Transmigrated Into a Scummy Alpha Who Stole the Male Lead's Mermaid Fiancée - Chapter 13

Yu Ke’s arrival went largely unnoticed by the crowd. Though her mind was a whirlwind of anxiety, she maintained her composure in such a formal setting, patiently listening to the king and his ministers debate the issues.

The group sat around an oval table, each vying to voice their opinions, while the king, the one who should have been making the final decision, remained silent, his brow furrowed in deep thought. Across from him, Prince Yu Jie wore an equally grave expression, his elbows resting on the table and his fingers interlaced beneath his chin.

“The most urgent matter at hand is to identify the kidnappers, locate Princess Lan Xing, and dispatch the guard to rescue her!” declared the Minister of Finance. “That is the most reliable way to ensure her safety!”

“The guard will undoubtedly fulfill their duty,” the Minister of National Security stated solemnly. “But until the guard makes progress, the Ministry of Finance must do everything in its power to gather the 40 billion gold demanded by the kidnappers to guarantee Princess Lan Xing’s security.”

The Minister of Finance retorted coldly, “Forty billion gold is no small sum. How can it be raised so easily?”

A wave of murmurs swept through the room. The Minister of National Security, the Admiral of the Navy, and the Captain of the Starfleet all frowned in concern. The young captain of the guard asked impatiently, “If we can’t produce the money, how are we supposed to negotiate for Princess Lan Xing’s release?!”

“And what exactly is the guard for?! Can’t you come up with a plan?!” the Minister of Finance snapped. “The fact that the kidnappers managed to abduct Princess Lan Xing right under your noses means the responsibility lies primarily with you! The entire galaxy is laughing at us now!”

The guard captain fell silent, and his superior, the Minister of National Security, interjected, “Does the Ministry of Finance have no solution at all?”

The Minister of Finance huffed, “Forty billion gold is enough to buy a small planet in the Alpha Star System!”

Hearing this, Yu Ke grew furious and demanded, “In your eyes, is Princess Lan Xing’s life worth less than a planet?”

The Minister of Finance tempered his tone slightly. “The two cannot be compared.”

“Princess Lan Xing’s safety is crucial to interstellar peace,” Yu Ke said gravely. “If we provoke a conflict with the Panda Planet over this and end up at war, no mere 40 billion gold will be enough to resolve it!”

A starfleet captain agreed, “The princess is right. Our top priority is to ensure Princess Lan Xing’s safety. We should deliver the money as the kidnappers demand. Once she is rescued, we can use tracking systems to recover the funds.”

The Minister of Finance still had objections, but Yu Ke turned directly to the king and asked, “Father, what is your view?”

The king looked deeply troubled. “Funds are not the issue. The most important thing right now is to bring Lan Xing back safely.”

In a drawn-out, sarcastic tone, the Minister of Finance remarked, “In that case, next month’s wedding cannot possibly be held on a grand scale.”

Yu Jie’s frown deepened as he maintained his pensive posture.

“Not only that,” the Minister of Finance continued, “we will also have to cancel a batch of warship orders, including the one worth 10 billion gold that the Crown Prince reserved.”

Yu Jie’s expression grew even more somber. Yu Ke interjected, “Isn’t it possible to gather the funds?”

The king waved his hand dismissively. “Unnecessary expenses should be cut wherever possible.”

The Minister of Finance warned, “Once that money is sent, it is almost impossible to retrieve. Moreover, we face the risk of the other party breaking their agreement. What if they take the money and refuse to release her? We must consider this carefully.”

At this moment, Yu Jie, who had remained silent all along, finally spoke up. “Since our finances are so tight, why don’t we inform Planet Panda first and see if they can assist us in this matter…”

Before he could finish, the king flew into a rage, snatched the teacup beside him, and hurled it straight at Yu Jie!

Everyone was startled.

With a sharp crack, the teacup hit the table, bounced off, and shattered into pieces on the floor. A few shards flew onto Yu Jie’s face. He wiped his cheek, looking disheveled and embarrassed.

