Twenty-eight years ago...

Long ago, war raged and the people suffered greatly. To prevent such a thing from happening again, the four countries signed a treaty to live in peace. This not only protected their own countries but also promoted their development.

After all, as the leader of the four countries, Yue Kingdom is the most powerful country in terms of both economy and agriculture, while the other three countries are destined to be swallowed up sooner or later.

Except when Yue Xiyuan was sixteen, the country was beset by internal and external troubles. Some people harbored evil intentions and wanted to expand the western border of Yue Kingdom in order to achieve their goal of rebellion. Unfortunately, Yue Xiyuan thwarted them one by one.

Despite some conflicts, large and small, over the years, the four countries have remained relatively peaceful.

Thus, the four countries agreed to hold the event every four years, taking turns hosting it. Twenty-eight years ago, it happened to be the Moon Kingdom's turn.

That year, all countries sent envoys who were proficient in both literature and military strategy, hoping to showcase their skills in this hunting competition and bring fame to their countries.

Among them were also some civil officials, whose purposes differed from those of the military officials. The prosperity of the Yue Kingdom was evident to all, and their purpose in coming was to learn the art of governance and apply it to their own countries so that they could become as powerful as the Yue Kingdom.

They just didn't expect that the strength of the Moon Kingdom was due to the advantages of favorable timing and location, but even more so because it was led by exceptional individuals like Yue Yufeng and Yue Xiyuan.

Envoys from various countries arrived in the Moon Kingdom and were all accommodated in the state guesthouse.

At that time, Yuelaike was not called Yuelaike; it was a state guesthouse built by the late emperor specifically to receive envoys.

Amber wine, jade cups, golden goblets, jade plates, the gentle strains of a zither, and the tinkling of bells. The pristine white lobby reflects the clear, tear-like shimmer of crystal beads, ethereal and dreamlike, a picturesque scene beyond the clouds, blurring the lines between reality and illusion.

Outside the window, a crescent moon glides across the exquisite corner tower, casting a hazy, yellowish light over the high walls, making the entire mansion appear mysterious and quiet.

"Your Highnesses and Envoys, you have had a long journey today. I have prepared a small feast to express my gratitude. Please rest early, Your Excellencies. I will now return to the palace to report back."

This person was Wang Runchao, the Vice Minister of Rites, who would become the Minister of Rites twenty-eight years later.

"I am sorry to have bothered you today. I am grateful for your help, Minister Wang. I hope you will convey my thanks to the Moon Emperor on my behalf."

This man has a straight nose and his lips are tightly pressed into a line, which makes him look more determined and stubborn. His face has distinct lines, making him look tough and handsome, with a sculpted sharpness.

He wore a light blue robe with plum blossoms embroidered on the sleeves, giving it a cool and aloof feel. He was tall and slender, with a faint smile on his face.

He was Yan Shaoheng, the second prince of the Yan Kingdom.

"The Second Prince is absolutely right. Thank you, Vice Minister Wang. Please also convey our greetings to the Moon Emperor on our behalf."

"No, no, it is my duty to receive you all. There is no need to mention the hardship. I will certainly report the Second Prince and everyone's kindness to the Emperor. Please rest early. I will take my leave."

"Second Prince..." The Crown Prince of Feng Kingdom wanted to curry favor with Yan Shaoheng. This was something his father had specifically instructed him to do before he came: to be on good terms with other countries and not to act arbitrarily.

Feng Kingdom is the westernmost of the four kingdoms, with a unique exotic atmosphere. The men are tall and the women are alluring. However, half of its territory is barren, where even the vegetation is wild and cannot be cultivated. Therefore, Feng Kingdom is the weakest of the four kingdoms.

As soon as Wang Runchao left, Yan Shaoheng turned around and went back to his room, ignoring the Crown Prince of Fengguo who wanted to greet him.

At that time, Yan Shaoheng was young and arrogant, and he did not take the other two countries seriously at all. In his eyes, if Wang Runchao were not a Yue Kingdom person, he would not even be worthy of carrying his shoes.

“Your Highness, the Second Prince of Yan is extremely rude. You are the Crown Prince of a country, and you have condescended to show him goodwill, yet he completely ignores you. This is outrageous.”

The attendant standing nearby, seeing Yan Shaoheng's cold treatment of his master, turned as black as the bottom of a pot, so angry that his teeth itched and his nostrils were practically steaming.

"It's alright, your master isn't angry yet, why are you getting angry?"

The Crown Prince of Fengguo was tall and handsome, with a refined and elegant demeanor. His fair face was adorned with delicate features, and a faint smile played on his lips, revealing two rows of white teeth. When he spoke, his voice was clear and melodious, and when he spoke eloquently, he could not hide his wealth of knowledge, which made him appear intelligent and erudite.

This crown prince of the fiefdom later became the emperor of the fiefdom.

“Your Highness, I know you are kind-hearted and benevolent, but you cannot let others bully you. I couldn’t bear to watch the way the Second Prince of Yan behaved just now.”

The crown prince of the fiefdom gently patted his attendant's shoulder, "Let's go back to our rooms."

Perhaps it's just their nature, or perhaps it's due to circumstances. After all, as the weakest of the four countries, it's normal to be looked down upon by the other countries.

When Yan Shaoheng returned to his room, he saw ingredients on the table that were not available in his country. The craftsmanship of the decorations on the table was comparable to that of their imperial palace. Even the fabric of the quilt on the bed was a gift from his father, the emperor, when he was in a good mood.

"Cheng Ying, tell me, if I were the prince of this Moon Kingdom, wouldn't everything here belong to me?"

Cheng Ying was at a loss for words when asked the question. She was an assassin trained by Yan Shaoheng since childhood and was only ten years old. If it weren't for the fact that she was required to accompany Yan Shaoheng on his mission to the Yue Kingdom, she would never have met Yan Shaoheng before, let alone understood the meaning behind his words.

Cheng Ying immediately knelt on the ground, "This subordinate does not know. This subordinate only knows that Master is the most outstanding prince, whether in Yan or other countries."

Perhaps it was this excellent sentence that satisfied Yan Shaoheng, who did not blame Cheng Ying, and said, "Get up."

"Cheng Ying? If I remember correctly, your name is Cheng Ying, right?"

"Yes, Master."

"Hmm, how many years have you been following me?"

"Reporting to my master, it has been three years and four months."

"It's been quite a while, so from now on you'll follow me."

"Yes, thank you, Master."

Although following Yan Shaoheng also meant facing life-or-death situations and endangering one's own life, at least one didn't have to harm one's own kind or kill one another, which was a kind of consolation.

Seeing that her master's expression had not yet softened, Cheng Ying immediately understood what it meant. She immediately picked up the tasting chopsticks, added a little of each dish to her bowl, tasted them one by one, and only put down her chopsticks after confirming that there were no problems.

"Be careful next time." Yan Shaoheng was eating, and Cheng Ying couldn't see his expression, only that the atmosphere around him was unusually cold.

Cheng Ying naturally knew what her master meant; she had already made a mistake once and couldn't afford to repeat it.

Cheng Ying silently remembered that only by becoming stronger could she live longer by her master's side.