【The Empire of the Divine Eagle】(Volume 4, Chapter 104)

Chapter 104 Princess Qianning

On the night of September 8th, 1676 (Sacred Calendar), carriages departed one after another from the Tianxiang Inn.

Most of them were heading in the same direction—to the capital of Dayuan City. A

banquet was being held there that night, hosted not by the Tiantu County Chief, but by the Rainbow Mercenary Group.

Wu Tianjiao only brought Jianhou, Youyue, and Ying Ying'er with him; the rest remained at the inn. Wu Tianjiao

's three-day agreement with Ying Ying'er had expired, and his decision not to send her away implied that she had the ability to stay by his

side .

In fact, even if Wu Tianjiao hadn't suggested keeping Ying Ying'er, the women would have, as she

had become their little rascal, treated like a younger sister by everyone. Although she was playful, she

brought them immense joy.

Unlike others, she wasn't quiet. She was active and never still. Wu Tianjiao perhaps didn't

realize that , without noticing, he had grown accustomed to Ying Ying'er's presence. Surrounded by women,

except for Ying Ying'er, all of them were older than him, acting as his elder sisters, which put considerable

pressure on him.

Ying Ying'er, however, was different. She was two years younger than Wu Tianjiao, their ages close enough that they could say

and do childish things. This was a feeling he couldn't find in anyone else. Therefore, this

was the real reason Wu Tianjiao kept Ying Ying'er.

With one man and three women in the carriage, Wu Tianjiao suddenly felt like he was in a land of fragrant flowers. Among the three women was You Yue, whom Wu

Tianjiao had brought along for the first time, and since it was for a grand banquet, he had made sure she dressed up nicely.

You Yue's cheeks were lightly powdered, adding a touch of blush to her porcelain-like face,

making her appear more approachable. A tight-fitting long dress accentuated her stunning

figure, and the low neckline exposed a large expanse of her snow-white, lustrous breasts, making Wu Tianjiao secretly

swallow hard.

Youyue's beauty differed from the other women around Wu Tianjiao. She was like

a wild rose , outwardly aloof and cold, inwardly passionate and fiery. The Sword Queen's attire today also captivated Wu Tianjiao.

She wore a white sleeveless, low-shoulder dress, with elbow-length sheer gloves. White, the cool color of

a winter night , made her appear even more ethereal, untouched by worldly concerns.

However, Wu Tianjiao had some reservations about her outfit, because the low-shoulder dress

exposed half of her back. The Sword Queen had intended to tease him, but seeing his nervousness, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart. She

took out a cloud-embroidered shawl from behind her, holding it up to her shoulders. It just covered her entire back. Wu Tianjiao

scratched his head, his old face turning bright red.

Ying Ying'er's outfit tonight was interesting. Petite and still developing, she couldn't wear a tight-fitting

dress or a floor-length gown. The Sword Queen helped her choose, finally selecting a loose-fitting, knee-length, pale yellow

skirt, paired with high-heeled, openwork deer boots. She looked charmingly innocent and youthful

.

However, all this beauty was shattered by Ying Ying'er's wild imagination. She had

the audacious to cover herself with a veil, like Gongsun Xue. Wu Tianjiao and the Sword Queen were both amused and exasperated.

A short skirt and a veil always looked incongruous, but Ying Ying'er thought it

was ingenious. She had personally drawn a cute, four-legged animal on the fine white veil. Wu

Tianjiao cautiously asked what it was, and Ying Ying'er proudly declared, "A dragon!"

"Bang—" A large group of people collapsed around them, countless "corpses" lying scattered. Wu Tianjiao had initially thought her painting skills were superior

to her martial arts, but now it seemed that this needed to be revised. Ying Ying'er was very dissatisfied with Wu Tianjiao and the others' reactions, pouting and

saying, "One day, you'll know whether I'm telling the truth or not."

Wu Tianjiao had no interest in listening to her rebuttal; he was now worried that if Ying Ying'er attended the banquet in this strange manner,

his group would inevitably cause a sensation.

The banquet was held in the spacious banquet hall of the county capital. When Wu Tianjiao and his companions arrived, the banquet had not yet started,

but some guests had already begun to enter, while others lingered in the garden outside the hall,

whispering in small groups.

