Chapter 2064: Heavy Congratulations Gift

"Your Majesty," a minister began, "I just met with him this morning. His name is Yu Hai, a native of Pei State. He is the leader of the Hometown Association, and He Xiao has assigned him specifically to foreign affairs."

Although the title "Great Emperor of the Nine Underworlds" resonated throughout the Gold-Flashing Plain, He Xiao was essentially still a regional power for Mou State, albeit on a larger scale. The envoy he sent was not qualified to be received by the Mou Emperor, nor even to meet Wang Xingyi, the Royal Grand Master. Mou State sending the Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Rites to meet him was in line with normal diplomatic protocol.

Wang Haojing knew what the Mou Emperor wanted to hear. "He Xiao has a personal letter he wishes to present to you! We've tested it; there's no spiritual power or toxic residue."

The Mou Emperor waved his hand towards him. "Bring it."

He Xiao's letter was sealed with wax. The Mou Emperor was the first to open it.

Strictly speaking, it was a birthday greeting. Since the Mou Emperor's birthday was in two months, He Xiao's first sentence wished the Emperor "eternal celestial blessings and a lifespan as long as the heavens." He wrote in the letter that due to the ongoing wars in the Gold-Flashing Plain, he would likely still be leading troops on campaigns in two months and regrettably would not be able to personally attend the birthday celebration. Of course, no one would wish the Mou Emperor a happy birthday more than two months in advance, so this was merely a pretext.

He Xiao also emphasized his firm stance and determination to oppose the Sky Demons, expressing hope for a joint effort with Mou State to resist them and benefit the common people.

"Joint effort?" The Mou Emperor raised an eyebrow when he saw these words. This young man was taking himself too seriously. He hadn't even established dominance in the Gold-Flashing Plain yet, and he wanted to "join forces" with a great nation? Was he worthy of such a partnership?

He Xiao also stated in the letter that every thirty years or so, he would send newly harvested "Bright Lamp Pods" directly to the Mou Emperor, who would no longer need to dispatch Shadowfang Guards for long-distance collection.

Bright Lamp Pods. Hmm, the previous mission from Spirit Mountain had revealed this secret to him, and it was not beneficial for Mou State.

Attached to He Xiao's letter, as per custom, was a gift list. The Mou Emperor's gaze swept over it, and his casual demeanor instantly vanished; he even sat up straight.

"Hmm? Really?" he murmured. "Where are the congratulatory gifts sent by He Xiao's envoy?"

Wang Haojing immediately replied, "They are waiting outside."

"Bring them in."

He Xiao presented four types of gifts to the Mou Emperor. At the bottom was a large, square, voluminous brass chest. The Mou Emperor's eyes were fixed on it from the first glance. "Open it!"

Wang Haojing had been dismissed. Only the Mou Emperor's confidants remained in the imperial study. Wang Xingyi walked over and personally opened the brass chest. Inside were pale golden cylindrical tubes, made of a material that resembled both metal and bone, with transparent crystals embedded in the middle. The tubes varied in style, length, and size, so they weren't neatly arranged, but almost every one was hollow.

"This is..." Despite Wang Xingyi's extensive knowledge, he instinctively gasped. "Execution Dragon Pillars?" Seeing so many Execution Dragon Pillars stacked together was an eye-opener for him.

The Mou Emperor looked again at the gift list in his hand: "816 pillars, an exact number."

Wang Xingyi was astonished. "Where did he get so many Execution Dragon Pillars? It's remarkable for an ordinary Sky Demon to possess even one or two of them."

The Mou Emperor's gaze was also firmly drawn to the Execution Dragon Pillars. "He Xiao said these were all obtained from Miaozhan Tian."

Wang Xingyi immediately said, "Right, the Spirit Void Gods were furious because they lost most of their Execution Dragon Pillars due to Miaozhan Tian's demise, and they've been scouring the entire demon realm. It seems this is the batch they lost."

