by Tony Tran
So as a warning Zhang had to make an example out of Ming Jiang. He had to show that if people crossed him they wouldn't get away with a pat on the back.
Everyone looked toward Zhang's direction with shocked eyes. They did not think that the successor to a mere province had the nerve to attack a prince and a prince of the Ming kingdom at that. Amongst the alliance the Ming kingdom was one of the middle sized kingdoms that was at the borderline of being acknowledged as a large kingdom.
Ling's father stood to the side and did not intervene. He had faith that Zhang knew what he was doing and was more worried about other things. Now that Zhang was back the plans that he and Zhang's father had laid out would be somewhat pointless.
Getting revenge for someone who wasn't dead and involving millions of people seemed somewhat pointless since the person was not dead. Although they would have to call off the plan now Wu Tong was actually happy. Happy that his future son in law was alive.
"You damn peasant how dare you do this to him." Another prince yelled as he walked up and helped Ming Jiang up.
"Hmph peasant? Perhaps you wish to kneel before me also." Zhang sneered.
"Brother you shouldn't lower yourself to converse with such people." Yuying said while still being embraced by Zhang. As a princess of the underworld in terms of status, power and influence Yuying vastly outstripped any prince or princess of some kingdom. Even the ruler of an empire in terms of status was beneath her.
Although she did not give airs up being royalty when people acted arrogant in front of her due to their status she looked down on them.
Because who was she? She was the 99th Princess of the underworld. Daughter of the ruler of the afterlife.
Ai simply snorted and did not pay attention to anyone. The only people she cares for in the world was Zhang and Yuying and by association Ling. Even Ling's did not register as someone important in her eyes.
Unlike the Yuying and Ai, Ling actually was very distressed from Zhang's actions. She clearly knew the influence the Ming Kingdom and the rest of the people present had in the continent. Compared to Yuying she was only the daughter of a minister and compared to Ai she did not filter out the world. So of course she was worried when Zhang offended people of such high social standing.
She was more worried for Zhang than anything else. She knew that he had power but it was best to have more friends than enemies.
Then suddenly a voice rang out from the entrance.
"His royal highness king Huang He has arrived." The voice rang out.
Once everyone looked to the entrance a middle aged man could be seen walking in. Beside him Huang Zu was present and the minister of finances.
Although Zhang still had his helmet on anyone could see the twinkle in his eyes when the king walked in. Zhang's gaze was fixated on the group walking in. Mostly on the minister of finances, his father. It has been almost three years since they left met and every fiber of his soul screamed for him to run up and hug his father.
"Father just you wait I'll find an opportunity to have a long chat with you soon and introduce to you your two future daughter in laws." Zhang thought.
Everyone did a courtesy bow with third hands clasped in front of them toward the king.
The king proceeded to walk to a banquet table.
"Welcome everyone to today's event. I hope that everything is to everyone's liking. If not, then please inform one of the servants and they will do their best to make it to your liking." King Huang He said as he proceeded to site down.
He had arranged it so every rectangular table was the same symbolizing that everyone was equal. Normally as the king of the host kingdom he would have a more extravagant table set up for himself but he opted not to.
Zhang had a fairly good impression of Huang He for doing this. It showed that he was not a man full of vanity and was not filled with pride. Realistically speaking everyone present was beneath him in status besides Yuying. But no one knew Yuying's status. Hence Huang He was sitting amongst people who were socially beneath him which rarely happened.
The king sat at one table with Huang Zu, to his right sat Zhang's father and l his left. Then everyone was free to choose where they sat. Ling of course sat with her father. Zhang had chosen to sit at a table next to his father along with Yuying and Ai.
This seemed odd to most people because they were expecting him to sit beside Ling and her father.
Thus the banquet began. Many delicacies were brought out on trays by hundreds of beautiful maids. Food from many different places were selected to fit the appetite of every dignitary that attended. After the food was served dancers entered the hall and began dancing uniformly.
Music was being played to lighten the mood and create a festive atmosphere.
Throughout a part of the festivities Zhang noticed that Ming Jiang was glaring at him however with a sharp gaze from Zhang this stopped. Zhang's kick had shattered his knee which caused him immense pain to the point where he had to use a bottle of phoenix blood to heal it.
Most of the other people who saw what had happened did not even dare to look in Zhang's direction.
As the festivities continued king Huang He along with his son Huang Zu walked from table to table greeting the guests. He had started counter clock wise and Zhang's table would be his last stop. The king had treated everyone in a friendly manner as he went from table to table.
As he walked from table to table many of the dignitaries presented Huang He with gifts. These things ranged from extravagant swords, armor, jewels and some even offered him women. Huang He accepted all of the gifts besides the women with the excuse of being too old to be with such young women.