There were at least a hundred guests, but Wu Tianjiao found them all unfamiliar faces. However, despite

this, their group still attracted a lot of attention, thanks, of course, to the beauty of the Sword Queen and Youyue, as well as

Ying Ying'er's bizarre attire.

As for Wu Tianjiao, he also puzzled some people. Because the invitees to this banquet were all high-ranking officials,

wealthy merchants, and celebrities, but Wu Tianjiao looked completely unfamiliar, it aroused suspicion about his identity. Of course, it wasn't just Wu Tianjiao's group that was suspected; the arrival of other unfamiliar guests also puzzled the

invited dignitaries of Dayuan City . 　　Wang Peng had seen Wu Tianjiao . Now that he had a moment, he apologized from afar, "I'm sorry, Brother Wu, there are too many guests, I've been very negligent." 　　Wu Tianjiao smiled and said, "Vice Commander Wang, you're too kind. It's our honor to attend this banquet." 　　Wang Peng led Wu Tianjiao to a secluded spot, then said seriously, "Brother Wu, to be honest, I don't really approve you attending this banquet. But the commander insisted on inviting you." 　　Wu Tianjiao was surprised: "Why?" 　　"There are some things I don't know how to tell you," Wang Peng rubbed his hands, seemingly unable to make a decision. 　　"If it's inconvenient, then don't say it." 　　"No." Wang Peng said resolutely, "But I can only be brief. Brother Wu, Dayuan City is not the Dayuan City of the past . It has long since become a buffer zone for various forces, and the Empire's control over Dayuan City is much weaker than before. To be honest, the Dayuan City government is just a facade; in reality, the city is controlled by several other forces. To achieve anything here, one must rely on a powerful force, and the Rainbow Mercenary Group is no exception." 　　"Recently, the Shura Empire has been plotting to expand eastward, and the Divine Eagle Empire is the first to bear the brunt, naturally becoming an obstacle they must eliminate. However, over the past few hundred years, the Divine Eagle and Shura have fought dozens of wars, with each side winning and losing. A hundred years ago, the Divine Eagle Empire built the fortresses Tianmen Pass and Xitian City, with formidable passes blocking the way, which is why the Shura Empire..."

"What can we do?"

"Therefore, for the past few decades, the Shura Empire has been eyeing Tiantu County, because only by occupying

Tiantu County can the Shura army control the north and then advance on Beitian City. The recent rebellion in Hanhai County was

most likely orchestrated by the Shura Empire behind the scenes. They attempted to instigate a rebellion within the Divine Eagle Empire, thereby dismantling

the Divine Eagle Empire's rule over the north from within."

"The reason our mercenary group was attacked in the middle of the night is because we did not accept the Shura Empire's secret offer

to participate in the Hanhai County rebellion. Of course, this is also related to their recent knowledge of the Rainbow Mercenary Group's background.

As for what kind of background the mercenary group has, I cannot say at the moment. Therefore, this banquet is not

as simple as it seems on the surface. Brother Wu, you should extricate yourself as soon as possible."

"Thank you for your frankness," Wu Tianjiao said sincerely, "but I can't get away now. A few days ago,

a man dressed as a merchant came to me, hoping I would release that red-armored woman, but I refused and even swallowed his

gift."

"Where is that red-armored woman now?"

"She won't say a word, and I don't want to let her go, so I've just let her eat and sleep well. Maybe one

day I'll wake up and she'll have turned into a beautiful pig," Wu Tianjiao chuckled.

Wang Peng shook his head and smiled bitterly; Wu Tianjiao's reaction was far from what he had expected. Perhaps participating in the

battle at the ranch had destined him to be unable to escape this enormous vortex.

"Then you'd better be careful," Wang Peng said somberly, patting Wu Tianjiao's shoulder before going to greet the other

guests .

After Wang Peng left, Wu Tianjiao sat in the pavilion in a corner of the garden, pondering his experiences in Dayuan City.

Combining this with what Wang Peng had just said, he understood many things. He realized that he had unknowingly been drawn into

the struggles between nations and nobles. However, wasn't this an interesting game? More exciting than

any .

Wu Tianjiao kept telling himself to stay away from this circle of trouble, because everyone in this circle

held immense power, and no matter how strong he was, he could never

fight against a nation's thousands of regular troops.

