Tang Fei’s refusal was swift and decisive, with an unwavering determination that brooked no discussion.
A demeanor that left no room for negotiation on the matter.
Zhong Daolong felt a deep sense of gratification upon hearing this, thinking the lad was indeed considerate.
He understood what was in his heart.
However, the whole play had to be performed.
Prince Philip of the Aus Empire and the leaders of their delegation were watching from the side; Tang Fei’s outright refusal was indeed a loss of face that could easily damage the relations between the two countries.
After all, he had just said that he wanted Tang Fei to do him this "small favor."
Hence, Zhong Daolong looked at Tang Fei with displeasure and asked aloud, "Why are you unwilling?"
"Your Highness, originally I was not too familiar with this new type of material and was not clear on its value. I was simply thinking that if I could achieve a good result in the mechanical contest, I could bring honor to the Phoenix Empire, shine for Your Highness, and not lose face for my master...."
"You also know, my elder martial brother is Shen Xinglan, the legitimate heir of the Shen Family, head of the nine major families, a martial arts genius, favored son of heaven. Compared to him, I don’t even qualify to carry his shoes...."
If you’re brothers, then praise me.
Tang Fei felt that as a fellow disciple of Shen Xinglan, having the chance to plead his case before the court, he must lavish praise on his brother.
His success was Tang Fei’s success, his honor was Tang Fei’s honor.
When his time to soar arrived, Tang Fei would cling to his coattails...
And let him know what it meant to be a true burden.
Sure enough, after hearing Tang Fei’s words, Zhong Daolong’s face lit up with a kind smile, showing considerable respect for Shen Xinglan.
Zhong Daolong looked toward Tang Fei and comforted him, "Shen Xinglan is indeed outstanding, but you do not have to sell yourself short... Every man has his destiny, his own future. As long as you are willing to work hard and diligently, a splendid wealth and honor await you."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Tang Fei bowed in gratitude and said, "I will work diligently and not fail to live up to Your Highness’s expectations."
"That is very good. Young people should aspire to soar to the clouds."
"Yes, Your Highness." Tang Fei thanked him again and said, "However, I am also aware that the gap between my elder martial brother and myself is vast. Before the Heavenly Dao Conference even began, he claimed that the title of number one in martial arts would be his, and indeed, he became the foremost in martial arts...."
Had you decided on the number one in martial arts even before the Heavenly Dao Conference began?
Do you even consider our Aus Empire delegation worth noticing?
What made him even more upset was that Shen Xinglan had succeeded...
And he did so in a way that was extremely humiliating for the Aus Empire.
Because of Tang Fei’s words, Prince Philip and all the members of the Aus delegation harbored an additional 10000000086 points of resentment towards Shen Xinglan.
Inciting hostility? Tang Fei was a professional at it.
"Being disciples of a Great Grandmaster, when my elder martial brother said he aimed for the first place in martial arts, he achieved it. I don’t want to bring disgrace upon our master... so I wanted to take a shortcut and see if I could win the championship in the mechanical contest..."
"Although my championship doesn’t have as much value as my elder martial brother’s, it is... already the limit of my abilities. I know that if it came down to competing in martial arts, I would be no match at all for my elder martial brother..."
"Therefore, I went to ask my classmate Lu Siyu for help, begging her to design a Mechanical Beast capable of fighting and winning... Lu Siyu greatly assisted me, not only designing the Golden Armored Kirin but also giving me access to the new materials her family was researching... Without the Lu Family’s help, it would’ve been impossible for me to win the mechanical contest’s championship."
Tang Fei’s gaze shifted toward Prince Philip’s face as he spoke out, "The reason I am unwilling to grant Prince Philip’s request, to fulfill his wish, is not for myself but for the sake of the nation..."
"Why does Prince Philip want a piece of this new material? It’s because he knows it’s beyond their current technological capabilities. I made a Mechanical Beast with it, and it also proved exceptional, overcoming all challenges quite easily, barely being nearly destroyed by an opposing Aus Empire contestant who cheated..."
"When Prince Philip gets his hands on this new material, won’t his country’s scientists start to decode and copy it? Once the Aus Empire has reverse-engineered the new material, they will certainly start mass production. Where will they deploy such material eventually?"
"Firearms? Warships? Mechanical Beasts? Or other weapons of mass destruction?"
"I’ve only recently arrived in New Star and am still not aware of the relationship between our country and the Aus Empire... but I do know that competition between nations is inevitable."
"You dare publicly slander the friendship between the two nations?" Prince Philip thundered angrily. "Do you not realize that Aus has already signed a peace treaty with Phoenix, and the two nations are supposed to cooperate comprehensively across various fields..."
"If indeed relations were harmonious, would there be any need for such an agreement? Peace and cooperation that rely on treaties are inherently fraught with uncertainties..."
"If disputes arise between the two nations, will the targets of these heavy armaments and cannons not be our soldiers from Phoenix Country, our citizens?"
"I am a citizen of the Phoenix Empire, and deeply indebted to the Royal Family’s grace; how could I then engage in such acts that would aid the enemy and harm my own country?"
"I am aware that by doing this, I might win the trust and favor of Prince Philip and the Aus Empire; they might even reward me covertly or overtly... perhaps even bestow upon me a high-level medal...."