Chapter 159: Counterattack, Partition and Rule

When Yao Chong finished reading the imperial edict in a resonant voice, the entire grand hall fell into a profound silence.

Strip away the imperial surname and reduce them to the status of low-born outcasts! Furthermore, execute every member of both the Xie and Mo families! This Emperor of Great Sheng was determined to uproot the Prince Xuan Manor entirely and trample Meng Yuanheng into the dust!

Envoys from various nations stood agape, at a loss for how to react. Amidst their stunned stupefaction, a crisp, hearty burst of laughter rang out from the main seat.

"Ha ha..." As if he had just heard the greatest joke in the world, Meng Yuanheng laughed so hard that his entire body leaned back into his chair. When he finally managed to stop, he pulled Shen Qianmo by the arm to help himself sit up. Looking down with utter disdain at Yao Chong, who was forcing himself to remain composed below the steps, he said, "Strip away the imperial surname? What an absolute absurdity under heaven. Is that idiot Meng Tianxu brainless? My surname was never bestowed by him, so what right does he have to strip it away!"

"Meng Yuanheng, how presumptuous! How dare you show such disrespect to His Majesty!" Yao Chong's old face flushed red as he raised his voice in a furious rebuke.

Although he privately felt that Meng Tianxu's claim of stripping the imperial surname was somewhat absurd. Great Sheng had always governed the nation through benevolence and filial piety, and there had never been a precedent of stripping someone of their surname. Even the emperor could not alter another person's surname arbitrarily, let alone the fact that Meng Yuanheng's surname was Meng to begin with, and it had never been bestowed by the imperial family. Therefore, Meng Tianxu's act of stripping Meng Yuanheng of his surname was utterly groundless.

However, regardless of the rationale, Meng Yuanheng's public scolding of the emperor as an idiot still made Yao Chong feel that he had lost face, something he simply could not tolerate.

Meng Yuanheng merely let out a cold snort, casting a sideways glance at the furious Yao Chong with unhurried leisure, showing no intention of paying him any further mind.

The members of the Xie and Mo families also sat leisurely and composed. From the white-haired Master Piaomiao, the elegant and scholarly Master Songyue, down to the steady and dignified elders of the Mo clan, as well as outstanding youths like Xie Mingyu and Mo Ye, none of them paid the slightest attention to the Minister of Works, who was shaking with rage.

However, the generals of the Meng Family Army seated below could no longer sit still. One by one, they leaped to their feet and broke into fierce curses.

If Meng Tianxu degraded Meng Yuanheng to the status of a low-born outcast, where did that leave them—the soldiers of the Meng Family Army who served under the Prince Xuan Manor? Would they not be regarded as even lower than outcasts? Furthermore, the Meng Family Army and the Flying Cloud Cavalry had sworn allegiance to the Prince Xuan Manor for generations. Now that the Prince Xuan Manor was being publicly humiliated by Meng Tianxu in this manner, it was tantamount to humiliating every single soldier of the Meng Family Army. How could these iron-willed warriors swallow such an insult!

In an instant, the grand hall erupted into a clamor. All sorts of foul language and crude curses directed at Meng Tianxu spewed from the mouths of these rough-hewn men. When soldiers cursed, they lacked the elegance of scholars. If Meng Tianxu could hear those filthy oaths invoking his ancestors eighteen generations back, he would likely have been enraged to death on the spot.

Upon the main seat, Meng Yuanheng leaned against Shen Qianmo's shoulder, carelessly appreciating the scene unfolding before him with cold detachment, showing no inclination whatsoever to restrain the cursing soldiers below.

Amidst the banquet, Murong Jing asked in a low voice, "Father, from this child's perspective, the Emperor of Great Sheng deliberately chose this moment to read this imperial edict, making it abundantly clear that he intends to humiliate Prince Xuan in front of all the heroes and nobles under heaven. Yet, had Prince Xuan wished to stop them, these imperial messengers would not even have been able to step foot in here tonight. Instead of stopping them, Prince Xuan not only allowed it, but seems almost to be adding fuel to the fire. What on earth is he plotting?"

Murong Zhao swept a glance over the two figures on the main seat who remained utterly calm, shook his head, and admitted he could not fathom what Meng Yuanheng was planning, though a vague sense of unease began to stir within his heart.

