Chapter 309: Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet (3) (1/2)

Chapter 309: Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet (3)

There were plenty of famous, decisive figures present at such a grand banquet, but the person who just stood up was a unique and exceptional case. In Tianning Country, the nobility never involved themselves with politics, while politically active members were never part of the nobility. Still, this figure was not only a celebrated noble, but a general who occupied a critical position!

His name was Baili Yuanlong1, and he was part of Tianning’s Baili Clan, the biggest aristocracy clan in the capital. He was approaching 50 years of age but was a Great General who commanded the Tianning naval forces.

Tianning had a total of three Great Generals that respectively controlled the infantry, cavalry, and sea forces. Great General Mu was in charge of the infantrymen, which made up the bulk of Tianning’s military strength. Meanwhile, Baili Yuanlong lead the most unique naval forces. Both Great General Mu and Great General Baili had homes in the capital city. Meanwhile, the Great General of the cavalry spend most of the year guarding the borders at the Three-Way Battlefield. He hadn’t come back this time.

The naval forces were considered most unique because Tianning Country was the only nation on Cloud Realm Continent to have a navy. Northern Li and Western Zhou didn’t have any. Moreover, Tianning’s navy had been made by General Baili’s own hands into a regular army unit during his youth. Unlike General Mu, his fame came not from his exploits, but his navy. Though they’d never been dispatched to fight before, they still got the highest soldiers’ pay and provision from the capital every year. No one amongst the civil and military officials had ever objected to this fact, because they knew that the navy had been supported by the late emperor as a way to counter Northern Li. Both Northern Li and Tianning had unbroken coastline on their eastern borders. If war became necessary, Tianning definitely wouldn’t spare Northern Li’s eastern borders in a battle!

Thus, these naval forces could be said to be the ace in Emperor Tianhui’s sleeve during a real fight. They were the decisive factor that could determine the difference between victory and defeat. Baili Yuanlong had always been low-key. He only showed his face once or twice in a single year, but why was he standing up now? Everyone was bewildered.

“Is anything the matter, General Baili?” the empress dowager had always been polite to the naval general much respected by the late emperor.

“This general simply wants to offer congratulations to Esteemed Empress Dowager,” Baili Yuanlong replied.

He wants to offer congratulations? The empress dowager’s body stiffened. The stillness of the audience hall had grown to indescribable heights. Its guests had even inexplicably held their breaths as they grew tense.

What are Baili Yuanlong’s intentions?

Naturally, he’d need to offer his congratulations, but it wasn’t his turn yet. The Duke of Qin had just finished his toast when he stood up. Could it be that he, too…

The crowd trembled in fear, not daring to speculate on the possibility. Some things were treason even if all you did was think about them. Emperor Tianhui’s face was cold and stern as he stared at Baili Yuanlong. Long Feiye looked cold and aloof, seemingly disinterested in the entire affair. At the same time, he seemed to grasp every detail in the palm of his hand. As everyone watched, Baili Yuanlong poured himself a cup of wine.

Was he simply going to make a toast, just like Long Feiye?

A sense of unease began to spread through the empress dowager’s heart. She’d rather run right over and stop him now, but she couldn’t. She could only sit stiffly in her seat as she watched with a nervous, flustered heart. Baili Yuanlong raised up his cup as he stepped out. Although he’d never participated in a real war before, he was still infused with the killing aura of a general that could rival General Mu. He was old but vigorous, his powerful strides taking him to the empress dowager. That posture only made everyone more jittery. Most of them had forgotten to breathe altogether. The empress dowager nervously clenched her fists, digging her long nails into her palm despite the pain.

Baili Yuanlong arrived in front of the empress dowager and made a bow that was neither haughty nor humble. “This general offers congratulations to Esteemed Empress Dowager. May Esteemed Empress Dowager’s phoenix body be in good health!”

The empress dowager was still wearing a smile on her face, but it was completely frozen. She seemed calm, but her heart was already surging with all the force of rising winds and clouds. She couldn’t guess why Baili Yuanlong had suddenly chosen to step out of bounds. Would he be like Long Feiye, and simply toast her without a gift? Or would he give her a present after the toast?

Right now, it didn’t even matter what his gift would be, as long as he had one. If it existed, then his reason for stepping out of order to congratulate her would be a silent protest to Long Feiye’s actions. That would be the strongest show of his support to the empress dowager and Emperor Tianhui. If he had no gift, then…the empress dowager couldn’t continue that train of thought. She was far too alarmed–her first time feeling such an emotion at her own birthday banquet.

She waited for Baili Yuanlong to announce his present. She waited and waited, but Baili Yuanlong didn’t say another word. He simply stood there, leaving her in an awkward situation.

So there really isn’t a present?

The empress dowager couldn’t believe it. Emperor Tianhui believed it even less. He coughed lightly as a reminder before the empress dowager managed to say, “General Baili, you may rise.”

Would the present come after that, then?

Everyone’s attention was focused on the general. But he simply straightened up and returned to his seat. His actions had echoed Long Feiye and Han Yunxi exactly.

That’s it?

He’s done?

Only a toast, but no present?

So, Baili Yuanlong had made his toast using His Highness Duke of Qin as his example. In other words, Baili Yuanlong wasn’t here to congratulate her, but publically declaring his stance. He and his 10,000 strong nay were under Long Feiye’s command! A third of Tianning’s military forces was actually Long Feiye’s strength!