Chapter 816 Galloping on Horseback Across the Grassland
As evening fell, the convoy arrived at the palace.
The post stations along the way were prepared for court officials, while the palaces were built for members of the royal family to travel in, and the Assab royal family could stay there directly.
Although the temporary palace was not as luxurious as the imperial palace, it was much more comfortable than staying in a post station.
The palace staff had already received the news and prepared a sumptuous dinner in advance, so they could eat as soon as they arrived at the palace.
King Asab and King Qin sat at one table, while the other ministers sat at another. Cheng Wanwan naturally dined with the Queen.
"Wanwan, it's delicious."
The queen spoke in broken Daewoo language.
She originally called her Madam Sui, but the three characters of Da Yu Kingdom were too difficult to pronounce. She spent an entire afternoon trying to learn them but still couldn't. In the end, she decided to call her Wanwan instead, firstly because it was easier to pronounce, and secondly because it sounded more intimate.
Cheng Wanwan replied in Da Yu Guo language, "This dish is called Three-Pot Stewed Chicken, the pot of pot, the chicken of chicken and duck..."
The queen pronounced the words carefully, like a parrot mimicking its song, and then memorized them perfectly.
After the meal, the queen learned the names of several dishes and some everyday phrases used at the dinner table.
At this moment, the sun was setting, and the early August sunset, carrying a trace of warmth, slowly disappeared below the horizon.
In a side courtyard of the palace, Zhao Sanniu and the King of Qin were sparring.
The queen casually chatted in Assab: "I stayed in the Kingdom of Da Yu for a while and heard that the King of Qin is over thirty years old and still unmarried?"
Cheng Wanwan nodded: "In earlier years, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor helped with the arrangements, but in the last two years they have just let things take their course."
"My eldest daughter is eighteen years old and still unmarried." A smile appeared on the Queen's face. "When we arrive in Asab Kingdom, let the eldest princess meet the King of Qin. If..."
She had only spoken halfway when Tinggu, who was serving behind her, spoke up with her head bowed: "Has Your Majesty forgotten that Prince Ali intends to marry Princess Liuli to the Prince of Qin of the Dayu Dynasty?"
The Queen's expression immediately changed: "How dare you interrupt when your master is speaking?"
Tinggu remained unfazed, still bowing her head, and said, "This old servant is merely reminding the Queen not to do something bad with good intentions."
The queen clenched the handkerchief in her hand in anger.
Because she and the king were suppressed, the princess's status was even lower than that of a county princess, and she lived a very stifled life.
She, a queen, was constantly being disciplined by her maids, and she lived like this for more than ten years.
She suppressed her anger and said coldly, "All of you, step back."
Knowing the importance of not pushing people too far, Tinggu curtsied and led the servants out of the courtyard.
The queen pursed her lips and took deep breaths to calm herself.
Cheng Wanwan sat on the side, her fingers lightly tapping the table.
If even a lowly nanny can be so arrogant, it shows just how lawless Prince Alexander is.
It's no wonder that the King and Queen of Asab traveled a long way to the Kingdom of Da Yu to seek help.
“We can’t keep the people around the Queen.” Cheng Wanwan raised her eyes and spoke slowly. “When we get to Asab, we will have to discuss important matters. Keeping these people around will pose a great threat.”
The Queen smiled bitterly: "When the Prince sent people here for the first time, I drove them away forcefully. He drove one away, but sent two more. It's no use."
“Then let’s try again.” Cheng Wanwan smiled. “Since we’ve decided to take back military power, we’ll have to break ties sooner or later. Why doesn’t the Queen use the people serving her as a practice subject first?”
The Queen raised her eyes and looked at the eight personal attendants standing at the entrance of the courtyard.
Even from such a distance, those eight men didn't let her go, watching her every move before returning to report to Prince Alexander.
If she doesn't even dare to deal with these eight people, how can she help the king regain military power?
She looked at Cheng Wanwan and asked firmly, "Wanwan, what do you think I should do to win in one fell swoop?"
