Soon after, the carriage arrived outside the imperial city.
According to the palace's schedule, Emperor of Yan would first hold a banquet at the Diligent Governance Tower) for all officials to offer their birthday wishes.
After the banquet, he would perform some exciting shows, and then he would fight to the bitter end.
It was just past noon, and on the bluestone-paved streets outside the imperial city, carriages and horses of officials were parked. In the distance, one could see many people entering Jian'an Gate, while their entourages remained outside the imperial city.
Ye Xingge alighted from the carriage and looked around. He could see that the Diligent Governance Tower was built on the palace wall in the southwest of the imperial city, with the streets of Yong Capital right outside. The birthday banquet was being held inside.
Standing on the upper floor, the emperor could see the streets and the people, demonstrating that the emperor shared joy with the people.
Ordinary people could gather in designated blocks to observe from a distance, and from the top floors of tall buildings like the Myriad Phenomena Tower, they could vaguely glimpse the inner plaza, but the distance was very far, and the city walls were under strict guard by imperial guards, so ordinary people could not get even an arrow's length away.
Ye Xingge glanced at the heavily armed Imperial Guards in the distance, thinking that not even a fly could get past them, let alone an assassin. With that thought in mind, he and Chen Xiaobao headed towards Jian'an Gate.
Looking at the endless white stone walkways and palace complex inside the palace gates, Chen Xiaobao thought for a moment and asked:
"Is Lord Ye wondering how long it will take to walk from the palace gate to the Linde Hall?"
"Um?"
Ye Xingge looked up at the tallest hall in the center of the imperial city and replied:
Thirty years?
"Uh... it won't take that long, about fifteen minutes..."
"Well..."
at the same time.
Below the corner tower on the west side of the Diligent Governance Tower.
Zhang Zhiqing, dressed in a scholar's robe, stood behind the battlements, gazing at the two figures entering the palace gate.
Old Master Yan and Zhang Zhiqing were about the same age, but due to the huge difference in their skills, Master Yan looked more like Zhang Zhiqing's father.
At this moment, Old Master Yan's demeanor also had the air of a father disciplining his son:
"You old scoundrel, what kind of people did Cao Xiong arrange? Do you really think this kid is possessed by an old demon? He's finally built up some reputation, with all the officials watching, and this kid goes up and gets knocked down in three punches. His reputation is completely ruined..."
Zhang Zhiqing replied rather calmly, "Slaying bandits all day long will never get you into a proper martial arts world. This is also a chance for you to gain experience."
"Experience should always leave people a way out. If you set up a situation where you're bound to lose, and you were nineteen, could you have survived it?"
"It's hard to say."
"Pooh..."
The two talked at length, and from a distance, it looked like scholars discussing national affairs.
Amidst the cursing and swearing, they suddenly saw a palanquin arrive at the foot of the Diligent Governance Tower.
An elderly man, dressed in a python robe and leaning on a cane, appeared to be over eighty years old and walked with a slight tremor. However, Murong Xie personally greeted him at the bottom of the steps.
Old Master Yan frowned upon seeing this scene:
" Xiao Bieli... this old codger looks like he's about to die, it can't be that bad."
Xiao Bieli, the Prince of Qingzhang, was the uncle of the Emperor of Yan and of the same generation as Cao Xiong.
When the Eight Pillars of the State entered the capital to defend the emperor, Grand Progenitor of Yan was the leader, and Xiao Bieli was the strategist and second-in-command, making countless contributions to the Xiao Clan.
However, due to health reasons, he retired and returned to his hometown before the age of seventy. Before retiring, he lived in the upper reaches of Second Rank.
Zhang Zhiqing glanced at it casually. "He was injured by Yuchi Jingnan back then and was lucky to escape with his life, but his foundation was damaged. It's not easy for him to be alive now."
Yuchi Jingnan is now the leader of the Eight Pillars Hall. He was defeated in battle and his father was killed, making him an irreconcilable enemy of the Xiao Clan.
Upon hearing this, Old Master Yan inquired again:
"Could the Eight Pillars Hall be behind Han Zhongwu's affair as well?"
Zhang Zhiqing shook his head. " The Eight Pillars Hall doesn't have that kind of ability. If something happens, there will definitely be someone in the capital working in cahoots with them. As for who it is, it's hard to say."
