The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace-Chapter 223 Suspension of War

"Our Canglan Ye Clan extends heartfelt congratulations to the Yun Clan on becoming one of the Ten Great Clans!"

At the banquet, Ye Wansheng rose to his feet, clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, and offered his blessing.

Following his lead, the patriarchs of the Wangyue Lin Clan, Chuanyin Lu Clan, and other notable families also stood to express their congratulations.

It was no secret among the gathered clans that Baili Xi intended to elevate the Yuncang Yun Clan. By now, none of them had the resources or influence to openly challenge the royal family led by Baili Xi. Refusing his proposal was simply not an option.

If the old patriarchs of their clans were still alive, they might have been able to oppose Baili Xi's bold maneuvers. But as things stood, there was no one left to stop him.

"Thank you, everyone! And thank you, Your Majesty, for valuing the Yuncang Yun Clan so highly!"

At the head of the hall, Yun Yunyang rose and respectfully bowed to all present.

"On behalf of my entire clan, I pledge to work tirelessly to strengthen our family, to become a steadfast pillar for the royal family and the court, and to serve His Majesty with unwavering loyalty!"

His public declaration not only pleased Baili Xi but also clarified the Yun Clan's position. Yun Yunyang's words subtly urged the other clans to set aside their predatory ambitions and focus on mutual development, so they could work together to support the court and protect Yue Kingdom from external threats.

"Well said!"

Lu Yurong, the patriarch of the Lu Clan, was the first to applaud. Others quickly joined in, clapping in agreement.

Whether the other clans truly took Yun Yunyang's words to heart was another matter entirely. His priority was ensuring his own family's stability and growth, regardless of the undercurrents swirling around them.

"His Majesty speaks the truth. Our clans have fought each other for years, depleting our strength,"

spoke Wen Tianchong, the elder patriarch of the Qishan Wen Clan, his tone heavy with emotion.

"Today, as we gather to celebrate this joyous union, I feel compelled to share my thoughts. I sincerely hope we can put an end to these conflicts and focus on gradual, mutual development.

"In recent times, we've suffered great losses, and the threat of demonic forces within our borders has grown increasingly bold. Neighboring nations are also watching us closely. I've even heard reports that the Wu Kingdom recently sent troops to probe our borders.

"Our priority now should be to cease internal strife and unite against these external threats!"

On the surface, Wen Tianchong's words reflected his concern for the kingdom's welfare. But beneath his seemingly selfless rhetoric lay deeper motives.

Since the mysterious deaths of the patriarchs following the Grand Clan Assembly, the strength of the Three Houses and Seven Clans had been severely diminished. This was no time to continue infighting.

For the Qishan Wen Clan, the situation was particularly precarious following the downfall of the Tongshan Xia Clan. Wen Tianchong feared his own family might share a similar fate. By emphasizing the Wu Kingdom's provocations, he aimed to shift the court's and the other clans' focus outward, redirecting their attention from internal disputes to a common external enemy.

Though his speech carried underlying self-interest, his words struck a chord. The assembled clans listened in silence, their gazes darting to one another, gauging reactions and waiting to see how the royal family would respond.

The clans understood that the royal family's stance would dictate the next course of action. Would Baili Xi use this moment to consolidate power by undermining the clans further, or would he unite them in a common cause against the Wu Kingdom?

The room held its breath, awaiting the Emperor's answer.

"Patriarch Wen, your words are indeed reasonable," Baili Xi finally said, his tone calm yet authoritative.

"I, too, have learned of the Wu Kingdom's transgressions. Taking advantage of our internal unrest, they've repeatedly violated our borders, massacring thousands in a small frontier town. Their provocations are intolerable.

"Now is not the time for infighting. I propose that we unite the strength of all clans to protect Yue Kingdom's borders. What do you all think?"

He sipped his wine, his gaze sweeping over Ye Wansheng, Lin Chuqiu, Lu Yurong, and Wang Qinglin, the patriarchs of the gathered clans.

The clans had sought a definitive answer from the Emperor regarding his intentions. Would he continue to covertly undermine them, or would he truly aim to consolidate their strength in defense of the kingdom?

But just as much as they awaited his answer, Baili Xi sought theirs.

Internal conflict had eroded the kingdom's fortunes. If the clans could be persuaded to set aside their rivalries and heed the court's commands, Baili Xi would gladly pursue unity over division.

"If His Majesty has spoken, how could the Canglan Ye Clan refuse?"

Ye Wansheng was the first to speak, rising to make his stance clear.

"Our Canglan Ye Clan pledges to support the royal family and stand united against external threats!"

He had thought through his position carefully. At this time, it was unwise for his clan to continue opposing the royal family or engaging in conflicts with other clans. Pausing the infighting would only benefit the Ye Clan.

