This left Li Qingchen completely baffled. Although Pan Jieshi and his daughter must have thoroughly loathed Prince Awuge of Ziyi Kingdom, how could Wei Shuwan, living in the stable capital, empathize with them? Moreover, judging from her current state, Wei Shuwan seemed even more distressed than Pan Wei and his daughter, and her concern didn't seem to lie with Prince Awuge, but rather with Pan Wei's daughter.
At this moment, Pan Wenjun seemed to sense something as well. She exchanged a glance with Wei Shuwan, then fell into confusion, pondering to herself, "Why does Sister Shuwan look like she's about to cry when she looks at me..."
While everyone at the banquet was experiencing emotional fluctuations, Prince Awuge was not idle either. He unveiled the red silk covering the congratulatory gift behind him, revealing a statue of Manjushri Bodhisattva as tall as a person.
The Bodhisattva has five topknots on his head, holds a sharp sword, and sits on a lifelike lion.
Prince Awuge began to convey his father's message, expressing the sincerity and determination of their Ziyi Kingdom to negotiate peace with Daye. These words once again made Wei Shuwan's heart tremble.
That's right, in her previous life, Pan Wenjun was bestowed the title of Princess for a Peace Marriage, precisely when the envoy from the Ziyi Kingdom came to Daye to propose peace talks!
So... today?
Wei Shuwan knew that time was of the essence and that the matter of bringing her uncle and Sister Pan together could not be delayed, but she did not expect it to be this urgent. This completely disrupted her previous plans. Originally, she was hoping that after the Autumn Festival, she could take her uncle and Sister Pan out of the capital to find a beautiful place to properly bring them together, but who knew that it would be too late.
She knew perfectly well that once Prince Awuge uttered his marriage proposal today, Pan Wenjun's fate would be irreversible.
Just as Li Qingchen was about to ask Wei Shuwan what had happened, he heard the eldest prince, Awuge, speak again in the hall: "Your Majesty the Emperor of Daye, the birthday gift I presented is quite extraordinary. This Bodhisattva is no ordinary Bodhisattva."
Emperor Pingjia couldn't help but feel puzzled, and the princes and nobles present began to whisper among themselves: "Isn't a Bodhisattva just a clay figure sculpted in gold? What could be so unusual about it?"
Awuge scanned the crowd from left to right, taking in everyone's reactions, and pointed to the Bodhisattva's mount with a hint of pride, introducing it: "This lion is not a clay figure; it is a real lion, sculpted alive into a golden shell."
These words caused an uproar both on and off the stage. Emperor Pingjia frowned deeply, unable to discern whether the birthday gift represented the sincerity of the Ziyi Kingdom or was a show of force.
They can even sculpt a living lion into a golden shell; isn't that a silent clamor?
Just as everyone was still reeling from the sight of the living lion statue, Awuge stretched out his long arm and took the sword from the Bodhisattva's hand. The crowd was shocked again, this time letting out gasps of surprise, for they realized the sword was not merely a prop, but a real, deadly weapon!
Just as Awuge drew his sword, Eunuch Cao exclaimed, "Protect the Emperor!" Hundreds of imperial guards rushed into the hall, brandishing their swords and forming a defensive stance, surrounding Emperor Pingjia and the Crown Prince behind them.
The officials were also unable to sit still. The military generals spread their arms to protect their families, while the civil officials fled their seats in a panic, retreating in a disheveled state.
Just moments before, Wei Shuwan was still immersed in the tragedy of Pan Wenjun's previous life. The next moment, she saw that several royal relatives around her had left the table. She turned to look at Li Qingchen, only to see that he was calm and composed, without a trace of fear.
"Don't be afraid, no one can hurt you," Li Qingchen said calmly, reassuring Wei Shuwan.
For no apparent reason, Wei Shuwan felt an overwhelming trust in him when she looked into his eyes. She believed he could protect her and solve any immediate crisis for her. It was this trust that finally led her to ask him for help: "Li Qingchen, could you find a way to interrupt Awuge's request..."
Li Qingchen was slightly taken aback. He could see what she was worried about, but he hadn't expected that what she feared was Awuge's request.
At this moment, some of the officials began to angrily question: "Why is someone allowed to bring weapons into the palace? And even to the Jiying Hall!"
To bring weapons to the palace on the day of the Emperor's birthday is a huge threat and a direct challenge to the Emperor of Da Ye.
The chief eunuch hurriedly explained, "Although I am in charge of checking the items carried by those entering the palace today, it is the Ministry of Rites' responsibility to bring a sharp weapon into the palace as a congratulatory gift for Prince Awuge!"
The Minister of Rites also explained tremblingly, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is a devout Buddhist and has long ago issued a decree that any birthday gifts containing Buddha statues or golden bodies should not be excessively examined, lest it be disrespectful... I never imagined that the sword of Manjushri Bodhisattva would be a real sword..."
Hearing the officials of Daye passing the buck, Awuge laughed loudly. All eyes turned back to him. He held his sword and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, the Emperor of Daye, although I brought weapons into the palace, I have no intention of disrespecting you. On the contrary, I have come with the utmost sincerity of our Ziyi Kingdom."
With the Imperial Guards protecting him, Emperor Pingjia knew he was no longer in danger. He calmed down and asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean by that?"
"Your Majesty, the sword in my hand is forged from fine iron and can be called the national treasure of Ziyi Kingdom! Since I have brought it to present as a tribute, it is with full sincerity and determination to negotiate peace with Daye. I am willing to offer the strongest weapon of Ziyi Kingdom to Daye to show that we will no longer fight each other and to exchange it for eternal peace between our two countries!"
After hearing Awuge's words, Emperor Pingjia finally felt relieved and laughed loudly, "So that's how it is." Then he waved away the imperial guards in front of him.
The emperor was to appear magnanimous, but Eunuch Cao knew he couldn't really put the emperor in danger. So he exchanged a glance with the commander of the Imperial Guards, who immediately understood and withdrew most of the guards, leaving a small group to guard both sides of the Jade Platform. This way, they wouldn't obstruct the emperor's and officials' view, and they could be prepared to respond to any emergencies.
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