33. Princess Banana Deer

◎My water has already leaked out, why are you still looking?!

In Jianzhang Palace, the Emperor and Empress spent half an hour alone in the hall. No one knew what the most powerful couple in the world had talked about.

Half an hour later, Empress Zhang, with her wide skirt embroidered with phoenixes in gold, gracefully crossed the vermilion threshold of Jianzhang Palace. Her straight back quickly disappeared below the steps.

The next day, the emperor summoned the Xiongnu envoy Helande and said, “Helande has been in Chang’an for more than a month now. How well have you experienced the customs and culture of our Great Jin? I wonder if you have felt at home during this month?”

Heland was nearly two feet tall, with small, sharp, hawk-like eyes and a hooked nose. He was neither fat nor thin, and in their country, he was considered handsome.

Unfortunately, he preferred civil administration to martial arts, and aspired to become a famous minister like Zhang Yi of the previous dynasty.

This time, it was his idea to come to the Great Jin to ask for the princess's hand in marriage. He had two purposes for this request: first, to test the strength of the Great Jin. He had been busy for more than a month.

Secondly, he was preparing for this winter. His tribe was now lacking everything except men. They lacked women, money, and most importantly, food.

By coming to the Great Jin, he can obtain a large sum of money, grain, and livestock for the monarch he serves.

At least, this will allow their tribe to get through the winter. As for what happens after that, that depends on the sincerity of the Great Jin Dynasty.

He placed one hand on his chest and said, “Thank you for your hospitality, Your Majesty. I have had a very peaceful and comfortable month.”

Behind him, a short man hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, what our Lord Helan meant was that we are very grateful for the hospitality of the Great Jin Dynasty, but we have been taking advantage of the situation."

Inside the Chengming Hall, there was a brief moment of silence, then the unconventional emperor slapped his dragon throne and burst into laughter, "Hahahaha!"

The other ministers couldn't help but chuckle, but Sima Hong remained as immovable as a towering glacier.

The Xiongnu envoys exchanged glances, wondering why the Jin emperor was patting his dragon throne and laughing so hard that tears were about to stream down his face.

"I wonder why Your Majesty is so pleased?" Heland asked.

Although Chu Pei had returned to the throne, his unconventional nature remained unchanged. He stopped smiling and said, "Minister Helan, I have summoned you here today because I have important matters to announce."

At this moment, he restored the solemnity of a monarch. His phoenix eyes, when not smiling, revealed a sharp glint. His expression was cold and stern, as if the person who was laughing so hard was not him.

He slightly raised his chin and gestured to the eunuch beside him. The eunuch stepped forward and, in a cunning, high-pitched voice, read the imperial edict: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Although the Xiongnu are foreign lands, their respectful attitude towards our Great Jin is sufficient, and their piety is evident. Our Great Jin, with its fertile land and abundant resources, embraces all things and embraces all rivers. Today, we hereby bestow upon the Empress's daughter, Princess Jiaolu—Qiao—to marry the Xiongnu Chanyu Huhe, wishing to establish a familial alliance with the Xiongnu. Furthermore, we bestow upon her 500 gold pieces, 300 cattle and sheep, and 200 women as her dowry! May the Xiongnu never forget the grace of Great Jin, and forever bow down to Great Jin. This is the imperial decree!"

Outside the Pixiang Palace, Li Qiao, under the scorching sun, stopped two passing palace maids and said, "Please inform Madam Guo that I wish to see her."

She was born and raised in Lijiacun, which belongs to Fujun. She had only been in the capital for less than two months, and her accent was still very strong.

The two palace maids in front of her had delicate, raised eyebrows and were looking down at the empress's biological daughter below the steps.

A palace maid revealed a malicious smile, "Oh, isn't this our newly appointed Princess Jiaolu? Why don't you go to see Her Majesty the Empress, but instead come to see our Madam?"

Even if she is the empress's daughter, she will still be sent to marry a foreign ruler. She is not even as good as palace maids like them.

The two palace maids behind Li Qiao, Hongshu and Hongyu, were more sensitive than their mistress. They felt extremely embarrassed after hearing what the two second-class maids said, yet the princess still had to shamelessly ask for an audience.

Hongshu thought to himself, "I've truly never seen such a clueless master before. If I were to beg, I should beg the Empress. What kind of person is Madam Guo? Not to mention that the Empress and Madam Guo are like oil and water, she wouldn't help her."

Even if it were someone else's princess, Madam Guo might not necessarily lend a hand to save her. This lady is the kind of person who stirs up trouble even when there is none, loves to add fuel to the fire, and never offers help in times of need.

Hoping she would have a change of heart is less likely than hoping a bolt of lightning would strike down and kill the Xiongnu envoy!

“Princess, let’s go. The marriage alliance is irreversible. Staying here will only make us a laughingstock and tarnish your dignity,” Hongshu and Hongyu said, pulling her hands and urging her to leave.

Li Qiao was strong. She was also from a farming family. Although her family was considered wealthy in Lijia Village, she had worked in the fields when she was young. Moreover, rural women didn't have many rules and were used to working outside. Therefore, she was stronger than these women in the palace.

She brushed aside Hongshu, who was pulling her away, and said, "What do you know! What does it matter if it's respectable or not? She's going to be sent away for a political marriage anyway, so who cares about these things?"

Besides, the Empress wouldn't care about her at all. She had already realized she was an imposter from the very first day she entered the palace! No! From the very first glance she took at her!

She impersonated her own daughter, and even tried to have her daughter killed! The empress's eyes seemed to see through it all!

The way she looked at her revealed an undisguised murderous intent!

The first time she met Empress Zhang, she knew she was doomed, but for some reason, Empress Zhang kept quiet about it.

