Chapter 201 Threat? I was merely informing you.
Princess Yalan returned to the capital, accompanied by envoys from Ule.
The Khan has passed away, leaving the throne vacant.
The princess returned, but her child did not. The child, who was only a little over a year old, was at a stage where he needed to be with his mother.
Leaving such a young child in Ule is just a way to threaten Princess Yalan into sending troops from her homeland to help Ule through this turbulent period.
The current situation in Ule was predicted long ago by the late Grand Secretary Li.
The Khan was in his prime, and the Queen was from the oldest banner of the Ule.
At this critical juncture, the Queen took the initiative to abdicate in favor of Princess Yalan.
Grand Secretary Li bluntly stated that Ule itself was already in grave danger.
At that time, the Empress Dowager held power and was determined to eliminate dissidents, so she did not hesitate to agree to some absurd demands from Ule.
The Empress Dowager is now imprisoned in the inner palace, leaving behind a huge mess.
Imperial banquet.
Officials of the third rank and above were required to bring their families into the palace.
Meng Shilan did not want to enter the palace, but His Majesty actually ordered her to go and talk to the princess.
She's talking to the princess?!
Meng Shilan prided herself on having seen a lot of the world, and she could even calmly deal with the difficulties posed by the eldest princess.
But now she's being asked to accompany the princess, which is not as simple as just having a couple of sips of tea and a few forced smiles.
The imperial city is solemn and majestic.
When officials entered the palace, their servants and maids would wait outside.
Meng Shilan, leaning on crutches, was helped to the palace gate by Chunxing and Chuntao.
Two sedan chairs were already waiting by the palace gate.
Both the grandfather and grandson of the Meng family had difficulty walking, so His Majesty specially granted permission for them to be brought into the palace in a sedan chair.
The sedan chair just happened to pass by Yang Gao.
He watched their retreating figures, his eyes surging with hatred.
Madam Yang's face was injured, and her son's leg was broken.
After returning home, the grandson always acted strangely. He would shout and yell when he went to the toilet, saying that someone was hitting him. He insisted on putting the chamber pot on the bed and ate, drank, and relieved himself on the bed.
Within two days, the whole house reeked.
That old scoundrel Meng Yushan! He wanted to make an example of someone, but he actually used his grandson as a scapegoat!
The banquet in the main hall was similar in style to that during the Lunar New Year.
The ladies and young women who frequently visited the palace were already very familiar with her.
Meng Shilan was the only one entering the palace for the first time, and everything was new and exciting to her.
Eunuch Tian specially arranged for a clever little maid to accompany her.
“Miss Meng, my name is Zhi’er. Please call me if you need anything.”
She glanced at the wine pot on the table. "Let's replace this one. The imperial physician said it's not safe to drink alcohol right now."
Zhi'er said, "This is tea. Eunuch Tian already gave the order."
As she spoke, she pointed to a soft cushion next to the table, "This was also prepared by your father-in-law. You will kneel on this cushion when you perform the grand ceremony later."
Meng Shilan had not expected that Eunuch Tian, who served His Majesty, would be so meticulous.
"Thank you so much, sir. You've gone to a lot of trouble."
Princess Yalan sat in the lower right seat, while the envoy from Ule sat in the second right seat.
The Seventh Prince, Xiao Lin, sat at the lower left, while Meng Yushan sat at the second left.
After greeting Meng Shilan, who was sitting behind him, Xiao Lin sat lazily in his chair.
"We haven't yet congratulated Lord Meng on finding his grandson after so many years of searching."
Sitting next to Meng Yushan, Cheng Liyuan emphasized the words "grandson".
His meaning couldn't be clearer.
The Meng family has no one left; they now need a grandson to uphold the family's reputation.
Meng Yushan didn't move, but took something out of his sleeve and threw it at his feet. "General Cheng should recognize this."
A fine iron arrowhead, with a rubbing of Bian Nan embedded on it.
Cheng Liyuan smiled, then picked up the arrowhead. "How could I not recognize it? It's an arrow from our army."
Meng Yushan: "It's good that we know each other; that makes it easier to settle our accounts."
Cheng Liyuan casually tossed the arrow onto the table. "I don't understand what you're saying, Lord Meng. We have no past grudges or present enmities. What enmity do we have to settle?"
Upon hearing this, Meng Yushan laughed instead of getting angry, and then he took out a jade ring and placed it on the table.
"Then I have one more thing, please have General Cheng identify it again."
Cheng Liyuan's expression changed at this moment.
Meng Yushan said, "General Cheng, I have a bad habit: I hold grudges and seek revenge for the smallest things."
“Back then, General Chirong Muda killed my daughter-in-law and grandson, so I slaughtered his entire family of over a hundred people.”
"I lost five sons in battle. On the battlefield, we fought with real swords and spears. I have no one to blame but myself for being outmatched."
"If you try to play dirty tricks on me, I will make you pay a hundredfold!"
Meng Shilan saw it all clearly from behind.
No wonder Guo Fang and Guo Fan have been rarely seen lately.
Although Meng Yushan was a martial artist, he was by no means a reckless man.
Cheng Liyuan's expression softened at this moment. "Lord Meng, are you trying to threaten me?"
Meng Yushan finally turned his head and glanced at him.
Although the corners of his lips were turned up, a coldness was hidden in every wrinkle on his face.
“Threat? General Cheng is mistaken. I am merely informing you.”
Cheng Liyuan's hand trembled, and his sleeve knocked over the wine glass.
The wine in his glass spilled onto his sleeve.
At this moment, the emperor and empress walked into the main hall hand in hand.
