Despite the stares from all around, Hong Xiaoduo showed no sign of discomfort as she gazed at the dragon carved on the pillar behind her, which was truly lifelike.
A question kept popping into my mind: In period dramas, there are those who are wrongly accused and bang their heads against pillars to prove their innocence, those who bang their heads against pillars to awaken a tyrannical emperor, and the legendary Zhong Kui, who became the top scholar in the imperial examination, but was disqualified because the emperor said he was ugly. Humiliated, he banged his head against a pillar and died on the spot.
Could a single collision really kill someone?
Hmm, I'll ask Baidu when I have some free time!
Just then, the sound of whips cracking rang out outside, and a moment later, a hoarse voice announced, "His Majesty has arrived."
The officials on both sides of the hall immediately bowed slightly and greeted them respectfully with their hands at their sides.
After the emperor, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, slowly walked to the dragon throne and sat down, all the officials turned to face forward, lifted the corners of their robes, knelt down and bowed, saying, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
Hong Xiaoduo observed the actions of the officials and simply followed their movements; whether they were up to standard or not was not her concern.
On the other hand, Kaiyang was taught etiquette by Feiyan. Although it wasn't the etiquette of the palace, his movements were much more standard than Hong Xiaoduo's.
Now that she was to kneel, Hong Xiaoduo was unwilling, but she still knelt down as instructed.
This wasn't at the Wei residence; the emperor hadn't revealed his identity, so she pretended to be confused.
At this moment, in the main hall, with a large group of civil and military officials, to insist on their own way and refuse to kneel? Ha! This isn't a question of being cool or not, it's brain-dead!
She knelt down, but in her heart she was thinking, "I know the word 'Long live the Emperor'—it existed as early as the pre-Qin period. Back then, it was an alternative name for Heaven, representing eternity and omnipotence. But later, it gradually became a greeting used by subjects to congratulate the emperor. Pshaw, to put it bluntly, it's just flattery."
People shout "Long live the emperor!" all the time. But out of all the emperors in history, which one actually lived to be ten thousand years old?
In Hong Xiaoduo's memory, the longest-lived person in history was Zhao Tuo, the Martial Emperor of Nanyue, who lived to be 103 years old, according to records. There was also Emperor Gaozong of Qing, Aisin Gioro Hongli, also known as the Qianlong Emperor, who lived to be 89 years old.
Hong Xiaoduo didn't remember anything else.
Just as Hong Xiaoduo was letting her imagination run wild, the man on the dragon throne in front of her spoke in a deep voice: "My beloved ministers, you may rise."
Emperor Jiade sat high up and had a good view, so even without deliberately looking, he could quickly find that figure. Yes, he really did bring that child with him. Considering that he had already allowed a young woman from the martial arts world to help him as an interpreter, it didn't seem strange that a child would also appear here!
This is the first time I've ever acted so childishly since I came to power!
That's not right either. After hearing about her secret bloodline identification technique that night, didn't I also lose my mind and impulsively go to find her?
Sure enough, this kind of thing can't be started. Once it happens the first time, it will happen again today!
Among the ministers below, some already had their suspicions when they saw the woman brought by Minister Wei standing behind the Minister of Rites. However, they still couldn't believe it.
They already knew that the interpreter was unable to speak.
The arrival of this foreign delegation, with its interpreter unable to speak, suggests that the unfamiliar faces appearing at the Ministry of Rites are likely related to this.
But foreign languages are very difficult languages. They are not the languages of other ethnic groups in the country. There are already very few people who learn foreign languages, so it can be said that they are rare.
Foreign missions did not come frequently; sometimes they would only come once every two or three years.
Our country doesn't frequently send envoys to foreign countries, and the Ministry of Rites has two interpreters, which, although scarce, is sufficient.
But how could such a young woman know a foreign language? That's impossible!
They were also silently observing the emperor's reaction to the woman beside the Minister of Rites. There was no surprise at all. Judging from this, it seemed that the emperor had seen this woman before!
While not all of them were mediocre, few possessed the intellect of a prime minister like Dong Qichang, capable of connecting the matter of Empress Gao's departure from the Cold Palace with this young woman.
Feeling the emperor watching her, Hong Xiaoduo really wanted to wave and say hello, "Hi, we meet again."
But thinking about it, in such a serious occasion, I should be serious! Right now, she's already a conspicuous figure, having not even said or done anything yet, so it's best not to escalate the situation any further.
For no other reason than to set a good example for Kaiyang. After all, Kaiyang has come to the capital, and his home is in the capital. No matter where he develops after he grows up, he will almost certainly be in the capital before he becomes an adult.
"Your Majesty, the delegation from the Kingdom of Ying has arrived." Mu Rongjing bowed to the person on the dragon throne as he entered the hall.
"Summon." Emperor Jiade glanced at Hong Xiaoduo involuntarily, and seeing that she remained calm, he looked straight ahead and spoke.
"The delegation from Xuan Ying Kingdom has come to pay their respects." The palace servant standing at the palace gate spoke in a sharp voice with a lingering tone.
Immediately afterwards, Prime Minister Dong led the delegation into the main hall.
Hong Xiaoduo roughly counted, eighteen people.
Yesterday, I went shopping with Murong Jing. He said that the delegation consisted of 120 people, including 20 envoys, and the rest were interpreters, doctors, servants, and the largest group of people were guards.
Hong Xiaoduo was curious and wanted to see if foreigners would kneel and bow to the emperor, and how they would do so, whether it was the kind of three bows and nine kowtows.
In political terms, kneeling is a form of submission. From what I learned from Mu Rongjing yesterday, there are three countries between Fengliang Kingdom and this Ying Kingdom. There has been no history of war between them, nor is there any question of subjugation or submission.
At this moment, Prime Minister Dong, who had led the delegation, stood at the head of all officials. Remembering the interpreter, he frowned and looked at the person diagonally opposite him. He stared wide-eyed in disbelief. The one next to Minister Mo looked so much like that girl.
Hong Xiaoduo's attention, however, was entirely focused on the delegation. The next moment, she saw the envoys, led by their ministers, bow to the emperor on the dragon throne. They removed their felt hats, lowered their hands, leaned forward about fifteen degrees, looked directly at the emperor, and greeted him.
The envoy's greetings were brief, but even though it was just a simple greeting, the civil and military officials of Fengliang Kingdom inside the hall couldn't understand it, and their eyes all fell on the Ministry of Rites.
Those who had personal grudges against the Ministry of Rites in the past but had no power to do anything to them were now looking forward to seeing the Ministry of Rites make a fool of itself, but most of them were worried that the Ministry of Rites would be embarrassed.
When it comes to translation during exchanges between two countries, if both countries have translators, then the other party's words are simply translated into their own language and relayed to their leader.
However, if the other party does not have a translator, then you must translate your own leader's words into the other party's language and give them to the other party's leader.
No one from Fengliang Kingdom informed the delegation that their interpreter was unavailable to translate today. After the envoy finished his long, tongue-twisting greetings, the scene fell silent…
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