Chapter 117: Qian Palace Night Banquet (5)

Guo Ziyan truly hadn't expected that the Great Qian really was a land of outstanding talents, conjuring out of thin air such an immortal being, who slapped him right back to reality.

Facing Xie Jinhuan's inquiry, he had yet to figure out how to reply when the Northern Zhou sacrificial priest beside him spoke up first:

"Why do you know the divine abilities of our Beiming Sect?"

Xie Jinhuan raised his right hand, and a few electric arcs crackled from his palm: "Da-da-da~"

"My ambition lies in mastering all schools. I've dabbled broadly since childhood, so I know a bit of everything. Besides, this is a sacrificial art passed down by the Laozu Sect—surely it hasn't become your sect's exclusive property, forbidden for the people of Great Qian to learn?"

If it were merely knowing a sacrificial art, then just like knowing Daoist techniques, no one would say anything about it.

But the 'Calming Spirit Mantra' Xie Jinhuan had just used was Beiming Sect's signature divine ability—essentially a slightly modified version of Mount Zihui's 'Five Thunder Demon-Subduing Mantra' repurposed for use. This was genuine theft of teachings.

The Northern Zhou sacrificial priest wanted to argue this was his sect's unique skill, but even if Xie Jinhuan had truly stolen the teachings, stealing core techniques from an enemy nation was itself an ability. If they couldn't keep watch over their own arts and still came out to complain, wouldn't that make them a laughingstock before all the nations?

Guo Ziyan raised his hand to signal the Northern Zhou sacrificial priest not to speak out of turn, and laughed:

"I didn't expect Young Master Xie to be so skilled in martial arts, and your musical talent is also noteworthy. Guo is truly enlightened."

"Vice Minister Guo flatters me."

Guo Ziyan had nothing more to say, and the many officials naturally beamed, feeling it brought them face.

The Qian Emperor still didn't know that the one standing before the hall was a living ancestor who had excavated the Demon-Suppressing Mausoleum, and at this point also laughed:

"So young, yet so learned and talented. Bestow upon him a Qilin Pendant, and let him take his seat."

"Ooh…"

Upon hearing this, all the lords present showed envy on their faces, and many a talented youth nearly wept with jealousy.

The Qilin Pendant's full name is 'Qilin Holding Book Pendant.' Because Great Qian values martial prowess and reveres the qilin, this item symbolizes 'civil and martial excellence combined,' and is normally only bestowed upon ministers of great merit.

As for its function, this thing is a supplementary dharma artifact—understandable as a 'portable spirit-gathering array.' Ordinary people wearing it can nurture their health, while cultivators get a direct 'natural qi absorption turned mechanical boost,' greatly increasing their qi-refining speed. No identical item exists on the market, and its honorary value is incalculable.

Xie Jinhuan was genuinely a little excited about such a divine object. After giving thanks, he returned to his seat.

Wei Lu and the others were all stunned. As Xie Jinhuan returned, they raised their cups across the table to toast him:

"Brother Xie is impressive indeed—truly able in both civil and martial arts. What tune was that you were playing? I've never heard it before at the… at the qin society…"

"Five Tigers Ennobling Generals. My teacher composed it privately; it was never circulated."

"Oh, I'm enlightened. I toast Brother Xie a cup…"

……

As for the lords and titled ladies present, they were all whispering to each other, their gazes lingering on Xie Jinhuan, the desire to take him as a son-in-law almost written on their faces. But since the Dan King had clearly stated his intention to take a son-in-law, naturally no one felt comfortable speaking up.

Linghu Qingmo sat nearby, watching Xie Jinhuan's moment of glory before everyone, her eyes practically sparkling with little stars.

Once Xie Jinhuan finished his social obligations, she scooted over to help pour his wine:

"Xie Jinhuan, how do you also know how to play the war drum? Just now I thought you were going up there to perform a sword dance to scare the Northern Zhou envoys…"

Mwah~

Before she finished speaking, Linghu Qingmo realized that this thick-browed, big-eyed fellow beside her had, with lightning speed, turned his head and smooched her on the lips, then continued sitting upright and proper:

"I've learned a bit of everything since childhood, but I've been handling cases these past few days, so these trivial tricks never had a chance to be shown off."

?!

Linghu Qingmo felt the warm touch on her lips, her face flushing crimson. She carefully glanced left and right, and upon finding no one had noticed, fiercely raised her willow brows, quietly placed her hand on Xie Jinhuan's lower back, and gave it a hard twist:

"Speak! Don't get angry!"

How could Xie Jinhuan possibly waste such an opportunity? Anyway, Seeing Mo Mo didn't dare actually hit him. He merely leaned in closer and asked:

"Mo Mo, who is that Mr. with the goatee?"

Linghu Qingmo twisted him hard a few times, and finding that Xie Jinhuan showed no reaction at all and wouldn't say the safe word, she was helpless. Gritting her teeth, she replied:

"Lord Lie'an, Ye Shirong. Why do you ask?"

