Chapter 64 Yu'er hates Yuan Yan, you big liar!
After being reprimanded by the envoy, the young men quieted down and walked down in an orderly line for Yuan Yan to examine.
"Your Highness, all of our country's male dancers are here," said the head envoy.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yan looked up and saw that the young men were slender and dressed in the clothing of the Wule Kingdom. Their clothes were light and revealing, but without exception, they all wore dark veils, making it impossible to see their faces.
Her gaze lingered on the veil. Yu Liu immediately relayed the message to the male dancers.
"Take off the veil."
"Oh no, Your Highness! According to our custom, men in our country are not allowed to show their faces before marriage. Whoever sees their faces, these men must marry them..." the envoy hurriedly tried to stop him.
"Hmph, what a joke." Yuan Yan suddenly spoke, interrupting her.
"Regardless of your nationality, in my Phoenix Kingdom, you must abide by the rules. These male dancers are to perform before His Majesty; must they wear veils while performing?"
Her assertive tone immediately softened the envoy's tone. "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This envoy dares not."
The envoy gestured for the male dancers to remove their veils.
The male dancers in front of him were intimidated by Yuan Yan's imposing presence and obediently removed their veils.
The men of the Ule Kingdom looked different from those of the Phoenix Kingdom. They had more defined features, large, bright eyes, and wore heavy makeup, making them extremely beautiful.
Yuan Yan scanned them one by one, finding nothing amiss, then gave a few instructions to the temple official, telling the male dancers to leave, and went to check on other matters.
The King of Qin summoned them here merely to catch a glimpse of them.
The other male dancers were somewhat disappointed.
Only the man in purple who had been standing there earlier felt his heart finally settle down.
Yuan Yan was still as cunning as ever.
Fortunately, he had made thorough preparations beforehand, disguising his face and altering his features to look completely different from his true appearance. This prevented Yuan Yan from recognizing him and allowed him to escape unscathed.
That's right, the man who infiltrated the group of male dancers was none other than Yu'er.
After Yuan Yan was assassinated and fell into the river, Yu'er, harboring some inexplicable thoughts, led her men to search for her for several days.
Only when urged by his superiors and fearing his identity would be exposed did he lead his men away. He returned home to avoid trouble and reported the results to his mother, the Empress.
As expected, Yu'er was punished by her mother, the Empress, for failing to deliver the grain.
This was the inevitable consequence of failing the mission. He was mentally prepared and obediently accepted it.
Anyway, the Ministry of Justice wouldn't dare leave scars on him. At most, he'd feel a little pain when he was beaten, but like many times before, he'd just have to endure it.
Yu'er didn't initially think being punished was a big deal. It wasn't until shortly after that he received a message from his subordinates in the Phoenix Kingdom.
"What did you say? The King of Yue isn't dead... It was the grain transport ledgers she brought back that exposed the embezzlement!"
Yu'er was so shocked by the news that her mind was shaken and her face was full of disbelief.
"Impossible! This is impossible!"
"She was just a spoiled princess. She was with me every day back then, so how could she have had time to look for account books?"
Yu'er started shouting without any decorum, denying everything and refusing to believe him. She insisted that the people from the Ministry of Justice release her from the torture chamber early so she could investigate herself.
Naturally, it wasn't allowed, and he was even punished again.
Yu'er stayed in the torture chamber, trying hard to recall Yuan Yan's actions when they were together. She thought about it carefully, and finally realized that something was wrong.
Yu'er recalled Yuan Yan's intentional and unintentional attempts to conceal his true intentions, as well as the times he deliberately made her copy Buddhist scriptures. Connecting these details with the final outcome, what was there left to be confused about?
He was so angry that his eyes turned red, and he started pounding on the wall as if it were Yuan Yan.
"Yuan Yan, you bad woman, you big liar, all you do is bully me and deceive me..." Yu'er cursed as she bit her lip and couldn't help but shed tears.
"If I don't avenge this, I will not be a Tuoba!" he vowed angrily.
Therefore, when the Queen Mother needed spies to infiltrate the capital of the Phoenix Kingdom, Yu'er took on the task without hesitation, determined to avenge her previous humiliation.
"Your Highness." An envoy from the Kingdom of Ule knocked on his door.
"The King of Qin has left with his men," she reported softly through the door.
"Alright, proceed according to plan." Hearing her subordinate's voice, Yu'er finally calmed down.
"Yes," the envoy replied.
Before formally entering the palace to pay homage to the emperor, members of the delegation needed to learn the etiquette of the Phoenix Kingdom under the guidance of the officials of the Court of State Ceremonies to ensure that they would not make any mistakes when bowing to the emperor.
Taking advantage of this time, Yu'er went out to inquire about Yuan Yan's situation.
Upon learning that she had been granted the title of King of Qin after her meritorious service in investigating the grain transport, and that she would soon be marrying the son of the eldest prince, he couldn't help but clench his teeth.
