Chapter 366 - Elder Brother Friendly and Younger Brother Respectful

In the Donghua Pavilion, Zhongxuan Sheng spoke with ease and confidence.But he heard the King of Qi scoff with a sneer, “Young man, you exaggerate.

How old are you to dare to say you worry about the whole world?”

This time, his tone was somewhat stern.

Jiang Wang thought to himself that the King of Qi’s mood swings were too rapid, truly living up to the saying that serving the king was like accompanying a tiger.

Yet he heard the plump man beside him muster all his strength and reply in a booming voice, “Although young, I have led the battles in the Yang Region, eliminating border threats, and expanding Daqi’s territory by three prefectures!”

“Though I may be dull-witted, I am also mindful of the grace of our country, and I serve the nation with no regard for my own life!”

“Though I am foolish and fat, I remain dedicated to state affairs, always taking the lead before soldiers, bearing numerous wounds, and seizing enemy flags on behalf of His Majesty!”

As he spoke, he reached to throw open his robes, intending to reveal the belly wound from Ji Cheng’s arrow during the battle for the flags.

Back then, the whole arrow had sunk deep into his flesh, the injury was severe, and Zhongxuan Sheng, in his fury, pulled it out, making the wound even more ghastly.

However…

Faint laughter from the King of Qi could be heard.

Jiang Wang also couldn’t help but turn his head to look.

But what he saw was Zhongxuan Sheng’s body fat quivering, and the once gruesome wound now looked unclear and was rather inconspicuous.

Zhongxuan Sheng still tried to pull aside the fat to make it more visible…

“Your Majesty,” Zhongxuan Sheng said without a hint of embarrassment, “I am foolishly fat, and my wounds are hard to see.

Jiang Wang, who also fought in the Yang Region, should strip down and reveal to Your Majesty the battle as it was that day!”

The tone of the King of Qi was somewhat peculiar, as if holding back laughter, “Granted.”

Zhongxuan Chuliang once said that where Zhongxuan Sheng was stronger than Zhongxuan Zun was in his thick skin.

Jiang Wang agreed wholeheartedly!

How could he just start undressing without a second word?

And why wasn’t it enough to undress himself, he even wanted to undress his comrade?

Did I accompany you to the palace just for “stripping down”?

Nevertheless, Jiang Wang had absolutely no grounds to refuse, nor the opportunity to speak.

He didn’t even have to do it himself, as naturally a eunuch came over and removed his upper garment.

And then, in the Donghua Pavilion, the King of Qi saw—

A young man standing with bowed head, due to the rituals of an audience with royalty, whose eyes had yet to lift.

His features were clean, slightly handsome, with a calm face that lacked aggression.

Only his lips were slightly pursed, revealing an inherent toughness.

With the neck serving as a boundary, the area above the neck and the area below were like two different people.

Above the neck was a delicate-looking young man.

Below the neck…

The bare and fair upper body was covered in scars!

Crisscrossing!

Wounds from knives, spears, swords…

Both fresh wounds and old scars.

This was a warrior who had battled his way here step by step, not a young man who had grown up protected by a family.

With the King of Qi’s discernment, he could naturally tell which injuries were recent.

Especially the deep gash on the abdomen, clearly caused by a master archer’s arrow grazing by, nearly opening up the belly, indicating the deadly peril faced.

This was much more persuasive than the wounds on Zhongxuan Sheng, which were almost completely covered by fat.

“Bestow a purple robe, to drape over the valiant warrior,” said the King of Qi.

Immediately, a palace maiden brought a tray, on which a royal purple robe was folded.

With slender jade hands, she draped the robe, thin as gossamer, over Jiang Wang, covering his scarred body.

Jiang Wang still did not lift his eyes to meet those of the King of Qi, only slightly bowed as a form of gratitude, “This humble servant thanks Your Majesty.”

He was now a titled baron, indeed entitled to refer to himself as a humble servant.

The people of Qi held purple in high esteem, considering the color to be noble.

But the purple robe bestowed by the King of Qi was naturally no ordinary garment.

It represented not just a degree of honor.

The material itself was impervious to water and fire, and ordinary swords could not cut through it.

When worn, it even aided slightly in the concentration of Path Origin energy.

But, as they say, the heart of the sage is unfathomable.

The king of Qi fell silent for a moment before asking, “So, the son of Fu Tu, are you here to boast about your achievements today?”

Zhongxuan Fu Tu was the name of Zhongxuan Sheng’s father.

