After being demoted, my 300,000-strong army trampled the imperial city!

The officials stormed out of the side hall in a menacing manner.

Knowing that they harbored resentment, Chen Futu smiled and said with his hands behind his back, "Gentlemen, please speak frankly. I will tell you everything I know."

"Chen Futu, how dare you slaughter members of the imperial family!"

"The Crown Prince has caused chaos in Pingcheng since his arrival. Even if there were reasons for it, the matter should be left to His Majesty to decide. But you have killed a member of the royal family without authorization. Isn't this a contempt for the prestige of my Western Zhao Kingdom and a disregard for His Majesty?"

One of the adults glared menacingly and spoke in a booming voice.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xier frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes as she glanced at him.

She didn't want to cause any more trouble, lest she really fall out with Chen Futu, but these old folks were giving her a hard time, and she couldn't stop them.

Chen Futu raised an eyebrow and retorted, "My lord, if someone were to try and have their way with your wife right in front of you, wouldn't you be angry?"

"you!"

"vulgar!"

"Yes, it's so vulgar, it's simply unbearable to hear!"

"What Prince Zhenbei's heir? He's nothing but a shameless rogue, an insult to all culture!"

The officials were in an uproar, pointing their fingers at Chen Futu and shouting.

Chen Futu feigned surprise, "My lord, may I have some fun with your wife? I've heard she's very voluptuous."

"Chen Futu! I'm going to kill you!"

The official yelled, his face turning red-hot, as if he wanted to explode on the spot.

"Lord Zhou, please don't act rashly!"

"Yes, Lord Zhou, please calm down—"

The main hall was in an uproar, and a group of officials were holding the high-ranking official back.

Zhao Xier, sitting on the dragon throne, almost couldn't hold back her laughter as she looked at Chen Futu with a smile in her eyes.

This shameless person dares to say anything.

Chen Futu spread his hands, putting on an innocent look at the officials. "As you all see, this old man is weak and powerless, yet he wants to kill me just because I wanted to play with his wife. I am young and a martial artist, how can I tolerate such provocation?"

"you!"

"Nonsense! This is nonsense!"

"Yes, they're not the same thing at all!"

"May I ask who you are, sir?"

"I am Li Guangyao, Minister of Rites."

"So it's Lord Li. My apologies for not recognizing you. I've heard your daughter is quite beautiful. I'll have Dian Wei tie her up and take her back to the northern frontier to be used as a military prostitute."

"You scoundrel! You dare touch my daughter? I'll fight you to the death!"

Upon hearing Chen Futu's words, Lord Li, his face flushed and neck bulging, took off his shoe and threw it at him.

Chen Futu dodged, his eyebrows dancing with delight. "Tsk tsk tsk, what an eye-opener! A bunch of hypocrites trying to preach to me? Bah!"

"Your Highness, Prince Zhenbei, you are utterly shameless!"

"I've never seen anyone like you! The Prince of Zhenbei is renowned throughout the world, how could he have a descendant like you!"

The main hall was in complete chaos, and the officials were all cursing each other.

Zhao Xier had a splitting headache and had to speak up to stop them, "What kind of behavior is this, so rash and disorderly? Be quiet!"

Finally, the court fell silent.

Chen Futu said to Zhao Xier, "The king saw it. Killing the Little Western King was a last resort, and he cannot tolerate such provocation."

"Chen Futu, you are just making excuses!"

"Your Majesty, don't be fooled by his clever words and flattery!"

The officials still wouldn't give up.

"Can you endure it, or can you endure it? Or is it you?"

Chen Futu was displeased and pointed at each of the officials, who all looked away, not daring to meet his gaze.

Who can tolerate this? If they do, they'll just become cowards.

Zhao Xier asked, "Everyone, aside from this matter, do you have any other questions?"

Another official stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty, even if Chen Fu's massacre of the Little Western King was an act of righteous indignation, how could he have dared to lead troops to kill the Western King! Did he have no evidence at the time?"

