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Ye Yang smiled lightly, reaching out to grab a corner of the Water God Shield from the ruins and placing it into the Cosmic Bag. He then soared into the sky and spoke loudly to King Yan, "Thank you for your kind intentions, Sire. I am unworthy and fear I must disappoint you by not being able to marry Princess Yan Yao!"
Immediately, King Yan's expression darkened significantly. "What? Does the Young Hero think Yan Yao is ugly and unworthy of you?"
…
The crowd below erupted in astonishment; no one expected Ye Yang to refuse such an opportunity. The position of General of Yan and Princess Yan Yao were things every man dreamed of, yet this young man had turned them down!
At the same time, Yan Yao showed a look of confusion, murmuring, "Brother Zi Yu..."
Yun Xiaoxi wore a cold expression, her beautiful eyes fixed on the stone floor, saying nothing.
Zhang Tianhe, Zhao Yun, Wang Lie, and others exchanged glances.
Zhang Tianhe said, "Hey, this Zi Yu kid actually doesn't want to marry Yan Yao? This... Yan Yao is stunningly beautiful and more than a match for him. Has Zi Yu lost his mind?"
Zhao Yun placed his hand on his sword and replied, "The Young Master must have his reasons for saying this. Second Master, please remain calm; we should just watch."
Wang Lie grinned and said, "I guess the Young Master must have a more brilliant plan; otherwise, he wouldn't provoke King Yan like this. It won't be good for our Qi State."
Zhang Fei nodded in agreement. "I also believe the Young Master has his reasons."
…
At this moment, looking at King Yan, Ye Yang displayed a hint of respect and said, "Sire, please do not be angry. I once met Princess Yan Yao in the Azure Cloud Mountain Range and have always regarded her as my sister. Therefore, at least for now, I cannot marry Princess Yan Yao. I hope Sire understands."
King Yan's expression was stern; he clearly felt humiliated but did not dare offend Ye Yang. He could only stand there awkwardly, but everyone could see that King Yan's anger could erupt at any moment.
At this time, Ye Yang laughed again and said, "Sire, I actually have a better suggestion. What do you think?"
"Let's hear it," King Yan replied, his expression slightly easing.
Ye Yang nodded and said, "I have a brotherly bond with Princess Yan Yao, so I, Ye Yang, am willing to cede a County City. I will gift Hengshan County to Princess Yan Yao. All twenty-seven cities within Hengshan County will belong to Yan Yao. At the same time, I will send thirty thousand elite troops to defend Hengshan County, as a gesture of respect towards King Yan and friendship towards Yan Yao. What do you think, Sire?"
"What?" King Yan's body shook. "Ceding twenty-seven cities of Hengshan County to Yan Yao? This... this..."
King Yan seemed unable to believe what he was hearing. Meanwhile, the national advisor Si Tu Wen Ruo whispered, "Sire, this is a rare opportunity. The Qin has divided the world into Thirty-Six Commanderies. Hengshan County has a prosperous population and strong military forces, neighboring Linzi and Ju Lu Counties. If we can acquire Hengshan County, we can rely on Ye Yang's forces to fend off threats from the Chu Army and Wei Army, which would greatly benefit the future development of our Yan Kingdom."
"Good! The advisor's words resonate with me!"
King Yan couldn't help but laugh heartily and said loudly, "Since Ye Yang, Young Hero, has such noble intentions, I shall graciously accept it. Someone, prepare a feast! I will personally host Ye Yang and his companions!"
"Yes!" Yuwen Shang cupped his fists in response, revealing a look of satisfaction.
At the same time, Yan Yao also smiled, while Yun Xiaoxi slightly curled her lips and said lightly, "This rascal actually thought of this method..."
...
Thus, several soldiers from the Yan Kingdom went to clean up the remnants of the Lingxi Sword, while the Sword Seizing Tournament officially came to an end. Yuwen Shang took the stage to thank all the heroes present and declared that all heroes could enjoy food and entertainment in Lower Capital for several days. The Yan Kingdom would spare no effort to meet the guests' requests.