However, deep within his heart, a hidden desire was urging him to change his mind. Nothing was

bolder or more exciting than a game between nations. Didn't he want a more vibrant life? Wasn't

he searching for a purpose in life? There it was right before him. Life is like a play; what

could be more interesting than this game? He was about to travel to Fengcheng in Hanhai County, or inherit the

hereditary He. Didn't this show that he was getting closer and closer to the core of this game? Thinking of this, he suddenly

felt a sense of ease.

The banquet finally began amidst anticipation. In the Divine Eagle Empire, banquets took two forms: social and segregated.

If there were many guests, but their status was not high, a social banquet was usually held. Guests stood in the hall, surrounded by

abundant food. Attendants moved among the crowd, serving wine and other drinks. If necessary,

a band . The guests were divided into two groups, creating a large dance floor in the middle.

It was said that the custom of dancing at this banquet originated from the Shura Empire. If there are few guests, but they are

of high status , a separate seating arrangement is adopted. Guests are seated separately with their personal attendants or servants.

The host's table is placed facing the entrance, with guest tables on either side. Depending on the guests' status and the number of their attendants, additional seats may be added on either side.

These "tables" are actually just a long table with cushions placed behind it. Generally, separate seating

banquets are not for dining, but for discussing important matters; the name "banquet" is merely a formality.

This banquet combines both formats: the outer hall is for social gatherings, while the inner hall is for separate seating. Wu Tianjiao

was unwittingly led to the inner hall by a maid and seated at the last table on the left.

Looking around, Wu Tianjiao saw that there were fifteen tables in total. Three were for the host on the north side, and

six each on the east and west sides. Wu Tianjiao sat at the sixth table on the west side, with Jian Hou, You Yue, and Ying Ying'er sitting beside him.

When Wu Tianjiao entered the inner hall, nearly 70% of the guests had arrived. Aside from the three tables reserved for the

host the guests at the second table directly in front of him, and the first and sixth tables opposite him, were absent.

Wu Tianjiao glanced around and recognized several familiar faces: he

had seen the guests at the third and fourth tables opposite him; the one at the third table was the same portly man, and at the other table sat several

burly men dressed in nomadic attire—some of the same men he had met at the Tianxiang Inn.

On Wu Tianjiao's side, he had also recognized the guests at the third and fifth tables. At the fifth table,

directly in front of him, sat a leisurely couple—the same

couple he had seen at the Tianxiang Inn.

The host at the fifth table was a glamorous, still-attractive middle-aged woman. He hadn't seen her before,

but he recognized the two gentle-skinned scholars sitting beside her—one older, one younger. The older scholar had once claimed

to be Gu Zhonghong, a protector of the Tianlong Sect. Aside from these four seats, everyone else was a complete stranger to Wu Tianjiao.

The entire inner hall was unusually quiet, the atmosphere heavy with tension. This environment only heightened the feeling that something momentous was about to

happen .

Suddenly, the sound of rings clashing outside the door eased the tense atmosphere. The gatekeeper announced, "The Seventh Princess

of the Empire has arrived—"

This announcement shattered the tranquility of the inner hall, and many guests looked on in surprise. They seemed to have never

expected the Seventh Princess of the Empire to grace this banquet with her presence.

This single announcement caused a great stir.

The Seventh Princess, as everyone perceived her, was a delicate woman. Behind her were two people whom Wu Tianjiao recognized

as Long Shiyuan, the vice-captain of the Rainbow Mercenary Group, and Qu Xian, the strategist.

The Seventh Princess sat in the middle of the three main seats. Upon her formal appearance, Wu Tianjiao recognized her as

the woman he had met at the ranch who knew array techniques. Today, however, she was dressed in magnificent attire, and Wu Tianjiao almost didn't recognize her.

"So she's the Seventh Princess of the Empire, Princess Qianning!" Wu Tianjiao secretly guessed.

The others were concerned about why the Seventh Princess of the Empire was sitting at the head table, and in the central seat symbolizing

the host's status. Only Wu Tianjiao vaguely guessed that the Rainbow Mercenary Group mentioned by Wang Peng might

have royal connections. That could explain it, but how could the leader of the Rainbow Mercenary Group suddenly become the Seventh

Princess of the Empire?

"I imagine everyone has many questions. Most of the distinguished guests here are powerful figures in Dayuan City.

Before I announce any news, I would like to ask President Lu Sishan—"

Instantly, almost half of the people turned their gaze to the portly man in the third seat on the left.