When she first entered the palace, she didn't know where she got the courage, but she thought she couldn't just sit and wait for her death.

People in the palace were saying that Lady Guo and Empress Zhang were at odds, yet Lady Guo was the most favored.

She didn't know much, could barely recognize a few words, and understood the principle that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

In addition, she knew that the group of guards who came back with him were Madam Guo's men. She had once inadvertently discovered that the man named Shen Wei had privately visited Madam Guo.

Therefore, she gave up trying to please the Empress and instead became close to Lady Guo. Everyone knew that Lady Guo was the Emperor's favorite concubine, and the Emperor would definitely listen to her. As long as she satisfied Lady Guo, Lady Guo could help her persuade the Emperor to change his mind. At that time, the Empress would be helpless.

However, Madam Guo had promised that if she secretly told her what she had seen and heard at the Empress's place, she would help her avoid the marriage alliance.

She lied to her! She did nothing! In the end, she's still being sent away for a political marriage!

These days, it feels like a knife is hanging over her head, wearing away the courage she had when she came!

Hongshu and Hongyu tried to persuade her, but she didn't listen, because Hongshu and Hongyu didn't know the huge secret she was hiding.

If she were Empress Zhang's biological child, she would certainly beg her, but she knew she wasn't, and most importantly, the Empress also knew she wasn't.

Empress Zhang spared her life only because she was going to be married off to a foreign ruler; why would she help her?

For some reason, at this moment, Li Qiao remembered what Li Qigu had said to her.

The capital city was infinitely prosperous, with luxurious carriages and fine horses, and she certainly enjoyed all that wealth and honor. But why did Li Qigu refuse the title of princess?

Since she knew how wonderful this capital city was, why did she stand by and watch her walk into this seemingly glittering cage?

That hateful Li Qigu! Did you know all along that I would end up like this?

"Achoo!" Aunt Qi sneezed, rubbed her nose, and thought, "Who insulted me!"

As Li Shi and Sima Hong walked in from behind Qi Gu, the Taicang magistrate's eyes bulged, as if he had seen something extraordinary.

Although five or six years have passed, this man will never be mistaken; he is the one who taught him to use vine juice to irrigate millet and wheat seedlings!

"You, you are... roe decoction and hot water!"

Sima Hong stood beside Qi Gu, looking at her round profile with an ambiguous expression, as if he were thinking about something.

Qi Gu felt uncomfortable under his gaze, as if her body was a wooden bucket filled with water, and his eyes were like holes poking many small holes in her body, through which the water leaked out.

She glared back at him fiercely, "My water's already leaked out, and you're still looking?!"

Sun Shan, standing to the side, pointed at Li Shi in surprise, her eyes practically popping out as she turned to her, "You're that little girl from back then!"

Li Shi looked at Sun Shan and recognized him as well.

"Oh dear, this is like meeting an old friend in a foreign land, bringing tears to my eyes."

“Sir, you are a man of great talent and noble character. I was blind to your greatness back then.” Sun Shan never expected to meet him here.

Li Shi didn't care at all, "In the end, you still listened to me."

He noticed that although the old man's face was as dark as it had been years ago, he was dressed in official robes. "Where have you been promoted and made your fortune all these years?" he asked Sun Shan in a friendly manner.

Sun Shan recalled that when His Majesty appointed him as the Taicang Magistrate, he said he was lucky. Now he realized that his luck was entirely due to the man in front of him.

"Sir, you are unaware of the truth, but my attainment of this official position is largely due to you."

Li Shi pointed to himself, "Me?!"

Sun Shan nodded and recalled the past: "Back then, I used the fish vine juice method to save more than ten acres of my own land. Later, I taught this method to the villagers. That autumn, our village had its first bumper harvest in several years. Coincidentally, His Majesty's army passed by and 'acquired' our village's land."

Qi Gu chuckled to herself. What a clever "recruitment"! The fact that the Taicang magistrate was able to be granted an official position must have been due to another reason besides luck.

Li Shi chuckled, "Old man, you're too modest. Your successful career is what you deserve."

Sun Shan smiled slightly, not minding his seemingly impolite actions and words, and continued, "That's one thing. You may not know this, but later, I followed His Majesty and farmed the land in the rear. But for some reason, the soldiers often fell ill with stomach aches. Many soldiers were not killed by the enemy on the battlefield, but rather suffered from inexplicable stomach aches that led to high fevers. It was one thing for them to lose their fighting ability, but many of them died from the illness. I remembered what you told me, that the corpses on the battlefield were piled up like mountains, and those rotting corpses would pollute the nearby water sources if they were not cleaned up in time. So I suggested to the Empress, who was also in the rear, that all water should be boiled before drinking. Sure enough, the soldiers' stomach aches improved."

With that, Sun Shan solemnly bowed to Li Shi, saying, "I thank you on behalf of the soldiers, and I also thank you on behalf of myself for saving my life!"

Li Shi pulled up his hand as he bowed, saying, "Old man, please rise. These things have nothing to do with me. They are all thanks to your resourcefulness and your own hard work."

"Sir, you are noble and selfless, and I, Sun Shan, admire you greatly." Back then, he had not told the Emperor and Empress about the method of using hot water, but learned about it from the person in front of him, and he had always felt very guilty about it.

“I will report to the Emperor and Empress that the method of using hot water back then was your achievement.”

"It was nothing, old man, don't make it sound like some great achievement. Let bygones be bygones, and let's start a new chapter together!"

[Author's Note]

There's a story behind why Li Qiao was given the title "Princess Jiaolu," which will be explained later!

Li Qiao: Li Qigu, you've made me suffer so much! [Cracks]

Qi Gu picks her nose: I said, "This good fortune is for you, do you want it?" Who knew you'd take it without even thinking? [doge emoji]