Chapter 414 Surrender
In the end, Wei Qingqing, a palace maid of Beichen Palace, became a concubine of the late emperor's seventh son. Only if she could give birth to the eldest son or daughter could she be promoted to a secondary consort.
The news caused only a minor ripple in the palace, as everyone's attention was focused on General Xiahou, who had won a great victory and was about to return to the capital.
After years of fierce fighting with the State of Yue, in the spring of the fourth year of Yongning, the State of Yue finally surrendered and agreed to become a vassal state of the State of Qi, paying tribute every year in order to live in peace.
Two years ago, Xiahou Zhong was wounded in the arm on the battlefield. The emperor granted him special permission to return to the capital to recuperate. The front line was then handed over to Xiahou Yin and several young talents. Originally, the people did not have high hopes, but unexpectedly, in the following two years, the Qi army defeated the Yue Kingdom one after another, and the Yue Kingdom abandoned its cities and fled several times.
If it weren't for concerns about the casualties among his soldiers, Xiahou Yin could have led his army to raze the entire Yue capital to the ground.
Xiahou Yin should have returned with his troops a month ago.
However, because the King of Yue, Xuanyuan Shun, took the initiative to request an audience, the correspondence between the two sides was delayed, which is why it took so long.
Early autumn, Zhuque Avenue.
The people lined the road and cheered, their shouts and laughter rising into the sky. Surrounded by them, Xiahou Yin waved to the surroundings with composure, occasionally turning his head to glance at the sedan chair behind him.
Inside the sedan chair was the main spoils of war—no, the main person escorting them: Xuanyuan Shun.
Xuanyuan Shun was not well regarded in either the Qi or Yue states.
He was not a member of the Yue royal family, but he seized the throne of Yue by assassinating Xuanyuan Ze and colluding with the Yue aristocratic families. He even shamelessly changed his name to Xuanyuan Shun.
Such acts of usurping the country are utterly despicable.
Later, they deliberately distorted Qi's demands and massacred all the Wu tribe members, indirectly forcing the two countries to go to war.
The people weren't fools. They were cheering for General Xiahou, but when they saw him riding in the carriage of the King of Yue, they would have thrown rotten vegetables and eggs at him if the guards hadn't been there to stop them.
Inside the carriage, Xuanyuan Shun, dressed in the imperial robes of the ancient kingdom, was resting with his eyes closed. He had grown up in the capital of Qi since childhood, and he could tell which street he was on just by feeling the vibrations of the carriage shaft beneath him and the sounds of the people around him.
His hands, resting on his lap, tapped unconsciously to the beat, and a soft humming sound escaped his throat.
"Your Majesty, what did you say?" asked a palace servant kneeling beside him.
Xuanyuan Shun did not open his eyes, and continued to hum a folk tune from the State of Qi.
When did he begin to tire of this life of being a king and emperor?
He thought that killing his brother would solve all his confusion. Whether it was the witch clan or the aristocratic families, they were all just tools to be used. They surrounded him and pushed him into this seemingly glorious position so that he could be a dutiful puppet for them.
From the very beginning, what he wanted was very simple.
Survive, eat your fill, become a top assassin in the Heavenly Secrets Tower, and later, another goal was added: win the favor of the girl you love.
But the harder he tried, the more futile it became.
Some things seem to have been arranged by fate, so he won't force it. What nonsense about the common people? He just wants to return to the long-gone Tianji Tower and be a killer who lives for the moment.
"Your Majesty, we have arrived," a palace attendant from Yue said tremulously, reminding the increasingly unreliable king.
Xuanyuan Shun then opened his eyes. His skin had regained its fair and delicate appearance after many years of not traveling outside. His lips were red and his teeth were white. If he were to take off his bulky fine clothes, he would look no different from any other young man walking in the capital of Qi.
"Let's go, let's go." He got up, pulled back the carriage curtain, and jumped down from the carriage.
All eyes were on him, but he seemed not to hear them, and swaggered toward the beautiful couple standing side by side in front of him.
That was the emperor and empress of Qi, and also the people he was paying homage to this time.
"King Xuanyuan Shun of Yue, perform the kneeling ceremony—" the official in charge of ceremonies from Qi called out. Xuanyuan Shun seemed not to hear and continued to stride towards the direction where the two people were. To be precise, that direction was towards the Queen of Qi, Qi Yuxuan.
"King Xuanyuan Shun of Yue, perform the kneeling ceremony—" Xiahou Yin shouted in a low voice. Seeing that Xuanyuan Shun did not stop, the Qilin Guards surrounding him also noticed something was wrong and immediately surrounded him, drawing their weapons to stop him from continuing forward.
"Don't be so nervous. I just want to get closer. My eyesight isn't good, so I can't see clearly." Xuan Yuanshun shrugged nonchalantly, his tone relaxed. He sounded more like a long-lost friend than a prisoner of war paying homage.
At this moment, those present suddenly remembered that the King of Yue's eyes had been injured by a witch doctor a few years ago, and he could no longer see anything that was too far away.
"Let him come over." The Emperor of Qi spoke calmly, and all the Qilin Guards, who had been on high alert and tense, dispersed, watching with wary expressions as Xuan Yuanshun walked up step by step.
Under the watchful eyes of all the Qi court officials, Xuanyuan Shun stood before the Emperor and Empress. He slowly lifted the hem of his robe with both hands, but instead of kneeling on both knees, he knelt on one knee, placed his hand on his knee, and looked up at the Empress.
He said softly, "Master, we meet again."
In such an eerie scene, everyone held their breath.
At this moment, they no longer cared about respect or anything like that. Pairs of curious eyes looked back and forth between the Emperor, Empress, and the King of Yue, trying to find out why the King of Yue had said those words.
Qi Jun lowered his brows, his aura instantly becoming more imposing. His eyes flashed dangerously as he stared at the seemingly humble Yue king before him, his back teeth clenching.
“Master?” he repeated the word.
Before Qi Yuxuan could speak, Xuanyuan Shun looked at him, revealing a gentle yet surprised smile: "Your Majesty of Qi doesn't know? I used to be my master's loyal bodyguard, always protecting him closely, never leaving his side..."
Phrases like "close protection on both sides" and "never leaving one's side" are nothing short of blatant provocation.
Xuanyuan Shun, seemingly unaware of what others might think if they overheard him, continued, "Oh yes, it's normal that His Majesty of Qi doesn't know, but I am quite familiar with you..."
"Ren Shun!" Qi Yuxuan called out in a low voice. She raised her hand, pinched her brow, and raised her voice: "Your Majesty of Yue, things are not what they used to be. You should get up quickly."
In front of so many people, he actually knelt on one knee in front of her and called her "Master." She felt something was wrong and thought that Xuan Yuanshun was deliberately provoking trouble.
Xuanyuan Shun stared at her, softly said "okay," and then slowly stood up.
Qi Jun's lips were pressed tightly together, and his dark, jade-like pupils were fixed on the man in front of him. If Qi Yuxuan hadn't squeezed his fingers just now, he was afraid that he would have disregarded everything and directly ordered Xuan Yuanshun to be strangled on the spot.
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