imperial Star.
“For me, love is just an optional thing in life.
"My upbringing also taught me that love is just a ridiculous cloak of human desires, and that when you have power, you can have everything.
"Of course, I have lost all of these now. The only thing I am thinking about now is how to live a life that is destined to be empty as fully as possible."
"Life is never empty," Yang Ming said, "However, I can understand your feelings after your ideals were shattered... Perhaps we can have a good talk about this issue. I really can't accept the form of nominal marriage."
"Why?" Daphne was puzzled.
Yang Ming shrugged: "If my nominal wife had an intimate relationship with other men, it would also touch my ridiculous and sensitive self-esteem."
Daphne raised her hand to her forehead and couldn't help complaining, "I don't quite understand your idea. Why do you confuse something as important as your personal future with your own chauvinism? I don't care how many mistresses you have. This is the norm in the aristocratic circle. Correspondingly, you don't have to interfere in my private life. I will maintain the respect between us."
"Maybe I'm still a commoner at heart," Yang Ming said with a smile, "so I think our marriage is unlikely to be successful."
Daphne frowned and said, "To put it simply, you proposed your conditions. You want me to abide by the obligations of a couple, while you go out and have fun? Excuse me, this is a bit unfair."
"First of all, we haven't established a marriage yet, and now I'm thinking about how to find a way to have the best of both worlds, rather than sacrificing or giving up."
Yang Ming stood up. He wanted to see if he could get Daphne to refuse, so he stared at Daphne and said deliberately:
"I really cannot accept aristocratic marriage. If you want to be my wife, we must establish a romantic relationship first. Please give me some time to consider.
“If we get married, you’re bound to sacrifice something, including your dignity as a wife.
"I don't want to treat you this way, so I will think of other ways to gain your majesty's trust in me."
Daphne nodded slightly. "I have obtained your contact information. We must go to the palace before you leave the Imperial Star. No matter what, please do not disobey my father. He will never hesitate to eliminate hidden dangers."
"Thanks."
Yang Ming blinked and bowed slightly to Daphne:
"Happy birthday, your beautiful highness...and the perfume is nice."
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the door. When he opened it, he saw Director Ino.
The alloy door of the room slowly closed, and Daphne finally relaxed, leaning back on the sofa cushions, lost in thought.
She really didn't expect it.
I am a princess of the most powerful empire in the Milky Way, a girl who has just come of age and has decent appearance. I actively persuaded an honorary earl to marry me, but he said that he couldn't give up his lovers after marriage...
Daphne sat there thinking quietly.
She was thinking whether there was a slight misalignment in her understanding of the power of the existing political power in the Milky Way.
Tell your father the truth about today’s conversation?
What would my father say to me?
Daphne could fully imagine what tone and modifiers her father would use to describe her incompetence and cowardice.
'Daphne, when facing the White Ghost, don't treat him as an ordinary imperial noble. Try to lower your status. He is an incredible life form.
'Now the Sherman family wants to absorb him. In the next hundred years, the Milky Way will usher in several major reshuffles and violent turmoil. He can protect the empire to a certain extent. I chose you because you are smart enough to become his yoke.
'Human emotions are amazing, you have to take advantage of them.'
Daphne's collagen-filled face was twitching slightly.
They are just a few mistresses. It shouldn't be too difficult to deal with them.
"Please don't underestimate any member of the Sherman family. Also, this is the smell of shower gel, you have no common sense."
…
In the middle of the night, Yang Ming, feeling a little drunk, returned to the hotel where he was staying.
"well--"
Yang Ming sighed and lay down on the soft bed, with Daphne's beautiful figure constantly passing by his eyes.
They had dinner with Director Ino again. Daphne was also very cold in front of Director Ino, but before Yang Ming left, she took the initiative to ask to see Yang Ming off and symbolically held Yang Ming's arm.
Director Ino's old face was full of wrinkles when he smiled.
However, Yang Ming had a vague feeling that the girl next to him seemed to have made up her mind.
Daphne was indeed very beautiful. Among all the girls Yang Ming had seen, only the mature Valkyrie and Mimili could compete with her in beauty.
——Of course, classifying people by appearance is not a civilized behavior in itself.
But Yang Ming could feel that Daphne was an ambitious royal daughter.
There is a difference between an Imperial Princess and an Imperial Princess.
Emilia's growing environment determined that she was a simple princess. All she cared about was how to seek welfare for the people. With her brother protecting her, she was the most carefree girl in the Luofeng Empire.
Daphne grew up in a competitive environment. What she wanted was power, fame, and status, but ultimately what she cared about was her own dignity and respect.
No matter how pretty she is, Yang Ming just wants to stay away from such girls.
The only thing that could comfort Yang Ming was that Daphne had just reached adulthood and had not yet fallen. Yang Ming did not smell any foul smell from her.
Reject this marriage?
Isn't that too childish?
By marrying the princess, he would be able to gain a foothold in the Sherman Empire, become the emperor's son-in-law and have the halo of an imperial hero. He would gain enormous power in a short period of time.
Moreover, Yang Ming had a premonition that the old emperor had dealt with the Council of Elders and restored his power of adjudication and the power to inquire into daily political affairs at any time. The next step might be to go to the military to make his presence felt.
Otherwise, why would the old emperor choose Atro to take over the Military Intelligence Bureau?
The military should have serious problems, perhaps involving corruption throughout the entire system. However, the old emperor's purpose should not be to cause turmoil in the military, but to allow his cronies to gain actual military power.
One hundred percent of military power belongs to the imperial power?
'He was stimulated by the Empire's full defense system.'
