Chapter 496: Escort |
Women understood women best.
Princess Liyang's words were like a sword in the hands of a Divine Dao Stage Grandmaster; with a light swing, they pierced through Qi Zhaoning's state of mind.
Inside the Vermilion Steps Great Music Hall, the spectators seated at the Eight Immortals tables all quieted down, looking over as if joining in the fun. However, Chen Ji's first reaction wasn't to pay attention to what Princess Liyang said, but instead to instruct the Feather Forest Army to tightly guard the area around the table, guarding against anyone approaching.
His gaze patrolled the vicinity, sweeping across every spectator present one by one.
Princess Liyang had a purpose for everything she did. She wouldn't casually stir up trouble. Could it be that she insisted on coming to the Imperial Music Bureau because her people were inside?
At this time, three rolls of drums sounded from the stage. The first drumroll notified the actors and audience that a good play was about to start. The second drumroll told the actors to wait backstage and the audience to take their seats. The third drumroll called for silence in the hall, officially marking the opening.
After the drumrolls ended, all the actors backstage, clad in opera costumes, took the stage one by one to present themselves. The women displayed their figures, and the martial arts actors did a few somersaults to show off their unique skills. This was called 'posing at the door,' also known as 'joining the stage.'
But after the actors took the stage and the martial arts actor landed after thirteen consecutive somersaults, he found an absence of the usual cheers. His gaze focused, only to see that all the spectators weren't looking at the stage, but instead had turned around to look at a certain corner.
In the corner.
Princess Liyang smiled and said methodically: "As the saying goes, the truth hurts the most. If this Palace accidentally hurt this miss, please forgive me."
Qi Zhaoning's expression fluctuated. A moment later, she said coldly: "Legend says you keep three hundred male consorts in the Jing Dynasty's Upper Capital, seeking pleasure with men day after day. Yet you have the nerve to shamelessly come to our Ning Dynasty to make a fool of yourself?"
Sitting calmly in her chair, Princess Liyang picked up a melon seed: "Miss Qi has understated it. It's not three hundred; it's three thousand."
Qi Zhaoning said angrily: "Shameless!"
Princess Liyang looked up at her and smiled: "You are inferior to Zhang Xia."
Qi Zhaoning raised her hand to slap Princess Liyang, but her wrist was caught in midair by Chen Ji. Chen Ji sighed softly: "Third Miss Qi, this is the Jing Dynasty envoy. You cannot hit her."
Qi Zhaoning abruptly turned her head and looked at Chen Ji in disbelief: "You're stopping me?"
Chen Ji was silent for a moment, then earnestly repeated: "Third Miss Qi, this is the Jing Dynasty envoy."
Qi Zhaoning shook off his hand: "Then you tell me. Am I worse than Zhang Xia? If you also think so, I will have my family cancel this marriage tomorrow to fulfill the two of you."
Chen Ji turned to look at Qi Zhenzhu: "The play is about to start. Please trouble yourself to take Third Miss Qi to the front row to listen to the play."
"Good, good, good!" Seeing that he refused to answer, Qi Zhaoning angrily turned and walked toward the front row. One after another, she threw the teapots and bowls on the table onto the stage: "Listen to the play, listen to the play, listen to the play! Li Changge has betrayed his country for glory; what play is there to listen to! From now on, this Imperial Music Bureau is not allowed to perform the Four Dreams of Bianliang, otherwise I'll make you suffer the consequences! Go change your costumes; I want to listen to the Tale of the White Boat!"
The actors on stage Looked at One Another. The Imperial Music Bureau fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites, but Elder Qi happened to concurrently serve as the Minister of Rites.
A lowly official hastily rushed onto the stage and pulled all the actors down: "Quick, go change costumes!"