“This is a person who went missing in the Kingdom of Ferrari! Your fiancée, the future queen of Ferrari!” the king roared furiously. “Aren’t you ashamed to say such a thing?”

“But, Father,” Yu Jie muttered under his breath, unwilling to back down, “no matter what, Lan Xing is from Planet Panda…”

“Shut up!” the king snapped. “Don’t say another word!”

Everyone else fell silent, and even those who supported the crown prince grew fearful. The queen, who had been watching the scene unfold with amusement, smiled and tried to soothe the king. “The crown prince doesn’t understand these matters. He only thinks in a straight line, Your Majesty. Please don’t be angry with him.”

Yu Jie rolled his eyes at her words.

The king’s anger had not yet subsided. His stern gaze gradually shifted to the finance minister, who began to grow uneasy.

“Do you still want to keep your position in the Ministry of Finance?” the king demanded.

The minister stammered nervously, “Your Majesty, I…”

“If you do, stop making excuses and saying this or that is impossible. Lan Xing is in danger right now. You must make it happen, whether you think you can or not!”

The minister quickly retreated to prepare the enormous sum of money.

Seeing the king’s attitude, Yu Ke felt slightly reassured. She took the opportunity to interject, “Has Planet Panda received the news? What is their stance?”

The king glanced at her but said nothing, looking exhausted. The Minister of National Security replied, “Planet Panda has been informed, but given their travel speed, it will take them three months to reach us. They are preparing to send someone over.”

Yu Ke asked, “Have the kidnappers provided details about the transaction? How do they plan to collect the 40 billion gold?”

“Not yet.”

“We must confirm it as soon as possible to show our sincerity in negotiating!” Yu Ke’s hands trembled with anxiety. “Also, can we determine the exact time and location of Princess Lan Xing’s disappearance? The fact that the kidnapper managed to infiltrate the palace and abduct her suggests they may have an accomplice inside!”

Everyone turned to look at Yu Ke, their expressions varied. The Minister of National Security explained calmly, “We’ve considered that possibility as well. So far, we can only confirm that she disappeared within the palace. Princess Lan Xing’s maid, Sang Jiu, and others reported that when they entered her room on the morning of the 22nd, she was already gone. The abduction likely occurred between the evening of the 21st and the early hours of the 22nd.”

“On the evening of the 21st, Lan Xing was still dining in my palace,” the queen added. “I had the crown prince escort her back, and they had an argument before they left…”

No wonder some in the media suspected Yu Jie of kidnapping Lan Xing, it all stemmed from the queen’s remark.

Faced with everyone’s suspicion, Yu Jie tried to defend himself, but Yu Ke had no interest in engaging in such pointless discussions. She approached the Minister of National Security and whispered, “May I speak with you privately?”

The two of them left the hall, and Yu Ke said, “Has Sang Jiu told you that the last person Lan Xing saw that night was actually me?”

“She told me and asked me to keep it confidential,” the man smiled. “After all, as the Crown Prince’s fiancée, meeting you privately would become a scandal if it got out.”

“What do you think? Don’t you suspect me?” Yu Ke said.

“I did suspect you at first, but surveillance shows you returned that night and never left your room again. Your butler can also testify to that, you don’t have the time to commit the crime.”

“I’m very worried about her, more than you can imagine,” Yu Ke frowned deeply. “If there’s anything I can do to assist in the investigation, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll do anything to ensure her safety.”

There was a hint of asserting ownership in her words. The man smiled faintly and said gently, “You’re very straightforward, Your Highness. But rest assured, Princess Lan Xing is indeed a wonderful person. To rescue her, I will spare no effort.”

After they exchanged a few more words, a commotion erupted from the hall. They hurried over to see what was happening and discovered that the anonymous sender had delivered another message.

This time, the recipient was Yu Jie alone. The message read:

“Tonight at 9 PM, 36°E, 40°N. Designated negotiators: Yu Jie and Yu Ke only. If anyone else appears, the hostage will be executed.”