Director Ino's words made the question marks on Yang Ming's head pop up like mushrooms after rain.
What is going on?
Buzz, buzz!
Yang Ming's communicator vibrated several times.
He grabbed the communicator and took a look at it, feeling inexplicably guilty.
Catherine sent a video invitation. This is a special communication device for the two of them. It is extremely expensive, but its advantage is that it can enable instant communication in every corner of the galaxy.
Yang Ming cleared his throat, sat up immediately, and used his fingers to force a smile at the corners of his mouth.
The call was established, and Catherine appeared in front of Yang Ming wearing her golden mask.
She was sitting in front of a porthole, probably having just returned from a mission. She slowly took off her mask, turned her head to look to both sides, and breathed a sigh of relief after making sure there was no one around.
——Before Yang Ming returned to the Imperial Star, she had already been transferred by the Super Reformer Organization.
"Hanton, how is it in the Imperial Star?"
"well enough."
Yang Ming thought for a few seconds and decided to tell Catherine about the Emperor's marriage proposal. But when the words came to his lips, he changed his tone:
"Today I went to the dimensionality-upgrading laboratory and witnessed the dimensionality-upgrading experiment."
"Well, it's cruel, isn't it?" Catherine sighed, "That's the fate of the Super Reformers."
"It is indeed cruel," Yang Ming said in a deep voice, "I also encountered a more difficult matter. The emperor wanted me to surrender completely and offered me some conditions."
Catherine thought carefully and did not say much. Instead, she said, "This is what you told me. Sometimes we have to choose to endure, even if it is something against our will. If it is for our own long-term goals, we can do it."
"Catherine, what's wrong with you today?"
"Nothing, I just suddenly felt something," Catherine said with a smile, "Politics is the art of compromise."
Yang Ming wondered, "Why do I feel like you're acting weird? Are you provoked again?"
Catherine smiled gently: "I'm on a mission, so I can't chat with you, but I suddenly wanted to see you... Go to bed early, they're calling me."
"Okay, you should be careful too."
"By the way, Hanton," Catherine said suddenly, "If necessary, I want to talk about our relationship after you leave the Imperial Star."
"Aren't we...having a good relationship now?"
"I mean, I have my own mission, and so do you. If possible, maybe we should put aside our feelings and focus on our own ideals... That's it for now, they're pushing me."
Catherine reached over and hung up the call.
Yang Ming frowned as he looked at the image left by Catherine and saw the corners of her mouth drooping slightly.
What's going on?
Yang Ming sent a greeting message to Catherine, and after waiting for more than half an hour, feeling drowsy, he received a text message from Lu.
[A hot news search appeared throughout the empire, saying that the White Ghost was about to have a political marriage with the daughter of an emperor. ]
The corners of Yang Ming's mouth twitched slightly.
Is the royal family so eager to start hyping it up?
His Majesty the Emperor really gave him a big problem.
He held the communicator, looked at Catherine's portrait, stroked it gently with his fingers, and thought about what he should say to her, but unless he turned against the royal family directly, he would not be able to soothe her wounded heart.
The power of the empire and one's own feelings.
Yang Ming sighed and stared at the ceiling in a daze.
Quasi-ancient god life forms also need to rest in order to maintain a good mental state. Moreover, Yang Ming felt a little dizzy after receiving too much information today.
Yang Ming fell asleep unknowingly. At night he had a dream about a civilization that mimicked humans.
The most memorable scene in the dream was a mimic human slowly walking out of a mercury-like lake. The metallic liquid on his body slowly dissipated, revealing Catherine's beautiful face and exquisite figure. Just as he was about to approach her, she drew out a ship-slashing sword from behind her...
Ding Dong, Ding Dong~
The doorbell of the guest room suddenly rang.
Yang Ming opened his eyes alertly and jumped directly to the bed. The dream scene in his mind was immediately diluted.
"who?"
His voice was captured and transmitted outside the door.
Hanxiang's timid voice immediately sounded: "It's me, us, your personal maids, Hanyin and Hanxiang."
Yang Ming breathed a sigh of relief, put on a shirt and trousers, walked over and opened the door.
"Are you all okay? Why are there so many people?"
Hanyin and Hanxiang, dressed in maid uniforms, bowed their heads to Yang Ming, then moved to the left and right. Two teams of palace maids, dressed in high-slit long skirts, bowed at the same time, then walked gently into the house carrying several trays and pushing several rows of clothes.
Hanyin and Hanxiang peeked in from the door.
Yang Ming was surrounded by maids and began to measure his measurements.
"My Lord, this is the breakfast that His Highness personally prepared for you. Please enjoy it."
"My Lord Earl, what color do you personally prefer? Of course, it doesn't matter. Our Highness likes plain clothes. You can choose one of these as your dress for going out today."
"My Lord Earl, if you are fully prepared, please initiate a call request to His Highness. You can use this device."
"Uncle..."
Bang!
Yang Ming snapped his fingers, his eyes filled with red light, and the group of maids each held their foreheads and fell to the ground staggeringly.
Hanxiang and Hanyin’s eyes suddenly widened.
Hanxiang said hurriedly: "These are all the closest maids to Princess Daphne. Why are you..."
"She's really spoiled!" Yang Ming frowned and cursed, "I haven't even contacted her about the trending search yet, and now she's playing this trick on me! What are you guys still standing there for? Come over and help lift it."
"Cough, cough, cough!"
A few dry coughs were heard in the corridor, and a beautiful girl in a princess dress appeared outside the door frame. She opened the cloth fan in her hand, covering her pink lips.
"Is this a mental shock?"
Daphne asked with a hint of surprise.
