Mountain and River Sacrifice 234. First meeting with the King of Nanzhao
After seeing Princess Anxi off, Xu Qingchen turned around and looked at Ye Li and said sincerely, "Li'er, thank you so much, big brother." Xu Qingchen understood why Ye Li had talked so much to Princess Anxi. She herself did not have any friendship with Princess Anxi, so there was no need for her to bother with this.
Ye Li did all this because she didn't want Princess Anxi to be unable to let go or even turn her love for Xu Qingchen into hatred. If it was an ordinary woman, it would be fine, but as the princess of a king, Princess Anxi has too much power to exert. If she really got into a dead end, it might not be without giving Xu Qingchen a headache for a while. Moreover, although Xu Qingchen didn't have any romantic feelings for Princess Anxi, he really treated her as a friend. It would be a pity if this affected their previous friendship.
Ye Li rolled her eyes and pouted, "You're welcome. Big brother, since you are so ruthless to the girl, just don't mess with her. I can't just block you out of romance for no reason." Speaking of this, Ye Li had to be thankful that she had been married to Mo Xiuyao for a long time and that they were a loving couple recognized by the world. Every time she walked with Xu Qingchen for a while, she was glared at by many girls who didn't know the truth and admired the eldest son of Xu. Thinking of the fact that she had lied to Princess Anxi that she was Xu Qingchen's fiancée, Ye Li couldn't help but be thankful that she met Princess Anxi. If she had met another woman, she might have drawn a knife and chopped her directly.
Xu Qingchen touched his nose apologetically, not knowing what to say for a moment. He really hadn't thought of flirting with any woman, nor was he too arrogant to look down on anyone. It was just that he really didn't have that kind of heart-beating feeling.
"Ali, I've told you a long time ago that big brother doesn't like any girl." Mo Xiuyao came out, put his arm around Ye Li's waist, pulled her into his arms and said with a smile.
Ye Li immediately remembered what Mo Xiuyao had said about Xu Qingchen's sexual orientation, and her face froze. She turned her head to look at Xu Qingchen, but she saw that Xu Qingchen did not have the slightest intention of refuting her, and her heart sank again. Although she did not discriminate against the cut-sleeve, she was still not mentally prepared for her eldest brother to really cut off his sleeves. Moreover... how should she explain this to her uncle and aunt?
Xu Qingchen looked at Ye Li's gloomy face and thought that she was just worried about her own affairs. He said quickly: "Li'er, don't be angry. This is not what my brother wants..."
Seeing Xu Qingchen's rare worried look, Ye Li's heart skipped a beat. Yes, it was not something that big brother wanted to do. Big brother didn't say anything for so many years, so he must not want others to know. Young Master Qingchen was famous all over the world, but he was a man who cut off his sleeves. If it got out... "I know, big brother, don't make it difficult for me. Li'er won't ask about it in the future." Xu Qingchen was startled. He was very touched by his sister's understanding, but he didn't know why he always felt that Li'er's eyes looking at him were not right. What was wrong with that look that contained understanding, sympathy, and comfort?
"Everyone must be tired after traveling for several days. Big brother, I will take A'li back to the room to rest first." Mo Xiuyao said slowly.
Feeling that something was not right, Xu Qingchen waved his hand and told the two to go on as they pleased. He reviewed the conversation in his mind and finally found out what the problem was. The gentle and elegant appearance of Master Qingchen finally froze, and his face turned so pale that it almost scared Zhuo Jing and Lin Han who were about to leave the courtyard. "Mo Xiuyao!"
What do you mean he doesn't like any girl? Mo Xiuyao's nonsense was clearly hinting to Li'er that he didn't like women. Thinking of the strange look Li'er had been looking at him with in the past few days, Xu Qingchen finally found the reason. Thinking of the half-smile Mo Xiuyao gave him before he left, Master Qingchen couldn't help but grit his teeth, "Mo Xiuyao, you wait for me!"
Back in the courtyard where they were staying, Ye Li asked curiously, "Which tribe is Princess Anxi's husband from? It seems very impressive. You and your elder brother can speak their language." Mo Xiuyao nodded and said, "It's a tribe called White Wolf in the southwest of Southern Xinjiang. They live in the mountains and have been with beasts and poisonous insects since childhood. Almost all the men in the tribe are hunters and archers who are picked out of a hundred. In addition, they are just as good at driving away poisonous insects as the general people in Southern Xinjiang, or even better. When I was preparing to pacify Southern Xinjiang, I asked people to investigate them. Several people in the army learned this language. I also learned it when I was free in those years."
Ye Li sat down and poured herself some tea while thinking, "Princess Anxi chose to get married at this time because she wanted the support of the White Wolf Clan?"
