Chapter 665: Summoned by the Empress Dowager

On the opposite side, the expressions of those from the Tianyang Empire were far from pleasant.

They were supposed to retrieve Nangong Yin yet they were going to return with a corpse!

They were supposed to use the marriage proposal as a pretext to seize three strategic points of the Tianbai Empire, but they ended up losing three cities!

They accomplished nothing at all!

Xiahou Lie clenched his fists tightly. The more he saw Ling Feng's imposing figure, the more he wanted to strangle the boy.

"Lord General, we should return to the embassy and make arrangements to head back to the empire as soon as possible," one of Xiahou Lie's lieutenants suggested in a low voice while bowing slightly.

"

Hmph!

"

Xiahou Lie's expression was uncertain as he glared at Ling Feng. This young man had humiliated him repeatedly and had now completely ruined the Tianyang Empire's major plans.

This boy would undoubtedly grow to become a serious threat to the Tianyang Empire!

"Let's return to the embassy.

Sigh...

"

After a long pause, Xiahou Lie sighed deeply and ordered his men to carry away the talented youth of the Tianyang Empire who were beaten half to death or killed by Ling Feng. At the very least, they should collect the bodies.

As for the rest, that would have to wait until they returned home to consult the Eleventh Prince.

On the platform, Grand Commandant Li saw Xiahou Lie leading the envoys of the Tianyang Empire away. He stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "Looks like Xiahou Lie won't be in for a pleasant time when he returns."

"With the Tianyang Empire's usual iron-fist approach, Xiahou Lie might not lose his life, but he'll certainly lose a good layer of skin," said Yue Zhonglian, who stood beside Grand Commandant Li. "Xiahou Lie is a talented individual, but, unfortunately, he's an opponent."

"Sect Leader, I wouldn't mind if the emperor of the Tianyang Empire beheaded him. That would be one less formidable enemy on the battlefield in the future, hahaha..."

Grand Commandant Li turned to look at Yue Zhonglian. Although his ranking was high among the Three Senior Ministers, Yue Zhonglian's status was even higher, as he was the sect leader of the Divine Guardian Sect, a position akin to the Imperial Advisor.

Yue Zhonglian nodded slightly and gazed forward. His daughter, Yue Yunlan, was walking toward him.

"Daddy," Yue Yunlan said softly as she approached her father, biting her lip and bowing gracefully.

"Lan'er, you've suffered." Yue Zhonglian raised his hand to gently pat Yue Yunlan's head, a look of guilt flashing through his eyes.

Even though Yue Yunlan had escaped the fate of being married off to the Tianyang Empire, he still felt some guilt deep down.

"I understand, Daddy. You had no other choice, so I don't blame you."

Yue Yunlan smiled, squinting her eyes. To her father, the nation always came first, even above family.

This was the unwavering responsibility of the Cangqiong Sect as the Divine Guardian Sect and the inherited tradition upheld by the Yue family's ancestors for generations.

"As long as you understand. Your mother..." Yue Zhonglian smiled wryly. His wife, the sect leader's lady, had almost broken ties with him over this matter.

"But it's all over now. Mother will be upset for a few days at most. She's never truly angry with you."

Yue Yunlan wrapped her arms around her father's and giggled.

"You mischievous spirit." Yue Zhonglian shook his head and patted the back of his daughter. "Don't worry, something like this will never happen again."

This was his promise to his daughter, as a father.

"Alright, Lan'er, why aren't you going to find Ling Feng? After all, he did all this for you..."

Before Yue Zhonglian could finish, Yue Yunlan interrupted him.

She glared at her father and gritted her teeth, saying, "Enough of that. Let's go check on Mother. As for Ling Feng, he's busy right now!"

"Exactly!"

Qiao Qiao looked at the audience, where countless people were surrounding Ling Feng, and many noble ladies were sending him flirtatious glances. But there he was, scratching the back of his head with a silly smile, not taking any opportunity to confess to the ladies!