At noon in the grand hall of the Yan Kingdom's royal palace, a lavish banquet was held where King Yan hosted envoys and nobles from various countries. At this moment, Ye Yang and his companions had already become the center of attention. Everyone knew that this young man dressed as a Qin General was none other than the legendary Fire God Warrior who had killed Peng Cheng from Asura Hall and severely injured Divine Weapon Peng Yue during this Sword Seizing Tournament. Such strength shocked everyone; in the entire world, perhaps only Xiang Yu from Western Chu could match him in battle.
During the banquet, King Yan raised his wine cup and laughed, saying, "As they say, young heroes! Ye Yang is such a valiant young general; truly a blessing for the land of Yan Zhao! The borders of Qi State stretch across Qingzhou and Jizhou, connecting Youzhou and serving as our mutual support. Today, General Ye Yang acknowledges my daughter Yan Yao as his sister; such a beautiful event is indeed delightful! Let us drink this cup to celebrate the alliance between Qi State and our Yan Kingdom!"
Ye Yang sat beside Yan Yao and secretly nudged her with his shoulder, saying, "Your father wants us to drink this cup; you should at least show some spirit and drink it with me..."
"Oh."
Yan Yao acted like an obedient little girl as she stood up alongside Ye Yang and downed her cup of wine. The rich Youzhou wine filled her throat; she coughed lightly as it choked her up, turning her face red. Not far away, Yun Xiaoxi shot her a reproachful glance: "You rascal Ye Yang! Why are you forcing Yan Yao to drink?"
Ye Yang smiled widely but said nothing. At the neighboring table, Zhang Tianhe was gnawing on a leg of lamb, his mouth glistening with grease. This made Ye Yang speechless as he remarked, "Wasn't there wine and meat at every meal in Qi State? Why does it feel like you're starving to death now that we're in Yan?"
Zhang Tianhe chuckled innocently, "Eating someone else's food really opens up the appetite."
Ye Yang: "..."
At that moment, Wang Lie approached Ye Yang with a wine cup in hand and lowered his voice, saying, "My lord, are we really going to cede Hengshan County to Yan?"
Ye Yang shook his head and replied quietly, "It's not about ceding it to Yan; it's about gifting the twenty-seven cities within Hengshan County to Yan Yao. These are two completely different matters. As you can see, Yan Yao is merely a vassal to King Yan; there is no father-daughter relationship here. Why should I cede a County City to Yan?"
Wang Lie chuckled, "That's great to hear. However, we must still guard against King Yan's intentions of swallowing Hengshan County. Hengshan County is a crucial battleground connecting the three states of Qi, Zhao, and Yan. As long as it remains in our hands, we control the initiative in war. If it falls into Yan's hands, the northern gateway of Qi State will be wide open, which would be extremely dangerous."
"I understand; don't worry," Ye Yang said with a slight smile. "Let's send ten Dragon Armored Warriors to blend in with the thirty thousand troops stationed at Hengshan County. This way, even if King Yan sends a strong general to garrison Hengshan County, the true masters of this County City will still be us. My only intention is to rescue Yan Yao from Yan and have her reside in the lord's mansion of Hengshan County."
"Yes, my lord is wise!"
Just then, King Yan indeed shifted his tone and began addressing the main topic: "General Ye Yang, Yan Yao is my most beloved princess. She is about to travel to Hengshan County, and I cannot rest easy allowing her to go alone. Therefore, I am sending General Lin Yin to lead ten thousand troops to Hengshan County and hope that General Ye Yang can accommodate this."
Ye Yang nodded, "What you say is true; let General Lin Yin accompany us to Hengshan County. However, how long does Your Majesty intend for General Lin Yin to stay stationed there?"
Yan Yao chuckled lightly, "General Lin Yin will be stationed at Hengshan County permanently as my escort."
Ye Yang paused for a moment and couldn't help but smile inwardly. King Yan was indeed trying to use heavy troops to choke off Hengshan County's throat under the guise of an escort for Yan Yao. In reality, it was merely a means to confine her and restrict Ye Yang's information network, making him cautious while Yan's forces gradually took control of Hengshan County.
