Chapter 121 The Apocalypse Banquet: Who is playing the game? Who is making the move?

Tianqi City is located north of the imperial capital.

Ever since the news of the great victory at Sunset Pass, in which Prince Yong'an Xiao Chuhe blew up the Southern Jue's "Wrath of the Thunder God" cannon with a single arrow and single-handedly repelled 300,000 enemy troops, it flew back to Tianqi as if it had grown wings. This ancient and massive city has been plunged into a strange state of excitement and repression.

In the streets and alleys, in teahouses and taverns, storytellers sang about that battle in fantastical terms. All sorts of bizarre legends, such as "a true dragon descended to earth" and "divine punishment descended," flew around.

The people cheered with joy, and some even secretly set up a memorial tablet for Xiao Chuhe in their homes, hoping that this once peerless genius and now invincible war god could return to the capital as soon as possible and restore order to the court.

However, behind those towering red walls and green tiles, in the deep courtyards of those powerful and wealthy families, the atmosphere was oppressive and suffocating.

Everyone knew that the world was about to change.

Four years ago, Xiao Chuhe was stripped of his hidden lineage and banished from the capital. Everyone thought his life was over and the struggle for the throne would unfold between the White King Xiao Chong and the Red King Xiao Yu.

Various factions took sides and fought each other, turning the entire Tianqi City into a chaotic mess.

But now, that useless prince, who should have been eking out a living in some corner of the martial arts world, has not only been fully resurrected, but has also returned with a terrifying aura of ruling the world!

What's even more deadly is that behind him stands a man whose very name has become a taboo—Su Changqing.

That "immortal" who treated the Taiji Palace like a restaurant and Tianqi City like his backyard.

"Master, are we... are we still betting on the Crimson King?"

In a secluded underground chamber, a strategist dressed in black robes asked a question in a trembling voice to a middle-aged man sitting in a grand chair.

"What a load of crap!"

The middle-aged man smashed the jade walnut in his hand to pieces, his face ashen. "That idiot Xiao Yu, of all people to mess with, he had to provoke that jinx! Even his own palace was struck by lightning and destroyed. Now he's a rat in the street! If we get involved with him, we won't even know how we died!"

"What about His Highness the White King? I heard that his eyesight has been restored, and he has deep roots in the court. He may well be able to put up a fight," the strategist cautiously suggested.

"The White King?" The middle-aged man sneered. "Xiao Chong is a smart man, and the biggest flaw of smart men is that they overthink. In the face of absolute power, all schemes and tricks are a joke. Do you believe that if Su Changqing wanted to, he could slaughter all those old fogies who support the White King overnight, leaving no one to even collect their bodies?"

"What should we do? We can't just sit here and wait to die, can we?"

The middle-aged man took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Prepare a lavish gift immediately! The finest of all! No, bring out that 'Jade Linglong' from the previous dynasty from the storeroom! We'll go to Changqing Tower tonight… no, to Taiji Hall! To welcome His Highness Prince Yong'an!"

"My lord, isn't this...isn't this too obvious? What if His Majesty finds out..."

"Your Majesty? His Majesty is probably eager to hand over the throne right now!" The middle-aged man interrupted the strategist. "In this Tianqi City, might makes right! Go, hurry up and prepare! If you're late, you won't even get a sip of soup!"

Such scenes were playing out repeatedly in every corner of Tianqi City. Those who had previously avoided Xiao Chuhe like the plague were now like flies that had smelled blood, turning their guns around and preparing to welcome the return of their new master.

……

However, inside the "Changqinglou Tianqi Main Store" (formerly Taiji Hall), the scene was quite different.

Although it was late at night, the main hall was still brightly lit.

Gone was the bustling noise of the daytime, and the fierce competition among江湖豪客 (jianghu heroes) vying for a single meal. In the center of the spacious hall, only a huge round table stood.

The table was laden with exquisite dishes that were a feast for the eyes and the palate. There was the gleaming golden "Soul-Stirring Rice," the steaming hot "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall," and various sashimi and barbecue dishes made with the finest seafood from the East China Sea. The sight was dazzling and made one's mouth water.

Around this round table sat several people who would attract worldwide attention.

