Chapter 655: First Volume, Chapter 655: The Peace Talks Had Already Begun!

First Volume, Chapter 655: The Peace Talks Had Already Begun!

Of the hundred-plus Northern Di Envoy Group, only ten-plus civil officials remained, standing alone on the Street.

And the spark for all of this.

Was merely because of "riding a horse through the Street"?

Han Yu stared at the cut-down soldiers, his gaze growing numb.

After who knew how long, he snapped back to reality and clenched his fist tightly.

He fixed his eyes on Qin Feng.

If looks could kill, Qin Feng would have died thousands of times over.

"Qin Feng! The peace talks are over!"

"Do with me as you will!"

All envoys who came to participate in the peace talks were pure-stream, staunch officials.

And "staunch officials" shared one trait.

They feared no power, and would rather die than yield.

After all, at the negotiation table, one faced unimaginable pressure; even a slight concession could cause their nation immense loss.

That is precisely why every envoy was an unyielding hard bone.

Feeling Han Yu's hateful gaze.

Qin Feng knew well inside: no matter what methods he used, he could never make this group of Northern Di staunch officials submit.

Just like Qin Feng's father, the Minister of War.

And the civil officials of the Imperial Academy.

Also staunch officials of steel and iron.

Understandable, I understand.

But trampling the prestige of Shedynasty is another matter entirely—kill them all, no regrets!

"If I recall correctly, your name is Han Yu?"

"If you had merely ridden a horse through the Street, it would have been mere arrogance."

"But riding a horse down the Street and colliding with my Heavenly Son's Subjects? That was deliberate trampling of Shedynasty's prestige."

"From the moment Lü Li charged on horseback, the peace talks were already over."

"You don't need to remind me of that."

Saying this, Qin Feng ignored Han Yu's and the Northern Di envoys' resentful gazes.

He directly ordered Ning Hu.

"Immediately, send word to the Northern Border."

"Mobilize troops and launch a surprise attack on Bei Di!"

"Bei Di will never expect us to strike during the peace talks; by the time news of the envoy group's decapitation reaches the Di Wang Du, our army will already be at their city gates."

Ning Hu bowed tightly and ran off without hesitation to deliver the order.

Han Yu's furious gaze froze.

As Qin Feng said.

The Da Di Kingdom Monarch would never expect Bei Di to launch troops at this deadline.

And…

Da Di had seized this opportunity and was currently reorganizing its army—its national defense was at its most vulnerable.

At this moment, if Liang Kingdom suddenly bared its fangs, it would inflict a crushing blow on Da Di.

Though Han Yu hated him to the bone, he had to admit: Qin Feng's ruthless decisiveness was truly chilling.

The failure of peace talks was minor.

The peril to the nation was grave!

A pressure unlike any before swept over him instantly.

At that moment, Qin Feng gave another order.

"Someone! Inform my father to seal off the entire Jingdu region—no one is to discuss today's events."

"Those who disobey will be charged with leaking military secrets."

"Also, report to Sage Majesty: deploy the Black Guard Corps to conduct a massive sweep for all Northern Di Night Owl Spies within Jingdu."

"Use every means to contain this news within Jingdu."

This was not yet finished.

Qin Feng turned to the old scholar, who had been frozen in terror.

"Old Master, I ask you for one favor."

The old scholar trembled and asked: "Young Master Qin, speak plainly."

Qin Feng cut straight to the point: "Please, Old Master, gather all scholars in Jingdu to praise this peace talk."

"I don't care how you write or speak it—but the core message must be that the peace talks proceeded smoothly, both sides found a compromise, and all were delighted."

Han Yu understood perfectly: Qin Feng was releasing a smoke screen.

Spies beyond Jingdu, upon hearing this, would surely send this "false good news" back to the Wang Du.

Thus, the Northern Di side would grow even more complacent.

This Qin Feng…

Wasn't merely about Military Siege Luedi.

He… wanted to exterminate Bei Di!

Such ambition—even the emperors of Liang across the ages would never have dared imagine it.

Three orders from Qin Feng in a row utterly crushed Han Yu.

For the sake of the nation's interests, for the sake of the rivers and mountains, he could only set personal honor and disgrace aside.

Thud!

Han Yu dropped to his knees on the spot, cupped his fists in a bow, and pleaded loudly.

"Young Master Qin, we have only just arrived and do not know the rules of Liang."

"Riding horses through the streets has angered the masses—it was truly improper."

"My accompanying soldiers have all already been punished according to the law, and I myself have humbly accepted the lesson. I beg Young Master Qin to show mercy and let these State Peace Talks continue."

Boom!

The entire street instantly exploded into an uproar.

To say nothing of the common folk—even the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites was so stunned by what had just happened that his scalp went numb, and several times he wanted to flee and go back to report to the Sage.

He knew Qin Feng had done nothing wrong in defending the nation's might and punishing the Northern Di Envoy Group.

But these State Peace Talks were surely ruined now; the two kingdoms would once again take up Ji Zhan Bing Zhong, and the fires of war would burn away the last shred of strength on both sides.

Yet the scene before his eyes utterly overturned the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites' understanding.

The Northern Di Envoy Group, bearing such a blood-deep grudge, had actually knelt of their own accord and begged for the talks to continue?

After a moment of stunned blankness, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites suddenly jolted awake.

An indescribable wild joy spread through his entire body.

"I understand!"

"The State Peace Talks… have already begun!"

"The Northern Di Envoy Group riding horses through the streets was deliberate—it was meant to give our Shedynasty a Downward Warning."

"To show that although the Northern Di have lost, their National Strength remains formidable, and they do not fear fighting another National War."

"To force our Shedynasty to hesitate, wary of causing damage, and give up demanding compensation."

"Young Master Qin, without the slightest hesitation, killed and punished in public, chastising the Northern Di Envoy Group."

"Even going so far as to issue a Military Order on the spot to launch an attack against the Northern Di."

"All to prove to the Northern Di that our Shedynasty will never permit anyone to provoke us—not even the Northern Di!"

"In this first contest, Young Master Qin has won!"

The common folk and scholars present had none of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites' political instincts.

At first their faces were blank with bewilderment.

But upon hearing the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites' wildly excited shout, they awoke as if from a dream.

At once, ear-splitting cheers erupted across the scene.

All the common folk already had cold sweat soaking through their backs, as if they had just walked a circle past the gates of hell.

At this moment, what remained in their hearts was nothing but worship of Qin Feng.

"Truly worthy of Young Master Qin!"

"If it had been any other civil official, they would likely have yielded long ago."

"The Northern Di Envoy Group is truly cunning and treacherous!"

"This isn't mere cunning—it's sparing no means whatsoever in fighting for the nation's interests. But then again, thank heavens Young Master Qin is here!"

"That scared me to death—I thought we were going to fight another National War."

"What else? If Han Yu had refused to back down, Young Master Qin would surely have turned the act real and sent troops straight against the Northern Di, striking first."

"After all, this Blood Feud is already forged—whether we strike the Northern Di or not, the Northern Di will come for revenge."

"Heavens, how perilous…"

"This… this is only the first contest of the State Peace Talks. The two sides haven't even sat down at the Negotiation Table yet, and they're already fighting each other to the death?"

"Now I understand why the Sage insisted on having the Qin Family preside over the State Peace Talks—under such crushing pressure, very few people could hold their ground!"