Did Wuzhi Qi admit his guilt? Did he admit being defeated? Was he frightened after being beaten up?
No one thought in this way.
Everyone who knew about Wuzhi Qi's personality deeply realized that, for the very first time, this monkey admitted his guilt and made an apology. But this was only because he was planning on something bigger, probably a thunderstorm. And when Wuzhi Qi let his sky-devouring rage burst out, the one who would be the first one to be affected would be this newly promoted young man, Earl Yao!
However, people who had paid attention all noticed that Ji Hao's Flame Dragon Sword had easily pierced into Wuzhi Qi's lower abdomen and the fact that Ji Hao cracked Wuzhi Qi's skull with the mountain and river stamper, even nearly putting him to death.
Flame Dragon Sword, mountain and river stamper, both of these two treasures were immensely powerful pieces that even ordinary Magus Kings had no way to attain. Ji Hao possessed both of them. With the power and resourced Ji Hao had, tense times between Ji Hao and Wuzhi Qi were totally predictable.
In less than seven to eight minutes after the celebrating banquet was suspended, Wuzhi Qi sulkily left the Town Hall after acknowledging his guilt. After that, the others began drinking and eating and having fun again, as much as they liked, to celebrate this great victory that was not so easy to achieve.
The banquet lasted for a whole night, then a whole day. Until late night of the second day, people finally had enough joy and left the Town Hall. Countless badly drunken people were held by their servants and guards, sitting on vehicles or mounting on mounts, or staggering back to their residences in Pu Ban city. Some people who were attacked by the strong effect of alcohol stood in open field, yelling and shouting. Such kinds of hysterical cries made by those crazy drinkers could be heard from a big half of the Pu Ban city.
Ji Hao didn't go back to the Fine Jade Snow Palace. Instead, he was dragged to Si Xi's house by Si Wen Ming.
Around that straw-roofed cottage, a chubby group of hens huddled in the yard while two roosters raised their heads from time to time, turning and looking at the surrounding areas. By the gate of the yard, a few domestic iron-teeth wolves were lying on the ground with their heads put on the doorsill, lazily snoring.
Upon a bonfire set in the main living room, a few fleshy lambs were grilling sizzlingly. Oils oozed out of the grilling lamps while the dense, attractive scent spreading out.
On the burning charcoal fire, a few opened giant vats contained delicious wine and already were burned hot. Just the flowing strong scent of wine could make people feel slightly drunk.
Ji Hao took off his shoes and socks and sat on the perfectly clean floor next to the fireplace. Two maidservants, who were wearing long black dresses and had their hairs coiled into buns and tied up with red silk ribbons, walked over silently. They cut off a few slices of lambs with a stone knife and placed those in a clay plate, serving it to Ji Hao.
The movements of the two maidservants were slow and beautiful. They scooped out amber-colored thick wine out of a vat, poured it into a bronze cup, then politely served to Ji Hao.
Si Wen Ming stood aside, pointed at Ji Hao's cup and said while smiling, "Try this dragon-bone wine made by my Abba himself. It had been stored in a secret cave that is densely filled with earth power for a hundred and eighty years. It's really not bad."
Ji Hao picked up the bronze cup which was decorated with embossed patterns of lightning bolts and clouds, slightly fiddled with it then give an appreciating glance at the glowing wine, which looked like a beautiful piece of amber. After this, Ji Hao drank it off.
The wine was strong. Ji Hao felt like a glowing red iron stick had just poked directly into his lower abdomen through his throat. A scorching hot stream of power surged through his body and spread straight out like a roaring flood. Ji even showed his teeth because of the great heat brought over by that wine, while a thick layer of sweat drops oozed out from his body. He stretched his arms and legs, which caused a series of bone creaking noise. A small cup of wine had actually improved his strength by quite a lot.
"Dragon bone wine?" Ji Hao curiously looked at Si Wen Ming and asked.
"Sh!" Si Wen Ming put a finger in front of his mouth and said in a low voice, "To the others, we only call it tiger bone wine. Haha, the main material of this wine is the marrow of the ancient Dragon King who has already fallen. But we can never let the dragon-kind know this."
