Chapter 316 Let's have a good drink
"Third Prince," Pei Yanchuan said, "Today is one of the biggest and most important festivals in Dongling. It would be better to discuss this another day."
Tuoba Wenjing laughed and said, "It is precisely because it is such a grand festival that I thought of bringing some joy."
"Of course, the most important reason for my visit is to thank your country for finding our only princess of Western Xia."
"You've already said this, so if you're going to express your gratitude, then show some sincerity," Pei Yanchuan said calmly.
Shen Ruzhi quietly gave Pei Yanchuan a thumbs up, then turned to Jiang Wanning and said, "Your prince doesn't even give people any face."
"That's your own brother over there," Jiang Wanning whispered a reminder.
Shen Ruzhi pursed her lips indifferently, "I couldn't see why he was happy. He kept trying to get me to go back, but my own father is even more cunning than him. Not only did he not give him any benefits, but he also took back a lot of his military power."
"I reckon he probably knows that my old father wants me to inherit the throne, and now he's trying to get rid of me."
"He doesn't want me to go back more than anyone else; he'd rather I die here."
“Your father doesn’t have a throne for you to inherit,” Shen Zhao said sourly from the side. “I don’t know who said that I would take care of you in your old age and see you off in your final days. If it weren’t for this Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, I probably wouldn’t have even seen you.”
Shen Ruzhi picked up a piece of beef with her chopsticks and stuffed it into Shen Zhao's mouth, saying, "Old Deng, don't force me to be unfilial."
"I don't know who kept insisting that I go to Western Xia."
"Wasn't I thinking about your safety? Now that you have such a powerful force protecting you, don't you even think about your father?"
"I picked you up and raised you from infancy, taking care of all your needs."
"Ningning, look! I've only just given birth to one child, and you're already trying to squeeze things out of me. Are you planning to save them for your own daughter?"
"I'll tell my mother when I get back."
Because Wang and Zhou were still in their postpartum period and unable to travel, they did not attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet today.
Jiang Wan Ning smiled as she watched the two of them joking around.
On the other hand, Tuoba Wenjing looked embarrassed. He had indeed brought a lot of things to express his gratitude, but before he even reached the capital, Shen Ruzhi had already looted everything and taken it all to the Langya Prince's Mansion and the Shen Mansion.
Now, Shen Ruzhi is the apple of Tuoba Xiong and Lin Qingshuang's eye; they can even give her the throne, let alone anything else.
Tuoba Wenjing naturally dared not say anything.
It was just a hardship for him. Although Shen Ruzhi was the one who did it, he couldn't go back and complain about her, and he couldn't afford to offend her for the time being.
Tuoba Wenjing forced an ugly smile. "Prince of Langya, don't you know where this gift went?"
"What are you saying, Your Highness? How could I possibly know where the gift is?"
"What items were taken to your residence?"
"That was naturally a gift from Miss Shen to my princess. There was no instruction on the gift itself about what it was for."
Tuoba Wenjing looked at Shen Ruzhi beside him, trying to awaken her bloodline, "Ling'er, what's wrong?"
"What's going on? These are gifts I brought for Ningning, and also for my father." Shen Ruzhi pointed at Shen Zhao.
"Third brother insisted on coming along. Shouldn't you have prepared all of this long ago? I already said that what I prepared was not for tribute."
Shen Ruzhi always speaks frankly and never beats around the bush.
Firstly, Shen Zhao is like this, and secondly, with Xixia as a backer, if it were just Xixia, Xiao Yu might not take a princess from an enemy country seriously, but with the addition of the Lingxiao Sect, Xixia is still the most threatening existence to Dongling.
Tuoba Wenjing raised an eyebrow and gave a smile. "Your Majesty, I was just joking with my sister. Since the Prince of Langya has asked, we have naturally brought gifts of gratitude."
"But this gift is too large and has been left outside, waiting for His Majesty's approval. I will have it brought up now."
"Let me make this clear beforehand, this gift is rather dangerous. We Western Xia people are used to it, but I don't know if you Eastern Ling people will be afraid. Of course, if you are afraid, I will have someone replace it with something else."
The fact that you won't let me bring it in shows that you're cowards.
Xiao Yu naturally understood the meaning behind Tuoba Wenjing's words. How could a dignified ruler of a country be afraid of something he had never seen before?
Whatever it may be today, he has no choice but to accept it reluctantly. "The Third Prince is joking."
"Since you've prepared it, bring it up. I want to see what it is."
Tuoba Wenjing smiled smugly, thankfully he had been prepared.
He waved his arm, signaling to bring the things inside. A dozen people were seen carrying a large, square object wrapped in red cloth.
The pressure left more than a dozen tall, burly men panting heavily.
When they reached the center of the main hall and landed, it was as if an earth dragon had turned over, and the entire ground shook.
Many ministers and their families shrank back in fright. Tuoba Wenjing looked at the faces of the crowd, smiled with satisfaction, and pointed triumphantly at the things that had just been brought in, saying, "Your Majesty, this is the gift that our Western Xia has given to you."
"This item is a symbol of good fortune for our Western Xia. We sent it here in the hope that our Eastern Mausoleum and Western Xia can maintain friendly relations and achieve common prosperity for generations to come."
As Tuoba Wenjing spoke, he opened his arms.
Xiao Yu knew that the other party certainly did not have good intentions, but every time there was a banquet to receive foreign envoys, a war without gunpowder was bound to break out.
Xiao Yu smiled and said, "Oh? I'd like to see what this auspicious omen is?"
"My brother is about to cause trouble again. I'd better be careful." Shen Ruzhi patted the pastry crumbs off her hands.
"I'm afraid this is just the appetizer; bigger things are yet to come," Jiang Wanning said softly. "Where's Yu Hai?"
"She can't attend this kind of formal banquet for the time being; she's at the Imperial Hospital. I'll go find her when the banquet is almost over."
Jiang Wanning nodded. "Yu Hai is in a rather dangerous situation right now. I've already arranged for Mo Qing to protect him, but you all still need to be careful."
"Not only Dongling, but I'm afraid Xixia will also be a threat to him."
Shen Ruzhi seemed to have known this all along, and nodded. "Tuoba Wenjing really liked the big wooden bird she invented. I think he came here this time to try his best to get Yu Hai back to Xixia."
"But speaking of which, I haven't settled the score with this little shopper yet. I'll definitely make her drink a good pot later." Shen Ruzhi squinted at Song Zhuran above.
“I’ve already made him drink a whole pot,” Jiang Wanning said with a smile. “Your Yu Hai.”
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