Sitting in the main seat was naturally the big boss of Changqing Tower, and also the true mastermind behind this Tianqi event—Su Changqing.

Today, he had unusually changed out of his blue robe and into a dark long robe, making him appear even more unfathomable. He held the sleeping Xiao Nuomi in his arms and held a cup of warm Enlightenment Tea in his hand, listening casually to Lei Wujie's boasting beside him.

"Brother-in-law, you didn't see it! I descended from the sky and with a single 'Fire Dance Whirlwind,' I smashed those hundreds of heavily armored infantrymen into iron pancakes! The scene was simply unstoppable, like gods and Buddhas alike!"

Lei Wujie gestured excitedly, gesturing wildly and spitting as he spoke, almost splashing saliva into Wushuang's bowl next to him.

"Give me a break." Wushuang picked up the bowl and moved it aside with disdain. "If Xiao Se hadn't detonated 'Thor's Wrath' with that arrow and intimidated the enemy, do you think your skills could have disrupted the formation of an army of 300,000? Don't flatter yourself. If it weren't for my twelve flying swords covering you, you would have been riddled with holes by now."

"What do you know! That's called drawing fire! It's a tactic, you know!" Lei Wujie retorted defiantly.

Watching these two lively characters bicker, Su Changqing simply smiled and didn't stop them. He knew that although these two were sharp-tongued, after the battle at Sunset Pass, a deep understanding and bond of life and death had been established between them.

On the other side of Su Changqing sat Li Hanyi.

She wasn't wearing a veil today; a gentle smile graced her stunningly beautiful face as she carefully trimmed Xiao Nuomi's nails with scissors. The once fearsome Snow Moon Sword Immortal, who struck terror into the martial world, had now completely adapted to this warm and domestic family life.

At the outermost edge of the round table sat someone no one would have expected.

The current emperor of Beili is Emperor Mingde!

This once high and mighty emperor, whose word was law, was now dressed in ordinary casual clothes and sitting in an inconspicuous position.

There was a bowl and chopsticks in front of him, but he didn't eat a single bite. He just looked at the young man across from him who was slowly peeling a crab with an extremely complicated expression.

Xiao Chuhe.

That is, desolation.

He was still wearing the blue robe he had brought back from Sunset Pass, stained with a few traces of blood, and hadn't changed it. His eyes were calm and deep, like an ancient well, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"Chuhe..."

Emperor Mingde finally broke the silence, his voice hoarse and even slightly trembling.

"I already know about the great victory at Sunset Pass. You... did a great job. You did not disappoint me, nor did you disappoint the ancestors of the Xiao family."

Emperor Mingde attempted to express his praise in the tone of a father to his son, but his words sounded so pale and weak, even somewhat hypocritical.

Xiao Se stopped peeling the crab.

He raised his head, and his eyes, which had once been filled with admiration for this man but later with resentment, now held only a cold indifference.

"Your Majesty is joking."

Xiao Se wiped his hands with a clean white silk handkerchief, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather. "Defending our home and country is the duty of every man of Beili. Besides, the garrison commander of Luori Pass is my uncle. I can't just stand by and watch him die on the battlefield. This has nothing to do with the ancestors of the Xiao family, and even less to do with you..."

"You..." Emperor Mingde's face turned pale, and a surge of blood rushed through his chest.

He knew that Xiao Se harbored resentment, but he did not expect that the child would not even call him "Father" anymore, and would even directly address him as "you" as the emperor!

What utter disobedience! What utter disrespect!

If it were in the past, or if it were any other prince, Emperor Mingde would have already had him dragged out and severely punished with fifty strokes of the cane. But now, he dared not.

He not only dared not get angry, but he didn't even dare to show the slightest dissatisfaction.

Because he knew very well that the son before him was no longer the prince who needed his protection. He was now a peerless lion who had awakened the true dragon's aura and could single-handedly defeat thousands of troops!

More importantly, behind this lion stands a "monster" that he absolutely cannot afford to offend.

Emperor Mingde glanced subconsciously at Su Changqing, who was sitting in the main seat wiping Xiao Nuomi's drool, swallowed hard, and forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart.

"Chu He, I truly regret what happened back then."

