On the 10th of March, the Wuji Crown Prince and the Meng King, who had been "missing" for more than a month, finally appeared in Xuanji territory in a flashy manner.
It was said that these two powerful figures had appeared even more inexplicably. When the low-ranking official woke up in the morning, he saw a man covered in dust barging in. The man grabbed the water on the table and gulped it down as if he was entering his own room. After that, he wiped his mouth with the official robe he had left on the chair and grabbed a fruit to chew on, spitting out the skin as he did so. The low-ranking official was shocked by the man's smooth movements. He rubbed his eyes and carefully identified the man, confirming that he was not a descendant of a noble or a big shot in the capital. Although his official position was low, the courier station in the outskirts of the capital had a special status. Everyone who came and went were VIPs, and even the emperor was familiar with them. Seeing that he did not recognize the man, he bolstered his courage and shouted, "Who are you? How dare you break into the courier station under the feet of the Emperor of Xuanji!"
Unexpectedly, the man threw the core of the fruit and glared at him, shouting even louder, "Who's on the bed? How dare you yell at me? "
The courier was once again stunned by this shout. Out of habit, he immediately began to think hard about whether or not he had missed a duke or marquis. Looking at this person's tone, he was even more awesome than the bravest and most reckless Twelfth Prince Feng Jingsong. Moreover, according to the rules of many years of ups and downs in the officialdom, one's tone was always directly proportional to one's status.
"May I ask who you are, sir?" The courier began to be cautious.
"Missing person!" The man waved his hand.
"…"
When the low-ranking official finally figured out who the man was, he immediately wrote a document with trembling fingers and submitted it to the Ministry of Rites. However, the famous and valiant King Meng had appeared in the man's bedroom without giving him any time to prepare. He had even dragged the man to write his report in his underwear. He had even written on the document: Ministry of Rites of Xuanji! How rude! How dare you not go out of the city to welcome me? My King is very angry. You have gone too far! "
The clerk at the relay station trembled as he ordered his men to send the message on horseback. The 3,000 guards who had been waiting in the capital had already received the news that Fuyao had finally arrived. The first thing they did was to go out of the city to welcome her. As soon as she saw them, she waved her arm and said, "Tomorrow, all of you are to change into new clothes. Change into the best saddle and saddle! Inlaid with the most dazzling gemstones! I'm done with keeping a low profile! From now on, I'm going to be high-profile! "
King Meng, who had been clamoring for a high profile, had finally arrived. When the imperial court of Xuanji City received the news, they didn't know whether they should be happy or pained. They were happy because the officials of the Han Dynasty and Wuji Dynasty had been guarding Xuanji City for more than a month, forcing them to search for their missing masters. The officials of the Han Dynasty had been drinking tea with them every day and discussing whether the borders of the Han Dynasty and Xuanji Dynasty should be moved further south. The citizens of the famous Xuanji County between the two countries had already been assimilated by the Han Empire. Why not just wipe it off the map of Xuanji? The officials of the Wuji League fully expressed their longing and yearning for Tong City, and expressed their hope that under the leadership of their Crown Prince, they could build Tong City together with the allied imperial court. The Xuanji imperial court, from the Prime Minister to the minor officials, had lived in an abyss of suffering for more than a month. Now, they were finally free.
What was painful was that those who came had ill intentions and those who were kind didn't come. The officials of the Han Wuji weren't kind people, much less him. Not to mention the infamous and shameless King Meng. Even a toenail would know that the King Meng, who had been "besieged and disappeared, and escaped to this place after suffering untold hardships", would definitely not let it go.
For this reason, the Prime Minister of Xuanji City specially entered the palace to ask His Majesty how to welcome him. Once King Meng asked about the attack, how should he respond?
Ever since the Emperor of Xuanji City became seriously ill, he had not seen his officials for many days. The Dragon Spring Palace had heavy curtains all day long, and the officials could only greet him through the curtains and estimate His Majesty's condition amidst the medicinal fragrance and flickering shadows. Today, the Prime Minister thought that he would probably have to kneel in the corridor for half a day before he would hear a word or two. Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, there was a low cry from inside, followed by some movement. After a while, a eunuch came out to deliver an imperial edict. "Welcome with lavish gifts, and accept anything."
