Everyone turned pale, staring at the head on the ground, whispering to each other as discussion erupted.

Gan Qi finally reacted, his face deathly white. With a shout, over ten guards behind him rushed forward, all drawing their blades.

“Your Majesty! Li Mu is outrageously bold, killing the Western Jin envoy and framing our Qiu Chi, dragging us into this! When will Your Majesty arrest him if not now?”

“How dare you! My father king has given no such order—you presume to command?”

Hou Li immediately drew his sword as well, shouting, and the guards behind him also rushed forward.

The two sides glared at each other with fury, the atmosphere instantly reaching extreme tension, nearly at the breaking point.

Hou Ding’s gaze finally shifted from the head on the ground to stare at Li Mu, his face iron-gray as he ground his teeth: “Li Mu, what is the meaning of this?”

Li Mu stepped forward, grabbed the head’s hair braid from the ground, lifted it and placed it on his own table, then straightened up.

“After Gu Huiwu left your Qiu Chi, he attacked and killed a group of innocent Han people on the road. I caught up with him and killed him along with all his subordinates. I brought his head on this trip with no other meaning than to show old hero my position, Li Mu’s stance.”

The smile that had been on his face disappeared, his expression becoming stern as he turned to Hou Ding.

“The Western Jin Xianbei have occupied Han territory and committed countless crimes. Gu Huilong wants to seize the Western Capital, and I too want the Western Capital. Western Jin and I are irreconcilable enemies.”

“But Your Majesty is different. Between you and me, there is no life-or-death feud. That Your Majesty considers future territorial interests is only human nature. I, Li Mu, can promise here and now: any land belonging to your Qiu Chi, any person of the Hou clan, I Li Mu will not occupy one bit or want a single one!”

“Western Jin and I must have a decisive battle. I don’t ask you to deploy even half a soldier to assist me—I only ask that when the time comes, Qiu Chi remains neutral. Later, when I break through Qin City and capture the Western Capital, I will also return to you the ancestral lands that were seized by the Xianbei in earlier years, as my thanks to Your Majesty.”

“If you insist on submitting to the Xianbei, I have nothing more to say—then we fight.”

His gaze slowly swept over the group of Qiu Chi nobles and the tense warriors before him.

“Today this place may be a dragon’s pool and tiger’s den, but since I, Li Mu, dared to come, I fear no traps or schemes.”

When he spoke these words, his tone was calm, but the aura of a great general who could take enemy heads among thousands of troops instantly emanated from him, making none dare underestimate him.

The great hall instantly fell silent again, with no one speaking.

“Your Majesty! You must not be deceived by this Han! Western Jin’s military strength is formidable, while he has only two thousand men—how can he fight? If we anger Western Jin and they send troops against us, Qiu Chi will surely face the disaster of national destruction!”

Gan Qi suddenly rushed forward, kneeling before Hou Ding and shouting hoarsely.

“Father King! Governor Li is the unparalleled hero of our time and will surely achieve great things! The Xianbei only want to use us as a knife! Once they’ve used us and captured the Western Capital themselves, they’ll turn on us!”

Hou Li also stepped forward, shouting.

All eyes turned to Hou Ding on his seat.

Hou Ding’s gaze flickered as he sat motionless, unable to speak for a long time.

The great hall fell silent as death once more.

Just then, from outside the hall, a man dressed as a scholar in blue suddenly strode in, speaking loudly as he walked: “King Hou, I am Jiang Tao, Chief Clerk to Governor Li. Besides the two congratulatory gifts presented earlier, Governor Li has prepared another, please allow me to present it.”

The atmosphere, which had been frozen in extreme tension, was suddenly interrupted by this blue-robed man’s entrance and immediately relaxed.

Everyone turned to look at him.

Hou Ding also raised his eyes, asking with effort: “What other gift is there?”

Jiang Tao bowed to him and smiled: “This third congratulatory gift was prepared by Governor Li personally for Your Majesty. Please have all irrelevant people withdraw—it is fitting that Your Majesty alone receive it.”

Another round of low discussion arose in the great hall.

Everyone showed curious expressions, looking behind Jiang Tao, but saw nothing.

Li Mu initially also looked puzzled, glancing at Jiang Tao with incomprehension.

Suddenly he seemed to have an epiphany, his gaze fixed.

Hou Ding frowned slightly, considered for a moment, then ordered everyone to withdraw. People rose one after another. Though Gan Qi was extremely unwilling, he had no choice but to leave resentfully.

Hou Li quickly glanced at Jiang Tao, saw him nod slightly, knew the matter must be settled, and delighted, also quickly withdrew.

In the great hall, only Hou Ding and his guards remained.

He looked at Li Mu: “I wonder what Governor Li has prepared? There are no outsiders here now.”

Li Mu said nothing, his gaze slowly turning to Jiang Tao.

Jiang Tao showed an apologetic expression, somewhat afraid to meet his eyes, but asked Hou Ding to wait briefly, then quickly withdrew.

Hou Ding waited for a moment without seeing anything brought in. He frowned and was about to ask again when suddenly, from the side of the great hall, came the sound of a barbarian pipa being tuned.

That tone was like flowing water rolling over a fierce icy surface, suddenly drifting from this somewhat sultry summer night, making one’s spirit lift upon hearing it.

After the string sound, the lingering notes continued.

Hou Ding was stunned.

That somewhat familiar pipa sound continued.

After the tuning, the pipa began the melody. Held diagonally in embrace, six strings under the manipulation of two slender white hands, the tune gradually unfolded.

First came plucking and picking, separating and hooking, the melody cheerful and flowing, like bright spring light and mutual affection, making hearts yearn and spirits follow, pursuing old joys along with the pipa’s sound.

Then the tune shifted, fingertips rubbing and humming, strings weeping and lamenting, sobbing with sorrow. Endless old affections, inexhaustible sorrows of life and death separation. Each sound like mournful crying, grief unceasing.

Li Mu had initially frowned tightly.

Gradually, he too seemed infected by the pipa’s sound, his brow smoothing.

He looked toward Hou Ding.

He saw his gaze fixed, and as the mournful sounds reached his ears, he seemed to remember something, actually showing a trace of sorrow in his eyes.

Li Mu slowly closed his eyes.

Suddenly, the pipa melody by his ear shifted again.

The right hand double-plucking, double-picking, brushing and clasping, the left hand pressing, twisting strings, pushing and pulling. The string sounds were like swift wind, like sudden rain, like arrows leaving the bow, filling every corner of this vast and enormous hall from all directions, sometimes passionate and stirring, sometimes accusatory, making breathing nearly impossible.

Suddenly, accompanying the final intense fingertip sweeping, amid the pipa strings’ sound like clashing metal and stone about to shatter, everything came to an abrupt halt!

Li Mu’s eyes flew open.

Hou Ding across from him had reddened eyes, his expression rigid. After a long moment of stillness, he slowly turned his head, suddenly seeming to awaken. He rose from his seat, drew his blade, and chopped down at the table before him, grinding his teeth as he said: “The hatred of a stolen wife—how can it be forgotten! Gu Huilong and I are also irreconcilable enemies!”

“Governor Li, rest assured, I will definitely assist you in cutting that Xianbei slave into thousands of pieces to avenge my beloved wife!”