nycdaug Chapter 808 Reunion with an Old Friend
Chapter 808 Reunion with an Old Friend
Chapter 808 Reunion with an Old Friend
Sammon, the main planet.
A luxurious building, like a palace.
Various private aircraft were neatly parked in the wide plaza in front of the building. At this moment, a white Lambda-class shuttle slowly folded its wings and landed.
"Wait for me here."
Fu Qinghai casually gave his adjutant, Lieutenant Jia Sha, a few words, then turned and walked out of the shuttle's crew cabin.
"Yes, sir."
Fu Qinghai, dressed in a crisply pressed imperial military uniform, walked step by step onto the deep red carpet laid on the white steps toward the main hall. Two male attendants in tailcoats and bow ties came forward to greet him. Fu Qinghai took off his mountain hat and handed it to them, while also showing them his invitation.
"Yes, sir, please come in."
After verifying the invitation, a male attendant gestured, and Fu Qinghai followed him into the main hall.
Senior Sector Governor...
Fu Qinghai thought to himself:
Wow, that's quite a grand birthday celebration!
……
The main hall is the banquet hall.
The banquet hall's dome hangs high, as if the night sky were turned upside down, with a huge crystal chandelier hanging in the center. Millions of faceted crystals refract light like stars, and the gleaming stone floor reflects the guests walking above. Carved pillars and wooden paneling support a series of archways.
A typical buffet cocktail party.
A long banquet table was covered with a snow-white tablecloth, multi-tiered candlesticks, intricately carved plates, and towers of goblets. Melodious orchestral music drifted through the air, its strains cascading down from the secluded second-floor terrace. Waiters in sharp suits, carrying silver platters, moved silently among the guests like fish.
The main guest, Governor Estol of the High Sector, hadn't even appeared yet, but quite a few guests had already arrived. They were currently gathered in small groups, clinking glasses and exchanging quiet pleasantries. Most of the men were dressed in Imperial military uniforms, while the women were dressed in their finest attire.
Fu Qinghai looked around the banquet hall.
I discovered that I didn't recognize a single one of them.
There was no way around it. Strictly speaking, Fu Qinghai had only graduated from the Calida Military Academy less than a week ago. He had no connections in the imperial bureaucracy. The officers here were generally older and held higher ranks than him. There were also some young officers of similar age, probably the so-called "young talents" from various star sectors, who were displaying their charm to young women like peacocks spreading their tails.
What is this, a blind date?
Fu Qinghai thought to himself.
He didn't see his superior, Governor Papinus, and didn't know if that fat pig was coming. To be honest, Fu Qinghai still didn't know why his boss had called him to this birthday banquet. He had some guesses: maybe it was because of his good looks and outstanding achievements, so he was invited to represent the star sector to boost its reputation? And to expand his network of contacts?
Fu Qinghai strolled leisurely to the table, casually picked up a glass of Abrax cognac, and downed it in one gulp. It was a deep blue cognac, steaming with pungent vapor.
He then picked up a plate of caviar and slurped it down. The smooth roe melted into a salty and savory juice in his mouth. With the caviar as a side dish, he downed another glass.
Let's fill our stomachs first, no matter what.
The Kolo Clawfish is a giant, ferocious sea creature resembling a moray eel, native to Palpatine's home planet Naboo. Fu Qinghai, adhering to the principle of not getting something for nothing, specifically chose to eat the most expensive ones.
Fu Qinghai stood alone by the table, eating and drinking without participating in any social activities. However, his tall and handsome figure still attracted the attention of the women around him. These young ladies of official families watched as the young officer drank a glass of Abrax wine one after another without changing his expression or even burping. They all covered their mouths with their hands, showing their surprise.
Abrax is a very strong liquor.
The wine contains a large amount of volatile gases dissolved in it.
After Fu Qinghai had eaten and drunk his fill, he beckoned to a waiter, took a hot towel from the waiter's tray, wiped his hands and mouth, and prepared to officially begin his social activities.
Although he didn't know anyone, he had secretly eavesdropped on other people's conversations while eating and drinking, and he had already obtained a lot of private information that he could use as conversation topics.
Just then, Fu Qinghai suddenly felt a strong gaze upon him. He turned around with his wine glass in hand, and among the moving and lingering guests, he saw a figure, a woman, a woman he had never expected.
"Ton Flores?"
Fu Qinghai looked incredulous.
The other person stood in the crowd, staring blankly at him.
Fu Qinghai immediately strode towards the woman.
What are you doing here?
Fu Qinghai approached the woman and immediately asked her questions.
"I'd like to ask you the same question."
Tong En looked up at the man in front of her and said.
Fu Qinghai looked Tong En up and down.
