DLERB -Chapter 204 This Isn’t a Celebration Banquet—It’s a Gate of Hongmen!

Ying Zheng’s voice echoed across the square.

Every word fell like a stone into the hearts of the ministers.

Wang Jian’s weathered old face tightened.

Meng Tian’s hand resting on his sword hilt clenched until his knuckles stood out.

Li Si’s hand hidden in his sleeve had already formed a tight fist.

The three great families—the military and political pillars of Great Qin.

At this moment, their futures seemed to hinge entirely on a single sentence from that young man.

Every gaze in the hall was fixed on Ying Ziye.

Expectation. Probing. Reverence.

Ying Ziye didn’t look at anyone.

He didn’t even look at the three names that represented overwhelming power.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes—

He opened his mouth.

And let out a world-shaking yawn.

“Ahhh…”

Long, lazy, dragging with a hint of sleepy nasal tone.

That single yawn shattered the frozen, steel-like atmosphere of the entire square.

Wang Jian’s beard trembled.

Li Si lowered his body even further, almost as if trying to hide himself completely.

Ying Ziye rubbed his eyes and casually cupped his hands toward Ying Zheng on the steps.

“Father Emperor.”

“Your son has been riding in a carriage for months and on horseback for half a day—my bones are practically falling apart.”

“Could I… go back and take a quick nap first?”

The moment those words fell—

The entire place erupted in shock.

What kind of situation was this?

This was the palace gate of Xianyang, where the Emperor himself was personally arranging a marriage in front of the entire court and tens of thousands of citizens!

This was the greatest honor imaginable!

And your reaction is—

You want to sleep?!

The smile on Ying Zheng’s face cooled inch by inch.

He looked at his son.

Good.

Still that lawless, unruly brat.

Not a bit changed.

“Granted.”

Ying Zheng said.

Those two words made Li Si and the others’ hearts sink to the bottom.

It’s over.

The Ninth Prince has publicly rejected the marriage—he has completely angered the Emperor.

However, Ying Zheng’s next words made their hearts jump back up into their throats.

“After you choose.”

“Then sleep.”

He waved his hand behind him.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The imperial guards stationed on both sides stepped forward in unison.

Heavy armor clanged, cold spear points lined up, instantly sealing off every route out of the palace.

The meaning was clear.

Today—you will choose whether you like it or not.

Ying Ziye raised an eyebrow.

He looked at his father.

After ten years, still just as domineering.

Ying Zheng did not give him another chance to speak. He turned to face the ministers.

“Set out for Qilin Hall!”

“I shall hold a banquet to welcome my Qin’s qilin son!”

……

Qilin Hall.

Though called a celebration banquet, the atmosphere was strangely tense.

Ying Ziye was forcibly seated at the position closest to the Emperor.

On his left was the Wang clan’s seat—Wang Jian sat like a guardian deity.

On his right was the Meng clan—Meng Tian sat upright, posture rigid.

Directly opposite was the entire civil official faction led by Li Si.

This was not a meal.

It was clearly a three-party interrogation.

Ying Ziye had barely settled—

Bang!

A huge bronze wine jar was slammed onto his table, spilling wine onto the edge.

Wang Jian leaned in, his aged face smelling strongly of alcohol.

“Your Highness!”

The old general’s voice rang like a bell.

“For ten years of western conquest, you’ve raised the prestige of Great Qin! This old minister toasts you!”

He slapped the wine jar with one hand and pounded his chest with the other.

“My granddaughter, Wang Ben! Though her name sounds like a boy’s, her temperament is the same!”

“She’s loved swords and riding since childhood, skilled in both bow and horse! She’ll definitely have endless conversation with Your Highness!”

“She admires true heroes like you the most! If you two become a pair, your future children will surely be able to overturn the Xiongnu royal court!”

As Wang Jian spoke, he reached out to pour wine into the cup in front of Ying Ziye.

The cup was bigger than a bowl.

“General Wang!”

A hand blocked the wine jar.

It was Meng Tian.

He squeezed in, pushing Wang Jian slightly aside.

“Your Highness has traveled far and endured hardship. How could you drink such strong wine?”

His words were polite, but his hand carried no small force.

Meng Tian turned and took out a brocade box from his robes, opening it.

Inside was a warm, translucent white jade pendant, carved with a small phoenix.

Without further explanation, he placed it directly into Ying Ziye’s hand.

“Your Highness, this is worn since childhood by my Meng family’s daughter, Meng Yao.”

“This jade is spiritually resonant and calms the mind.”

“Take it as a keepsake… and also as a small token of my Meng family’s sincerity.”

The way he said it made it sound as if refusing would be disrespecting him.

Ying Ziye was left holding the cold jade.

Before he could speak—

The situation on the opposite side escalated.

Li Si panicked.

As a civil official, he couldn’t squeeze past those two veteran generals, so he simply stood up, waving desperately across the table.

“Your Highness! Your Highness! Look here!”

Li Si shouted at the top of his lungs.

“My daughter Yannran may not be skilled in martial arts, but she is well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, poetry and literature!”

“She is gentle, virtuous, and well-mannered!”

“Your Highness has been campaigning abroad—what you need most is a capable wife who can manage the rear and relieve your worries!”

“You and my daughter would be a perfect match—truly a union made in heaven!”

The Prime Minister looked utterly unrefined at this moment, like an old farmer aggressively selling cabbages in a market.

Ying Ziye looked left at the wine jar, right at Meng Tian, and across at the frantic Li Si.

He felt a throbbing pain in his head.

These are the great ministers of Qin?

The pillars of the empire?

Why do they all look insane?

He gently placed the jade pendant on the table.

Then stood up.

The hall instantly fell silent.

All eyes turned to him.

Ying Ziye bowed deeply toward Ying Zheng.

“Father Emperor.”

His voice was not loud, but it clearly echoed through the entire hall.

“The Xiongnu have not been annihilated—how can I settle down and start a family?”

These words were the famous saying of Huo Qubing, and at this moment, the most righteous and unassailable excuse.

Using national duty to decline personal matters—no one could refute it.

Fusu nodded slightly in approval from the side.

Well said. That is true ambition.

However—

On the dragon throne, Ying Zheng didn’t even move his brows.

He let out a cold laugh.

“The Xiongnu?”

Ying Zheng stood up, looking down at Ying Ziye.

“You still want to use that excuse to fool me?”

Ying Ziye was momentarily speechless.

He had miscalculated.

He was about to think of another excuse—

Ying Zheng clapped his hands.

“Bring it in!”

A few eunuchs struggled as they carried in a huge camphorwood chest.

Thud!

It was placed heavily in the center of the hall.

The lid was opened.

Inside were not gold or jewels.

But scroll after scroll, tied with yellow silk ribbons.

Ying Zheng walked down the steps and casually grabbed a large handful of scrolls.

He strode up to Ying Ziye.

Whoosh!

He threw them all onto Ying Ziye’s table.

The scrolls rolled open.

Portrait after portrait of noble ladies appeared before him.

Plump and slender, each with their own beauty.

“You think those three are not good enough?”

Ying Zheng pointed toward Wang Jian, Meng Tian, and Li Si.

“No problem.”

He patted the chest full of scrolls.

“I still have thirty more!”

“All are daughters of the court’s ministers—family background, appearance, talent—first-rate in every aspect!”

Ying Zheng leaned in toward Ying Ziye, enunciating each word:

“Tonight.”

“You will stay in Qilin Hall and choose them one by one for me!”

“If you do not pick one that satisfies you—”

He straightened up and swept his gaze across the hall.

“No one is leaving!”