If he hadn't heard Yan Shu's explanation in person, Yuwen Lan wouldn't have known that Nanzhao King Mu Zhengping actually came to the capital

in person. You know, he didn't come when he ascended the throne four years ago.

Tsk... is he here to see Princess Shou'an this time?

To be honest, Yuwen Lan didn't quite understand.

Of course, whether Mu Zhengping comes or not is Mu Zhengping's own business. Now he is more concerned about Yan Shu.

He raised his eyebrows and said, "Who mentioned prenatal education to me last time? You spend all your time thinking about this kind of thing. Is it really good for the child?"

As he said that, he carefully reached out and gently stroked her belly.

Hmm, it seems to be a little bulging.

Speaking of which, the little peanut inside should have grown into a little walnut by now, right?

Listening to these irrelevant gossips from my mother all day long, I wonder if I will be full of gossips when I grow up...

Yuwen Lan tried to imagine that scene -

a pink and tender little baby, opening his mouth to talk about other people's secrets...

Hiss, it seems a bit scary.

Unexpectedly, the man in his arms said, "It seems that your majesty still doesn't understand that the most important thing about prenatal education is to keep the mother in a good mood. Only when the mother is in a good mood can the baby grow up well and have a good personality. I think I stay in this palace all day and can't go out. There are only these few things in front of me. Don't I rely on these to have some fun?"

What's more...

there is a system that gives her gossip every day. How can it be satisfying if she only eats it without watching it.

Unexpectedly, the system suddenly jumped out and said, [??? Blame this commander? 】

Yan Shu ignored it and said to Yuwen Lan, "I heard that these past two days Princess Shouan is having a hot affair with the Rouran envoy. If the Prince Mu who has been waiting for this knew about this, it would be so much fun! Your Majesty, tell me the truth, don't you want to see it?"

Yuwen Lan, "...Why do I want to see this?"

Well, when did he want to see such a thing? What he cares about is the big things behind it.

After he finished speaking, he saw Yan Shu looking at him with disappointment, "Really? Then if there is such a thing again in the future, I will not tell Your Majesty."

Originally, she thought this was a like-minded person, but she was wrong.

Yuwen Lan, who heard it silently, "???"

This is "wrong"?

... Is it that serious?

He had no choice but to say, "Forget it. Mu Zhengping is the King of Nanzhao Mu after all. If he really comes to Beijing, the court will certainly entertain him well. I can allow you to go with me, but remember that you are excited. No matter what, remember that you still have someone else in your belly."

But she touched her belly and said proudly, "Of course, I will read the storybook to him when I have time these days. I believe that he will be able to speak fluently in the future."

What, what? Storybook???

Yuwen Lan's eyebrows jumped, "Wait, why don't you read something like the Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song Dynasties? Want to read storybooks?"

But she said, "Those are too profound. He is so young now, he can't understand. Storybooks

are more down-to-earth." Yuwen Lan, "...Who can't understand?"

But she waved her little hand and said, "It doesn't matter. What matters is that when Mu Zhengping comes, the Queen Mother will also be there, right?"

Hehe, with such a good opportunity, of course she has to call her top boss to join in the fun!

Yuwen Lan's eyebrows jumped again, "Why do you still call the Queen Mother?"

But she said as a matter of course, "Because the Queen Mother has been in the palace longer, she must need more fun! Your Majesty has always been the most filial, so of course you should call the Queen Mother for this opportunity!"

Hehe, anyway, the Queen Mother has guessed that Mu Zhengping likes Princess Shou'an, so it will be more lively to eat melons together, right?

Yuwen Lan, "..."

Of course, the Nanzhao Mu family and the Yuwen family are also related by marriage. If there is a banquet, as the elder of the Yuwen family, the Queen Mother should of course attend.

But he found that now the most filial to the Queen Mother is no longer him, but her.

~~

As the system said, the next day, Nanzhao King Mu Zhengping arrived in the capital.

To show respect, Yuwen Lan immediately sent ministers in the court and the royal relative of the clan, King Ruyang, to greet him.

In the evening, the first welcoming banquet was held in the Jiying Hall of the palace.

It was called the first one because it was only a banquet hosted by the Yuwen family as an in-law.

When the envoys from various countries arrived in two days, there would be a state-level banquet of higher standards to entertain Mu Zhengping.

Since they were in-laws, the main members of the Yuwen family, including the emperor, the empress dowager, the Prince of Ruyang and his wife, and the eldest princess and his wife, naturally had to attend.

