"She is her, and you are you, I will ask you both." Si Xitong was still in her arms, possessing her body, and even more fierce than her. Xie Lanzhi swallowed hard, thinking that in the few months she hadn't seen her, not only had she grown, but her temper and possessiveness had also swelled and increased.
Thinking of the treasure ship, she asked her, "Little Phoenix, when was our ship built?"
Based on ancient technology, it would take several months to build a single ship, even if they worked day and night.
This brings us to the birth of the assembly line.
Si Xitong told her that the treasure ship was built on the spot, and it had already sailed around Weidu to the Southern Region last month without any accidents. As for why she built the ship so quickly, it was entirely due to the technology provided by Lu Qing, who was actually a veteran of naval arts.
However, since the Xiongnu are not located by the sea, no matter how well she answered questions about naval warfare, she had no Mohist master who appreciated her skills. Most Mohist masters operated inland and rarely ventured to the sea. It was only after the new king ascended the throne that he began to value naval warfare, but Aqina's first priority was to build something called a warship. Lu Qing only knew how to operate tourist ships and realized that if she revealed her knowledge of naval warfare, the new king might force her to devise some offensive naval weapons.
She would hide her things if she didn't want to, resulting in things that were all showy but useless, so her master from the Mo family paid even less attention to her.
After listening, Xie Lanzhi stared silently at her beloved wife: "Little Phoenix, I have no idea how much I envy your protagonist aura."
Such talented people come knocking on her door, only to be rejected by Little Phoenix and left at the Star-Picking Tower, yet they still follow her around eagerly. Unlike her, who puts in money and effort, everyone seems to avoid her.
The slight grievance of being burdened with the villainous role made Xie Lanzhi's two wisps of hair on her forehead droop. Si Xitong felt sorry for her and touched her forehead, which made her little anger disappear.
"Lanzhi has suffered a lot while she was away."
"How could you not suffer? You have no idea how many unpleasant things happened in the process."
Xie Lanzhi told her everything about the Hu Xiongnu's conspiracy and how their influence had already spread. The Hu Xiongnu had been making preparations for quite some time. While the southern Hu Xiongnu had been largely wiped out because of her, the areas outside the south were likely already riddled with holes.
Si Xitong had once heard Xie Lanzhi recount the history of modern opium prohibition, a tragic past marked by national crisis and the covetous gaze of foreign powers, much like the late Jin Dynasty.
"Lanzhi, could the new king, Aqina, be someone from your side? Just like you... reborn." Si Xitong couldn't bear to utter the words "possession." Lu Qing had once said that there was absolutely no such thing as possession in this world. Even if there were, one would have to be selected by the Heavenly Dao and integrated into the world, accepted by the world, otherwise, one would be punished by Heaven.
If too many beings possess another's body, the sky will collapse, and humanity will perish. She can't see if the sky will collapse, but humanity is indeed already scarred. Now, poisonous creatures are spreading and devouring other weaker nations in places they cannot see.
Xie Lanzhi didn't know how to answer her, because she didn't feel that the woman was from the same place as her. So she couldn't be sure immediately.
"Little Phoenix, all you need to remember is that the will of Heaven is pointing to you. Not to Aqina, and certainly not to me."
"Lanzhi." Si Xitong snuggled into her arms again, not allowing her to say anything more about her. How could she belittle herself? To her, whether it was fate or not, in this world, Xie Lanzhi was her only world.
"Alright, I won't say anymore." Xie Lanzhi gently kissed her hair, then hugged her. The two enjoyed the rare quiet and didn't want to discuss business anymore.
She would occasionally feel a restless urge. Si Xitong's hands roamed over her body like dragons and snakes, very uneasy. The carriage outside was driven steadily, but even so, Xie Lanzhi still had to remain calm and composed, not letting herself be provoked by him.
It wasn't until Si Xitong pinned her down and turned her body onto the side that Xie Lanzhi finally couldn't help but straighten her legs. She was about to roll over and pin this restless woman down when, unexpectedly, she made too much of a movement and neglected her long legs. As a result, she kicked her legs, and a scream came from outside: "Ah!!"
The coachman in the luxurious carriage was steadily escorting the distinguished guest into the palace of the Huayin Kingdom. Just as they were about to reach the palace gate, a sudden pain shot through his back, and he was thrown from the carriage. But the horse continued galloping forward.
"Little Phoenix, look what you've done!" Xie Lanzhi felt the driver was gone, and she got up, tears welling in her eyes, to pull the reins. Finally, she got the carriage under control. The woman inside reflected on her actions for a moment, then quickly forgot the pain.
"It was Lanzhi who kicked the person, how dare you say that about me?"
"It's all your fault! You...you tricked me!"
"No, I was just resting in the Marshal's arms. I didn't know that the Marshal had missed me so much after not seeing me for so long."
Xie Lanzhi was so angry she almost vomited blood. She even referred to herself as "this concubine" again, thinking that this would allow her to escape the situation.