She wore a black, low-cut, slit dress studded with rhinestones, revealing her rounded shoulders and ample bosom. Her long, voluptuous legs, encased in black stockings, were faintly visible. A silver-gray fur shawl was wrapped around her arms, and black hand stockings covered her palms and forearms. Combined with exaggerated metal earrings and a pearl necklace, she exuded the aura of a high-society socialite.
Fu Qinghai recalled the first time he met Tong En. At that time, she was wearing a simple gray tight sleeveless vest and denim blue overalls, looking like a capable female worker in a shipyard. However, he never expected that when they met again, she would transform into a socialite and a wealthy lady at a social party. The contrast in her image was so great that Fu Qinghai almost did not recognize her.
"You're married?"
Fu Qinghai noticed the ring on Tong En's left ring finger and her light gold flaxen curls that were styled in a bun.
"Yes."
Tong En nodded and readily admitted:
"You must now call me Governor Fondo's wife."
Governor Fang Duo...Madam?
Fu Qinghai was still pondering what this word meant.
Tong En's gaze swept over Fu Qinghai's crisp military uniform and rank insignia, and she spoke softly:
"You have joined the Imperial Army."
Wait a minute, something's wrong here...
Fu Qinghai felt more and more uneasy.
The reason he became a spy for the rebel alliance was because Tong En introduced him to Vie, who then introduced him to Lucien. Because Lucien appreciated him, he was able to join the rebel alliance... How could Tong En become the wife of the Imperial Governor?
"Shall we talk somewhere else?"
Fu Qinghai glanced at the guests walking and talking around him, making sure no one was eavesdropping, and then suggested in a low voice.
"Right on my mind."
Tong En pursed her lips and said.
The two men each took a glass of wine from a passing waiter's tray and walked side by side down a quiet, deserted arcade.
"So what exactly happened?"
Fu Qinghai was the first to ask.
"You have betrayed the revolution, Qingshan!"
Tong En stared intently at Fu Qinghai.
"I left Fangduo with Vera."
Fu Qinghai smiled and stared at her, saying:
"And you know that too."
"So you are actually an undercover agent for the rebel alliance."
Tong En revealed an expression that said, "I knew it."
"And what about you?"
Fu Qinghai looked at Tong En with a playful expression:
"And how did you become the governor's wife?"
Tong En sighed softly and said:
"Fondo's resistance movement failed."
"As expected."
"The shipbuilding guild was abolished, and the empire sent a new governor to govern Fangdo. In order to show my complete submission to the empire, I heard that this governor was not yet married, so my father arranged for me to marry him, and thus I became the governor's wife of Fangdo."
Tong En briefly recounted what had happened.
"wrong."
Fu Qinghai immediately pointed out the problem:
"Where is that guy named 'Igris'? That traitor, your childhood sweetheart and sycophant, after he informed the Empire, weren't you dealt with by the Imperial Security Bureau? You plotted against the Empire, do you think the Empire can just pretend nothing happened?"
"Yes, we were not purged."
Tong En nodded and said affirmatively:
"The emperor ultimately let us go, and the reason was simple—the empire needed Fang Duo's shipbuilding capacity and industrial output. Among those involved in the conspiracy to rebel were not only my father, the vice chairman of the shipbuilding guild, but also many engineers in key positions. If all these people were killed, the shipyard would not be able to operate normally. In order to complete the shipbuilding plan set by the emperor, the Imperial Security Bureau had no choice but to release us."
What kind of shipbuilding program is so important that even those who once plotted to rebel against the Empire were spared? Could it be the legendary... Executor-class Dreadnought?
Fu Qinghai couldn't help but make connections.
Tong En added at this point:
"Besides, the Fangduo resistance has never truly joined the rebel alliance, right? Strictly speaking, we are not rebels; we are merely plotting a rebellion without taking any actual action. As long as the Fangduo kneel down completely enough, the imperial authorities, considering their practical interests, may certainly make an exception."
Tong En's tone carried a hint of sarcasm.
She was filled with contempt for the behavior of her compatriots.
Fu Qinghai understood instantly.
He found the crux of the problem.
"So, the other members of the organization actually didn't know Vera's true identity at all. They didn't know that Vera was sent by Luxen to investigate the resistance organization Fangduo, right?"
Fu Qinghai stared at Tong En and asked.
“That’s right, only I know Violet’s identity.”
Tong En nodded slightly and continued:
"As for Igris, that idiot is dead. He tried to bargain with the Imperial Security Bureau, hoping to use the information he had to get more, but before he could spit out much, the assassins sent by Luxen took care of him."
A killer personally dispatched by Lusen Rael?
It is very likely that it is Cassian Andor.
"Since you already know about Lusen's existence..."
Fu Qinghai glanced at Tong En.
“That’s right, I’m still providing intelligence to the rebels.”
Tong En admitted it with a firm expression.
