Chapter 3: The Bonds of Affection Have Been Severed

It is precisely for this reason that, ten years ago, when Ji Qingchen first arrived in the capital, Li Qing disregarded the opposition of the officials and accepted Ji Qingchen as a disciple, diligently imparting to him the military strategies and the family heirloom of the Li family, the "Ten Blood Battle Techniques" the emperor of the departing nation inquired curiously

Today, as we part, I do not know when I will be able to see you again, esteemed teacher. Please forgive your disciple for being unfilial and unable to accompany you by your side. I also ask that you take good care of your health!

The exiled emperor cast a sharp glance at Ji Qingchen, a fleeting shadow of gloom passing through his eyes. In a cold tone, he said, "Since it is thus, Brother Ji, as we part today, I hope that when we meet again in the future, it will be beneath the walls of Junlin City in Dayan."

"Since Your Majesty does not kill him, what is there for the Emperor of Dayan to fear?" Li Qingyi said with a smile

"Your command is paramount. As a loyal minister, I cannot but execute Ji Qingchen for the greater good of the nation; however, Ji Qingchen is my disciple, and we share a bond of master and student. If I were to kill him without cause, the only way to resolve this bond would be to take my own life with a sword." Li Qingyi stated with righteous conviction

"The old minister wishes to ask Your Majesty one question: as long as the Emperor of Dayan remains in power for even a single day, do you dare to kill Ji Qingchen?" Li Qingyi inquired

Then, I will take my sword and end my own life!" Li Qingyi continued to add

The Great Yan has stood for over 800 years, enduring numerous calamities, yet it remains unyielding. This illustrates a principle: for the Li Kingdom to destroy the Great Yan, mere military might is likely insufficient. The only effective method is to incite internal strife within the Great Yan, allowing them to engage in mutual slaughter, thereby enabling us, the Li Kingdom, to reap the benefits and ultimately annihilate the Great Yan. Cultivating a Ji Qingchen is akin to planting a seed of chaos within the Great Yan's internal discord; why would we not embrace such an opportunity?" Li Qingyi said淡淡地. Furthermore, even if the old minister does not take him as a disciple, how could the Emperor of the Great Yan neglect the education of his chosen heir? He has long secretly dispatched several individuals to teach Ji Qingchen poetry, strategy, and martial arts. My acceptance of him as a disciple would merely be the finishing touch.

"Your Majesty, I shall not hesitate to fulfill my duty!" Li Qingyi seemed to have anticipated that the exiled emperor would inquire about her in this manner, and she responded without any hesitation

Having said that, he immediately stood up and strode away from the carriage

The exiled emperor let out a cold snort, his face darkened and remaining silent

But isn't he afraid that Ji Qingchen will die in Li Country?" said the emperor of Li Country

However, these matters were all known to the late Emperor, and it was he who instructed the old ministers to act in this manner. It was only due to the sudden passing of the late Emperor that they did not have the opportunity to inform Your Majesty, which has led to Your Majesty being kept in the dark all this time. Li Qingyi was very clear about what His Majesty was thinking, so he began to explain.

It is precisely because the Emperor of Dayan has high hopes for Ji Qingchen that he was sent to Li Country as a hostage," Li Qingyi said. "Ten years ago, in the battle of Yanmen Pass, the Dayan army of one hundred thousand was annihilated, and the Crown Prince was killed in action. This forced Dayan to send hostages to various countries to demonstrate its sincerity in peace talks. However, I have carefully analyzed all the details of the battle of Yanmen Pass and found many peculiarities in Dayan's defeat. Since I can identify these issues, how could the wise Emperor of Dayan not be able to analyze them as well?"

Upon hearing the words of Princess Anle conveyed by the maid, Ji Qingchen and the body of the book trembled slightly, feeling somewhat moved

Ji Qingchen trembled upon hearing the words of the Emperor of the Li Kingdom

The face of the prince of the departing nation turned somewhat pale, and a shadow of gloom flickered in his gaze

Suddenly, his gaze fixed on the face of the national emperor, quietly observing this former friend

Hmph! The exiled emperor coldly glanced at Ji Qingchen before withdrawing his gaze. A memory surfaced in his mind from when he left the city, of his younger sister, Princess Anle Lishu, saying: "Brother, I have never asked you for anything as I have grown up. This time, I ask you to let Brother Qingchen return home."

"This humble servant, Fang'er, has met Your Majesty! The princess has instructed this servant to remind Your Majesty not to forget the promise made with her" said the maid softly from outside the carriage

After a long while, he said somewhat helplessly, "Brother Ji, if it were not for your assistance, I would not have been able to ascend the throne today and become the emperor of the departing nation. Since I had made a promise to you before, I will certainly keep my word and will not go back on it"

The Emperor of the Li Kingdom spoke, then turned his gaze towards Ji Qingchen, "However, Brother Ji, I genuinely wish to keep you in the Li Kingdom. If you stay and join forces with me, we, as ruler and subject, will work in unison, and within twenty years, we will be able to unify the world. Brother Ji, as long as you remain, I am willing to treat you with the title of Prince and grant you the position of Grand General of the Li Kingdom."

Your Majesty, even if the kingdom is without the old minister, as long as Your Majesty is determined to strive for strength and govern diligently, within twenty years, the kingdom will surely unify the world. However, if the Great Yan lacks Ji Qingchen, Your Majesty's ambition to unify the world may take much longer than twenty years to achieve. Li Qingyi pondered for a moment and spoke earnestly.

Why? The Emperor of the Book Kingdom exclaimed in surprise.

Just now, when he entered the carriage, he merely bowed to the emperor of the departing nation without kneeling. However, this time, when bidding farewell to his teacher, he performed such a grand gesture. Li Qingyi's eyes became somewhat moist.

