Chapter 118: Unyielding Pride Before the Emperor

“Um, what about my shop…” Qin Li said hesitantly.

Eunuch Li curled his lip and said to the dozen or so soldiers he had brought along, who didn’t look particularly powerful, “You lot, stay here and guard it.”

“They…” Qin Li could tell at a glance that these soldiers were only at the Yellow Rank level. He was indeed worried about the safety here. What if Leng Ping couldn’t find him and took his anger out on the innocent women?

“Bah! Enough of your little mind games. Don’t flaunt them in front of us. You think we don’t know what you’re thinking?” Eunuch Li sneered, a disdainful curl still on his lips. “Do you know who they are?”

Without waiting for Qin Li to respond, Eunuch Li pointed at one of the soldiers and demanded, “Tell this noble from the Qi Kingdom just who you are!”

“We are soldiers of the Third Battalion of the Imperial Guard!” The soldier, noticing Qin Li’s skepticism about their strength, deliberately puffed out his chest and raised his voice. His words were clearly heard by some onlookers nearby, who immediately let out low gasps of surprise.

Qin Li wasn’t entirely clear on the significance, but the murmurs of the crowd quickly reached his ears.

“Good heavens, the Third Battalion? What are they doing here? Guarding this guy’s door? Incredible…”

“The Third Battalion! They’re our Azure Dragon Kingdom’s elite force! Back when we fought Qi Kingdom, they made the Qi army flee at the mere sight of them! Who’d have thought they’d be standing guard for some fallen Qi noble today? Unbelievable!”

“Hah, you’re all behind the times! Now the Great Qi, Great Chu, Siro, Qingqiu, and our Azure Dragon have formed the Five-Country Alliance. We’re as close as brothers; it’s all one big family now!”

“Pah! One big family my foot! It’s just because you’re all pressured by the New Qin Kingdom…”

“Alright, keep your voice down, will you? What’s it to you anyway?”

Qin Li instantly understood. The point of this guard detail wasn’t about their fighting strength, but their identity. Merely standing here represented the Emperor’s attitude. At least at this stage, no one would dare openly challenge imperial authority.

“Well then, thank you, brothers!” Qin Li cupped his hands respectfully towards the soldier and grinned. Then he turned and called out to Duoduo, “These are men His Majesty sent to protect you. Tell the kitchen at noon to prepare a few extra good dishes, make sure there’s meat!”

The crowd collectively fell silent, exchanging disdainful glances at Qin Li. Did he think Imperial Guards had never tasted meat before? What a Qi country bumpkin! Reckless fool!

Eunuch Li also wore an expression of disbelief. “Young Master Qin,” he urged, “Please, come this way!”

Once inside the carriage, Qin Li discovered that while it looked quite plain on the outside, the interior was meticulously appointed—luxurious but not overbearing, grand and heavy yet surprisingly comfortable.

During the ride, Eunuch Li first recited a long list of rules and etiquette Qin Li needed to follow when meeting the Emperor. Despite his distaste for the name “Qin Li,” he had no choice; this man was favored by the Emperor. Men like him knew the true situation with the Great Green Gang. By now, its leader, Leng Ping, must be hopping mad! However bold Leng Ping might be, would he dare oppose the Emperor? Tonight was surely destined to be a night of colossal humiliation for the Great Green Gang in front of all the sects in Azure Dragon City!

The carriage proceeded directly into the palace complex. When it stopped, Eunuch Li said softly, “Young Master Qin, have no fear. Second Highness has made arrangements for you!” He gave Qin Li a deep look before departing.

Qin Li was momentarily surprised. So this Eunuch Li was from the Second Prince’s faction. He gave a slight nod. In truth, he wasn’t afraid. His strength had already reached the Heavenly Rank. The Tianyuan Continent was vast and boundless, dotted with countless nations large and small, lands of mystery scattered everywhere—survival certainly wasn’t an issue anywhere there.

After Eunuch Li left, an attendant came to guide Qin Li into the Azure Dragon Kingdom’s highest center of power—the Azure Dragon Hall!

The hall wasn’t as opulently lavish as Qin Li had imagined. It didn’t even seem as gorgeously decorated as the banqueting hall of the Shangguan Family. And yet, a pervasive sense of dignity and grandeur filled the space, compelling respect and reverence in anyone who walked through it.

One had to remember, the figure sitting on the dragon throne at the highest point of this hall was a true Sovereign, the Monarch of an entire nation!

Even Qin Li, experiencing such a setting for the first time, felt a slight nervousness. However, he quickly adapted. Following a eunuch into the great hall, Qin Li instinctively took a position near the corner.

Ahead, a dense crowd of at least a hundred people stood solemnly in two rows. These were the true wielders of power in this kingdom. In their eyes, Martial Artists were merely tools to be utilized!

Though the Azure Dragon Kingdom was founded on martial strength, and the Tianyuan Continent greatly prized martial prowess and revered rank and power, the truly influential figures holding heavy authority within this imperial court actually included very few high-ranked Martial Artists.

Qin Li’s arrival caused hardly a stir. Only those standing near the entrance, at the very end of the courtly ranks, cast a few curious glances his way before shifting their attention elsewhere.

Emperor Zhao Yuanli valued talent, so it was common to see individuals with special skills granted an audience. After bestowing some official title or reward, these individuals would almost certainly never set foot in this hall again.

Therefore, no one was particularly surprised to see Qin Li there.

