Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

Chapter 672: Humiliation of Chrysanthemum and Spear

In the banquet hall, amidst the atmosphere of laughter and harmony, the presence of the Fuso delegation seemed particularly abrupt, like an untimely cold current.

In the center of the banquet hall, a luxurious long banquet table shines with the unique luster of golden nanmu wood. The table is filled with all kinds of exquisite Chinese delicacies, exuding fragrance, attracting guests to stop and taste and enjoy this feast for their taste buds.

However, in a corner of the banquet hall, the light was slightly dim, and the Fuso delegation was specially arranged here. The leader, Mitsunami Musashi, a man with a stern face and sharp eyes, was sitting cross-legged in front of a simple low table.

There were only two plates of sashimi, a few sushi, and a bowl of tempura on the table, which looked very perfunctory, forming a sharp contrast with his expectations for the banquet. His face was livid, his mouth was tightly pursed, and his eyes revealed anger and unwillingness that were difficult to conceal.

The guests around him were either standing or sitting, enjoying the pleasure brought by the banquet, but to Mitsunami Musashi, their laughter sounded like a satirical melody, constantly irritating his nerves.

He looked around and saw that other delegations were sitting in spacious and comfortable chairs with sumptuous meals in front of them, while he and his team members could only eat in this small space in a way that seemed extremely humiliating to him.

What made it even harder for him to accept was that the staff of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs "thoughtfully" prepared tatami and low tables for them, claiming that it was to cater to their habits. But in the eyes of Mitsunami Musashi, this was just another form of contempt and humiliation. In such an international occasion, the Fuso delegation not only did not receive the respect they deserved, but was placed in an embarrassing situation under the watchful eyes of the public, as if they had become a clown to be laughed at.

Mitsunami Musashi felt that his dignity had been trampled upon like never before. He trembled all over, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms.

Hearing this, Guangnan Musashi's eyes became more profound. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner waves, and turned to look at Yamamoto Ryuichi beside him. Yamamoto Ryuichi's face was full of indignation, and his voice suppressed his anger: "Mr. Guangnan, I admit that our mission is important, but Su Zhengyang's move is clearly extremely disrespectful to us. When two armies fight, they do not kill the messengers. This has been a rule since ancient times. How can he trample on our dignity like this?"

Ito Sankei could not hold back. His face turned even more livid with anger, and his voice was filled with resentment. "That's right, bastard! We in the Fuso Empire will never allow the Chinese to humiliate us like this. This is not just a matter of personal honor and disgrace, but also a matter of national dignity! We should not have set foot on this land, let alone attend this hypocritical banquet!"

Guangnan Musashi slowly stood up. Although he was short, he was like an unshakable mountain at this moment. He said in a low voice: "Yamamoto, Ito, I understand your anger, but please remember that the purpose of our coming here is not to fight for a moment, but for the future of the empire. What Su Zhengyang's intention is, let's not talk about it for now. The important thing is that we must remain calm and complete our mission."

Just when the atmosphere was tense, Su Zhengyang's secretary Fu Jiang appeared at the right time. He was wearing a well-tailored suit, smiling, but his eyes revealed an indescribable depth. He slowly walked towards the Fuso delegation, looked at Guangnan Musashi and others with a smile, and said: "Mr. Guangnan, and everyone else, it seems that you are a little dissatisfied with today's dinner? Are these dishes not to your taste? We have specially considered the food culture of Fuso, and prepared traditional delicacies such as sashimi for you."

Guangnan Musashi responded coldly, but remained polite on the surface: "Secretary Fu, thank you for your 'thoughtful' arrangement. However, our Fuso delegation is not here to enjoy the food, but has a more important mission. As for the so-called 'respect', I think true respect is not only reflected at the table, but should be based on equality and mutual understanding."

Fu Jiang no longer pretended. He lowered his voice, and his tone was no longer polite and courteous. A mocking smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and that smile was like a sharp knife, piercing the hearts of Mitsunami Musashi and others. "Little devils, you really have the nerve to come here. You shamelessly come to participate in the military parade, don't you just want to take the opportunity to find out the truth? Humph, since you are here, don't blame us for showing you some color. Trash and waste like you don't even know the most basic shame, so you are worthy of eating these sashimi and sitting on the ground. To be honest, not kicking you out directly is the greatest respect I can give you."

Fu Jiang's words were like a sharp blade of ice, piercing the hearts of the Fuso delegation members. When Yamamoto Ryu heard this insult, his eyes instantly became bloodshot, and he was so angry that he almost exploded. He struggled to stand up and fight to the death with Fu Jiang. But at this moment, Mitsunami Musashi's hand firmly pressed his shoulder, stopping his impulse. Mitsunami Musashi's eyes flashed with a hint of complex emotions, but more of it was calmness and determination.

"Secretary Fu, your words are very sharp, but we are not as bad as you think. We Japanese have our own pride and dignity, and we will not lose our minds because of a temporary humiliation. I will remember the 'warm hospitality' you have given me today. If there is an opportunity in the future, I, Mitsunami Musashi, will definitely return the favor to China with ten times the courtesy, so that you can see the true style of our Japanese." Although Mitsunami Musashi's voice was cold, it revealed an unquestionable firmness.

Hearing this, Fu Jiang raised his lips slightly, as if he was a little surprised by Guangnan Musashi's response. He looked at Guangnan Musashi carefully, and a hint of imperceptible approval flashed in his eyes, but then he returned to his contemptuous expression. "Oh? Then I'll wait and see. But before that, I hope you can enjoy your 'good time' in China. After all, not everyone has the opportunity to experience this kind of 'special treatment' in person."

After saying that, Fu Jiang turned away disinterestedly without further entanglement. Guangnan Musashi looked at Fu Jiang's departing back, with a complicated light flashing in his eyes.

Su Zhengyang was at a corner of the banquet, watching Fu Jiang return with deep eyes. When he approached, he asked in a barely audible voice, "Fu Jiang, what did you say to those Fuso people just now?"

Fu Jiang smiled slightly, with a sly look in his eyes. He leaned close to Su Zhengyang's ear and narrated the content of the conversation, including his contemptuous words to Guangnan Musashi and others, and their reaction of bearing humiliation. After finishing speaking, Fu Jiang couldn't help but sighed: "Mr. President, these little devils are really patient. They are not moved by such humiliation. If it were someone else, I'm afraid they would have been unable to hold back."

Su Zhengyang heard this and sneered. In that smile, he had a deep understanding of the character of the Fuso people, but also a hint of contempt that was barely noticeable. "The Fuso people have always been called the nation of 'chrysanthemums and spears'. Their culture is as noble and tenacious as chrysanthemums, and as sharp and aggressive as spears. But more importantly, they are extremely shameless and thick-skinned. In order to achieve their goals, they can always abandon their so-called dignity."

At this point, Su Zhengyang's eyes became deeper and penetrated the crowd, shining directly on the corner where Guangnan Musashi and others were. "However, this is precisely what makes them so scary. We must not take it lightly. After the banquet is over, I will personally find a few of them and have a good chat with them alone."