"Good, he is not one of those lecherous old men." Zhang thought. Although it wasn't uncommon many old man of high standing often married women many many years younger than them. Which Zhang thought was not right. So this earned another point in Zhang's eyes.
Once king Huang He got to Zhang's table he was amazed at the beauty Yuying and Ai possessed. Although Ling is no less beautiful than Yuying and Ai he had seen her many times. Which made him become very affected by her. But this was the first time he saw Yuying and Ai.
"Lord Jian Wei sends greetings to your majesty from Aurora. Sadly, he is currently occupied so he could not personally attend. So I have come instead." Zhang said as he got up and bowed to the Huang He along with Yuying and Ai.
Sitting a bit away from the trio the minister of finances had a strange look on his face. The voice of this young man sounded much like the voice of his descended son.
"It couldn't be, must be a coincidence." He thought.
"I would like to welcome you to my kingdom and might I add you're one lucky young man to have two such beauties by your side." Huang He added.
"Thank you, your majesty but I would like to correct you. I've been blessed with three beauties. The minister of war had agreed to give me his daughter's hand in marriage also." Zhang said.
A hint of surprise could be seen on Huang Zu's eyes who was standing just behind Huang He. He looked toward where Wu Tong was and saw that Wu Tong did not deny this meaning that Zhang was not lying. Which meant that Ling had picked Zhang as the winner. He felt somewhat dejected but as a man of his word he would not go against the promise of the loser giving up of Ling.
Someone more surprised however was the minister of Finance. Being as close to Ling's father as he was this was the first time he heard of this. Although he did not object since his son was dead and there was no point in preventing Ling from marrying someone else he was caught by surprise.
"Ah it was discourteous of me not to remove my helmet in the pretense of his majesty." Zhang said as he took of his helmet.
Once Zhang's helmet came off Zhou Cheng's face was filled with utter astonishment.
"It can't be! But their voice is so similar and that face is definitely my son's face." He thought but he quickly brushed away his tears because how could his son survive an explosion that made a huge part of Blue Tear city disappea
r.
"There is no way that he is my son how could he end up in Aurora? How could he become the successor of Aurora? I must have become delusion since they happen to look alike." Zhou Cheng thought.
"That must be the reason why Ling agreed to marry this young man because they look so much alike."
Chapter 42: Aurora’s Gift
"Lord Jian Wei had asked me to present to your majesty these gifts in his place. I hope they are to your liking." Zhang said politely and with a wave of his hand various things appeared.
Many people were stunned by these "gifts" Aurora was gifting to King Huang He.
"I present to your majesty a golden throne from the lost Sai Empire and ten bricks of ice jade. And to the minister of War and the minister of finance five bricks of ice jade each." Zhang said.
"I couldn't possibly accept this, it's too much." King Huang He said. The throne was extremely extravagant and beautiful while the ice jade bricks were extremely precious. To receive twenty bricks total was something unbelievable.
"But Lord Jian Wei had ordered me to give your majesty and the ministers these gifts." Zhang said. In fact, Jian Wei had arranged for him to give something else but Zhang had a good impression of the king so he decided to give something better.
And of course he was not going to cheap out on his father and Ling's father. By giving them such things in front of a wide audience it symbolized that Aurora was trying to make friends with them. This might provide a deterrent to their political enemies.
“How about this I’ll only take five pieces of ice jade and you can keep the throne and the other five pieces.” King Huang He said.
“If that it your wish then I’ll have to comply with it your majesty.” Zhang replied and with a wave of his hand the throne and five bricks disappeared back into his ring.
" I couldn't give them more than five to father and uncle or else people would become suspicious." Zhang thought. He had hundreds of these bricks in his interspatial ring so twenty was not much. But it would be odd if he gave the ministers more than the king and he did not wish to give the king too many gifts so this many would do for now. He would secretly give more things to his father and Ling's father later.
Zhang personally took five bricks to Ling's father and while doing so grasped Ling's hand and lead her back to his table to sit with him.
Then he preceded to hand five bricks to his father. But when he handed the ice jade to his father the man would not stop staring at him. And likewise Zhang did not go back to his table. After a while there was an awkward silence.
"Is something wrong?" Huang He asked.
Huang He's words served to wake up the father and son from their daze.
"Ah might I ask your name young man." Zhou Cheng asked Zhang.
"Minister Zhou my name is Zhou Zhang." Zhang replied with a faint smile on his face as he walked back to his table.
Zhou Cheng's face was a mix of emotion after hearing those words. However, no one else was very surprised to be honest there were only so many surnames and names so people with similar surnames and names were very common. And it was not like Zhou Cheng went around describing his dead son to everyone.
