Next...
If Zhao Lie uttered so much as another half a word, he would immediately activate the [Thunder Pearl], sweep through the Imperial City, kill everyone who deserved to die, then escape using "As Though the Emperor Walked in Person."
Zhang Yuan pondered silently.
After Zhang Yuan made his new demand, Zhao Lian's expression froze. She could not help turning to look at her Imperial Father, Zhao Lie, and Grand Libationers Ruan and Qi.
Zhao Lie's face remained grim, and he still showed no intention of speaking. Anyone who did not know better might have thought he had died of rage.
"Third Princess, the survival of the entire Roselight Capital rests on your shoulders. Please endure this indignity for a while," Grand Libationer Ruan said through a voice transmission.
Zhao Lian's expression turned utterly ghastly. She had indeed used Zhang Yuan to provoke Wei Liu before, but those had all been jokes, without a trace of genuine feeling. She had never imagined actually throwing herself into the bargain.
But now...
Zhao Lian glanced at Zhang Yuan, whose ferocity was now laid bare. She knew that no matter what she said now, he would never listen. Saying too much might even have the opposite effect. With immense difficulty, she could only nod.
"I agree..."
Zhao Lian practically forced the words through clenched teeth, but everyone present still made out what she said.
"Third Princess, you must not!"
"Indeed! The Bright Dawn Kingdom has never had such a precedent!"
"A disgrace! What an enormous disgrace!"
"The imperial family must not be humiliated! In this subject's opinion, we should simply fight him to the death!"
Hearing Zhao Lian agree, the civil and military officials seated at the banquet breathed sighs of relief inwardly. Outwardly, they wept bitter tears and offered words of remonstrance,