Empire Conquest
Chapter 312 - 308: Body Double

Chapter 312: Chapter 308: Body Double

"Grand Secretary..."

When greeting him, Bai Zhizhan saw the Navy Major General standing by the desk, with his back to the door.

Though he only saw his back, and judging from the uniform and epaulets that he was a Navy Major General, Bai Zhizhan knew for certain that the man was not Liu Xiangzhen.

He was slightly shorter and somewhat more burly.

Were there other Navy Major Generals attending the meeting besides Liu Xiangzhen?

Moreover, which other Navy Major General could catch Xue Yuanzheng’s discerning eye?

Bai Zhizhan was puzzled.

Especially since at the beginning, Xue Yuanzheng had mentioned that he wanted him to stay after the meeting because there was something very important to discuss with him alone.

Why was there another person?

After Bai Zhizhan had greeted him, the Navy Major General turned around.

"General Bai, hello."

Seeing the man, Bai Zhizhan immediately froze, his eyes wide open in shock, nearly exclaiming aloud.

It was no one else; it was clearly himself!

It felt as though he had suddenly stood in front of a mirror.

However, Bai Zhizhan quickly noticed that the man was at most 80 percent similar to him, the differences still noticeable upon closer inspection. However, their height and build were almost identical.

A substitute!?

Just a Navy Major General, what merits and capabilities warranted a substitute!?

Even the Empire’s Prince Consort wouldn’t need a substitute to shield him from bullets.

As Bai Zhizhan thought about this, Xue Yuanzheng nodded to the man, signaling him to leave first.

"How about it, does he look similar?"

"This... this is..."

"A temporary substitute."

"This..." Bai Zhizhan couldn’t help but smile bitterly, feeling that Xue Yuanzheng really thought too highly of him.

"It’s not that you’re in danger; it’s for operational needs," Xue Yuanzheng said, gesturing Bai Zhizhan to come over and sit down. After Bai Zhizhan sat down, he continued, "The Sixth Bureau has obtained reliable intelligence. Rofuss personally approved the plan to set the start of the war on the day of your grand wedding."

"How reliable?"

"More than 90 percent certainty."

Bai Zhizhan’s brows twitched rapidly. It wasn’t just Xue Yuanzheng who held him in high regard, but Rofuss too!

With the intelligence agency having more than 90 percent certainty, it was virtually a done deal.

On December 24 of last year, the day before the Saiyi Navy’s sneak attack on Chengjiang Port, the Sixth Bureau was only 80 percent certain of the attack.

As Wang Kaiyuan would say, the more critical the intelligence, the less reliable it becomes.

Often, just over 50 percent certainty, a high probability, is enough to serve as a basis for decision-making.

percent certainty?

That wouldn’t be intelligence obtained through secret channels, but rather publicly reported news.

Of course, Bai Zhizhan also came to understand.

The substitute wasn’t there to take a bullet for him but to attend the grand wedding in his stead, while he quietly returned to the 41st Special Mixed Fleet before the wedding.

"This matter has not yet been finalized; we first need to seek your opinion."

"No objections at all." Bai Zhizhan responded promptly and, after taking a deep breath, continued, "However, concerning the Little Eldest Princess..."

"The Holy Emperor will personally handle it."

Bai Zhizhan was initially startled, then hurriedly said, "This matter, isn’t it unnecessary to trouble the Holy Emperor?"

"If you’re confident, you won’t need to trouble the Holy Emperor." Xue Yuanzheng smiled and continued, "The intention of the Holy Emperor mainly concerns the Empress Dowager, who dearly loves the Little Eldest Princess. And marriage is a woman’s most significant event in life. The current plan is to have the wedding sooner, but quietly. It will probably be in the next few days. Pick an auspicious day, go to the palace, and make the Empress Dowager happy."

Bai Zhizhan nodded and said no more.

The unavoidable obstacle wasn’t the Holy Emperor and the Little Eldest Princess, it was the Empress Dowager.

In a few months, it would be the Empress Dowager’s seventieth birthday.

