Even if the Hailan Army assisted the envoys of the eight nations in entering the court, they would still make their presence felt in front of the emperor and the court.
When the time comes, put the report of good news together with the report of the Hailan Army changing their armor and weapons. The emperor might be pleased and approve it on the spot!
Thinking this, he immediately ordered, "Jiayi, take a boat to welcome the envoys from the eight nations."
Before Jiayi could respond, Jiaxi waved his hand to stop him, then leaned forward and whispered a few words in General Tang's ear.
General Tang was so startled that he suddenly stood up!
Li Zhensheng immediately stopped General Tang from speaking, "General, walls have ears. Otherwise, we wouldn't have entered the camp in the dead of night!"
General Tang forced down his shock, nodded slightly, and after a moment, changed his order: "Jiayi, you and Liu Yang take two ships and a thousand soldiers and immediately set sail to meet the delegation. If there are any valuables, you can use fast boats to send them to the small dock and disembark first. I will have someone meet them."
"Yes, General." Jia Yi and Liu Yang stepped forward, responded in unison, and accepted the order.
The ships were all quite large, so the docks for them to enter the port were naturally also very large.
There were many boats and people coming and going, making it somewhat chaotic.
But about five or six miles away from the main wharf, there is a small wharf, which is considered the private port of the Tang family. It is usually guarded by veterans and wounded soldiers who have followed the Tang family for generations.
The fleet's important cargo would be unloaded here, ensuring no leaks would occur.
After confirming the details again, Jiayi and Liu Yang set off with Jiaxi and their little tagalong, Cat Brother.
General Tang also began writing a memorial to the throne. Li Zhensheng asked for paper and pen, and together they wrote a letter to the Marquis.
Then, together with General Tang's memorial, it was sent to the capital by express courier.
While others were freeloading, the Li family didn't stand on ceremony and directly hitched a ride on a fast horse.
General Tang was not angry at all; on the contrary, he was very happy.
The reason was simple: he was secretly eyeing the Li family's son, hoping to snatch him up and take him home as his grandson-in-law!
In the Li family courtyard, Old Mrs. Li said she wouldn't wait for her children and grandchildren, but how could she not miss them?
As a result, only Li Zhensheng returned in the middle of the night; the rest of the boys had gone out to sea to meet the fleet.
After a few playful scoldings from Old Lady Li, she let it go.
It's a pity that Tao Hongying prepared so much bone broth noodles, but it won't go to waste.
Li Zhensheng ate a large bowl, and used the rest to make a late-night snack for the attendants and servants in the outer courtyard, who ate with beaming smiles...
On the second night, at the darkest hour of the night, two fast boats darted across the sea and arrived at the small dock next to the naval port.
The Tang family veterans, holding torches, circled the boat three times before Liu Yang and Jia Yi jumped off and quickly handed over the three large wooden crates to the Tang family's carriage.
Two of the wooden crates were very heavy and nailed tightly together, while the other crate had gaps, and occasionally some groaning sounds could be heard from inside.
But the veteran soldiers of the Tang family were well-trained and seemed not to hear a thing. They quickly drove the carriage into the night and left silently and without a trace.
Jiayi and Liu Yang boarded the speedboat again and glided into the sea.
Liu Yang nudged Jia Yi and asked, "Such a tremendous achievement, and you're just giving it to the General like this?"
Jiayi smiled nonchalantly and replied, "You know perfectly well that the General has a tight grip on Quanzhou. It's impossible to hide it from him. We might as well be open about it and let him contribute. He'll get a share of the credit too."
"Moreover, my uncle's idea is that the General went to great lengths to get me out of prison in Kyoto, so this is just to repay that favor."
“That’s true,” Liu Yang nodded and said in a low voice, “Jiaxi and Jia’an brought back envoys from eight countries this time, which is already quite extravagant. Especially Jiaxi, who actually married the Queen… Just thinking about how everyone must have been shocked out of their wits makes me want to laugh!”
Jiayi couldn't help but laugh out loud, "I never expected that this kid, who was so mischievous since childhood, would have such a talent when he grew up!"
"The family must be surprised right now, everyone's waiting to see Jiaxi's wife and children!"
"Yes, thank goodness Grandma is open-minded, otherwise Jiaxi would have gotten a real beating!"
"Exactly! Getting married and having children without telling his family, this kid is really too bold. He deserves a beating!"
The two chatted and laughed all the way, and soon joined the fleet. They boarded the large ship, rested for a while, and waited to enter the port in the morning.
Little did they know, Li Zhensheng was too busy to bring up the matter.
The family had no idea that they had gained a queen as their granddaughter-in-law!
A sunrise over the sea is one of the most magnificent sights in the world.
The sun, a fiery red ball, slowly rose from below the sea surface. The moment it fully emerged from the water, the sea and sky were instantly draped in a golden cloak, a breathtakingly beautiful sight that left one in awe.
At that very moment, at the Hailan Military Port pier, quite a few people were already waiting in the morning breeze.
General Tang brought several generals from the camp, the prefect of Quanzhou who had just been notified yesterday, and finally Old Lady Li and others.
The prefect of Quanzhou paid special respects to Old Lady Li, his expression very polite.
He had no faction or powerful backer in the court; he was just an ordinary official. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been exiled to Quanzhou to serve as the prefect.
After all, in the eyes of the world, Quanzhou is a remote and desolate place.
He was content with his lot, staying in Quanzhou and living a peaceful life in a remote corner.
However, the Li family was a favorite of the emperor and enjoyed great favor from him.
He could pretend he didn't know and not take the initiative to visit the Li family.
Now that we're meeting face-to-face, we can no longer neglect proper etiquette.
Grandma Li was very easygoing and didn't put on any airs. She exchanged a few pleasantries and that was it.
The prefect was somewhat satisfied, but when he looked at General Tang, his feelings became complicated.
Hai Lanjun's prestige in Quanzhou was too high. Despite being the local leader, a hundred of his words were not as influential as a single word from General Tang.
He was the last to know about the momentous event of eight envoys traveling across oceans to pay tribute.
At this point, forget about getting any credit; if we don't entertain them well, we'll be punished instead. It's really frustrating!
But he couldn't complain, even though he was feeling stifled.
Might makes right!
Now, it's clear that both the Tang and Li families have more power than him...
Amidst the various thoughts on everyone's minds, a dozen large ships, with their backs to the fiery red morning sun, sailed from the sea and sky into view.
The first two ships bear the flags of the Hailan Army, the next three bear the flags of the Tianwu Army, and the rest are more varied, with various patterns representing the envoys from the eight visiting nations.
The Li family was overjoyed and all strained to see what was happening.
Tao Hongying, supporting Old Lady Li, asked anxiously, "Where is An'er? Why can't we see him! This boat is moving too slowly!"
"Oh, don't worry, don't worry! You'll see it soon!" Old Mrs. Li comforted her daughter-in-law, but she herself secretly stood up on her tiptoes.
A jade hairpin adorned her hair, reflecting the morning light onto her face, making it seem as if even her wrinkles held a radiant glow.
Jia'an stood on the ship's railing, dressed in black, which made him look as austere and upright as a birch tree in the north.
He was also looking around, and he saw his mother and grandmother almost immediately.
He had held back his tears for nearly three years, and now he could no longer hold them back and ran out!
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