Chapter 318 The Imperial Court

Song Minfu looked at the man who spoke up with an unconcerned gaze. Wu Long noticed that the man's true appearance was also with azure hair and silver eyes. Half of the Song Imperial Family members in this throne room had at least some features of this bloodline, but the further away from the throne they stood, the less of it was present, and most of them had black or brown hair and similar color eyes. With people who had no Spiritual Beast bloodline at all standing here and then, presumably the spouses of the family members.

It was apparent that the right to the throne and the standing among other Imperial Household members was at least in part tied to the purity of the Azure Eagle Race bloodline.

"Song Gengxin, you have a lot of nerve to speak to me and my guest like that"

The Crown Prince said as the man slightly faltered under his eyes.

"Your Highness may be the Crown Prince but your status does not negate what this man who is clearly connected to you has done"

However, Song Gengxin took a deep breath and raised his voice once again.

"Do you want to accuse me of something?"

"I am just stating the facts, one which you confirmed yourself, which is that he has some connection to you, and the other, is that he has attacked our Empire"

Song Gengxin smiled as if saying 'you dug your own grave'.

"Your Highness, if I may"

Wu Long raised his voice and Song Minfu sighed as he nodded.

"How do you know about what I have done?"

"I was informed by one of the captains of the Secret Imperial Guard Corps"

"And who do these captains report to?"

"..."

The man was about to speak up when he found himself unable to reply, since the captains of the Secret Imperial Guards Corps were answering only to the commander, who in turn answered to one person only, the current ruling monarch.

"D-does how I know matter when the deed you performed was so heinous and hostile to our Empire?"

Song Gengxin became slightly agitated once again as he tried to push through on the crime itself.

"Of course it matters, since the source of your information would have to be verified in order for your claim to be taken seriously, otherwise it is just your ravings"

"How can you verify I am lying then?"

"I can't, but I can claim with the same amount of credibility as you that you are an eunuch"

Wu Long chuckled as the man turned slightly red from anger.

"Lies!"

"Prove it, eunuch, or ask me for proof in which case you would have to substantiate your claim first"

Song Gengxin looked at Wu Long red from fury and strain as his mind rushed with possible answers.

It was now clear he could not continue his accusation without giving his source of information. It would have been one thing if it was just Wu Long since then he would not need to substantiate his claims, but the one he was essentially opposing was the Crown Prince, so he had to produce actual proof instead of his words or authority, which was exactly why Wu Long decided to engage in this farce.

The problem was that giving his source of information was essentially admitting to a crime. A very serious offence for an Imperial Family member.

"Y-Your Majesty, this man mocks the Imperial crown by speaking nonsense in your presence!"

He finally turned to the man on the throne who looked at everything emotionlessly, as if a simple observer who could not be bothered with what was happening in front of him while supporting his head with a fist as his elbow was on the armrest of the throne.

"First he claims one thing, when that fails he claims another, what a salty loser, salty loser eunuch"

After a period of silence in which there was no reaction from the Emperor, Wu Mengqi shook her head with a sigh as Song Lingfei involuntarily snickered.

Song Gengxin's face bulged with veins as rage filled him, his embarrassment intensifying when he heard a few snickers along the hall from other family members.

"S-Shut up slu-...! Guarg!"

He pointed his finger at Wu Mengqi, and in the next moment his neck was grabbed and he was slightly lifted off the floor. The finger he pointed with was snapped with another hand, causing him to painfully groan even through the choked throat. At the same time several spears were pointed to the man in front of him who emotionlessly looked at the captive in his hands.

""""Release His Highness!!""""

The four Secret Imperial Guards who just mere moments ago were next to the walls and now surrounded Wu Long and Song Gengxin exclaimed at the same time as the whole throne room instantly turned tense while the wind from the movements of Wu Long and the guards flapped the hems of people's clothes. The members of the Song Dynasty froze with shock on their faces.

The Emperor sitting on the floor showed emotion for the first time as he slowly sat up straight. His gaze on Wu Long became more intense, and in the next moment his eyes widened as he slightly shook.

'What a terrifying youngster, as expected of someone who managed to get even that woman to back off'

Song Zhihao, the current ruling Emperor, thought as he looked at him.

As he silently examined the situation a drop of sweat came down the side of the face of one of the guards. Song Zhihao knew that he had only moments in which he had to make a decision, since the moment that drop hit the floor the guards would make their move.

"Retreat"

"F-fathe-"

"It is 'Your Majesty', Prince Gengxin"

Song Zhihao finally raised his hand and the four guards retrieved their spears, and took a few steps back, still not breaking the encirclement but leaving a room between them and Wu Long.

Song Gengxin's wide open eyes darted to the side to look at his father as he could not move his head, and a choked voice escaped him. It was beginning to become troublesome to breathe and he gasped for air as his mouth opened and closed like a goldfish after.

"It is not nice to use such methods when you are a guest in someone's house, Mister Wu"

Song Zhihao slowly spoke with a clear but calm tone.

"Haha, being insulted is not a nice feeling wherever you are, especially if it is toward my woman, Your Majesty"

Wu Long chuckled as he turned to the Emperor, his tone still polite and as calm, despite the man struggling to breathe in his hand.

'Hah, this youngster wants me to apologize?'

Song Zhihao inwardly scoffed at the audacity to demand an apology from an emperor. It quickly became a choice whether to acknowledge the offence of Song Gengxin as a member of the Imperial Family in which case it would be the responsibility of the Emperor who did not keep his family in order, or make it a responsibility of an individual, thus stripping the protection from him. Eventually, Song Zhihao sighed as he waived his hand.

"Hmm, that is true. It was indeed your fault, Prince Gengxin, and you will have to take responsibility for it"

Song Gengxin's widened eyes that were already partially bloodshot darted to his father again as his face was paling and quickly turning a blue hue. He looked with those wide eyes down at Wu Long as he held on to the hand that clenched his throat and made slight nodding motions, ones he could afford.

Wu Long's hand unclenched and the man fell on to the floor, gasping for air.

"On your knees" historical

Wu Long's voice resounded in his ears, and he hesitated, and looked to the side at his father once more, finding emotionless eyes that did not seem concerned with his fate. He clenched his teeth and slowly crawled up onto his knees.

"Not to me"

But as he was doing it, Wu Long's words caused him to pause, look up, and then, begrudgingly turn to the side where Wu Mengqi stood.

"Head to the floor, and apologize"

As he heard the next sentence, Song Gengxin's eyes turned completely bloodshot as his veins bulged atop his skin that has not recovered from being choked and was still discolored. His jaws clenched so hard he was starting to crush his own teeth as he slowly looked to the sides where all Song Family members stood, and saw no sympathy or encouragement, only mocking gazes and gloating over his misfortune.

There was indignation on some faces that the member of the Imperial Family was forced to grovel for forgiveness, but that was not in support of him but the pride of the Song Dynasty members, and they did not voice their disapproval since the Emperor has already spoken.

"I... I am sorry"

He finally looked at his father again, and gulping, lowered his head to the floor, squeezing out the words of apology.

Wu Long, however, smiled as he looked right in the eyes of another man who stood not that far from Song Gengxin with a calm expression, the man in which direction Song Gengxin avoided to look to when he searched for support.