On the other side, Wanyan Ping, the sixth prince of Northern Di, was similarly baffled. "When did Meng Yuanheng's temper become so amicable? Although the Emperor of Great Sheng's edict is somewhat far-fetched, it is a genuine humiliation nonetheless. Yet he shows not the slightest sign of anger or retaliation. Instead, he acts as if he deliberately wants to escalate this farce. It is truly incomprehensible. Little He, what do your eyes tell you?"

He Liancheng cast a glance at the two figures on the main seat. Although Meng Yuanheng wore a smile on his lips, his gaze was bone-chillingly cold. Meanwhile, Shen Qianmo sat quietly beside Meng Yuanheng with her usual composed and detached expression. The two of them looked upon this farce with complete serenity, showing no trace of anger whatsoever.

He Liancheng knew that Shen Qianmo was not a woman without a temper. He recalled her methods in dealing with Lou Xinyue, as well as the hairpin she had driven into him—the wound on his chest still ached faintly to this day. Though this woman appeared gentle and tolerant, she possessed her own principles and bottom line. Looking back at the Xie and Mo families seated below, the Xie family were scholars and thus somewhat restrained and disinclined to flare up easily, which was acceptable. Yet even the Mo family maintained a calm, detached attitude as if it had nothing to do with them, which seemed rather unusual. As for the generals of the Meng Family Army, every last one of them was burning with rage, wishing they could march straight upon the capital at once to vent the hatred in their hearts.

A cold smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he said to Wanyan Ping, "Your Highness the Sixth is correct; Meng Yuanheng is indeed doing this on purpose. It seems Meng Tianxu truly is an idiot—he has fallen right into the trap. Meng Yuanheng has been waiting precisely for him to make the first hostile move against the Meng Family Army. Given the fierce pride and mettle of the Meng Family Army and the Flying Cloud Cavalry, having been publicly humiliated by Meng Tianxu like this, it would be a miracle if they didn't fly into a rage and launch a rebellion on the spot."

Wanyan Ping's heart sank as he frowned and said, "You mean... Meng Yuanheng has truly decided to make a complete break with Great Sheng?"

Hearing the conversation between Wanyan Ping and He Liancheng, Murong Zhao and Princess Yongle also wore expressions that grew a few shades heavier. To retreat in order to advance, accumulating strength for a formidable strike—tonight might well be the moment Meng Yuanheng began his counterattack.

Although for many years nations like Northern Di, Western Liang, and Southern Zhan had spared no effort in trying to drive a wedge between the Great Sheng imperial family and the Prince Xuan Manor, once the two truly made a clean break, it would by no means be good news for them.

The Meng Family Army was like an incomparably sharp sword, while the Great Sheng court served as the scabbard that kept that sword in check. For many years, the Meng Family Army had crushed everything in its path on the battlefield, sweeping across the realm and leaving enemies utterly shattered with no power to counterattack. Unfortunately, the Great Sheng court would always rein in the unstoppable and indomitable momentum of the Meng Family Army at the most critical moments, simply because the royal family refused to let the Meng Family Army grow too powerful and monopolize military glory.

However, if the Meng Family Army were to completely sever ties with Great Sheng, it would be an entirely different landscape. Without the court's constraints, the sword that was the Meng Family Army would only display its brilliance more dazzlingly, unstoppable by anyone. The delicate balance that the entire world had maintained for so many years would plunge into unpredictable turmoil.

Yet they still could not comprehend why Meng Yuanheng had chosen this exact moment to officially break with Great Sheng. When the Meng Family Army had fought bloody battles on the battlefield only to be stabbed in the back by Meng Tianxu, he had not acted. After the Princess Consort was harmed and fell off a cliff, although Meng Yuanheng had slaughtered tens of thousands of Great Sheng soldiers to occupy the five prefectures and eighteen cities of the Northwest, he had still not truly declared rebellion. Even when Meng Tianxu issued an edict stripping him of his title and power while trying every means to smear his reputation, he had remained silent. But today, everyone could see that Meng Yuanheng no longer intended to endure it.

Amidst the clamor and curses of the Meng Family Army soldiers, Meng Yuanheng raised a calm hand, and the shouting below instantly ceased.