Chen Ji sat back down, looking expressionlessly at the stage: "Why must Your Highness act like this. You only need to steadily go through the motions in our dynasty, and you will be able to bring Yuan Cheng back to the Jing Dynasty and establish extraordinary merit. Why bother Complicating the Issue? Although Third Miss Qi has a somewhat arrogant and unruly temper, it isn't worth provoking her like this."
Princess Liyang asked curiously: "What's the matter? Is Lord Chen feeling heartache for his wife who hasn't yet entered his door?"
Chen Ji cast a glance at her: "Don't discuss this matter anymore."
Princess Liyang smiled: "Lord Chen, you should be thanking this Palace instead."
Chen Ji said calmly: "Thank you?"
Princess Liyang peeled open a melon seed with her fingernails: "Let this Palace guess. Presumably, even the Lord Chen who had the ability to force the Crown Prince into house arrest in Zhongcui Palace cannot decide his own marriage. This Third Miss Qi seems to be very doted on by the Qi Family. If she goes back, throws a tantrum, and breaks off the engagement, wouldn't it fulfill your wishes?"
Chen Ji was slightly taken aback. He had to say, Princess Liyang had excellent eloquence. He was actually somewhat swayed by the other party's words.
While peeling melon seeds, Princess Liyang said slowly: "Lord Chen, Second Miss Zhang is someone who broke into the White Tiger Hall for you. On that day, she definitely had a heart prepared for death to be able to walk into that Command Hall. From the moment she took her first step, she didn't expect to return alive. But upon returning to the Ning Dynasty, she would realize that originally, you still had an engagement with another... Sometimes the Heavens are like a child, striking out without any sense of propriety."
Chen Ji remained silent.
Princess Liyang beamed: "Lord Chen, if someone treated this Palace like this, this Palace would dare abandon all glory, splendor, wealth, and rank to fly far away with them. Unfortunately, there is no one. You are very lucky. You are much luckier than this Palace."
Chen Ji finally spoke: "It has nothing to do with Your Highness."
Princess Liyang extended the dozen or so peeled melon seeds in her hand toward Chen Ji: "Since Lord Chen says it's unrelated, then it's unrelated."
Chen Ji glanced at the melon seeds in her hand: "Your Highness wants to use this humble one to test for poison?"
"Good intentions are not rewarded. This is still the first time this Palace has peeled melon seeds for someone," Princess Liyang rolled her eyes and threw the melon seeds onto the table. "What a pity we couldn't watch the Four Dreams of Bianliang."
Chen Ji said impassively: "You can listen to the Tale of the White Boat as well."
Princess Liyang sneered: "Does Lord Chen think this Palace doesn't know? This Tale of the White Boat is a script about fighting my Jing Dynasty. You all take that young general as a hero, yet you do not know that when he entered my Jing Dynasty's Longyou Circuit, he slaughtered twenty-eight villages, not even letting the children go. Let's go. This Palace isn't listening to this kind of play. We are returning to the Huitong Relay Station."
Princess Liyang got up and walked outside, without eating a single melon seed or drinking a single mouthful of water.
The honor guard set out from Yanle Hutong. Once Princess Liyang got back into the carriage, Madam Lu picked up the reins and asked softly: "It was noisy inside just now. What happened?"
Chen Ji shook his head: "Nothing, just a minor mishap."
When the carriage drove into the eastern river rice alley, over a hundred Feather Forest Army soldiers were still wearing armor around the perimeter guarding the place.
Duo Bao whispered to Chen Ji: "No one entered the Huitong Relay Station."
Chen Ji nodded. Pulling open the carriage curtain, he signaled for Princess Liyang to alight. Princess Liyang extended a hand, signaling him to support her, but Chen Ji turned a blind eye to it.
Princess Liyang gave an elegant smile and hopped off the carriage herself: "Lord Chen is quite one to hold a grudge."
Chen Ji watched the other party enter the Huitong Relay Station and slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
Right then, neat footsteps came from a distance.
