Chapter 59: Exchanging Symbols for Promises

  One of the guards took over the object presented by Leng Xue Tian and walked to Liu Yan's side, bowing his body respectfully and calling out: "Your Majesty."

  "Ah." Liu Yan lightly took the box from the guard's hand, opened it with a glance, and suddenly changed color on his face, revealing a look of surprise. However, in an instant, Liu Yan suppressed the changing expression on his face, gently closed the box, and a huge wave rose in his heart: "Could Leng Xiao Tian already know about his matter? It's impossible, if he knew, it wouldn't be so easy to talk, but if he didn't know, then why did he return the military symbol?"

  "Could he be trying to exchange this for the Leng family's hundred-year-old foundation?" Liu Yan thought of Leng Xiao Tian handing over the military symbol.

  "What does Lord Leng's household want as a reward? I quite like the things from Lord Leng's household," Liu Yan asked with a smile.

  Leng Xiao Tian heard Liu Yan's words and immediately knelt down to say: "Your Majesty, I only need Your Majesty to answer me one question."

  "What's up?"

  "I beg Your Majesty to consider the old minister's years of hard work for Tianlong Kingdom. I only want Your Majesty to agree with me, as long as Tianlong Kingdom is ruled by the Liu family, there will be a Cold family member present. I hope Your Majesty will fulfill this wish."

  Liu Yan heard Leng Xi Tian's words, first stunned, then a smile appeared on his face, and with a wave of his hand, he said magnanimously: "General Leng is indeed a great general, I agree to your condition."

  "Thank you, Your Majesty." Leng Xiao Tian hastily expressed his gratitude.

  "The banquet begins!" Liu Yan waved his hand, and immediately a large group of maids walked in from outside the imperial garden, each holding plates, wine pots and the like.

  When attending the imperial banquet, there are also rules to follow. The high-ranking officials and generals gather around the emperor, while their young sons and daughters are arranged in the outer flower garden. These young masters and famous beauties each have their own cliques, gathering together in twos and threes, whispering to each other.

  He saw these people scene by scene, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, he took a glass of wine alone and hid in a deserted corner, quietly savoring the beautiful wine in his hand.

  Suddenly, a burst of noise awakened the cold and carefree corner. The cold and carefree one looked in the direction of the sound, only to see a majestic young man with an elegant demeanor leading a beautiful woman into the imperial garden, truly a golden boy and jade girl pair!

  "Wait a minute, this woman seems familiar to me?" Leng Xiao suddenly appeared in front of the beautiful woman, as if he had seen her somewhere before, but somehow couldn't remember.

  Zhao Yingying had been afraid of the outside world since she ran away from home a year ago and met Leng Xiao. Since then, she has obediently stayed in the Zhao Mansion and never taken a step out. This time, it was because of the Emperor's wedding banquet that she received her grandfather's order and reluctantly came with her brother to attend.

  Zhao Yingying walked along, listening to the flattering words of those around her, and her tense mood gradually eased. She began to appreciate the beautiful scenery of the royal garden, and when her eyes scanned a dead corner of the garden, she suddenly saw a familiar face - one that had haunted her for an entire month.

  "Ah!!!!!!" Zhao Yingying let out a terrified cry, and her small body quickly hid behind Zhao Qing, trembling uncontrollably.

  "Ying'er, what's wrong?" Zhao Qing saw her sister's terrified look and a puzzled expression appeared on her face. She gently patted her sister's back with one hand while softly asking.

  Zhao Yingying's hand trembled as she stretched out her finger, pointing to the location where Leng Xiao was standing, and shouted in a trembling voice: "Brother, it's him, how is he here?"

  "Who?" Zhao Qing's face showed a skeptical expression, and he looked in the direction his sister was pointing. When he saw Leng Xiao Yao's face, he also paused for a moment. He naturally remembered that Leng Xiao Yao was the so-called young master of the Leng family who had almost molested his sister back then.

  "What a narrow road to meet an old enemy!" Leng Xiangyang smiled wryly, and it wasn't until Zhao Yingying's sudden cry that he remembered why this woman's face was so familiar - it turned out that she was the very woman whose body he had taken over when he first crossed over, the one his original host had tried to molest.

  "Alas, you're dead and finally free, but unfortunately I still have to take the blame for you, alas!" Leng Xiangyao silently cursed the original owner of this body in his heart.

  Zhao Qing slightly furrowed his brow. When Leng Xiao was about to leave, his grandfather had told him what happened. At that time, although he was also furious, he understood that if Leng Xiao really got angry, the consequences would be severe. As a military man, he knew better than anyone the significance of the three words "Leng Xiao". So after listening to his grandfather's account, Zhao Qing remained silent and lied to his sister, telling her that he had already sent that person to the border. Who would have thought that he would actually appear at the imperial palace banquet?

  "Sister, wait for me here, I'll be right back." Zhao Qing gently patted his sister's shoulder and whispered.

  "Don't go, brother." Zhao Yingying's small hand tightly grasped the corner of Zhao Qing's clothes, her face still filled with a fearful expression.

  Zhao Qing saw the terrified expression on his sister's face, and his resentment towards Leng Xiao Yao deepened. With a smile on his face, he whispered: "Don't worry, little sister, I'll go chase that annoying person away and come back."

  "Brother..." Zhao Yingying heard her brother say this, and the small hand that was originally grasping tightly also relaxed slightly. Zhao Qing took advantage of his sister's loosening grip to leave her side, walking away with a serious expression towards the cold and distant corner.

