Meeting

Yang Minghua was truly a strikingly handsome man.

His features were upright and dignified, radiating righteousness. Thanks to his profound practice of Ripple Internal Energy, though already past fifty, he looked no more than thirty. He naturally possessed an impressive bearing. His eyes were clear and bright, his gaze full of concern and kindness, and his gentle smile inspired both respect and affection—by all appearances, he was an upright, dependable elder!

Zichuan Xiu smiled, recalling Zichuan Ning's assessment of Yang Minghua: "Yang Minghua is so despicable that—you can't even trust him to look after a toothbrush!"

Yang Minghua merely waved to acknowledge the others, then, beaming, strode straight over to Zichuan Xiu and gave his shoulder a heavy, friendly slap. "Our handsome young man has finally returned!" He looked him over and laughed. "Not bad, not bad. Luo Bo didn't starve you, did he? When did you get back? Why didn't you let me know so I could throw you a welcome banquet?" He was as warm as a father or elder brother.

Zichuan Xiu saluted. "This subordinate only arrived yesterday. I came today to pay my respects, never intending to rashly intrude upon a Commanders' Office meeting. I am deeply ashamed and beg Your Excellency's permission to take my leave first."

"Ah, since you're already here, there's no harm in sitting in and listening!" Yang Minghua said generously. "You're a Deputy Commander now, after all. Joining the Commanders' Office is only a matter of time!"

Before I join the Commanders' Office, you'll send me straight to hell! Zichuan Xiu was not fooled by his warmth. He put on an overwhelmed expression. "Your Excellency honors this subordinate too highly. How could I dare accept such undeserved favor? A commander's post is the highest honor for a Zichuan soldier, the perfect union of the virtues of benevolence, wisdom, and courage. How could someone of humble origins like me dare aspire to such a lofty position?"

"Hahaha!" Yang Minghua grew even more pleased, as though Zichuan Xiu's flattery had hit exactly the right spot. "Come, come, sit down!"

But Zichuan Xiu refused to sit at the table no matter what. He found a chair by the wall, sat down to watch, and said nothing.

The first item on the agenda had been proposed by Commander Ming Hui: how to deal with the border conflicts and friction with the Liufeng Family.

So-called discussion was really just Yang Minghua talking to himself. The other commanders barely voiced any opinions. Commander Ge Yingxing simply closed his eyes to rest—he was ill, so no one could blame him.

The issues that followed were rather trivial. For example, Black Flag Army Commander Fang Jin questioned General Staff Chief Luobo Minghai about overdue soldiers' pay, poor meals, the lack of vegetable supplies, and other problems in the Black Flag Army.

Luobo Minghai merely said blandly, "I have already inquired with the logistics department," then said nothing more, no matter how furiously Fang Jin raged.

Central Army Commander Lei Xun requested that the Central Army be given priority in selecting this year's Far East Military Academy graduates, on the grounds that the Central Army's overall quality was inferior to that of the other forces. Fang Jin and Ming Hui immediately voiced fierce opposition.

Fang Jin shouted, "If the soldiers are poor quality, it's because their commanders are useless!" That was practically the same as calling Lei Xun an idiot to his face.

Ming Hui calmly laid out his reasoning. "The Border Defense Army is on the very front line against the Liufeng Family. There is no reason why outstanding officers should not be assigned there!"

The three argued into a complete mess. In the end, Yang Minghua backed Lei Xun and brought the dispute to an end.

Throughout the entire quarrel, Luobo Minghai did not say a word; Ge Yingxing kept his eyes closed, and no one knew whether he had fallen asleep; Pigu was already asleep—drool was even running from his mouth.

They discussed several more matters afterward. Yang Minghua asked Zichuan Xiu several times, "Does Axu have any opinions? Say something."

Zichuan Xiu always answered solemnly, "President Commander, you have graciously granted this subordinate a seat here, allowing me to witness the bearing of all the commanders and hear your wise counsel. How could I dare use my own vulgar and shallow views to disrupt your lofty vision and far-reaching plans? Absolutely not!"

Zichuan Xiu understood perfectly well: he was in a position where he did not belong. The moment he spoke, whether right or wrong, he would be wrong! Yang Minghua could then pin him down with a charge of "recklessly meddling in military affairs."

Ge Yingxing, whom he had assumed was long asleep, opened his eyes and glanced at Zichuan Xiu. The corner of his mouth lifted in a faint, approving smile.

"I have a question." Once everyone had finished speaking, Ge Yingxing finally spoke in a weak voice.

"During the Hengchuan Battle, Deputy Commander Xiuchuan captured over ten thousand Demon Race soldiers, including Princess Kadan, the third daughter of the Demon God King. We have brought her back to the Imperial Capital. How should she be dealt with? I request the President Commander's decision."

Yang Minghua asked, "How have Demon Race prisoners been handled in the past?"

Ge Yingxing replied, "They are generally sent to the labor camps in Wagra for forced labor. Some useful Elf-monsters, dwarves, and the like can belong to their captors and be sold on the slave market."

"But this girl is different. She is the highest-ranking prisoner of war we have ever captured, and a member of the Demon Race royal family. If we handle her according to the old practice—we may be in serious trouble..."

Ge Yingxing did not spell it out, but everyone understood what "serious trouble" meant: the Great Demon God King, enraged to learn that his beloved daughter had been sold as a slave, leading millions of Demon Race soldiers here like a flood. Just imagining it made their scalps tingle.

