h.e.l.lo...thanks for all the wishes!!! My country got lots of holiday last month so I"m a bit behind on my translation due to not working...hey..hey and I finally got another donation. Thanks to Elizabeth Lor.  You know it"s not about the money but the thoughts that count.. Thanks to Minak Amie for her patient in editing my grammatically incorrect translation... 

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However, the both of them were still representatives of Xi Lei. He couldn’t let the kingdom lose face at the banquet. Although Hao Yuan Jiang was unwilling to start a conflict with Duke Ming, he couldn’t s.h.i.+rk his responsibilities. Therefore, once again, he helplessly opened his mouth.

“Forgive me for interfering,” Hao Yuan Jiang coughed lightly, “but according to the young Lord’s statement, everyone has their own specialty and can engage in their own actions based on their ability or talent. Therefore, an individual with the talent to manage a state can serve as minister of a kingdom. So, may I ask, could the position of a king, based on your statement… only be eligible for a person with the ability and talent to be one?”

Dong!

Like the sound of a morning bell drumming heavily, the question pounded in the ears of the audience as they sat in shock.

Old ginger really could not be underestimated. With Hao Yuan Jiang’s little trick, Feng Ming’s previously well-developed statement had immediately landed him in a giant pitfall.

[TN: There’s a saying… the older the ginger is, the spicier it gets.]

Questioning the absolute power of the king was a taboo that could not be mentioned in this backwards era.

All eyes were fixed on Feng Ming, waiting for his reaction.

Feng Ming was also momentarily fl.u.s.tered. He had originally intended to proceed step by step on his idea of specific roles belonging to specific people in order to explain the Grace Order’s meaning of equality.

But now?

He had on the façade of being unperturbed, with a slight smile on his face, however on the inside, he was truly agitated. If he treated the problem carelessly, he feared he would be faced with the accusation of treason against the king and be chopped into pieces. But since they had reached such a crucial moment, he definitely could not shrink back. Otherwise, if this incident were to spread in the future, their success would come to naught. Rong Tian’s painstaking effort to enact the Grace Order would be ruined.

d.a.m.n it! If only Rong Tian were here with me…

No! I should depend on myself. I can’t always rely on Rong Tian to help me solve everything!

After secretly cheering himself up, Feng Ming’s limpid eyes exuded a profound pressure as he recalled the memory of the time they were at war on the Aman River. At that time, he had been ready to risk everything by disregarding his safety. Breathing in deeply, he raised his head and answered clearly, “Correct.”

The hall immediately fell into chaos.

Princess Zhang Liu looked at Feng Ming with concern.

Feng Ming spoke each word calmly, “Being a king is the world’s most difficult job. As a ruler, he has to work hard day and night for his kingdom. If he slacks even a little bit or makes one bad decision, his kingdom may perhaps end up eating bitter fruit.”

Hao Yuan Jiang was silent for a moment.

Princess Zhang Liu and Xi Lei’s representative’s seats were near. The princess looked at them with a dark mood. Duke Ming and she had secretly colluded, so of course she was unwilling to see Feng Ming in trouble. Although she was extremely unwilling to expose their relations.h.i.+p to the public eye, treating everything with extreme caution would not help her position. The situation at the moment did not seem encouraging, but she could only take a chance and help Duke Ming.

Hopefully no one would find it odd.

“Then…” before Hao Yuan Jian could open his mouth, Princess Zhang Liu, who was one step ahead, asked gently in an enlightened tone, “to do this kind of bitter and hard work, what kind of special skill does one need?”

At that moment, Feng Ming really wanted to hug Princess Zhang Liu tightly!

Truly a temperamental beauty. As expected, she was tactful and sensible when dealing with unexpected situations. It was really not in vain for her to be the object of love and admiration for the “Reluctant King,” Du Feng, who was willing to board his s.h.i.+p while looking for the Wen Lan flower.

He was afraid that he would be pestered endlessly by the old ginger, Hao Yuan Jiang. The debate would have escalated to the point where he would have been forced to offend Tong’s royalty.

“Naturally, a suitable person would be a good man who can see the bigger picture, a n.o.ble person!” Feng Ming’s answer was slowly revealed layer by layer. “Him being a n.o.ble character… is very important. If a kingdom existed on a chessboard, the king would be the player. The king on the board has his own position… as well as the bishop, the knight, the p.a.w.n, and many others. The king and the other pieces have their own uses and abilities. If every piece is placed in a suitable position, they can all work together to improve the kingdom.”