However, Ye Yang was not anxious; at least for now, Hengshan County was firmly in his grasp. Moreover, dozens of Dragon Armored Warriors were stationed there—each possessing strength ranging from Earth Level Eight to Earth Level Nine—making them top-tier warriors in any city. Therefore, Hengshan County was very secure and could not be touched by Lin Yin's ten thousand troops. King Yan clearly underestimated the strength of Ye Yang's trump cards; perhaps he didn't even know about the existence of one thousand Dragon Armored Warriors and thought that Ye Yang's only backup was just Zhang Tianhe and a few Starry Sky Warriors.
"That's great. With Lin Yin General as the guard, I feel reassured," Ye Yang said with a faint smile. "Sire, Yan Yao is about to head to Hengshan County. As Sire's most beloved daughter, I wonder what kind of accompanying treasure Sire will bestow upon Princess Yan Yao for her daily needs in Hengshan County?"
"Goodness..." Wang Lie, biting into a leg of lamb, couldn't help but chuckle and said to Zhang Tianhe, "The lord is indeed as shrewd as a wolf. Even before setting out, he starts asking King Yan for gifts for Yan Yao. Truly, he knows how to make the most of things!"
Zhang Tianhe also suppressed a laugh.
Yun Xiaoxi, holding silver chopsticks and picking at her food, suddenly paused and looked at Ye Yang in silence, unsure of what to say.
...
King Yan was taken aback for a moment, then whispered a few words to Si Tu Wen Ruo. Shortly after, Si Tu Wen Ruo quickly gathered his True Qi with a single finger and began carving on a Bamboo Slip. Before long, the Royal Edict was completed. Si Tu Wen Ruo stood up, holding the Bamboo Slip and said, "By my king's decree, Princess Yan Yao shall proceed to Hengshan County. The Yan Kingdom will send 200 maidens, 1,000 guards, 500 servants, 20 cooks, and additionally grant the princess 5,000 taels of gold, 100,000 taels of silver, 300 heads of beef and lamb, and 1,000 Yan Zhao Warhorses!"
Ye Yang's lips curled up slightly in hidden delight.
Wang Lie also clenched his fist and laughed, "Wonderful! What we lack the most are warhorses. It is said that Yan Zhao Warhorses are incredibly fierce. With these 1,000 warhorses, Qi State's Iron Cavalry will gain an additional thousand elite soldiers!"
Ye Yang stood up and performed a deep bow. "On behalf of my sister Yan Yao, I thank Sire!"
Yan Yao smiled lightly but did not say much. In fact, she had already fulfilled her responsibilities towards the Yan Kingdom. Now that she was leaving the Yan Kingdom to enter Qi State's Hengshan County—on Ye Yang's territory—it felt like a bird leaving its cage or a fish entering the sea; her joy was beyond words.
...
After the lunch banquet, in the Lower Capital's Training Ground, King Yan summoned his generals. Lin Yin General had a fierce look on his face with scars from countless battles clearly visible; he was evidently a seasoned general. The ten thousand troops appointed by King Yan were all elite cavalrymen, clearly indicating an intent to seize Hengshan County.
Ye Yang walked over lazily with the Azure Soul Sword and Haotian Sword on his back. Looking at the billowing dust on the Training Ground, he grinned.
"General Ye Yang, how do you find our Yan Kingdom's military might?"
"Quite impressive..." Ye Yang continued to smile.
King Yan felt somewhat pleased.
Ye Yang suddenly spoke up: “Sire, the one thousand soldiers and the horses require a vast amount of fodder and food. Hengshan County is quite barren and may not be able to support such a large consumption of resources. I believe it would be necessary for your country to provide some supplies. Additionally, with the princess newly arrived in Hengshan County, the resources in County City are tight, and supporting saddles and other expenses is quite significant. If it is convenient for your country, could you bring some iron ore to Hengshan County?”
The muscles on King Yan's face twitched slightly, leaving him somewhat speechless. This young man beside him did not resemble a commander at all; instead, he seemed like a street vendor haggling over prices. Dealing with someone like this left King Yan, a pampered noble, utterly defenseless, and he could only nod repeatedly: “Everything will be as the young general requests…”
It was clear that King Yan had made a significant decision; he was reluctant to lose his daughter but also needed to catch the wolf. Ye Yang was like a greedy wolf with a huge appetite. For the sake of his Hengshan County, King Yan had to make sacrifices; otherwise, it would be difficult to lay claim to this strategically important County City.