Princess Qianning continued, "Why would President Lu suddenly have the interest to send people to attack my Rainbow Mercenary Group?"

Lu Sishan, the president of the Azure Dragon Merchant Guild, was the portly man. He was one of the most powerful

figures in the North, wealthy and influential. Even the heads of various prefectures had to show him respect. Although Princess Qianning was an imperial

princess, of noble birth, this was not the capital. Far from the emperor's reach, Lu Sishan seemed not to care about the title of princess.

His sharp eyes narrowed slightly as he said, "This seems to have nothing to do with Your Highness."

Princess Qianning smiled coldly and said, "I forgot to tell you, I have another identity, which is the leader of the Rainbow

Mercenary Group."

"I see. But what did Your Highness mean by your question just now?" Lu Sishan frowned.

"President, you're really forgetful. Just a few days ago you sent a large group to visit my mercenary group's ranch outside the city.

Have you already forgotten?" Princess Qianning sneered.

"It seems Your Highness must be mistaken. How could I do something so foolish? Where did Your Highness

get this information? This might be a frame-up by some malicious people trying to harm me. I urge Your Highness

to investigate thoroughly," Lu Sishan said unhurriedly.

"I know you won't admit it, so I'll give you a heads-up, President. When we attacked the ranch, we

captured a prisoner—a woman in red armor. She calls herself 'Red-Clad Rakshasa' Sui Baozhu. I've also heard that

you have a concubine named Sui Baozhu."

Lu Sishan's fat face twitched, whether intentionally or unintentionally. His cold gaze swept over Wu

Tianjiao's face, then he said with a forced smile, "Your Highness must be mistaken. Indeed, I do have

a concubine named Sui Baozhu. I took her with me this time. However, she's a frail

woman , completely defenseless. How could she possibly be a thief capable of scaling walls? If Your Highness doesn't believe me,

I can have her brought over after the banquet."

As soon as he finished speaking, a smug glint flashed in his eyes. Although his expression changed quickly, that

glint still didn't escape Princess Qianning's observant eyes, adept at capturing subtle changes in people's expressions.

In an instant, Princess Qianning felt a sense of foreboding. A possibility suddenly occurred to her—a possibility that might render

all her efforts futile, leaving her with nothing but losses, completely exposing her weaknesses,

and failing to strike at her enemy.

Wu Tianjiao also considered this possibility, but he believed it was absolutely impossible. Lu Sishan

wanted to take advantage of the banquet to send someone to Tianxiang Inn to rescue Sui Baozhu, but that would be like throwing a meat bun to a dog—a one-way trip.

He believed that even if an army stormed Tianxiang Inn, they couldn't rescue Sui Baozhu now, because

three Saint-level experts were guarding it. Their combined power was terrifying; even

the world's number one expert, Wu Wudi, would have to be wary.

Princess Qianning and Lu Sishan were both lost in their own thoughts, and neither spoke again, the banquet falling into a strange

silence . Wu Tianjiao secretly observed the reactions of the surrounding guests: At the second table to Lu Sishan's right sat

a merchant who appeared excessively drunk and womanizing; he was constantly drinking, seemingly uninterested in

the debate .

At the third table to Lu Sishan's left sat burly men dressed in nomadic attire, constantly

looking around , clearly distracted. At the table below the men sat two women dressed in very strange clothes.

Their clothing was basically similar to the styles popular on the mainland, but two aspects were exaggerated:

the waist was extremely tight, and the sleeves, from the elbows down, were unusually wide. Anyone would find such

clothing strange, but from a purely aesthetic perspective, such clothing,

far from being strange on women, actually accentuated their delicate and graceful curves.

Wu Tianjiao's side had six seats. Aside from his own seat and the absence of the guest at the second seat,

the other four guests reacted differently to the debate: the two officials at the first seat

sat upright, their eyes fixed straight ahead; Wu Tianjiao guessed one of them must be the host of the banquet—the prefect of Dayuan City

.

The guest at the third seat was an old man with white hair and a youthful face, who kept dozing off; at the next seat were

a glamorous middle-aged woman and two scholars, one old and one young. Wu Tianjiao didn't recognize the woman,

and the two scholars were members of the Heavenly Dragon Sect; they whispered amongst themselves throughout.