Everyone stood up, and after the two had taken their positions on the high platform, everyone in the hall bowed down.
"Greetings, Your Majesty, may you be well; Your Majesty, may you be well."
His Majesty slowly raised his hand. "All of you, rise."
He then looked at his sister, who was dressed in the robes of Queen Ule, and said, "Yalan has become even more composed in the three years since I last saw her."
"Don't be sad, you still have children, and where there are children, there is hope."
He then changed the subject, saying, "You've finally come back, why didn't you bring the kids back with you?"
"Could it be that you know your brother doesn't have a child yet, and you're afraid he'll take your son away?"
His tone was teasing, but his words were full of witty remarks, all implying that Ule had imprisoned the young prince and coerced the queen to return to the capital.
Ya Lan rose and bowed, "Your Majesty's concern is all my fault. I was careless and Chi'er caught a cold the night before I left, so I had no choice but to leave him behind."
These words raise the question: is it a cold, or imprisonment?
Everyone understood this.
His Majesty's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Ule offered to send Princess Yalan back, so why is he detaining my little nephew?"
His Majesty's direct remark almost made the Ule envoy lose face.
The main hall was completely silent.
Cheng Liyuan frowned slightly and subconsciously glanced at His Majesty.
Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has only returned to the capital twice, both times summoned by the Empress Dowager and then by His Majesty.
Two years ago, the Empress Dowager suddenly claimed to be ill and returned power to the court.
In retrospect, he had underestimated His Majesty.
Then he glanced at Meng Yushan beside him, at this critical juncture, at the two grandsons that the Meng family had found.
One was a civil official, and the other was stationed in the capital.
Is this an act of surrendering to His Majesty?
At this moment, the Ule envoy stood up and said, "Your Majesty is unaware that the young prince of Ule is a son of the earth, and he cannot leave Ule."
His Majesty smiled, "Presumably, the son of the earth will grow up to be the king of the earth."
"As the Queen Mother of Ule, and I am her elder brother, the friendship between our two countries will surely last a long time."
With a single blow, the identities of Yalan and her son were confirmed.
If the Ule envoy denies this, the two countries will sever diplomatic relations, making it even less likely that troops will be sent.
If he admits it, he won't be able to explain it to Prince Bucha when he gets back.
He now stood stiffly in the main hall, unsure whether to say yes or no.
All the officials in the hall were looking at him.
It seems that if he says anything negative, someone could punch him to death.
Meng Shilan frowned slightly; she found it somewhat strange.
Are Ule officials really that honest?
They wouldn't even bother to feign compliance, but now that they're on someone else's turf, they'll naturally just say whatever sounds nice.
He looked nervous, as if he didn't dare offend anyone.
It was as if His Majesty the Great Sheng and Prince Bucha were both present...
She slightly opened her almond-shaped eyes and then looked at an inconspicuous attendant behind the official.
She gestured to the palace maid Zhi'er beside her, whispered a few words in her ear, and then Zhi'er quietly walked to Meng Yushan's side and relayed her words.
Meng Yushan turned around and glanced at her.
He slowly stood up, gripping his cane. "Since it's so difficult to answer, let the person in charge behind you speak."
"I've fought so many battles over the years, and I've seen plenty of bold men in Ule, but this is the first time I've seen someone cowering in the back like this."
After he finished speaking, the hall fell silent.
No one moved, and no one spoke.
Meng Yushan smiled and said, "The Ule men respect the left side. The one in the back, although he is wearing a guard's uniform, has a chicken-yellow stone in his left ear."
As he spoke, he turned to look at Cheng Liyuan.
"Its state is the closest to Ule, a fact known to everyone in Ule, and General Cheng must know it too."
Cheng Liyuan's lips twitched slightly. "I'm not a Ule person, how would I know?"
Its state also served as a trading port between the two sides, and the most common people in this important border town were the Ule people.
Meng Yushan merely glanced at him without exposing his true intentions.
Unbeknownst to him, his left index finger touched the turquoise ring on his right hand.
Then, with a slight smile, he stood up.
Bucha's appearance was truly unremarkable, and he was not even as tall as the officials accompanying him.
His Majesty recognized him at a glance.
His gaze narrowed slightly. In his past life, it was he who went back on his word, tore up the agreement between the two countries, and killed Yalan and her son on the battlefield.
At that time, with the support of the Empress Dowager, the Ule people were able to raise a strong and well-equipped army.
However, the Great Sheng Dynasty was as vulnerable as an old man in his twilight years.
His Majesty's jawline suddenly tightened.
The Empress Dowager's clothes were undone, and now all the important positions in the court are held by his people.
Now he has to deal with the border, with the ever-watchful Ule and the opportunistic Chirong waiting for their chance.
In these small places, which one doesn't want to share the spoils of Dasheng?
Unaware that he was meeting His Majesty's gaze, he then performed a Ule-style crossed-hand salute, saying, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty, for appearing in such a manner."
His Majesty slowly sat down on the dragon throne, his posture exuding grandeur and majesty!
The dinner hadn't even started yet, but it was already turning into a negotiation arena.
The Empress led the women in the hall away.
It was already dark.
A group of officials' wives, still hungry, rushed to the Empress's Phoenix Palace.
Without the sedan chair, Meng Shilan walked with a limp, leaning on her cane.
Soon the lady walking in front disappeared from sight.
The shadows on the ground were stretched long.
Then another figure caught up.
The figure beside her slowed its pace.
"You are the invincible Meng Shilan."
Meng Shilan turned her head and saw the jewels on Princess Yalan's clothes up close.
The first thought that popped into her head was...
Just how heavy is this garment...?
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