Chen Futu sneered, "I didn't have any evidence at the time, but I killed the Little Western King, so I have to protect him, right? Do you gentlemen want me to run away with the new glassmaking techniques and leave your Western Zhao to be suppressed by the Dragon Barbarians until it is finally annexed?"

"nonsense!"

"Alright, enough with the nonsense. The king will make his decision on this matter."

Chen Futu looked at Zhao Xier again, and Zhao Xier narrowed her eyes, "It was you arguing with the officials, what does it have to do with me?"

"Is it?"

Chen Futu chuckled wickedly, reaching into his robes to pull out a red undergarment. The Empress was startled and quickly changed her tune, "Enough! This matter has been settled, and the ending is ultimately good. Considering that the Prince of Zhenbei helped me eliminate the threat of colluding with enemy states and attempting to overthrow Western Zhao, the merits and demerits cancel each other out, and I will not pursue the matter further!"

Zhao Xier's reply infuriated the officials, but considering that the die was cast, they could only give up.

And so, the treacherous banquet came to an end.

Zhao Xier ordered all the officials to take their seats and then commanded that the meal be served.

Chen Futu stretched and returned to his seat. Suddenly, an official asked, "Your Highness, you killed Tanta and offended Daqian, Beiwu, and Longman, as well as Zhang Shouren, who controlled Tianyun City. Aren't you afraid of being besieged by them?"

"The premise for cooperation between Western Zhao and Northern Frontier is that Northern Frontier has sufficient strength to support each other. Now that the situation in Northern Frontier is unstable, how can the Prince of Zhenbei rest easy in Longcheng?"

Officials launched another attack.

Chen Futu said lazily, "I think they're like ornaments for sale, not worth mentioning."

"Crazy man!"

"That's too arrogant. Several major forces have joined forces, and their army numbers well over a million. How can you possibly stop them?"

"You need not trouble yourselves with matters in the Northern Frontier. Instead, you should think about how to deal with the covetous Dragon Barbarians."

Chen Futu used a clever rhetoric to shift the blame onto the officials present.

Zhao Xier was quick-witted. To avoid further trouble from the officials, her pretty face was covered with frost. "What the Prince of Zhenbei said is true. We don't need to care about the situation in the Northern Frontier. Instead, how should the Western Zhao deal with the increasingly arrogant coercion of the Longman?"

Upon hearing this, the officials all lowered their heads and became mute.

If they had a solution, they would have said it long ago, and Chen Futu wouldn't have appeared in Pingcheng.

Zhao Xier scanned the room, greatly disappointed, and then said angrily, "Stop eating, everyone go back and reflect on your actions, and come up with a solution for me!"

"I am guilty!"

"Your Majesty, please leave!"

The officials quickly withdrew, no longer in the mood to make things difficult for Chen Futu, fearing that if they were too slow, Zhao Xier would hold a grudge.

After everyone left, Zhao Xier rubbed her temples, feeling utterly exhausted.

"Your Highness, I have already issued an edict declaring the Western King's rebellion, and now I have also stabilized our relationship. Isn't that enough sincerity?"

"Your Majesty is magnanimous, I have felt it. May I ask what you need me to do?"

"Help me eliminate a portion of the Western Zhao forces to buy me time to develop."

"Yes, but Western Zhao must also send troops to join us in hunting at Tongguan."

"How confident is Your Highness?"

"That depends on how the king treats me next. If the king is sincere and honest, I, the crown prince, don't mind to do more."

Chen Futu blinked.

Zhao Xier hesitated for a moment, then suddenly smashed the wine glass.

The next second, two hundred swordsmen rushed out from the right side hall, wielding gleaming broadswords and surrounding Chen Futu.

Chen Futu was so shocked that cold sweat broke out on his back. He glared at Zhao Xier and shouted, "What is Your Majesty doing!"