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The relay station of Da ng, being close to the capital, was exceptionally clean and grand.
The station officials acted with composure, neither humble nor arrogant, showing no difference due to their status.
There were six courtyards in total, spaciously accommodated, with hot water soon brought up, followed by wine and at.
Chu Zhiyuan, dining with the three won in his private courtyard.
The won had changed from their traveling combat uniforms into delicate robes.
Two white, one green, all elegant and beautiful, adding a touch of charm to the courtyard.
The three won, accompanied by fragrant breezes, sat in the small pavilion in the courtyard and were stunned as soon as they sat down by the stone table.
Seeing the large plate placed in the center of the stone table, filled with over a dozen pieces of at, and looking at the dipping sauces beside the at, they wore an expression of speechlessness.
Chu Zhiyuan stuck his chopsticks into a large piece of at, dipped it in seasoning, and took a big bite, chewing slowly.
He chewed for a few bites and smiled, saying, "I must say, the at is fragrant, with quite a unique flavor."
"Isn’t this too crude?" Shen Hanyue complained, "Can’t it be sliced before serving?"
Chu Zhiyuan laughed and said, "They usually don’t serve such large pieces of at; it’s Da ng’s custom to greet guests with large pieces of at, symbolizing hospitality."
"I can’t handle such hospitality," Shen Hanyue pouted, looking towards Xu Yingying.
Xu Yingying observed the large plate of at, her gaze lingering on each piece.
Shen Hanyue’s large eyes flashed instantly and quickly looked at the at.
Their chopsticks simultaneously aid at the smallest piece of at.
"Alright, you’re competing with !" Shen Hanyue grunted, her chopsticks pressing on the piece of at.
Xu Yingying retorted irritably, "I saw it first."
"Nonsense, I saw it first."
Their chopsticks steadfastly held the piece of at, preventing the other from taking it.
Their beautiful large eyes glared fiercely at each other, trying to overpower one another with their montum.
Xiao Ruoling shook her head gently.
The two of them are always squabbling whenever they are together, like children, going back and forth.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Better to separate."
With a flick of his fingertips, a ball of white light appeared.
The fist-sized white light flew toward the large plate in the center of the table, suddenly splitting into dozens of tiny light blades.
Each light blade was about the length of a palm, thin and long.
Dozens of light blades elegantly sliced through the pieces of at, turning them into slices.
Each slice was as thin as a cicada’s wing.
Finally, the dozens of light blades rged into one, becoming a more solid light blade, silently passing through the center of the four chopsticks.
The piece of at split into two, evenly sized.
The two won each held half of the at.
"Is this alright now?" Xiao Ruoling smiled gently.
"Hmph!" the two won snorted in unison, picking up their half piece of at, dipping it in seasoning, taking a bite and chewing slowly.
Xiao Ruoling then picked up a slice of at, dipped in seasoning, and gently chewed it with a smile: "Indeed, it has a special flavor."
They had already beco accustod to his miraculous sword technique.
"Too bad, just a little short," Xiao Ruoling said softly.
Xu Yingying, eager to try, said, "Why don’t we stay here for a few days and make a breakthrough before entering the city?"
Shen Hanyue said, "I think it’d be better to enter the city first."
Xu Yingying lightly furrowed her delicate brows.
Shen Hanyue said, "If we make a breakthrough in the city, all of Da ng will know."
"Hmm..." Xu Yingying tilted her head, thinking: "This idea is not bad either."
This could probably create so montum.
They all knew that Da Jing was in a disadvantageous position this ti in the negotiation.
Da ng and Da Zhen had already colluded, and Da Jing faced both sides alone, making it difficult to prevail.
At this ti, the three simultaneously advancing to the Great Grandmaster could be a deterrent to Da ng, making them not go too far.
No matter what, the negotiations between courts are always based on strength.
Xiao Ruoling smiled and said, "Then let’s enter the city and make a breakthrough, let the proud people of Da ng see."