Due to the hardships she endured when young, especially worrying over the Princes, the Empress Dowager had always been in poor health, and she had not fully recovered from a cold she caught at the beginning of spring.

Thinking of these things, Bai Zhizhan felt somewhat agitated.

Although the Empress Dowager wasn’t his biological mother, the grace she showed him was not insignificant.

Originally, when he had gone to propose marriage at the Liu Family’s house, if it weren’t for the Empress Dowager’s refusal to agree, the one who might have become the Prince Consort could have been someone from the Liu family.

He had learned about this after his engagement, from Zhang Xiaoqing.

The Holy Emperor initially intended to win over the Liu Family, as there was need for people at a time when the Holy Emperor understood little about the Navy and needed the Liu family to control it. Fortunately, the Empress Dowager had discerning eyes and saw through the intentions of the Liu family’s proposal, summoning the Holy Emperor that very day and then issuing an Imperial Decree.

With the decree in place, the Holy Emperor swiftly rejected the Liu Family.

According to tradition, significant family decisions definitely required parental consent. Without the Empress Dowager’s agreement, no one could do anything.

The Imperial family of the Empire revered filial piety— even if the Holy Emperor was the ruler of the country, he could not contravene the Empress Dowager.

"A common saying goes, ’It’s hard to balance loyalty and filial piety.’ The situation is special right now, and the Empress Dowager will surely understand. To speak frankly, if she could see you and the Little Eldest Princess get married, if you could provide the imperial family with a son or a daughter, the Empress Dowager would be satisfied. This matter requires your earnest effort."

"It should be so."

Xue Yuanzheng also sighed before adding, "The substitute is an agent from the Fifth Bureau, using a lifelike mask. Over the coming period, he will stay close to you, learning and mimicking your mannerisms and habitual actions to ensure he doesn’t reveal his true identity."

"No problem, he can serve as my adjunct."

"In any case, I, on behalf of the Empire, thank you."

"Grand Secretary!"

Xue Yuanzheng’s words startled Bai Zhizhan.

However, it was just a polite remark.

The Fifth Bureau agent waited outside, having already removed his lifelike mask and changed into a standard military uniform, adorned with the rank insignia of a Lieutenant, as per an adjunct’s standards.

On the way home, Bai Zhizhan inquired about the agent’s situation.

The man’s name was Zhao Changsheng, likely a pseudonym, just twenty-three years old, having completed relevant training last month to become a security agent.

There were two reasons for choosing him. One was that his height and build were very similar to Bai Zhizhan’s, and even his facial structure was alike, making disguise easier. The other was that he had joined the Fifth Bureau only this year, a newcomer known by few, thus allowing him to serve as Bai Zhizhan’s adjutant without arousing suspicion.

The adjutant position wasn’t fixed by nature; arrangements and replacements were made at will.

Moreover, Bai Zhizhan, having risen from commoner to General and now Prince Consort, didn’t necessarily have a suitable confidant who could fulfill the role of adjutant.

If not for the need of a stand-in, Bai Zhizhan wouldn’t have considered finding an adjutant.

By the time he returned home, it was already evening.

In fact, what Bai Zhizhan worried about was not that Zhang Xiaoqing would refuse but that she was too knowledgeable and reasonable, which might lead her to set aside the wedding.

Speaking of which, Bai Zhizhan’s mindset was rather conservative.

By his view, this was a once-in-a-lifetime event that should be approached with utmost seriousness—otherwise, he wouldn’t have come back half a month early to arrange things.

Remarriage?

Let alone that this was his first marriage, who had ever heard of a Prince Consort remarrying?

Complaining about trifles was one thing, but after doing so, Bai Zhizhan still took everything very seriously.

Conversely, Zhang Xiaoqing, who was born and raised in the imperial family, was much more open-minded and magnanimous. Perhaps due to her childhood experiences, she cared greatly for those around her, especially her relatives. She would often prefer to suffer herself rather than wrong others.

In any case, it was best to handle the wedding first!

As Xue Yuanzheng had said, consider it an explanation to the Empress Dowager.

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