“If an unsuited person were placed on the throne, the kingdom would become incapable of becoming formidable, and the king would be considered a failure. Hmm… this principle is similar to the system we use to a.s.sign the sailors’ jobs aboard our s.h.i.+p. The person with the best sense of direction is selected to be in charge of the helm. A person with good climbing skills is dispatched to take care of the sails. And those with great wrist strength are a.s.signed to take care of the anchor.” He Di languidly inserted, lending a helping hand to Feng Ming.

While speaking, he directed his eyes towards Zi Yan.

This Prince doesn’t believe that you can continue to avoid looking at me.

Feng Ming was grateful for He Di’s a.s.sistance and replied, “It is indeed the same.”

“Then, Rong Tian’s implementation of the Grace Order and abandoning of the hereditary society,” all the intelligence He Di stated leisurely was supplied by Kong Liu as he continued, “is not to shake Xi Lei’s roots, but rather to discover worthy individuals. Only this way can Xi Lei continue to be a formidable and powerful kingdom.”

Seeing Zi Yan’s eyes, that were as black as gems, finally lock onto his own, He Di stretched his mouth into a wicked smile. His hand was placed on the soft chest of the beauty sitting beside him, his fingertips frivolously moving across the thin clothing, circulating her ***.

Zi Yan suddenly let out a breath of anger.

His behaviour was just as He Di had predicted. Zi Yan’s mind immediately wandered back to that particular day when He Di had stripped off his clothes on the s.h.i.+p and frivolously brought the tip of the sword to his neck. He glared at He Di in disdain and turned his face away.

This guy, really…!!!

Feng Ming’s feelings towards him was different than that of his subordinate’s, who at this moment was gnas.h.i.+ng his teeth in hatred towards He Di. In Feng Ming’s eyes, He Di was the third well-behaved baby that he wanted to give hugs and kisses to. Although the b.a.s.t.a.r.d had completely defeated his Xiao Family’s fleet at the Aman River, with this, it appeared he had offset his faults.

In regards to the chance He Di had created for him, Feng Ming would certainly take advantage of it unscrupulously. “When Rong Tian had drafted the Grace Order, he never thought of betraying Xi Lei… rather, he was trying to make it more formidable and powerful. The selection would allow our kingdom to find more talents and let people with abilities develop them more. It would also lead to more of Xi Lei’s commoners acknowledging and using their own natural gifts where they should, thus further enriching their lives.”

The more he talked, the more it revealed his feelings towards looking forward to the birth of a splendid era. “Just imagine when our origins and distinctions no longer continue to confine our abilities. Everyone has a natural gift. Those who like to draw, will of course want to have the highest recognition for their talents and become famous figures. It will allow people with nimble hands to become artisans, and those who are good with constructing things can become great masters who are capable of building the world’s most beautiful palaces. It will allow a talented poet to rise and true warriors leading armies to protect a kingdom can emerge and be subjected to admiration from people of all ages. Would it not be great if the world became like that?

This is what the Grace Order is about. Selecting the most talented to strengthen Xi Lei, making sure each and everyone in the kingdom can have a good life… for such reasons, is it wrong?

As a king, Rong Tian not only showed his love to his loyal courtiers and dignified officials, but also wished for his common subjects to experience the same love. Is that wrong?

To respect G.o.d’s given gift to everyone by using the Order as a method of selecting the most outstanding talents to serve the kingdom… is that some kind of sin?

Rong Tian did not betray Xi Lei… and as long as he lives, will never betray Xi Lei.”

Feng Ming’s warm and meek style at the start, followed by a chain of impa.s.sioned statements, were changed to a series of questions with the intonation that kept the audience’s blood boiling with righteous indignation. The hammer finally fell heavily with his last words.

After delivering the finis.h.i.+ng blow, he felt his heart palpitating unusually fast. Only after he calmly breathed several times was he able to placate his rapidly moving chest.

But… it was so cool!

Rong Tian… I finally, in front of so many people, have defended against the injustice you received and thrown it all back at them.

I really wish that little b.a.s.t.a.r.d, Tong er, were here to see how he would refute your Grace Order. Besides those distinctions and statuses he confidently uses as an argument, he has nothing else to back him up.

Within the hall, many faces appeared to be emotionally moved.

Most of them bowed their heads down to ponder in silence.

“Excellent!” He Di’s lazy voice reverberated inside the s.p.a.cious hall.