On January 10th, the birthday banquet for the Imperial First Prince and Second Prince commenced precisely at noon at the Imperial Palace.
This coming-of-age ceremony banquet did not invite a hodgepodge of media reporters, only two official journalists and photographers from the Imperial Central Channel for recording and reporting purposes. The media would only broadcast the edited footage, which would first be shown to His Majesty for approval beforehand. It wasn’t a live broadcast, so the attending guests didn’t need to feel too restrained.
As early as eleven o’clock, quite a few guests had already arrived early at the venue.
Many officials from both the military and political spheres knew each other. Though business figures hadn’t previously attended the princes’ birthday banquets, this year, being the two princes’ coming-of-age ceremony, many commercial magnates had also personally come to offer congratulations. After arriving, guests gathered in small groups for polite conversation, creating a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere.
Mo Qiming brought Mo Han to attend. As a prominent figure on the Empire’s rich list, many were familiar with his name. Plus, the recent news frenzy about KM Airlines’ new-gen intelligent spaceship had dominated headlines, and many had seen the press conference, leaving them with a deep impression of Mo Han.
Gradually, people started approaching to greet them. Mo Qiming shook hands with them very politely.
Everyone attending this banquet was a pinnacle figure in the Empire’s highest echelons, not a single one to be carelessly offended—the Congress President, the Minister of National Defense, the Senate Speaker, and the great generals of various military legions. Naturally, no one dared to act out of line at such an occasion; everyone was impeccably polite and respectful.
Most who came to greet Mo Qiming also took the opportunity to compliment Mo Han. “Your son is truly an outstanding young man.” “Mo Han, young and promising, indeed!” “I also watched that press conference. Planning to try the new-gen spaceship next time. Chairman Mo, you really have such foresight.”
Mo Han, maintaining great composure, kept a smile on his face throughout, following his father’s lead and getting to know many legendary figures. He gained quite a bit from it.
Checking his communicator, it was now 11:30. The First and Second Princes hadn’t yet appeared. As the main characters of today’s birthday banquet, they were probably timing their entrance precisely.
It was then that a sudden stir went through the crowd. Several men in military uniform appeared at the entrance of the great hall. One of them wore a black military uniform with the insignia of five gold stars on his shoulders. Beside him was a man in a midnight-blue uniform, slightly shorter, but whose aura was not one bit inferior; his cold, expressionless face seemed particularly aloof. Behind the two was a young, handsome officer with a smile on his face.
As these three walked forward, all the surrounding guests immediately parted, making way for them.
Mo Han, curious, heard his father lean in and whisper, “The one in the black uniform is the Glory Legion Commander, Marshal of the Empire, Rosen. The one in midnight-blue is the Dark Night Legion Commander, the only Omega General in Imperial history, Ling Yu. Both of them followed the late Emperor during the military pacification. The decades of peace within the Empire’s borders owe much to these two.”
Mo Han had heard many stories about the Marshal and General Ling Yu. He felt deep respect for these two seniors, particularly General Ling Yu—the Omega General was practically an idol in Mo Han’s heart.
The person following behind them, whose appearance held a striking resemblance to both, must be their youngest son, Major General Ling An.
Sure enough, Mo Qiming immediately added, “The one behind him is Major General Ling An. Though young, having inherited the military command talents of his parents, he’s earned considerable military merit and was promoted to Major General in his twenties. You could say he’s incredibly young and promising. He’s also the biological younger brother of the Imperial Queen, Lin Yuan, so he counts as Luo Fei’s own uncle.”
Major General Ling An indeed possessed a uniquely capable, soldierly air. With upright features and a tall, straight bearing, the tempering of countless campaigns gave him an extra measure of steadiness and resoluteness compared to the typical Alphas Mo Han encountered in the business world.
Just as he was thinking this, Mo Han suddenly noticed the general had come to a stop directly in front of him. Mo Han immediately collected his wits.
Mo Qiming proactively greeted him. “General.”
Ling An smiled slightly. “Chairman Mo. I’ve long heard of your great name. Meeting for the first time today, you are indeed extraordinary.” Ling An’s gaze shifted to Mo Han, standing behind Mo Qiming. His eyes were warm. “This is your son? Mo Han?”
Mo Qiming nodded. “Yes. I brought him today to broaden his horizons.”
Mo Han bowed politely in greeting. “General, hello.”
Ling An looked at him with admiration. “So young, yet full of ideas. They also say you’re a hacker prodigy? Like father, like son.”
Mo Han said modestly, “The General flatters me.”
Ling An didn’t say much more. He offered a faint smile and departed with his two fathers.
Mo Han was, after all, only twenty years old. Receiving a word of praise from Major General Ling An in such a solemn setting genuinely made him quite happy.
At 11:40, all guests were assisted in taking their seats in sequence.
The seating arrangement was very deliberate. Military, political, and business guests were seated separately. The Marshal and General Ling Yu naturally occupied the seats of honor.
