Chapter 116: Xiao Tong, Envoy of Northern Yan

Jiang Chen’s words sparked dissatisfaction in Mao Wuying. She cast a sharp glance at him and demanded, "You are also a subject of the Great Qian; why do you only speak such cynical words?"

"Dignity is earned through one's own actions, whether for an individual or a nation. As the Great Qian teeters in the storm, if we only know how to appease and remain listless, what hope can we expect the people to have for the imperial court?"

Jiang Chen was not merely being cynical. He was mourning the nation’s misfortune and incensed by its lack of resolve. It was unbearable for anyone to watch the people of an enemy state flaunting their power in the heart of the capital.

As the black war banners of Northern Yan were raised high, the citizens in the streets stomped their feet, sighed, and grumbled. Yet, the members of the Northern Yan delegation seemed to relish this condescending sense of superiority. They had only just breached the northern borders; if Jinyang City were to truly fall to them one day, the consequences would be unimaginable. Who knew what heinous, conscience-less acts these arrogant, lawless people would commit?

The irony was that even as these Northern Yan people grew increasingly brazen, not a single official appeared to intervene. They seemed to have collectively vanished, as if by pretending not to see or hear anything, they could maintain an illusion of peace.

In the teahouse, the storyteller, busy packing his things, lamented, "Perhaps before long, I will be forced to tell tales in this tea shop praising the great achievements of Northern Yan. Oh, Great Qian, please, do not perish like this!"

His words were treasonous, but such a pessimistic atmosphere permeated the entire capital that the imperial court had no energy to pursue such remarks. If the government was incompetent in war and continued to oppress its own people, its authority would truly cease to exist.

Jiang Chen’s gaze locked onto the man riding the Thunder Beast below. It was said that any Northern Yan man who rendered significant military service could wear a wild goose ornament on his head. These ornaments were categorized into seven grades based on the merit of their deeds. The highest level, the "Seven Geese Shining Bright," symbolized the supreme honor of Northern Yan, and to date, only a handful of people had received such a distinction.

Jiang Chen observed the ornament on the man’s head—five geese shining bright. Given his age, he appeared to be in his thirties, a man in his prime, basking in his success and full of spirit. In a few years, he might reach that highest honor, provided he did not die on the battlefield against the Great Qian.

"Little Gray, don't run! Come back!"

"I can't keep up with you! Wait for me!"

Just as the Northern Yan delegation was parading through the streets, a little girl darted out from the crowd, calling out in a panic to her disobedient puppy, but it was too late. The small, brownish-yellow dog dashed directly toward the delegation. The massive Thunder Beast, unaware of the tiny creature, brought its heavy iron hoof down, crushing the dog to the ground.

The little girl, heartbroken for her companion, burst into tears as she witnessed the scene. "Ah! Little Gray, don't die! Please, don't die!"

However, the Thunder Beast did not stop. It raised its iron hoof again, and as it prepared to bring it down on the little girl, the situation became dire. In the blink of an eye, a blur moved beneath the beast’s feet, narrowly pulling the girl to safety. Yet, the person who had reached out to help was grazed by the beast’s razor-sharp scales during the final maneuver.

The man on the Thunder Beast leaned down, looked over, and laughed with disdain: "The bravest person in all of Jinyang City is a woman. How ridiculous!"

"Hahahaha..."

A commotion rippled through the crowd. They had been terrified for the girl, and now, they were broken out in a cold sweat by the sudden turn of events. They watched the young woman lying on the ground, unable to rise, feeling utterly helpless.

The Thunder Beast lifted its hoof once more; the woman’s intervention seemed to have enraged it, and it was now intent on trampling her to death. The girl had been saved, but the woman was now in mortal danger. Would anyone dare to save her now?

"Boom!"

The beast had clearly put more force into this strike. If a person were to take such a blow, their internal organs would surely rupture, and they would die on the spot.

But the woman did not die, nor was she harmed, because Jiang Chen had suddenly appeared beside her. Just as the Thunder Beast struck, he had swept her away to safety.

"You were too reckless just now. Even with your speed, the distance was simply too great."

Jiang Chen held Mao Wuying in his arms. Both had felt the immense power of the Thunder Beast; if such a creature were allowed to run wild in the crowded streets, the death toll would be countless.

"Put me down." A rare, bashful look appeared on Mao Wuying’s face.

The man on the Thunder Beast looked over, finding the pair intriguing—the first thing that had piqued his interest since arriving in Jinyang. The woman’s reflexes had been astonishingly fast; she could have easily escaped, but she had risked injury to protect the child. And this young man clearly possessed profound strength. If not for their quick intervention, at least one life would have been lost under the beast’s hooves.

"The Great Qian is full of hidden talents," Jiang Chen said. "It would be wise to stow away your arrogant words. Do not forget, this is the capital of the Great Qian. Is this a place for you to be so insolent?"

Jiang Chen’s warning caused the man’s expression to darken, though he quickly replaced it with a look of even greater defiance.

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Your Great Qian army has been crushed on the front lines, with tens of thousands of soldiers chased like stray dogs by a small detachment of a few hundred Northern Yan troops. I don’t see a single capable person in your entire country, yet you talk to me about 'hidden talents'?"

"Trying to scare me?"

The man raved excitedly, "I, Xiao Tong, came to Jinyang today to tell you people of the Great Qian that only by surrendering to Northern Yan early can you enjoy peace. If your emperor remains stubborn and insists on being an enemy of Northern Yan, you will surely face total annihilation!"

Jiang Chen smiled faintly: "Are you the envoy sent for peace talks?"

Xiao Tong replied, "Peace talks? What a joke. This is merely giving the Great Qian a chance to linger on for a while. Northern Yan could easily charge in and march south. What could you possibly do about it?"

"But our Emperor, unwilling to see the world plunged into suffering and chaos, specially ordered me to come. Whether it is war or peace, you would do well to choose wisely."