In the hall, the towering figure hesitated before slowly pulling back the hood under Ji Xia's indication.
A red-haired Canine Tribe warrior came into view. The room instantly erupted into chaos.
The crowd surged and murmurs filled the air as everyone reacted with shock and alarm.
Lu Yu, similarly stunned, rushed to Ji Xia's side, positioning himself protectively in front of the monarch.
"Guards—!" he began, but paused mid-shout. Glancing back at Ji Xia's calm demeanor, he hesitated, then asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, what's going on here?"
Ji Xia cleared his throat lightly.
Understanding the cue, Lu Yu quickly adjusted his tone, barking at the crowd instead:
"Compose yourselves! Stand properly! What are you panicking for?
"How can Taicang entrust heavy responsibilities to you when you can't even stay calm?"
Ji Xia couldn't help but smirk at Lu Yu, finding his reaction amusing. After all, it had been Lu Yu himself who had reacted most dramatically just moments ago.
Still, Ji Xia was touched.
Faced with what could have been an enemy, Lu Yu's first instinct had been to protect him.
This act of loyalty moved Ji Xia deeply. Even though he was more than capable of defending himself—having recently decapitated a powerful adversary, the ruler of Zhou Qing—Lu Yu had prioritized Ji Xia's safety over his own.
It was clear to Ji Xia that Lu Yu, like others in his court, placed the survival of their monarch above their own lives.
The crowd finally settled, though their rearranged positions showed most were keeping their distance from the Canine Tribe figure. Hatred and animosity burned clearly in their eyes.
At that moment, Lu Yu recognized who the red-haired Canine was.
It was none other than Dusang, a formidable general of the Canine Tribe and one of Taicang's most fearsome enemies.
Lu Yu initially wanted to berate Dusang, but a glance at Ji Xia's composed expression reminded him of the monarch's earlier words. Taking a deep breath, he bit back his anger and remained silent.
Ji Xia gazed down at Dusang and asked, "Did you bring it?"
Dusang nodded, retrieving a black bag from his waist, within which there were likely two more black pouches.
With a slight motion of his fingers, Ji Xia sent out a golden thread of spiritual energy, which floated toward Dusang and retrieved the bag.
The energy unraveled the pouch, and Ji Xia's consciousness dove inside, revealing an abundance of fresh meat, neatly stored and tightly packed.
Ji Xia's lips curled into a faint smile.
"You're a few days late with the delivery," Ji Xia remarked, still smiling as he examined the bag.
In the presence of everyone, Dusang once again bowed low, replying:
"After returning to Taicang, I spent time suppressing dissent among those who opposed this arrangement. That caused the delay."
Ji Xia's finger twitched lightly. A searing heat emanated from the three-legged golden crow within Dusang's spiritual core.
Pain coursed through the Canine general, sweat pouring down his face as his body trembled under the intense suffering.
"Regardless, a delay is a delay," Ji Xia said softly. "If it happens again, I'll destroy your spiritual core. Even without you, I have other ways of transporting meat to Taicang. The question is, without your core, will you still survive?"
Dusang remained silent, kowtowing repeatedly in response.
With a cold snort, Ji Xia flicked his wrist, alleviating Dusang's torment. The Canine warrior collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air.
Witnessing the scene, everyone in the hall understood: the Canine had submitted to Ji Xia, and this was the monarch's way of administering punishment.
"Delivering meat?" someone muttered under their breath, puzzled.
It made sense. The Canine Tribe was renowned for livestock breeding, so sending meat to Taicang was not unthinkable.
Still, how much meat could possibly fit in that small pouch?
They watched Dusang's red-haired figure leave, curiosity and confusion lingering in their minds.
Ji Xia handed the black bag to Jing Ye and said,
"Find a group of able-bodied individuals, and select a clean, cold open-air building. Have them unload all the meat inside."
"Also," Ji Xia added, "get some cooks to clean off the blood. Once that's done, have Suyao prepare a feast. I'm hosting a banquet for my ministers tonight."
Jing Ye, already familiar with the use of these pouches, promptly took the bag and left the hall.
"Your Majesty," Lu Yu hesitated before speaking, "our former ruler was betrayed by Dusang and the Canine Tribe. Moreover, the Canine Tribe has committed heinous atrocities against Taicang, enslaving and killing countless of our people. Should we really—"
"Right now, Taicang needs the meat they provide," Ji Xia interrupted calmly. "But once we are self-sufficient and no longer dependent on them, neither the Canine Tribe nor Dusang will have any use to us."
Ji Xia's smile turned icy. "Until then, their servitude is a fitting form of repayment—call it the interest on their debt."
Lu Yu contemplated Ji Xia's words. After some thought, he found himself in agreement.
The once-proud Canine general, now reduced to groveling and pleading before Ji Xia, served as poetic justice.
Though Lu Yu couldn't fathom how much meat the pouch held, Ji Xia's seriousness suggested it was substantial.
Furthermore, Ji Xia always possessed miraculous items, so it was entirely plausible.
If the Canine Tribe provided enough meat to sustain Taicang, their population would dwindle sharply over time.
Upon reflection, this arrangement seemed even more satisfying than outright exterminating the savage Canine Tribe.
Ji Xia and Lu Yu spoke openly, not bothering to shield their conversation from the Taicang citizens in the hall.
Among the forty or so present, many were soldiers, scholars, or officials—most of whom recognized the name "Dusang."
They recalled the tales of Dusang's distinctive red fur, and now, they connected those accounts to the figure they had just witnessed.
To think that this infamous Canine general—renowned for his cruelty and strength—had been reduced to kneeling and begging for mercy!
Killing an enemy was easy. Forcing a proud adversary to travel far just to kneel before you, however, was a far greater triumph.
And this triumph belonged to their monarch—Ji Xia, the ruler of Taicang!