Chapter 293: If You Want to Fight, Then Fight

Yan Wang's smile did not fade; he walked in on his own, raised his cup and said, "Emperor, the palace gates are naturally as solid as a fortified stronghold."

"It's just that my junior brother was lucky enough to receive the imperial token from Xianhuang; isn't this the time to return home for the family reunion?"

As he spoke, the corner of his mouth rose again.

Facing Chu Yunzheng, his voice was appropriately earnest: "Emperor, please do not fuss over these matters."

"I, the consort, simply miss home and perceive his intention."

"The consort and the Emperor are forever linked by blood; this severing of brotherly ties, others can never match."

Chu Yunzheng's icy stare did not melt; his mouth twitched slightly, and he said coldly, "Take a seat."

The atmosphere remained tense; Chu Yunzheng leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice, "Yan Wang, you have intentions."

Chu Yunzheng was not unaware of the schemes Yan Wang was plotting in his mind.

A wildly ambitious person most enjoys witnessing chaos.

Tonight the envoy had just entered the palace, and he had already arrived, leaving Chu Yunzheng with no way not to be on guard.

Chu Yunzheng's voice was not loud, yet full of threat: "It is only New Year's Eve, when ten thousand families reunite."

"If anyone seeks to take advantage of the occasion to stir up trouble and fish in muddy waters," Chu Yunzheng said sharply, "that would be sheer folly."

Yan Wang's smile remained unchanged, repeatedly agreeing, "Emperor is right."

"Keeping vigil on New Year's Eve must be lively and bustling, to showcase the prosperous atmosphere of our Fengqi Kingdom."

He turned to look at the assembled crowd, raised his voice, "Whoever dares to cause trouble, this king will not spare them."

Although the two spoke as such, it inevitably left people feeling oppressed and suffocated.

Consort Hui disliked this kind of setting the most, and upon seeing it, furrowed her brows even more.

If not for Minghui being present, she would have left long ago.

Wan Tang hurriedly smiled, "Now that everyone is present, Emperor, the consort and the palace sisters have prepared some performances; may we begin?"

Chu Yunzheng nodded.

The sound of silk and bamboo music rose again, winding and melodious.

The dancers entered gracefully, their water sleeves fluttering, truly making it hard to look away.

The atmosphere softened as a result.

Everyone toasted, and the mood turned harmonious.

Seeing the program about to reach its end, the envoy suddenly adjusted the wine cup in his hand.

His voice was low, yet clearly reached everyone's ears: "Boring."

The dancer on stage froze for a moment, then continued dancing.

The envoy stood up and bowed his hands to Chu Yunzheng.

His tone unabashedly arrogant: "Emperor, everyone says Fengqi Kingdom is a great nation, but in my view, these women dancing are truly beautiful."

"Yet they are limp, as if drunk, making it hard for the viewer to feel any interest."

"Women like that, seemingly boneless, sleep so comfortably; using them to demonstrate skill makes your nation appear overly soft and powerless?"

Upon hearing this, the ministers were shocked.

Even Wan Tang's hand clenched slightly.

【Wan Tang must not draw attention; the Emperor already fears you, and now if you suppress the envoy, it will only make the Emperor appear incompetent.】

【Since you have already summoned Yan Wang, let them fight each other like dogs; you can just watch the drama from the side.】

【Hahaha, this is so fun. I love watching dogs fight, seeing these three dogs with such different minds, how they howl.】

Wan Tang forced down her irritation and pretended to be calm.

Chu Yunzheng's face darkened, and he let out a cold snort from his nostrils.

His gaze was icy: "Oh?"

"According to the envoy, could that barren, bitterly cold Northern Border ever give rise to something that would astonish the world?"

"Emperor, do not be impatient." The envoy was waiting for exactly this line.

He clapped his hands, a provocative smile on his face: "Whether it is truly astonishing, I ask the Emperor and all present to see with your own eyes."

"I present my ugliness!"

With his applause, a group dressed in traditional Northern Border attire stepped onto the stage.

Their movements were odd, all wearing masks, and after coming up they did not immediately begin to dance.

Their motions were stiff and mechanical, yet the combination of these bizarre poses gave a strong sense of shock.

Accompanied by drumbeats, gradually these dances seemed to tell a story.

A woman dressed in ghostly attire, amid mournful music, was surrounded by the crowd as she left her homeland.

Even after enduring many humiliations, she remained positively forward‑looking.

Through her sacrifice, she secured peace between the two nations, prompting nationwide celebration and harmony.

In contrast, the other scenario sparked war, blood flowing like a sea, and that selfish woman was hung on a gallows, despised and spat upon by the peoples of both nations.

This is no play at all.

This is essentially a provocation against Fengqi Kingdom.

The banquet fell silent, and everyone could see what this truly meant.

Unexpectedly, at this moment the envoy still dared to bring up Minghui and his relatives, still unwilling to let go of the matter.

"Audacious!"

A shout of anger.

Everyone turned toward the voice.

Only Consort Hui was seen slamming the table and rising.

Hui Guifei's complexion suddenly darkened.

The marriage alliance had long made her uncontainably angry, and now this Northern Border Subject still dares to humiliate her with such a dance in person.

Minghui was the meat of her heart; she could not tolerate even a bit.

Hui Guifei suddenly thrust the sword of a sword‑bearing guard toward her, leaping forward.

