Peace Order-Chapter 1649 - 43: Comrades in Arms

The hurried footsteps echoed, and an elderly man with white hair battered the door outside the Prince Qin Mansion. It was quite a while before someone came to open it and welcome him in. It was late spring of the sixteenth year of Divine Revelation; the weather was already gradually heating up.

Qu Hanxiu was still dressed impeccably, his attire thick and solemn, without a single hair out of place.

He asked solemnly, "Where is His Highness Prince Qin?"

The person who came answered, "His Highness has gone hunting with hawks."

Qu Hanxiu’s cheek twitched; ever since the beginning of the year, this Prince Qin had been frequently absent. With only a little over a month left before his birthday, which was also his coming-of-age ceremony, he was still out hunting.

Riding horses! Riding horses!

Qu Hanxiu stormed back, quoting extensively and drawing references from ancient wise kings and saints. Once you fail to restrain your desires and let them control your mind, you will commit all kinds of wrongs. Even a gentleman of saintly caliber can turn into a shameless villain.

In the past, founding rulers indulged in their desires, leading to disaster; wise and heroic rulers of the world suffered disgrace and ruin due to this, so one must be vigilant.

The stubborn and tireless old man wrote a thick stack of papers and submitted them.

Then he stormed back again.

Like a strategy in military tactics, Li Guanyi had begun preparations several months in advance. These people from the Ministry of Rites, the prominent scholars, and literati, well-versed in poetry and books, knew nothing of warfare and were completely accustomed to Li Guanyi’s frequent absences.

Yan Daiqing organized the thick stack of admonitions and sighed.

Using a jug of fine wine as bait, they lured Feng Xiao, one of the Nine Scholarly Palace Sons, onto the hook.

"Anyway, you’ll respond on behalf of the Lord."

Feng Xiao nodded repeatedly. Holding the wine jug, he drank heartily, exclaiming, "Oh? It’s even freshly brewed wine! Hahaha, wonderful, wonderful! Excellent wine, excellent wine!"

Yan Daiqing’s voice was gentle, saying, "The world loves aged wine, but you’re easy to please. Is just one jug of new wine enough for you?"

Feng Xiao laughed heartily: "Those are common folk."

"Common people drink just for the sake of drinking; I drink to savor the flavor of this peaceful world. Within the king’s realm, having wine brewed from new rice signifies that the people had surplus grain this year, enough to make wine."

"Such peaceful customs, the beauty of the human world, that’s what’s truly intoxicating!"

"Excellent wine, excellent wine!"

"I wish to stay drunk in this world, never to awaken again."

Now Feng Xiao stood tall and graceful, no longer the drunken youth of those days. At this moment, he held the wine jug in one hand, drank, and held a brush with the left, writing on the white paper with handwriting indistinguishable from Prince Qin’s.

Lacking only the intense grandmaster’s aura.

Having emptied a jug of wine, he wrote a letter in one flourish.

Yan Daiqing reviewed it; the language was fluent, requiring not a single word of amendment.

Feng Xiao waved his hand lazily and walked away. Though serving as Sacrificial Wine Master at the Heavenly Strategy Mansion, he was also a person of immense talent. Naturally, there were numerous preparations in place to ensure that for two months, outsiders wouldn’t detect Prince Qin’s absence.

As for two months later, that was no longer their concern.

By then, if things succeeded, they succeeded; if not, there was no longer any need to conceal anything. Many matters were already prepared; Prince Qin had already personally entered the game. He still possessed that heroic spirit of a martial world knight, yet far exceeded the demeanor of ordinary knights.

Apart from handling internal politics with Fang Ziqiao and others.

This young gentleman, as gentle as jade, looked at the geographical map, focusing on the specially outlined position of West Intent City in cinnabar. It was the place where visible contradictions and conflicts were most intense, and also the place that drew the attention of the entire world.

A node of a storm, yet at present, it was in a state of extremely dangerous stability.

Knowing that once it erupts, it would undoubtedly transform into a storm sweeping across the world.

But not knowing when it would explode.

Of course, it was also possible that it might not explode at all. In the cooperation and choices of the strategists from various sides, there was a significant possibility, up to ninety-eight percent, that the conflicts of West Intent City would gradually calm down through the passage of time, interests exchanged, and sides divided.

Ultimately becoming a verdict of peace in historical records.

In historical records, what are called peaceful days, many hidden conflicts are resolved in such a manner.

But this time is different.

Prince Qin needed West Intent City to be the beginning of all changes, the first sword to reverse the current situation. The incident of West Intent City was the falling Emperor’s Sword, whereas there, the exchange of interests and negotiations of all sides might calmly play out like in the annals of history.

That was certainly possible, certainly could be.

Only, the premise was the absence of any additional variables.

Yan Daiqing’s expression remained calm, eyes cast down, without the presence of that simple-faced, gentle-spirited young scholar by his side.

There was no more of that spirited, arrogant Purple-eyed Strategist in the Heavenly Strategy Mansion.

The Heavenly Strategy Mansion had only one scribe, Wen Qingyu.

Qilin Army, mastermind, Breaking Army.

In those seven years of Heavenly Strategy Mansion and Qilin Army’s campaign across the world, these two top-notch strategists were extremely active, but after Prince Qin’s disappearance, they too left the Heavenly Strategy Mansion in silence.

Thus, it was almost certain that the changes in West Intent City would happen.

Yan Daiqing exhaled, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, these two strategists, capable of focusing on the broader picture, are with you now. I hope you all play well."

Thinking of others suffering from Wen Qingyu.

The gentle as jade Yan Daiqing couldn’t help but let a smile curl at his lips.

He stood in the corridor, hands tucked into the broad sleeves, eyes gentle as he gazed at the Jiangnan spring scenery, lips curled slightly as he softly said, "Play well."