Seize the Enemy's Head

Jiao Wu's expression darkened. "Marquis of Martial Merit, what do you mean by this?"

The fact that he hadn't burst into curses on the spot was a testament to his good temper.

On his three-hundredth birthday, before all his guests, having his men bind someone and bring him in was more than rude. It was a blatant slap in the face and a direct provocation.

"Please don't be angry, Elder Jiao." Xue Mingyi remained where he was, unhurried. "Why not first see whether this gift of mine is suitable?"

Unchallenged along the way, the four armored soldiers carried the so-called "gift" at shoulder height and marched toward the main table, their footsteps ringing out.

Jiang Wang hadn't expected that attending this birthday banquet to get closer to the Azure Cloud Pavilion would let him witness such a spectacle. The turbulent undercurrents amid Yong Kingdom's great upheaval seemed to be on full display at this feast.

Like all the other guests, he took a curious look. He saw a middle-aged scholar, his hair flecked with frost, bound hand and foot. There were traces of blood on him; clearly, he'd been tortured. Jiang Wang couldn't deduce anything more specific.

The armored soldiers stopped and lowered the middle-aged scholar. He seemed to have been tortured so badly that he couldn't stand, and slid straight down. Two soldiers in the back each reached out a hand and caught him under the arms.

Jiao Wu glanced at the man, then looked back at Xue Mingyi, his gaze utterly unmoved. "I don't know this man. If he's committed a crime, he should be handed over to the authorities. If he's offended you, you can beat him to death on the spot. But why bring him to my birthday banquet?"

Weining meant that peace came through might.