Chapter Thirty-Four: Easing Worries and Solving Problems

Chu Nan remained where he stood, his gaze sweeping calmly over them before he drew his bowstring once more.

"The next one will not just be aimed at your wrist."

That sheer confidence caused the Danan warriors to falter; for a moment, they dared not advance.

"Stop!" With a sharp shout, Liang Li, the leader of the Danan delegation, strode over from a distance. His face was livid, his eyes cold as they swept over Chu Nan before landing on the wounded warrior. "What happened here?"

The warrior gritted his teeth, pointing at Chu Nan, and said furiously, "This brat dared to attack our Danan delegation!"

Liang Li turned to look at Chu Nan, a flicker of chill in his eyes. "You possess great audacity, attacking a Danan envoy in broad daylight. Do you not fear triggering a conflict between our two nations?"

Chu Nan’s expression remained unchanged, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching his lips. "I simply could not stand by while you bullied the people of Dahuang, so I intervened. As for a conflict... if you truly wish for war, by all means, try it."

Upon hearing this, Liang Li’s face darkened further. Looking at Chu Nan’s calm and composed demeanor, he felt a vague sense that this man was far from simple.

"Very well, very well!" Liang Li sneered, pointing at Chu Nan. "If the Empress of Dahuang does not hand this man over, our Danan will surely demand justice!"

Chu Nan gave a light chuckle, slinging his bow back over his shoulder, and spoke with an easy tone: "Justice? Punishing the aggressor—that is justice."

Inside the Golden Throne Hall, the atmosphere was frigid and thick with hidden murderous intent.

The morning court was quieter than usual. The civil and military officials stood on either side, yet none dared to speak. A stifling pressure permeated the air, as if a storm were imminent.

Cheng Lingyu sat upright on the dragon throne, her deep purple imperial robes accentuating her cold, frost-like expression. Her hands were folded over the armrests, her eyes clear and cold, yet unfathomable, like a pool of icy spring water. She was waiting—waiting for the arrival of the Danan delegation.

A moment later, a shrill announcement shattered the silence: "The Danan delegation requests an audience!"

Following the announcement, Liang Li and his party marched into the hall. Liang Li, leading the group, wore a face of fury, his eyes radiating malice. He was dressed in a red patterned robe, his stride sharp and aggressive, followed by several warriors as they marched toward the throne.

"I pay my respects to Your Imperial Majesty!" Liang Li cupped his hands in a salute. Though the words were polite, there was no sign of reverence, only a subtle air of provocation.

Cheng Lingyu raised her eyes slightly, her gaze sweeping over Liang Li. She did not speak, yet her majestic aura caused Liang Li to falter, a flicker of unease rising in his heart. However, he quickly steadied himself, the sneer on his face deepening.

"Your Majesty!" Liang Li declared loudly, his voice echoing through the hall. "Yesterday, our Danan delegation was passing through the streets of the imperial capital when we were brutally attacked by thugs of your nation. Several of our men were wounded, and some were nearly killed! For this, your country must provide us with an explanation!"

He spoke with great passion, his face twisted in feigned anger, as if they were the victims rather than the ones who had been bullying the commoners. Behind him, the Danan warriors mimicked his expression, appearing as though they were desperate to exact justice.

Hearing this, the officials in the court exchanged glances. Some kept their heads down in silence, while others sighed in frustration. They were not ignorant; they knew the arrogant nature of the Danan envoys and were certain that they had provoked the incident. However, Danan was powerful, and Dahuang was currently beset by internal and external troubles; any conflict could easily ignite a war.

Seeing that no one responded, Liang Li grew more emboldened. He stepped forward and continued, "Your Majesty, our nation has always governed with benevolence and does not wish for war with Dahuang. But if you do not hand over the culprit responsible for this heinous act, Danan will have no choice but to march our armies south to seek justice for our delegation!"

His words landed with heavy impact, filled with an aggressive, pressing force. The hall fell into a deathly silence, and the complexions of the officials worsened. Some pondered, others opened their mouths to speak but dared not step forward.

"Your Majesty, perhaps..." Li Jingcheng, standing on the right, spoke softly, his voice filled with caution. "Perhaps we should bring out the 'culprit'... to temporarily ease relations with Danan. Once the situation settles, we can find other ways to handle this."

As soon as he spoke, several other officials nodded silently, clearly agreeing with his proposal. Their concern was not for Chu Nan’s safety, but for the fear that Dahuang might truly clash with Danan.

"Absurd!" A cold rebuke erupted from the high throne.

Cheng Lingyu’s voice was not loud, but it shook the entire court like thunder. She slowly rose from the dragon throne, her majestic gaze sweeping over all the officials. Everyone caught in her stare involuntarily lowered their heads, trembling in silence.

Her voice was cold and resonant: "So, your suggestion is for me to hand over the person who protected the safety of my people in exchange for a false peace?"

Li Jingcheng’s body shuddered, and he quickly knelt. "Your Majesty, forgive me! That was not my intention. It is just that the situation between our nations is tense, and I believed... avoiding war was the priority."

Cheng Lingyu sneered, a hint of mockery in her eyes. "If that is the case, why not send all of you civil and military officials to Danan as well, so you can be their submissive subjects? If you are unwilling to take up arms and lack even a shred of backbone, what use is this court to me?"

Li Jingcheng turned pale, not daring to speak further.

Cheng Lingyu retracted her gaze and turned it back to Liang Li, her voice carrying a faint chill. "Envoy, let me ask you: the 'culprit' you speak of—did he shoot your innocent people?"

Liang Li felt a tightening in his chest under her gaze, but he gritted his teeth and said, "Though it may be a minor matter, those who wounded our Danan envoys are people of your nation. If Your Majesty does not hand them over, it is a sign that Danan cannot trust your country!"

Cheng Lingyu gave a cold smile and replied, "I have already investigated. Your delegation acted violently in the streets and provoked the incident first. My subject was merely defending himself; what wrong did he commit?"

"Your Majesty is being overly biased!" Liang Li retorted, his tone growing more aggressive. "If you persist in shielding him, you are pushing our two nations to the brink of war!"

Cheng Lingyu narrowed her eyes, a glimmer of chill emerging. "Are you threatening me?"

Liang Li grinned, making no effort to hide his intent. "If Your Majesty does not surrender the culprit, then this is the moment for our Danan to march north. When that happens, do not say that Danan did not give you a chance!"

At this, the silence in the court became even more stifling. Many officials wore expressions of sheer terror. Danan’s military strength was immense; if a full-scale war were to erupt, Dahuang might not prevail.

Cheng Lingyu merely smiled coldly, her expression one of disdain. She raised a hand slightly, her voice calm yet filled with the certainty of one who controls the situation. "I must consider whether or not to hand over the culprit; it is a grave matter, after all, and cannot be done rashly. Shangguan Ya'er—"

She paused, her gaze sweeping toward Shangguan Ya'er, who stood among the military generals, her eyes deep and suggestive.

Shangguan Ya'er was startled, but she quickly realized the implication and bowed her head. "I am here, Your Majesty."

"Go and bring Chu Nan. Since he is the one involved in this storm, let him resolve this trouble for me himself."