The blade flashed like lightning, striking straight at the Subject's face.

When Hui Guifei was angry, the Subject never took it to heart at all.

In his view, she was merely a woman; there was nothing to fear.

When the cold air slammed into his face, the Subject was shocked pale, and it was too late to dodge.

"Sister, no!" Wan Tang cried out in shock.

Although she tried hard to restrain herself, she could not stand by and watch Hui Guifei make a misstep.

Chu Yunzheng shouted sternly at the same time, "Stop!"

The sword tip suddenly halted when it was only a fist's length from the Subject's throat.

The Subject stared at the chilling, fierce sword edge, trembling all over.

"How could this be?" his voice trembled, "I am, after all, a famous Commander of the Northern Border; even here, only a handful could defeat me in a duel."

Yet in front of this woman, he couldn't even dodge a single move?

Hui Guifei curled her lips in a cold sneer, "How convenient, I am merely a woman idling in the Imperial harem, waiting to die."

She looked down at the Subject, the sword tip trembling slightly, "If you dare entertain any thought of harming Minghui, I will first take your head off!"

Having said that, she flicked her wrist lightly, forming a graceful sword flourish.

The honey‑wax bead necklace hanging around the Subject's neck snapped with a sound, the beads clattering and scattering across the ground.

The Subject's legs gave way, and he fell to sit on the ground, cold sweat streaming, eyes full of lingering fear.

【Love it, love it, she really is my little Hui Hui on the tip of my heart; as long as she makes a move, I feel she's dependable.】

【I'll say nothing more, give my little Hui Hui a hundred likes first.】

【Hui Guifei is indeed dashing, but what are the consequences of this? Is it merely to vent?】

【Is it that by showing personal ability, she can make the Subject feel fear? That she won't harm Minghui again? If it's just personal survival, it's quite heroic. But this is fundamentally a dispute between two nations.】

【Even if it means taking the Subject's head, provoking Fengqi Kingdom is a task that must be completed. In my opinion, his brother should be captured; the Subject is a brother‑protecting maniac. As long as his brother is controlled, see if he still dares to bring up Minghui.】

Wan Tang listened calmly to the voices in the Barrage.

She was not worried about what punishment Hui Guifei would receive for doing this.

After all, in Chu Yunzheng's mind, Hui Guifei was also unique.

At least if Wan Tang were to do this, she could not guarantee she would come out unscathed.

Sure enough, the next second, the Subject clenched his throat and said tremblingly, "Emperor of Fengqi Kingdom, is this your way of receiving guests?"

Who would have thought, Chu Yunzheng not even looking at the Subject, but smilingly saying to Hui Guifei, "Your sword technique has improved again."

"Look at you, dressing so brilliantly, but don't get angry over something unworthy."

Wan Tang only felt that these unconditionally tolerant words were far from her.

Yan Wang heard this and laughed heartily.

He said with a hint of teasing, "Emperor is still the same as always!"

"It seems Hui Guifei is more important to the Emperor than anyone else. So why must the Emperor cling to that obsession?"

It was fine that Yan Wang did not speak.

But once he spoke, Chu Yunzheng's complexion changed abruptly.

His iron‑blue expression was outrageous, exuding pressure: "What?"

"Do you want to tell me that you are stronger than me, and I am being delusional?"

"I only don't want the Emperor to be deceived; what I said back then is absolutely true." Yan Wang's eyes also held anger.

The two were tense, swords drawn.

Some matters are pains that belong only between two people, never to be brought up.

"Hehe…"

The Subject was already frightened, his heart already filled with lingering fear.

Yet these two argued right in front of him.

He propped up his weakening legs and managed to stand, his complexion turning from pale to blue: "Emperor, Yan Wang."

"What are you two saying?"

"Just now, you Fengqi Kingdom women almost took my head."

"Do you think this Subject is like air to you?!"

Before he finished speaking, Yan Wang, who had been watching from the wall, suddenly slammed the table and rose.

"I came here just to stir things up, and now I have to listen to the Subject's babble."

Yan Wang's jade‑like face turned frosty, the warm smile vanished: "If you want to fight, fight; stop chattering here!"

He brushed his sleeve, pointed at the Subject, his tone full of contempt: "Such a petty barbarian, dare to bark wildly in my Fengqi Hall?"

"Just provoking laughter, like a leaping clown!"

The Subject was stunned by this sudden harsh rebuke,

then, in extreme anger, laughed back, uttering three times, "Good! Good! Good!"

He surveyed the hall's crowd, his gaze, Yin Zhi, saying, "This is what you brought upon yourselves."

"It seems you are unwilling to accept our Fengqi Kingdom's peace offer."

"Our Northern Border is not afraid of you because we cannot defeat you; don't be too arrogant."

He spoke while looking toward Chu Yunzheng.

Chu Yunzheng showed no reaction at all.

Then he added fiercely, "May you… not regret it!"

He dropped that sentence, turned, and was about to leave.

Turning back, the lofty Chu Yunzheng still stared coldly.

None of the officials below tried to block him.

The harsh words he left behind drifted in the air.

Subject's face turned ashen, and under the crowd's silent gaze, he left his seat in anger.

Upon reaching the hall gate, he suddenly turned back and shouted two warnings: "The humiliation you dealt today, the Northern Border will repay a hundredfold."

"Just wait for the clash of arms!"