Desolate Devouring Art

Since ancient times, there had been a strict distinction between the ruler and his subjects. By sitting at the same level as the Emperor, Liu Wuxie had violated the etiquette between a ruler and a subject.

But as the Emperor had arranged this, they didn’t dare to criticize Liu Wuxie openly and could only mutter among themselves.

To them, the Emperor's and the subject's etiquette was paramount, but in Liu Wuxie’s eyes, everyone was ordinary.

“I can’t take this lying down! I have to report him when His Majesty comes. How dare he disregard the etiquette towards the monarch!” A robust old man stood up furiously.

“Minister Bai, you don’t have to lower yourself to a child’s level.” The Great Yan Dynasty had two prime ministers, Minister Bai and Minister Wen.

In their eyes, Liu Wuxie was a brat, and it was just a matter of time before he was killed in Imperial City.

“That’s right. He’s a brat who relied on unorthodox art to gain His Majesty’s favor. His true colors will be revealed sooner or later.” The majority of the officials present leaned towards Minister Bai.

Speaking of Minister Bai, Liu Wuxie had heard of him before. He had heard that Minister Bai was the younger brother of Bai Clan’s patriarch, and Bai Zhan was his nephew. It was no wonder he held such hostility against him. After all, Bai Zhan was crippled, and it was natural for him to hate him.

Facing the accusations below, Liu Wuxie remained indifferent as he chatted with Xu Lingxue.

Seeing how Liu Wuxie turned a deaf ear to them infuriated everyone. They purposely tried to provoke Liu Wuxie, hoping to find an opportunity to target him.

However, they didn’t expect Liu Wuxie to disregard them entirely, regardless of what they said.

Liu Wuxie was unfazed by the potential threats. He knew that mere words wouldn’t harm him, as he had never heard of anyone being killed by words alone.

Liu Wuxie glanced at the main hall out of the corner of his eye. The people on the left were less than those on the right.

The faction on the left was headed by Chen Yusheng, with Minister Wen sitting among them. Prince Yongxian’s faction, headed by Minister Bai, was on the right.

Xue Chunyu sat in the middle on the right, looking at him viciously.

“Wuxie, I feel that many people will target you today.” Xu Lingxue said with a concerned face because Liu Wuxie was confronted before they could even enter the palace. It was evident that someone had tasked Yang Junxuan to provoke Liu Wuxie and force him to make a mistake.

No one had anticipated that Liu Wuxie would be able to defuse a crisis aimed at him so effortlessly. What lay ahead for him were more confrontations until his eventual demise.

“I was concerned they wouldn’t dare to show up, and I can seize this chance to eliminate them all!” Liu Wuxie declared, a cold glint in his eyes.

Seated beside him, Xu Lingxue could sense the surrounding temperature plummeting from Liu Wuxie’s murderous intent.

Liu Wuxie had already predicted this before coming and wanted to use this opportunity to end everything.

Roughly fifteen minutes later, an old eunuch came from the passage and announced, “His Majesty has arrived!”

The chatter in the Divine Martial Hall ceased as everyone turned their attention towards the passage.

A sturdy man was seen approaching, with Chen Ruoyan and Chen Leyao trailing behind him. The two princes also followed, maintaining a respectful distance of three steps.

After being treated by Liu Wuxie and discovering that Liu Wuxie had some connection with Chen Leyao, the Emperor officially bestowed upon Chen Leyao the title of Princess Lingyao. Consequently, Chen Leyao finally gained status in the palace, and her mother was conferred as a consort.

This was all thanks to Liu Wuxie.

Everyone, including Liu Wuxie, rose to their feet. There was no requirement for subjects to kneel in the presence of the monarch; a bow sufficed.

“We pay our respect to Your Majesty!”

“Have a seat! This is a gratitude banquet, and there’s no need to be so formal today.” The Emperor’s complexion had improved, and he looked like a different person. The pill given by Liu Wuxie had resolved the poison in his body.

When the Emperor took his seat, Chen Ruoyan, Chen Leyao, and the two princes sat on both sides.

Chen Ruoyan glanced in Liu Wuxie’s direction and pursed her lips upon seeing Xu Lingxue.

Xu Lingxue, exuding elegance and grace, acknowledged Chen Ruoyan with a nod.

Once everyone was seated, the Emperor turned to look at Liu Wuxie and nodded.

“Your Majesty, I have something to report before the banquet begins!” Minister Bai stood up, cupping his fists together at the Emperor.

“Minister Bai, please speak!” There was no displeasure on the Emperor’s face as he allowed Minister Bai to speak.

“There’s something that baffles me. This brat might’ve treated Your Majesty, but he should be seated beneath you according to etiquette. Why is he seated at the same level as Your Majesty?” Minister Bai questioned, his sentiments echoed by several officials on his side.

“Your Majesty, since Minister Bai has raised this issue, allow me to add my thoughts. What merits and abilities does this man possess to warrant a seat at the same level as Your Majesty? What impression does this give?” The Minister of Personnel chimed in, supporting Minister Bai.

Minister Bai and the Minister of Personnel wielded substantial authority in the court, and they were influential figures that others dared not interfere with.

“Does anyone else share this viewpoint?” The Emperor inquired, his gaze sweeping over the other officials.