She scolded, "Whoever thinks what they really want, only they know in their hearts! Little Phoenix, we are honest people, we can't lie!"
Unexpectedly, a boastful "Hmph" came from inside the carriage.
The little phoenix was mocking her. Xie Lanzhi's hands froze, her face darkening: "I'll deal with you later."
"Passengers are requested not to disturb the driver while the vehicle is in motion."
"Master Xie, please drive carefully, I can't handle any jolting." Si Xitong's lazy voice came from inside.
Then, with a dark expression, she drove the carriage to the palace gate. The envoy from Huayin Kingdom saw the southern overlord drive his own carriage to the palace gate without even a coachman.
The messenger was so frightened that he kowtowed and begged for forgiveness.
Xie Lanzhi explained several times that she had accidentally kicked the coachman off the carriage. The messenger then asked if the carriage driver's driving skills were so bad that the ride was so bumpy that she kicked him. Every sentence was designed to protect her image.
The person inside the carriage also said softly, "The Marshal's skills have indeed improved somewhat."
This statement has a hidden meaning.
The envoy apologized again with trepidation: "Our country's carriages have always been of very poor quality, and we have been disrespectful to you two esteemed guests."
"It's alright, I like a bumpy ride." Xie Lanzhi admitted with a dark expression that he wanted to drive for his beloved wife, which reassured the messenger. The coachman also paid a large sum of money to send the woman to the doctor before the matter was settled. The coachman wasn't seriously injured, but he inexplicably made a fortune.
The two were arranged by Huayin Kingdom to stay at Dongguo Hotel. Xie Lanzhi picked the woman up and carried her into the bedroom in a fierce manner. The woman in her arms was giggling charmingly, not caring at all that she was being taken away so roughly.
Xie Bing and Jin Bing, officers from the State Guesthouse, tacitly stood guard outside, preventing anyone from approaching.
Xie Ying finally managed to carry Xie Shangguang to the state guesthouse. Xie Shangguang got down apologetically and was about to thank her after touching his head.
A burst of enthusiastic laughter echoed from inside the state guesthouse: "Marshal, don't be impulsive!"
"Then if you behave yourself from now on, I won't punish you."
Xie Shangguang: = = It seems I can't get in for the time being.
Xie Ying: + + How long will it take before I can get in?
One after another, the lords of various countries entered the main palace in Huayin and presented their treaties. Most of the smaller countries were currying favor with the Huns and Xiongnu, and many dared not refuse to sign. Signing would also allow them to receive an extra gift.
Yelü Lili stayed at the Beiguo Hotel and ignored the commotion outside.
Xie Lanzhi was still enjoying her time together, and in the middle of the day, she still had to take care of her hungry wife.
She lay on the big bed, feeling sore in her back and hands, even more tired than when she practiced martial arts.
My back aches from being wrapped around a woman's slender waist, and my arms ache from carrying a woman's weight. She toils away all day, while the little phoenix sleeps soundly.
Si Xitong's eyes were closed, her hair slightly damp with sweat, disheveled at her temples, her face full of satisfied refreshment, and her hand still holding onto one spot. Like a child looking for milk, she always wanted to hold onto something to fall asleep.
Xie Lanzhi turned over and lay on her side. She stretched out a finger to comb her hair, and then touched and drew on the tip of her nose again and again. Her eyebrows were as dark as ink, with sharp and upright roots, and her lips were a touch of crimson. It seemed that as long as she drew a few more times, she could perfectly depict her.
She sighed softly, "We still have a long way to go."
"No matter how arduous the task, it can't affect my sleep." Si Xitong had actually woken up a bit after sleeping for two hours. She felt someone trying to pry her hands open, so she gripped them even tighter and pinched that spot in the process.
A slight smile appeared on her lips: "Does Lanzhi not drink enough milk?"
Xie Lanzhi's face darkened, and she solemnly reminded the adult lady: "Little Phoenix, how come I never noticed you before? You're actually... so charming. And so sarcastic."
"Flirting? Who have I been flirting with?" Si Xitong squeezed even closer into her arms, seemingly unwilling to leave even a gap between them. Xie Lanzhi was so squeezed that she almost fell off the bed.
She quickly stopped her: "Okay, stop pushing it, it's going to fall off."
"I just realized how innocent Lanzhi is." Si Xitong rolled over and lay on top of her, using her as a mattress. She tapped the tip of Lanzhi's nose with her fingertips and drew circles on her face again and again, mimicking Lanzhi's posture.
Xie Lanzhi was both amused and exasperated, and said, "Can you please stop learning everything?"
Si Xitong silently pouted, somewhat unhappy, and said, "Actually, I wanted to do that again, but we were both too busy at that time. Even after getting married, we had to prioritize state affairs, and there was simply no time for tender moments."
"Of course, state affairs are important. Once we figure out the Hun's purpose among the various countries, shall we choose a special day to take a vacation?" Xie Lanzhi coaxed her.