Lucien abandoned Fang Duo's resistance organization, which was indeed hopeless, but he did not abandon Tong En, who is now considered an informant for the rebel alliance.
Fu Qinghai took a sip of wine and pondered to himself.
Let's talk about you.
Tong En gestured with her chin toward Fu Qinghai:
"Why are you here? An ordinary army major is not qualified to attend this birthday party."
"I'm about to get promoted."
Fu Qinghai thought for a moment but didn't explain much:
"As for what level he will be promoted to, we don't know yet."
"Congratulations!"
Tong En uttered words that didn't reflect her true feelings, raised her wine glass and lightly clinked it against Fu Qinghai's, then tilted her chin back and downed it in one gulp. Fu Qinghai's gaze followed her moving throat down to that full, deep abyss... Fu Qinghai couldn't help but think to himself: Since becoming a wife, Tong En has become more and more charming.
"Would you like to catch up with some old friends?"
Tong En's cheeks were flushed with the smell of alcohol, and she looked at Fu Qinghai with a soft voice, her breath carrying a hint of fruit and a slightly tipsy scent of alcohol.
"Your husband?"
Fu Qinghai glanced in the direction of the banquet hall.
"Hmph, ignore him."
Upon hearing this, Tong En pouted in annoyance and said:
"He was already drunk before the dinner even started."
……
The palace of the senior sector governor was indeed luxurious.
Even the toilets are as luxurious as the private rooms.
Tong En found a sign that read "Under Repair" in the storage room and propped it up at the bathroom door. Then she grabbed Fu Qinghai's hand and pulled him into the washroom.
"You don't understand. That guy is older than my dad, and his health is terrible. He's been ruined by alcohol and women for ages. He needs medication to get going, and he's done in no time. I heard he used to be a vice admiral and kept several women on his flagship. How can such a piece of trash become a governor..."
Tong En leaned against Fu Qinghai's chest, rambling on about her grievances and dissatisfaction, growing angrier as she spoke.
Fu Qinghai gently stroked her smooth back without saying a word, letting the woman in his arms continue to complain about her husband.
Tong En turned around, took off the fluffy silver-gray fur coat wrapped around her arm, put it around Fu Qinghai's neck, pulled herself towards him, pressed tightly together face to face, raised her head and looked up at the man with a look of infatuation in her eyes.
"And you, you're still so strong..."
Tong En slowly turned around to face the mirror in the bathroom, leaned forward, rested one elbow on the sink, and reached behind her with the other hand to lift the hem of her evening gown.
Fu Qinghai's breathing became slightly heavier.
The shape of a perfectly ripe peach.
Even though they were separated by several corridors, Fu Qinghai could still hear everything that was happening in the banquet hall. He heard the main character of today's birthday banquet—the senior star sector governor, Estol—appear. People were congratulating him and offering their blessings. Estol stood on the stage, raised his glass to express his gratitude, and began a long, tedious, pointless, and self-indulgent speech...
But Fu Qinghai didn't have time to pay attention to any of that.
Because he's a little busy right now.
Busy satisfying the thirsty, resentful, and alluring Governor Fang Duo's wife, as an Imperial Army Major, it is an inescapable responsibility for the Star Sector Governor to help resolve family issues.
……
"call……"
Feeling refreshed and invigorated, Fu Qinghai strode into the banquet hall while adjusting his belt and collar.
Tong En stayed behind to clean up the mess himself.
Fu Qinghai lifted his sleeve and sniffed it, unsure if his clothes still carried her perfume scent.
At this moment, the birthday banquet atmosphere was just beginning to rise. In the center of the hall, people gathered together, frequently clinking glasses and chatting enthusiastically. By catching snippets of conversation, Fu Qinghai recognized Tong En's husband, Governor Fang Duo, a bald and short, stout man. He was probably not as tall as Tong En, and his head looked a lot like... a squash from Plants vs. Zombies.
No wonder Tong En harbors such deep resentment.
He's ugly and not very capable.
Fu Qinghai clicked his tongue in admiration.
The gathering of people clearly has a center, and they can be ordered from the inside out according to the closeness of their relationship and their position. This is what is known as a social occasion.
The center must be Governor Estol.
Fu Qinghai slightly raised his chin, wanting to get past the crowd and see what Governor Estor looked like.
However, as his gaze passed through the swaying heads, he saw two men standing side by side in the center of the crowd.
He had seen one of the middle-aged men once before; he had high cheekbones, a hooked nose, sunken cheeks, and was tall and thin.
Wilhelm Tarkin.
Oh, Tarkin's here too?
Fu Qinghai was quite surprised.
As luck would have it, Tajin turned his head unintentionally, and his deep gaze met Fu Qinghai's through a gap in the crowd.
Tajin clearly recognized Fu Qinghai as well.
He actually waved to Fu Qinghai.
He gestured for him to come over.
…………