After everyone got back to their seats the festivities began once more. With many people envying the gifts that Zhang had given out. Ice jade was very precious and even large kingdoms did not casually give it out. But Zhang or in their eyes Aurora was and each piece was the size of a brick.
Toward the end of the banquet king Huang He got up once more to make an announcement.
"In a week's’ time the tournament will begin. The tournament will be divided into three categories. These three are survival, strategy, teamwork." Huang He said.
"For the first part of the tournament all of the participants will have to survive five days and five nights in the Demonic Forest. During this time each participant will have try to acquire a golden flag, which is a part of a set of ten. Those who have flags at on the sixth day will be called commanders." Huang He Said as he picked up his cup of wine and drank from it.
" The 2nd part will commence after the three days. Those who manages to become commanders will pick from those who did not manage to find flags. This will serve as the strategy part of the tournament. The 3rd part is when the commanders lead their soldiers into battle. They will be defending or conquering ten towers in the colosseum with a golden flag at the top of each tower. If the flag within the tower is taken, then that means the tower was conquered. Each tower's flag will represent one item they can take from the treasury. If someone manages to conquer all ten, then they will be able to select ten items from our treasury. All the people who acted as soldiers of course will receive some gold." Huang He finished saying.
"Interesting." Zhang thought. Realistically speaking there was a high chance of there being ten winners because if everyone stubbornly defended then it was highly possible that no towers would be conquered. Also if they only solely focused on conquering then their tower would be conquered.
And after the king's explaining the tournament the banquet came to an end.
Zhou Cheng was the first to leave saying that he was not feeling well.
Soon everyone headed back to their lodgings. Well everyone but Zhang, Yuying, Ai, Ling and Ling's father. Along with their guards they secretly headed for the Zhou mansion.
"The look on your father's face when you handed him the ice jade was priceless." Ling's father said to Zhang. They were all currently in the same carriage.
"Brother so that was your father?" Yuying and Ai asked at the same time. Strangely recently the two of them have been very in sync and said things at the same time.
"Yes that's my father and soon he will be your father too." Zhang said teasing them.
"Who's going to be your wife!?" They replied in unison.
"You are!" Zhang replied although he would have liked to embrace them Ling's father was still in the carriage so he did not.
Ling's father could not help but smile at this scene.
Soon they arrived at their destination. As they got off the carriage a middle aged servant from inside the mansion came out to greet them.
"Ah Minister Wu you've come to meet the lord today?" The servant said. However, when he saw Zhang who was not wearing a helmet anymore he became speechless.
After a while he was able to squeeze out some words.
"You-young master? A-am I seeing things? You’re not a ghost right?" He said while looking at Zhang with somewhat frightened eyes.
"If I was a ghost how could I do this to your uncle Zhao." Zhang said as he hugged the servant.
This servant had been living in the Zhou clan for many years and Zhang had grown up to view him as an uncle. He was always around and pretty much like family.
"Please lead the way to where father is." Zhang said after making sure there were no outsiders around using the Underworld Heart to scan the area.
It was fairly late in the night and most if not everyone had gone home. So there were only people Zhang trusted around.
As uncle Zhao lead the group into the mansion the walked through some very familiar looks hallways for Zhang at least. Oddly everything in this mansion looked the same as the mansion that was in Blue Tear city.
"Ah young master you probably are wondering why everything looks so familiar." Uncle Zhao said.
"Yea everything looks exactly the same as our home in Blue Tear city." Zhang said.
"That is because the lord ordered for everything to be reconstructed to look exactly the same as the old mansion. He had said that since the old mansion was now a crater if the young masters spirit returned it would not have a home to return to. So he had everything remade to be an exact replica of the old mansion. Even the squeaky door to the kitchen was remade." Uncle Zhao said.
Zhang did not say a word but simply continued walking. Listening to uncle Zhao's words made his heart ache. It has been so long, so very long and finally he could reunite with his family. Everything that happened so far seemed as
if it was a dream and as he walked through these familiar halls he was waking up.
"No place like home." Zhang thought as a smile appeared on his face.
"So this is how the house brother grew in looks like?" Ai asked as she looked through every door down the hallways. She had little interest in everything besides things related to Zhang. And being in his family's home peaked her interest.
Soon uncle Zhao had led them in front of a room with a light lit inside. This was the lord of the mansion's study.
"Milord you have visitors." Uncle Zhao said.
"Visitors? At this time of the day? Tell them to go home and come back tomorrow." The voice from inside said.
"Brother Zhou you're telling me to go home?" Ling's father Wu Tong said with a laugh.