"Yuan Yan, I was imprisoned for so many days because of you, while you were here having a good time, marrying Zheng Qing, and embracing beautiful women. How hateful!"
Besides being angry, the thought of Yuan Yan getting married also filled him with an indescribable feeling. It was as if a sour spring had been dug into his heart, gushing out water.
Yu'er gripped the medicine pouch beside her, wishing she could immediately go and settle accounts with Yuan Yan.
However, given his current status as a male dancer, if he were to actually enter the Prince of Qin's residence, he would likely be arrested in an instant, let alone willingly appear before Yuan Yan.
In order to avoid being discovered by that cunning Yuan Yan these past few days, he has been avoiding her at all times, afraid that Yuan Yan will notice the slightest clue.
Sure enough, Yuan Yan stepped into the guest house amidst the officials' greetings.
In the center of the courtyard, male dancers were rehearsing the dance they would perform before entering the palace.
Everyone present was admiring the dance of these foreign men, but she only glanced at them a few times before revealing a different expression.
"It seems like there are a few fewer male dancers today." Yuan Yan's voice immediately stopped the music and dancing.
"There are fewer people?" The official from the Court of State Ceremonial was surprised and quickly asked the envoy.
"Your Highness, there are no fewer people, only two male dancers who went to change clothes and will be back in a while," the envoy said, trying to cover for him.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yan stopped asking further questions.
Yu'er, who was hiding in the corner, watched from a distance and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
But then a feeling of resentment welled up inside him.
"Hmph, I've already disguised myself, and Yuan Yan didn't recognize me. Why should I bother hiding from her?" Yu'er was both embarrassed and annoyed, and threw her veil on the ground.
He was seething with anger, so he walked towards the male dancers with his face exposed.
Another male dancer who had gone out to change clothes returned and walked alongside Yu'er.
"Where did you go? I didn't see you when I was behind you." The male dancer asked Yu'er curiously.
"Where I go is none of your business!" Yu'er said irritably.
As the two men brushed past Yuan Yan, Yuan Yan seemed to sense something as he watched their backs and suddenly called out to them.
"etc."
Her voice sounded from behind, and Yu'er's heart suddenly pounded, the thumping sound abruptly increasing and echoing in her ears.
Yuan Yan...did he recognize him?
Whether out of nervousness or some other emotion, Yu'er's back stiffened and she held her breath.
What if Yuan Yan really recognizes him? What will she think of this little servant who suddenly disappeared and then reappeared? Will she take him away, or lock him up and interrogate him...?
A thousand thoughts flashed through Yu'er's mind, a chaotic jumble, completely forgetting that she was still wearing a disguise, her appearance completely different from her original one. Even if Yuan Yan had the sharpest eyes, he wouldn't be able to recognize her at a glance.
In the short span of a breath, it felt as if several years had passed in Yu'er's eyes.
Yuan Yan walked up to the two men and looked at the unfamiliar face of the male dancer in front of him, a sense of doubt arose in his heart.
Why did she suddenly feel that the male dancer's back looked somewhat familiar?
"Your Highness."
The other male dancer had already bowed shyly, and when he looked up at Yuan Yan, his gaze was filled with timidity. "I wonder what Your Highness has summoned me for?"
While Yu'er was still preparing herself, the male dancer spoke to Yuan Yan first, making Yu'er so angry that she felt a tightness in her chest and almost couldn't breathe.
How presumptuous of you! Ugly people are always up to no good!
Do you think Yuan Yan was calling you? She clearly only spoke up because of me.
Yu'er was furious, and her face turned pale. But because the male dancer spoke first, she could only follow behind and bow, her voice hoarse, "Your Highness."
Yuan Yan scrutinized the two men but noticed nothing amiss. Hearing the male dancers' voices, he dismissed his initial suspicion.
"It's alright, you can go back now," she said.
Yu'er couldn't believe what she had heard and clenched her teeth.
He stood right in front of Yuan Yan, yet she didn't recognize him. She used to say she liked him and loved him... Bah, it was all lies!
Yu'er stared at Yuan Yan, her body stiff, and did not bow. She was then led away by the male dancer.
"Stop looking, that's the King of Qin of the Phoenix Kingdom, not someone we lowly men can even dream of."
Seeing that Yu'er was staring blankly and refusing to leave, the male dancer assumed that he was looking at Yuan Yan in a daze and began to comfort him.
Little did he know that his words were like adding fuel to the fire for Yu'er.
"Let go! Who are you to talk to us? Who do you think you are? You don't deserve to be called that."
As soon as she reached a place where Yuan Yan couldn't see her, Yu'er angrily shook off the male dancer's hand and left without looking back.
Only the male dancer remained standing there, somewhat bewildered.
"What's wrong? What I said wasn't wrong..."
