Chapter 50

The Great Liao.

Yelü Hongji sat in the grand hall, somewhat annoyed and even a bit afraid. He had not expected that the three reclusive experts of the Great Liao, who had traveled south, would fail to kill Wang Yue.

"Could Wang Yue really be the bane of our Great Liao?" Yelü Hongji thought to himself.

"Your Majesty, a man named Yan Longyuan requests an audience," a soldier reported.

Yelü Hongji said angrily, "Ridiculous! I am the Emperor of the Great Liao. How can just anyone see me?"

The soldier hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Yan Longyuan says he can offer you the recipes for soy sauce and five-spice seasoning. It's a matter of great importance, and I dare not make a decision on my own, so I have come to seek your instructions."

Yelü Hongji nodded and said, "Hmm, well done. I will reward you greatly. Let Yan Longyuan in."

Murong Bo had transformed into "Yan Longyuan" again.

Using this identity indeed brought him many conveniences.

Even if Wang Yue knew that Yan Longyuan was Murong Bo, Murong Bo didn't care. As long as he didn't admit it, Wang Yue couldn't do anything. After all, the name Murong Bo had disappeared for over thirty years.

After recovering from his injuries, Murong Bo came to the capital of the Great Liao to seek an audience with Yelü Hongji.

Murong Bo entered, knelt down, and loudly said, "Your humble subject Yan Longyuan pays respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!"

"Rise," Yelü Hongji said, "You are Yan Longyuan? It is said that you have the recipes for soy sauce and five-spice seasoning and wish to offer them to me. Is this true?"

Murong Bo stood up and said, "Yes, Your Majesty. With soy sauce and five-spice seasoning, the Great Liao's tax revenue will increase by at least thirty percent. Of course, if Your Majesty engages in business, the profits will be even greater. With sufficient financial resources, the Great Liao can improve its military equipment and attack the Song Dynasty. At that time, Your Majesty will unify the Central Plains and become a great emperor, no less than Qin Shi Huang."

Yelü Hongji was stirred by Murong Bo's words, but he remained clear-headed.

"Ha ha, Yan Longyuan, what do you want? You wouldn't offer the recipes without a reason, right?" Yelü Hongji asked.

Murong Bo didn't dare to be evasive. He knew it was best to speak the truth. "Of course not, Your Majesty. The prosperity of the Great Liao and the unification of the Central Plains are inevitable. My offering the recipes is just a way to add to the glory. However, I hope that Your Majesty, considering my contributions, will grant me some honor and wealth. I have read many books and am skilled in martial arts. I hope Your Majesty will appoint me as the Imperial Advisor so that I can offer strategies for the Great Liao."

Yelü Hongji laughed, "Ha ha, good! If you really provide the recipes and increase the wealth of the Great Liao, I will grant you the position of Imperial Advisor. But if you deceive me, I will tear you to pieces."

"Wait a moment..."

At that moment, an elderly voice sounded.

An old man with a long sword walked in.

He was Yelü Qiyun, one of the three reclusive experts of the Great Liao.

Yelü Hongji stood up and called, "Grandfather."

Yelü Qiyun, though not Yelü Hongji's biological grandfather, was two generations senior to Yelü Hongji.

Yelü Hongji should indeed call him grandfather.

Yelü Qiyun walked to Murong Bo and said, "You want to become the Imperial Advisor? I want to see if you have the qualifications. Show me your skills."

As soon as Yelü Qiyun entered, Murong Bo knew he was a formidable expert, with martial arts skills surpassing his own.

However, Murong Bo couldn't back down.

"Since that's the case, please show me your move, Senior."

Murong Bo didn't use the martial arts of the Murong family but those of Shaolin Temple.

Having read the scriptures in the Shaolin Temple library for decades, Murong Bo knew many Shaolin techniques and could perform them fluently, without any stiffness. Even an expert like Yelü Qiyun might not be able to discern Murong Bo's true identity.

"Shaolin martial arts?"

Yelü Qiyun was surprised. He hadn't expected Murong Bo to use Shaolin martial arts and to have such deep mastery.

After all, even the divine monks of Shaolin Temple might not have as deep a mastery of Shaolin martial arts as Murong Bo.

The Unobstructed Finger, the Prajna Vajra Palm, the Maha Finger Power, the Great Vajra Fist...

Murong Bo performed the Shaolin Temple's secret techniques one by one, with great power.

Yelü Hongji also felt the strength of Murong Bo's techniques and was impressed, thinking, "This Yan Longyuan is indeed skilled, not just boasting. He might even be stronger than my sworn brother, Xiao Feng."

Although Yelü Hongji wasn't skilled in martial arts, he had a keen eye. After all, he had been an emperor for decades and could distinguish between different levels of martial arts.

"Clang!"

Yelü Qiyun drew his sword and instantly broke through Murong Bo's attack.

No matter how fierce Murong Bo's attacks were, Yelü Qiyun could counter them with a single sword strike.

It could be said that Yelü Qiyun's sword skills had truly reached the divine realm.

The title "Sword God of the Northern Desert" was well-deserved.

"Whine..."

Yelü Qiyun became a blur, and the tip of his sword reached Murong Bo's throat. The sword tip glowed with a sword aura, and a slight movement of Yelü Qiyun's hand would cut Murong Bo's throat.

Murong Bo felt the heat of the sword aura, and his body hair stood on end.

"Swallow."

Murong Bo swallowed, leaving sweat on his face.

"Senior, your martial arts are divine and invincible. Yan Longyuan cannot match you."

Murong Bo took a step back and respectfully said.