“Your Majesty, if we are talking about saving lives, haven’t we, the imperial physicians, saved the most over the years? Or is he seated at the top just because he saved Your Majesty’s life? How can that convince everyone?” Guo Buqiu voiced his objections, still harboring resentment against Liu Wuxie for a previous humiliation.

If Minister Bai’s words weren’t convincing enough, Guo Buqiu's words made everyone nod in acknowledgment. After all, the imperial physicians had saved more people over the years, and they should be seated at the top if that was the case.

“Is that all?” The Emperor asked, a smile playing on his lips as he turned his gaze to Minister Bai.

“Your Majesty, please enlighten us!” The situation was heading towards a point where the officials were pressuring the Emperor to provide an answer.

Such a demand was unprecedented, as subjects had no right to question the Emperor.

Throughout this exchange, Prince Yongxian didn’t say a word and merely sat at his table as though this had nothing to do with him. But a faint smile was hanging on his lips.

“Do you believe that he only saved my life?” The Emperor retorted, “What he saved is the Great Yan Dynasty, the lives of countless people. Do you still question his qualifications to sit here now?”

The Emperor’s words echoed through the hall like a thunderous roar, instilling fear in the officials. The potential demise of the Emperor signified the descent of the Great Yan Dynasty into chaos, with countless families facing the horrors of war.

The Divine Martial Hall fell into a hushed silence, and Minister Bai dared not utter another word. If the dispute continued, it could lead to an irreparable rift.

All eyes turned to Prince Yongxian.

“Isn’t it just a spot? It’s the same everywhere. Or is the wine he drinks different from us?” Prince Yongxian laughed and dissolved the tense atmosphere.

“Indeed, it’s merely a seat. There’s no need to take it to heart!” Many neutral officials chimed in, aiming to lighten the mood, as no one stood to gain from the conflict escalating.

“Any further objections?” The Emperor’s voice was noticeably colder this time. He had turned a blind eye in the past due to their brotherly bond. But upon discovering that he had been poisoned, he realized that he was the only one who had treated Prince Yongxian as a brother, which had restrained him in his dealings with the latter.

The hall fell silent, with no one speaking further, and they returned to their seat.

On the contrary, Liu Wuxie had become an outsider and had nothing to do with this matter.

Although Liu Wuxie had anticipated this outcome, the Emperor’s dominance still surprised him.

The banquet resumed, and the earlier debate was merely an appetizer. There was still a storm brewing that awaited Liu Wuxie.

Food and drinks were served one after another, and everyone ate with their heads lowered, waiting for what would come next.

“Master Liu, I understand you have a knack for healing. I’ve been grappling with a puzzling health issue for some time now, and I see this as a perfect chance to seek your advice.” Guo Buqiu rose to his feet, offering a respectful salute towards Liu Wuxie.

The feast had barely started, and complications had already arisen. The Emperor was on the verge of stepping in, but Liu Wuxie held him back. After all, he couldn’t rely on the Emperor to solve all his problems. Even if the Emperor could intervene at the moment, he wouldn’t be able to do so indefinitely, and these individuals would persistently seek to stir up trouble.

Thus, the best way was to counterattack, one by one.

“I am indeed curious about the ailment that troubles Physician Guo, and I’m ready to listen.” Liu Wuxie set down his cup. He was aware that if he declined, Guo Buqiu would launch a second round of defamation, accusing him of being all rhetoric and no substance. This was a typical ploy, and Liu Wuxie preemptively eliminated any chance of it being used.

“There’s someone who wakes up feeling lethargic in the morning but becomes energized in the evening. I can’t detect the problem, and they would gradually lose weight by the day. Do you know what the problem is?” Guo Buqiu described the symptoms.

Those were common symptoms for those who stayed up late, and how could it be considered an illness? This was an attempt to try to make things difficult for Liu Wuxie. If Liu Wuxie said that it wasn’t an illness, it would mean that his skills in medicine were ordinary.

But if Liu Wuxie said it was an illness, Guo Buqiu would say this was a typical case of a reversed sleep cycle. This meant that Liu Wuxie would fall into Guo Buqiu’s trap regardless of what he said.

Everyone noticed the trap in the question and didn’t expect Guo Buqiu to prepare such a tricky question.

“Young Master Liu, please give your diagnosis!” Guo Buqiu looked at Liu Wuxie with a smile, awaiting his reply.

Xu Lingxue revealed a hint of concern in her eyes because this wasn’t an interaction of medical study but an attempt to embarrass Liu Wuxie. The symptoms were vague, and there was no correct answer because it depended on Guo Buqiu’s words.

“May I ask if the patient is male or female?” Liu Wuxie asked after a brief pondering.

“Male, and he has just reached the age of twenty!” Guo Buqiu replied, not wanting to waste a minute.

“This illness generally falls into two categories. One is a pale complexion and purple lips when waking up, often accompanied by convulsions. The second is due to consuming Golden Snow Grass,” Liu Wuxie said. He asked, “May I know which category the patient fell into?”

Guo Buqiu narrowed his eyes with a hint of seriousness in them.

“How can Young Master Liu be certain that it falls into one of the two categories?” Guo Buqiu said, but his facial expression had betrayed him.

“Physician Guo, we’re not three-year-old children. Since you dare to question me, I believe you must’ve brought the patient here. If I answer wrongly, the patient will stand out to prove my mistake. Am I right about that?” Liu Wuxie looked at Guo Buqiu with a squinted smile, causing the latter to stagger.

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