She knew the plot had begun, even accelerated, and the pressure they would face would only increase, not decrease. Today's promise was to add hope for tomorrow.
She is confident that she can achieve it.
Si Xitong knew, of course, that she longed for days alone with her, free from the worries of politics, the state of the nation, and the plight of the people. But they could never truly let go of these things. From the day they first met, the world had never been at peace.
A peaceful and prosperous world has always been their ideal.
“I’m so glad you made these promises to me.” Si Xitong rested his face on her chest, listening quietly to her heartbeat.
"I don't want to say 'but,' as long as we fight side by side and persevere, I'm not afraid of anything, regardless of success or failure."
Xie Lanzhi patted her head.
The two of them managed to find some time to enjoy themselves amidst their busy schedules, and time flew by.
That evening, the Huayin Kingdom hosted a banquet for the various lords, who were said to have been sent by the new king of the superior Hu Xiongnu Kingdom, whose younger brother, Anshan, had come to accept the treaty with the various countries.
Yelü Wen went to the Northern Region and happily accepted the alliance agreement between the two places, but no one was there. Similarly, the positions of Xie and Jiu Jin were vacant.
The absence of these three influential figures diminished the banquet's impartiality by half. If the major powers do not recognize it, the smaller countries caught between them will only face difficulties.
So, led by the King of Yue, none of the twelve smaller states signed the treaty. The Hu and Xiongnu didn't really care about these smaller states; whether they signed or not didn't matter. But King Zheng Fu of Yue insisted on taking advantage of the last train of the Jin Dynasty, arguing that since the Jin Dynasty was still legitimate, it was impossible to establish diplomatic relations with the Hu and Xiongnu, who were far to the north.
Since most of Yue's territory bordered the south, with only a small part in the north, and Xie Lanzhi was the hegemon of the south, he naturally followed the opinion of Xie Ying, the hegemon of the south.
That made some sense. So, it was only natural to postpone the signing, and Anshan didn't blame him.
Other small countries are mostly islands, counties, and prefectures with small territories. They were able to follow the ruler of Yue because Zheng Fu's reasons were very legitimate, and they were also Yue's neighbors. Although they could benefit temporarily if Yue did not agree, the Hu and Xiongnu were located far away and could not deal with each other for many years like they had with Yue.
Moreover, what the King of Yue said was not without reason.
The ruler of the Nine Jin states arrived, but was absent tonight. The overlord of the south arrived, but was also absent. Even the ruler of the region closest to the Red River Xiongnu was not present.
Regardless of the reason, the absence of these three individuals has halved the influence of the Huayin Kingdom Alliance.
Small countries are content with their lot and don't care about the situation at home. They can't win a war anyway, so whoever wants to take them in is just looking for a long-term meal ticket. They live a stable and carefree life.
Yelü Wen, the leader of the eight tribes of the Northern Regions, personally came to sign the alliance treaty for the Northern Regions. He received it and left that very night. Was he intentionally avoiding someone?
That evening, Anshan dispatched Hu and Xiongnu dancers to entertain the rulers of various countries, and the group enjoyed themselves at the banquet.
There's still a somewhat subtle atmosphere going on.
There has been no movement from the Eastern Kingdom's guesthouse, while Yelü Lili of the Northern Kingdom's guesthouse is reportedly ill and refusing to receive guests. Regardless of the pretext under which the Xiongnu invite them, it is not in the proper capacity of a host.
Because this is Huayin, what right do the Hu and Xiongnu have to point fingers at them?
When the Huayin Kingdom sent people, they were also politely turned away.
When Xie Lanzhi heard that Yelü Lili had been refusing to see guests, the envoy from Huayin came to the Dongguo Guest House. She did not refuse to see him, but sent Xie Shangguang to handle the matter, which was a good opportunity to test him.
The envoy thought that by pleasing Xie Shangguang, he could meet Xie Lanzhi. However, after a whole day, Xie Shangguang not only failed to agree but also extorted a lot of Huayin's specialties, filling boxes to take back to his house.
He's such a little robber!
They went to invite Xie Ying, but Xie Ying was practicing his martial arts and would pick on anyone he saw, scaring the Huayin envoy so much that he dared not come to their door.
Xie Lanzhi could eat, drink tea, and get shoulder massages with her beloved wife in the mansion, repeating the same things for three days in a row without getting tired of it.
Finally, it's the fourth day.
She said, "Little Phoenix, if we drag this out any longer, we might end up being accused of arrogance and showing off our power."
"Let them talk." Si Xitong was enjoying their time alone together and wouldn't budge no matter who came.
She said, "The ruler of Huayin, Anyi, wrote to me privately, a letter asking for help. Only then did I learn that his country was short of food, and one of the grain routes was blocked by the Xiongnu, causing a slump in the domestic economy. Various local specialties could not be sold."
As a neutral country, Huayin had a very special geographical environment. It was located in the north, but it also connected with the south. Therefore, the customs of the north and south of Huayin were completely different.
Currently, Huayin North is experiencing a food shortage.