“The journey from the Great Yu Kingdom to Asab is long, and it’s perfectly normal for someone to fall ill along the way.” Cheng Wanwan took out a paper packet from her sleeve and quietly slipped it into the Queen’s hand. “While they are sick, promote a few low-ranking maids. By the time they recover, everything will be settled.”
The queen clutched the medicine packet tightly, and without asking what kind of medicine it was, nodded vigorously.
The next morning, Cheng Wanwan heard from Granny Qi that all eight servants who served the Queen were sick, suffering from vomiting and diarrhea.
The queen was kind and allowed the eight men to stay in the palace to recuperate. However, the eight men bravely got out of bed and insisted on returning to Assab with the others. So the king arranged a separate carriage and put the eight sick men in it, citing the fear that their illness might be passed on to the others. He then had the carriage follow far behind the rest of the caravan.
The queen selected four maids from the lowest ranks of the household to serve her in all her needs, from food and clothing to shelter and transportation.
"Wanwan, thank you."
The Queen held Cheng Wanwan's hand and sincerely thanked her.
She really didn't expect things to go so smoothly, and that she could get rid of those eight people so easily.
Cheng Wanwan shook her head: "The main purpose of the Great Yu Kingdom's trip to Asab was to assist the King and Queen in seizing power. This was simply my duty, so there's no need for thanks."
She paused, then continued, "Since the Queen has promoted her own people, she must protect these four young maids. If anything happens to them, no one will be willing to stay and serve the Queen in the future."
The Queen nodded: "I've remembered what Wanwan said."
Having spent so much time in the Great Yu Kingdom, she had heard many stories about Lady Sui. Everyone said that Lady Sui was intelligent and decisive, and after getting to know her, she found that this was indeed the case. She wasn't a smart person, so she decided to listen to the smart people. Lady Sui would definitely not let her suffer any losses.
The carriage traveled smoothly, getting further and further away from the capital.
The further north you go, the more you see the unique northern landscape, with vast grasslands gradually coming into view.
During her midday rest, Cheng Wanwan couldn't resist wanting to see the scenery of the grassland.
Zhao Sanniu led over a docile horse: "Mother, get on the horse, I'll take you for a ride on the grassland."
He knew his mother loved beautiful scenery, and this place was picturesque. He thought that if his mother became part of that scenery, she would be very happy.
The King of Qin rode up on horseback: "I'll go too."
"Then the Queen and I will go together as well."
The king rode on his horse and pulled the queen onto it. The two rode together on the same horse, and it was clear at a glance that the couple had a very harmonious relationship.
He Xiao followed at a distance, instructing the guards to remain vigilant and pay attention to the surrounding movements.
Ruan Mingzhu was among the guards, and she was extremely frustrated. She had infiltrated as a guard, so she had to abide by all sorts of rules.
She also longed to ride a horse across the grasslands, and she also longed to chat with Lady Sui every day... But she dared not disobey the military orders, for fear of being sent back by General Zhaoyong.
The path you choose, you must walk it to the end, even with tears in your eyes.
The grassland is uniquely beautiful, with vast expanses of lush green grass growing freely. Cattle and sheep graze at will, while white clouds drift lazily in the distance, and several horses gallop freely under the blue sky.
The wind whistled past my ears, fresh air filled my lungs, sweeping away the stale air in my heart, and I felt a sense of spaciousness.
After running around the grassland, Cheng Wanwan's mental state was completely different; it was a feeling she had never experienced before.
“The snow on the grassland is even more beautiful,” the Queen said with a laugh. “It snows in Asab every October, and Wanwan should be able to see it. When that time comes, I will take you to see the snowfields of Asab. It’s so beautiful.”
Cheng Wanwan became hopeful.
After running a few laps, the group slowly started walking back.
Everyone was covered in sweat and went back to their carriages to change their clothes.
The queen discovered that the four young palace maids she had just promoted had vanished without a trace.
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