  The nobles and aristocrats chatting in the front garden stopped their conversations when they saw Zhao Qing, each with a schadenfreude expression on their faces as they gazed at Leng Xianyang, seemingly waiting for a good show to watch.

  Leng Xiangyao gazed at Zhao Qing who was walking towards him, a faint smile appearing on his face.

  "You're still so arrogant, it seems the lesson I taught you last time wasn't enough!" Zhao Qing said in a low, sarcastic tone.

  "What's going on?" Leng Xiao Yao's face showed a puzzled expression, he still thought it was something that happened before his rebirth, so naturally he didn't know.

  Zhao Qing saw Leng Xiao Yao's suspicious expression and his tone became even angrier: "Leng Xiao Yao, I don't care if you're a true expert or a fake one. I'm warning you, next time you'd better not appear in front of my sister again, otherwise be careful with your little life."

  Leng Xiao Yao was the kind of person who would yield to softness but not to force. In his past life, he had been a proud and unyielding person. Upon hearing Zhao Qing's threatening tone, a cold smile appeared on his face as he countered, "Oh, what if I insist on showing up?"

  Zhao Qing is a person who has been praised since childhood, and he has never received such refutation before. When he heard Leng Xiao Yao's sarcastic words, his face turned iron-green with anger: "You little brat, are you looking to die? Just because you can kill three great warriors in prison doesn't mean you're invincible."

  "Prison?" Leng Xiao Yao heard Zhao Qing's words and suddenly remembered that he was on the ground when he woke up. He immediately understood why the three warriors had tortured him earlier, and it turned out that they were sent by him. As soon as he thought of this, Leng Xiao Yao's face showed a look of surprise: "So it was you?"

  Zhao Qing saw the look of surprise on Leng Xiao Yao's face and thought that Leng Xiao Yao was afraid of him. With a scornful expression, he commanded: "Understood? I advise you not to appear in front of my sister again, otherwise I won't mind killing you personally."

  "I've been wondering who the hell was so tasteless, doing something as despicable as this. I didn't expect it to be none other than the great Zhao Da, commander of the border defense army! Shameful, shameful!" Cold XiaoYao's face was a picture of clarity, and he bowed deeply towards Zhao Qing, his voice loud and clear, as if afraid that the surrounding nobles and generals wouldn't hear him.

  Zhao Qing did not expect Leng Xiao Yao would use this move on him, and he suddenly became furious, pointing at Leng Xiao Yao and saying: "You....."

  Leng Xiao Yao's face turned innocent, and he slapped away Zhao Qing's pointing finger. A proud expression appeared on his face as he said: "Although I, Leng Xiao Yao, am not a gentleman, at least I won't resort to those despicable and underhanded tactics like stabbing people in the back or using dirty tricks. Can you say the same for your family, Zhao Da Gongzi?"

  The young masters and famous ladies surrounding them began whispering to each other, with some even pointing fingers.

  "Those with the surname Leng, be careful, don't mess with me that day, otherwise..."

  Leng Xiao Yao hadn't even finished speaking when Zhao Qing's threatening words were cut off, and he immediately shouted: "Or what? Do you still want to use your power for personal gain? Heaven! Our Tian Long Kingdom's Emperor trusts the Zhao family so much, do you think the border defense army's generals are not worthy of the Zhao family? Are you trying to rebel or something?"

  Zhao Qing was so angry at Leng Xiao Yao's words that he couldn't speak, his face turned red and he stuttered: "Y...y...you..."

  "What? I was right, wasn't I! You're feeling guilty now!" Leng Xiao Yao naturally wouldn't let go of the opportunity to kick a man while he's down and continued to press on with his words.

  "You, I want to duel with you." Zhao Qing issued a duel invitation.

  "Duel?" Leng Xiangyang exclaimed in surprise.

  "What? You're not daring now?" Zhao Qing saw Leng Xiao Yao's astonished expression, as if he had vented his anger.

  Who would have thought that Leng Xiao saw Zhao Qing's relaxed smile and immediately exclaimed: "Duel, you actually dare to find me, a person with no strength at all, for a duel? If you don't lose face, I'll lose face for you."

  The crowd surrounding them heard Lin Xiao Yao's words and each of their faces revealed a smile, but when they looked at Zhao Qing, their faces were filled with disdain. You, a renowned junior great swordsman, how dare you challenge someone without any aura to a duel? How dare you not!

  "Cut..." Leng Xiao gave Zhao Qing a disdainful look, then turned around with the wine cup in hand, patted his butt and left, ignoring the furious Zhao Qing in front of him.

  "I'm going to kill you." Zhao Qing's forehead bulged with a visible vein, ready to throw punches.

  "Prince Zhao, calm down, calm down, this is the imperial palace!" Several close friends of Zhao Qing's who were standing behind him quickly grabbed hold of him and hurriedly consoled him.

  Zhao Qing was gradually calmed down by the words of his companions, and as he gazed at Leng Xiao Yao's departing figure, a hint of ruthlessness appeared on his face. He muttered to himself: "Cold surname, next time you'd better not fall into my hands. Although I can't kill you, I can make you wish you were dead."

  "Hah!" Coldly and carelessly, he let out a snort, thinking to himself: "Is that bastard scolding me behind my back? Could it be that Zhao kid again?"