"The Son of Heaven of Great Qi lets you stand upright; there is no need for you to bend at the waist before me."
The Son of Heaven of Mu smiled faintly. "Welcome to the grasslands as a guest. Whatever you need, feel free to tell Minhe Temple."
Then he rose from his seat and departed.
The Son of Heaven of Mu had laid out the terms plainly.
Jiang Wang had also made himself clear.
It had only been an idle move of leisure to begin with; there truly was no need for further entanglement.
Helian Yunyun rose as well, walking beside the Son of Heaven of Mu. Today, she wore only a simple white dress, her face unadorned. Yet she was noble and grand, beautiful beyond approach. From beginning to end, she had not spoken a word.
With a great rustle, a whole crowd of grassland nobles rose to follow, attendants trailing behind them.
Still bent at the waist and not yet straightened, Jiang Wang first replied in a muffled voice, "Thank you for Your Majesty's favor. The lords of Minhe Temple have been most considerate, but there's no need to trouble them further. Princess Yunyun and I have been friends for many years. This time, she has been an exceedingly thoughtful host to me on the grasslands!"
The Son of Heaven of Mu neither affirmed nor denied it.
Helian Yunyun glanced at this "friend of many years," Brother Jiang, and finally said, "You're too polite."
The procession departed in such a grand sweep that the arena stands were emptied at once.
Zhao Rucheng sat alone in the stands, amid a profusion of flowers. That breathtakingly beautiful face of his was especially conspicuous. But his expression was gloomy, like a flower just in bloom, shattered by a sudden storm.