...
After noon, the army led by Ye Yang finally set off towards Hengshan County. They were expected to arrive around nightfall. At the same time, Ye Yang had thoroughly looted Lower Capital, leaving with countless supplies of food, materials, and iron ore. Meanwhile, Yan Yao sat inside one of the four carriages, while Ye Yang rode a black warhorse beside her for protection. With anyone else, Ye Yang might not have felt at ease.
Yun Xiaoxi rode alongside on a white warhorse.
“Zi Yu, what are your plans once we reach Hengshan County?” Yun Xiaoxi asked.
Ye Yang pondered for a moment and replied: “Return to Linzi City to arrange for the reconstruction of the Fire God Clan. Additionally, we need to expedite our training; both Zhao State and Wei Kingdom have been eyeing us closely. We must secure our borders. Furthermore, the Chu Army and the Qin Army are in a standoff near Giant Deer, which is very close to Hengshan County. Therefore, I plan to gather troops in Hengshan County. On one hand, we can deal with disturbances from the Chu Army and the Qin Army, and on the other hand, we can address that group of fools behind us…”
“Ah, I see…” Yun Xiaoxi smiled slightly. A glance back revealed an imposing force of ten thousand soldiers led by none other than Lin Yin, a grim-faced warrior who undoubtedly had countless kills under his belt. It was evident that King Yan had whispered many arrangements into his ear.
...
As night fell, they could indeed see the city of Hengshan County from afar. This rather sturdy fortress was located at the edge of the mountains, connecting to the frigid northern Central Plains, while to the south lay the boundless expanse of the Azure Cloud Mountain Range. The land was vast and fertile with abundant fields—an excellent place for troop deployment.
Moreover, as long as they held onto the city of Hengshan County, they could prevent any north-south coordination and effectively guard against threats from the north of Qi State. This was something that Ye Yang understood well; thus he used Hengshan County as bait to lure in King Yan. As for the ten thousand soldiers sent by King Yan, they held no value in Ye Yang's eyes.
Looking at the city of Hengshan County, Lin Yin smirked coldly and raised his whip: “Brothers, we are almost at Hengshan County. Prepare to enter the city!”
At that moment, however, Wang Lie stepped forward and raised his blade: “Hold on!”
"What's wrong?" Lin Yin looked at Wang Lie and sneered, "Is it that the Yan army cannot enter this Hengshan County city?"
Wang Lie smiled slightly, "Not at all. It's just that the Hengshan County city is too small to accommodate such a large army. Moreover, the neighing of warhorses might frighten the townsfolk, so I kindly ask the general to lead his troops to our Azure Mountain Camp for encampment, which is not far from the city. I hope you can understand this difficulty."
Ye Yang also clasped his fists and smiled, "General Lin, please be magnanimous. If you are worried about Princess Yan Yao's safety, you may lead a hundred riders to follow us into the city."
Lin Yin snorted coldly but had no choice. He raised his whip and shouted, "Let's go to Azure Mountain Camp!"
Ye Yang smiled lightly, a glint of killing intent flashing in his eyes. Lin Yin was so arrogant, completely disregarding him. Having such a reckless person leading ten thousand troops stationed in Hengshan County was indeed uncomfortable. After all, one cannot allow others to sleep soundly beside their own bed; Hengshan County is the northern gateway of Qi State, and it cannot allow others to encamp here.
However, Lin Yin was appointed by King Yan, so he could not be treated lightly. Killing him would affect the diplomatic relations between Qi State and Yan State. It seemed that he would have to think of another way to deal with him. Furthermore, Ye Yang had no intention of letting go of the ten thousand Yan National Talent soldiers; how could he miss out on such a juicy piece of meat?
The night sky was tranquil as Ye Yang and his group entered the Hengshan County lord's mansion. Two Dragon Armored Warriors approached from a distance and knelt on one knee, saying, "Young Master!"
"Mm, prepare a banquet."
"Yes!"
"Make sure there is good wine and meat..."
"Yes!"
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