Old Master Yan stroked his beard, pondering for a moment:
" The Cao Clan wields too much military power, and the Crown Prince and Empress are both from the Cao Clan. In the end, this will lead to the empress's relatives seizing power. It would be a good thing to curb their ambitions a little."
Zhang Zhiqing neither confirmed nor denied it.
The Diligent Governance Tower faces the palace city and has a white stone square inside.
There are steps leading into the building, and imperial guards stand watch on both sides of the steps.
The emperor was seated in the center of the building, while Chancellor Li, Duke Zhang, and other prominent figures watched the ceremony from the corridor below.
Mats were laid out on both sides of the square, with thousands of small tables on them, where court officials and guests dressed in colorful clothes sat. People from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices moved back and forth, adding wine and serving tea and snacks to the tables.
Ye Xingge was sitting not far from the Qinzheng Building, with young masters on his left and right. In the distance, he could see Beauty Luo, Anyang Jun, and Little Tutu, sitting among the female guests, whispering, and around him were all the dandies who were also chatting:
"Shall we play a game, Brother Chen?"
What are we betting on?
"Let's bet on how many of Ye Grand Duke Jupiter's kills today."
"This damn emperor's birthday banquet, can it really kill people?"
"Hard to say..."
Ye Xingge has been in this world for over a decade and has never seen the emperor.
At this moment, Emperor of Yan was sitting on his throne in the Diligent Governance Tower, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe. He looked to be in his forties or fifties and didn't seem particularly special.
In the long corridors on both sides, there were also some concubines from the imperial harem, whose faces were obscured by curtains.
Standing under the eaves of the Diligent Governance Tower, a row of elderly people, Chen Xiaobao helped him understand their identities.
The old man wearing a dark purple official robe and a gold fish-shaped pouch was Li Yuntu, the top official in the Great Yan Dynasty and the highest-ranking among the Seven Eminent Confucian Families, with almost no one above him.
Standing to the side were naturally Duke Zhang and Old Master Yan.
Next to him was Cui Fo, the Grand Secretary. His name was quite ruthless, and he was indeed a man of similar character. He was once favored by a prominent Confucian scholar and considered the top choice for the next Heaven-Observing Decree.
However, due to his imperfect character, he didn't like No-Strategy Bow and chose Zhang Zhiqing instead.
As for Zhang Zhiqing, although he seems like a rather interesting old man, his subordinates are all living Yama-like figures like Snake Eunuch, Flower Judge, and Living Taisui, which explains his style of doing things.
As for Wang Jinzhong, Xiao Bieli, and other dukes and princes, they were all standing up there. Cao Xiong, on the other hand, was standing at the corner tower of the palace wall, watching from a distance, because of Fan Zhe's matter.
In addition, there were several young men in the corridor, presumably the crown prince and other princes.
Ye Xingge didn't want to keep staring at her. He had to fight in the arena later, and he wasn't in the mood to chat with the playboy. With nothing to do, he took out the " United Hearts Plaque Remote Control" and started banging on the Three Feet One remote, trying to interact with the Great Beauty Luo.
As a result Great Beauty Luo, who was sitting among the female guests, originally had a cold and aloof expression. However, when she listened to Lady of Anyang's casual conversation, she noticed something was wrong and her posture became unnatural. She glared at him from afar and quickly handed the name tag to the Baby Bunny next to her.
Upon seeing this, Ye Xingge wanted to have a private chat with Baby Bunny again.
However, only those with United Hearts Pendant very close relationship can contact each other, and it's a bit of a pity that he didn't respond.
The Baby Bunny realized it couldn't connect, so it waved the sign around and started thinking about him intensely again, but unrequited love doesn't seem to work...
And just as Ye Xingge was making such a mess, he heard Great Yu'er's voice:
Was the birthday banquet fun?
"..."
Seeing that no one was paying attention, Ye Xingge picked up his wine glass, covered it with his sleeve, and drank, whispering:
"Quite boring, what's going on outside?"
Outside the imperial city.