These eight words burned the Prime Minister like burning charcoal. "Accept anything?" Wasn't this too much? Didn't His Majesty know that that person was especially shameless? What if she wanted Xuanji City to cut off three cities as compensation?
The Prime Minister immediately felt that if he had known earlier, he would not have come to request for an imperial edict. His Majesty was clearly muddle-headed from illness. He carefully held the imperial edict in his bosom and left.
He did not want to care about the last four words, but he still had to obey the first four. For this reason, the Prime Minister specially invited the Second Prince and the Tenth Princess, who currently had the highest seniority in the capital, to welcome His Majesty. These two were the eldest son of Imperial Concubine Rong, and the eldest daughter of the Empress. Together with the officials of the third rank and above, they had enough weight.
After a busy night, early the next morning, the city gates were opened, and the princes and princesses led hundreds of officials out of the city to welcome them.
A large group of well-dressed people stood under the specially built colorful canopy, raising their heads and waiting. Their necks were so long that they couldn't see anyone. Under the sun, their necks were oily and shiny like fish scales. Gradually, they couldn't stand anymore. Other than the two nobles who were riding horses, the rest of them were standing according to the order. They were all high ranking officials of the third rank and above, how could they stand for such a long time? When had they ever been in the sun for so long? They waited for a long time, but no one came, so they sent someone to the courier station to urge them. When they came back, they replied, "I'm brushing my teeth."
After about an hour of brushing his teeth a hundred times, they urged him again, and he replied, "I'm applying a facial mask."
Facial mask? Mask?
After waiting for another hour, not to mention the facial mask, it would take two hours for the city wall to be finished. They asked again, "I'm washing my face."
Wearing a mask to wash my face?
After an hour of washing his face a thousand times, they urged him again, and he replied, "The facial cleanser has not been washed clean. This thing is very important. If there is any residue, the consequences will be serious."
The officials looked at each other. Facial cleanser? Was it some kind of high-level medicine for practicing martial arts?
After waiting for another hour, it was estimated that not only the facial cleanser could be used to wash it clean, but also a person who had not taken a bath for ten years. They asked again, and he replied, "Wait for the toner to dry."
Toner? External Strength Increasing Agent?
After the toner was dry, he needed to apply pearl cream. After the pearl cream was applied, he needed to apply sunscreen. The official from the Ministry of Rites who was responsible for urging the messenger ran back and forth. Finally, he crawled back like a dead dog and asked, "The king said that the sunscreen has not reached Ace's Butt Skin Love (SPF) 50. He is afraid of getting sunburned. He asked if there is any in Tongcheng?"
The young tenth princess immediately threw away her horsewhip, "What the hell! Arrogant! "
The second prince smiled bitterly. After all, he was older and calmer. He said to the official from the Ministry of Rites, "Go and tell King Meng that it will be noon soon. The sun will be stronger. Won't it be more sunburned?"
These words seemed to work. At least the official who went to urge did not crawl back like a dead dog again.
After a while, a team of neatly dressed soldiers appeared at the end of the road.
Like a large swaying red cloud, they landed on the official road of Tongcheng.
The whole army was red! The golden thread of the blood-red robe covered the edge! The knife light was bright and pointed to the sky! The exquisite gems on the saddle were dazzling! The horses galloped in a row!
The three thousand cavalrymen were all handsome, capable, cold, and tough. They had the military posture of a guard of honor of the three armies and the murderous aura of an iron-blooded suicide squad!
They solemnly guarded the two leisurely people with fluttering robes.
The Xuanji officials looked up in unison. They all lost their breath and lost their voices.
On the white horse on the left was a man in a light purple brocade robe with silver patterns. He wore a white jade crown and a purple gold belt. He wore a silver mask that covered half of his face. He was tall and elegant, exuding a noble aura. Above the mask was a pair of deep eyes that overflowed with brilliant colors. When he looked at people, he seemed to be smiling but he could instantly steal people's souls.
On the black horse on the right was a young man in white. He was dressed in a snow-white robe with light purple patterns embroidered on his sleeves. His jet-black hair was tied up high in a green jade crown. He looked elegant and outstanding. In particular, his eyes were as black as paint and glowed like treasures. When his gaze swept over, it was so bright that even the sunlight seemed to dim.
