Chapter 58: Resigning from Office

  Leng Xiao Tian, accompanied by his family, had just entered the Imperial Garden when they saw a group of people smiling and standing at the entrance to greet them. Upon seeing the person wearing the dragon robe in front, Leng Xiao Tian quickly stepped forward and bowed slightly: "Leng Xiao Tian pays respects to Your Majesty, wishing you infinite fortune and longevity."

  Liu Yan saw Leng Xiao Tian and hurriedly walked a few steps forward, stretched out his hands to hold Leng Xiao Tian's hands, with a smile on his face: "General Leng, no need for formalities, no need for formalities."

  "Thank you, Your Majesty."

  "Leng Feng, Liu Yan, Leng Mo, Leng Ao, and Leng Xiao Yao have seen Your Majesty, Imperial Brother, and Uncle." Leng Feng said with a single knee kneeling down to pay respects, accompanied by his family of five.

  "Hehe, get up!" Liu Yan's face was smiling as he waved his hand, then his eyes swept over the five members of the Leng family. When his gaze fell on Leng Xiao Yao, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

  "Thank you, Your Majesty, Imperial Brother, Uncle." The four people replied and stood up one after another, standing behind Leng Xiao Tian without a word.

  "They have seen General Leng." The nobles behind Liu Yan said in unison as they bowed.

  "It's all right, it's all right." Leng Xiao Tian smiled and waved his hand.

  "Early bird, you've arrived quite early!" Zhao Guotang said with a smile on his face.

  "You bookworm still arrive early as well." Leng Xiao Tian countered with a smile.

  "Wind, come and meet this bookworm." Leng Xiao Tian instructed, facing the wind behind him.

  "Leng Feng has met Grand Preceptor Zhao." Leng Feng respectfully greeted Zhao Guo with a junior's salute.

  Zhao Guodong waved his hand casually and said: "Hehe, be polite, understand? Come out to pay respects to General Leng."

  "Yes, father." Zhao didn't understand what he had just heard from his father, and hastily stepped out from behind Zhao Guo's back, bowing to say: "Zhao doesn't understand has seen General Leng."

  "You're welcome."

  Leng Yue saw everyone asking for leave and then walked to Leng Xiao Tian's side, politely saluting: "Daughter sees father, brother, sister-in-law."

  "It's all right." Leng Xiao Tian waved his hand and a loving expression appeared on his face.

  "All of you, let's go back to your respective homes and we'll sit down again in the imperial garden to continue our conversation."

  "Yes sir." Cold Xiao Tian and several other ministers responded in unison.

  "Is she my aunt?" Leng Xiao Yao suddenly realized that Leng Yue's gaze kept drifting towards her, and a hint of surprise arose in her heart.

  "Young master, Miss and Second Madam had the closest relationship at first." Fu Bo seemed to see the doubt in Leng Xiao Yao's heart and secretly transmitted a sentence.

  "So that's how it is! No wonder." Leng Xiao finally understood why Leng Yue looked at him with such kindness and affection, it seemed that this aunt was also a kind-hearted person of the Leng family.

  After Liu Yanluo sat down, he waved his hand and said magnificently: "Today I invited everyone to come, in addition to celebrating the birthday of the Moon Empress, there is also a great joyful news."

  Zhao Guodong saw Liu Yan with a joyful expression, and smiled as he cupped his hands in greeting: "Oh! I wonder what matter has brought Your Majesty such great joy?"

  "Heh heh, the Royal Legion had already retaken Humen ten days ago, slaying over a million enemies, and the beastman army suffered a crushing defeat."

  "Congratulations to Your Majesty, felicitations to Your Majesty." The civil and military officials present all congratulated the emperor.

  "Your Majesty, I have a matter of importance to report." A man in his early forties stood up.

  Liu Yan saw this person, was stunned for a moment, and immediately smiled: "What can General Qiao do?"

  "It's him." The information of this man immediately appeared in Leng Xiao Yao's mind, Qiao Feng, the Dragon Team General of the four major legions of Tian Long Guo, who had just risen to prominence in recent years. His military prestige was second only to that of the Leng family and he was also the archenemy of the Leng family.

  Qiao Feng heard the emperor's words, and with a hint of ulterior motive in his eyes, he glanced at Leng Xiao Tian before cupping his fists and saying: "Your Majesty, this general believes that merit should be rewarded and fault punished. Therefore, for this time, the Hu Tiger Regiment abandoning the city and fleeing, the main general Shi Hu must receive severe punishment."