Mo Xiuyao nodded and sat down opposite Ye Li. Before they came to Southern Xinjiang, they had naturally sent people to investigate Princess Anxi's marriage. Mo Xiuyao said, "The current situation in Southern Xinjiang is very unfavorable to Princess Anxi. Princess Anxi needs the support of other tribes in Southern Xinjiang. It was better when my brother was in the south, but in recent years, my brother has been busy in the northwest. It is not easy for Princess Anxi to deal with her father, Shu Manlin, Tan Jizhi and the leaders of the tribes alone."
"Then..." Ye Li frowned slightly, and said with some worry. Although they should help Princess Anxi because of their friendship with her, from the perspective of stability between countries, a chaotic southern Xinjiang is the most beneficial to them.
"We should try not to get involved." Xu Qingchen's voice came from outside the door. Young Master Qingchen, who had regained his elegance and gentleness, walked in. He only narrowed his eyes when he saw Mo Xiuyao. He looked at Ye Li and said, "My friendship with Princess Anxi is one thing, and intervening in the internal affairs of another country is another. In the past, I was just a friend of Princess Anxi, but now our words and deeds represent the position of the Northwest. So, we must not make any mistakes." Ye Li nodded and asked with some concern, "Will it embarrass my brother?"
Xu Qingchen shook his head and said, "Princess Anxi knows her limits."
Ye Li thought for a moment and said, "To be honest, Princess Anxi may be quite gifted in governing a country, but when it comes to intrigue, I'm afraid she is no match for those people. If we stand aside and watch, once Princess Anxi loses to Southern Xinjiang and falls into the hands of Shu Manlin, it will not be good for the Northwest."
Xu Qingchen was silent for a moment, and said, "I will talk to Princess Anxi later. We can provide some help secretly, but we cannot stand on either side openly. The affairs of Southern Xinjiang have nothing to do with us." Ye Li nodded and said, "I understand." Looking at Xu Qingchen's calm and elegant demeanor, Ye Li sighed in her heart. Big brother is so rational sometimes that it makes people feel ruthless. Maybe in big brother's heart, although Princess Anxi is a friend, she is not as important as family members. After all, the northwest is their home.
After all, they were guests from afar, so the next morning Ye Li and his party went to the palace to see the King of Nanzhao. Princess Anxi accompanied them to the palace. After yesterday's meeting and conversation, Pu'a was much more familiar and friendly when he saw them again. The young man also greeted them cheerfully in his own language. Although he had been to Nanzhao before, this was the first time Ye Li met the King of Nanzhao. The King of Nanzhao was wearing a robe made of Nanzhao's unique brocade and embroidery, and he looked magnificent. He wore a gorgeous crown made of gold, inlaid with emeralds and necklaces, and he looked so golden that it almost blinded people. The whole palace was also filled with a gorgeous style that was completely different from the Central Plains.
"Prince Ding and Princess Ding have come from afar, and I am not very pleased to welcome them. Did Prince Ding and Princess Ding have a good rest last night?" The King of Nanzhao laughed heartily while sitting on the throne, but there was no sign of welcome in Mo Xiuyao's eyes. The King of Nanzhao spoke the Central Plains dialect very well, but with a slight Nanzhao accent, which is a problem that many Nanzhao people have, but it does not affect the listener's understanding at all. Mo Xiuyao smiled indifferently, cupped his hand as a return gesture, and said: "The Crown Princess is getting married soon, and I and the Princess would like to congratulate the King of Nanzhao and the Princess. I also wish the King of Nanzhao to have a grandson soon."
The King of Nanzhao froze. Although there was nothing wrong with Mo Xiuyao's blessing, the King of Nanzhao was not yet fifty years old. Mo Xiuyao's wish for him to have a grandson soon sounded like a normal blessing, but to the King of Nanzhao it sounded like a mockery of his inability to have a son.
"Even His Royal Highness Prince Ding has come all the way here. Princess Wang is such a great honor. I am so jealous." The atmosphere in the palace was a little bit stiff, and suddenly a charming female voice came from the side hall. Everyone looked to the side and saw Shu Manlin coming out in a gorgeous yellow dress of the Southern Xinjiang Saint, but she was not wearing the mask that the Southern Xinjiang Saint had to wear when meeting outsiders. The other Nanzhao people in the palace seemed to be accustomed to this.
Mo Xiuyao's eyes slowly passed over Shu Manlin, and he frowned slightly and asked in confusion: "King of Nanzhao, who is this?"
