Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Heir of the Duke of Wuwei
"Governor Chen, everyone hasn't arrived yet, and you're already starting the meeting?"
With a loud voice, the two walked into the side hall, completely oblivious to the stares of everyone around them, as if everyone was supposed to be there waiting for them.
The speaker was a young man, dressed in a magnificent, dazzling long-sleeved formal suit that clashed with the armored warriors around him; Qin Mo even caught a whiff of perfume. The other speaker, slightly older, was dressed in standard imperial military attire, though without the insignia indicating rank.
The man in military uniform saluted Governor Chen and then sat down next to Qin Mo without saying a word. His face was frosty, and although he was polite, everyone could see his hostility towards Chen Xuanji.
"Who is this person below? How dare you speak so frivolously in this military council? Do you think this Central Military Command is some kind of brothel?" Chen Xuanji did not get angry because of the man's frivolous words, but this calm questioning put even more pressure on him. Now everyone could feel his aura rising, and he was no longer the old man on the street corner.
"Wang Renbi, the heir apparent of the Duke of Wuwei, greets Commander Chen." The young man gave an exaggerated military salute to show his identity. He was dressed in the formal attire of a prince but gave a military salute, which looked awkward no matter how you looked at it. A commotion broke out around him, and the originally quiet side hall was filled with buzzing discussions.
Wang Renbi immediately scanned the entire room, making no attempt to conceal the ferocity in his eyes. As his gaze swept across, the buzzing gradually subsided. Qin Mo found this quite strange; just what kind of ruthless person was Wang Renbi to possess such imposing power?
With a loud "crack!", the table in front of Chen Xuanji shattered into pieces on the floor. Its material was clearly hard ironwood, and its imposing aura permeated the entire side hall. In Qin Mo's eyes, the spiritual energy emanating from Chen Xuanji seemed almost tangible, filling the entire space.
Wang Renbi initially stood there smugly, but soon sweat beaded on his forehead, and his legs trembled as he threatened to lose his footing. He gritted his teeth and roared, "Chen Xuanji, are you trying to murder me, the heir apparent? You dare to plot against even a member of the imperial family? Are you trying to rebel?"
The hall was filled with nobles, who were now looking at each other in bewilderment, exchanging glances and asking each other who this Wang Renbi really was. In the end, they silently reached a consensus: this guy was just a piece of trash that the Duke of Wuwei had casually thrown out to the orcs to fill their teeth.
Duke Wuwei hailed from the Wang clan of Longxi, a prominent family in the northwest of the Great Xia Dynasty since ancient times, renowned for producing many talented individuals. The Wang clan of Longxi was a top-tier aristocratic family in the Great Xia. Since Duke Wuwei's eldest daughter married the current emperor and became empress, the family's prestige has been unparalleled.
"Heh... I, Chen Xuanji, have fought dozens of battles for the country, yet today I am accused of treason by you. How laughable! Guards... Drag him out and give him forty lashes." Chen Xuanji laughed instead of getting angry at Wang Renbi's words and immediately ordered his guards to take Wang Renbi down.
"Let's see who dares!" Wang Renbi kept channeling his inner energy, but most of the pressure emanating from Chen Xuanji was pressing down on him. No matter how much he struggled, no light appeared on his body, clearly indicating that his cultivation hadn't reached the Profound Realm. How could he break free from Chen Xuanji's restraints? He was immediately dragged out by a group of guards, screaming in agony moments later. After the beating, the guards dragged him back in and threw him onto a chair.
"Let's begin the meeting now. You must have received your summons to be here today. I wonder if you have all brought your troops?" Chen Xuanji completely disregarded Wang Renbi and began asking questions on his own.
"My sister won't let you get away with this... Chen Xuanji... You're finished... I guarantee you're finished..." Wang Renbi slumped into a chair, glaring fiercely at Chen Xuanji. The military beatings of the Great Xia Dynasty were no joke; they were all made by the imperial family, and regardless of your cultivation level, they were guaranteed to cause excruciating pain.
"Your Highness, I ask you, does the Great Xia royal family belong to the Qin or the Wang family? Does the Great Xia army follow the laws of Great Xia or the rules of your Wang family?" Chen Xuanji resumed his deadpan expression, speaking slowly and deliberately, yet every word was piercing.
“You…” Wang Renbi fell silent, his eyes fixed on Chen Xuanji with the ferocity of a wild beast, like a starving wolf on the verge of death.
"I will ask you one more time: whose troops are not yet in full force? Come out now. I will give you another chance because you are all the cornerstones of the Great Xia Dynasty. But if you wait until the time for being appointed generals and going to war, don't blame me for being ruthless."
The hall was silent; no one answered. Even those with insufficient troops secretly planned to fill the gaps within a few days, so as not to invite trouble.
"Chen Xuanji, what's so difficult about gathering enough troops? As the governor, you only check the numbers and let those 'treacherous' people falsify the numbers. Is this how you fulfill your duty to the Great Xia?" That arrogant voice rang out again. All the nobles were now amazed. This Wang Renbi was truly a tough nut to crack, never giving up for a moment.
"Oh?...Which family is the Prince referring to that is engaging in fraud? If it is verified, I will credit you for reporting it."
"Naturally, it's His Highness Prince Heng of Dayuan... Haha... Most of his subordinates are Japanese dwarfs... They'd be great for entertaining people at the entertainment district, but if they were to fight... it would be a real laughout..." Wang Renbi laughed, his sinister face accompanied by his chilling laughter, making him seem like a venomous snake.
Qin Mo was stunned. What had she done to deserve this? Was she using him as a distraction? Even if she belittled him... could that wash away the shame he had brought upon the Wang family today?
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