  As soon as Qiao Feng's words fell, the eyes of all the senior and junior generals around him turned to Leng Xiao Tian. Who in the Tian Long Kingdom did not know that Shi Hu was a member of the Leng family? And Qiao Feng's words were undoubtedly directed at the Leng family.

  "Liu Yan's eyes flashed a sharp light, then quickly retracted, his face with an inscrutable expression, he cast his gaze at Leng Xiao Tian and asked: "General Leng, what do you think about this matter?"

  "Hmph!" Leng Xue Tian's face revealed a cold smile as he stood up, exuding an aura of majesty. He pointed at Qiao Feng and berated him without regard for the dozens of officials present: "You dare to say such a thing, you shameless person! If you have the ability, let your Dragon Team go against the Beastmen's army of over 20 million people. You think you can open up a path? The Ferocious Tiger Team has been fighting for the territory of Tian Long Kingdom from start to finish. Even when they were on the verge of being completely annihilated, Shi Hu led the remaining 300+ men in stubbornly defending the Tiger Mountain Valley. And yet you still dare to say that Shi Hu abandoned the city and fled!"

  Qiao Feng heard Leng Xuetian's angry curse and also showed a hint of anger, saying: "May I ask General Leng, was the Ferocious Tiger Corps defeated?"

  "Not bad, the Invincible Tigers were defeated, this cannot be denied, but I think that although the Invincible Tigers were defeated, they still deserve honor." Leng Xuetian glanced at Qiao Feng with disdain.

  "Since the Tiger and Leopard Brigade has been defeated, they should be punished. I ask Your Majesty to mete out justice." Qiao Feng directly kicked the responsibility to Liu Yan.

  "Please enlighten us, Your Majesty." Qiao Feng and his men all knelt down on one knee to request.

  Leng Xiao Tian saw Qiao Feng and his men rushing to the palace, a faint smile appeared on his face as he bowed to Liu Yan and said: "Your Majesty, the defeat of the Hu Tiger Regiment is an undeniable fact. The leader of the Hu Tiger Regiment, Shi Hu, was my former subordinate, so I am willing to take all responsibility. As an old general who has followed the previous emperor in battle for decades, I already feel that I am no longer capable, so I ask Your Majesty to allow me to lay down my armor and return home to enjoy my remaining years."

  "What?" The dozens of Shang Xiangjun who were present heard Leng Xiao Tian's words and were all stunned.

  "Leng Ruozi, do you know what you're saying?" Zhao Guotang's face turned urgent as he called out, while making frantic eye contact with Leng Xiao Tian.

  Leng Xiao Tian seemed to have ignored Zhao Guo Tuan's gaze and repeated, "Please Your Majesty allow me to retire from my post and return home."

  Liu Yan heard the repeated words of Leng Xi Tian, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes. The next moment, he showed a smile on his face and said: "General Leng is overthinking, although the Hu Tiger Regiment was defeated, their spirit is commendable, I have no intention of blaming them, please take back what you just said, besides, our Tian Long Kingdom cannot do without General Leng!"

  "Please permit me, Your Majesty." Leng Xuetian repeated this sentence again, his tone filled with determination.

  "Father, grandfather..." The four members of the Leng family exclaimed in unison, they all understood that if Leng Xuetian really retired and returned to his hometown, then the status of their Leng family in Kyoto would greatly decline.

  Liu Yan saw Leng Xiao Tian's determined face, and although his heart was filled with joy, he still put on a reluctant expression. He waved his hand and said, "Since General Leng has made up his mind, if I were to force him to stay, I would also feel uneasy."

  "I hereby grant it." Liu Yan's face turned serious as he agreed to Leng Xi Tian's request. As soon as he finished speaking, without waiting for Leng Xi Tian to thank him, he continued: "Although General Leng has retired and returned to his hometown, the Heavenly Dragon Country still needs the general's guidance, so please continue to offer your advice."

  "An old general gets his orders."

  "Alright." Liu Yan stood up and waved his hand: "Leng Xiao Tian, listen to the order."

  "We appoint General Leng as the Founding Marshal of the Heavenly Dragon Nation, rewarding him with one hundred million taels of gold, a mansion in the Southwest Separate Institute, and the hereditary title of First-Rank Duke for his descendants."

  "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty." The Leng Xi Tian family knelt down on one knee and thanked him.

  After thanking the emperor, he stood up and took a delicate box from behind Fu Bo's hand. He said: "Your Majesty, I have something valuable here that belongs to you. Please accept it."

  "Present it."

  Leng Xiao Tian handed the box in his hand to a guard sent by Liu Yan, then sat down and quietly savored the tea on the table.

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