Guo Shaoping, the Chief Aide of the Auxiliary Pavilion, chuckled, "He Xiao is giving this hot potato to Your Majesty as a gift because he can't hold onto it himself."

The Mou Emperor scoffed, "He dares to openly defy the Sky Demons, yet he can't hold onto a few hundred Execution Dragon Pillars? He Xiao's opposition to the Sky Demons is clear and overt, seemingly even more resolute than Spirit Mountain's."

How to describe the wording of He Xiao's letter? It wasn't about respect, nor was it about being neither humble nor arrogant. It wasn't diplomatic language at all; the words and tone were more like casual chatter between acquaintances. "Ha, how strange. Are they that familiar?" The Mou Emperor chuckled, but he wasn't displeased by the tone.

Guo Shaoping immediately said, "The damage his resistance has caused to all Sky Demons will take some time to fully manifest. However, holding so many Execution Dragon Pillars is openly telling all Sky Demons, 'Come and get them.' The temptation and the disparity involved are significant. In my humble opinion, only Spirit Mountain and Your Majesty can securely possess over 800 Execution Dragon Pillars in this world."

The Mou Emperor smiled, his gaze at the Execution Dragon Pillars somewhat satisfied. Regardless of He Xiao's purpose in sending this batch of Execution Dragon Pillars, it was indeed a valuable and significant gift in itself! The Mou Emperor could calculate how many uses these 800 Execution Dragon Pillars would have in the hands of Mou State or Spirit Mountain.

"What do you make of someone offering such generosity without apparent reason?" He casually handed He Xiao's letter to Wang Xingyi. Presenting such a valuable gift suddenly must imply a request.

Wang Xingyi looked over, quickly read the letter, and after some thought, said: "He Xiao only offered congratulations in the letter and mentioned nothing else."

"If he had mentioned it, it would have been a transaction," the Mou Emperor scoffed. "But since he didn't, these 800 Execution Dragon Pillars are a favor." Transactions are straightforward; favors are hard to repay.

"Your Majesty is right; it would be easier if he had made a request," Wang Xingyi mused. "The war in the Gold-Flashing Plain has reached a critical juncture. He Xiao sending these Execution Dragon Pillars at this moment must be related to the current situation."

The Mou Emperor nodded slightly. "How far has Ya State advanced?" Mou State, of course, paid close attention to the war on the Gold-Flashing Plain, especially the conflicts in its western part. The Mou Emperor had received news of Ya State's invasion of the Gold-Flashing Plain almost immediately.

"The Ge brothers have been leading their troops for a month and still haven't taken Millet River."

The Mou Emperor found it amusing. "In my impression, the Ge brothers aren't usually at this level. Whom has He Xiao sent to confront them? The Ge brothers had fought several battles against Mou State generals and were known for their skill and reputation. Ya State's ruler, intending to test the strength of the Gold-Flashing Plain and the Dragon God Army, would certainly not have sent inexperienced commanders."

"Qiu Hu, Wanqiliao, Wang Changhou, and Lu Liudun," Wang Xingyi enumerated, as if counting his own treasures. "Among them, Qiu Hu is a disciple from Mount Rong. Wanqiliao was originally from Ya State, but his Bairong clan was driven out and hunted. Wang Changhou and Lu Liudun are relatively unknown, reportedly both from Gold-Flashing Plain."

"None of them are famous," another close minister scoffed. "I heard that the so-called Dragon God Army has suffered heavy casualties. The Gold-Flashing western front can temporarily withstand the Ge brothers only by sacrificing lives. This cannot last long."

Guo Shaoping immediately said, "If the Ge brothers can't take it, Ya State won't want to lose face, so they'll likely send more military aid and launch a full-scale invasion. He Xiao sending birthday greetings and gifts at this very moment clearly reveals his intention: he wants Your Majesty to rescue him from this predicament."

The Mou Emperor simply said, "What do all of you think?"

All present were the Mou Emperor's confidants, well aware of the relationship between Mou State and Spirit Mountain, and also of He Xiao's relationship with Spirit Mountain.