They clearly looked like two men, but for some reason, a sentence flashed across everyone's mind in that instant: They really are a pair of immortals!
The Meng King of the Great Han was famous throughout the world. Although no one had seen his face, one could tell from his eyes and figure that he was an extraordinary person. But …
It was completely different from what the rumors had said!
How could such a shameless and arrogant person look so elegant?
It was an insult to his elegance!
The Xuanji officials cursed in their hearts as they bowed in unison amidst the loud music.
"Welcome, Crown Prince Wuji and the Meng King of the Great Han!"
Meng Fuyao stared at them with a smile. She was in no hurry to dismount. Instead, she knocked on the horsewhip and raised her head to let out a long sigh. "It's still more comfortable to sit on a horse. It's a pity that I haven't had any means of transportation for half a month!"
The moment she spoke, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. They had regained their senses. That's right! The moment he opened his mouth, they knew that he was indeed the Meng King of the Great Han!
The Second Prince smiled bitterly and was the first to dismount. He then pulled the Tenth Princess, who was sitting still with a sullen face. Zhangsun Wuji was the first to dismount and helped Meng Fuyao, who was as lazy as a dead dog. The moment Meng King touched the ground, he cried out in pain and squatted there, unable to get up. "My legs are swollen from running, and I've already twisted my tendons. I can't stand up, ouch …"
She rubbed her legs and raised her head to look at the embarrassed Xuanji officials. She sighed. "Your Xuanji's security …"
She shook her head. Everyone present dropped their gazes and covered their faces.
Unsatisfied, Meng King continued to sigh. "Your Xuanji's character …"
Everyone's faces fell. She smacked her lips. She did not say anything, but the expression on her face made everyone feel like breaking down.
Meng King did not seem to know how to read people's expressions. He continued to squat there and said in an intoxicated manner, "You …"
"Since Meng King can't walk, please get on the horse," the Second Prince suddenly said.
Meng Fuyao acted as if she did not hear him and continued, "… Your Meng King has been hunted and robbed. I'm still in a state of shock and my legs are numb. Alright, I'm sorry for my rudeness. I'll just squat here. It won't hinder us from talking.
The Xuanji officials were speechless. 'How are we supposed to continue when you're like this?'
Only the dignified and calm Crown Prince Zhangsun did not seem to mind at all. Indeed, he pulled the Second and Tenth Princes along and bowed respectfully, completing the necessary etiquette. He was completely used to the lumpy King Meng squatting on the ground. The Tenth Prince, on the other hand, was far from being as immune to King Meng as the Crown Prince. After a few sentences, he would glance at Meng Fuyao uncomfortably.
Meng Fuyao was squatting there, but she refused to behave herself. Suddenly, she raised her head and said something to the Prime Minister of Xuanji.
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. The Prime Minister could not hear her clearly and looked at her inquisitively. Meng Fuyao "said" a few more sentences. The Prime Minister could no longer stand still and hurried over to her. He bent down and asked, "May I know what instructions King Han has for me?"
Meng Fuyao put her hand to her ear and said loudly, "Huh? What did you say? Huh? I can't hear you. "
The corner of the Prime Minister's mouth twitched. He bent even lower and repeated himself loudly. Meng Fuyao continued to tilt her head. "Huh?"
The officials looked pitifully at the Prime Minister, whose back was almost bent to the ground. They remembered that he seemed to have a low back problem. 'Tsk tsk, I heard that Meng King will repay anyone who offends her tenfold. The higher her position, the more she likes to go against her. Sigh … not everyone can be the Prime Minister.'
"I said that your position is too high." Meng Fuyao 'listened' for a long time and laughed. "I'm a guest, after all. How can the Prime Minister look down on me like that? I believe that you, Xuanji, are used to negotiating with the Han Kingdom's officials in such a manner? "
The Prime Minister couldn't bear the weight of such heavy words.
Thus, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the dignified Prime Minister carefully squatted down with his buttocks in his hands. He moved his head closer to Meng Fu and waited to listen attentively with a livid face.
The two of them squatted face to face in silence.
After a quarter of an hour, they were still squatting in silence.
Meng Fuyao: "…"
The Prime Minister: "…"
"…"
"…"
After squatting for a long time, the Prime Minister could not help but ask, "Meng King, what advice do you have for me?"