This was a taboo that should not be spoken aloud.

The question was asked directly and with chilling coldness.

Sweat began to bead on the fatty neck of Zhongxuan Sheng.

But he clenched his teeth and said, “Zhongxuan Sheng, with his modest achievements, has come to ask for Your Majesty’s grace and reward!”

He had sidestepped the so-called identity of “son of Fu Tu” as well as the king’s warning, speaking out directly in his own name.

It was a declaration that all of this was unrelated to anyone else, and solely from his own heart.

The atmosphere congealed.

The entire Donghua Pavilion fell into dead silence.

Even Li Zhengshu was statue-like, let alone the eunuchs and palace maidens.

As the saying goes, “Thunder and rain are all a king’s grace.”

It has always been that the king gives, and subjects do not ask.

The king of Qi’s voice, on the contrary, no longer betrayed any sign of pleasure or anger, only asking, “What do you want?”

“I have a brother, with the single name ‘Zun’, whose talents are extraordinary, and who has been very kind to Zhongxuan Sheng since childhood!”

As Zhongxuan Sheng spoke up to this point, Li Zhengshu couldn’t help but glance at this fat man, with a hint of regret in his eyes.

But he heard Zhongxuan Sheng continue, “The soothsayer Yu Beidou has promised him ‘the envy of his peers,’ and many young talents have bowed down to his abilities.

Such is his talent!

I too respect and love him!”

“However, hovering for three years, my brother hasn’t broken through his current realm.

People criticize him, and my heart regrets this!”

With the majestic might of Your Majesty, Zhongxuan Sheng does not shy away from bloody battles, lucky to have modest achievements.

I dare use these accomplishments to ask for Your Majesty’s grace and reward, to allow my brother to practice in the Under Jixuegong for one year, only to leave after breaking through his realm!

To fulfill my respectful and loving heart towards my elder brother!”

Hearing this, the regret in Li Zhengshu’s eyes turned to surprise!

Jiang Wang admired this from within his heart!

Even the king of Qi raised his eyebrows!

No one had expected that Zhongxuan Sheng, who was risking a request for a reward, was doing it not for himself but for Zhongxuan Zun!

Asking for a favor for one’s own elder brother, no one could find fault with that.

Moreover, it was an opportunity to practice in the Under Jixuegong!

However, the crux of the matter was the time; one year of practice in the Under Jixuegong meant no involvement in external affairs.

This meant that for a whole year, Zhongxuan Sheng would have plenty of opportunities to attack and plunder the businesses and influence left behind by Zhongxuan Zun.

And Zhongxuan Zun would have no way to resist because he would be in the Under Jixuegong, practicing arduously for an entire year, cut off from the outside world!

This was a stroke of genius, an extraordinary move.

It completely overturned all of Zhongxuan Zun’s arrangements and nailed him down as the player.

The only variable lay with the king of Qi.

However, what reason would the king of Qi have to refuse?

The king of Qi fell silent for a moment, then said, “Brothers who are friendly and brothers who are respectful, who would dare to speak against such a fraternal heart?

Since you have this intention, I cannot refuse.”

Zhongxuan Sheng prostrated himself on the ground, offering deep gratitude, “Sheng is deeply moved and grateful for Your Majesty’s grace!”

Jiang Wang also prostrated himself in turn.

The king of Qi said further, “Come, bestow upon him another purple robe, to keep this brother-cherishing chubby youth warm!”

The appreciation in those words was now undisguised.

Li Zhengshu had thought that Zhongxuan Sheng was merely relying on his achievements to present a difficult situation, and that even if the king of Qi were to take account of his war merits and support him, he would thereafter lose all the king’s favor.

But instead, he made this move.

Everyone knows how ridiculous Zhongxuan Sheng’s words are.

Staying in the Inner Mansion Realm for three years is also called “hovering”?

It is well-known that Zhongxuan Zun is of God’s Inner Mansion, always refining his Divine Skills, already showing two seeds of Divine Power; the world communicates that he possesses five Divine Skills, making him a cultivator of Tianfu.

Such a person is certainly not ending his journey at the Outer Building Environment.

What he seeks is a steady and smooth progression, step by step, already surpassing far too many.

Nevertheless, Zhongxuan Sheng, under the pretext of his brother’s hesitation before the Outer Building, “thoughtfully” sent him into the Under Jixuegong.

But as the king of Qi had said, brothers who are friendly and brothers who are respectful, who would dare to speak against such a fraternal heart?