"Generals, the Tiger Tallies."
The moment Qian Renxue said that, the expressions of the military officers in the hall turned as ugly as if they had swallowed flies.
Hand them over, or refuse?
Hand them over? These were fucking Tiger Tallies!
They were the tokens for mobilizing troops, symbols of the empire's military authority, sacred national artifacts passed down through generations. If they simply handed them over, how would history record them? Traitors? Cowards?
Refuse? The man in the moon-white robes standing before them was smiling at them.
His smile was exceedingly gentle, but the pressure of a Title Douluo still weighed on everyone's shoulders, not yet fully dispersed.
What did a Title Douluo represent?
They stood at the very peak of the continent. A single finger could grind Soul Emperors and Soul Sages like them into the ground.
"Ahem."
Qian Renxue coughed softly, breaking the deadlock.
She leaned halfway out from the dragon throne, resting her chin on one hand while beckoning the military officers with the other. The gesture was as casual as calling her own servants over to bring her a plate of fruit.
"Generals," she said with a smile, her tone as light as if she were chatting with old friends, "you should hand them over soon."
She tilted her head, gesturing toward Yue Guan with her chin. She lowered her voice, yet it was just loud enough for the entire hall to hear clearly.
"Otherwise, Elder Yue Guan will have to act. He is not as easy to talk to as I am."
She made it sound as though she were considering the generals' welfare. As though she were earnestly persuading them not to bring suffering upon themselves. As though she were on their side, merely forced to seek outside help.
Several civil officials in