"Huh?" Meng Fuyao was stunned. "Weren't you the one who came over to talk? Why aren't you talking? "
"…" The Prime Minister's face turned red. "Meng King, you have some advice for me, that's why I …"
"Did I?" Meng Fuyao was stunned. "I didn't even make a sound. When did I talk to you?"
"…"
"Bam."
The Prime Minister of Xuanji Pearl … collapsed.
Basking in the sun for half a day, standing for half a day, bending over for half a day, squatting for half a day, and then getting smacked on the head by a shameless person.
No one could live like that.
The Xuanji officials rushed over and carried the Prime Minister away without a word. They did not dare to stay a second longer in front of Meng Fuyao, afraid that she would open her mouth and squat with them.
Meng Fuyao stood up easily and looked in the direction where the Prime Minister was being carried away. She said regretfully, "Oh, I wanted to have a good talk with the Prime Minister just now. If we had a good talk, we would have forgiven the ambushes along the way on account of our friendship. But now … tsk tsk, how insincere."
The officials broke down for the third time today …
Meng Fuyao shook her head regretfully and turned around to mount her horse. Her legs no longer hurt, and her ankles were no longer sore. Her posture was also light and agile. She was still three meters away from the horse when she lifted her leg and floated up, revealing her beautiful figure in mid-air. The Xuanji officials almost fainted at the sight of it.
The fourth time they broke down …
Indeed … extremely shameless.
They had calculated that today's lavish welcome was an apology for their 'disappearance and ambush' incident. They had also calculated that the Xuanji officials were trying to make them feel bad and give up. Thus, they did not give them a chance at all. Before Xuanji had the chance to mention or explain, they had already blocked their way.
They had obviously raised the issue high and refused to let it go, deliberately making things difficult for Xuanji.
Meng Fuyao was an extremely shameless politician from the Seven Nations, but she had a strong backing. It was a great tragedy in life.
It was obvious that anyone in the world could be offended, but not Meng Fuyao. She was the only person in the Five Continents who maintained a good relationship with the three great empires. She had even participated in the political struggle between the three empires, and had single-handedly led the change of imperial power in the three empires. Offending her could very well mean facing the joint attack of the Boundless Great Han and Xuanyuan. The consequences would be too tragic.
The Xuanji officials automatically retreated, leaving the silent scene to the Princes and Princesses.
The Second Prince forced a smile and said, "The sun is so bright, why do we have to stay out here … Your Highness and King Meng, please enter the city. Ningxi Palace has prepared a banquet, please …"
"Is the warm food in the imperial kitchen meant for humans to eat?" Her words caused Xuanji's expression to change. Before he could think of a way to protect the Emperor's dignity without offending her, Meng Fuyao continued, "Only the Emperor can eat that."
Some people were born to torment other people's hearts …
In the end, King Meng insisted on rejecting the state banquet, saying, "That's just a bunch of good looking dishes that don't look good, smell or taste good. We have to keep raising our cups and putting them down again and again. We don't even have time to eat a single grain of rice. It's just a boring meal that doesn't suit our Wuji Crown Prince's practical attitude and King Meng's commoner temperament."
The Xuanji officials struggled with their last breaths as they listened to the long speech. Finally, unable to bear the demonic voice piercing their brains, the Second Prince asked pragmatically, "So what do the two of you mean …"
Zhangsun Wuji smiled and looked at Meng Fuyao. "Just ask King Meng."
The officials secretly rolled their eyes. "Everyone knows that the Wuji Crown Prince only has eyes for the Meng King. Serving her well is serving you well. In fact, it's even more pleasing than serving you well. Asking you is just to be polite."
Finally, King Meng made the decision and said longingly, "I was born a commoner …"
The officials lowered their eyes. 'I know, your choice of words is too commoner …'
"I like big pot dishes …"
The officials pondered. 'There seems to be a farmer's restaurant in XX Street XX Alley, but can it seat so many people?'
"… I miss my mother's fried dumplings the most …"
'Fried dumplings? What's that? '
"The top is steamed and the bottom is roasted. The top is noodles and the bottom is vegetables. When the vegetables are cooked, the fried dumplings are cooked too. The steamed parts are noisy, and the roasted parts are crispy, with the fragrance of the vegetables … Ah, it's unparalleled!"
