The Foolish Agent

Chapter 63

Everyone immediately turned their attention to the woman in the center of the room, awaiting her answer. She nodded to the child, then delicately raised her fingers and suddenly lifted her veil. Raising her tear-filled eyes, she looked directly at the emperor in the main seat, her gaze filled with a mixture of excitement and grievance.

Apart from the nearly frantic Shui Rong'er and the bewildered Third Prince, everyone in the main seat was stunned into silence. Eunuch Fu almost cried out in alarm, but fortunately, Ying beside him silenced him in time.

Of course, the most shocked was Emperor Xuanyuan Yunli. Actually, he was somewhat prepared when he first saw the child's face. But when he saw her features, he was still terrified. He still remembered the last line of her letter: "Let's continue our love in the next life!"

As the emperor stood there stunned, the woman, holding the child's hand, walked towards him and called out in a very tender voice:

"Second Senior Brother!"

The familiar call of "Second Senior Brother" pulled Xuanyuan back to reality. He jumped to his feet, excitedly shouting:

"Yin'er! You're alright! That's so good!"

Lin Yin'er, holding her son, stood in front of Xuan Yuan's table, across a wooden table, and replied, her voice choked with emotion:

"Yin'er is alright! Yin'er has finally lived up to your and Master's kindness, raising our child and bringing him back." He then bent down and pulled his son close, saying, "Yi'er, quickly call him Father!"

"Father!" the child called out in a clear, bright voice, blinking his eyes.

Upon hearing someone call him "Father" for the first time, Xuanyuan Yunlu involuntarily broke out in goosebumps. Just as he was feeling bewildered, the little guy suddenly pouted and asked, "Why don't you want me and Mother?"

Xuanyuan stretched out his long arm, swept it across the table, and patted the child's head, replying awkwardly, "Your name is Yi'er, right? Your father didn't abandon you and your mother!"

The little guy's black, jade-like eyes darted around, and he pointed to the empty seat next to Xuanyuan, saying:

"Is that so? Then Yi'er and Mother will sit next to Father."

"Yi'er, you mustn't be rude! The seat next to the Emperor is reserved for the Empress." Lin Yin'er scolded her son gently, then looked up at Xuanyuan awkwardly and said, "It's all my fault for not disciplining Yi'er properly. Your Majesty, please don't blame him!"

Lin Yin'er's words touched Xuan Yuan's heart. How difficult it must have been for her to raise the child alone all these years! Xuan Yuan looked down at Yi'er's expectant gaze, finding it hard to refuse. So he looked up at her and said:

"It's alright, it's just one seat. You can bring Yi'er and sit here!"

Now, whether they knew Miss Yin'er or not, everyone understood what was going on. The Emperor had a successor, and the ministers were overjoyed. However, for the Empress to allow someone else to sit in her place was absolutely against etiquette, especially in front of the Envoy of Xiping. Therefore, as soon as the Emperor finished speaking, more than half of the ministers knelt down and objected:

"Your Majesty, please reconsider! Regardless of whether this young master is Your Majesty's child, this young lady can only be made a concubine! How can a concubine usurp the position of Empress?"

"Your Majesty, please reconsider! The national system cannot be abandoned!"

...Then many ministers seconded the motion, and Xuanyuan was immediately caught in a dilemma.

Meanwhile, west Ping and his entourage happily ate the delicacies on the table while watching the spectacle with amusement.

At this moment, a report came from the entrance of the Imperial Garden:

"Miss Leng has arrived!"

Who is Miss Leng? She arrived even later than the Emperor, and dares to swagger in like this? Everyone looked towards the entrance in unison.

But instead of seeing the person who came, they saw a bright yellow figure rush out. That deep yellow dragon robe—it was undoubtedly the Emperor. What was going on? The Emperor, who had always disliked women, first had a five-year-old illegitimate son, and now a junior sister trying to seize the Empress's position. Although he was agitated by them, he still maintained his royal dignity.

But who exactly is this Miss Leng? Just hearing the eunuch's announcement made the Emperor forget his status and the occasion, rushing over without a care in the world! Everyone stared wide-eyed in astonishment at the entrance, afraid of missing a good show.

Meanwhile, Eunuch Fu and Zi Ying, who knew the inside story, both inwardly felt a chill for the Emperor. They both looked at Lin Yin'er, whose face was filled with complex emotions—surprise, grievance, anger, and embarrassment…

When Xuanyuan heard the name Miss Leng, he indeed forgot everything else.