The King of Nanzhao laughed, looked at Shu Manlin lovingly and said with a smile: "Prince Ding, you don't know, this is Shu Manlin, the Saint of my Nanzhao Kingdom." Mo Xiuyao frowned even more tightly, and said lightly: "I heard that the Saint of Southern Xinjiang cannot be over 25 years old, and never see outsiders. It turns out that this is just a rumor?" Shu Manlin's face flashed with anger. Was Mo Xiuyao saying that she looked more than 25 years old? But Shu Manlin was imprisoned by Mo Xiuyao for more than half a year, and she was really a little scared of him. Even in front of so many people at this time, she didn't want to take the initiative to provoke him, so she could only look at the King of Nanzhao pitifully.
At least on the surface, the King of Nanzhao treated Shu Manlin much better than Princess Anxi, who was also the Crown Princess. Seeing Shu Manlin's pleading eyes, the King of Nanzhao immediately spoke up to help her out, saying, "King Ding, you don't know that the Saint is the great savior of Nanzhao. So after discussion among the tribe leaders, it has been decided that Saint Shu Manlin will become the lifelong Saint of Nanzhao."
Ye Li glanced at Shu Manlin's slightly smug face and smiled in her heart. She didn't know if Shu Manlin was the savior of Nanzhao, but with her relationship with Tan Jizhi, she looked more like a disaster for Nanzhao. They were able to persuade so many tribal leaders in Nanzhao to agree that Shu Manlin didn't have to abide by the rules of Southern Xinjiang for hundreds of years, which showed that their power in Southern Xinjiang could not be underestimated. It was no wonder that Princess Anxi chose to marry Pu'a at this time. Pu'a's tribe was also a very powerful tribe in Southern Xinjiang. With the support of Princess Anxi's grandfather's tribe, they could barely compete with Shu Manlin and Tan Jizhi.
Mo Xiuyao nodded indifferently, and Shu Manlin's eyes flashed with anger, and she turned around and looked at Xu Qingchen. After a slight pause, Shu Manlin stepped forward and smiled softly: "Is this the first son of Da Chu, Qingchen? It's a pleasure to meet you, Shu Manlin is polite." Princess Anxi looked at her indifferently, sneered and said: "This is not the first time you have seen Qingchen, why do you have to pretend like this?" This woman trapped Qingchen in the Nanzhao underground palace for many days, and now she is pretending to meet him for the first time, which is really disgusting! Shu Manlin looked at Princess Anxi, blinked innocently, and said, "Princess, what do you really mean? When have I ever met Master Qingchen? But you... I heard that Princess Anxi and Master Qingchen are very good friends." Shu Manlin emphasized the word "very good" very much, as if she was full of jealousy and resentment, and seemed to do it on purpose. Because she spoke in Nanzhao language, and deliberately glanced at Pu'a who was standing next to Princess Anxi, it seemed even more deliberate.
A gleam of light flashed in Princess Anxi's eyes. She looked at Shu Manlin coldly and said, "What's wrong with Master Qingchen and I being friends? I'm the princess of Nanzhao. Can't I even have a friend? Some people have been flirting with King Li of Great Chu many years ago. At that time, they hadn't obtained the privileges of the ethnic groups in Southern Xinjiang, right?" Being said like this by Princess Anxi in front of so many people, Shu Manlin couldn't help blushing no matter how bold she was. "You!" Princess Anxi smiled disdainfully and said, "Why? Are you trying to say that you don't know King Li of Great Chu?" Princess Anxi dared to ask this because she had evidence in her hand that Shu Manlin had known Mo Jingli for a long time, which made it inappropriate for Shu Manlin to admit it or deny it. If she denied it, Princess Anxi would most likely throw out the evidence of her acquaintance with Prince Li in a fit of rage. If she admitted it, it would be even worse. Although she was no longer subject to these restrictions, it would be very disadvantageous to her if people knew that she had known a man outside several years ago.
"Okay, Xier. Why are you saying all this in front of the guests?" The King of Nanzhao suddenly spoke, frowning and looking at Princess Anxi, his tone clearly containing some reprimand.
Princess Anxi was startled, and finally lowered her head sadly.
Ye Li smiled as she watched the flash of pride on Shu Manlin's face. Suddenly, she pursed her lips and smiled, "Come to think of it... I also think this saint looks familiar." Shu Manlin looked at Ye Li in surprise, her eyes full of tension and blame, as if blaming Ye Li for betraying her. Ye Li smiled faintly, thought about it seriously and said, "Maybe I made a mistake. Five years ago, when my son was one month old, I seemed to see a girl who looked very similar to the saint, traveling to the northwest with a man. But that man was not the King of Chuli. I must have made a mistake."
Ye Li frightened Shu Manlin and she knew that she was fooled by Ye Li. She hated her but didn't dare to show it in front of everyone. She could only swallow her anger and smiled: "It's good that the princess recognized me. I have never been to the northwest."
Ye Li smiled faintly and said, "Is that so? I have never seen two people who look so alike. Please don't blame me, Saint."