"Leave!" the impatient emperor shouted.

This surprised the emperor of the country, "Li Qing, what does this mean?"

Haha—after hearing this, the exiled emperor suddenly burst into laughter and said with a hint of longing, "Now that you mention it, Li Qing, I am quite looking forward to it! I wonder what kind of grand achievements this friend of ten years will accomplish in Dayan!"

"Otherwise, Your Majesty might think that Ji Qingchen possesses the talents and strategies of today, or that she could have single-handedly infiltrated the enemy camp and slain the enemy chief with a horizontal thrust of her spear two years ago against the cavalry of the Western Desert?" Li Qingyi said淡淡地, "The old minister is skilled in swordsmanship, but knows nothing of the horse spear. In today's world, there are very few who can master the horse spear to such an unparalleled level. This noble weapon has long been abandoned due to its exorbitant cost and the immense perseverance required from its wielder. Now, only the Bai family, who accompanied the founding emperor of the Great Yan, still upholds the fine tradition of training their descendants in the use of the horse spear."

At this point, Ji Qingchen realized that the friendship between him and the Emperor of Li Nation had come to an end. He did not linger any longer, but instead turned to Li Qingyi and, with a "thud," knelt down on the ground, bowing three times with a "bang bang bang" sound.

Oh— the young emperor who left the country did not expect Li Qingyi to respond so decisively, and he gazed at Li Qingyi with a hint of curiosity

Li Changchuan is the emperor of the Li Kingdom and the sovereign of Li Qingyi; Ji Qingchen is a student of Li Qingyi, and the two share a bond of ten years as teacher and student. Just as the emperor of the Li Kingdom and Ji Qingchen glare at each other, standing in opposition, Li Qingyi finds himself in a difficult position. He is unsure whom to support or how to mediate between the two, so he simply closes his eyes slightly and remains silent at the side. Just as the emperor of the Li Kingdom and Ji Qingchen glare at each other, standing in opposition, Li Qingyi finds himself in a difficult position. He is unsure whom to support or how to mediate between the two, so he simply closes his eyes slightly and remains silent at the side

Your Majesty, Ji Qingchen does not require support from anyone else upon returning to the country; he only needs the support of the Emperor of Dayan" said Li Qingyi

Your Majesty—just now, Princess Anle sent someone to convey a message to you! Suddenly, at that moment, the voice of the eunuch Zhao Gao came from outside the carriage

After Ji Qingchen left the carriage, the young emperor of the departing country suddenly turned serious and said to Li Qingyi, "Minister Li, if I had just ordered you to execute Ji Qingchen, what would you have done?"

After a long time, he replied calmly, "Your Majesty, Qingchen will certainly be waiting for Your Majesty's esteemed presence at the Taiji Hall of Dayan!"

"The Great Yan Emperor would support him, so why must he be sent as a hostage to a foreign country? Moreover, it would be for a duration of ten years," the young prince of the foreign country said with confusion.

At this thought, the emperor of the country wore a cold expression, silently observing Ji Qingchen

"Did Li Qing say that the Emperor of Dayan sent someone to teach Ji Qingchen military strategy and martial arts for ten years?" the Emperor of the departing country asked in surprise

The exiled emperor no longer spoke, only remaining in prolonged silence, for what he wished to ask had already been made very clear by Li Qingyi

Ji Qingchen had been away from the Yan Kingdom for ten years, and his mother was not a woman from a prominent family. How much support could he garner upon returning to the country, especially against the numerous princes who had been managing their affairs for decades? The exiled prince was somewhat skeptical of Li Qingyi's words

"Are you saying that the death of Prince Ji Chengqian of Dayan at Yanmen Pass ten years ago was the result of the struggle for the throne of Dayan? And that the Emperor of Dayan, having discerned the suspicious circumstances surrounding the prince's death, sent him to Li Kingdom as a hostage to prevent Ji Qingchen from following in the footsteps of the Dayan prince?" The prince of Li Kingdom was utterly shocked

As she thought of Princess Anle Lishu, Ji Qingchen's expression became somewhat dazed. She merely shook her head slightly in response to the temptation posed by the young emperor of the Li Kingdom.

"What a brilliant move by the Emperor of Dayan! By making Ji Qingchen a hostage in Li Country, he ensures that he remains safe and sound for ten years. When the time comes for him to grow up, he will be brought back to the Yan Kingdom to ascend the throne smoothly!" Li Qingyi remarked, "I fear that only a great ruler like the Emperor of Dayan would think of such a method to protect the heir to his throne!"

The exiled emperor pondered for a long time before finally saying, "I can only place him under house arrest; I truly do not dare to kill him"

Your Majesty, the Emperor of Dayan, Wen Cheng Wu Jiu, is a rare and remarkable ruler of his generation. How could his sons be anything but extraordinary? Currently, the court of Dayan is rife with undercurrents, as the princes are embroiled in a deadly struggle for the position of heir. At this moment, Ji Qingchen returns to the Yan Kingdom; with his abilities, the situation in the Yan court is likely to become even more chaotic. As long as internal strife persists within Yan, the implementation of policies will be difficult. In a few decades, when the national strength of Yan declines, Your Majesty will find it much easier to lead the army southward.

Alas! Seeing his disciple stride away, Li Qingyi couldn't help but let out a faint sigh

Good! Very good! Li Qing is loyal and devoted to the country, and I am very pleased. Haha, fortunately, I did not issue such an order to Li Qing just now, otherwise I would have lost my national military god. The Emperor of the Li Kingdom was very satisfied with Li Qingyi's response, and his laughter was hearty