Yelü Qiyun sheathed his sword and shook his head, "Invincible? My martial arts are good, but I am far from invincible. On this southern trip, my two friends and I failed to kill a young man in his twenties and were defeated, returning to the Great Liao in disgrace. Now, would you still say I am invincible?"

Murong Bo was shocked. This old monster's martial arts were so powerful, yet he was defeated? From his words, it seemed they had failed even when working together. How powerful was this person?

"Senior, who is so powerful that even you couldn't defeat him?" Murong Bo also wanted to know who this person was.

Yelü Qiyun smiled bitterly, "His name is Wang Yue."

"Wang Yue?" Murong Bo exclaimed in surprise.

Murong Bo had been hiding and healing and didn't know about the three reclusive experts of the Great Liao traveling south.

Murong Bo was relieved that he hadn't gone with Murong Fu to deal with Wang Yue; otherwise, they wouldn't have known how they would die.

"I didn't expect Wang Yue to be so powerful. How can I take revenge and kill Wang Yue to avenge my hatred?" Murong Bo thought resentfully.

"Do you know Wang Yue?" Yelü Qiyun asked.

Murong Bo shook his head, "Senior, I don't know him, but I have heard of his name. It is said that he has a high status in the Song Dynasty's martial arts world and possesses great wealth. He even founded a martial arts school in Suzhou. The recipes I am offering are from him."

Yelü Qiyun laughed, "Ha ha, I didn't expect the recipes to also be from Wang Yue. Good, good, good. Your Majesty, Yan Longyuan is skilled in martial arts and has contributed greatly by offering the recipes. He can be the Imperial Advisor!"

Yelü Hongji nodded, "Yes, Grandfather!"

Murong Bo presented the recipes.

"Yan Longyuan, listen to your appointment!" Yelü Hongji said loudly, "Yan Longyuan has contributed to the Great Liao. I, Yelü Hongji, appoint you as the Imperial Advisor of the Great Liao."

Murong Bo knelt down and said excitedly, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Yelü Qiyun said to Yelü Hongji, "Your Majesty, I will be in seclusion for a while. During this time, I will rarely come out. If experts from the Song Dynasty or Western Xia come to cause trouble, you can have the Imperial Advisor Yan Longyuan and the Southern Prince Xiao Feng deal with them. If they can't handle it, send a message to me."

"Yes, Grandfather," Yelü Hongji said.

Yelü Qiyun became a blur and disappeared from the grand hall.

...

Southern Prince Xiao Feng finished his military affairs, and Azhu brought in a ginseng soup.

"Xiao Brother, are you tired? Have some soup to refresh yourself," Azhu smiled.

Xiao Feng rubbed his brow and smiled bitterly, "Azhu, to be honest, handling military and administrative affairs is more tiring than practicing martial arts in Shaolin Temple when I was young. It seems I'm not cut out for being an official."

Xiao Feng held Azhu's hand and said gently, "Azhu, you've worked hard."

Azhu smiled, "Azhu isn't tired. As long as I can be with Xiao Brother, I'm happy."

"By the way, where is Azhi?" Xiao Feng suddenly asked. He hadn't seen Azhi for several days.

Azhu said helplessly, "Azhi left the city early this morning with some guards. Xiao Brother, you know, Azhi is really too mischievous and doesn't know her limits. Several guards have been seriously injured. I'm really afraid something will happen."

Xiao Feng was also annoyed. Azhi was becoming more and more disobedient and was bullying the guards with her status as a princess.

"I'll talk to her when I see her," Xiao Feng said.

Xiao Feng stood up and said, "Azhu, have lunch by yourself. I need to see the Emperor and report some matters."

Azhu nodded, "Yes, Xiao Brother, your important matters come first."

No matter when, Azhu was always so understanding.

...

Xiao Feng came to the palace, reported to the guards, and entered the grand hall. To his shock, he saw a deep enemy.

Yelü Hongji laughed, "Xiao Feng, you came just in time. I want to introduce you to someone."

Yelü Hongji pointed to Murong Bo and said, "This is our new Imperial Advisor, Mr. Yan Longyuan." Then he pointed to Xiao Feng and said, "Mr. Yan, this is my sworn brother, the Southern Prince of the Great Liao, Xiao Feng!"

Murong Bo smiled at Xiao Feng, "The reputation of Southern Prince Xiao Feng is well-known to me."

Xiao Feng glared at Murong Bo and said coldly, "Yan Longyuan, you have a lot of nerve. You killed my teacher Wang Jian Tong and still dare to appear in the Great Liao? Aren't you afraid I'll kill you? If it weren't for being in the palace and the presence of the Emperor, I would have killed you to avenge my teacher."

Murong Bo smiled indifferently. He wasn't a match for Wang Yue, but he wasn't afraid of Xiao Feng.

"Southern Prince, what are you saying? Our misunderstandings are in the past. Now that we serve the same court, we should work together to help the Emperor and the Great Liao. Don't you agree, Southern Prince?" Murong Bo said with a smile.

Yelü Hongji also nodded, "Xiao Feng, Mr. Yan is right. Your past misunderstandings are over. Now that you serve the same court, it's best to put aside your grudges."

Xiao Feng bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Yan Longyuan killed my teacher, and this grudge cannot be ignored. However, I know that the bigger picture is important. Since Yan Longyuan is now the Imperial Advisor of the Great Liao, I will temporarily let him go. Your Majesty, I will take my leave."

Xiao Feng left the grand hall, but his anger was still simmering.

Xiao Feng didn't know that Yan Longyuan was Murong Bo, and he didn't know that Murong Bo was the real culprit who had caused his family to be destroyed thirty years ago. If he had known, Xiao Feng would have attacked Murong Bo in the palace grand hall.

(Seek votes, seek collection.)

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