'… How can the same thing be steamed and roasted? Also, is it vegetables or noodles? '
"That's it." Meng Fuyao clapped her hands and mounted her horse. Suddenly, she turned around and smiled. "You're a big country with the best hands in the world. Don't tell me you can't even make an ordinary fried dumplings?"
"Ah, no, no, I'll make it immediately, immediately!"
Sitting on the horse, Meng Fuyao watched as the small officials hurried away under the watchful eyes of the big shots. They were probably looking for the 'top and bottom' potstickers all over the city. She squinted her eyes and smiled. Zhangsun Wuji leaned over and asked softly, "What is that?"
"There's something you don't know. I'll make it for you next time."
"It's a deal." Zhangsun Wuji smiled. "But I don't know when we'll be able to eat it today."
"Anyway, I'll leave when I'm full." Meng Fuyao looked at the officials who had been starving for half a day and laughed sinisterly. "Today's the first time we meet. Let them have a deep impression of my troublesome and vicious character. In the future, they'll stop trying to curry favor with me and say nice things about me.
Knowing that they didn't know when they would be able to eat dinner tonight, they decided to leisurely head to the posthouse first. Meng Fuyao glanced at the Tenth Princess, who had left in advance, and shook her head. "She won't amount to much."
She then looked at the Second Prince, who had been accompanying her and shook her head again. "Not suitable to be an emperor."
Then, he was troubled, "Which queen is this? She can't be our old flame, can she? "Zhangsun Wuji laughed.
Zhangsun Wuji laughed. "We'll deal with whatever comes. If the Queen comes, we'll just beat her up, King Meng."
Meng Fuyao laughed and suddenly looked up at the moon. "Why hasn't the imposter appeared recently? Is he waiting in Tong City? "
Ji Yu came over and Meng Fuyao asked, "Where are Hua Yan and the chef I asked you to fetch?"
"After we entered Tong City, some of us stayed in inns, while others stayed outside the city. Later, Mr. Zong's Guangde Hall found us and found us a secret place to stay." Ji Yu still used the old term for Zong Yue. "Both of them are in a house at Tianshui Alley."
"Change location," Meng Fuyao said. Meng Fuyao said, "I just asked. The Queen's coronation ceremony is on the sixth day of the fourth lunar month, which is the first auspicious day of the month. The fact that it was chosen shows that the Queen is very eager to succeed the throne. In other words, there will be a lot of activities to eliminate dissidents and monitor unusual movements. The Crown Prince and I are the main targets, so we'll definitely be trapped. Even if I pester them endlessly just now, they won't dare to come out openly. Instead of being followed everywhere, it's better to stay in one place and deal with the changes. Gather all of you and bring those two people in."
Ji Yu answered in a low voice. Meng Fuyao said, "From now on, this posthouse will be mine until the day the Queen ascends the throne. Even if it's not mine, it will still be mine. Guard it well. Even if the Emperor of Xuanji wants to come in, kill him without my permission!"
"Yes!"
Meng Fuyao smiled without the slightest hint of a smile. She turned and entered the house, continuing to drink tea with the Second Prince and the officials from the Ministry of Rites. Not only did she drink one cup at a time, but she also drank all of the strong tea. The officials who had not eaten for an entire day were so hungry that their eyes shone with blue light. It was only when night fell that a lowly official came to report, "Four tables have been set up in the West Wind Tower.
The officials danced in joy, their faces full of hope as they invited King Meng in. King Meng said slowly, "I'll change first."
Meng Fuyao only came out after an hour of changing until a few of them fainted from hunger. She was escorted to the West Wind Tower.
There was a small tower behind the West Wind Tower for the use of the royal family. Passing through the pavilions and weeping willows, they stepped into a luxuriously furnished warm room. The Fufeng pearl curtains were round and smooth, sparkling like the Milky Way under the light. Behind the curtains were four bright yellow brocade tables with golden plates and ivory chopsticks. Smiling maids stood at the four corners, holding white jade pots and crystal cups, ready to serve wine at any time. It was a scene of royal wealth and elegance.
However … there were no delicacies on every table, not delicacies or wine. Instead, there was a huge black pot.