Fang Jin said with a straight face, "So are we supposed to obediently hand her back with both hands and say, 'Great Demon God King, there is your daughter. Her body is completely unharmed—even her * is still intact. Please check her over carefully, and don't let her run around next time. There are so many bad people in the world these days. It wouldn't be good if she ran into one!'"

The entire room burst into laughter. Yang Minghua laughed until he was gasping, pointing at Fang Jin. "You... you are the number one hooligan in the Commanders' Office!"

"This matter truly is difficult to handle. Sending her back would damage the Family's prestige and make outsiders think we fear the Demon Race. Keeping her here, however, may bring future trouble..." Border Defense Army Commander Ming Hui lowered his head in thought as well.

Zichuan Xiu felt his head ache. When he had captured Kadan, he had thought it a great achievement. But now... it seemed more like he had brought trouble upon the Commanders' Office.

Yang Minghua asked, "Have you gotten anything out of her? What condition is the girl in?"

Ge Yingxing gave a bitter smile. "She hasn't said a thing—we dared not use torture without special authorization. Every day, she only eats, drinks, and sleeps. She only eats sparrow livers, agave hearts, bird's nest, and such; she only drinks three-hundred-year-old honeydew and rainwater collected at dawn and filtered seventeen times... As for sleeping, that is even more troublesome. We had to catch more than three hundred peacocks, pluck them all bare, and make her a mattress from their feathers. There must not be a sound within fifty meters—if any one of these conditions is not met, she threatens suicide. She has already tried twice—one guard was so frightened that he died of a heart attack."

"Now I don't dare hope for anything else. As long as the Demon God King is willing to take his daughter back—I'd gladly pay him a year's salary out of my own pocket!"

Another round of laughter erupted. Ming Hui said, "Maybe the Great Demon God King deliberately let her be captured because he couldn't stand her either, so he could kick the burden over to us."

Fang Jin said, "We can't just let her go for nothing, can we? How about using her as a hostage to negotiate a ceasefire with the Great Demon God King? Honestly, if our Family wants to dominate the entire Xichuan Continent, our main enemy is the Liufeng Family. Fighting the Demon Race is truly pointless."

Lei Xun said, "Good idea! Why don't you go tell the Great Demon God King, Fang Jin?"

"Damn you! You talk so well, so why don't you go?" Everyone present was among the Zichuan Family's finest, but no matter how brave and boastful Fang Jin and Lei Xun might be, neither dared claim that he would go meet the Great Demon God King, known throughout the age as "Invincible."

"I have a suggestion." Pigu had somehow woken up. Trembling with age, he said, "Why not pick someone from among the Demon Race prisoners and have him deliver a letter to the Demon God King?"

"Excellent idea! Old ginger is the spiciest!" Yang Minghua loudly praised the suggestion, and the others voiced their agreement.

Only Ge Yingxing objected. "I am returning to the Far East tomorrow. Negotiations will take at least half a year with all the back-and-forth. I cannot wait here indefinitely. I think someone else should be assigned to watch over Kadan."

A sense of foreboding rose in Zichuan Xiu...

Sure enough, everyone, including Ge Yingxing, turned their eyes toward him.

I don't want to die young! Zichuan Xiu gritted his teeth in fury and hurriedly declined. "This subordinate believes that would be inappropriate! I have only just returned to the Imperial Capital and do not even have a house of my own. It would be inconvenient for me to carry out this task."

"Aren't you staying at Miss Ning's home now?" Yang Minghua's face was full of kindly smiles. "Let Kadan stay there too. That way, it will not diminish her status as a princess!"

The whole group immediately joined in the teasing. Fang Jin winked at Ming Hui. "What an enviable assignment!"

Ming Hui joined in with a wicked grin. "Isn't it? I hear that girl is quite lovely!" At that moment, he did not look at all like the Family's great general commanding three hundred thousand Border Defense Army troops.

"Ah, why can't a fine assignment like this fall to old Fang?"

"Commander Fang," Zichuan Xiu nearly wanted to bite Fang Jin, "since you like it so much, why don't you take it?"

"I can't! The tigress at home is too fierce!"

Ge Yingxing also smiled. "Axu, since you captured her, you should watch over her—clean up your own mess!" Clearly, he only wanted to get away now and find a scapegoat. He did not care that Zichuan Xiu was one of his own!

Zichuan Xiu shot him a vicious glare. Ge Yingxing pretended not to see it, tucked his head into his padded coat, and resumed his half-dead invalid act.

"Fine, as President Commander, I'll make the decision!" Yang Minghua said with a smile. "You are not permitted to disobey!"

"Your Excellency..." Zichuan Xiu let out a mournful cry, but he did not dare say anything further. The order had been given, and disobeying it was a grave offense.

"Don't steal what you're guarding," Lei Xun said sinisterly, clearly up to no good.

"It wouldn't matter even if he did!" Fang Jin seemed to have forgotten his earlier quarrel with Lei Xun. "Maybe Axu will become the Demon God King's son-in-law, and then we won't have to fight so hard!"

"Yes, yes! For the Family's great cause, Axu, you must work harder!" Ming Hui laughed until he was out of breath.

The entire room let out the uniquely lecherous male chuckle of "heh heh heh heh," making Zichuan Xiu wonder whether this was the Commanders' Office or a private room at Spring Return House on Spring Street...

The door silently opened, and an icy voice came from the entrance. "Zichuan Xiu, are you not dead yet?" The voice carried bone-deep hatred and killing intent...