Chapter 565: First Volume_Chapter 565: Giving No Face

First Volume_Chapter 565: Giving No Face

Qin Feng and Chen Si, each serving their own lord, each representing the nation and people behind them.

On the battlefield, the two met in arms, scheming to destroy one another.

Even if they could not annihilate each other, they would spare no effort to kill as many of the other's living forces as possible.

This irreconcilable blood feud, once they left the battlefield, came to an abrupt halt.

Setting aside national enmity and personal hatred, Qin Feng and Chen Si had no conflict of interest whatsoever.

Li Lang's death caused Qin Feng to unknowingly sink into a whirlpool of hatred, unable to extricate himself.

Precisely because he could not avenge Li Lang, Qin Feng was in fact even more repressed, clutching at straws in desperation.

He turned the enemy into a concrete person, transferring all his hatred onto the main general of the enemy army.

Now that he had sobered up, Qin Feng gradually understood that for Li Lang's death, even if hatred was warranted, it should be directed at the Monarch of Bei Di Guo.

Not at Chen Si, who merely followed orders.

Qin Feng's resentment toward Chen Si had completely vanished like smoke.

Silently cherishing the memory of Li Lang in his heart, at the same time, Chen Si taught Qin Feng an important lesson of life.

Rather than wasting all one's energy on the dead, leave it for those still living.

Just as Chen Si did not collapse in despair over the fallen soldiers of the Di Kingdom.

On the contrary, he poured all his energy and passion back into the Two Nations' Peace Talks.

Striving to gain every possible advantage for his own country.

Chen Si admired Qin Feng's art of war, while Qin Feng admired Chen Si's rich life experience.

The two unexpectedly came to appreciate each other.

Walking and chatting, before they knew it they had already arrived outside the Qin Family Gate.

Although Qin Feng very much wanted to invite Chen Si inside to sit for a while, given how sensitive both their identities were.

To avoid being suspected of "colluding with the enemy," Qin Feng could only dismiss the thought.

He raised his hand and clasped his fist with force.

"General Chen, pardon me for not seeing you further."

Chen Si placed one hand against his chest and bowed his head slightly, which counted as returning the courtesy.

Their eyes met, and an identical flash of anticipation surfaced in both their gazes.

Chen Si looked forward to clashing with Qin Feng on the battlefield again, to thoroughly defeat this "number one enemy" of the Di Kingdom.

Qin Feng, on the other hand, looked forward to heart-to-heart talks with Chen Si by candlelight through the night.

In the end, the two turned and left in unspoken mutual understanding.

Almost the moment Qin Feng stepped through the door, Ning Hu popped out.

Obviously, this fellow had been hiding behind the door, eavesdropping for quite a while.

Seeing Qin Feng and Chen Si appreciating each other, Ning Hu was quite displeased.

"Brother Qin, have you forgotten Li Lang's blood feud?"

"Back then on the Northern Border, if Chen Si hadn't suddenly changed his tactics, how could Li Lang have died on the battlefield?"

It turned out that those who harbored lingering resentment over Li Lang's death were not only Qin Feng.

Qin Feng felt an inexplicable sense of comfort in his heart—at least it proved the brothers of Beixi County were of one mind, united in purpose.

Facing Ning Hu's questioning, Qin Feng answered with a counter-question.

"If you had been the Northern Di General back then, would you have spared Li Lang?"

Ning Hu, who had been filled with righteous indignation just moments ago, was instantly deflated.

"Well…"

"Sigh!"

Ning Hu did not answer, but that sigh already represented the answer.

When two nations go to war, casualties are inevitable; the responsibility should be borne by those who started the war.

Chen Si was merely a soldier, whose sacred duty was to obey military orders—whether toward Li Lang or Qin Feng.

In fact, toward all the soldiers of Shedynasty, Chen Si harbored no personal feelings whatsoever, viewing them entirely as enemies of the state.

On this point, neither Qin Feng nor Ning Hu possessed the same level of awakening as Chen Si.

To put it plainly, they were still too green, too prone to letting personal emotions seep into national enmity and personal hatred.

A nation has never needed people who act on emotion—only those who are absolutely rational.

There is an old saying: "Scholars ruin a nation."

In fact, this "scholar" does not refer to the educated, nor to civil officials.

Rather, it refers to those who are emotionally excessive and lack reason—the so-called saints.

Qin Feng patted Ning Hu on the shoulder, his words weighted with meaning.

"Little Marquis, Li Lang is already dead, and no one can change that outcome."

"It is time for us to walk out of hatred and grief."

"The family and friends of Beixi County, and all the common folk of the Northern Border, need us."

……

The next morning at dawn, Chen Si left Jingdu, setting off on the journey back to Bei Di Guo to make his imperial report.

The Two Nations' Peace Talks had already been settled; from here on, they only needed to wait for the Northern Di Envoy Group to enter Beijing.

At the same time, Li Qian's birthday invitation card was also delivered to Qin Residence.

The one who brought the letter was the White Clothes guest.

Qin Feng had an extremely poor impression of the White Clothes man; this fellow was nothing but Li Qian's loyal hound.

Protecting one's master is understandable, but you can't spend all day plotting to kill Qin Feng.

Qin Feng took the Invitation Card and tossed it aside carelessly, giving the White Clothes man no favorable look.

"Understood."

Qin Feng picked up the Tea Cup and drank his tea in solitude, ignoring the White Clothes man standing before him.

The White Clothes man seethed with resentment at Qin Feng's contempt.

Before this, the White Clothes man had visited the Prince's mansion and the residences of all the Ministers.

Although many had found excuses to avoid attending the Birthday Banquet, fearing risk.

Still, out of respect for Li Qian, they had treated the White Clothes man with some deference.

Only Qin Feng gave not the slightest face, ostensibly ignoring the White Clothes man, but in truth striking Li Qian's face.

A flash of ruthlessness crossed the White Clothes man's eyes; he had nearly drawn his sword to cut Qin Feng down, but regained his composure at the last moment.

"Lord Qin, will you attend or not? Give a clear answer."

Qin Feng shrugged, unimpressed.

"If I have nothing to do, I'll go. If I'm buried in official duties, the Second Prince can't force me—don't you agree?"

Hearing this, the White Clothes man's fury erupted.

What did Qin Feng think of the Second Prince?

"Qin Feng! The Second Prince invites you because he respects you—don't spit on his generosity!"

"Others fear you, but the Second Prince does not!"

"Do you truly believe that having earned merit gives you license to act without restraint?"

"This Jingdu does not belong to you to trample on!"

Seeing the White Clothes man lose his composure and shout accusations in rage.

Qin Feng found it amusing; the White Clothes man was no ordinary swordsman, and had some cunning.

His only flaw was his excessive Loyalty to Li Qian—bordering on Foolish Loyalty.

Qin Feng looked at the White Clothes man with a half-smile.

"Face is earned by oneself, not given by others."

"I originally intended to attend the Second Prince's Birthday Banquet to broaden my horizons, but if the Second Prince cannot control his own dog, which comes out biting at random—"

"To avoid being bitten by his lackeys, I'd better not go."

The White Clothes man had already wanted to devour Qin Feng alive; now, publicly humiliated, his Hatred reached its peak.

Had it not been for the Second Prince's Military Order, demanding Qin Feng attend the Birthday Banquet at all costs, the White Clothes man would have turned and left long ago.

For the sake of the Second Prince's Great Plan, the White Clothes man could only forcibly swallow this Hatred.

With bitter reluctance, he bowed low.

"Please, Lord Qin, calm your anger."