Pancakes were pasted on top of the pot, steamed on top and roasted on the bottom. They were steaming hot and had a simple aroma, but placed in such a luxurious setting, they were a killjoy. The maids wanted to laugh but did not dare to. The officials looked at each other awkwardly, wanting to give way but not knowing how.
Yet, someone stood up with a smile and a bright posture. She extended her hand and said, "Simple delicacies and light wine for the guests. Crown Prince, King Meng, please."
The woman was delicate and slender. She was dressed in a light green palace dress with emerald silk ribbons and jadeite pearls. Her eyes were bright and kind, sparkling like a clear stream under the crystal lights.
She was not stunning and was a far cry from Meng Fuyao's. What was rare was that she was generous and carefree, and her eyes were full of spirit. Meng Fuyao looked at her and felt that she liked her temperament.
From her tone, she was actually a child of the Xuanji royal family? Although she did not inherit the good looks of the Xuanji royal family, she had a good temperament that the ostentatious children did not have. This made Meng Fuyao, who hated the Xuanji royal family to the core, have a good impression of her.
"Ninth Sister, why are you here?" the Second Prince asked in surprise.
"I heard that Tenth Sister is not feeling well, so I'll take my leave in advance." The woman smiled calmly. "I thought that as a woman, King Meng should be accompanied by a princess. Otherwise, it would be rude of the Xuanji royal family, so I came uninvited." She smiled sweetly and raised her cup to Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao. She drank first and said, "Crown Prince, King Meng, please forgive me for being presumptuous. Danning will drink three cups as an apology."
She drank three cups in a row in a natural and unrestrained manner. When she put down the cup, her expression was the same as usual and she actually had a great capacity for drinking. Then, she made way for everyone to take their seats. The awkwardness from before was easily dispelled by her white hand holding the cup. She was natural, casual, and had a sense of propriety. She did not lose face for the Xuanji royal family, nor did she lose respect for Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao.
This time, Meng Fuyao really admired her. She carefully searched for information about the other party in her mind. The Ninth Princess of Xuanji, Feng Danning, the youngest daughter of Imperial Concubine Rong, was well-educated and well-mannered, and was known as the most talented woman in Tong City.
Talented ladies had always been a synonym for virtuous and virtuous. Once they had a bit of ink in their stomach, their nostrils and the corners of their eyes would grow towards the sky, and they would spend all day in sorrow and sorrow. No one would be able to accompany her in the midst of the blue skies, yellow leaves, and the chilly smoke and jade. Meng Fuyao had never taken a liking to talented ladies. In her words, she was a bookworm!
Therefore, she had only skimmed through the information about the Ninth Princess and did not pay much attention to it. Unexpectedly, she was a transparent person, which piqued her interest. 'I wonder if she'll be the new Queen? She's good at spotting talents. '
The atmosphere at the banquet was indeed warm with the presence of the Ninth Princess. Not only was she good at poetry, but she was also well-versed in folk customs. Her words were measured and lively, and the pace and atmosphere of the banquet were controlled by her hands. She was neither overheated nor cold, and she rescued the Xuanji officials, who had been scared out of their wits by Meng Fuyao, from an endless nightmare.
After three rounds of wine, Feng Danning smiled and took out a gilded list. "The Crown Prince and King Meng have come from afar. We dare not neglect you. We have specially ordered the Ministry of Rites to draw up an itinerary for the two of you to enjoy during this period. We must make this trip worthwhile for you."
Meng Fuyao moved closer to take a look. Tomorrow, they would visit Tongcheng Peak Laishan; the next day, they would visit Tongcheng's Jade Lake; the day after that, they would visit Tongcheng's suburbs; and the day after that, they would visit Wanxian Temple, a famous thousand-year-old ancient temple … Half a month's itinerary was filled with fun, and it lasted until the fifth of April.
She then looked at the places where they would go. 'Tsk, tsk, they seem to be remote places?'
She then looked at the entourage. 'Tsk, tsk, how is that fun?
What kind of ridiculous arrangement would a high-ranking official from another country not have an audience with the Emperor? '
Meng Fuyao's eyes flashed when she looked at the seal at the bottom of the list. The totem of Xuanji was a phoenix, so there should be a phoenix engraving on the jade seal. However, it was a landscape seal with the words "Master of the Ming Court". It was obvious that it was a private seal.