"Ye Shirong…"

Xie Jinhuan had heard of this man's reputation.

Ye Shirong's origins were unclear. For him to rise to prominence and receive a title, one had to start from the upheaval of the eighth year of Jian'an.

In the autumn of the eighth year of Jian'an, the Qian Emperor and the Dan King were protected by loyal servants and narrowly escaped from the Ten Kings' Residence. The Qian Emperor did not heed advice to flee, but instead gathered several experts as death warriors to infiltrate the imperial city. Ye Shirong was one of the death warriors summoned at that time.

According to common rumors, Ye Shirong once took a spear strike for the Qian Emperor, severely damaging his cultivation foundation, which had yet to fully heal. Afterward, he was ennobled by the Qian Emperor, but from then on there had been no further activity.

The Emperor's former death warrior…

Xie Jinhuan had confirmed from his ghost wife that this man was hiding a demonic Dao foundation. Discovering such special origins, he couldn't help but frown slightly, and glanced at the Emperor seated on the dragon throne.

Although he somewhat suspected the Qian Emperor, he didn't dare be certain at present. Xie Jinhuan deliberated briefly, and decided to suppress his stray thoughts for now:

"Old Ye's beard looks quite nice. What do you think if I grow a goatee?"

"?"

You must really be drunk!

Linghu Qingmo turned her head away, rubbing Meiqiu and no longer paying attention to this scoundrel…

——

Whoosh~

Boom boom——

Not long after, the banquet ended. On the plaza outside Linde Hall, several hundred court performers put on dragon and lion dances and other programs, while brilliant fireworks shot up around them, turning the area outside Linde Hall almost into broad daylight.

The seats of the Qian Emperor and the Empress had been moved to above the Coiled Dragon Walkway, with eunuchs holding Kong Que feather gauze standing behind them. Cao Fo'er stood at the side holding a fly-whisk, with Princess Changning and others nearby as well.

After three rounds of wine, Xie Jinhuan stood with Wei Lu and the others by the white stone railing, watching the fireworks show. Beside him was his little girlfriend Mo Mo, still pretending to sulk and waiting for his apology.

After three rounds of wine, the many ministers' faces were also full of joy, whispering to each other as they discussed Xie Jinhuan's performance in the hall earlier.

Li Gongpu was the Son of Heaven's loyal hound, with neither good connections nor reputation. At such an occasion, basically no minister was willing to stand nearby and invite trouble. At this moment, he stood alone with his hands behind his back near the walkway, watching the fireworks on his own, ready to be summoned by the Emperor at any moment.

Xie Jinhuan observed briefly and could see that Li Gongpu's face was slightly flushed with wine, suggesting he would be easy to bewitch.

But the positions of the Emperor, Cao Fo'er, and Li Gongpu were too close together. Approaching to work his tricks would carry too much risk. After some thought, he turned his head and asked:

"Who is Hou Jiye?"

Linghu Qingmo held back Meiqiu, who was eager to run wild in the square, and glanced around slightly.

"That man in the crimson official robe—what are you doing?"

"I'm going over to greet him."

Xie Jinhuan finished speaking and approached several civil officials, bowing respectfully.

"Your humble servant, Xie Jinhuan, greets Marquis Hou."

Hou Jiye was Fan Li's student, holding the post of Minister of Justice, stern and upright by nature—a famous ironhead in court, and in outright hostile relations with ministers like Li Gongpu, who flattered power.

Yet toward Xie Jinhuan, a young man of extraordinary ability and fierce integrity, Hou Jiye was quite amiable, smiling:

"Xie, you need not bow. If not for your move just now, we'd have been so enraged by the Northern Zhou envoys that we couldn't close our eyes for three days."

In court, people clustered by affinity; the several old men around Hou Jiye, all censors or extreme critics, now chimed in praise:

"Indeed, don't let Guo Ziyan's smiling face fool you—he hasn't uttered a word since then. Truly satisfying..."

Xie Jinhuan exchanged a few polite words, then turned to look at Li Gongpu, leaning close to whisper:

"I came over to ask about something. Today I heard the original manuscript of Ye Sheng's 'Rhapsody on Luoyang' was lost from the residence of Vice Minister Li. Hmm... I've practiced calligraphy since childhood, copying Ye Sheng and Elder Fan's works—I'm heartbroken over this..."

Hearing this, Hou Jiye glanced at Li Gongpu, his gaze like that for an old dog.

"This man enjoys the Emperor's great favor—the calligraphy was bestowed by His Majesty..."

The several old men around, who spent their days plotting how to denounce Li Gongpu, now gathered close and whispered:

"He dares lose an imperial gift—if he can't recover it, I'll submit two memorials against him..."

"Xie, don't you dare associate with this old devil—he's full of malice..."

Chatter, chatter...

