Volume One, Chapter Seventeen: The Arrogant Envoy from the Northern Barbarians

Another loud shout echoed.

Chu Xiong hurriedly glanced at the table—there was no wine left.

The guard who had blocked Fang Yang earlier swiftly dashed toward the door.

After a few bounds, the sounds of a scuffle came from outside, followed by the guard returning with a jar of wine.

Soon after, hurried footsteps approached the door.

The guard turned and stood at the entrance.

“Young Master—”

It was Zhang Long. Seeing Fang Yang lost in a daze, he quickly fell silent.

Then Fang Yang opened the wine jar and tilted his head back to drink, paying no mind to whether the wine drenched his clothes.

Bang!

No one knew how much he had consumed.

The wine jar was suddenly hurled against the wall, shattering into pieces.

At that moment, Fang Yang’s memories from his previous life and his original self seamlessly merged, erasing all feelings of disconnection.

His body wavered.

Yet, the hand holding the brush remained steady.

He lifted the brush and wrote the final lines of his essay on the Six States:

“The six states and Qin were all feudal lords, their forces weaker than Qin’s, yet still possessing the potential to defeat it without bribery. If one were to consider the vastness of the world and follow the story of the six states’ downfall, then that would be to place them beneath Qin once again.”

With the last character written, Fang Yang’s brush clattered to the floor.

His figure swayed violently.

Then, as if losing balance, he collapsed rapidly backward.

“Young Master!”

Zhang Long shouted in alarm and stepped swiftly into the room.

Seeing Fang Yang had finished writing, the guard made no move to stop Zhang Long, who rushed forward to support him.

Then came Lian’er, running up anxiously.

The group hurriedly called out.

“Lu Fei!”

Chu Xiong whispered.

“Yes!”

The guard blocking the door bowed respectfully and went directly to Fang Yang’s side, checking his pulse.

After a moment, Lu Fei reported with reverence, “Excessive drinking, but no serious harm.”

Chu Xiong nodded slightly.

Lian’er wept tears like rain.

“Quick, take the Young Master back to rest.”

Zhang Long said nothing further, lifting Fang Yang and heading downstairs.

Before leaving, he shot a fierce glare at Lu Fei.

---

The scent of wine was now several times stronger than before, prompting Chu Xiong to ask, “Is the wine you brought different from what we drank?”

“I requested the strongest,” Lu Fei replied meticulously.

Chu Xiong’s mouth twitched.

Considering how harsh the wine they had already drunk was on his throat, the strongest must be terrifying.

Glancing at the now heavily soaked paper, he ordered the guards to clean up and sent someone to follow closely, ensuring Fang Yang’s safe return home.

He then took Wang Bao and Lu Fei back to the palace.

Throughout the journey, his mind was haunted by the line: “To serve Qin as a subordinate state is no long-term strategy.”

The Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods had existed before the Great Chu.

Only the order in which each state's emperor was destroyed by Qin differed.

Yet Fang Yang’s political essay did not detail the sequence, merely the reasons for the fall of the six states.

Thus, nothing seemed out of place.

Upon returning to the royal palace, a long silence passed before Chu Xiong spoke.

“Wang Bao.”

“At your service.”

Wang Bao, who had quietly stood nearby, answered softly.

“Do you think Fang Yang pretended to be a prodigal son just to spur his father to improve?”

Wang Bao hesitated, unsure how to respond.

After a long pause, he said nothing.

Chu Xiong shook his head lightly.

“Well, regardless, at least this essay on the Six States shows he is not an unlearned wastrel. The Song family certainly has cause for regret.”

Meanwhile, Fang Yang was carried back to the residence of the Duke of Jiucheng.

The jostling along the way made him vomit as soon as they reached the entrance.

He retched continuously, finally bringing bile up.

His head throbbed as if it would burst.

“Water... water...” Fang Yang weakly called.

Lian’er hurriedly ran to the gatehouse and fetched water, feeding it to him.

Fang Yang drank and vomited simultaneously.

At last, he grabbed Lian’er’s hand tightly.

At times, he cried out, “Don’t! Don’t leave me, Rou’er, I will try harder! I will!”

At others, he sobbed, “Yiran! Why? Why do you treat me this way?”

Lian’er’s tears streamed like a waterfall.

“Miss Lian’er, the ‘Yiran’ Young Master mentioned is likely a girl from the Song family. I could bring brothers to retrieve her, but who is this Rou’er?” Zhang Long asked, puzzled.

Lian’er shook her head.

She didn’t know who Rou’er was either.

Fang Yang raved on, calling out alternately for Rou’er and Yiran, leaving everyone utterly confused.

It was only deep into the night that he finally fell into a deep sleep.

---

Within the palace, Emperor Chu Xiong heard of Fang Yang’s condition from his guards and grimaced.

“Wang Bao.”

“At your service.”

“How does this Miss Song compare to my Chang Le?”

Wang Bao’s heart skipped a beat.

After a long moment, he replied, “Your Majesty, how can a sparrow compare to a phoenix?”

“Heh, you old servant have quite the way with words,” Chu Xiong chuckled.

Wang Bao quickly smiled in return, relieved.

...

The next morning.

In the center of the palace stood the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the place for morning court and ministerial deliberations.

The hall was already filled with officials.

After handling a series of matters, a slightly weary Chu Xiong glanced toward the court eunuch in charge of announcements.

The eunuch immediately understood and called sharply, “Business to report! If none, court is dismissed!”

Minister Dang Ji stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, the envoys from the Northern Barbarian Kingdom have once again requested an audience.”

Hearing this, Chu Xiong’s expression stiffened before asking, “Have their demands changed?”

“No, Your Majesty,” the minister bowed his head.

“Very well. Summon them to court.”

The eunuch promptly proclaimed, “Announcement! Envoys from the Northern Barbarian Kingdom, Agulabasan and Agulabatu, request an audience!”

Before long, two men dressed in traditional steppe attire were escorted into the hall by a young eunuch.

All the Great Chu officials turned their gazes toward them.

The two envoys wore several small braids atop their heads; the rest of their hair hung loose. Draped in animal skins, one arm bare, their muscular physiques gleamed faintly.

“Envoys of the Northern Barbarian Kingdom, greetings to the Great Chu Emperor!”

They bowed but did not kneel.

The court officials, accustomed to such behavior, showed no surprise.

The two barbarians, seeing no one responded, spoke bluntly.

“Your Majesty! How have you considered our demands? Our Khan wishes to marry your princess and fulfill our tribute requirements. Otherwise, if delayed too long, our Northern Barbarian army may well stand at your gates one day!”

The hall erupted in chaos.

One minister shouted angrily, “How dare you! Such arrogance! Do you think Great Chu has no defenders?”

“Petty barbarians, daring to make such demands in our court. Do you think our armies are weak?”

“Barbarians! Their hearts deserve death!”

...