Even the people of Xiufeng had never seen such a pleasing totem in their own country.

These totems seem to possess a fatal magic that captivates the soul; their radiant beauty under the sunlight is beyond description.

Their faces showed satisfaction, even gratitude, and their hearts were filled with emotion.

It has to be a great nation with a tradition of etiquette, where the details are impeccable, and emotional value and respect are fully provided.

Sigh, as a result, they all felt that they hadn't brought enough gifts.

The foreign delegation walked through the flower carpet and entered the main hall. Only princes, nobles and high-ranking officials were allowed to enter; all other officials withdrew.

Officials from the Court of State Ceremonial and the Ministry of Rites, who were in charge of etiquette, went to a side hall to await orders.

Li Zanran looked on in disbelief.

The welcoming ceremony has been completed, so why is there no reaction from Xiufeng Kingdom?

Given the temperament of Xiufeng Kingdom, this is absolutely impossible.

This is tantamount to slapping them in the face; how can they tolerate that?

He wanted to double-check the totems on the flags and carpets. As the officials left, he pretended to have accidentally twisted his ankle and rubbed it for a while.

Once a spot became available, he stood up and looked toward the flower carpet.

His gaze fell on the flag, his eyes widened, and he quickly took a few steps forward.

Even from a great distance, he could still see that the changing colors on the flag were clearly the Xuanhuo (mysterious fire).

What's going on? He clearly checked it yesterday; it was black fire, obviously black fire.

He then looked down at the floral carpet below, where a dazzling brilliance shone through the darkness, catching his eye.

Such a mysterious fire pattern appears understated yet high-class. Regardless of whether the Xiufeng Kingdom will retaliate, they will certainly be very grateful to the Daze Kingdom.

His plan had come to nothing, and Li Zanran was burning with anger. He felt a metallic taste in his throat, his body shuddered, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

If he hadn't struggled to stay upright, he would have collapsed.

Why, why did it turn out this way? With such a meticulous plan, who could have predicted that he would be outmaneuvered and the other side would win without a word?

“Lord Li, you have lost your composure.” A senior eunuch stood before him, his face full of displeasure.

"The adults have either retreated or are waiting for orders, but Lord Li is still here. If the foreign guests see this, who knows what they will think?"

Li Zanran looked around. The square was empty except for him and the eunuchs and maids hurrying by.

He glanced at the flag again; although it appeared black at first glance, he found it so glaring.

"I'm sorry, I'll go and wait for orders right away."

Li Zanran stepped up the stairs, feeling as if he were carrying a thousand pounds. He was in a daze, absent-minded. He entered the side hall, but did not see the threshold clearly and tripped and fell inside.

The officials inside frowned, showing their disdain. It was one thing for Li Zanran to be fat and ruddy-faced all the time, but on such an important day, he was so unreserved.

Fortunately, no one in the main hall saw it; otherwise, the emperor's expression would have been quite something.

Mu Xinghe looked over, his face quite relaxed.

“Lord Li, please be careful. The Emperor might summon us at any time. If something goes wrong with you, I'm afraid you won’t be able to explain it to the Emperor.”

Mu Xinghe's tone seemed concerned, but it made Li Zanran feel very uncomfortable.