Chapter 215: Grant the title of Azure Dragon Duke_1
"Wait a moment, Rogerson, why do you address me as ’Your Majesty’?" Chu Qin asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Your Majesty is too modest!" Rogerson replied. "You fought the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan alone, and this matter has already reached the Emperor’s ears. There is, I believe, no other person on Soul Land who has reached the level of Titled Douluo at the age of twenty like Your Majesty."
"Enough, stop with the flattery, lead the way!" Chu Qin said with a slight smile.
"Yes!"
Subsequently, Chu Qin got on the royal carriage and, escorted by the Sky Battler Knight Group, proceeded grandly into the Tiandou Imperial Palace.
"Lord Chu Qin has arrived!" The moment Chu Qin stepped down from the carriage, Rogerson called out loudly.
Instantly, the guards on both sides of the palace knelt down, forming a trail all the way to the great hall!
Chu Qin was a man of the world and naturally wasn’t moved by such displays. At the same time, he roughly guessed that Emperor Xue Ye was trying to win him over!
Chu Qin walked calmly along the way. Before he could enter the great hall, he saw Emperor Xue Ye, dressed in his finest, already coming over impatiently with his ministers.
Besides him stood Princess Xue Ke and Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
As if it had been prearranged, all the generals bowed to Chu Qin, saying, "We welcome Lord Chu Qin!"
"Young Master Chu, are you satisfied with this line-up?" At that moment, Emperor Xue Ye asked Chu Qin with a smile.
"Emperor, what do you mean by this?" Chu Qin asked with a composed expression. First, there was this grand display, and then Emperor Xue Ye personally came out to greet him. It might have confused others, but Chu Qin was unfazed!
"Alas, it is the narrow perspective of this Emperor!" Emperor Xue Ye said with a smile towards Chu Qin. "Who could have thought that such a powerful prodigy, Young Master Chu, stood before me!"
"Young Master Chu!" Crown Prince Xue Qinghe continued to explain, "The matter of you single-handedly saving the Empress of Star Luo, fighting against the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and killing the traitor Yu Yuanzhen, has already been made known to the Emperor! Therefore, the Emperor has specially arranged such a reception to personally welcome you. Firstly, the Emperor and ministers would like to thank Young Master Chu for saving countless citizens of Star Luo from the woes of war! Secondly, the Emperor earnestly invites you to join the Sky Dou Empire!"
One could imagine that if Zhu Yundi had not been saved by Chu Qin, and if she had perished in the Sky Dou Empire, then the Xingluo Empire would surely have declared war against the Sky Dou Empire!
Once war broke out, with scarce soldiers and weak military might, the Sky Dou Empire would have faced utter devastation and could have even been utterly destroyed!
Chu Qin had already considered this aspect. But what he did not expect was that Emperor Xue Ye would also act in such a way to honor and recruit the talented.
However, Chu Qin was not the kind of person to be restrained by others. If the Martial Soul Hall couldn’t do it, the Tiandou Empire had even less of a chance!
In fact, what Chu Qin didn’t know was that, aside from knowing that Chu Qin was a Titled Douluo, Emperor Xue Ye had also been informed about the powerful entourage and Chu Qin’s women!
Moreover, Emperor Xue Ye received information that among the people who came that day was the Pope of the Spirit Hall, Bi Bidong, which was what concerned Emperor Xue Ye the most!
Whether true or false, in Emperor Xue Ye’s mind, the threat posed by Chu Qin had already surpassed that of the Spirit Hall.
The Spirit Hall was something he could not contend with, let alone Chu Qin!
Therefore, apart from personally trying to win him over, he had no other choice!
Just as Chu Qin was about to speak and decline, Xue Qinghe continued, "Young Master Chu, don’t be so quick to object! His Majesty knows that you have a natural dislike for restraint, so he won’t have you hold an office in the Tiandou Empire! His Majesty has decided to appoint you the Azure Dragon Duke of the Tiandou Empire, to be ranked alongside the prince, unconstrained!"
As he spoke, Xue Qinghe ordered someone to bring forth a golden dish, on which a dazzling golden kingly peerage token was placed. He then respectfully said, "His Majesty’s profound affection and the hope of the citizens of the Sky Dou Empire rest upon you. Please, Young Master Chu, do not refuse!"
Hearing this, Chu Qin gave Xue Qinghe a meaningful look. Why did he feel that it wasn’t Emperor Xue Ye who said these words, but rather it sounded like something Qian Renxue had told Emperor Xue Ye?
Yet, Chu Qin was somewhat puzzled. If Qian Renxue intended to commit regicide and usurp the throne, why would she facilitate a connection between himself and Xue Ye?
What was Qian Renxue up to?
Upon hearing this, Chu Qin pondered for a moment, "Well then, I shall accept this Azure Dragon Duke title!"
"However, Your Majesty," Chu Qin continued, looking towards Xue Ye, "I will not be constrained by the Tiandou Empire, nor will I participate in any of your... "
At his words, a peculiar expression flickered across Xue Ye’s eyes, but quickly he smiled and said, "Mmm, that is the prerogative of a Duke!"
"Of course, should the Tiandou Empire face danger, I too will stand up!" Chu Qin added. Undoubtedly, his words were symbolic!
If some minor nation offended the Tiandou Empire, Chu Qin would indeed take action, but if it were Yundi Bi Bidong, then his words might as well be dismissed as idle talk!
Of course, with Chu Qin present, such events were unlikely to occur!
Yet, though the speaker may not have intended it to be significant, the listener took it to heart. On hearing these words, Emperor Xue Ye instantly perked up, "Good, with the Duke’s word, I am greatly reassured!"
"Duke, please! I have prepared a banquet in the great hall!" Emperor Xue Ye earnestly said to Chu Qin.
Thereupon, Chu Qin was led by Xue Ye and Xue Qinghe to the great hall, where everyone took their seats according to rank, with Chu Qin seated closest to Emperor Xue Ye.
"Today, we celebrate Duke Chu Qin’s official inclusion in our Tiandou Empire, joining the ranks of the Tiandou Dukes! In this hall, let us, sovereign and ministers, drink together until we are contentedly intoxicated!" Emperor Xue Ye was the first to raise his glass and then he glanced at Chu Qin, "Duke, please!"
"Please!" Chu Qin politely lifted his glass in response.
In the midst of music and dance performances, Chu Qin and the citizens of the Tiandou Empire began to drink merrily.
"Teacher, a toast to you!" Just then, Princess Xue Ke carried a glass of wine over to Chu Qin.
On seeing this, Chu Qin immediately stood up, clinked glasses with Xue Ke, and then sat down again.
Noticing this, Princess Xue Ke’s eyebrows knit slightly. She felt that Chu Qin was somewhat indifferent towards her, but mindful of the surrounding court, she concealed her disappointment and left.
This scene caused both Emperor Xue Ye and Xue Qinghe to frown slightly.
"Qinghe, didn’t you say that Chu Qin also holds affection for Ke’er? It doesn’t seem to be the case, does it?" Emperor Xue Ye whispered.
Xue Qinghe responded with a light smile, "Your Majesty, that’s just the way Young Master Chu is! Besides, with the courtiers present, surely we can’t expect Young Master Chu to display any intimate behavior with my sister at this time? Trust me, Your Majesty, once you acknowledge the relationship between Chu Qin and my sister, he will surely act differently!"