At this moment, someone likely informed the Emperor of Qin Li’s arrival. Zhao Yuanli paused his other business and said in a clear, resonant voice, “Has Qin Li arrived?”

Qin Li could only step forward from the corner, offering a slight bow toward the Emperor. “Qin Li, noble of the Great Qi Kingdom, greets Your Majesty!”

“Bold!” A cold, angry shout echoed from the front. Though far away, Qin Li’s sharp eyes immediately identified the speaker: a man in his forties, clearly a civil official, with a pale, beardless face and eyes filled with gloom. He stood not far below the Emperor, glaring coldly at Qin Li.

Qin Li narrowed his eyes, looking back at the man, and smiled with disdain. “As a noble of the Great Qi Kingdom, I naturally need not kneel upon meeting an Emperor!”

“You! A mere Qi Kingdom noble! Does that grant you noble status here in Azure Dragon? Preposterous!” The pale, beardless official seemed to hear the most ridiculous notion, curling his lip in scorn.

“This minister,” Qin Li began, his tone level. “Though I don’t comprehend why you insist on targeting me — perhaps you envy my good looks, though you do have more facial hair — there is one thing I fail to understand. Would Your Excellency kindly explain? The Five-Country Alliance — Great Qi, Great Chu, Azure Dragon, Siro, and Qingqiu — stands united, as branches from the same tree. Noble status is recognized equally across all member states when performing service in each other’s lands. Yet now, by your logic… this seems suddenly invalid? Would you dare claim then… that the Five-Country Alliance holds no weight in your eyes, Your Excellency? Am I right?”

“You! You dare slander me!” The pale-faced official was stunned by Qin Li’s sharp tongue. With a few words, Qin Li had not only cornered him but also turned it around to accuse him. This was no minor matter; it could easily provoke tension between the two nations.

Qin Li shrugged. “I was speaking to you with the utmost civility. How is that slander? Your Excellency, though you are older than I, possess more facial hair, and are… ahem… less handsome than myself, surely that doesn’t justify slandering a noble of Qi?”

The accent of the Qi Kingdom tended towards exaggeration. Qin Li’s words, coupled with expressive gestures, promptly provoked a wave of stifled laughter in the hall. The pale-faced official turned crimson, pointing a trembling finger at Qin Li, unable to form a retort.

In that moment, someone shifted slightly. Qin Li caught sight of a familiar face, now twisted in rage, its murderous gaze piercing him: no other than the Crown Prince, Zhao Xinghe.

“Enough!” Emperor Zhao Yuanli’s cold command cut through the noise.

The scene had deeply disappointed him. The speaker had been the Deputy Minister of Rites, a man very close to the Crown Prince. This attack had likely been ordered by the Crown Prince himself. After all, the Great Green Gang was under the Crown Prince’s control, and the Emperor’s actions had dealt the Crown Prince a silent blow, undoubtedly causing immense loss of face among his followers. I’m not yet dead! Zhao Yuanli silently seethed. And already you eagerly build your military might? Do you think I’m truly ignorant?

Yet, seeing one of his Deputy Ministers utterly outargued by a foreign noble youth also angered the Emperor. This concerned the dignity of the state itself. Disgraceful creature! he thought fiercely.

“Qin Li, is it?” Zhao Yuanli’s voice became surprisingly gentle, startling the assembled ministers. Many didn’t even know who Qin Li was. Taking advantage of the moment, they began whispering to each other, trying to find out.

Qin Li walked forward under the weight of countless curious gazes, head held high, stopping about six or seven meters from the towering figure of the Emperor.

Seeing the youth scrutinize him without the slightest fear, Zhao Yuanli couldn’t help but smile faintly. “Indeed, quite impressive.” Then, his expression abruptly changed. His hand slapped audibly onto the table before him. Smack! The ministers engrossed in whispers jolted in surprise, their chatter instantly dying as all eyes snapped back to the throne.

“We hear,” the Emperor’s voice turned cold and steely, “that you have barely been in the Imperial Capital long before causing manifold troubles! You have insulted the descendant of one of our generals, and you have cruelly killed subjects of our realm! Qin Li, though you are a noble of Great Qi, the crimes you have committed upon the soil of Azure Dragon… mean We can certainly punish you under our laws! What… have you to say for yourself?”

A carrot-and-stick approach? Qin Li sneered inwardly. Facing the Emperor squarely, he declared, “Your Majesty, dare I inquire from whom these so-called ‘hearings’ originated?”

“Bold!” This shout came from a man in his thirties, dressed as a general. He leaped forward, pointing at Qin Li. “How dare you doubt His Majesty?! This is the crime of extreme irreverence! Your Majesty, please allow this humble minister to arrest him!”

Qin Li turned his head slowly, offering the man a disarmingly innocent-looking smile. “His Majesty hasn’t finished speaking. What urge makes you leap out now? Is it an eagerness to curry favor? Or… perhaps… you seek to snatch His Majesty’s thunder?”

A collective intake of breath filled the hall.

Unbelievable! This kid is vicious! His skill at twisting words and making accusations is top-notch! many thought.

The general floundered for words, shooting Qin Li a glare of pure hatred before retreating back into the ranks.

Qin Li turned back fully to face Emperor Zhao Yuanli, who was watching the scene with an amused half-smile. Spreading his hands in an expression of profound grief, Qin Li lamented, “Your Majesty! Truly, you ought to reassert discipline in your court! Your people… possess no sense of propriety! What place does this leave for Your Majesty?!”