Chapter 1447: The Unforgable Name

Chapter 1432: A Title That Cannot Be Impersonated

An hour later, guests gradually began to take their leave.

The Yuwen brothers then brought three to five close friends to Xiaonanxuan for a "shaowei" banquet. Of course, He Lingchuan was among this small group.

The customs in Jiaoguo differed from those in Yuanguo. Officials here also hosted "shaowei" banquets upon promotion, but these were not for general guests; they were exclusively for intimate friends, with the number of attendees strictly limited to ten. This was a clear regulation in Jiaoguo.

Like attracts like, and the Yuwen brothers' friends were no ordinary people. Yuwen Xu held He Lingchuan in high regard. His friends were also shrewd individuals, so they naturally gave He Lingchuan significant respect. During the banquet, He Lingchuan chatted with them about a wide range of topics, earning considerable goodwill.

After several rounds of wine, the atmosphere at the banquet grew increasingly lively. Somehow, the conversation turned to the Left Commander of the Azure Guard who had appeared that day.

"Lord He’s eyes are always fixed high above; he doesn't even see us."

"It's not that he looks down on you; he simply doesn't see you at all. He treats you as if you're invisible."

"Not long after the Regent arrived, some people sent gifts to Lord He." Yuwen Bei chuckled lightly, "But they were all rejected. He wouldn't even accept their gifts; some even tried to seek his favor, but there was no way!"

Jing Yuanxun, who was also present, interjected, "When he went to gather evidence against the Bu family, their second son merely cursed at him a few times. He was immediately beaten and had his leg broken on the spot—it's still swollen and hasn't healed yet. The Bu family complained, but they haven't received any explanation to this day."

"Arrogant, truly arrogant!" Everyone felt a bit deflated. This was Jiaoguo's territory, yet He Yang was standing on their land, bullying them, and wouldn't even allow them to voice their complaints. For these Jiaoguo nobles, accustomed to wielding power, it was incredibly stifling and humiliating!

"Who made him the Regent's confidant?" He Lingchuan swirled the wine in his cup. "Things the Regent finds inconvenient to say, he can say."

Yuwen Xu added, "Things the Regent finds inconvenient to do, he can also do."

Everyone could only sigh. Even the King of Jiao couldn't do anything about the Regent, so what could they do? Seeing the mood turn somber, He Lingchuan quickly changed the topic.

After two more rounds of drinks, everyone finished discussing the interesting tidbits about Tianshui City and once again brought up Emperor Jiuyou and the Black Armored Army.

"To this day, they haven't figured anything out," Jing Yuanxun shook his head. "Emperor Jiuyou isn't so easy to catch. I reckon this will end up being a cold case."

"The Mubang clan previously claimed to be the Black Armored Army; they must be regretting it bitterly now, right?" Everyone burst into laughter. "I wonder how they plan to explain themselves to our nation!"

Everyone present knew that the Mubang clan was a fake; the true Emperor Jiuyou was someone else entirely.

Yuwen Yong, who had drunk more than anyone else that day and was in high spirits, lowered his voice. "Let me tell you something amusing. When the Black Armored Army first became known in the central-western part of Flash Gold Plain, our military already noticed this unfamiliar force that appeared out of nowhere. When His Majesty summoned us for questioning, some fool—cough, I won't mention his name, lest you all laugh when you see him—suggested that since the entire Black Armored Army, from its leader to its soldiers, had their faces covered and no one knew their true identities, our nation might as well claim them as our own troops, to do good deeds for the people of Flash Gold Plain."

He Lingchuan took a sip of wine, masking the smile at the corner of his lips. Indeed, even the people of Jiaoguo had previously considered impersonating Emperor Jiuyou. Emperor Jiuyou's actions were deeply popular; who wouldn't want such a good reputation? But He Lingchuan wasn't worried, because the nations and established powers on Flash Gold Plain ultimately couldn't impersonate Emperor Jiuyou.

Jing Yuanxun exclaimed, "Brother Yuwen once said that apart from our country and Luodian, it's hard to find such a powerful cavalry force on Flash Gold Plain, with every single soldier being an elite."

"Such a force not only requires outstanding individual soldiers but also relies on excellent logistical arrangements, and their commanders must be highly skilled." Yuwen Yong nodded. "I've told you before, looking across Flash Gold Plain, there are very few powers capable of sustaining such a force. If we claimed the Black Armored Army was ours, most people would have no choice but to believe it. But—" He paused for effect, waiting for everyone to listen intently before continuing, "—this suggestion was immediately rejected by His Majesty, and the man was thrown out of the hall and given ten lashings."

Jing Yuanxun gasped, "Ah! I know who that was!"

Everyone was very surprised. "Why was that?" they wondered. "If he disagreed, he disagreed; why beat the man?"

Yuwen Yong coughed. "You all know what kind of demon the Demon Emperor of Beijia is, right?" Most of those present had studied in Beijia, so they naturally knew the answer: "A Flood Dragon."

"I heard it was a Green Flood Dragon."

"Flood dragons are of the dragon lineage. The Demon Emperor of Beijia is even said to be a descendant of the Black Dragon Divine Venerable, with noble divine dragon blood flowing in his veins!" Yuwen Yong took a sip of wine. "Wherever Emperor Jiuyou appears, a black flood dragon mark grows. Do you see the problem now?"

Everyone exchanged glances. Jing Yuanxun hesitantly asked, "Black flood dragon mark, Black Dragon... Divine Venerable?"

"Exactly. Whether this mark is real or fake, whether the Black Armored Army leader deliberately connected it to the divine dragon, it is superficially linked to the divine dragon." Yuwen Yong continued, "If we claim Emperor Jiuyou and the Black Armored Army are ours, how would we explain this black flood dragon mark to Beijia? Even Beijia's own Demon Emperor hasn't used this mark, so how could Jiaoguo presume to use it without authorization?"

He Lingchuan picked up some food. "It could easily backfire and incur Beijia's wrath." Yuwen Yong had been too subtle, so He Lingchuan offered a clearer explanation: "The appearance of the black flood dragon mark is very likely connected to the ancestors of the Beijia Demon Emperor. If Jiaoguo dared to falsely use the Demon Emperor's ancestral mark, it would be like telling the Demon Emperor, 'I am your living ancestor.'"

How would Beijia react? He Lingchuan further deduced that the black flood dragon mark had likely already attracted the attention of the celestials and Beijia. That's why the King of Jiao not only beat up the person who suggested this idea but would also subsequently trouble other imposters—like the Mubang clan. From then on, especially after Xue Zongwu and Qi Yunsheng died, which established power on Flash Gold Plain would dare to claim the title of "Emperor Jiuyou"? Only a few stragglers like the Weng brothers.

The "shaowei" banquet lasted until late into the night, after which everyone dispersed.

He Lingchuan walked back to the guesthouse, pondering the matter of General Zhongwu's promotion all the way. General Zhongwu was very close to Qingyang. When he was in Lingxu City, he was highly regarded by Qingyang and frequently visited the Azure Palace, indicating their deep relationship. The King of Jiao could not have been unaware of this, yet he still appointed General Zhongwu to guard the northern border. Although he would partner with Yuwen Yong in this role, his responsibilities were heavy and his power considerable, beyond doubt. Logically, this alone should have made it difficult for General Zhongwu to be greatly valued by the Jiao royal court. Moreover, General Zhongwu had only recently been sidelined due to the death of Young Master Tong Er. The punishment wasn't even over, and he was immediately assigned to such an important position?