The emperor sat upright on his imperial seat, his cold words ringing throughout the hall.
So much so that the officials held their breath, and the Various Foreign States lowered their eyes.
"Flames of war on the western frontier," Emperor Jing of Zhou repeated slowly.
"Since I ascended the throne, no Foreign Envoys have ever threatened me with those words at an imperial banquet."
Yeli Wangrong remained standing among the tables, his expression unchanged. He merely bowed slightly.
"This humble servant would not dare threaten Your Majesty.
What this humble servant spoke was the truth."
The emperor said nothing. At his table, Qin Yan slowly set down his bamboo chopsticks, lightly wiped the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief, and rose.
"What truth?"
Qin Yan's rising startled all the Various Foreign States, for this man's record in Great Zhou's diplomacy was ferocious beyond compare...
On his mission to Annam, a few words settled the frontier dispute. The king of Annam submitted a memorial of apology and increased his annual tribute by forty elephants.
On his mission to Joseon, his ship had yet to reach shore when the king was already waiting at the landing with all his officials.
On his mission to Tubo, he rode alone into their tent, and the tribes sealed their oaths with blood, not daring to rebel again.
Yet his most formidable feat had been his mission to Khitan.
During the Emperor Shizong Era, Khitan sought revenge and massed a hundred thousand troops in Liaodong, their arrowheads thick as a forest, their blades and armor blotting out the sun.
Qin Yan entered their tent in plain robes. He neither bowed, offered gifts, nor asked for peace. He merely sat facing north and calmly asked:
"Are your ruler's horses fat? Is the grass green? Have