As for the couple closest to Wu Tianjiao, they were the most relaxed at the banquet. Their demeanor

could be described as leisurely and elegant, but their eating habits were less than admirable. They

focused all their attention on the abundant food, relentlessly devouring it, as if their stomachs were never full.

Wu Tianjiao was all too familiar with their actions, because the little devil Ying Ying'er always behaved this way while eating,

even more so than the couple. At this moment, she sat beside him, desperately regretting

wearing a veil. Seeing so much delicious food but being unable to eat it was pure torture.

She considered simply removing the veil, but that would clearly violate the etiquette of formal social occasions;

everyone would unhesitatingly label her as "not ladylike." That wouldn't be worth it

. To resist the temptation of the food, she chose to hide behind Wu Tianjiao as much as possible, staying away from those temptations,

out of sight, out of mind.

This passage is rather long-winded; the entire process actually took less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Princess Qianning also

took advantage of this time to secretly signal to a mercenary dressed as a maid behind her, instructing her to quickly

inform Wang Peng of the possibility she had just considered, so he could devise a countermeasure.

Lu Sishan observed all of this and sneered inwardly: "This girl is too naive. Since I

have denied the fact that my concubine is in their hands, why would I give her a chance to refute it?

The experts from Wohu Manor, whom I hired at great expense, went to Tianxiang Inn an hour ago. An hour is enough for them to raze the entire Tianxiang

Inn to the ground. Even if that brat's men are extremely powerful,

and the experts from Wohu Manor can't rescue Baozhu, killing her will be a piece of cake."

The thought that his beautiful concubine might have been killed by the men he had sent caused his heart to clench painfully.

However, what pained him most was not the loss of his beautiful concubine, but the 500,000 gold coins he had spent hiring experts from Crouching Tiger Manor—

a considerable sum!

The silence was finally broken, but not by the guests at the banquet,

but by the gatekeeper's announcement: "Miss Shuraona, Prince Yuexian has arrived—"

Upon hearing Shuraona's name, Wu Tianjiao was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. He hadn't expected that a casual banquet

would bring forth Shuraona, whom he had been searching for so long. Now he could explain to his anxious blonde female guards.

The same reaction came from the group of burly men dressed in nomadic attire opposite him, one of whom, with a full beard,

had a glint of brilliance in his eyes.

A man and a woman entered from outside; the man was a handsome young man, and the woman was a blonde beauty. The man

followed behind, and judging from the distance between them, they hadn't come together. A careful observer would notice that the handsome young man following the blonde

woman and her attendant was essentially her protector. Unfortunately,

his affections were unrequited; Shuraina didn't even glance at him.

Shuraina's attendance at the banquet seemed to have been anticipated by the host; the second seat on Wu Tianjiao's side

was reserved for her. Wu Tianjiao could clearly see that Shuraina and her attendant were both wearing golden soft armor,

each with a symbol embroidered on the chest—a snow-white lotus flower.

Wu Tianjiao was taken aback. Seeing his confusion, the Sword Queen assumed he didn't know and whispered in his ear,

"That's the symbol of the Heavenly God Palace."

"How did she become a member of the Heavenly God Palace?" Wu Tianjiao asked in surprise.

The Sword Queen chuckled, "Perhaps it was someone from the Heavenly God Palace who saved her, leading her to join their ranks?"

Shuraina sat in the second seat on Wu Tianjiao's side, while Prince Yue Xianzhi sat in the sixth seat opposite.

This arrangement deeply puzzled Wu Tianjiao. According to etiquette, a prince should be far more esteemed than a disciple of the Heavenly God Palace,

perhaps even more so than anyone else present. Placing him at the end seemed illogical.

However, the Sword Queen explained, "Yue Xianzhi only brought two attendants, clearly attending this banquet in a private

capacity . Perhaps he's just following Shuraina. Therefore, nominally, he's not as prestigious as

most of the people here."

Wu Tianjiao suddenly understood. In terms of experience, he was far inferior to the Sword Queen, but he was secretly pleased with himself

for his wisdom in bringing her along. Naturally, the troublesome matter was left to this beautiful woman to ponder

.

