Chapter 104 I wonder if the young lady is married?
Shen Ruzhi agreed with Jiang Wanning and nodded repeatedly.
Pei Yanchuan sat below the Emperor's throne, with the other princes beside him, while Prince Qi and the Grand Princess sat opposite him.
Next were the ministers seated according to their official ranks.
The foreign envoys were placed in the middle, neither being looked down upon nor considered particularly important.
Tuoba Wenjing and Tuoba Yan'er, accompanied by several people from the Western Xia Kingdom, performed the Western Xia Kingdom's etiquette, "Greetings to His Majesty of the Eastern Ling Kingdom."
"May His Majesty of your country enjoy good health and constant happiness and peace."
Although wars have frequently broken out between the two countries, they are currently in a state of barely peaceful coexistence, but they are still maintaining a semblance of peace on the surface.
Xiao Yu nodded. "Rise, please take a seat."
Next came the other small states, some of which were allied with Dongling, and others with Western Xia.
Naturally, the location of the Eastern Tombs is relatively close.
After Tuoba Wenjing took his seat, he happened to sit opposite Jiang Wanning, and his eyes lit up when he saw her.
She nodded with a slight smile.
Jiang Wan Ning did not respond, but pretended not to see and turned to look at the Emperor and Empress.
If someone with ulterior motives were to see this situation and exploit it, who knows what kind of trouble they might cause.
Tuoba Wenjing couldn't possibly be unaware; he was doing it on purpose.
Pei Yanchuan watched coldly, adding another mark against Tuoba Wenjing in his mind.
After all the envoys from various countries had finished their audience, the birthday banquet officially began.
All the ministers presented birthday gifts.
“Your Majesty,” Tuoba Wenjing rose, “this was specially presented to Your Majesty by our Emperor.”
He then had someone bring out a brocade box and open it.
"May Your Majesty enjoy a happy birthday and may the Eastern Mausoleum be peaceful and prosperous."
When everyone saw the gifts from the Western Xia Kingdom, their faces darkened, and Emperor Xiao Yu and the Empress also showed their displeasure.
What Tuoba Wenjing sent was none other than the memory of the time when the late emperor was nearly captured alive by the Western Xia Kingdom after a defeat.
A city seal left behind during a hasty escape.
At that time, the late emperor personally led the battle and dealt with several corrupt officials in Peach Blossom Town on the battlefield. He didn't have time to send the seal back to the city, so he just carried it with him.
Because they fell for a treacherous scheme, they were trapped by the enemy.
Later, Peach Blossom Town was renamed Ancient Fragrance Town, and the seal was naturally changed again.
The Western Xia Kingdom sent this as a clear indication that they wanted to humiliate the Eastern Tombs.
"Speaking of which, this seal actually belongs to the Eastern Mausoleum. We are taking this opportunity to return it to its rightful owner."
Seeing the grim expressions on the faces of everyone present, Tuoba Wenjian felt a surge of satisfaction. "I imagine your country would be even happier to have the item returned to its rightful owner."
"Isn't this double happiness?"
Xiao Yu breathed a sigh of relief. Since they had come under the guise of celebrating a birthday, he couldn't make things difficult for them.
"Wu Panpan," Emperor Xiao Yu called out.
Wu Panpan immediately gestured to a young eunuch to accept the items.
"Now that everyone has presented their birthday gifts, let's begin the banquet," the Empress said gracefully on behalf of the Emperor.
"Wait!" Tuoba Wenjing said, "Your Majesty, since this is already a double celebration..."
"Then I dare to ask for a favor."
Emperor Xiao Yu frowned slightly, but did not show any displeasure. "What is it?"
"I would like to ask His Majesty for permission to marry your princess, as a sign of the friendly relations between our two countries."
First they brought out items from their defeat to humiliate us, then they came to ask for the marriage of the Eastern Mausoleum Princess. The Western Xia Kingdom is really going too far.