Mo Han, basking in his father’s reflected status, was also seated relatively close to the throne. A Royal Family birthday banquet truly had many rules, unlike the more casual atmosphere at his grandfather’s birthday celebration earlier. After being seated, the guests also consciously quieted down; no one dared to create a disturbance in such a place.
At twelve o’clock sharp, the stars of the birthday banquet finally appeared.
His Majesty Xize and Queen Lin Yuan walked in front, arms linked. Luo Fei and Luo Ning, the brothers, followed behind them. Behind them was a row of Royal Guards in crisp white uniforms, their expressions grave and solemn.
All guests in the banquet hall rose collectively and bowed in perfect unison, performing the royal salute towards His Majesty Xize.
Xize walked all the way to the throne at the head, sitting down alongside Lin Yuan. He smiled faintly. “Everyone, no need to stand on ceremony. Please, be seated.”
Luo Fei stood beside His Majesty, Luo Ning beside the Queen. This family’s appearance was truly astonishing. Seeing this scene, Mo Han’s eyes couldn’t help but brighten—
Today’s Luo Fei seemed very different. He wore the intricate Royal ceremonial robes. The black-based garment featured meticulously crafted golden patterns at the cuffs and hem. The black-and-gold color scheme was extravagant and noble. His tall stature and handsome features meant the complex robes didn’t look gaudy on him at all; instead, they made him appear even more dashing and heroic.
Dressed in Royal ceremonial robes, Luo Fei truly looked the part of the Imperial First Prince.
Standing beside His Majesty, his figure was tall and lean, a faint smile on his face. The smile wasn’t the cheeky, endearing grin from when he acted in front of Mo Han, but radiated a sense of magnanimous, gentlemanly grace. He stood beside the throne, his gaze warm and poised as he surveyed the entire hall of guests. The man on the throne was his father, and he was to be the future heir of this Empire. In this moment, Mo Han actually felt he possessed the manner of an Imperial First Prince and heir.
Today, the youthful naivety had vanished from him. Transformed into his role as First Prince, he was noble, elegant, composed, even possessing the powerful aura of a sovereign surveying his domain. Standing beside his Royal Father in royal robes, the First Prince commanded the silent respect of the guests. Many Omegas accompanying their elders to the banquet had eyes that sparkled brightly at the sight.
The image in memory of the thick-skinned guy who claimed to come from an ordinary family and graduated from Herman University was nothing like the Luo Fei before him. They seemed like completely different people.
Mo Han was inwardly amused and raised his head to look at Luo Fei.
Perhaps because there were too many guests, Luo Fei didn’t notice Mo Han within the crowd. He maintained his elegantly poised smile.
The banquet hall was utterly silent. His Majesty’s gaze swept across the hall as he began speaking with a smile. “First and foremost, I am deeply grateful to all of you for coming to the coming-of-age ceremony for First Prince Luo Fei and Second Prince Luo Ning, and for the many gifts you have brought. All gifts have been duly received. Let me first, on behalf of the two princes, express thanks for everyone’s generous affection. Today, I am not only the Emperor of this realm, but also an ordinary father. Watching these two children grow from crying little infants to the tall, handsome youths they are now… as a father, I am truly filled with heartfelt comfort.”
His Majesty Xize’s temperament had always been gentle; he spoke without excessive pretension. He glanced at his two children, his smile soft. “Eighteen years old means you are now officially adults. As a father, I have fulfilled my duty to raise and educate you. I hope that in the life ahead of you, you will be safe and healthy. Furthermore, you must have the self-awareness of princes, behaving as role models, and not betraying the hopes everyone places in you.”
Luo Fei and Luo Ning immediately bowed in salute. “Yes, Royal Father.”
His Majesty’s address concluded, and a fervent round of applause broke out in the banquet hall.
Mo Han, holding deep respect in his heart for this Emperor who had inaugurated a new era for the Empire, clapped along with everyone else, genuinely appreciating His Majesty’s style.
Xize was not only a good monarch but also a good father.
Luo Fei might be a bit naive, but that was simply due to his lack of real-world experience. At the very least, his character was upright and his thinking progressive, which was entirely a credit to His Majesty’s upbringing.
After Xize finished, he turned a gentle gaze towards Lin Yuan, signaling him to say a few words too.
Lin Yuan smiled and said, “What His Majesty just said is precisely what I most wanted to say. Luo Fei, Luo Ning, you must carefully remember your Royal Father’s teachings.”
Luo Fei: “…”
Luo Ning: “…”
Dad was truly a bit lazy, summing it up in one sentence. A very clever move.
The two brothers quite cooperatively bowed to him as well.
Xize, knowing Lin Yuan disliked such occasions, simply smiled slightly, then looked at Luo Fei and Luo Ning. “Today you have reached eighteen years of age. Do you have anything you wish to say to your Royal Father, your Royal Mother, and all the guests present?”
Luo Fei prepared to speak, his gaze traveling politely across the audience below.
