Chapter 710: First Volume _ Chapter 710: You Are Too Naive

First Volume _ Chapter 710: You Are Too Naive

How shrewd was Li Xiaolan?

She had long seen through it — she and Qin Feng could never easily achieve a happy ending.

But feeling Qin Feng's incomparably resolute gaze, Li Xiaolan was already content.

Even if fate was destined to be rough, destined to be fraught with countless hardships, Li Xiaolan would not hesitate!

She was willing to wait — to wait for the day when the only man in this world she could rely on had thoroughly grown up.

Qin Feng stayed in Mingyue Palace until evening, only then taking his leave with great reluctance.

Although, given Qin Feng's current strength and status, even spending the night in the Imperial Palace, no one would dare utter a word of objection.

But such an act of wantonly trampling the dignity of the Li Imperial Clan — Qin Feng could never bring himself to do it, not even at gunpoint.

Being a person requires having at least the most basic bottom line.

Qin Feng was wild, yes, but only arrogantly so — never madly so.

If one were to rely on brute strength to spend the night in the Imperial Palace, observing not a shred of propriety or decorum, how would that differ from those petty men who stop at nothing?

The moment Qin Feng stepped out of the Imperial Palace, Zhang Xiuye exhaled in visible relief.

He hurried back to the Imperial Study to report to the Liang Emperor.

Little did he know that ever since Qin Feng had entered Hou Gong, the Liang Emperor's heart had been hanging in suspense — he had not even reviewed a single Imperial Memorial.

He had simply been pacing back and forth in the Imperial Study with his hands clasped behind his back, unable to sit still.

Learning that Qin Feng had left the palace before nightfall, the Liang Emperor finally relaxed his whole body, slumping limply into the Dragon Throne.

"Good that he's gone, good that he's gone."

"If Qin Feng had stayed and spent the night in the Imperial Palace, my Li Imperial Clan would have lost all face completely."

"Even if I fear Qin Feng, I would still have to muster every ounce of strength to fight this treacherous minister to the death."

"No matter how weak I may be, I will absolutely not stand by and watch Qin Feng bully his way into my house, meekly cowering."

Hearing these words, Zhang Xiuye's back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.

Until then, Zhang Xiuye had only known that Qin Feng's rash entry into Hou Gong had broken the rules and would surely anger the Liang Emperor.

He had not expected the crisis within to be so severe.

It had nearly escalated into a massive bloodbath!

Zhang Xiuye dared not make a sound, simply standing to the side, carefully watching every move the Liang Emperor made.

The Liang Emperor closed his eyes. After a long while, he finally heaved a deep sigh.

"Very well. I have been suppressing Qin Feng for so long — that he is now rebounding violently is only to be expected."

"As the Chang Princess suggested, appoint Qin Feng as the chief Diplomatic Envoy for this Pacification Mission to the Northern Di."

"If Qin Feng can return safely, I will bury the hatchet with him."

"I do not wish to keep fighting. I am tired, weary, exhausted."

The Liang Emperor pressed his forehead, looking utterly drained.

Even if the Liang Emperor was unwilling, he had to admit that continuing the fight gave him no confidence whatsoever of defeating Qin Feng.

And most likely, the situation would devolve into a prolonged war of attrition.

Once the entire Shedynasty's rivers and mountains were worn down, what meaning would victory or defeat hold?

……

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the Northern Di Envoy Group set off on their journey home.

A host of Officials who had participated in the State Peace Talks streamed out of the city to see them off, displaying the magnanimity of a great nation.

Little did they know that, to the Northern Di Envoy Group, this bearing was nothing less than another knife plunged into their hearts.

As chief Diplomatic Envoy, Lü Li had suffered a crushing defeat and the agony of losing his son; without bidding farewell to any Shedynasty Official, he departed first.

The other envoys accompanied Lü Li, all leaving ahead of the rest.

Only Chen Si and Han Yu remained at the City Gate, bidding farewell to Qin Feng.

One-Armed Chen Si, unable to bow with both hands, pressed a single hand to his chest and nodded to Qin Feng in salute.

"Brother Qin, the agreement our two nations have reached — I will relay it in full to my sovereign of Da Di."

"If all goes as expected, it can be implemented within this year."

"Also… I will await Brother Qin's arrival as Diplomatic Envoy at the Di Royal Capital. When that day comes, as your host, I will certainly host a fine banquet for Brother Qin."

Hearing this, Qin Feng responded with a smile, cupping his hands in return.

"Hahaha, easy to say."

"I hear the Northern Di's roast lamb is second to none."

"When the time comes, I will naturally throw open my jaws and eat to my heart's content."

Han Yu, standing to the side, wore a faint smile — not a trace of resentment or grievance could be seen.

After all, the die was cast; no matter how unwilling, he could only accept it.

In any case, it would not be long before Qin Feng had to travel to the Northern Di. Once there, with the home-field advantage, the future was long.

Watching Chen Si and Han Yu depart, Qin Feng clasped his hands behind his back and turned to head toward Mingyue Zhai.

Ning Hu, Zhao Yulong, and Qin Xiaofu walked alongside him.

"Brother Qin, earlier the Sage urgently issued a Royal Edict appointing you as chief Diplomatic Envoy of this Pacification Mission, departing in half a month for the Northern Di."

"You've just gone through an intense round of negotiations, and now they're sending you abroad without giving you any rest at all — this is simply too much."

Zhao Yulong, standing to the side, nodded: "Indeed, it breaks all protocol."

Qin Feng merely smiled and shrugged.

"There's nothing to fuss over."

"The Sage just handed Princess Mingyue to me outright—I can't help feeling a bit resentful."

"Once I return from my diplomatic mission to Beixi with the princess and crown prince they promised, along with the War Reparations, the Sage will have nothing left to say."

Upon hearing this, Ning Hu grinned broadly.

"Brother Qin, I'll go with you!"

"I've been dying to see Beixi for myself!"

Qin Feng gave Ning Hu a withering look and snapped, "Of course you're coming—otherwise, who's going to protect me?"

Ning Hu blinked in surprise. "Protect? Who'd dare lay a hand on you?"

"No way!"

"You're the head of the Diplomatic Envoy delegation. Even if Beixi had the heart of a bear and the guts of a leopard, they wouldn't dare touch you."

Qin Feng patted Ning Hu's shoulder and sighed softly, "Ning Hu, should I say you're too naive—or too reckless?"

"Let me put it this way: the moment I set foot on Beixi soil, the line of people wanting me dead would stretch for hundreds of meters."

"Forget the distant threats—just the Beixi people themselves would rush to strike me down."

Hearing this, Ning Hu frowned tightly, his eyes blazing with outrage as he hissed, "Those bastards have gone too far!"

"If they so much as touch a single hair on you, I'll lead the Beixi Soldiers and crush Beixi's territory to dust!"

Even Zhao Yulong found this hard to believe.

He rested his chin in his hand and analyzed cautiously: "There will certainly be those with ulterior motives."

"But I don't think it's as extreme as Brother Qin says."

"As the saying goes, one fears to strike the mouse for fear of shattering the vessel. Even if Beixi hates you, they won't risk reigniting war by targeting you."

At first, Qin Feng had thought only Ning Hu was this naive.

Now that even Zhao Yulong thought this way, it was clear he needed to explain things properly.

Qin Feng's gaze was firm: "Yuxiong, Ning Hu—do you consider yourselves the Hawk Faction or the Dove Faction?"

The two exchanged a glance and answered in unison: "Naturally, the Hawk Faction!"

Hearing this answer, Qin Feng laughed.