Empress, please have some self-respect. I am not your husband.

Just as Qin Ming was about to ask, the carriage stopped and the driver said, "Master, we have arrived."

Distracted by the driver, Qin Ming lost interest in asking questions and told Lu Feng to get out of the car.

Leading him into the palace, Lu Feng saw several court officials along the way, but they were all extremely shocked when they saw him.

At the same time, he was even more puzzled as to why Qin Ming, this miser, had brought this arrogant madman along.

Upon arriving at the Imperial Study, Qin Ming greeted His Majesty, saying, "Your subject Qin Ming, accompanied by Lu Feng, pays his respects."

While speaking, he gestured for Lu Feng to bow, but Lu Feng remained unmoved. Even if the emperors of Western Chu, Southern Jing, and Northern Qi were present, they wouldn't be worthy of his bowing.

Looking at the emperor opposite him in his dragon robe, I thought of Bingyun, that stunningly beautiful woman.

He cursed the damned emperor under his breath!

"rude!"

Seeing Lu Feng standing calmly, the Minister of Rites shouted angrily.

However, Ye Bingyun spoke up: "It's alright."

She smiled and said, "Lu Feng need not bow to me in the future."

The officials present were all surprised. Lu Feng thought that Bingyun must have told this guy about the agreement between the two of them.

"Come here, give me a seat."

Since His Majesty had said so, the ministers, though angry, could no longer vent their anger, but their gazes toward Lu Feng became even more displeased.

After Lu Feng took his seat, Ye Bingyun spoke softly: "Gentlemen, today the delegation from Western Chu has come to report on the topic of the third competition the day after tomorrow."

The courtiers all perked up, but Lu Feng remained relaxed and carefree, not taking the third match to heart.

Ye Bingyun said, "After the defeats in the first two matches, the opponent intends to have a literary duel with me, Qian Guowen, in this third match!"

Upon hearing the words "literary duel,"...

The civil officials present were all excited, especially the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy and the Hanlin Academician.

Literature? That's something we're good at!

The two immediately stood up and volunteered: "Your Majesty, please allow us to fight in the third match!"

"That's right, Your Majesty. The literary contest should be ours to make those arrogant fools who don't know their place understand that our Qian Kingdom can survive without him!"

The Hanlin Academician was naturally referring to Lu Feng.

Ye Bingyun had a headache. That's how scholars are. Since ancient times, there has never been a first place in literature, which has led to scholars looking down on each other. Their struggles are no less intense than those between military generals.

It might even be more intense.

Ye Bingyun understood that Lu Feng's cultivation level was unfathomable, but she was unsure about his literary abilities since he hadn't shown any promise yet.

It wasn't appropriate for them to speak up for Lu Feng at that moment.

After a pause, Her Majesty the Empress spoke: "Both Grand Master Guo and Scholar Zhang are pillars of the literary world of our Qian Kingdom, and naturally they should be included in the list of candidates to fight."

The Grand Master and Scholar Zhang were excited, but Ye Bingyun suddenly changed the subject: "But Western Chu is, after all, the number one dynasty in the world, and its talents are not to be underestimated. So I have decided to select four people from the Hanlin Academy, five people from the Imperial Academy, and Lu Feng, for a total of ten as preparations."

"When the competition is held the day after tomorrow, we will see what questions Xi Chu will set and what the competition will be about, and then select suitable candidates to fight."

Scholar Zhang frowned, glanced at Lu Feng, and then said, "Your Majesty, why add Lu Feng? Our Hanlin Academy and the Imperial Academy are enough."

A composed minister said, "That's not how it should be said. As Your Majesty said, the Western Chu region is full of talented people and has a thriving literary culture, so it should not be underestimated."

"Lord Zhou is right. I have already made a decision on this matter, and there is no room for change," Ye Bingyun declared definitively.

Seeing this, the Grand Master of Ceremonies and the Hanlin Academician could not say anything more.

"Next, let's discuss what topic Western Chu is most likely to use for this third round."

The ministers immediately began a heated discussion, some talking about poetry, others about prose, and still others about playing chess and music...

He basically covered everything that scholars are good at.

Lu Feng naturally had no interest in participating. He leaned back in his chair and watched the ministers argue heatedly, their faces flushed and spittle flying. Even a dog would shake its head at such a scene.

Fortunately, the title he had agreed upon with Bingyun was just a nominal one; otherwise, the thought of arguing with these people in the imperial court in the future would send chills down Lu Feng's spine.

For more than an hour, the ministers listed ten possible questions that Western Chu might ask, and then began to select participants based on these ten questions. This selection process took most of the day, and the final selection was not made until the afternoon.

……

"This is really tiring."

On the way out of the palace, Lu Feng couldn't help but complain, while Qin Ming beside him chuckled and said, "You'll get used to it eventually."

He's quite shrewd. Earlier in the Imperial Study, His Majesty said that Lu Feng wouldn't need to bow to him in the future. Doesn't that mean Lu Feng will have many opportunities to meet His Majesty in the future?

Doesn't this mean that Landwind will be entering North Korea in the future?

There are quite a few officials who share the same thoughts as him; they are all cunning old foxes, whose skills are the least refined?

Upon exiting the palace gates, seeing that many ministers were still waiting in the distance, Qin Ming coughed and said in a low voice, "Lu Feng, I still have to go to the Ministry of Revenue, so I won't see you off."

He wasn't stupid. Although he was quite optimistic about Lu Feng at the moment, so many ministers in the Imperial Study were dissatisfied with Lu Feng. If he were to let Lu Feng ride in the same carriage with him again, it would be like slapping those ministers in the face.

Lu Feng nodded and said with a smile, "Please take care, Lord Qin."

After watching Qin Ming leave in his carriage, Lu Feng planned to go back to the inn to sleep. However, he noticed a graceful figure on his left as soon as he walked out of the street.

Even though the other person was wearing a scarf, he recognized her at a glance.

Yu Ningyan.

Yu Ningyan walked towards him and stopped three feet in front of him. Her beautiful eyes held a complex emotion as she softly said, "Lu Feng, I'm giving you one last chance. Come back to Western Chu with me!"

Hear the words.

Lu Feng shook his head and smiled: "No need, Your Highness."

Clenching her fists tightly, her pretty face contorted beneath the veil, Yu Ningyan said coldly, "You will regret this!"

"I have no regrets." Lu Feng said calmly.

The woman snorted coldly, stopped trying to persuade her, and turned to leave.

Looking at that graceful figure from behind, Lu Feng felt a pang of emotion.

But despite his feelings, he had no particular thoughts at the moment.

If the Qin family father and daughter weren't his saviors, and if he didn't need Ye Bingyun's blood to save his life, he wouldn't mind going to Western Chu with Yu Ningyan and then slapping that old beast hiding in the Western Chu palace to death.

It can only be said that Yu Ningyan was really unlucky, and according to Lu Feng's estimate, at most a year later, that old beast would make a move against Yu Ningyan!