Chapter one finished. Thanks to Minak Amie for editing. This post is quite long...Enjoy!


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    <span>Xi Lei’s DukeMing already upied a high position in people’s hearts. In addition to hiselegant, unrestrained appearance, and the mildly indifferent expression on hisface, the impressions of him slightly improved.


    <span>“When God createdall things below the heavens, he definitely did not wish for their lives to bedefined by status. Rather, his wish was for them to live free and at ease. Theywere to enjoy the gift of heaven and make use of their natural talents tocheerfully live their lives.”


    <span>Everyone wasstunned.


    <span>To think that XiLei’s Duke Ming, the Xiao Family’s young Lord, who had been tolerant for solong while confronting Xi Lei’s ambassador and his assistant’s forcefulinterrogation, would suddenly begin a passionate counter. However, should henot have at least begun his rebuttal with a strong and clear argument?


    <span>Who could haveknown that the first sentence Feng Ming would say would be filled with emotionand a poetic sentiment. In addition, on his face was a genuine mncholicexpression that made his audience praise and gasp in admiration for him.


    <span>After being takenin by surprise, the audience, whom originally harboured the intentions ofmerely watching a good y, could not help but go with the flow. They lookedon with smiles towards Feng Ming’s vision for such a future, immersingthemselves in his brainwashing.


    <span>“Between a monkeyand a fish, which is superior and which is not? Monkeys are adept at pickingwild fruit by climbing trees. In the mountains, they live wild and free. Andfish in water are unrestrained as they travel along rivers andkes.”


    <span>As for farmersand soldiers, who is more valuable?


    <span>Farmers work inthe fields to cultivate crops so that this world’s royals, nobles, anmoners have food to eat. Soldiers protect the kingdom, which is why all thetalented people within the kingdom can livefortably.


    <span>Nobles anmoners, are they really that different from each other?”


    <span>Feng Ming’s eyesslowly swept across the faces of the audience within the hall.


    <span>His clear, ckeyes did not have a shred of indignation or dissatisfaction. There was only animage of a na?ve and pure child merely seeking a simple and just answer. Thisimage gradually captured and moved countless hearts.


    <span>“Within thenobles, there are indeed many talented individuals. There are brave generalswho guard their kingdom’s territory and protect themoners from being harmedby their enemies. There are also many talented people who take charge of akingdom’s affairs and keep it running smoothly and unhindered. Judiciaries arestrict and impartial, helping the ordinary citizens resolve their grievancesand disputes.”


    <span>His idle chatterpraised the nobles, but he suddenly turned and spoke loudly and clearly onanother aspect. “But… what if a kingdom had no nobles ormoners, what wouldit be like then?”


    <span>The hall hadbe even quieter.


    <span>So quiet thateven the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.


    <span>Even idiots know,a kingdom withoutmoners is impossible.


    <span>“Without farmers togrow food, nobles will starve. Without soldiers, can just one brave generalwithstand an enemy’s line of assault alone? Without artisans, the cups, bowls,and dishes at this banquet… where would theye from? Without fishermen, wecannot eat delicious fish and prawn. Without weavers, we would not be able towear such beautiful andfortable clothes, right?”


    <span>Towards FengMing’s chain of questions, the answer was only silence.


    <span>Most of theinfluential officials at the banquet had an ufortable look on their faces,however many of their maids and attendants, including those kneeling outsidethe hall such as the dancers and musicians waiting to be summoned forentertainment… all their faces revealed a quick expression of approval.


    <span>Many of them hae from ordinary and small family backgrounds.


    <span>Although theywere chosen to serve nobility, obtaining more rewards than ordinarymoners,while their food and clothing were indeed better, the bullying and oppression…how could they forget it?


    <span>Su Jin Chao hadbeen looking forward to his time to shine, but was now standing stiff in thecenter of the hall while thinking of a way to refute. With a “humph” todisguise his nervousness, he rebutted, “What you mentioned just now are allthings expected of themoners. Working on the field, serving the army, andso on, are the things they were naturally born to do. How could this pointerase the difference between them and nobles?”


    <span>Feng Ming’s cleareyes that people did not dare to look at directly, were currently measuring SuJin Chao up.


    <span>Being stared atfrom head to toe, Su Jin Chao felt extremely ufortable. His disdainfullyasked, “What are you looking at?”


    <span>This was theexact sentence he was waiting for him to say!


    <span>Feng Mingsecretly praised him. <i>Brother Su, youreally are good at lending me a hand. I was worried you wouldn’t ask thisquestion. If you didn’t ask, then this game would not be interesting enough.History has proved that a two-man show is more entertaining than a one-manshow…</i>


    <span>Even thoughfacing such a big crowd made his legs feel a bit weak as he worried that hewould slip up and expose his false bravery, he wanted to do as much as he couldto help Rong Tian win back his country. Therefore, no matter what he did, hisgoal was to achieve the best result so they could obtain aplete victory.


    <span>Hey…Hey… perhapsif his performance is good and Rong Tian is pleased by his meritorious service,he could ask for a tiny demand as his reward… maybe tonight, he could be theone on top?


    <span>Thinking tillhere, his good mood suddenly increased.


    <span>“I am looking atyou.” Feng Ming revealed a charming and friendly smile. Looking earnest, hecircled around Su Jin Chao and with a cold expression, looked at him with hisclear eyes and sighed inmentation before speaking. “You are wearing clothesweaved by amoner. On you is a beautiful piece of jade that was excavatedpainstakingly deep in the mountains by amoner. You eat food cultivated by moner and live in a house of brick and woodboriously built by amoner.Assistant Su, all that you eat, wear, and use, without exception,e from thmon people. Without them, you would not have a house to live in, a vehicleto be transported by, food to eat, and clothes to wear…”


    <span>He sighed with greatemotion as he listed all the benefits Su Jin Chao would lose without the helpof themoners and finally mentioned another problem. “Themoners, withgreat trouble, have provided so many things for Assistant Su. Their existenceallows Assistant Su to spend the daysfortably up till now. May I ask…ultimately, where should their significance be put?”


    <span>The questionfollowed closely after arge list of themoners’ merits, with a singleremark, he pierced straight to the truth in a straightforward and unreservedmanner.


    <span>Zi Yan’sheartbeat quickened hearing Feng Ming’s remark. He raised his head to see SuJin Chao’s dumbfounded face. The silly expression on his face from the questionwas quite amusing. Zi Yan’s lips unconsciously curved upward. The solemnexpression that was always on his face now had a tiny but of a sunshine-likeradiance.


    <span>That man’s smile!


    <span>The smile He Dihad repeatedly imagined in his mind had finally appeared right in front of hiseyes. A sharp, wolf-like expression could be seen on his face that hetemporarily forgot to conceal as his eyes unreservedlylooked at the kneeling slender figure.


    <span>Zi Yanimmediately noticed him looking, he raised his eyebrow in warning as he gave aHe Di a discontented nce. Afterwards, he no longer paid attention to him andturned his eyes back towards Duke Ming.


    <span>The smile on hislips, as if it were just a momentary dream, instantly disappeared.


    <span>As if it neverwas there.


    <span>He Di’s exquisiteeyes narrowed.


    <i><span>This man… truly is… captivatingly obstinate…</i>