Yu'er was furious. She went back and immediately locked herself up, stabbing Yuan Yan in the face. "Idiot, idiot, you're all idiots. I'm an idiot, and Yuan Yan is an idiot... You bad guy, you liar, you shameless scoundrel who deceives men!"
...
Finally, the day arrived when the Emperor of the Phoenix Kingdom summoned them. The delegation entered the palace to pay their respects, presenting tributes such as spices and gemstones.
At the palace banquet, the male dancers performed the Leaf Dance, their graceful movements adding to the exotic atmosphere. Accompanied by music from the Kingdom of Ule, the dance was captivating.
"This country of Ule may not be big, but its men are certainly spirited."
Yuan Xiao stared at the glamorous male dancer at the front, feeling a surge of heat in his heart, and downed several glasses of wine in a row.
Yuan Jing didn't think much of these things; she preferred men as refined as Xu Qinghan and Madam Lu, saying only, "The dances of small countries do have a certain rustic charm."
Now look at Yuan Yan on the other side.
Today is a rare and special banquet, and Yang Lingyi has also come. Yuan Yan's attention was entirely on Yi'er at this moment, and he did not appreciate the dance like the others.
Yu'er danced inconspicuously among the male dancers, while glancing at Yuan Yan's expression.
But she wasn't watching the dance at all; instead, she was gazing at a young man in the opposite seat with an expression he had never seen before.
Judging from the young master's position, right next to the eldest prince, could he be Yuan Yan's fiancé? Yu'er's heart skipped a beat.
After the dance performance, he took the opportunity to steal a few glances and found that Yuan Yan's fiancé was handsome and innocent-looking, just like a young master from a secluded family. He immediately felt uncomfortable.
"That's all... He's not as good-looking as me, and he's not as good-looking as me either. What did Yuan Yan see in him?" Yu'er said resentfully, cursing him countless times in her heart.
Yuan Yan actually likes this kind of man? He really has no taste.
After enjoying the dance of the Wule Kingdom, Yuan Hao ordered his men to bestow gifts upon them. He accepted the tribute presented by the envoys and reciprocated by gifting several cartloads of brocade, silk, gold, silver, and porcelain to demonstrate the generosity of the Huang Kingdom.
However, the envoy expressed his admiration for the grandeur of the superior nation and hoped to stay in the Phoenix Kingdom for a few more days to visit the scenic spots in the capital.
"Why shouldn't distant countries admire our culture?"
Yuan Hao readily agreed to the envoy's request and even arranged for two newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) to accompany him on the tour.
For the next two days, the envoys followed the sightseeing during the day, only occasionally inquiring about customs and traditions, and nothing seemed amiss.
However, Yuan Yan privately instructed Xue Lang and Yu Liu, along with other officials of the Prince's Palace, to keep a close eye on the delegation.
"Your Highness, is there something wrong with these people?" Xue Lang immediately became serious and asked Yuan Yan for instructions.
Yuan Yan did not elaborate, but said only: "Xue Lang, go back to the manor and withdraw five hundred taels of silver to distribute among the sisters. In the next few days, have the servants take turns keeping a close watch on the guest house and be vigilant, so that they don't cause any more trouble before they leave."
"Your subordinate obeys." Xue Lang immediately went to find someone.
[Host, do you suspect these envoys are suspicious? But over the past few days, they haven't done anything unusual. They've just been offering tribute, showing goodwill, and then touring around.]
"Could you be overthinking it?" the system asked.
"I hope I'm just overthinking it," Yuan Yan shook his head and pondered for a moment.
"The Kingdom of Wu is very close to the Kingdom of Wu, and the Kingdom of Wu and the Kingdom of Huang have been enemies for generations. I've been watching these past few days, and although nothing has happened, I have a strange feeling in my heart."
The system thought for a moment: "That makes sense. It is indeed suspicious that a small country thousands of miles away would suddenly come to pay tribute."
Yuan Yan said, "No matter what, it's better to be cautious than to be completely unprepared. They won't be staying for more than a few days anyway, so having someone keep an eye on them won't be a big deal. If there are really no problems, it's not too late to let them go."
...
In the dead of night, all was quiet.
Several figures crept out of the inn in the dark.
"Regardless of what you gain, return by 3 AM." The leader was the same envoy from the daytime. She gave the instructions in a low voice, and the people behind her nodded silently.
Just as they were about to continue outwards, a fire suddenly lit up the wall, and a group of people dressed as guards appeared out of nowhere, surrounding them layer by layer.
"Your Excellency, where are we headed?" Yu Liu asked.
"..."
Caught red-handed, the envoy's face was clearly visible in the firelight, and he froze for a moment.
She never expected that so many people would be waiting for them outside the inn so late at night.
In an instant, they were completely surrounded, making escape impossible.
No matter how eloquent the envoy was, he was still greatly shocked when faced with a group of elite soldiers who had suddenly descended from the sky, and he was speechless for a moment.
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