Ji Hao tittered while handing the bronze cup to a maidservant. The maidservant smilingly poured another full cup of wine for Ji Hao.
The door of the main living room was pushed open. Si Xi walked in with two fleshy and white deep-pool fishes and a colorful serpent carried in his hands. He glanced at the people sitting in the room, then shook his head and asked, "That little fatso, that little fatso named Yu Mu, didn't he come? His snake soup is not bad. Ah, such a shame, I particularly went to catch this five-color viper!"
Ji Hao looked at that over ten-meter long poisonous serpent, which was still twisting and struggling, grinned and said, "Nice material! It does not have to be made into soup. It will also be delicious if grilled. Southern Wasteland jungle has plenty of poisonous snakes and serpents like this. I also know how to cook these things."
Si Xi smiled and shook his head, pointed his finger at Ji Hao and said, "Some things need to be discussed with you. Let somebody else do the work." Si Xi then turned to the two maidservants and said, "Just take this to the kitchen."
The two maidservants stood up, politely took over the fishes and serpent from Si Xi's hands, then silently walked back to the kitchen.
Si Xi sat down near the fireplace, relaxedly spread his long pair of legs and stretched his body. He gave a big yawn and said, "Eh, the war is finally over, but so many troubles are left to be dealt with… Ah, so troublesome!"
Footsteps came from the yard. Soon after, Huaxu Lie and Lie Mountain Kan walked in and sat down near the fireplace without saying anything. More noises came from the yard. Tens of guards brought by the two of them scattered around the yard, keep the entire yard in guard. Strong magic power vibrations spread out in the air. Meanwhile, Ji Hao sensed that a few Divine-Magus-level magic treasures were activated, releasing an invisible magic screen that shrouded the yard completely.
Huaxu Lie and Lie Mountain Kang each poured themselves two cups of wine and drank up. No one said anything. In about ten minutes, the door was pushed open again. Emperor Shun, Hao Tao, and the other few men walked in with big steps.
Ji Hao subconsciously leaped up with a bounce, politely saluted to Emperor Shun as his heart drummed heavily. Si Wen Ming dragged him to Si Xi's house after the banquet was over, so he knew that some confidential affairs would be discussed in here. But never did he think that Emperor Shun would show up in person.
Emperor Shun pressed his hand on Ji Hao's shoulder and said with a warm smile, "Don't bother, Earl Yao."
The group of people simply greeted each other, then sat around the fireplace in a circle. Each of them had a clay plate and a bronze cup in their hands. They cut the meat and scooped the wine by themselves, fully and delightfully starting another round of banquet.
After a while of eating and drinking, Emperor Shun dropped the cup. Everyone dropped their cups and plates and looked at Emperor Shun simultaneously.
Remaining silent for a while, Emperor Shun said in a bland tone, which also contained a slight trace of bitterness, "You are all senior ministers of our humankind, and have always been full of ideas. Earl Yao is a new one, but young people always have new thoughts and ideas. Today, we are going to put our heads together. Just state your points of views regarding how we should deal with remaining troubles of the Chi Ban Mountain war."
Ji Hao looked at Emperor Shun confusingly. Lie Mountain Kang put his mouth near Ji Hao's ear and explained the whole thing.
After hearing Lie Mountain Kang's explanation, Ji Hao finally realized that though the Chi Ban Mountain war had ended, the sky-offering ceremony finished and all contributors rewarded, a huge problem had remained. The expected peaceful life after the war was still not quite there.
Back then, Ying Yunpeng led all archers from Ten Sun Country and the Eastern Wasteland, turning their weapons around and launched attacks on their own kind. Not long after that, troops from another tens of clans turned their weapons as well. By now, Ying Yunpeng and the leaders of all the other rebelled troops were secretly kept in the prison of Pu Ban city, while those rebel warriors were kept in Chi Ban Mountain.
How should those governors deal with all these people?
Regarding this, even Emperor Shun wasn't quite sure about what to do.