He didn't understand romance at all!

"That's right, now Ling Feng is not the same as he used to be," Yue Zhonglian said as he smiled faintly. "Well, I'll invite him to the Cangqiong Sect as a guest some other day. I must thank him properly."

"

Mhm.

" Yue Yunlan nodded and pushed her father away from the training ground.

...

"Well, now that this is over, I should return and handle the aftermath with the sect leader."

Wen Tingguang turned back and saw Yue Zhonglian and the others had already left, so he bid farewell to Ling Feng. As he left, he advised Ling Feng not to hold too much of a grudge against Yue Zhonglian.

Making such difficult decisions had surely been harder on Yue Zhonglian than on anyone else.

Ling Feng, of course, understood. He had indeed been a little rude earlier.

"Thanks to me, your older brother. I won't say much. Kid, do your best!"

Wen Tingguang gave Ling Feng a rather ambiguous look before leaving. Who knew whether he was advising Ling Feng to work hard on his cultivation or on becoming the new son-in-law of the Cangqiong Sect!

"

Mhm.

Next time when I'm free, I'll visit Cangqiong Mountain to see you, old brother."

After Wen Tingguang left, Ling Feng decided he didn't want to stay and be ogled by the crowd any longer. Just as he was about to leave with his brothers from the East Court Sword Team, a eunuch in official robes approached him while holding a whisk. The eunuch bowed low and said, "General Ling, I am here on behalf of the empress dowager. She has summoned you to the palace for an audience."

"The empress dowager?"

Ling Feng's eyes twitched as he suddenly recalled something.

The empress dowager this eunuch spoke of was none other than Yan Cangtian's old lover.

As expected, the empress dowager was well-informed! The competition had just ended, and her people had already arrived.

It seems that the empress dowager has learned of my relationship with Yan Cangtian and has sent for me because of it.

Otherwise, Ling Feng couldn't imagine why someone as high and mighty as the empress dowager would have any business with him.

Since it involved Elder Yan's first love, Ling Feng figured it would be interesting to meet her. After all, he was curious about the woman who had kept Yan Cangtian, now in his fifties, a bachelor.

"Since the empress dowager summons me, how can I refuse?" Ling Feng bowed to the eunuch. "Please, lead the way."

"My name is Xiao Anzi," the eunuch said with a delicate gesture, his voice soft. "Little General Ling, please follow me."

"

Mhm.

Eunuch Xiao Anzi, just a moment." Ling Feng turned to look at Gu Tengfeng and the others, and said with a faint smile. "Everyone, I'll head to the palace. Captain, please lead the team back first."

He then glanced at Mu Qianxue, noticing that she seemed a bit distracted.

"Hey, Brother Feng, who would have thought that the empress dowager would be so fond of you?" Yu Sixian chuckled. "Brother Feng, I've heard she was once the most beautiful woman in the imperial capital. When you return, you must tell me what makes her so stunning!"

"Brother Feng, now that you're a great general, you must treat us to a meal!" Lin Mochen added with a laugh.

"Alright, stop fooling around." Gu Tengfeng stepped forward, clapping Ling Feng on the shoulder. "Take care."

"

Mhm.

" Ling Feng nodded, and then glanced toward Tuoba Yan. He turned back to Xiao Anzi and asked, "Eunuch Xiao Anzi, would it be alright if I brought along a personal maid?"

"This..." Xiao Anzi hesitated for a moment before nodding. "That should be fine."

"Yan'er, come over!"

Ling Feng called out to Tuoba Yan. Although she could have followed him secretly, he figured that since the imperial city was filled with powerful experts, including several at the emperor level, it would be better not to let Tuoba Yan take any unnecessary risks.

Tuoba Yan bit her lip in frustration, cursing the wretched Heart-Devouring Red-Dust Gu, but she had no choice. With a graceful leap, she landed beside Ling Feng.