In the morning, Mo Shen dressed Xue Lan first before leaving. The line of people at the capital waiting for the Emperor’s return was endless, but he didn’t worry about that.

Really, if he didn’t keep watch by Xue Lan’s side at night, his master would’ve passed away in his sleep a few times already.

Xue Lan stepped outside and the tiger enthusiastically greeted him. He rubbed its neck.

“Nice work,” he whispered.

The tiger proudly raised its tail.

The two of them went to the biggest tent to wait for the Emperor to have breakfast together. Still, the tiger was too stuffy to be inside so Xue Lan told it to wait outside again.

As much as he disliked being with Tian Chen, he still needed to be active once in a while or else Tian Chen would suspect something.

When Tian Chen came, he saw the tiger outside and went in with anticipation. As he hoped, Xue Lan was inside and readily greeted him.

“Your Majesty, your breakfast is ready,” Xue Lan politely informed.

Tian Chen nodded and walked to his table on the higher platform.

Once Tian Chen sat down, Xue Lan followed his action. He only started eating after Tian Chen ate his first bite.

“Your Majesty, will you still be looking for a grand prey?” Xue Lan asked.

“Do you have any suggestion, Honorable Consort Xue?” Tian Chen replied with another question.

“Since there are fishes in the lake the divine beast blessed us, this subject has a thought that we might be able to attract the bears in the forest by grilling some,” Xue Lan suggested.

Tian Chen thought about it and agreed to try. He called several guards to catch some fish and start grilling it by the lake.

Xue Lan continued eating his food when he noticed that Tian Chen wasn’t moving his chopsticks.

But Tian Chen didn’t put them down, so he continued eating until he finished his meal.

“Come up to Us, Honorable Consort Xue,” Tian Chen suddenly ordered.

Xue Lan didn’t question anything and knelt by his table, “Yes, Your Majesty?”

Tian Chen gestured at the empty space next to him.

Xue Lan, “…”

He sat on the couch but still kept a distance from Tian Chen. As expected, he gave him his chopsticks.

He inwardly calmed himself down and started feeding the Emperor.

Tian Chen watched the unchanging expression on Xue Lan’s face and couldn’t help but wonder what the other was thinking about right now.

Other consorts or concubines usually flushed from happiness and excitement when he graced them with this task.

“Honorable Consort Xue, do you take your role right now as a duty?”

“Answering Your Majesty, this subject has been entrusted by his country to keep the Great Qian Jin Empire and Qi Ming Nation in peace,” Xue Lan lowered his gaze. “Certainly, this subject regards this role as an important duty.”

Tian Chen tilted Xue Lan’s face up, “Are you serving Us out of obligation right this moment?”

Xue Lan shifted his eyes away, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Tian Chen’s throat bobbed slightly.

How could he be so honest to others yet so deceitful towards himself?

It was pitiful yet endearing.

Tian Chen reluctantly let Xue Lan go and decided to follow along, “Serve your duty properly then.”

Though in reality, there was nothing to be followed along.

The Emperor was thoroughly muddled.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Xue Lan hid the ridicule in his eyes.

Later the day, a black bear was successfully lured. Tian Chen conquered it with his bow and arrows and the help of the guards.

It wasn’t a lie that Yang Huo had a strong martial art. Li Feng also proved his worth as the guard captain.

They arrived back in the capital at midday. The common people praised and blessed the Emperor as they paraded back into the palace displaying the prey Tian Chen hunted.

They were filled with awe and admiration when they saw the huge black bear on the cart.

But once the gigantic white tiger appeared they immediately knelt down in fear and reverence.

It must be a divine beast!

The Emperor had brought back a divine beast!

The effect of the tiger was immediate. Everyone brought up Tian Chen’s name to high heaven. His reputation soared and nobody dared to feel a hint of discontent towards the current emperor lest heaven would strike them with lightning.

After the parade, Tian Chen and Xue Lan went to the Ceremonial Field where the common people would present their prey.

It was a large, paved area where the Ceremonial Hall stood tall above the platform. It required one to climb 100 flights of stairs with a spacious landing in between.

The chairs prepared for the two of them was on the middle landing, but Xue Lan still needed to climb up 50 flight of stairs. He felt like 20 would be his limit.

The tiger wanted to offer its back, but Xue Lan discreetly patted its side, stopping him from doing it.

The country regarded it as Qian Jin Empire’s divine beast. If they saw it lowered itself to him, a prince from an independent nation, things would get complicated.

Before Tian Chen could offer a hand, he was beaten to it again by Yang Huo.

“My Lord, let me assist you to your seat,” Yang Huo lowered his body slightly, ready to carry Xue Lan.

“I will be troubling you, Guard Yang,” Xue Lan gratefully said and encircled his arm onto Yang Huo’s shoulder.

Feigning ignorance to Tian Chen’s glare, Yang Huo hoisted Xue Lan up by his waist and knees. He kept a distance behind Tian Chen who was leading in front.

“Please tell Mo Shen to give me compensation or I won’t amuse his requests anymore,” Yang Huo grunted.

“I believe he won’t get under you even if you demand it as compensation,” Xue Lan whispered in a serious tone.

Yang Huo blushed with slight exasperation, “Yes, I’m well aware.”

Xue Lan thought of something, “Does he like touching your waist?”

“No, not really. He likes fondling my chest mo–” Yang Huo hurriedly stopped himself. “My Lord, let’s drop this topic, shall we?”

Xue Lan’s eyebrows raised in interest.

Well, Yang Huo indeed had thick pecs.

Regretfully for him, they reached his seat before he could grope one out. Yang Huo sensed the danger and swiftly stood behind Xue Lan’s seat.

Never had he thought in his life he would have to watch out for sexual harassment from someone.

Xue Lan covered his mouth behind his fan but the amusement in his eyes wasn’t missed by Tian Chen.

He immediately believed that Yang Huo seduced him.

With his mind elsewhere, the presentation started. Common people entered one by one with the animals they hunted but all of them were nothing more than ordinary.

After a long while, a young master came forward with a cage covered in cloth.

When he revealed it, the animal he hunted was a 5 feet long dark green lizard with thick, sharp scales. It had a long mouth with a row of fangs sprouting out from it.

The people were horrified by the visual and unconsciously took several steps back from it.

Tian Chen was impressed and was about to announce the winner when there was a commotion at the gate.

The crowds parted to make way for the man and his giant cart. The man was covered in a cloak and the prey he brought was also covered by a wide sheet of cloth.

He stopped the 2 horses pulling the cart at the centre of the platform, forcing the young master to move aside.

The man jumped down and knelt to the Emperor in greetings. He then detached the horses from the cart, opened the cart walls, and uncovered his prey.

Everybody was stunned silence for a split second before they loudly bustled in awe and excitement.

Covered in the cart was a pure white fish as big as 3 men. Unlike ordinary fishes that had scales, this one had smooth skin like silk with 2 long fins on its side and a short one on top. The gaping mouth revealed rows of sharp teeth that could easily rip human flesh apart.

Tian Chen stood up from his seat seeing the exquisite prey and wasted no time announcing the cloaked man as the winner.

The previous young master was indignant but he couldn’t object to the decision seeing how undefeatable his prey was compared to the cloaked man.

“Tell Us, my beloved subject, what is this exquisite creature that you bring to Us today?” Tian Chen inquired.

“It is called a shark, Your Majesty. This humble one especially caught a rare, pure white shark to bless Your Majesty’s reign and longevity. You can eat its meat, display its fins, and make weapons out of its teeth and bones,” the man explained.