And far away, beside the Coiled Dragon Path.

Since few dared approach to chat and laugh, Li Gongpu had stood by the railing watching the performances, bored—since the Emperor hadn't called him.

But as he watched, his peripheral vision caught something wrong!

He turned his head—and saw Xie Jinhuan, who had just been performing miracles before the Emperor in Lindian Hall, now standing before "Ironhead Hou," surrounded by censors and remonstrators, whispering in a tight circle, occasionally glancing his way.

Their glances, their expressions—like they wanted to flay him and tear his bones apart...

?!

What the hell are you up to, you little brat?!

Li Gongpu's heart jolted—he grew instantly uneasy.

After all, when these famous censors of Great Qian gathered to whisper, even glancing at the Emperor would make him flinch inwardly, wondering—Did I do something wrong lately? Will I be denounced again tomorrow until I'm drenched in blood?

Li Gongpu wouldn't be toppled easily, but this boy Xie Jinhuan was utterly unpredictable—who knew what twisted schemes he'd plant in the minds of these battle-hardened old devils?

Li Gongpu had wanted to pretend he saw nothing, but the prickling sensation on his back was unbearable. So he feigned drunkenness, hands behind his back, strolling slowly toward them, then positioned himself behind two ministers for cover, straining to eavesdrop.

But Hou Jiye and the others weren't blind—they noticed Li Gongpu sneaking over, and naturally shifted to other topics.

Xie Jinhuan understood everything, and got along well with the old men; sensing Li Gongpu had fallen into the trap, he silently prayed to his Demoness Sister to work her magic...

"The Northern Zhou Empress Dowager's iron fist—within three months of ascending, she nearly purged the Yanjing court..."

"At this rate, she might even declare herself Empress Regnant..."

"No wonder the Northern Zhou barbarians—so orderly, a woman as Emperor? Then she'd need a male Empress Consort too..."

Li Gongpu stroked his beard, listening intently. Though he heard no slander against himself, seeing him stand there, the group couldn't continue their plotting—he felt somewhat relieved.

As time passed, the dragon-dance troupe carrying the long dragon began circling the square; the dragon's body burst into dazzling fireworks, drawing all eyes.

Li Gongpu had been watching too, but a chill autumn wind blew—and perhaps the wine had risen—he felt slightly dizzy. He blinked, and his peripheral vision caught something odd.

He turned his head—and saw the Emperor of Qian, in his dragon robe, as usual pressing a silk handkerchief to his mouth to stifle a cough. But when he lowered it, he froze—the yellow silk bore dark red stains...

This?!

Li Gongpu's heart thundered—he immediately wanted to rush over, but before he could turn, the Emperor swiftly folded the handkerchief, glanced left and right, saw the Empress, Crown Prince, and attendants weren't watching, then raised a hand to signal Cao Fuer to stay calm, his expression unchanged as he continued observing the ceremony.

But soon, the Emperor glanced again at the handkerchief, fell silent for a moment, then turned his gaze toward the Crown Prince watching the ceremony.

His gaze was complex—yet unmistakably meaningful...

It was the look of a father, on his deathbed, seeing his son grow into a worthy heir—reluctant, yet proud...

Could it be... His Majesty is already mortally ill, his life's flame nearly extinguished?!

Shhh-shhh~

Boom—

Fireworks exploded in the sky; the square buzzed with revelry.

But Li Gongpu felt as if plunged into an ice cellar, as if his own lifespan had reached its end.

Li Gongpu understood better than anyone where his power came from—and what his reputation was. Unlike Cao Fuer, Lu Wu Zhen, or Hou Jiye, he was not irreplaceable.

While the Emperor lived, he was the loyal hound at his side; as long as he didn't touch the forbidden scales, no official in court could touch him.

But when the Emperor died, his most dignified end would be to remain loyal to the end—voluntarily accompanying His Majesty to the imperial mausoleum, to serve him still in the afterlife.

If he refused to be dignified, a hundred court officials would help him become dignified—even if he wished to be dignified, the ministers might not even grant him that mercy.

The Empress clearly wouldn't protect him; the Crown Prince had no reason to; no one else could save him!

What to do, what to do...

Li Gongpu clenched his hands beneath his sleeves, no longer even listening to Hou Jiye's group—after all, no matter what they said, they couldn't kill him.

Only the Emperor could kill him. Only the Emperor could save him!

After long thought, Li Gongpu's gaze shifted again to the Coiled Dragon Path—but this time, it settled on the Crown Prince, Zhao Jinghuan.

He understood that the Qian Emperor did not want the Crown Prince to be bewitched by a sycophant like himself; to dare cross the Lei Chi would mean eternal damnation.

But if the Qian Emperor were to pass away, would he not suffer the same eternal damnation?

Moreover, this time truly seemed to be running out...

To ensure the Li family's prosperity for another thirty years, he had no choice left before him...

——

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(End of this chapter)