Inside the city, at the General's Mansion.
"Hahaha, I have long admired the name of the Grand Commandant of Qin. To meet you today is the greatest honor of my life!" Wang Tian raised his wine cup, his face full of awe.
The wicked man had already made concessions, only bringing a few personal guards into the city. In addition, the two countries had always maintained peaceful relations, so Wang Tian had no reason to refuse. Therefore, he could only personally welcome the wicked man into the city and host a banquet for him in the general's mansion.
The wicked man lightly clinked his cup with Wang's and said with a smile, "General Wang is too kind. My visit this time was presumptuous. I hope you will forgive me."
"Not at all, Grand Commandant, you are too kind. I was merely fulfilling my duty. Otherwise, given the good relations between Qin and Qi, I could have traveled freely." Wang Tian's words were extremely eloquent, both absolving himself of his previous wariness and subtly expressing the friendship between the two countries.
The wicked man smiled, then said solemnly, "My arrival is already impolite. General, could you please send someone to Linzi immediately to inform the King of Qi? I will depart only after obtaining his approval."
Wang Tian was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. People generally say that the Qin ruler was tyrannical and arrogant, a stark contrast to the refined and gentle appearance before him!
"If the Grand Commandant has any request, this humble general will naturally carry it out!" Wang Tian hurriedly replied, then summoned a trusted aide and whispered a few instructions.
The trusted confidant accepted the order and left quickly, walking out of the general's mansion and heading straight for Linzi in the dark.
Wang Tian turned around, a smile on his face, and said to the wicked man, "Grand Commandant, please rest assured, the reply from the King of Qi will be delivered by tomorrow afternoon at the latest."
The wicked husband nodded in thanks, and the two continued to drink and chat happily.
Although Wang Tian still harbored doubts about the wicked husband's sudden visit, his outward politeness and enthusiasm remained undiminished.
At the banquet, the two men toasted each other and talked freely about everything from military strategy to the current state of the world, creating a lively atmosphere.
When asked about his views on the current situation, Efu subtly revealed some of Qin's intentions, while Wang Tian responded cautiously. The two sides were engaged in a delicate game of strategy in a friendly atmosphere.
As night fell and the banquet ended, the wicked husband was taken to a luxurious room to rest.
The wicked husband went into the house and fell asleep immediately. He was too tired from eating today's meal. Every word he spoke required a lot of thought. It would have been better to fight on the battlefield for three days and three nights.
With a "what's done is done" attitude, the wicked man slept until noon. When he opened his eyes, he felt refreshed, as he hadn't had a proper rest for quite some time.
Unexpectedly, they ended up resting on someone else's turf.
Meanwhile, while he was still immersed in a sweet dream, his sudden visit stirred up waves in the Qi court.
"Gentlemen, what is the purpose of this wicked man's visit to my state of Qi?" King Tian Jian of Qi asked, his face filled with unresolved doubt. "Could it be... that this wicked man has become addicted to being a matchmaker?"
Some time ago, the marriage alliance between Qin and Chu caused quite a stir, with Qin's Grand Commandant, Efu, personally going to Chu to welcome the bride and present betrothal gifts.
Judging by the time, he had only just returned to his country, yet he had already come to the State of Qi to propose marriage.
Was he afraid that Ying Zheng would have no heir, or was he worried that Ying Zheng would have no wife and was therefore in such a hurry?
Since the wicked husband did not mention who he was marrying, Tian Jian instinctively assumed that he had come to propose marriage on behalf of King Zheng of Qin.
"Your Majesty, it is said that the Qin state's evil minister, Yu, is not at peace after returning to Qin from Chu. He has been assassinated several times on his way. In addition, he has amassed a large number of troops in Ye City. It is not hard to see that he is about to launch a military campaign against Yan."
"This so-called marriage alliance is probably intended to use Qi as a route to attack Yan. It is likely to reassure Qi and prevent Qi and Yan from attacking them from two sides." Tian Dan, an old minister of Qi, pondered for a moment and then spoke, almost understanding the whole story in just a few words.
Although Tian Jian was suspicious of Tian Dan, he trusted his abilities quite a bit. It can be said that Tian Dan single-handedly turned the tide, held Jimo firmly, implemented a counter-espionage plan, made King Hui of Yan doubt the general Yue Yi who was attacking Qi, and then used the fire ox formation to defeat the Yan army and recover more than seventy lost cities.
Thus, he was able to ascend the throne and was appointed prime minister and given the title of Lord Anping.
Tian Jian's eyes suddenly lit up, and after darting around a few times, he asked, "Prime Minister, in your opinion, should this marriage be a union... or not?"
Tian Dan could tell what was going on in his mind just by looking at his expression, and immediately said: "Your Majesty, Qi cannot afford to offend Qin. If we want to get a share of the pie, we will surely incur Qin's wrath. It would be better to go with the flow and do Qin a favor."
"I have heard that Ying Zheng and his wicked husband are a perfect match. Ying Zheng trusts his wicked husband in everything. Although his wicked husband is violent, he is also a man of principle."
"Why don't we... meet him first and see how sincere he is?"
"Then let's follow the Grand Commandant's suggestion and let that wicked man come to Linzi for a meeting!" A hint of disappointment flashed in Tian Jian's eyes. He knew his own business best and was well aware of Qi's capabilities. Trying to get a share of the pie from Qin was indeed wishful thinking.
Upon receiving the king's order, the scouts immediately rode back to Yangjin at full speed.
........
"Has the Grand Commandant woken up?" Zhang Erhe, who had been waiting outside the door, heard the noise from inside the room and quickly asked in a low voice.
"Squeak..."
The door opened, revealing the wicked husband's figure to the scorching sunlight. "That was a... wonderful sleep!"
Zhang Erhe chuckled and whispered, "Wang Tian has sent people several times to inquire whether the Grand Commandant has woken up, saying that a banquet will be held at his residence at noon..."
"This kid's a bit too enthusiastic!" The wicked man's lips curled into a smile, and a plan suddenly popped into his head. "Let's go, I'm hungry too."
The two casually summoned a guard to lead the way, and followed the guard to the main hall of the general's mansion, where Wang Tian had been waiting for a long time. Upon seeing the wicked husband arrive, he immediately greeted him with a smile.
"Grand Commandant, did you rest well last night?" Wang Tian asked with a somewhat obsequious smile.
The wicked man nodded slightly and cupped his hands in thanks. "I must thank General Wang for the arrangements. I am truly sorry for troubling you."
"Not at all, it is my great honor to be able to chat with the Grand Commandant. Come, please come in!" Wang Tian's smile widened, and he quickly led the wicked husband to sit down.
As soon as the two sat down, the waitresses immediately began serving the dishes.
The dishes were simple, mostly common foods of the time such as roast meat and minced meat. The wicked husband didn't pick and choose, grabbing a leg of lamb and starting to eat heartily.
Wang Tian subtly gave a wink, and all the maids and guards in the hall dispersed.
Seeing this, the wicked man's lips curled into a knowing smile. Wang Tian must have something he didn't want to say.
He casually tossed aside the lamb leg and said with a smile, "I feel an instant connection with General Wang. If you have any questions, just say so. I will do my best to help."
Wang Tian gave a smirk, "This can't be hidden from the Grand Commandant. I've been in Yangjin for six years now, and the new ruler, Tian Jian, is incompetent and muddleheaded..."
"You should restrain your temper, stay in Yangjin and wait for a year or two!" the wicked husband interrupted directly.
Upon hearing this, an undisguised joy appeared on Wang Tian's face, and he nodded emphatically.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
