Chapter 155

Chapter 155: Did He Reward the Wrong Person?

From afar, Madam Liu noticed Shang Hang Yu and his group descending the mountain alone, empty-handed and seemingly carefree. She quickly gathered several Madams of third-rank officials and approached with mocking eyes.

Her gaze fell disdainfully upon the items Shang Hang Yu had casually thrown onto the table, guessing with contempt:

[Judging by their size, did he hunt squirrels? Or perhaps wild rabbits? Maybe even… pheasants? Ha! How utterly laughable!]

Madam Liu drew near, ready to speak. However, as her eyes swept across the table, her face suddenly turned ghostly pale.

She swallowed hard several times, but unlike Minister Ye and Censor Chen, she did not faint outright. Instead, she abruptly turned away, vomiting with an audible retch.

“Ah!” Liu Yan was too slow to avoid, her skirt splattered with filth.

Lord Liu, having already heard from his wife and daughter about Shang Hang Yu’s actions, approached swiftly upon witnessing his wife’s distress. Seeing the table, his heart jolted fiercely with disbelief—and a trace of dread.

Holding his wife, he eyed Shang Hang Yu with a hint of disgust, saying, “Second Young Master Shang, isn’t this too cruel of you?”

Following his gaze, others nearby began to notice the commotion, their eyes widening in shock at the several beast heads placed gruesomely upon the table, blood still dripping horribly.

Besides these terrifying trophies, there was only a single complete carcass—a Red Fox.

“Ah! Heaven forbid, such cruelty!” some Madams cried, swiftly averting their eyes.

“Indeed, one shows true virtue by comparison! It seems gentlemen as noble and compassionate as Heir Apparent Qi are rare indeed,” others murmured.

Qi Shu Xian himself frowned deeply, clearly disapproving of such bloody displays.

Shang Hang Yu’s fingers twitched lightly. He never cared about others’ judgment, but their constant comparisons to Qi Shu Xian, placing him as inferior, irritated him greatly.

“Gentlemen,” Shang Hang Yu spoke up, voice clear and firm, “You misunderstand my intentions. I hold no complicated thoughts. I merely wanted to bring my trophies down the mountain. Besides, did not the founding Emperor claim this kingdom through battle? If we shy away from even killing beasts, how can mere nobility and compassion protect the common people?”

“Well said!” A commanding voice rang out, instantly silencing the Training Field.

“To be a person is to never forget one’s roots. If killing mere beasts makes one ruthless, wouldn’t all generals, including myself, our founding Emperor, and my royal ancestors be deemed heartless?”

Liu Ru Gao shuddered violently.

All who previously echoed his sentiments lowered their heads in shame. Qi Shu Xian’s complexion flickered pale and green.

Emperor Chong Sheng stood accompanied by the Empress, followed closely by Imperial Concubine Qi, the Crown Prince, and the Third Prince.

In the distant Northern Di tents, the flap finally lifted, and Fourth Prince Lu Chuo emerged weakly, followed by soldiers limping or wounded, notably Generals Hu Shu Xie and Jin Ri Xu, who appeared severely injured.

“Your Majesty!” Everyone bowed respectfully.

Though pale-faced, Lu Chuo gave a half-bow, and his Northern Di warriors grudgingly knelt as well.

Emperor Chong Sheng surveyed this scene, mood buoyed considerably. His gaze lingered upon the beast heads, prompting a small laugh. “Rise, everyone.”

“Imperial Prince Lu Chuo, is Northern Di convinced of your defeat in this hunt?”

Lu Chuo had not answered before General Hu Shu Xie opened his mouth to protest.

“Hu Shu Xie!” Lu Chuo sharply silenced him with a glare, causing the general to lower his head angrily.

Facing Emperor Chong Sheng, Lu Chuo smiled bitterly, “A loss is a loss. Sheng Kingdom’s Your Majesty, our Northern Di has lost utterly and wholeheartedly accepts it.”

“Excellent!” Emperor Chong Sheng’s delight grew, turning to a certain figure with interest. “Shang Hang Yu, aside from the thousand taels of gold, is there another reward you might desire?”

Everyone froze in surprise.

Second Prince Sheng Yuan Qi raised his head in disbelief, looking first at his Imperial Father, then at Shang Hang Yu.

“Imperial Father, did you perhaps reward the wrong person? In this hunt, it was Heir Apparent Qi who killed the most Northern Di soldiers. It was Heir Apparent Qi who severely wounded their generals!”

His voice grew less confident as he continued, “And it was I who took their banner in the end. Regardless, the reward shouldn’t go to Shang Hang Yu!”

Sheng Yuan Qi’s words voiced the thoughts of nearly everyone present—even the Northern Di soldiers themselves.

Emperor Chong Sheng glanced disdainfully at Sheng Yuan Qi before turning to Lu Chuo. “What does Imperial Prince Lu Chuo think?”

“Sheng Kingdom’s Majesty is truly insightful,” Lu Chuo replied bitterly. “On the surface, Heir Apparent Qi led your kingdom’s soldiers against us. But from beginning to end, it was Young Master Shang who orchestrated everything.”

In a few words, Lu Chuo revealed Shang Hang Yu’s intricate plan.

Behind him, Northern Di generals were astonished, especially Hu Shu Xie and Jin Ri Xu. They stared incredulously at Shang Hang Yu, realizing they had unwittingly fallen step-by-step into his carefully laid traps—even though they had never glimpsed him in the dense forest!

“I, Hu Shu Xie, concede!”

“I, Jin Ri Xu, bow to your strategy!”

Qi Shu Xian, however, still struggled to comprehend Lu Chuo’s words.

[What did he mean Shang Hang Yu orchestrated everything?]

Yes, he’d realized the strangeness of the Northern Di soldiers appearing exactly as needed. But how could this be?

[Shang Hang Yu was just a reckless noble. How could he achieve such strategic depth?]

His expression grew even darker than before.

Madam Liu and Liu Yan in the crowd questioned if they had misheard.

Shang Hang Yu…?

A known wastrel, capable of such brilliance?

Shang Tian Hao narrowed his eyes sharply, staring intensely at his second son.

Shang Xiu Yuan muttered in confusion, eyes blank.

[How is it possible? Since childhood, Shang Hang Yu had always lagged behind me in everything—unable even to recite verses or draw a bow!]

[He’s just a complete wastrel. How could he devise such a cunning plan?]

Emperor Chong Sheng chuckled warmly. “Shang Hang Yu, everyone labels you a wastrel. Even your own father tells me you’re useless. So tell me, how did a wastrel devise such a clever, ruthless strategy?”

Shang Tian Hao instantly felt countless curious gazes upon him, head bowed in embarrassment.

Shang Hang Yu smiled gently. “Your Majesty greatly flatters me. Father was right—I truly am just a wastrel. As for my strategy, I wonder… did Your Majesty ever catch birds as a child?”

“Oh?” Emperor Chong Sheng raised his eyebrow curiously.

Shang Hang Yu continued, eyes twinkling, “There’s a method to catch birds easily: prop up a cage with a simple stick, scatter grain nearby, and wait. Hungry birds will follow the grain, step by step, straight beneath the cage…”