After the guests were seated, Princess Qianning said, "Since President Lu denies attacking the Rainbow Mercenary Group,

I feel it necessary to elaborate on the situation in the six prefectures, especially the recent activities of the Azure Dragon Chamber of Commerce. As the president of the Azure Dragon

Chamber of Commerce , President Lu has been tirelessly traveling throughout the six prefectures for the past few months, acting as a go-between. I imagine he has done

quite a few secret things in the process?"

Lu Sishan's face darkened. He had realized that tonight's banquet was actually a "showdown."

Under the influence of the Rainbow Mercenary Group, the major forces in Dayuan City were all surfacing, revealing

what they had previously kept hidden.

The Rainbow Mercenary Group's automatic disclosure of their power in Dayuan City was, on the one hand, to strike at the Shura

Empire , and on the other hand, it could also be a counter-strategy. The Asura Empire, seeking continental hegemony, has spent the last twenty years

expending immense manpower and resources to gradually control the six northern prefectures of the Divine Eagle Empire. Their aim is to gain

control of these prefectures discreetly and without alerting the Divine Eagle Empire's court, thereby opening a crucial inland passage

for attacking the Divine Eagle Empire. This would render the Divine Eagle Empire's four celestial cities useless, depriving them of

their vital military value in resisting the Asura Empire.

However, if this scheme is exposed, certain factions with vested interests will undoubtedly oppose it vehemently.

Lu Sishan predicts that the six northern prefectures will certainly oppose it, as the Asura Empire's opening of the northward passage would threaten

their security.

Of course, the Divine Eagle court, directly involved, will take strong measures. Lu Sishan's current concern is not

how to prevent the plan from being leaked, but rather the serious consequences, especially the diplomatic

incidents could affect his own future.

A year ago, as the president of the Azure Dragon Chamber of Commerce, he finally secured the opportunity to lead the Shura Empire's

first step plan. He thought everything was in place and foolproof, but

the internal strife he had painstakingly instigated in the Vast Ocean was quickly quelled, forcing the plan to be halted. To erase any traces left from the plan's execution

, he sent men to attack the Rainbow Mercenary Group, but that too failed.

These unforeseen circumstances were already giving him a major headache; how would he explain himself? Now, the Divine Eagle Empire had launched

another counterattack. What could the Shura Empire possibly do? Even he himself didn't know.

Now, he could only hold the line at the last hurdle, resolutely denying the attack on the Rainbow Mercenary Group. This would prevent the various counties from seeing

the Shura Empire's hidden power in Tiantu County, thus preventing them from taking any drastic actions. This would also

leave the Shura Empire with some leverage for its next step in its northward expansion plan. He also felt more confident when facing questions from the various counties

.

"We captured dozens of prisoners in the battle at the ranch," Princess Qianning continued. "It has been confirmed that

several mercenary groups participated in the attack on the Rainbow Mercenary Group. On behalf of the court, I declare that regardless

of , they will not be held responsible. We will release the prisoners one by one."

Princess Qianning then changed the subject, becoming serious. "However, regarding the Red-Clad Rakshasa Sui

Baozhu captured in the ranch attack and Marquis Zhu Boxiong captured in the suppression of the rebellion in Wolong City, Hanhai County, the Empire has decided to formally escalate these cases

into diplomatic incidents. As for the Shura Empire's troops stationed outside Tianmen Pass, I don't think the Empire is so cowardly as to remain indifferent when

the enemy is at its doorstep."

Princess Qianning's tone softened as she spoke, though she didn't become overly stern, her voice still carrying a chilling aura, and her jade-like face

was covered in frost.

Lu Sishan gave an awkward, unnatural smile. In fact, everyone had seen

his expression change when he heard that Marquis Zhu Boxiong had been captured in Wolong City; clearly, things had far exceeded his expectations.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Princess Qianning did not dwell on Zhu Boxiong. Instead, she changed the subject and...

Returning to Sui Baozhu, she said, "Let me introduce you to a friend who's visiting Dayuan City—"

She pointed to Wu Tianjiao, "This is Young Master Wu Tianjiao. I think you

've ; he's our Empire's Golden Knife Prince Consort, and also my brother-in-law. Sui Baozhu

was captured by his men; he happened to be visiting the ranch that night."

Wu Tianjiao didn't stand up when she mentioned him. At this moment, he was filled with disgust. If being

used by Gong Chan was out of pity for the weak, he wouldn't be angry, but rather laugh it off. Being used by Princess Qianning, however,

filled him with deep resentment.