And then, at the rightmost table, he suddenly spotted a familiar face.
That person had delicate, handsome features, and even in today’s setting filled with high-profile figures from all walks of life, his aura still stood out, incredibly distinguished.
Today, he was wearing a cream-colored suit, white dress shirt, paired with a light blue tie. The tie had delicate white embroidery patterns on it, looking exceptionally fresh and elegant. It was precisely the tie he had bought and given to Mo Han on the spaceship.
His expression was artificially calm, as if earnestly listening to the First Prince speak, but his eyes were brimming with mirth. He was looking right at Luo Fei, a smile in his gaze.
Luo Fei: “………………………”
Xize, seeing his son suddenly freeze, was puzzled. “Luo Fei?”
Luo Fei: “……………………………”
The First Prince stood there rigid as a statue, as if his system had suddenly crashed. His Majesty was calling him, and he wasn’t responding???
The guests throughout the hall looked at each other in confusion.
Offstage, Omega General Ling Yu’s face remained cold. Following the First Prince’s gaze to the young man seated on the right side, he raised his eyebrow faintly.
Seeing Luo Fei still in a daze, Xize directly used his S-Class Intelligent Mecha to forcibly connect to Chongming, his tone stern. “What’s wrong with Luo Fei? Wake him up, quickly!”
Chongming was trembling with fear—because it, too, had seen Mo Han.
Why would Mo Han be at the birthday banquet?! And he was even wearing the tie his master had given him!
His master had been so shocked his brain had crashed!
Chongming immediately began emergency hailing. “Master! Master! Speak! His Majesty is about to get angry, the entire hall of guests is staring at you!! Do you really want to make a laughingstock of yourself at your own 18th birthday banquet?! Then you’ll be famous across the entire Empire. Everyone will laugh at you. Your dad will definitely beat you to death afterwards!! Speak, now!”
Luo Fei jolted back to his senses.
He and Mo Han met each other’s eyes across the hall full of guests. Mo Han’s eyes held laughter. Luo Fei just wanted to cry.
It’s over, over, over…
That single word kept echoing in his brain.
All the lies—the fake identity, the fabricated academic background—every trick he’d used to get close to Mo Han had completely fallen apart in this instant.
He was totally screwed, wasn’t he? Any hope of pursuing Mo Han was gone, right?!
But… in such a solemn setting, as the First Prince, he could not be too discourteous.
Luo Fei quickly took a deep breath, forcibly steadying his instantly spiking heart rate. “Hearing Royal Father’s words just now, my heart was filled with too much emotion. I momentarily forgot what I meant to say. My apologies to everyone for that.”
He rapidly adjusted his expression and spoke with a smile. “Today, my brother and I turn eighteen. We will always keep in our hearts the nurturing grace of our Royal Father and Royal Mother over these years. We will always be grateful to all the teachers and relatives who have guided us. Eighteen is not merely an increase in age, making us adults. It also signifies independence and maturity of mind, and simultaneously means we carry an extra layer of responsibility and accountability as adults. From now on, we must be all the more mindful of our words and deeds…”
Luo Fei began speaking with eloquence. His voice was resonant and forceful; even without a microphone’s amplification, every guest in the hall could hear him crystal clear.
The First Prince’s composure and poise brought a look of approval to His Majesty’s eyes. Though he didn’t know why his son had blanked out just now, his quick, adaptable response had been sufficient. That moment of daze earlier seemed now like a collective illusion among the guests.
Watching this version of Luo Fei, Mo Han actually felt a surge of admiration. It seemed the First Prince’s mental fortitude was quite decent. At least in a formal setting, he wouldn’t do anything to besmirch the Royal Family’s reputation. Today, with His Majesty present and so many distinguished guests, as the Empire’s First Prince, no matter how shaken he was inside, he had to forcibly swallow it.
Thinking this, Mo Han felt highly amused. He couldn’t resist reaching up to touch the tie at his neck, a mischievous thought flickering: The tie you gave me… I’m really wearing it today. How do you think it looks?
Catching this motion from him, Luo Fei’s eyes flickered briefly, but he instantly replaced it with a flawless smile.
However, within the world of his mental power, Luo Fei was already going mad. “Chongming, Chongming! Quick, think of a solution! How do I explain things to Mo Han? Is it all over for me? Does he have an absolutely terrible impression of me now? Will he think I’m just a big liar who spouts nonsense?”
Chongming rejoiced in his misfortune. “Master, you dug this pit yourself. You can climb out of it yourself. I am but an innocent mecha.”
Luo Fei: “……………”
When exactly had his cover been blown?
Mo Han’s expression held no surprise at all. It was as if he’d known Luo Fei’s identity as First Prince for a long time.
Meaning, his cover had been completely blown for ages now, yet he’d foolishly played the role of “senior” right in front of Mo Han?
Truly humiliating…
If not for all the guests present, Luo Fei would have wished he could dig a hole in the ground and bury himself.
