Chapter 142: The Corpse at the Banquet

In the backyard, Master Hua, his upper body bare, danced with a sword in the cold wind. With a single strike, he cleaved a rockery in two.

As the structure collapsed with a thunderous roar, Hua Rong’s applause rang out. "Father is mighty! That was truly magnificent!"

Startled by the praise, Master Hua turned around, surprised to find it was his beloved daughter, whom he had been missing dearly.

"Oh? Is that you, Rong'er? How did you come to be back?"

Master Hua hurriedly donned his clothes. Having spent the entire morning in rigorous practice, he was oblivious to the happenings outside, and this surprise felt all the more sudden.

Hua Rong, at a loss for how to explain, offered a vague evasion: "I simply missed you, Father. Am I not allowed to come back for a visit? Could it be that you aren't welcoming?"

"Not at all, not at all! It is just that this surprise came so suddenly, and it perfectly eases the longing I have felt for my daughter."

Master Hua laughed heartily, his booming voice echoing through the sky. He looked nothing like a man suffering from illness, which set Hua Rong's mind at ease. Despite her own memory loss, she found the dynamics of her family life deeply comforting.

The two sat by the pavilion, and Hua Rong wiped the sweat from her father’s brow. She asked with some confusion, "Father, you are a civil official. Why do you spend your days practicing such martial arts?"

She worried that he might hurt himself, or worse, suffer an injury to his back.

Master Hua, however, wiped his brow with a white cloth, his eyes filled with yearning. "I was a scholar by trade, it is true, but later, I was framed by treacherous men and reduced to what you see today."

He had once been filled with a burning desire to serve his country, to fight on the battlefield and protect his home, but now he could only be a man of timid compliance. Thinking of this, tears of bitterness welled up. Uncertain of what more to say, he suddenly changed the subject. "By the way, how have you been faring in the palace? How does the Emperor treat you?"

"Naturally, he treats me well. He is attentive and caring, or how else would your daughter have been able to leave the palace to see you?"

This was the truth; few women in the imperial harem could so easily request to leave. Only Hua Rong held such exceptional privilege.

She shook the token in her hand. "This is the privilege the Emperor has granted me. You needn't worry; no one dares to bully your daughter!"

Her smug little expression made Master Hua chuckle, and he couldn't help but flick her nose. "You little thing. I was so worried about you, but seeing you so favored, I am relieved. It is just... your sister. I have failed you both."

When it came to Hua Yue, Master Hua sighed, clearly reluctant to speak of her. Hua Rong did not know the full reasons behind this, so she probed cautiously: "Father, why did you send my sister into the palace? I have heard she already had a suitor. Would that not be inappropriate?"

Looking at her broad-minded father, he did not seem the type to sacrifice his daughter as a political tool for power, yet the situation invited such speculation.

Master Hua sighed deeply. "Your sister... her heart is complex. Even I cannot fathom it. You must simply get along well with her in the future. You two sisters must support one another."

It was not that Master Hua had forced Hua Yue into the palace; it was Hua Yue’s own persistence that left him no choice.

After they finished their lunch, Hua Rong did not linger, fearing it might invite gossip. She returned to the palace to report back to Hua Yue.

Two days later, envoys from the Fan Kingdom arrived. The Emperor held a grand banquet to demonstrate the friendship between the two nations, but the envoy from the Fan Kingdom seemed far from friendly.

"The Emperor has arranged this quite magnificently, but one wonders if this is a banquet of ill intent!"

The envoy’s opening remark dragged the atmosphere to freezing point. Everyone’s gaze fell upon Jun Yeli, fearing his wrath.

One official quickly attempted to smooth things over: "Your Majesty, the envoy meant no harm. Perhaps he feels we are being too enthusiastic and was merely making a joke."

Jun Yeli was not a petty man; for the sake of peace, he chose to endure. He forced a smile and said, "You have traveled a long way through dust and wind, and it is no small feat. This banquet is held to celebrate our alliance; please, do not stand on ceremony."

He raised his glass to show sincerity, but his gesture was met with disdain.

"The Emperor drinks with ease and speaks fine words, but your actions are truly chilling!"

With a sharp slam of his hand against the table, the entire room was stunned. Everyone stared at the envoy in confusion.

Jun Yechen lifted his gaze to look at him, his lips curled in a cold, indifferent smile. "Envoy, while guests are to be treated with respect, your behavior is overly rude. Do you truly hold us in such low regard?"

His light, airy voice pierced everyone’s heart. Jun Yeli was puzzled; the envoy’s aggressive hostility seemed out of place.

"I wonder if there has been some misunderstanding that has led the envoy to use such harsh words? Perhaps you might clarify, so as to avoid unnecessary conflict and preserve the harmony between our two nations."

"Heh, a misunderstanding?"

Without another word, the envoy clapped his hands. "Bring him in! Let the Emperor see exactly how you treat your guests!"

At his command, four men carried a corpse into the banquet hall. To present a dead body before such a fine feast was a grave insult. Even the temperate Jun Yeli furrowed his brows, suppressing his rising anger. "What is the meaning of this? I have welcomed you with such hospitality, and you bring a corpse to my banquet? Is this not going too far?"

"Your Majesty, do not be angry yet. Take a look at who this corpse is!"

The envoy stood up and pulled back the white cloth. A bloodied corpse was exposed to the crowd, with a deep, clear gash across its abdomen. The blood had dried, but it had soaked through half the garment, as if the body had been drenched in a vat of gore.

Those who witnessed the sight nearly vomited their meal. Everyone looked back and forth, their minds filled with growing panic.

"What is going on here!"