Hongyu was standing in her room on the top floor of the Myriad Phenomena Tower, using a telescope to observe Xiao Bieli's movements. Upon hearing the sound, she responded:
"The undercover agents found no clues, the authorities didn't find anyone, and Zhang Jin's side hasn't made a move either. However, the undercover agent left a message; he's in the palace today, and if he discovers the assassin, he'll try to notify you."
notify...
Ye Xingge glanced around, thinking that since he was constantly being scrutinized by the older generation of the Second Rank and First Rank, it would probably be difficult for the undercover agents to make contact with him.
Even if he could make contact, after getting up again and again, he feared he wouldn't have the strength to catch the assassin again, but thinking about it, he still responded:
"Receive..."
The sun was setting.
Brilliant palace lanterns rose around the square, and the Diligent Governance Tower was transformed into a magnificent pale gold.
A gentle breeze swept across the square in front of the palace, lifting the colorful ribbons hanging there and dispelling the summer heat.
As the diverse performances drew to a close, the concubines, noble ladies, and gentlemen in the corridors all wore a slight tipsiness.
As the dancers gracefully retreated into the side halls, several imperial guards stepped forward and removed the carpets, colorful flags, and other miscellaneous items, revealing the white stone floor tiles beneath.
The officials and guests who were chatting idly all perked up upon seeing this.
Diligent Governance Tower, Eunuch Fan, holding his whisk, walked to the white stone steps with the nine-dragon relief. After glancing around the square, he slightly took a deep breath and said loudly:
"In recent years, our Great Yan has produced many outstanding talents, as you gentlemen have surely heard of. And now, on the occasion of His Majesty's birthday..."
The sound was deep and resonant, clearly audible throughout the square in front of the palace, and should also be audible to the neighbors along the palace walls.
Ye Xingge, dressed in a gray brocade robe, sat down at the table. Knowing that he was about to face a fierce battle, he took a deep breath, suppressed all the distracting thoughts in his mind, and his eyes were calm and serene.
Upon hearing the name, Ye Xingge rose from his seat, facing thousands of gazes, and walked towards the White Stone Plaza and the magnificent high-rise building. He stopped before the white stone steps and bowed respectfully to those above.
"Your humble servant Ye Xingge pays his respects to Your Majesty."
Then he bowed to the princes and nobles on his left and right, as well as the high-ranking officials around him.
Emperor of Yan Xiao Cang of Yan sat on his throne on the second floor, with his close advisor Murong Xie beside him. Murong Xie examined Ye Xingge's appearance and nodded slightly.
"He is indeed a handsome man."
Chancellor Li and the other officials at court had long heard of Ye Xingge, but these men were all from the Seven Eminent Confucian Families and had seen many geniuses. At this moment, they simply observed him calmly, revealing no emotion in their hearts.
After finishing his opening remarks, Eunuch Fan smiled and said:
"Our Great Yan Dynasty was founded on martial prowess. Today, we have specially set up this arena to invite the most talented individuals of our time to showcase their skills for the judgment of the Emperor and all the gentlemen present. Lord Ye, you have been enjoying unparalleled fame lately, even claiming the title of 'Strongest Martial Artist Under Twenty.' Do you dare to be the first to defend your position?"
Today's arena is set up for Ye Xingge alone.
However, in order to take care of the other talented people, and also to prevent Ye Xingge from losing face if he lost the first round, the procedure was as follows: if he won, he would defend the title; if he lost, he would step down. Those who defended the title for three rounds would receive a reward.
Ye Xingge, naturally Emperor of Yan's appreciation, arrived at the very center of White Stone Square.
As the distance from the palace walls and tall buildings increases, the walk becomes quieter, with only the whistling wind in one's ears. Beyond the palace walls, one can also see the tops of buildings such as the Myriad Images Tower outside the imperial city.
Although the distance was considerable, the windows of the top-floor corridor were still crowded with people gazing into the distance, some even making shouts, clearly having been waiting for quite some time.
Ye Xingge glanced around and even spotted his second uncle, parents, and Constable Wang on a terrace, but unfortunately, it wasn't easy to wave to them, so he simply stood there empty-handed and waited.
Although Eunuch Fan had already arranged the procedures, he still scanned the main square and asked a question:
"Which talented individual would like to grace this stage and showcase their skills?"