Chen Ji turned his head to look. It was shockingly Lin Chaoqing leading the way in front, with two lines of Trouble-Resolving Guards turning into the eastern river rice alley. Immediated afterward, palace eunuchs carried a sedan chair in. Adorned in a formal red Ceremonial Robe, the Crown Prince sat atop the sedan chair.
The sedan chair stopped before the doors of the Huitong Relay Station. The Crown Prince stood up and smoothed out the wrinkles on his clothes.
Chen Ji was confused: "Why is Your Highness visiting the Huitong Relay Station deep into the night?"
The Crown Prince said warmly: "To come for the peace talks, naturally. We had wanted to grind down the Jing Dynasty's spirit a little more and diminish their prestige, but someone couldn't even wait a single day. Never mind. Let us release Yuan Cheng back to the Jing Dynasty sooner."
Saying so, he entered the Huitong Relay Station under the escort of the Trouble-Resolving Guard.
Chen Ji turned back to exchange a glance with Madam Lu. Madam Lu said softly: "If an agreement can be reached today, there won't be much time left. Tomorrow, both sides will officially sign the covenant, and Princess Liyang and Yuan Cheng must be escorted outside Chongli Pass. Currently, there are experts surrounding Princess Liyang; Official Ding will not make a move."
Chen Ji lowered his head in thought.
At this time, Madam Lu unexpectedly comforted Chen Ji softly in reverse: "No matter. No matter how anxious you are, you must comply with the Heavenly Mandate. If a matter cannot be done, do not do it. Spare his life this time; there will be opportunities sooner or later. Princess Liyang and Yuan Cheng can leave, but Official Ding will not be leaving."
Chen Ji grunted in acknowledgement, but still did not speak.
Half a watch later, the Crown Prince emerged from the Huitong Relay Station and smiled at Chen Ji: "The agreement is set. Eight thousand warhorses and two thousand soldiers and civilians in exchange for Yuan Cheng's return to Jing. Tomorrow at the Court of State Ceremonial, We will preside over the official exchange of the covenant. After the covenant is exchanged, we must still trouble the Baron of Wuxiang County to escort Princess Liyang and Yuan Cheng to Chongli Pass. Be careful of all things on the road."
Chen Ji's heart turned cold. It had actually been settled this quickly?
It was too fast. He originally thought they would drag it out for at least another half a month before a final conclusion was reached, but today it only took half a watch to completely finish discussing all matters.
He said impassively, "This humble subject will escort them?"
The Crown Prince said warmly: "Right now, the Feather Forest Army follows your lead, and Princess Liyang only trusts you. When the time comes, this errand will naturally fall on your head... What, is the Baron of Wuxiang County unwilling?"
Chen Ji lowered his head: "The Feather Forest Army lacks manpower; I fear they are unable to shoulder this heavy responsibility."
The Crown Prince laughed: "According to the rules, welcoming an envoy requires three hundred and sixty people, but sending off an envoy only requires ninety-six people. The Feather Forest Army wouldn't lack a mere ninety-six people, right? Baron of Wuxiang County, do not decline anymore."
Chen Ji said calmly: "This humble subject naturally has no objectitons. But as for who exactly will be the escort, we should wait for His Majesty's decree."
This journey north wasn't that simple. Who knew what murderous intents were hidden along the way. If there truly was no way to use Yuan Cheng as bait to draw Official Ding out, then the Three Imperial Camps should be the ones to escort the Jing Dynasty envoys away and receive the Jing Dynasty's eight thousand warhorses at the border.
How could the Feather Forest Army be doing this?
Chen Ji looked up to examine the Crown Prince but couldn't discern any clues.
The Crown Prince patted Chen Ji's shoulder: "If the Baron of Wuxiang County accomplishes this, it will also be a great merit. This is an opportunity others cannot even fight for."
With that, the Crown Prince sat on the sedan chair and disappeared into the night color under the escort of the Trouble-Resolving Guards.
(End of this chapter)