Yan Shu finally got what she wanted and followed the emperor and the empress dowager in.

However, she saw that Princess Shou'an, as the dowager of Nanzhao, was sitting in the guest seat today, and the Nanzhao Prince Mu Zhengping, who made her very curious, was sitting next to her sister-in-law.

Yan Shu was extremely excited and cast her eyes as soon as she sat down.

However, Mu Zhengping was about thirty years old, tall, with darker skin than the people in the Central Plains, but his facial features were still quite good.

But I didn't expect that he came with his nephew this time, that is, the son of Princess Shou'an, the Prince of Nanzhao, Mu Jingshu, nicknamed Alang.

The boy looked about twelve or thirteen years old, with eyebrows and eyes that mixed the advantages of the Central Plains and Nanzhao, and looked very handsome.

Children are ultimately dependent on their mothers, and at this time they were cuddling with their mother intimately, looking cute and distressing.

The banquet began, and both sides greeted each other and said some polite words.

Yan Shu observed quietly and felt that this Prince Mu looked gloomy and seemed a little unhappy.

So she quietly called the system, [What's wrong with Mu Zhengping? 】

System,【Nothing, I just heard that Princess Shou'an drank with the Rouran envoy, so I was jealous.】

Yan Shu,【……】

After so many years, haven't you gotten used to it yet?

At this moment, Mu Zhengping said to the emperor, "This time, I was able to successfully deal with the Pu family, and I have to thank your majesty for your help. It happened to be your majesty's Changning Festival, and considering that my nephew Alang had not visited relatives in the Central Plains for many years, I brought him along. It's a bit abrupt, please forgive me."

Yuwen Lan said politely, "It's a pleasure to have friends coming from afar. Prince Mu is too polite. Since we are relatives, we should visit each other more often." The Queen Mother

also said, "We haven't seen each other for many years. Alang is so old now. If we didn't meet today, we wouldn't recognize each other on the street. Your Majesty is right. Relatives should visit each other more often." After the conversation,

both parties nodded and said yes, and toasted each other.

However, after putting down the wine glass, Mu Zhengping suddenly coughed and said to Princess Shou'an, "This time, I came here for another matter, which is to ask my sister-in-law to return to Nanzhao. Alang is still young after all, and it's not good to lack his mother's company for so many years."

When these words came out, Yan Shu paused, thinking that Mu Zhengping was going to publicly confess his love? ? ?

No way!

Then, he said, "Pu has done many bad things in the past, and I am also responsible for it. I am not a good king, nor a good uncle, nor a good brother, so this time I have made up my mind to ask my sister-in-law to go back to Nanzhao to assist Alang."

Assist...

Everyone was stunned when they heard this -

why did Prince Mu use this word? Is there any plan?

Princess Shou'an also heard it, and immediately asked, "I will go back to assist Alang? What about you?"

But Mu Zhengping said, "I plan to become a monk."

What? ? ?

When these words came out, not only Princess Shou'an was stunned, but everyone in the palace was stunned.

Go out, become a monk?

Mu Zhengping, a dignified king of Nanzhao, wants to become a monk? ? ?

Yan Shu was also surprised, thinking that this man was trying to use a self-torture trick?

But the system popped up to explain, [It is said that Buddhism is still quite popular in Nanzhao, and it is not uncommon for nobles to become monks. There are also several in the Mu family, such as Alang's grandfather's grandfather, who became a monk and gave his position to his son. ]

Yan Shu, "..."

Could it be that this person is tired of waiting for love and has become discouraged?

She immediately looked at Princess Shou'an.

But she found that the emperor and the empress dowager were also watching.

Yan Shu, "..."

Forget about her top leader, who said yesterday that he didn't care about those who eat melons?

Yuwen Lan, "..."

Forget it, just pretend not to hear it.

At the end of his sight, before Shouan could say anything, Alang became anxious and immediately said, "Uncle, don't! Don't leave Alang to become a monk!" After

the words fell, Princess Shouan came to her senses and said, "Why are you doing this? You are the king of Nanzhao after all. What do I, a woman, know?"

Mu Zhengping said, "It's okay. The court has been purged now. Those who remain are loyal ministers. They will help you and Alang. Besides, I believe that His Majesty will definitely support you."

Then he looked at Yuwen Lan again.

