Those incapable of sniffing out political developments are not fit to be political animals.
All the officials could sense an unusual aura about this day. Notably, the representatives from the major gatekeeping clans in the capital, and even some clan heads who did not normally need to attend court, had also come.
This was a storm that had been brewing for a long time, and today, it would be fully unleashed!
The course of the Yan Kingdom for the next twenty years would be set today.
The appointment of both a Northern and Southern King appeared unavoidable, as the great clans were clearly preparing to force the Emperor’s hand.
Some were puzzled as to why Tian Bokai, head of the Tian Family, was absent. Others, however, found it perfectly logical. The Tian Family was to be elevated to royal status today; it was only natural for Tian Bokai to avoid the spotlight and celebrate discreetly at home.
Indeed, countless heads of the great clans must have envied Tian Bokai’s good fortune at that moment!
The palace gates were flung open, and the officials began to enter.
Upon entering the palace gates, the officials immediately noticed that the number of palace guards seemed far greater than usual. More observant individuals also realized that these guards looked unfamiliar.
However, no one paid much heed. They assumed the Yan Emperor was merely trying to intimidate them, but that was the extent of it.
Yet, just as the officials and representatives of the great clans were approaching Clearwater Bridge, still some distance from the main hall where court was held, the ground within the palace suddenly began to tremble.
That was the officials’ first reaction, but they quickly dismissed the idea. As the sound drew nearer, its rhythmic pulsing intensified.
There was more than one entrance to the palace. This particular location was not far from the Imperial Study, and beyond the study lay another imperial garden.
The imperial garden was merely a place for the Emperor to stroll after attending to state affairs. The garden further back, an auxiliary part of the palace, was where the Emperor and his concubines often played hide-and-seek.
The Earl of North Border produced a black token. Qingshuang bowed, accepted it, and then, token in hand, immediately headed towards the rear section of the palace.
Zheng Fan hesitated for a moment, glancing at Lord Jingnan who stood before him.
This... Should I copy Qingshuang’s actions? But we haven’t rehearsed this; I don’t know anything! If I’m not supposed to, and I go up to ask for a token, wouldn’t I look like a complete idiot in front of the Earl of North Border? But if Lord Jingnan *has* prepared one and I don’t go ask for it, making him turn around to hand it to me, that would ruin his always composed image. That seems like an even bigger problem. This is so awkward...
Taking a deep breath, Zheng Fan still walked to Lord Jingnan’s side, bowed, and extended both his hands.
Soon, a cool weight settled into Zheng Fan’s palm. It was a silver token, far heavier than the one the Emperor had shown him for the Third Prince’s excursion to the lakeside pavilion.
Phew... We have a token too.
Zheng Fan immediately quickened his pace, token in hand, to catch up with Qingshuang ahead.
I have to follow her; I don’t know the way!
Zheng Fan kept Qingshuang in sight, following her to a city gate.
In essence, while the officials entered through the South Gate, this was the North Gate of the palace, leading directly to a garden.
But at this moment, thousands of cavalry lay hidden within that garden!
They were divided into two columns, utterly silent. Yet, when their eyes occasionally met, sparks seemed to fly through the air.
Soldiers, of course, possessed a soldier’s pride.
The North Border Army considered themselves the most elite troops in the world, but the Jingnan Army didn’t believe they were any inferior. They simply hadn’t yet had the chance to prove it.
At the head of the formation, three commanders sat astride their horses on both the eastern and western flanks.
Qingshuang stepped forward and presented the Earl of North Border’s token, announcing, "By the Lord’s command, North Border Army, enter the palace!"
Well, someone else went first. I just need to copy them. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝔫𝔢𝔱
Zheng Fan also took out the token Lord Jingnan had given him and declared, "By the Lord’s command, enter the palace!"
Zheng Fan felt a pang of regret. If he’d known this was coming, he would have prepared some rhyming slogans for them beforehand.
Men from both armies brought forth warhorses for Qingshuang and Zheng Fan.
After they mounted their horses, Qingshuang urged her horse forward, and the soldiers of the North Border Army matched her pace, advancing behind her.
Zheng Fan raised his horsewhip.
The image of Lord Jingnan’s actions in front of the Roast Duck Shop the previous day flashed through his mind.
He pulled the reins, and his warhorse reared its front hooves.
Ah, what the heck. I’ll just emulate Lord Jingnan for now.
Qingshuang glanced at Zheng Fan, wondering what on earth this fellow—whom her Lord had seemed to favor from the moment they met today—was up to.
Then, Zheng Fan brought his whip down hard.
His warhorse shot forward like an arrow, the Jingnan Army cavalry thundering close behind, and in an instant, they surged past the North Border Army.
Qingshuang was left speechless.
Anyone who has served in the military knows that when two units are vying for dominance, neither is willing to back down.
Instantly, the North Border Army cavalry also accelerated. The two forces raced, each trying to outpace the other, until finally, they abandoned all restraint and broke into a full, thundering charge!
The overwhelming, earth-shaking momentum stunned everyone in the palace.
At this moment, Ji Runhao, in his dragon robes and accompanied by Wei Zhonghe, had already positioned himself between Lord Jingnan and the Earl of North Border.
Then, as they watched the spectacle of several thousand iron cavalry charging towards them, the corners of both the Earl of North Border’s and Lord Jingnan’s mouths twitched involuntarily.
Ji Runhao, however, was not angry in the slightest, nor did he feel that the dignity of his palace had been violated. This was the exact momentum, the exact spectacle he desired!
Today’s Yan Emperor was exhilarated; he had been suppressed for far, far too long!
The scene that followed would be seared into the minds of the officials for the rest of their lives—though for many of them, "the rest of their lives" meant only today.
Under the morning sun, Ji Runhao, clad in his dragon robes and wielding the Sword of the Son of Heaven, walked at the very front.
Flanking him slightly behind, the two most powerful and highest-ranking Lords in Yan followed with steady steps.
Behind these three, two torrents of iron cavalry rolled forward.
Today, the Yan Emperor, accompanied by Yan’s two strongest armies, declared war on the great clans of Yan!
Zheng Fan, amidst the cavalry formation, gazed at the backs of the three men ahead. A sudden, extremely intense feeling of oppression rose in his heart, as if a black iron curtain had descended, completely enveloping him.
Am I destined to live out my life as a docile subject beneath the shadow of these three towering mountains?
But in the next instant, Zheng Fan gritted his teeth. A sudden thought of his people’s ancestors from another era flashed through his mind, and much of the gloom and oppression in his heart was swept away.
Over the deafening thunder of hooves, he roared:
"A true man should be !"