He involuntarily rose and landed at the entrance of the Imperial Garden. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and sure enough, he saw the beautiful figure that haunted his dreams. Three years had passed; she had grown taller and more mature, but had only become more beautiful and captivating. His heart and eyes were instantly filled with only one figure, and he cried out in delight:

"Xiaojie! You're back!"

Then, unable to resist, he rushed over and wanted to pull her into his arms.

Leng Jie deftly dodged his embrace, her movements subtle and effortless. She flashed a sweet smile and greeted Xuan Yuan warmly and naturally.

"I'm back!" He then glanced at the gazes gathering in their direction, gave Xuanyuan a meaningful look, signaling him to watch his words and actions, and added:

"I heard you're hosting a banquet for the envoys from Xiping in the Imperial Garden, so I thought I'd join in the fun. Is that inconvenient?"

Xuanyuan trembled slightly upon receiving Leng Jie's warning, immediately suppressing his excitement. He then composed himself and said to Leng Jie:

"How could that be! Your presence is more convenient than anything else!"

Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed Leng Jie's delicate hand and walked towards the venue, ignoring the astonished gazes of the crowd.

The men were all captivated by her cold and beautiful appearance, their eyes fixed on her as she moved forward. Even Zi Ying and Eunuch Fu, who had never seen her true face in women's clothing, were stunned by her current charm, while the women all revealed envious glances.

Only Lin Yin'er's gaze remained fixed on the two hands stuck together, and a shadowy light unconsciously flashed in her eyes.

Xuanyuan led Leng Jie directly to his seat, then naturally lured her to the empty seat next to him where they had been arguing. His movements were as natural as if that seat had been reserved for her.

Leng Jie had no idea what this position meant. She nodded and smiled at Eunuch Fu and Zi Ying, then sat down calmly.

From the moment she entered the venue, her gaze searched for the Xiping envoy and his entourage. She had received a secret report from her Xiping undercover agents, suggesting that the Xiping envoy's peace talks were a ruse, but she couldn't immediately discern what that ruse might be. The Xiping envoy had already entered the palace, and for such an unsubstantiated, ambiguous, yet crucial matter, Leng Jie couldn't jump to conclusions, as it concerned the diplomatic relations between the two nations. Therefore, she had no choice but to return and investigate personally. There was another factor at play; her intuition told her that the Xiping envoy's visit was likely related to the cowardly former crown prince, who always seemed to choke her.

Her sharp gaze swept across the entire area, ignoring the stunned expressions on everyone's faces. Her eyes locked onto the three people standing in the open space. Although they were all dressed in Xiping attire, Leng Jie immediately recognized that the woman and child were not from Xiping. People from Xiping are generally larger, and their features resemble those of people from Xinjiang, China. From the woman's angry and resentful gaze, Leng Jie seemed to guess who the woman before her was. Her gaze shifted to the child, then back to Xuan Yuan beside him. No need to guess anymore; the answer was already clear based on their similar appearances.

Her gaze swept past the woman and child again, landing on the tall, burly man from Xiping. Deep-set features, a sinister and cold demeanor—if the intelligence was correct, this must be the most ambitious crown prince of Xiping! The Xiping crown prince brought Emperor Jinghe's women and children to negotiate peace? What were they really up to? Leng Jie's mind raced, calculating the possible schemes and plots Xiping might employ.

Xuanyuan only belatedly realized his awkward situation when Leng Jie's gaze swept back and forth between him and Yin'er and her son. He now clearly knew that the person he loved was Xiao Jie beside him, while his feelings for Yin'er were those of a brother and sister, or perhaps a sense of responsibility.

Because of his responsibility, he couldn't abandon Yin'er and her child. Not only was the child his, but he also couldn't break his promise to his mother! Besides, he had already caused them so much suffering!

Unconsciously, Xuanyuan glanced at Leng Jie again with a guilty look, only to find her staring intently at the Crown Prince of Xiping. The Crown Prince, in turn, was lewdly staring back at her with lustful eyes, his face filled with ecstasy. Xuanyuan felt a sudden tightness in his chest! He instinctively grasped Leng Jie's hand and squeezed it firmly, drawing her attention back. Then, addressing the people in the crowd who were confused about Leng Jie's identity, he introduced her:

"This is Miss Leng Jie, the junior sister of Young Master Qingfeng and Prince Ming."

So she's Qingfeng Gongzi's junior sister! Everyone understood. They seemed to have grown accustomed to the Emperor's irrational actions towards Qingfeng Gongzi and those connected to him. Considering his reckless establishment of a foreign official's residence within the palace six years ago, and his brief stint as Prince Ming three years ago, his current attitude towards this Miss Leng didn't seem so strange. Moreover, this Miss Leng was a peerless beauty possessing a delicate and graceful figure, a captivating and ethereal appearance, and a noble, almost otherworldly aura. It seemed only natural that such a swan-like beauty would be favored by the Emperor.

