"Insolence!"
With the two men barring his way, Cui Lin's expression immediately chilled. He stared at them and snapped, "I am an emissary of the Son of Heaven, here to deliver an Imperial Edict. Who do you think you are, daring to obstruct me?"
"Get out of my way!"
Faced with Cui Lin's overbearing arrogance, Zhou Tai and Xu Sheng flew into a rage and were about to draw their sabers, but Sun Quan shouted to stop them.
"Stand down, both of you!"
At his command, Zhou Tai and Xu Sheng could only glare bitterly at Cui Lin before reluctantly withdrawing.
Cui Lin snorted and strode up to Sun Quan. Taking the Imperial Edict from the brocade box held by the eunuch behind him, he said expressionlessly, "Blue-Eyed Thief, the Imperial Edict is before you. Why haven't you knelt to receive it?"
That single sentence enraged every general present.
Even Sun Quan's face instantly darkened. Calling him the Blue-Eyed Thief to his face left him no dignity whatsoever!
Seeing Sun Quan remain seated without responding, Cui Lin grew even more displeased and said irritably, "A rebel is a rebel. You have no understanding of propriety!"
"Never mind. The Imperial Edict has been delivered, and my mission is complete."
With that, he placed the Imperial Edict on the table before Sun Quan, swept his gaze over the men glaring at him, then snorted and strode away.
Watching Cui Lin's retreating back, killing intent rose and fell in Sun Quan's eyes, but he ultimately suppressed it.
Killing an Imperial Envoy without authorization was an extremely grave crime.
He had raised his banner in the name of campaigning against Lü Bu, and this emissary had come representing the Son of Heaven. He was not someone Sun Quan could touch.
Under the generals' murderous