Peace Order-Chapter 1552 - 17: Dignified Officials, Clownish Jumpers
Li Guanyi smiled as he stepped forward, walking up to the high platform. His sleeves fluttered, causing the nearby brave heroes and aristocrats to pale and not dare to look at the mightily imposing Prince Qin. Prince Qin walked to the child’s side, first greeting Ji Yanzhong, and then looking at the child.
This child, so young, should not be outside.
But Ji Zichang no longer dared to let this child leave his side.
At this moment, Ji Yanzhong, with the Grandmaster’s Qi Mechanism, protected the child. Li Guanyi gently extended his hand forward. The child, with eyes still closed, was not afraid of strangers and reached out his hand.
The chubby little palm opened and grasped Li Guanyi’s finger. The child was so tender and tiny, the palm barely managed to clutch Li Guanyi’s finger within it.
At the Nine Layers Heaven Grandmaster’s level, one could feel the heartbeat from the child’s palm, the breath of that newly formed, fragile life carrying pure vitality and beauty, bringing a slight smile to Li Guanyi’s face. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
"Good child."
Li Guanyi said, then extended his hand into his robe and took out an item—a small longevity lock. Prince Qin, with his back to the officials of the Red Emperor lineage, said, "I personally made this longevity lock and will gift it to this child."
"May this child live a long life."
Ji Zichang froze. When Prince Qin spoke of a long life, he turned his eyes toward the officials outside, his gaze sharp as a knife. When Ji Zichang’s son died, the longevity lock broke apart—a lock specifically requested from the Taoist Palace Master.
Now, Prince Qin personally delivered a longevity lock he crafted himself.
The meaning behind it was hidden, but the officials could grasp it.
If this longevity lock were to break too,
This overwhelmingly authoritative Prince Qin wouldn’t mind having the [longevity locks] of these officials shattered as well.
Everyone, be wary.
As Prince Qin’s gaze roved, the faces of the noble families and princes present grew stiff and solemn. Where the edge of Prince Qin’s sword pointed, not only must they abandon the court politicking of the past, but they must also be careful lest someone reckless tries to employ such tactics.
Even if the young princess were to fall or tumble, caution would be paramount.
Prince Qin, how domineering he is!
Intrigue? Zongheng? Court rules?!
Ha!
Under the Qin Sword, these are but a joke.
Li Guanyi spoke, "Gentlemen, on such a fine day, why do you not smile? Are you displeased with the gift from me?"
The officials forced themselves to smile stiffly.
Prince Qin laughed arrogantly and pointed in the direction of the grassland heroes, saying, "These warriors, loyal and committed, have traversed thousands of troops to arrive here with me. I have no fine wine there, so I must come here to drink yours!"
Ji Zichang laughed and said, "Come, take the best seats! Bring good wine!"
"Invite all the warriors to drink together!"
Niu Wei and others sat down in a daze, never having experienced such elation. How could the murky wine from the Martial World compare with the fine wine of the Central State’s Red Emperor? Furthermore, the warm reception and equal treatment were more intoxicating than the richest of wines.
After drinking, the noble, whose emerald was nailed to the wall, was taken down for rescue and survival, and even while being removed, Prince Qin and the Red Emperor’s wishes were sought.
With matters concluded, Li Guanyi and Ji Zichang walked together, discussing their experiences over recent times. As the year approached, Li Guanyi was nineteen, and the weather had been the same for fifteen years.
From Tianqi 11th year, autumn to Tianqi 15th year, spring.
Three and a half years had passed.
Ji Zichang had gone from just over thirty to nearly forty years old, and Li Guanyi had turned from a spirited youth into a young man. The two drank cup after cup, Ji Zichang wanting to express gratitude for Li Guanyi’s ongoing protection of the dignity of the Red Emperor lineage.
Li Guanyi understood his purpose there and said, "As long as I live, no one will dare harm that child again. The incident where the longevity lock shattered won’t happen again."
"These officials are smart."
"They understand this longevity lock is not just the child’s longevity lock."
"It is also their longevity lock."
"They naturally know what to do."
Li Guanyi’s expression was calm. Over years of traversing the realm, he had finally cultivated a king’s bearing. Even though beside him the child was small, she woke up, crawled onto Li Guanyi’s lap, clutching Prince Qin’s Civil and Military Sleeves.
Perhaps it’s the child’s protective phase.
She actually climbed up Prince Qin’s sleeve!
Then, she sat on Li Guanyi’s shoulder, muttering something while grabbing Prince Qin’s hair, and also reached out to grasp Prince Qin’s cheek without causing any offense.
Yet, if the officials outside saw this, their hearts would likely stop.
Li Guanyi cautiously protected the child to prevent her from falling, while mumbling, "Moreover, I need to visit a place. They say, after the Red Emperor defeated the White Tiger Sect Dominator, he built a palace on the dominator’s secret treasure site."
"Because the White Tiger Sect’s seal couldn’t be opened, a lock was added to this seal, another layer added."
Ji Zichang replied, "I’ve heard of this matter indeed."
"Do you plan..."
Li Guanyi, holding the young princess, chuckled softly, "Yes, the world is vast, and within five years, another great battle is inevitable. In the northern region, the Turkic Great Khan covets us."