"His Majesty's private seal is special." Meng Fuyao pointed at the seal and smiled. "Master of the Ming Court? Is that the title of His Majesty?"
Feng Danning's eyes flashed. At that moment, she had a strange expression on her face. "No."
Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows. Feng Danning smiled. "It's a decree from the internal court. We haven't seen this seal before, but there is His Majesty's handwriting at the bottom."
She moved closer to Meng Fuyao, as if to point out the "His Majesty's handwriting" on the list. Her jade-like fingers moved across the golden paper, but she did not stop at the bottom of the list. Instead, she stopped at the word in the middle of the four names: "Fenglai Mountain", "Jadepond Lake", "Taiyou Temple", and "Myriad Immortal Mountain".
Meng Fuyao narrowed her eyes and Zhangsun Wuji tilted his head. Both of them laughed. "Oh, I see."
Feng Danning smiled and retreated.
They continued to eat and munch on potstickers. The officials gradually felt that the potstickers had a real taste, and the wine was even more magical. They ate more and more happily.
Meng Fuyao drank leisurely and glanced at the list with a smile.
"Come, Pool, Have, Immortals."
"It's dangerous to come here."
Feng Danning actually thought of using such a method to hint at her.
She was not a pig. How could she not know that it was dangerous to come here? Feng Danning naturally understood that they knew what was going on. That was why she said that the warning was fake. It was just the Ninth Princess's way of expressing goodwill.
It seemed that the Xuanji royal family was divided into different factions.
Meng Fuyao smiled and knocked on the table with her fingers. "Your Highness, we have to eat, enjoy the scenery, and talk about serious matters. What explanation does your country have for the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince and me in the north? Who is the murderer? How many people? Have they been caught? How do you plan to deal with it? "
Several questions fell like bombs. All the officials put down their chopsticks and the room fell silent. The Second Prince froze and looked at the Prime Minister, who had struggled to come to the potsticker feast. He knew that the Prime Minister had requested for an edict before Meng Fuyao arrived, but he did not know the contents of the edict.
The Prime Minister's fingers tightened around his chopsticks. His mind was filled with countless thoughts. His Majesty's edict could not be exposed to Meng Fuyao's shameless explanation. However, it would be inexcusable if he did not do anything about it. After a while, he said, "… It's being investigated, it's being investigated. Xuanji will definitely give the Crown Prince and King Meng an explanation."
Meng Fuyao chewed on her chopsticks and smiled. "It's done so quickly, so quickly."
All the Xuanji officials were dumbfounded. They pretended to be at a loss.
"Actually, there's no need to do anything. It's like searching for a needle in a haystack in a sea of people to find those murderers. It's really hard on you." Meng Fuyao changed the topic and everyone looked up in surprise. "As the saying goes, a life for a life, and a silver for a beating. Now that the Crown Prince and I have been beaten up by you, Xuanji, there's no need to pay that tacky silver. Let's just take a few cities."
She said it so casually that all the officials almost fainted. After a while, the Prime Minister said in a trembling voice, "Take … take cities?"
"Not much." Meng Fuyao munched on the potsticker and stretched out a palm. "Just this amount will do. The Crown Prince will take the bigger part, and I'll take the smaller part."
"Five … five cities …"
"Yes." Meng Fuyao smiled. "Didn't the Han Empire discuss wiping a few cities off the map of Xuanji? It should be done, right? If we can't come to an agreement, the three hundred thousand soldiers of the Han Empire stationed in Chang County and the three hundred thousand soldiers of the Wuji Army stationed in Jinzhou, and your Tong City is at the intersection of Chang County and Jinzhou, so … "She stretched out her finger and made a scissor gesture, cutting it, and smiled sinisterly.
"Cut like this … Kacha!"
The officials' eyelashes fluttered, as if they had been cut by her scissors.
"This is a serious matter, a serious matter," the Prime Minister said, wiping his sweat. "We have no right to interfere, no right to interfere …"
"This is the most important thing we came here for," Meng Fuyao said solemnly. "Before it's resolved, we have no mood to play."