He now understood why he could so easily take Sui Baozhu and Youyue from the ranch, and why he was at such

an important banquet—it was all Princess Qianning's doing, intentionally dragging him into this mess.

Princess Qianning first used his power to detain Sui Baozhu, then intended to turn him into a spearhead—a spear aimed directly at the Achilles' heel of

the Shura Empire and even the six northern prefectures. Her aim was simply to make Wu Tianjiao

a bargaining chip in diplomatic disputes, a tool to gain advantages.

She avoided using the Zhu Boxiong affair to provoke Lu Sishan, as Zhu Boxiong held a noble title,

ensuring that Lu Sishan's handling of the matter wouldn't be perceived as self-serving.

Sui Baozhu, however, was different. She was Lu Sishan's concubine, and

although Lu Sishan's handling of the matter could easily be misinterpreted as self-serving.

Princess Qianning understood this; regardless of whether Sui Baozhu was still in Wu Tianjiao's hands, playing this card was a sure bet.

Although Wu Tianjiao was unwilling to be used by Princess Qianning, he was currently unable to extricate himself. He

didn't want to speak, but the situation forced him to. Fortunately, someone spoke up to ease his embarrassment. It was none other than

the newly arrived King Chen of the Moon Kingdom. He lightly tapped the wine cup in front of him, producing a clear, crisp sound

that attracted everyone's attention. He said, "On behalf of the Great Moon Kingdom, I have something to say about fairness."

Wu Tianjiao secretly sneered, "The Great Moon Kingdom is just a small country in the Western Frontier. What kind of fairness can come from

the mouth of ? He's probably too busy flattering the Asura Empire!"

Sure enough, King Chen of the Moon Kingdom immediately stated that there were no soldiers from the Great Moon Kingdom in the Asura army outside the Tianmen Pass fortress,

and that the Great Moon Kingdom had no intention of fighting the Divine Eagle Empire. Therefore, he firmly supported the Divine Eagle Empire's handling of the internal strife.

These words immediately offended many people. First, a vicious glint flashed in Lu Sishan's eyes. He

never expected that the Great Moon Kingdom in the Western Frontier would produce such a prince who favored the Divine Eagle Empire. Why did he

have to speak at such a crucial moment?

Secondly, the Divine Eagle Empire was offended. Yue Xianzhi's statement that "there are no soldiers from the Great Yue Kingdom in the Shura army"

was clearly a lie. The Great Yue Kingdom had long been a vassal state of the Shura Empire, so

how ? However, Yue Xianzhi's words did help Princess Qianning a little, at least making her

more assertive when negotiating with Lu Sishan.

In fact, what Yue Xianzhi said was not entirely a lie. Among the countries of the Western Frontier, the Great Yue Kingdom was an agricultural country

with vast farmlands, so its national strength was weak, with a standing army of only 50,000, and its military power was only enough to maintain

domestic order.

Although the Divine Eagle Empire has declined somewhat in recent decades, it is still a formidable force. The Shura Empire

has been at war with the Divine Eagle Empire for years, constantly conscripting soldiers. The number of able-bodied men in the Great Yue Kingdom is dwindling, with most never returning. This has made

the Great Yue people increasingly reluctant to fight the Divine Eagle Empire,

and

most of the Great Yue people are averse to war. Their forced participation in the war is largely due to coercion from the Shura Empire. Therefore, whenever the Shura Empire invades the east, the Great Yue Kingdom will send a small army,

usually no more than ten thousand men, sometimes even only a few thousand. The Great Yue Kingdom is important to the Shura Empire because

it is its granary; without the logistical support of the Great Yue Kingdom, the Shura Empire's soldiers would fight on empty

stomachs .

As soon as Yue Xianzhi finished speaking, a woman in unusual attire with striking features, seated at the fifth table beside him, coldly said,

"I think we don't need to argue here. Whether it's Dayuan City or Tiantu County,

it seems we're dividing the spoils without even consulting our host." She glanced at the first table opposite her, where

two officials from the Divine Eagle Empire sat.

The elderly man with a goatee at the first table replied, "Before coming to Dayuan City, I received

clear instructions from above that since so many friends from various countries and counties have come, we will naturally offer them our utmost hospitality. As for

the disputes among you, I regret that this county cannot interfere."

