Chapter 652

First Volume, Chapter 652: The Arrogant Envoy Group

The Northern Di Envoy Group's movements were much faster than Qin Feng had anticipated.

Originally, it was expected they would not reach Jingdu for two more days.

Yet Qin Feng had barely stepped through his door after returning to Jingdu when he heard the Northern Di Envoy Group had entered the capital.

Qin Feng immediately stepped out to observe.

At that moment, the main road of Jingdu was packed with people—all common folk come to watch the spectacle.

A hundred-man procession was just passing through the City Gate, coming into view.

At its head was Chen Si.

Behind him came twenty civil officials, and further back, the Northern Di soldiers assigned to escort them.

The scene was filled with heated debate.

The crowd pointed and whispered at the Northern Di Envoy Group—some marveled at the Northern Di soldiers' towering, muscular frames, while others looked down on the envoy group with contempt.

"No wonder the Northern Di soldiers are all broad-backed and thick-waisted men."

"No wonder our Shedynasty always struggled so badly against the Northern Di."

"If we speak purely of martial strength, indeed, no one under Heaven can match the Northern Di. This war's victory was only possible by holding our DefensiveLine."

"Seeing the Northern Di soldiers, one can't help but feel: our victory over them was nothing short of a miracle."

Hearing someone in the crowd inflate the enemy's strength and deflate their own.

Some hot-tempered civilians immediately began shouting curses.

"Fuck your mother!"

"What miracle? The Northern Border War wasn't just us huddling behind city walls, too scared for an Open Field Battle."

"Our Liang Kingdom soldiers fought the Northern Di face-to-face in the open fields, forging victory with blood."

"Besides, Qin Feng led the Beixi Soldiers in constant Yuan Hui warfare against the Northern Di."

"He even crossed the border multiple times, launching raids deep into Northern Di territory."

"Especially at Bei Di Qingyu Shan—Qin Feng, with only Two Hundred men, killed and wounded thousands of Northern Di troops."

"The Northern Di's two Legendary Generals—Zhong Ling was directly killed by Qin Feng."

"Chen Si lost an arm."

"You bastards, are your eyes blind? Can't you see these feats of glory?"

The literati in the crowd stood tall and proud.

Cultured men, when they cursed, did it differently.

Sarcastic, sneering mockery.

"Hmph, the Northern Di are our defeated subjects—now they come to Jingdu solely for State Peace Talks."

"Their master has lost, yet you traitors still go out of your way to glorify their dignity."

"Heh, there are bad eggs among the masses."

"Throughout our Shedynasty, literati uphold our moral backbone, while soldiers guard our borders with blood."

"What have you done?"

"With you, Liang Kingdom would have perished long ago!"

Those civilians who admired the Northern Di turned beet red, only grinning foolishly.

Just then, a commotion erupted from the crowd.

A scholar in White Clothes suddenly rushed into the middle of the road, blocking the envoy group's path.

Pointing at Chen Si, he shouted: "Defeated general, how dare you act so boldly? Dismount at once!"

"This is the Jingji heartland of our Shedynasty—even a prince must dismount and walk."

"You, a foreign envoy, dare ride a Horse through our streets? How audacious!"

"This is not the sincerity of State Peace Talks!"

The people of Liang had been holding their breath for years.

After being humiliated and ravaged by the Northern Di for so long, now that they had finally defeated them, they were determined to vent their inner rage.

Many literati in the crowd were filled with righteous fury.

The sight of the Northern Di Envoy Group riding into Jingdu stirred not just anger, but deep resentment.

Soon, shouts and curses filled the air.

"Get down!"

"Walk into Jingdu!"

"North Di Barbarians, still unrepentant!"

"I say, forget State Peace Talks—go straight to Young Master Qin, have the Northern Border troops march straight to their capital and exterminate these crude barbarians!"

"These bastards didn't come for peace talks—they came to trample on our Shedynasty's dignity!"

"Exactly right—they surrendered willingly, yet still act as if they're above us. Clearly, Young Master Qin didn't hurt them enough!"

Under the literati's influence, public sentiment surged.

The Ministry of Rites Vice Minister, sent to welcome the Northern Di Envoy Group, hurried to restore order.

He waved his hands and shouted.

"Everyone, calm down!"

"The Northern Di Envoy Group traveled thousands of miles to Jingdu for State Peace Talks—that alone shows great sincerity."

"As for riding through the streets, it is a special imperial grace, granting the defeated the barest respect."

Better not have said that.

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted.

Common People naturally had no idea what was going on.

But the literati refused to let it go.

"Special grace? When the Northern Di slaughtered our Liang border folk, seized our land and grain, and violated our women, did they show even the slightest respect?"

"Since our Liang Kingdom fell out with the Northern Di, how many cities have they slaughtered? Who can count them all?"

"Weakness! Utter weakness!"

"Our Liang Kingdom is the Victorious Nation—how can we show not even a shred of dignity!"

Seeing this, the Ministry of Rites Vice Minister could only order the arrest of a few ringleaders.

The moment they moved, the scene nearly sparked a large-scale clash.

Common People didn't understand the stakes, but they still grasped the most basic righteousness.

They naturally rushed to protect the literati on the scene.

A few soldiers, caught off guard, were dragged into the crowd by the people, barely clawed their way out, and emerged drenched in blood, nearly beaten to death on the spot.

The Ministry of Rites Vice Minister had never anticipated that the people of Jingdu would be so furious.

Public sentiment cannot be defied.

Just as he was at a loss, a roar came from the direction of the Northern Di Envoy Group.

"Get out of the way!"

A middle-aged official, over fifty, sat astride a Horse, looking down with contempt at the White Clothes scholar blocking his path.

"We of Great Di have come for State Peace Talks—how dare you, a lowly commoner, act so insolently?"

"As a foreign minister, I spare your life. If you still refuse to see reason, I'll make you die splattered across five paces!"

The White Clothes scholar didn't retreat—he glared back with fury.

"You, a mere foreign minister, dare to act so boldly on Liang's Jingji soil!"

"I am a subject of Liang, a resident beneath the Son of Heaven's feet—do you dare kill me? You wouldn't dare even with a hundred times your courage!"

The surrounding literati were utterly enraged and pushed forward en masse.

They were easily knocked to the ground by the Northern Di soldiers around them.

Many of them bled from the head on the spot.

The middle-aged Northern Di official said nothing more—he squeezed his Horse's flanks and charged straight at the White Clothes scholar.

Boom!

Accompanied by a muffled thud.

The White Clothes scholar was flung backward, his blood spraying out and staining his robe red.

The Ministry of Rites Vice Minister, seeing this, was also greatly shocked.

He knew the Northern Di were always fierce and barbaric, but he never imagined they would truly dare lay hands on the people of Jingdu.

"Official Lü, you've gone too far!"

The Ministry of Rites Vice Minister abandoned all pretense of maintaining order and shouted angrily at Lü Li, head of the Northern Di Envoy Group.

Lü Li didn't even spare the Ministry of Rites Vice Minister a glance.

As the most extreme right-wing official of the Northern Di, to Lü Li, seeking peace with Liang was a Disgrace!

Had they not lost the war, Lü Li would have stormed the LiangCapital and slaughtered every last one of these inferiors.

Liang's fertile lands had birthed such weak, useless scholars—it was a waste of heaven's bounty!

"What are you, to speak to me like this?"