Moreover, the Wu Kingdom's ambitions were no secret. They had long harbored designs to conquer Yue Kingdom. If Yue were to fall, the Ye Clan would inevitably face disaster, becoming prey to Wu's expansion or the encroachment of other neighboring nations.

"I, too, pledge the Wangyue Lin Clan's support to the royal family in the defense against foreign invaders," said Lin Chuqiu, clasping his hands respectfully.

"The Chuanyin Lu Clan will heed the royal family's call and join in resisting external threats!"

Following Ye Wansheng's declaration, the other clan patriarchs also voiced their agreement.

Even Wang Qinglin, who had remained silent until now, eventually bowed his head in concession. After much consideration, he decided to align with the royal family's directive. With the other clans showing their temporary loyalty, the Yulin Wang Clan could not risk going against the tide. Should Baili Xi return to the palace and view their resistance as rebellion, the Wang Clan might become the first target of his wrath.

"The Yuncang Yun Clan is honored to support the court and stand united in defending our nation!"

Yun Yunyang also made his declaration, his voice firm and resolute.

"Hahaha! Excellent, excellent! With your support, we will surely repel the Wu Kingdom's invading forces and teach them a lesson they'll never forget. Let them know Yue Kingdom is not to be trifled with!"

Hearing the collective pledges from the clans, Baili Xi laughed heartily, his mood lightened considerably.

The Grand Clan Assembly had cost the royal family dearly, but it had paved the way for this moment. Despite knowing that each clan still harbored private ambitions, their current cooperation was already a significant improvement over the past, when they brazenly disregarded the court's authority.

"Come, come! Enough talk of national affairs. Today is a day of celebration for my son and the Prince Consort. Let us drink and feast without restraint—no one leaves until they're drunk!"

Having solidified the Yun Clan's position among the Ten Great Clans and temporarily unified the clans against external threats, Baili Xi was in an exceptionally good mood. He raised his cup in a toast and drained the mystical wine in a single gulp.

The atmosphere in the hall relaxed. Guests began to indulge themselves, eating and drinking heartily.

The younger generation of the Yun family, including Yun Yantian and Yun Yanshuang, took the opportunity to mingle with the younger members of the visiting clans. Laughter and chatter filled the air as they struck up conversations, some even forming the beginnings of friendships.

Yet deep down, everyone understood that this newfound harmony among the clans was but a fleeting illusion.

In a quiet corner of the hall, Wang Qinglin sat silently, sipping his wine. A young member of the Wang Clan approached him discreetly and whispered,

"Patriarch, I've quietly scouted the Yun Manor. There's no sign of any unknown cultivators hiding within."

The young man paused before continuing,

"All the Yun family members are gathered here, including their spirit root descendants. According to our investigation, there's no sign of the powerful archer cultivator we suspected."

Wang Qinglin nodded, his expression unreadable.

"I see. Now withdraw, and ensure no one from the Yun Clan notices your actions. We can't afford to let them suspect that we're probing them."

"Yes, Patriarch. I'll take my leave."

Unbeknownst to them, Yun Yanshui, who was seated at the neighboring table and engrossed in his meal, had overheard their entire conversation. He didn't react, simply continuing to eat and drink as though he hadn't noticed a thing.

The Wang Clan wanted to investigate his family? It wouldn't be that easy.

Grinning mischievously, Yun Yanshui grabbed a tender, glistening pork trotter and walked over to Wang Qinglin.

"Patriarch, would you like a pork trotter?" he asked, his voice cheerful, his face oily from his enthusiastic eating.

"No, thank you," Wang Qinglin replied with a polite smile. He recognized the boy as a member of the Yun Clan—an ordinary mortal without spiritual roots. Still, since the boy was Yun Yanshuang's elder brother, he chose to remain courteous.

"That's a pity. These trotters are soft, flavorful, and absolutely delicious," Yun Yanshui said, biting into the pork with gusto.

"Thank you for the offer, but as a cultivator in the Qi Refinement Realm, I no longer need to partake in mortal food," Wang Qinglin explained with a faint smile, finding the boy's demeanor surprisingly endearing.

"Oh, so you're a Qi Refinement cultivator! My little sister is a cultivator too, and she says people at your level are incredibly powerful! It's amazing!"

Yun Yanshui's eyes widened in feigned admiration before his expression turned wistful.

"Ah, if only I had spiritual roots. Then I could cultivate too. Watching my siblings grow stronger and protect our family makes me so envious…"

His shoulders slumped in mock disappointment. But in the next moment, he seemed to shake off the gloom and tore into the pork trotter with renewed vigor.

"Sometimes, being a cultivator isn't as great as it seems. Living as an ordinary mortal can be a blessing in its own right," Wang Qinglin said, stroking his beard with a gentle smile as he looked at the chatty young man before him.

"Wow, what you just said is so profound, Patriarch! I don't think I understand it at all!"

"Haha! Perhaps one day, you'll come to understand," Wang Qinglin chuckled.