Many of the nobles were present because they had accompanied the duke of Tianshui to fuel momentum; they all wanted to take the Jiang family down a notch.
But at this moment, who would dare speak up?
If someone stood up for the duke of Tianshui, that would mean defying the gods. If they argued with the king instead, that would mean they didn’t want the princess to recover.
It was at this moment that fatty Xuan mind connected the dots as well. He was always someone who loved creating a ruckus and immediately joined in, “Duke of Tianshui, you’re always shooting your mouth off about how if you’re ranked number two for fealty and valor out of all the nobles, then no one else would dare claim number one. Now that the moment to prove your loyalty has arrived, you make excuses and avoid doing anything. What’s going on here?”
“Duke of Tianshui, you waxed eloquent about executing the entire Jiang family clan earlier. Now, no such demands have been made on you, and yet you shrink from merely slapping yourself three times?”
Jiang Chen would definitely not let this opportunity pass him by; he tutted as he took another jab at an already downed enemy, “It looks like this so-called fealty and valor that is ranked first under the heavens is just a joke that the duke of Tianshui trotted out to amuse others. Best not to put too much stock in it.”
The duke of Tianshui had originally come to laugh at the duke of Jiang Han, but who would have thought the tables would turn on him and he’d become the target of everyone’s attacks instead?
However, the duke of Tianshui was an old hat at these political games and quickly found his footing again. He spoke with a self righteous air, “This old duke would not even furrow his brow if his Majesty commanded me to take my own life, not to mention a mere three slappings. If it would benefit our country and homeland, I would willingly help shoulder part of His Majesty’s burden. Little Chen’er, I could easily slap myself three times and disperse some of His Majesty’s worries, but if you are playing a game with us, then what?”
Indeed, if this brat was just joking, then he’d be making a fool out of all the nobles and the king!