All eyes turned toward the main seat. They saw Meng Yuanheng take Shen Qianmo's hand and slowly rise to his feet. Standing side by side, their extraordinary aura suddenly made people look up to them with a sense of awe.

With a very faint smile playing on his lips, Meng Yuanheng looked coldly at Yao Chong, who was nearly fainting from the crude and rough curses of the Meng Family Army soldiers, and slowly began to speak: "I have heard every word Meng Tianxu had to say. Since so many people are gathered here today, I also have a few things I want to make clear to him. Minister Yao had better listen carefully and make sure you relay every single word back to Meng Tianxu without omission."

With that, he raised his hand slightly in a gesture, and Changdong's ghostly figure immediately appeared behind him. Holding a scroll of bright yellow silk, Changdong stepped forward with light paces and respectfully presented the silk scroll to Meng Yuanheng.

Meng Yuanheng took it casually, without even unrolling it, and tossed it downward, saying in a deep voice, "Yun Yi, read it."

"Yes, My Lord!" Yun Yi responded, leaping upward. His white figure was like a drifting cloud; after executing a flip in mid-air, he drifted down smoothly into the center of the grand hall, the bright yellow silk scroll already firmly grasped in his hand.

Unrolling the silk scroll, Yun Yi's crisp voice resounded through the silent grand hall.

"Meng Tianxu, as the sovereign, has disregarded the stability of the state for the sake of his own selfish desires, colluding with enemy nations and martial arts evil sects to repeatedly plot against this Prince, attempting to drive this Prince to his death. This led to the sudden death of the late Prince Xuan, Meng Langqing, at Zhengyang Pass, and caused ten thousand innocent soldiers of the Meng Family Army to perish unjustly at Guinujiang. The Great Sheng imperial family bears a blood debt of patricide against this Prince and the sin of conspiracy against the Meng Family Army. The Meng Family Army has sworn allegiance to Great Sheng for generations, fighting bloody battles on the battlefield without a single regret. To now suffer such monstrous humiliation at the hands of the Great Sheng imperial family is not only a disgrace to our ancestors but leaves countless heroic souls unable to rest in peace beneath the earth. From this day forth, taking Zhengyang Pass as the boundary, the Prince Xuan Manor and Great Sheng shall draw a line and govern separately, severing all ties of grace and duty!"

Yun Yi's ringing proclamation echoed clearly throughout every corner of the grand hall, carrying effortlessly without the aid of internal energy.

"The Great Sheng imperial family bears a blood debt of patricide and the crime of conspiracy against me, along with the shame of deeply humiliating countless soldiers of my Meng Family Army. From this day forward, I and the Great Sheng imperial family are completely severed in ties, with never to be any relation again!" Following that, Meng Yuanheng's resonant declaration reverberated for a long time within the grand hall of the Prince Xuan Manor.

This firm and resolute declaration caused the blood of the gathered Meng Family Army generals to boil instantly. One after another, they stood up and raised their arms in a deafening shout of "All hail the wise Prince!"

As for Yao Chong, his complexion alternated between pale and ashen, his plump frame already swaying on the verge of collapse.

Meng Yuanheng's declaration signaled that from this moment onward, the relationship between the Meng Family Army—which had guarded the borders of Great Sheng for over a hundred years—and the Great Sheng dynasty was truly and officially at an end.

The entire grand hall was enveloped in a dead silence. Every gaze turned simultaneously toward the pair of peerless figures standing side by side upon the main seat. At that moment, a single thought echoed in everyone's mind: this world was truly about to descend into chaos... On the second day of the second month, the Azure Dragon raises its head...

Yao Chong and the imperial messengers could only be described as fleeing Jingzhou City in utter disgrace. Afterward, the banquet resumed, but none of the guests present had the mood left to drink, make merry, or appreciate song and dance. While the soldiers of the Meng Family Army were fired up with blood boiling and spirits soaring, already eager to flex their muscles, the nobles and elites from other nations wore heavy hearts filled with apprehension. Therefore, as soon as Meng Yuanheng excused himself on the grounds that the Princess Consort was pregnant and needed to rest early, causing the two of them to depart ahead of time, the guests likewise offered their farewells and withdrew one after another.

Returning to plot countermeasures was of the utmost urgency.