“Then, according to Elder Fox’s opinion, how should I deal with the Flower Queen?” When Elder Fox paused again, Cang Yan finally spoke lazily, his tone carrying a hint of indifference. This made Elder Fox Qing Yuan even more unable to grasp his thoughts.
Qing Yuan smiled humbly. “The Flower Queen’s identity is special. I dare not speak recklessly.”
“Your Majesty.” A guard at the door bowed and entered the hall, saluting Cang Yan before reporting respectfully, “Your Majesty, Elder Lion and Elder Leopard request an audience outside the hall.”
“Summon them,” Cang Yan commanded.
The guard hurried out, and soon, Elder Lion and Elder Leopard strode quickly into the hall. After saluting Cang Yan, they stood side by side with Elder Fox.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Elder Fox Qing Yuan’s lips. These two had arrived at just the right time!
“Esteemed ministers, what brings you to the palace at this hour? Is there urgent business?” Cang Yan glanced casually at the three below the dais.
“Your Majesty, we heard that the Dragon King of the Water Tribe is coming to visit our Beast Tribe, so we came to the palace specifically for this matter,” Elder Lion Jieda stepped forward and spoke bluntly.
Cang Yan smiled faintly and turned his gaze to Elder Leopard.
Seeing Cang Yan look at him, Elder Leopard also hurriedly stepped forward and bowed. “Your Majesty, that is indeed the case.”
“Oh?” Cang Yan nodded calmly. “Elder Fox has just shared some of his views with me. Now that Elders Lion and Leopard are here as well, why not share your thoughts too?”
“Your Majesty.” As soon as Cang Yan spoke, Elder Lion immediately stepped forward, seemingly eager to voice his opinion.
Elder Leopard swiftly pulled him back, but Elder Lion didn’t understand the gesture and instead turned to glare at Elder Leopard in displeasure. “Why are you pulling me?”
Elder Leopard suddenly felt trapped in a dilemma and forced a dry laugh. “Elder Lion, your robe is wrinkled. We must maintain decorum before His Majesty!”
“Hmph!” Elder Lion was not appeased. He flicked his sleeve and declared loudly, “At a time like this, why bother with such trivial formalities?”
Elder Leopard’s expression turned complicated, and he sighed deeply before looking away.
“From Elder Lion’s tone, it seems something grave has befallen our Beast Tribe,” Cang Yan observed the interactions below with amusement, his demeanor composed and elegant.
“Exactly!” Elder Lion boomed, his voice rough. He clasped his fists toward Cang Yan. “Your Majesty, we cannot keep the Flower Queen! It would be better to hand her over to that woman Tong Yun and extract some benefits directly from the Flora Tribe!”
“Why can’t we keep her?” Cang Yan asked casually, reclining at ease.
“Your Majesty, I, Jieda, am a blunt man. If my words offend you, I beg your forgiveness!” Though impulsive, Elder Lion was not foolish and knew to secure immunity before speaking further.
“Speak freely, Elder Lion,” Cang Yan remained unflappable, while the three below struggled to decipher his thoughts.
Elder Lion clasped his fists again. “Your Majesty, the Flower Queen of the Flora Tribe is nothing but trouble! Whoever gets involved with her will suffer. The Flora Tribe’s ability to gather intelligence, controlled by successive Flower Queens, may seem like a prize, but too many eyes are fixed on it!
“Anyone who dares to seize it will face the united attacks of other races! Though our Beast Tribe is strong in combat, as the saying goes, ‘Two fists are no match for four hands!’ Why has the Phoenix King come? Why has the Dragon King come? It’s because they’ve learned that woman is in our Beast Tribe!
“If Your Majesty insists on keeping her as a consort, I fear other races will unite to attack us, just as our tribe allied with others a thousand years ago to strike the Flora and Demon Tribes, all to prevent the Flower Queen’s intelligence network from falling into our hands!”
Elder Lion finished, his burning gaze fixed on Cang Yan, as if willing him to make an immediate decision.
Cang Yan merely smiled faintly and turned to Elder Leopard. Of the three, only Elder Leopard Shou Yang had yet to speak.
Seeing Cang Yan’s gaze upon him, Elder Leopard knew the sovereign awaited his words. He stepped forward and saluted. “Your Majesty, my thoughts align with Elder Lion’s! The Flower Queen may seem like a prize, but she is nothing but trouble! We—cannot keep her!”
Cang Yan flicked his sleeve, his gaze turning cold and imperious as he surveyed the three below. “Have you all finished?”
Elder Fox, Elder Lion, and Elder Leopard bowed their heads simultaneously.
Cang Yan regarded them and let out a cold laugh. “I was unaware that the three elders, pillars of our Beast Tribe, had grown so timid! Our visitors have merely arrived and not yet spoken or acted, yet you’ve already lost your composure!”
“Your Majesty, ‘Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.’ The Flower Queen’s identity is too sensitive. We must take precautions!” Elder Leopard stepped forward, frowning in admonishment.
“Hmph!” Cang Yan’s gaze deepened as he looked down at the three. “‘Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future’? Do not forget another saying: ‘Times have changed.’ The circumstances of the previous Flower Queen, Lan Xuechen, are incomparable to those of Yun Qingxue today! And I am not Yun Ye!”
“Your Majesty, we implore you to reconsider. This is no time for recklessness or acting on impulse!” Elder Fox and Elder Leopard spoke in unison.
“Report—!” A guard hurried into the hall again. “Your Majesty, the elders of the Bear, Deer, Elephant, Ox, and Horse Tribes request an audience outside the hall!”
Cang Yan arched an eyebrow and remarked to the three below, “How remarkably united your hearts are today!”
Elder Fox, Elder Leopard, and Elder Lion bowed their heads once more.
Cang Yan turned to the guard. “Summon them.”
Footsteps echoed as the elders of the Bear, Deer, Elephant, Ox, and Horse Tribes entered the hall. After saluting Cang Yan in unison, they stepped back and aligned themselves behind the three leading elders.
“You’ve also come regarding my decision to shelter the Flower Queen, haven’t you?”
This time, Cang Yan cut straight to the point.
The newly arrived elders bowed immediately. “Your Majesty is wise!”
“And your views?” Cang Yan asked lazily, as if already knowing the answer but going through the motions. After all, even if he had plans, he needed these men to declare their stances first.
“Your Majesty, the Flower Queen is nothing but trouble and must not be kept! We unanimously believe returning her to the Flora Tribe is the best course. First, it rids us of this hot potato, and second, we can demand significant concessions from Tong Yun of the Flora Tribe!”
Among the newcomers, Elder Deer stepped forward first to voice his opinion. The others promptly echoed, “We share Elder Deer’s view!”
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