Among the common folk of Da ng, there was always a sense of superiority over Da Jing and Da Zhen, thinking that the two courts were weak and incompetent.
As long as Da ng was not in trouble itself, the two courts were never a match.
Da ng is like a strong brute, while Da Jing and Da Zhen are like two weaklings.
If the brute remains healthy, the two weaklings are no match, and these two weaklings are often despicable, taking advantage when the brute is ill.
"Thud, thud."
There was a knock on the door from outside.
Chu Zhiyuan glanced at Zou Fang.
Zou Fang stood in the shadow, floated forward, and opened the courtyard door to let a figure in.
A long, narrow horse-like face, full of smiles, first cupped his fist to Zou Fang and then quickly walked to the small pavilion, his flattering smile even wider: "Your Highness."
Chu Zhiyuan nodded, "Lord Ma, any latest news?"
"Yes, the latest news has arrived." Ma Tianhe took a letter from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.
Zou Fang took it, glanced over, and then opened the envelope, pulled out the letter, gently shook it, and handed it to Chu Zhiyuan.
Chu Zhiyuan opened the letter, quickly skimd it, lost in thought.
The three won looked over, without making a sound.
After a mont, Chu Zhiyuan retracted his gaze: "Lord Ma, tell them to be more cautious, to be more concealed."
"Yes." Ma Tianhe solemnly replied.
Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand.
Ma Tianhe cupped his fist in salute, lowered his gaze, walked out of the pavilion, and turned to leave the courtyard.
From entering to leaving, he didn’t spare a glance at the three won, as if not noticing any others beside him.
Chu Zhiyuan gently shook the letter, turning it into powder: "Our Da ng Emperor’s days are not easy."
"Why is that?" Shen Hanyue asked curiously.
Xu Yingying and Xiao Ruoling also looked at him curiously.
Just as he was about to speak, two clear cries were heard in the sky.
Then two rays of light descended from the sky, nearly simultaneously shooting towards Xu Yingying and Shen Hanyue.
One white light, one green light.
The white light aid at Shen Hanyue, the green light aid at Xu Yingying.
The light paused on their shoulders, revealing their forms, it was a white and a green little bird.
The little birds were only the size of swallows, slender and graceful, with clear and bright eyes.
They each touched the birds on their shoulders, untied the small bamboo tubes tied on the birds’ legs, opened them for a look.
Shen Hanyue handed it to Xiao Ruoling, Xiao Ruoling looked it over and passed it to Chu Zhiyuan.
Xu Yingying also handed it to Chu Zhiyuan.
Chu Zhiyuan looked them over and smiled: "Your news is almost identical and matches with mine."
The intelligence-gathering capabilities of Yao Yue Palace and Jiuli Divine Sect were on par with the court, a testant to their profound foundation.
"This isn’t much of a big deal, is it?" Shen Hanyue said, "A prince of the imperial clan being demoted to a commoner isn’t that serious, is it?"
Xu Yingying nodded gently, "This prince of the imperial clan has been declining for several generations, shouldn’t cause much trouble, right?"
"This Prince Hao is a hereditarily unchanging iron cap prince." Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "This isn’t a small matter, it will surely cause turmoil in the imperial clan."
"Hereditarily unchanging..." The three won shook their heads helplessly.
Chu Zhiyuan said, "The lineage of Prince Hao had once produced an Emperor, the bloodline is extraordinary, which is very important in Da ng."
Da ng highly values bloodlines: Golden Bloodline, Phoenix Bloodline, and Gray Wolf Bloodline are all top-tier blood inheritances.
A bloodline that had once produced an Emperor is referred to as the Golden Bloodline.
This Prince Hao’s ancestors had produced an Emperor, and now he’s being stripped of his princely title and demoted to a commoner.
It must be said, Li Hongzhao’s resolve is strong enough.
This breaks the rule of hereditarily unchanging, equivalent to overturning ancestral edicts.
Not only the imperial clan cannot accept it, even the courtiers cannot accept it.
He could foresee that a great storm was about to arise.
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