Emperor Mingde took a deep breath, setting aside his imperial dignity, and said in an almost pleading tone, "I also had my reasons at the time. The situation in the court was complex, and the case of the Prince of Langya had far-reaching implications. In order to protect the overall situation, I had no choice but to..."

That's enough.

Xiao Se interrupted him without any politeness, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes, "Your predicament is to secure your cold chair by sacrificing all those who are loyal to you. Including your own brothers and your own son."

"Stop using the so-called 'big picture' as an excuse. It just disgusts me."

Xiao Se stood up and walked to Emperor Mingde.

Although he did not deliberately release the pressure of a half-step Divine Ascension realm cultivator, the imperial dragon aura he had honed amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood still gave Emperor Mingde a suffocating sense of oppression, making him even afraid to look him in the eye.

"I've come back not to hear your confession, nor to ask for that condescending title of crown prince you gave me."

Xiao Se looked down at the once arrogant emperor and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"I'm here to reclaim what belongs to me. This includes the dignity you took from me back then, the innocence of my Uncle Langya, and... the rules of Tianqi City."

"From today onwards, I will set the rules for Apocalypse City."

overbearing!

Extremely domineering!

These words were tantamount to a direct declaration of seizure of power! And they were said in front of the current emperor!

Emperor Mingde gripped the armrests of the chair tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white from the force. His body trembled violently, his eyes flashing with anger, humiliation, and resentment, but ultimately, all of it turned into a deep sense of powerlessness.

What can he do?

To resist?

What can he use to resist? Let alone whether his imperial guards can defeat Xiao Se alone, even if they can, the man next to him who is picking fish bones from his daughter could raze the entire palace to the ground with just a breath.

"well……"

Emperor Mingde seemed to have aged ten years in an instant. He leaned weakly against the back of his chair, his voice hoarse like that of an old man on his deathbed.

"Since you have made your decision, I... will no longer stop you. This empire, this world, if you desire it, then take it."

"I don't want it."

Xiao Se turned around, returned to his seat, picked up his wine glass, and took a sip. "I've said it before, I have no interest in being an emperor. That chair is too cold; sitting in it for too long will turn you into a heartless monster."

"What?!"

Emperor Mingde abruptly raised his head, staring at him in disbelief. "You don't want to be emperor? Then what do you want?!"

"What I want is justice. A clean and honest Beili, free from conspiracies and tricks."

Xiao Se put down his wine cup and gazed intently at the night sky outside the main hall.

"Tomorrow morning at court, I will personally preside over the proceedings. I want you to reopen the case of the Prince of Langya's treason in front of all the civil and military officials! I want you to clear his name and bring all those who participated in framing him back then, regardless of their official rank or whether they are imperial relatives, to justice!"

"This..." Emperor Mingde gasped.

Re-examining the case of the Prince of Langya?

This is practically tearing the sky apart from the entire Tianqi court!

Too many people were involved in that affair, and the interests involved were too vast. If a thorough investigation were conducted, perhaps half of the ministers would lose their heads! This would inevitably cause huge upheavals in the court and among the people, and might even trigger a military coup!

"What? You're afraid?"

Xiao Se sneered, "Are you afraid of those powerful families rebelling? Afraid that the country is unstable?"

"With me here, the sky won't fall down."

A lazy voice suddenly broke in.

Su Changqing placed the deboned fish meat on a small plate, then wiped his hands with a silk handkerchief and turned to look at Emperor Mingde.

"Your Majesty, did you understand what Xiao Chuhe said?"

Su Changqing's tone was casual, but every word struck Emperor Mingde's heart like a heavy hammer.

"If he tells you to retry, you retry. If he tells you to kill, you kill."

"Tomorrow morning, I will have Wushuang and Lei Wujie attend the court hearing. Anyone who dares to object, anyone who dares to obstruct the investigation..."

Su Changqing paused for a moment, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his lips.

"No need to ask for permission, kill them on the spot. I want to see if their necks are tough, or if Wushuang's flying swords are sharp."

Upon hearing this, the temperature inside the hall seemed to drop to freezing point instantly.

Emperor Mingde felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

He knew Su Changqing wasn't joking. When this man said he would kill someone, he wasn't just threatening; he really meant it—he would scatter your entire family's ashes, leaving not even a trace.

To force reforms by force? To clear one's name through bloodshed?

