"The Murong royal family, truly quite grand," Ye Longlin commented, looking around the surroundings after entering the Murong royal family's domain.
Murong Hongjun: "..."
For a moment, he couldn't tell if it was a compliment or a criticism. Coming from Ye Longlin, it felt rather peculiar.
"Heh, Mr. Ye, you are too kind," he could only reply with such an ambiguous statement. After all, Ye Longlin's status made him wary.
Murong Hongjun harbored considerable resentment towards Ye Longlin, especially concerning today's events. He had arrived as a junior, yet was prepared for battle. It was a classic case of offering a sweet date while wielding a stick. This tactic was truly masterful, a common maneuver for those in power. Even someone of Murong Hongjun's stature couldn't escape it. Moreover, the current situation was impossible to ignore.
Fifty thousand troops were stationed across the Jinling River, but as of yet, neither the forces outside the city nor those across the river had unfurled their banners. This made it impossible to ascertain their origin—whether from the east, west, north, or south. However, those present, and particularly Murong Hongjun, knew very well. These were the forces of the Dragon Pavilion!
The words "Dragon Pavilion" were censored with asterisks whenever they appeared online, meaning ordinary citizens were unaware of the existence of such a force of warriors in Great Xia! At least, based on their combat record, the Dragon Pavilion had never suffered a defeat since its inception! They had achieved a hundred percent win rate in every engagement. Each battle was textbook-worthy, each achieved victory with minimal cost.
However, as of today, the total number of sacrifices made by the Dragon Pavilion had reached a staggering three hundred thousand! These three hundred thousand Dragon Pavilion soldiers had all met their end overseas. Every year, batches of ashes were transported back from abroad, and even every month, every day, there were casualties! But, defending the country, perhaps this was the very meaning of the Dragon Pavilion's existence.
"My father has a bit of a temper, so I hope you can understand," Murong Hongjun said helplessly. He genuinely disagreed with meeting beforehand, but his father's rigid stance left him with no choice but to compromise. He now only hoped to finish this meal peacefully and part ways amicably, avoiding any trouble. If any trouble were to arise, it would be exceedingly problematic. He had a nagging feeling that today's events might not conclude smoothly. He had even prepared for battle. Perhaps the martial arts competition for marriage was unimportant to him; if it came down to it, he could simply present the Heavenly King's Seal, and who would dare to challenge him then? To put it bluntly, Murong Hongjun feared that Ye Longlin might overturn the table, and in all of Jinling, who could stop him? Mu Hanqi? Indeed, she might be capable, but despite this being her family, she hadn't lived with them for years, and it was uncertain if she would even speak for the family. Moreover, with the matter of Mu Ye, she might even instigate Ye Longlin to annihilate the Murong family! Could he afford to gamble? As one of the few who knew the truth, Murong Hongjun truly wanted to say that it was too damn exhausting!
Ye Longlin, of course, saw through his thoughts. A playful smile curved his lips as he said, "We'll see then."
Murong Hongjun was now truly bewildered. "Brother, what do you mean 'we'll see then'? Do you know the pressure your single sentence brings me?"
But it was at this moment that the butler came rushing in from outside. His hurried arrival clearly indicated a major incident. Murong Hongjun grabbed the butler, his face a mix of joy and anger, and asked, "What happened? Why the rush?" He was also desperately hoping that no one would cause trouble at this crucial juncture. Who would be so foolish?
"The Hongmen has issued a decree: all Hongmen across the land are gathering in Jinling. Seventy-two halls, the inner eight and outer eight halls, have all arrived in Jinling, bringing countless people and beginning to encamp outside the city!"
*Swish*—
Murong Hongjun's face instantly turned pale, his eyes wide with disbelief. Ye Longlin frowned subconsciously and asked, "What do you mean?"
Murong Hongjun sighed deeply. "I knew this meal wouldn't be simple, but I didn't expect an accident, and such a significant one at that. You should know about our Murong family's history by now. My mother, Yan Fengqing, was betrothed before she fled to Jinling. Her fiancé was Su Weizhang, the young master of the Hongmen. After she got together with my father, a three-way confrontation ensued. Initially, the Hongmen Su family and the Yan royal family allied against our Murong family. Later, when the Murong family and the Yan royal family settled this matter and held the wedding, Su Weizhang perceived it as a provocation to the Hongmen, thus targeting both our families, creating a state of animosity between the two sides. It wasn't until Su Weizhang became the Dragon Head of the Hongmen that the conflict fully escalated. He used the power of the Hongmen to suppress our Murong family. That battle dyed the Jinling River red for fifteen days, and since then, the hatred has only deepened. And now, with our Murong family's affairs, they will certainly not let it go. I've been worried they would make a move, and I didn't expect them to do so tonight."
As they spoke, they had arrived at the dining location: the Eight Immortals Pavilion! It was a pavilion located in the very center of the Murong family estate, typically reserved for entertaining distinguished guests. It had taken him immense effort to persuade Murong Renjing to use the Eight Immortals Pavilion.
"Is the Hongmen always like this with you?"
Murong Hongjun gave a bitter laugh. "The Hongmen has always wanted to establish halls in Jinling, but every time someone they sent arrives, not one has ever left alive. This is also why the conflict has deepened. Even three top-tier Dragon-Elephant experts have died, so how could they possibly give up?"
Ye Longlin pondered. His memories of Su Weizhang, the Dragon Head, were still quite vivid. Ambitious, capable, and qualified to lead the Hongmen to new heights.
"Perhaps I can help mediate, but you know my conditions," Ye Longlin said slowly.
Murong Hongjun's expression lit up with joy. However, at that moment, a voice rang out, and Murong Hongjun immediately felt a sense of foreboding.
"Hmph, a brat who hasn't even grown his hair, spouting such nonsense! Murong Yuhan, is this the boyfriend you found?"