"Your Highness, His Majesty is only of marriageable age, and the eldest princess is no more than five years old. How can a marriage alliance be formed?"
"I'm afraid this matter cannot be as you wish." The Empress's voice was gentle, yet it possessed the unquestionable air of a ruler.
Tuoba Wenjing laughed and said, "What's so difficult about that?"
"Although a woman other than a princess is not worthy of my status as a prince."
"But if she is exceptionally talented or stunningly beautiful, this prince is not incapable of compromising himself."
Upon hearing this,
Upon hearing this, everyone was not only angry, but those with daughters of marriageable age in their families all shrank back.
They were terrified that their own daughter would be chosen.
The peace between Dongling and Western Xia is only temporary and superficial. If war breaks out one day, those who were sent to marry foreign rulers will only face death.
"presumptuous!"
The empress couldn't help but roar in anger.
"I don't understand what the Empress means," Tuoba Wenjing said with a warm smile. "How have I been presumptuous?"
“We have traveled a long way to wish Your Majesty a happy birthday and to present you with our sincere gifts.”
"Now that you're thinking of adding joy to joy, how does that become recklessness?"
"Or does the Empress of Dongling think that I am not good enough for the women of Dongling?"
Emperor Xiao Yu's face was ashen, his hands gripping the armrests of his throne tightly.
The Grand Princess and Prince Qi, standing to the side, seemed to be watching with amusement. If the Emperor didn't show some respect today...
They eventually stepped forward and spread the word that the current emperor was weak and incompetent, and had been publicly humiliated by foreign envoys. It cannot be said that he had completely lost the hearts of the people; at least half of it had.
"Our Dongling Kingdom does not engage in marriage alliances, nor does it pay tribute."
"The emperor guards the nation's gates." Pei Yanchuan's voice rang out calmly, "Our monarch personally led the expedition for the sake of the country and its people, disregarding his own life and death."
"It seems that your country always sends its ministers to the front lines."
"The king is always hiding in the background."
The people of Western Xia were known for their fierce and warlike nature, but none of their rulers personally led troops into battle.
That is, the current third prince.
As soon as Pei Yanchuan finished speaking, the ministers suddenly straightened their backs.
Wu Xinrui, sitting in a corner, stretched her neck, her eyes revealing a hint of admiration and joy.
Tuoba Wenjing glanced at Pei Yanchuan, "But you also fled in disarray, didn't you?"
"If I remember correctly, the late emperor did not flee in disarray back then."
"Instead, our soldiers forced the late emperor to retreat. In that battle, the Duke of England led his troops to defeat you in three cities."
"In the end, it was the Western Xia that fled in disarray, not my Eastern Mausoleum."
"My king of Dongling loves his subjects, and his subjects also protect his king; the king and his subjects are of one mind."
A woman's voice slowly faded away, and everyone looked in the direction from which the voice came.
Jiang Wan Ning stood ramrod straight, her eyes clear, and said, word by word, "Today, the Prince of Xixia has come."
“We in Dongling treated you with courtesy, yet you offered congratulations while subtly mocking us. It’s said that the people of Xixia are broad-minded, but it seems that’s not the case.”
Well said!
Some officials in the corner even raised their hands as if to applaud.
Then, feeling it was inappropriate, he reluctantly let it go.
Emperor Xiao Yu and Empress Xiao Yu's expressions also softened.
Emperor Xiao Yu glanced at Pei Yanchuan, his expression clearly conveying his meaning.
match!
“When we last met, you only said you were the owner of the shop,” Tuoba Wenjing said. “It seems you have another identity.”
Upon hearing this, everyone became curious about when the two had met.
"You don't need to deliberately ruin my reputation. I only exchanged greetings with you over a trivial matter."
"If everyone just goes out and asks around, they'll know what's going on."
"I wonder if the young lady is married?" Tuoba Wenjing didn't care about Jiang Wanning's cold look at all.
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