The banquet was about to begin when Ying Zheng appeared.
Everyone stood up and bowed to Ying Zheng.
Upon seeing Lin Tian arrive, Ying Zheng sat down in the seat arranged for him and nodded.
Then, he said to everyone,
“My esteemed ministers, rise!”
“Bring forth the feast!!”
At Ying Zheng’s command, large cauldrons were immediately brought in. These were not for display but for cooking and stewing meat.
The surging heat within them told everyone that the meat in the cauldrons was ready.
During the Qin Dynasty, stir-frying was not common; most dishes were stewed or braised.
Therefore, cauldrons were considered excellent vessels for many nobles.
However, Ying Zheng’s next words surprised everyone.
“This first piece of meat, I shall present to our Great Qin’s General Lin Tian!”
“General Lin Tian was not only the first to charge into Xin Zheng City, but he also captured the King of Han alive and forced the Han army to surrender!”
“Subsequently, he captured the vicious dragon and retrieved the Yu Zhou Ding, which symbolizes the realm. His contributions are immense and deserve a great reward!”
“I invite General Lin Tian to partake in the choicest cut of meat!”
Upon hearing this, the expressions of those present changed dramatically.
Whether it was eating first or being granted the choice cut, both carried significant meaning.
To those who didn't understand, it appeared Ying Zheng doted on Lin Tian, allowing him to eat first.
But to Mi Qi and others, this was tantamount to explicitly revealing Lin Tian's identity.
To be first, to claim the head of the offering.
Besides the future King of Great Qin, who else could bear such an honor?
At this moment, even Lin Tian sensed something was amiss.
“Your Majesty, the conquest of Han was primarily due to General Teng’s excellent command. Retrieving the Yu Zhou Ding was also personally guaranteed by General Teng. Therefore, this first piece of meat should rightfully be consumed by General Teng. I would feel uneasy accepting it!”
“Eat with peace of mind, General Teng will also receive his share!”
“Attendants, serve General Teng more!”
Ying Zheng's words left Lin Tian speechless.
However, he didn't ponder too deeply. Since he couldn't refuse, he had no choice but to accept.
Thus, under everyone’s gaze, he directly consumed the meat bestowed by Ying Zheng.
It had to be said, it was far more delicious than the food in the military camp. Lin Tian couldn’t help but eat a little more.
While Lin Tian was feasting, many eyes subtly fell upon him.
After Lin Tian had eaten his fill and Ying Zheng also stopped, Mi Qi spoke.
“I have long heard that General Lin’s swordsmanship is unparalleled, that he is the Sword God of Great Qin. I wonder if today we might have the honor of witnessing General Lin’s sword dance?”
Upon hearing this, many ministers echoed his sentiments.
They wished to curry favor with Mi Qi, and at the same time, they wanted to leave a good impression on Lin Tian.
“It is said that General Lin Tian can take enemy generals’ heads amidst tens of thousands of soldiers, and single-handedly slay thousands of enemies. If we can witness the power of General Lin Tian’s sword dance today, it would surely be a great joy in life!”
“Indeed! The title Sword God is truly worthy of admiration. I wonder if we will have the fortune to witness the Sword God’s sword dance today!”
“We implore General Lin not to withhold his talent!”
Even Ying Zheng became interested upon hearing these words.
He too wanted to know how strong Lin Tian's combat power truly was.
He had been very curious about Lin Tian's combat prowess before.
Now that he had roughly confirmed Lin Tian's identity, Ying Zheng's curiosity about his son’s combat strength grew even greater.
Therefore, he also spoke,
“General Lin Tian, perhaps you could demonstrate?”
“Yes!”
Since Ying Zheng had commanded it, Lin Tian naturally did not hold back.
As the guards brought his treasured sword, Lin Tian drew it directly.
What met everyone’s eyes was a long, pitch-black sword. It looked unremarkable, even somewhat ugly, and was covered in grime.
Apart from the sharp edge at the tip, there was nothing outstanding about it.
As this sword appeared, many people frowned.
Clearly, they felt that such a sword did not befit the identity of Lin Tian, the Sword God.
However, when this sword appeared in Ying Zheng’s eyes, his expression began to change.
He too found the sword’s body very ugly, feeling it did not do Lin Tian justice.
But upon seeing the hilt, Ying Zheng’s perception changed.
He recognized this hilt, and it was extremely familiar.
He had once owned this sword, and later, he had lost it.
It was taken away by the woman he loved most.
This sword was named Tai'a!
“It really is you!”
Without seeing the Tai'a sword, Ying Zheng dared not fully confirm Lin Tian’s identity. Upon seeing the Tai'a sword, Ying Zheng no longer needed the information from the Black Ice platform; he could definitively confirm that Lin Tian was the son of Zhao Nu, Lin Dong'er, the woman he loved most.
This made him incredibly excited.
On one hand, he had received news of Lin Dong'er. On the other hand, his beloved son was before him, and such a promising young man at that. How could he not be overjoyed?
In the next moment, Lin Tian began his sword dance, his movements like dragons and snakes, his blade gleaming fiercely.
There was no killing intent, and his every move was unpretentious, yet many felt a sharp sword intent within it.
This caused many guards to instinctively draw their swords.
They felt that if Lin Tian were to act, he might pose a threat to Ying Zheng's safety.
The sharp sword light filled many of them with fear.
It was as if if Lin Tian were to strike at them, they would instantly perish by his sword.
If Lin Tian were to truly draw his sword against Ying Zheng, it would be a major disaster.
They had to draw their swords to ensure Ying Zheng's safety.
However, as soon as they drew their swords, Ying Zheng stopped them.
“Stand down!!”
Their actions, in Ying Zheng's eyes, were incredibly disruptive.
Fortunately, Lin Tian was not affected by them and continued his sword dance.
As the sword moved like dragons and snakes, the crowd seemed to see a sword immortal dancing before them.
His posture was graceful, and his swordsmanship surpassed the ordinary, unlike any earthly technique.
Anyone who watched felt their horizons broadened.
As the sword dance concluded, the hall erupted in cheers.
“Bravo!”
“It was spectacular! I never imagined such a brilliant swordsmanship existed in this world!”
“Our eyes have been opened! Today, our eyes have truly been opened. General Lin Tian is indeed worthy of the title Sword God! His swordsmanship is simply too powerful!”
At this moment, many were completely convinced.
From his swordsmanship alone, they could tell they were no match for Lin Tian.
It was only right that Lin Tian, who had rendered great service, should receive such honors.
Even Lord Changping, Mi Qi, hesitated at this point.
He wondered if he should have the swordsmen he had hired test Lin Tian, and gauge Ying Zheng’s reaction.
Given how highly Ying Zheng treated Lin Tian, would doing so now seem too deliberate?
Moreover, with Lin Tian’s immense strength, would the swordsmen he hired truly be able to defeat him?
While Mi Qi was wrestling with these thoughts, Li Xin, from within the banquet, suddenly spoke.
“General Lin Tian’s swordsmanship is indeed extraordinary. I, Xin, also enjoy swordsmanship and practice it day and night. I wonder if I might have the opportunity to receive guidance from General Lin Tian!”
“I implore General Lin Tian to impart his wisdom!”