This...this is simply the behavior of a tyrant!

But what could Emperor Mingde say in the face of such absolute power? He didn't even have the courage to refute it.

"I...understand."

Emperor Mingde swallowed hard, lowered his head, and looked like a defeated prisoner who had completely given up resistance.

"Tomorrow morning at court... I will issue an edict to reopen the case of the Prince of Langya. Everything... will be handled entirely by the Prince of Yong'an."

"That's right."

Su Changqing nodded in satisfaction. "As long as you're obedient, you can sit on this throne for as long as you want; I don't care. But if you dare to play any tricks..."

Su Changqing didn't finish his sentence; he simply crushed an empty wine glass in his hand. The hard white jade glass turned into powder instantly, like tofu dregs.

Emperor Mingde trembled and nodded repeatedly in agreement.

A banquet that would determine the future of Beili came to a close amidst the aroma of hot pot at Changqinglou.

There were no sword fights, no verbal battles.

Yes, but it was a one-sided crushing defeat.

As Emperor Mingde staggered away from the Taiji Hall, his figure appeared utterly forlorn and desolate. He knew that from this night forward, his reign as emperor was merely a name, not a reality.

The true ruler of Tianqi City has become the man who sits in Changqing Tower peeling crabs.

"Sir, isn't this a bit too radical?"

After Emperor Mingde left, Xiao Se looked at Su Changqing and asked with some concern, "Using such iron-fisted methods to forcibly suppress them may solve the problem temporarily, but it may leave hidden dangers. Those powerful families and clans have deep foundations. If they unite and cause trouble in secret, it will be a big problem."

"Hidden dangers?"

Su Changqing scoffed and waved his hand dismissively.

"In the face of absolute power, any conspiracy or hidden danger is a paper tiger."

"If they behave themselves, I won't bother with them. But if they dare to cause trouble..."

A chilling glint flashed in Su Changqing's eyes.

"That's perfect. I've been thinking that the backyard of Changqing Tower is a bit too small lately, and I'm planning to expand it. I'm just missing a few 'hard bones' to fill the foundation. If they're willing to come to me, I'd be more than happy to do so."

Upon hearing this, Lei Wujie and Wushuang exchanged a glance and both involuntarily shivered.

They knew that the corrupt officials and powerful families in Tianqi City who usually acted arrogantly were really going to be in big trouble this time.

My brother-in-law isn't just settling old scores; he's clearly planning an unprecedented purge in Tianqi City!

"Alright, now that we've finished discussing business, it's time to talk about some personal matters."

Su Changqing suddenly changed his demeanor, the murderous aura on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a shrewd smile typical of capitalists.

He took out a small notebook from his pocket, turned to a page, and handed it to Xiao Se.

"Boss Xiao, while you were fighting in the Southern Territory these past few days, our Changqing Tower's business was greatly affected. Moreover, I spent a lot of rare and precious materials and spiritual energy to forge that 'Thunderclap Bow' for you."

"Look, this is the bill I gave you. It includes material costs, processing fees, lost wages, and compensation for emotional distress... It totals 1.5 million taels of gold. I'll round it down for you."

"Are you planning to pay in cash, or have it deducted from your ATM?"

Xiao Se: "..."

Looking at the ledger filled with astronomical figures, Xiao Se's newly established imperial aura instantly collapsed without leaving a trace.

One and a half million taels of gold?!

Why don't you just rob it?!

"Sir..."

Xiao Se's voice trembled, "I just got back... You've practically skinned me alive..."

"What? You're trying to renege on your debt?"

Su Changqing's eyes widened. "Believe it or not, I'll go and retrieve that Thunderclap Bow tomorrow, then strip you naked and hang you on the city gate of Tianqi City for display?"

"No, no, no! I'll give it to you! I'll give it to you, okay?!"

Desolate and on the verge of tears.

He suddenly realized that being an emperor... was not as enjoyable as washing dishes in a tavern!

At least washing dishes won't leave you with so much debt!

Late at night.

A series of cheerful laughs (mainly Su Changqing's) and a helpless sigh came from Changqing Tower.

But beyond this city of Apocalypse lies the city of Tianqi.

A massive storm, worthy of being recorded in history, is quietly brewing, awaiting the dawn.