Chapter 89 Zheng Yuezhao, Tuoba Yuer

Pei Yan did not meet Zheng privately at the celebration banquet, but instead scheduled it for Zheng and Princess Xitian to enter the palace on the same day three days later.

On that day, Jiang Shuyi met the two women she had been thinking about for a long time in Zhaode Hall one after another.

She gasped.

Zheng Yuezhao really lived up to the reputation she had gained over the past month. She had an ethereal appearance, a graceful figure, a clear mind, and a cool aura about her, as if she was a goddess from heaven who had descended to earth.

Even when she knelt down, she did not feel that her pride was broken.

Guo Zhenxiong also bowed down.

Pei Yan asked the two to skip the formalities, and held Jiang Shuyi's hand in a soothing manner, and said to Zheng Yuezhao: "The court has already investigated your father's affairs. It was Wen Huan who deceived the late emperor, causing your family to suffer injustice. The court should compensate you, not to mention that you are now rid of harm for the country. I will issue an edict to posthumously confer titles on your deceased father and mother, and to confer you the title of county lord. If you have anything else you want to ask for from the court, you can speak frankly."

Zheng Yuezhao lowered her eyebrows, as if she had already thought it through. Without pausing, she softly replied, "Your Majesty, I have no parents or brothers. Because I have served Wen Huan, it is difficult for me to marry a husband who treats me wholeheartedly. So I will probably be helpless and helpless in this life. Even if I become a county lady, I will still be looked down upon. I dare to ask Your Majesty to let me stay in the palace temporarily."

Jiang Shuyi's heart suddenly sank. She was so angry that she tried to break free from Pei Yan's hand, but he held her hand even tighter.

"I will stay in the palace temporarily to serve the Empress Dowager. If the Empress Dowager takes a liking to me and adopts me as her daughter, and occasionally summons me to the palace to be with her, then I will have someone to rely on for the rest of my life."

Jiang Shuyi calmed down.

Pei Yan's expression also softened and he squeezed her hand hard.

Foreign officials were not allowed to look up at the emperor, and Zheng Yuezhao also abided by the rules and kept his head down, so no one saw what the emperor and his empress did.

After hearing what Zheng Yuezhao said, Guo Zhenxiong felt a pang in his heart.

This sounds nice, but doesn't it mean that he looks down on the county lord and wants to be a princess? I have already adopted her as my adopted daughter, and she wants to be the empress dowager's adopted daughter. She is so greedy. What should I do if she angers His Majesty!

Even if Your Majesty is not angry, the Queen Mother asked her to kill her own brother. Isn't this just asking for revenge?

"Can."

Pei Yan's gentle voice came from the throne: "My mother has just recovered from an old illness these days and is still a little unhappy. If you think you can serve her well, go and serve her. If not, stay in the Queen's Palace and chant sutras and pray for her for a while."

This means that he was willing to find an excuse to confer the title of princess on Zheng Yuezhao.

Guo Zhenxiong breathed a sigh of relief. After such a fierce battle, he was no longer as impulsive and angry as before. He knelt down again with Zheng Yuezhao to express his gratitude.

After they left, Pei Yan looked up at Jiang Shuyi who was standing next to the throne and asked, "What did you want to do just now?"

Jiang Shuyi felt guilty for a moment, then blinked obediently: "I'm afraid Your Majesty is tired of holding it, so I want Your Majesty to take a break."

Pei Yan was not fooled by her cuteness, and pulled her to sit on his lap, looking into her eyes: "Even if she said she wanted to be my concubine, you should have listened to my rejection and left directly. Are you deliberately making me worry?"

Jiang Shuyi hugged his neck and kissed him, then asked with a smile, "If Your Majesty didn't catch me and I really left, would Your Majesty abandon this place and chase after me?"

Pei Yan took her finger and bit it. When he heard Jiang Shuyi screaming in pain, he lectured her: "You are only happy when I lose my sense of propriety for you and become a laughing stock of my subjects?"

Jiang Shuyi suddenly looked like she was about to cry.

Pei Yan rubbed it quickly and said, "Okay, don't cry. I won't bother with you."

Jiang Shuyi didn't want to hear this. She buried her face in his arms and pretended to cry.