This statement completely revealed the court's position in the whole affair. Nominally, Dayuan City and even Tiantu County were

still under the jurisdiction of the Divine Eagle Empire, but in reality, they had already been secretly divided up by various powers.

The intentions of each county were obvious; they all harbored rebellious thoughts of establishing their own kingdoms and breaking away from the Divine Eagle Empire, simply waiting for their opportunity.

The strangely dressed woman seemed to have anticipated this, and smiled mockingly. She continued, "The prosperity of Dayuan City

is not due to war, but rather the result of trade between the various prefectures. On behalf of Beihai Prefecture, I solemnly declare that

we do not wish for any regular military force to set foot in Tiantu Prefecture. Otherwise, Beihai will not stand idly by."

Her last words were spoken with a chilling glint in her eyes. Lu Sishan's expression turned ashen. What was bound to happen

had happened, but its arrival was somewhat unacceptable to him.

The air in the inner hall grew heavy again after her few words. Just then, the merchant who had been drinking

suddenly sighed, "Good wine, good wine! I just wonder when I'll wake up from this drunken stupor?"

Lu Sishan said, "Mr. Bai, you have a refined taste, but I hope you can speak fairly. The Seventh Princess is making things up out of nothing—"

The merchant, referred to as Mr. Bai, laughed, "Sometimes, wine from the south, when transported to the north, tastes

cloyingly fragrant, while wine from the north, when

transported can brew both the cloyingly fragrant wine of the south and the spicy wine of the north, then sooner or later all other breweries will go out of business.

That place that can brew all kinds of wine, while understandable, is still undeniably powerful and abusive."

These words moved everyone present. They all understood that the place that

could referred to the capital region. Although the Divine Eagle Empire is declining and its power is waning, it

possesses a profound foundation. Once a wise ruler emerges, restores order, clears the clouds, and revitalizes the nation, the north will be no match for it if it tries to break away again.

"Imperial independence is no longer possible."

This Mr. Bai's statement was undoubtedly a veiled reference to the conflict between the Shura Empire and the Divine Eagle Empire,

a desperate measure to prevent the Divine Eagle Empire from acting as a buffer. This move could be described as a double whammy, subtly aiding Lu Sishan while also making the other guests at

the banquet wary of the Divine Eagle court. When the news reached

the ears of their respective prefectures or forces, it would inevitably cause a major upheaval within their respective territories.

The inner hall fell silent once more, but unlike the previous silence, this time, faint whispers could be heard from certain

corners .

Just as a strange atmosphere settled over the banquet, a melodious voice, like a nightingale's

song : "Unexpectedly, I'm a little late and have missed Count Bai's brilliant metaphor from the Kingdom of Hulan."

Everyone looked towards the entrance and discovered that a woman of unparalleled beauty had appeared there

. She wore a light, flowing green dress with flowing sleeves, her hair naturally gathered behind her shoulders. Even without seeing

her face, her ethereal and graceful presence alone was enough to outshine all other beauties.

All the men present wore expressions of utter infatuation, while the women were astonished by her breathtaking

beauty. Unfortunately, upon seeing her face, those present were inevitably disappointed. Alas, her beautiful face was veiled, her stunning

appearance a source of awe!

The shock emanating from Gongsun Xue herself clearly outweighed

the surprise she brought by revealing the identity of Mr. Bai. Only after Gongsun Xue took her seat did the whispers at the banquet truly begin to rise.

Gongsun Xue didn't let the astonishment of those present subside. She continued, "If my Gongsun family's intelligence is correct, the Shura

army has suddenly acquired a large number of armors and powerful siege weapons, seemingly from the official

foundry of the Hulan Kingdom. Am I right, Earl?"

These words were like a bombshell exploding in the room, leaving everyone utterly shocked.

Although Gongsun Xue's words were somewhat ambiguous, they clearly indicated that the Hulan Kingdom was

suspected of secretly aiding the Shura Empire in its war against the Divine Eagle Empire. In other words, after two hundred years of recuperation, the Hulan people, as a powerful nation in the far west, had become

allied with the Shura people and were once again extending the claws of war.

Gongsun Xue's arrival not only captivated various forces with her beauty but also shook

the entire Great Yuan City with this earth-shattering news.

The continent was in turmoil; who would rise to power? Who would be the hero?

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【The Empire of the Divine Eagle】(Volume 4, Chapter 104)

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