Peace Order

Chapter 1705 - 57: Prince Qin’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony!

Qu Hanxiu stood outside the Prince Qin Mansion, looking at Jiangnan today. In many places, crimson banners have been raised. These things were usually kept restrained, but today they are fully unfurled, with the crimson Qilin cloud-patterned banners unfolding under the sky.

Magnificent!

It’s truly worth the effort I’ve expended.

That young Yan Daiqing kept saying this wouldn’t work, that we didn’t have enough funds. Qu Hanxiu exhausted much of his energy on this matter, even sacrificing his reputation, relying on connections to gather some silver assistance.

Putting his whole life’s reputation on the line just to bring the capping ceremony to its current state, he stood high, admiring it for a while, then shook his sleeves and went out, encountering Nan Hanwen as he was having a meal.

Nan Hanwen turned to leave but was caught up by Qu Hanxiu who took three steps for every two.

Qu Hanxiu placed a single hand on Nan Hanwen’s shoulder and laughed aloud: "Isn’t this Hanwen? What a coincidence, we meet again today."

Nan Hanwen sighed inwardly, turned back with outward politeness and respect, saying: "What does Mr. Qu require of me?"

Qu Hanxiu replied concisely: "Hungry, no money, give me food."

Nan Hanwen: "..."

His mouth twitched.

Nan Hanwen reluctantly suppressed his temper and said: "Surely Mr. Qu wouldn’t come to a junior for a meal like this?"

Qu Hanxiu responded boldly: "What else, then?"

Nan Hanwen opened his mouth but had no choice, so he took this old man, in good spirits but with little spare money, to enjoy some Jiangnan dumplings dipped in savory vinegar, with Qu Hanxiu consuming several baskets.

Nan Hanwen asked: "Mr. Qu, have you prepared how to wrap up the capping ceremony?"

Qu Hanxiu burst the skin of the last dumpling, poured vinegar mixed with spicy oil inside, and swallowed the dumpling whole, relishing its flavor—

This old scholar, for some time now, had been learning various eating methods of Jiangnan’s local snacks from its people, mastering slang from Jiangnan’s eighteen different towns, making everyone feel as if he were a fellow local.

This old scholar from the Central State seemed more like a lively little Jiangnan elder now, as he rinsed meat with tea and said: "Naturally, there is a way to bring it to a close."

He had no idea where Prince Qin currently was.

Prince Qin had conquered Chen Country’s capital in just a few days, and during this era, news did not travel that fast, at least not for ordinary people, as news transmission speed couldn’t compare with the speed it reached the kings of various countries.

But Qu Hanxiu had his perspective, saying:

"However, Prince Qin never ordered the [capping ceremony] to be stopped."

"Therefore, there are only two possibilities. Either, during today’s capping ceremony, Prince Qin will descend from the sky, just like the day he was crowned a king, making the time he was absent from Jiangnan seemingly erased."

"Another possibility is there will be news so impactful it shakes the realm."

"This news must be overwhelmingly significant."

"So much that everyone would think, during Prince Qin’s capping ceremony, his absence here would feel as if he were somewhere else, yet this would be a delightful tale rather than something amiss; aside from these two scenarios, no other possibilities exist."

Nan Hanwen asked: "Then, there’s no chance Prince Qin will not arrive?"

Qu Hanxiu laughed confidently: "Absolutely not."

"Every move of the realm’s kings carries meaning and reason."

"Since he didn’t halt the capping ceremony, nor made any compensatory acts during it, then what falls before everyone’s eyes is Prince Qin’s own face. With Jiangnan’s current state, nurturing prosperity and still hoping to dispatch armies everywhere."

"Spending money only to tarnish one’s own face, Hanwen, does the Prince Qin you recognize appear to be such a fool?"

Nan Hanwen didn’t respond.

He thought perhaps Prince Qin truly didn’t mind the judgment of commoners, nor would he care about such appraisals, so ’face-saving’ seemed unnecessary.

Yet wasting money couldn’t be tolerated.

Qu Hanxiu said: "I know what you mean."

"Prince Qin’s heroic disdain means he certainly wouldn’t care about what others think of him."

"However, expending silver, time, and manpower only to blemish one’s reputation lacks reason. You might think this realm’s situation relies on swords and spears, military might and strength."

"But in the eyes of this stubborn, old scholar oblivious to changes, ceremony and reputation also constitute an immense force—you cannot see or touch it, but this power indeed exists, crashing over like surging waves."

"It’s what we call the great momentum."

"This momentum, originating from who knows where, already gathers into waves, bit by bit, forming a tendency that Prince Qin might unite the realm or establish an era of peaceful rule."

"At this moment, Prince Qin is riding these turbulent waves of this realm."

"During this time, if a heroic ruler desires the realm, he will invariably adapt and prosper further; never would he destroy his momentum, thus I confidently believe something will surely happen today!"

"Prince Qin is not in Jiangnan because he certainly has matters of greater importance to attend to; Yue Pengwu’s five armies didn’t set out merely to burn through logistics and silver, causing that blasted Yan Daiqing’s temperament to get more irritable day by day, did they?"

"A mere thousand-li territory of Chen Country couldn’t possibly cause the disappearance of Southwest Yan Daiqing, Yue Pengwu, and Yue Qianfeng, those famed generals, right?"