Pei Yan had no choice but to coax her back. When that didn't work, he stuffed his finger in hers and said, "If you're still upset, bite me to vent your anger."

Jiang Shuyi raised her eyes. Although she didn't really cry, her eyes were red from the tossing and turning. She looked at Pei Yan's fingers, laughed bitterly at herself, and said miserably, "How can I be so cruel? Even if I was bitten by Your Majesty, I would not be willing to hurt Your Majesty in the slightest."

Pei Yan closed his eyes and ordered all the palace people to leave...

*

A banquet was to be held at noon to entertain the Khotan envoys and the princess, so we hurried to avoid any delay.

Inside the Golden Palace, Pei Yan and Jiang Shuyi sat at the head of the table, accompanied by several officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple.

These officials felt that it was inappropriate for the emperor and his concubine to sit together, but if they thought about it carefully, His Majesty had always been wise and intelligent, and today's move must have a deep meaning, probably to give Xitian a warning!

The envoy from Khotan entered the palace.

Jiang Shuyi heard the crisp sound of jingling bells and looked at the palace door intently.

A woman from another race walked in with a smile like a fluttering butterfly. Although she was not as beautiful as Zheng Yuezhaoqing, she was also a beauty, and her personality was lively. She had colorful ribbons on her hair and bells on her body that rang crisply. Since she entered the hall, she began to look around curiously.

Behind her was an envoy from Xitian, who was obviously Tuoba Han's twin sister Tuoba Yuer.

Jiang Shuyi wasn't that nervous this time.

Pei Yan's aura is still lingering on her, why would she be jealous?

Everyone in Xitian put their hands on their hearts and bowed. After being reminded to kneel, the rough-looking envoy was still reluctant, but Tuoba Yuer knelt directly and said with a smile: "Kneel down, kneel down to the Emperor of Dayuan and this beautiful lady, I am willing to do so!"

Jiang Shuyi was surprised and amused: "The princess can speak the Central Plains dialect?"

Tuoba Yuer smiled at her: "Yes, Your Majesty is very beautiful, like the flowers on the snow-capped mountains where we are, like the bright and flawless moon in the sky!"

Jiang Shuyi's eyebrows curved with joy.

Pei Yan held her hand again, and then said gently: "Princess, you have come a long way and you must be tired. Please enjoy the meal first."

Tuoba Yuer thanked him and sat down.

The banquet to welcome the delegation was nothing more than singing and dancing, and some polite official language. Xitian read out the gift list. The compensation of gold, silver, cattle, horses, etc. had been negotiated in advance, and there were no mistakes or omissions.

Jiang Shuyi found what she heard boring and secretly tickled Pei Yan's legs under the table. But after being patted on the waist in a threatening manner, she instantly became obedient.

Then she met Tuoba Yuer's eyes.

Tuoba Yu'er kept looking at her with shining eyes, not even glancing at Pei Yan.

This made Jiang Shuyi feel quite comfortable and secretly proud.

When the banquet was coming to an end and the Xitian envoys were about to leave the palace, Tuoba Yuer suddenly said in a clear and loud voice: "I have another gift for Your Majesty!"

Everyone in the hall looked over, and Pei Yan said softly, "What would you like to give, Princess?"

Tuoba Yuer asked a maid to bring up a long box, took out the scroll inside and unfolded it. It was an extremely long and magnificent picture. In the distance, there were high mountains and clear waters, eagles flying in the sky, and in the near distance, there were vast grasslands and herds of cattle and sheep.

It is not difficult to see that the painting depicts the scenery of Khotan.

The painting style of Xitian is different from that of Dayuan. The colors of the paint are brighter and bolder, which makes people feel bright. In addition, the scroll is wide and long. At first glance, it seems as if you are in the wilderness, and your mind is disturbed.

"This is what I drew." Tuoba Yu'er said with pride: "I came to Dayuan this time not to give myself to His Majesty as a gift as my brother wanted. I am a free person. I came here just to paint the beautiful scenery of Dayuan and the beautiful people of Dayuan."

When she spoke of beautiful people, she looked at Jiang Shuyi with shining eyes: "Can I stay in the palace and paint a portrait of the beautiful lady?"