"That … that …" The Prime Minister was at a loss for words. He naturally knew that the arrangement was ridiculous, but what wasn't ridiculous during this period of time? The court was in chaos and the officials were in a panic. They said they wanted to appoint a new ruler, but they didn't even know who it was. His Majesty hid in the harem and refused to see anyone. Edicts were sent out one after another, sometimes even contradicting each other. Under such circumstances, no matter how hard he tried, he was only trying to protect the east wall and destroy the west wall. He was already in dire straits. Now that the other party was coming, how could he, a mere official, deal with it? His brain?
Judging from His Majesty's schedule, it was obvious that he didn't want the Crown Prince and King Meng to stay in Tong City and get involved in the struggle for imperial power. But if he was so unwilling, why did he invite them in the first place? Now he was in a difficult position?
His mind was in a mess, and he really couldn't understand the mysterious situation in the Xuanji Palace. Sweat beaded on the Prime Minister's forehead as he tried to change the topic. Meng Fuyao, however, had no patience. She took out a box from beside her and smiled. "I, His Majesty of the Han Dynasty, have a gift. He ordered me to personally present it to His Majesty, um … himself! But it seems that you won't be able to see His Majesty in time. This … "
She smiled and handed it to the Second Prince. "Will you accept it?"
The Second Prince hurriedly stood up and retreated. "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."
He then handed it to the Ninth Princess. "You?"
The Ninth Princess stood up and bowed. "I wouldn't dare to overstep my bounds."
Before Meng Fuyao could hand it to the Prime Minister, the old man had already put down his chopsticks and retreated far away.
"Then there's no other way." Meng Fuyao put down the box and stood up. She grabbed the list and asked for a pen and paper. With a wave of her hand, she said, "Tomorrow's schedule is canceled. The Crown Prince and I will enter the palace to see your Majesty. We will discuss the matter of your bandits. That's all."
She walked to the door and turned back with a smile. "Hurry up and inform your Majesty to get ready. I don't want him to have time to put on his pajamas when I enter the palace."
= = =
The night had yet to end. Under the bright crystal lights of the West Wind Tower, the welcoming banquet was surging with undercurrents. In the Xuanji Palace, the Yong Chang Hall, the Emperor's bedroom, was dimly lit. A faint yellow light was hidden behind heavy curtains, slowly and soundlessly leaping in the hazy night. It was like a firefly in a bottle trying to break free from its shackles, but could not cross the invisible fence.
There was hardly anyone in the depths of the hall. Ever since the Emperor fell seriously ill, he said that he was irritated and afraid of hearing human voices. His personal attendants had been driven out, and now the Empress personally attended to many matters.
There was the sound of bowls and spoons hitting against each other in the depths of the curtains. From the silhouette, it seemed that one person was lying on the bed, and the other was sitting, holding a porcelain bowl and feeding the person on the bed.
It was very quiet in the hall, and only the heavy breathing of the patient could be heard.
After a while, the person who was sitting slammed the bowl on the table and said, "You refuse to eat again! I have ordered the small kitchen to cook for you for three days in vain! "
This voice was that of a woman. She did not sound very young, but not very old either.
The person behind the curtains seemed to say something. The woman listened silently, but her tone was impatient. "You are indeed troubled by that matter! I said, I won't see him! "
There was a low murmur, and after a while, she still said, "I won't see him! Those two are not good people! One of them rejected Jingfan's marriage for no reason, and the other embarrassed her in front of the world. They even dared to join forces to harm her! How dare they come to Xuanji? Make him unable to come and go! "
The person on the bed coughed for a while, and seemed to be a little angry. She suddenly raised her voice and said angrily, "You are doing that again! What do you have to make him unable to come and go? "After that, she coughed again.
The woman was silent for a while, and after a while, she said, "You are so sick, why do you care about this? And why must you wait until April? Pass it on earlier to … "
"The succession of the Xuanji Emperor has always been in April. Going against the ancestral custom will be punished by the heavens, what do you know!"
The woman seemed to be unconvinced and wanted to retort, but for some reason, she tilted her head to look into the depths of the inner hall and did not speak again. After a while, she said coldly, "She is so powerful and fierce. She actually used the so-called attack as an excuse to change the ceremony of our dynasty without permission! If she wants to see us, we must see her! "
She stood up and with a flick of her sleeve, the bowls and chopsticks were swept to the ground and shattered into pieces on the golden brick floor.
Her voice was sharper, colder, and sharper than the sound of porcelain shattering.
"Good, come! Let her come! "
= = =
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