Yuwen Lan had no choice but to speak up, "Nanzhao and Daliang have been friends for generations. If there are any difficulties, I will certainly not spare any effort. But Prince Mu, why not reconsider becoming a monk?"

But Mu Zhengping said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, but I have made up my mind. I have let many people down over the years, including my brother who died young, my sister-in-law, and Alang... If it weren't for me, he should have had his mother by his side..."

After the words fell, Yan Shu couldn't help but sigh in her heart, [Are you talking about what the two did?]

Yuwen Lan, [...It seems so.] But the Queen Mother

was also thinking in her heart, [Hey, are these two people doing something else?]

Yuwen Lan, "..."

The Queen Mother is really amazing.

And the rest of the people, [???]

What's going on? Why does it sound like this, what else did Prince Mu do?

For a moment, his eyes wandered between Princess Shouan and Mu Zhengping.

Princess Shouan was silent for a while, and finally spoke, "Alang is my flesh and blood after all. It's my fault that I didn't spend much time with him these years. You are a very competent uncle, and I am always grateful in my heart. After the Changning Festival, I will return to Nanzhao to accompany Alang, but Alang is still young after all, and the position of King Mu is more suitable for you. Forget about becoming a monk." After

the voice fell, Before Mu Zhengping could say anything, Alang immediately became happy and said, "Are you serious, mother?"

Princess Shouan rubbed her son's head and said, "Of course it's true. In front of His Majesty, the Queen Mother, and your uncle and aunt, how could mother lie to you?"

Alang smiled and said, "Thank you, mother."

Mu Zhengping didn't say anything, but just raised his glass and drank a glass of wine. The gloom between his brows seemed to have lessened a lot.

Yan Shu saw it and raised her eyebrows in her heart.

Is Princess Shouan being subdued?

Does she still care about her brother-in-law in her heart?

Or is she just distressed for her son?

Could it be that the Sea King fell for this trick of crying, making a fuss, and then hanging himself?

...

Yuwen Lan thought, who cares.

It's good that this matter has a result. This cousin mother-in-law should hurry back to Nanzhao.

He was really worried about his beloved concubine's mood swings all day long!

It was exhausting.

~~

As the emperor's birthday approached, envoys from various countries had arrived one after another.

On the eve of the Changning Festival, the palace officially held a foreign banquet to entertain envoys from various countries.

Yan Shu, as the highest-ranking concubine in the harem, was able to accompany the emperor to attend.

If you don't attend, you won't know that Daliang's diplomatic relations are very developed. At the banquet, in addition to several important officials in the court, there were envoys

from various countries, and their seats were lined up all the way to the door of the Jiying Hall. Most of the envoys were high-ranking people in their own countries. Some countries, such as Gaoli, even sent princes to come in person, which shows the importance they attached to Daliang.

At the banquet, everyone wore their own costumes and raised their glasses to congratulate the emperor on his birthday. The scene was very grand.

Yan Shu sighed, but couldn't help but wonder if there were any interesting things among these people?

After the second round of drinking, the atmosphere in the hall was harmonious. An envoy from East Japan came forward and said, "To celebrate the birthday of His Majesty the Emperor, our king specially presents a gift to His Majesty. Please accept it."

Then he waved outside the hall.

In a moment, two women came into the hall. They were both graceful, wearing veils, and seemed to have a hint of fragrance.

Everyone was stunned. Is East Japan going to send beauties to the king?

Tsk tsk, I heard that the royal family of East Japan has been indulging in sensual pleasures in recent years, and has played many tricks. I didn't expect that they would even send beauties as gifts?

Sure enough, the envoy smiled and said, "These two women were carefully selected by our country. They represent the king's heart. I hope that East Japan and Daliang will be on good terms for generations. I hope Your Majesty will fulfill this." After

the voice fell, everyone couldn't help but look at the king quietly.

Will the king accept this Eastern Japanese beauty?

Especially now that Concubine Yi is pregnant.

There were not many people in the harem, and the other one is not favored at all. I guess it must have been difficult for the king to hold back these days?

At this time, Yan Shu, who was sitting next to the emperor, was also thinking about this question.

——Tsk, I was planning to eat other people's melons tonight, but now I have to eat my own head?

Filling up the harem so soon?

Two?

And they are all foreigners?

Will the emperor... accept them?

However, before the emperor could speak, he heard a ding from the system, [It depends on whether the emperor can accept it. These two are actually hermaphrodites. ]

Yan Shu, [??? ]