Capítulo 1954: Chapter 1973: Hoping to Glimpse King Ning’s Beauty

Francis Harmon, that scoundrel, holds the economic power of the Empire in his hands, a high-ranking position with significant power, and he is greatly valued by Yusuf Zuck, as he is quite loyal.

But loyalty aside, some people are simply unable to control their desires. And he is precisely that kind of person: he likes collecting things, he likes food, he likes women, and he likes money!

Although he is loyal, his fondness for those things does not conflict with his loyalty.

So ever since the Empire established its capital in Transient City, Francis Harmon’s personal influence has grown stronger and stronger because there were too many people currying favor with him, too many people giving him gifts, and he never refused any of those gifts, and if they came, he accepted them all.

He felt that it was his due, and he wasn’t harming the Empire, so what harm was there in accepting a gift?

So when Gua Ah Da pushed a ring toward him, he didn’t hesitate, didn’t refuse, and instead curiously picked up the ring and then used Telekinesis to probe inside it!

“Hmm?” Just as he used Telekinesis to probe inside, his eyebrows shot up, and his mouth opened slightly!

Inside there were three treasures: one was the Legendary Elemental Spirit Essence from the Spirit Awakening, another was a Divine Bow, and the third was a cloak!

Though he hadn’t yet touched the treasures, who was Francis Harmon? He could tell at a glance that these three were the ultimate treasures, each one unique in the world!

Not to mention the cloak and the Divine Bow, just the Elemental Spirit Essence alone was a singular rarity in the world, allowing for refinement and granting longevity—it was a priceless treasure, and how could he let that go?

He very unabashedly put the ring away, then laughed heartily and said, “Gua brother, you’re too kind, too kind!”

“It’s an honor for me, a humble person, to be able to pay my respects to you, my lord!” Gua Ah Da poured two glasses of wine, handing one to Francis Harmon, “My lord, a toast to you!”

This time, Francis Harmon did not refuse and took it down in one gulp, smacking his lips as he said, “Speak, what do you need from this official? As long as it doesn’t go against the Empire’s interests and doesn’t harm my king, everything is negotiable!” As careful as he was, taking gifts was one thing, but harming his lord king or the empire was out of the question, for if the empire were to fall, so too would his position as Financial Minister.

“My lord, what are you saying? I, Gua Ah Da, only wish to make your acquaintance, nothing more!” Gua Ah Da waved his hands repeatedly.

“Oh?” Francis Harmon’s eyes lit up as this was good. Someone giving him gifts without asking for favors—that’s a wonderful thing!

“Good, very good, Gua Ah Da, right? I’ll remember you. Visit my residence later. I still have things to attend to at court, so I’ll take my leave first!” Francis Harmon did not want to say more as there were indeed pending matters at court. The front battles were intense, and he needed to mobilize resources.

“Wait a moment, my lord, please wait!” Gua Ah Da stood up and said.

“Right, I knew you had something to say, so speak up!” Francis Harmon sat back down.

“Actually, it’s nothing major, it’s just that I, Gua… want… want…!” Gua Ah Da stuttered, unable to articulate it.

“Speak up, what’s with the hemming and hawing? It seems there’s yet to be anything I can’t accomplish in Transient City!” Francis Harmon patted his chest.

“Well, then I, Gua, shall speak my mind!” Gua Ah Da gritted his teeth, then suddenly knelt down and said, “I, Gua Ah Da, have heard that the Winged Prince is of unparalleled beauty and charm, so I wish… wish… to have dinner with her!”

“Uh…” Francis Harmon was stunned. He had heard from his nephew earlier that this Gua Ah Da was uneducated, indulging in eating, drinking, and merrymaking, frequenting Pleasure Street every night, extremely lustful.

However, he had not expected this scoundrel to set his sights on the Winged Prince!

Though the Winged Prince was indeed captivating, that petite beauty, fair and tender, had him wanting to rush to her and strip her bare every time he saw her!

But he dared not. No one in the Empire dared, for not only was she powerful herself, there was also the king, whose relationship with her was ambiguous, with secretive undertones between the two!

There was nothing Francis Harmon couldn’t get done, but arranging a meeting between the Winged Prince and another man seemed quite challenging!

“What? Is it difficult for you, my lord? I just wish to have a glimpse of the Winged Prince’s beauty, my lord, please grant this wish, and if you do, I’ll have more Spirit Essence to offer!”

“Oh?” Francis Harmon’s eyebrow raised, intrigued.

“How about this, leave your contact details with my steward. I shall give it a try. Whether it works out or not, I’ll do my best for you!”

“Thank you, my lord, thank you!” Gua Ah Da was filled with gratitude.

“You, like the ladies, huh? Hahaha, but truly, that little… uh, no need to say more, I’m off!” Francis Harmon chuckled and got up to leave!

Gua Ah Da accompanied him downstairs and only returned upstairs after Francis Harmon was long gone. Then, when he opened his mouth, the entire table of food and wine vanished!

“Another ten tables, I’m not full yet!”

The glutton devoured anything, even the plates on the table.

…

Francis Harmon sat in his carriage, lost in thought. He was a deeply intelligent person, loath to suffer an unexpected failure, so he was recalling every detail of his meeting with Gua Ah Da. At the same time, he planned to investigate Gua Ah Da, determining that the man was trustworthy and neither a spy nor an assassin.

Otherwise, should he inadvertently embrace an assassin and have the Winged Prince killed, his entire family would be doomed, so he couldn’t take such a gamble, hence, further investigation was needed!

…

Three days later, the investigative team he sent out returned with a report. Gua Ah Da was indeed an uncultured person, loving beauty above all else. As for his origins, he seemed to hail from the southwest’s Gu Clan!

In the southwest, there was a prominent family surnamed Gu, known for their extensive business dealings, and within this family, there was a Gua Ah Da with a similar appearance and personality!

After weighing everything carefully, Francis Harmon concluded that Gua Ah Da posed no threat to the Ning King, so he went to the palace to find the Beautiful Hermaphrodite.

The Beautiful Hermaphrodite had been residing in the harem, enjoying herself immensely of late.

Francis Harmon bypassed Yusuf Zuck, maneuvered through the palace guards, and went directly to the harem to meet the Beautiful Hermaphrodite.

“I have arranged a grand show at home, prepared delicious delicacies, and have a painter ready to capture a majestic portrait for you, the Ning King. Of course, the main reason is that I accepted a gift from someone who wishes to witness your beauty, the Ning King. You can’t blame me for this, as there isn’t a man alive who doesn’t… want… you know!” He spoke straightforwardly!

And the Beautiful Hermaphrodite, surprisingly, enjoyed having men fascinated by her, considering it the peak of life’s achievements to have men gawking at her, drooling.

So, upon hearing that someone had connected with Francis Harmon to gain her favor and be in her presence, she proudly thrust her chest forward several times, feeling supremely pleased within!

“Alright, I’ve been cooped up in the palace for quite some time. Let me go out and see you men, hehehe!” The Beautiful Hermaphrodite couldn’t stand not teasing men for even a day, so she agreed readily!