Prince Xiping suddenly stepped forward and sincerely praised Leng Jie:

"Crown Prince Erguado of Xiping Kingdom greets Miss Leng! Miss Leng is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen!"

Leng Jie smiled slightly, stood up, and performed a curtsy commonly used by women in Jinghe, replying calmly:

"Thank you for your praise, Your Highness." He then casually asked:

"As a distinguished guest of Jinghe, why is the Crown Prince not seated? Is it because we have failed to provide adequate hospitality?"

Crown Prince Xiping was visibly startled, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes. He then smiled at Leng Jie, giving her a meaningful look. Instead of immediately answering Leng Jie's question, he turned to Emperor Xuanyuan beside her and asked:

"I wonder if His Majesty is satisfied with these two generous gifts that I have presented?"

Xuanyuan looked up to meet the provocative gaze of the Crown Prince of Xiping, and said without a trace of emotion:

"Many thanks to Prince Xiping for bringing them back safely!" Then he instructed Eunuch Fu behind him:

"Eunuch Fu, have someone arrange a seat for Miss Yin'er and the little prince next to Consort Shui. After the banquet, please arrange for them to stay in Yiyin Palace!"

Yiyin Palace was the palace he lived in when he was a prince, a place filled with his memories of Lin Yin'er. After he became emperor, he renamed that palace Yiyin Palace. Since Lin Yin'er was not dead, she naturally moved back there.

The palace servants moved swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, Lin Yin'er and her son were seated below Shui Rong'er. Although Lin Yin'er was extremely unwilling, she pretended to be very dignified and pulled her son to perform a palace salute to Consort Shui. Shui Rong'er snorted coldly, turned her head away, and pretended not to see.

Everyone was used to such power struggles among the concubines and didn't find them particularly interesting. All eyes were on the Crown Prince of Xiping, the only one standing in the room. The Emperor had already accepted his gift, so everyone wondered what his continued presence meant by not returning to his seat.

Crown Prince Xiping didn't give them much time to guess before providing his answer. He simply turned to the emperor with a forced smile and asked:

"Everyone says Jinghe is a land of etiquette! I wonder if the saying 'reciprocity' is a custom here?"

He deliberately emphasized the concepts of "a land of etiquette" and "reciprocity." Even a fool could tell he was about to set conditions. Leng Jie thought it might be easier to handle if he only made his conditions openly. She turned to meet Xuan Yuan's somewhat angry gaze, gently shook her head, and signaled him to calm down.

Xuanyuan received Leng Jie's encouraging gaze and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He could see the intense jealousy in Lin Yin'er and Shui Rong'er's eyes, a jealousy so intense it would make his teeth ache. But what about her? Not only did he see no trace of jealousy or envy in her eyes, but she was even more rational than him at this moment. Did this mean that he still didn't have any place in her heart? But his heart was already completely filled with her.

Suppressing the bitterness welling up inside him, he put on a stern expression and asked the Crown Prince of Xiping in a serious tone:

"I wonder what kind of return gift Your Highness desires? If it's not too difficult, I certainly won't be stingy!"

The Crown Prince of Xiping turned to look at the ministers of Jinghe and said, “I am not a greedy person. In recent years, we have helped your country protect and support your imperial concubines and princes, which has cost a lot. Originally, we planned to ask the Emperor to cede five cities west of Jianzhou, which are adjacent to my Xiping Kingdom, to our country.”

These words immediately caused a stir in the audience.

One woman and one child, and they wanted to exchange them for five cities, not to mention that the person has already been returned. Is this not greed? Yes, this is not greed, this should be called delusion! A morbid delusion.

Xuanyuan and Leng Jie exchanged a glance and asked in unison:

"And now?"

"What do you want now?"

The Crown Prince of Xiping looked intently at Leng Jie and said:

"I've reconsidered, and I feel that's unfair to you. Since you accepted the prince and princess we gave you, then you should give us one in return. That's what true reciprocity is all about!"

From the malicious glint in his eyes as he looked at Xiao Jie, Xuan Yuan already knew what he was planning. A surge of anger welled up within him, his face darkened, and his gaze turned as cold as ice. Seeing that he was about to explode, Leng Jie quickly pressed down on the back of his hand, using her eyes to stop him from losing his temper at this crucial moment. Then, glancing sideways at the Crown Prince of Xiping, she feigned ignorance and asked:

"Oh! So Your Highness the Crown Prince also has a Princess and Prince left behind in our Jinghe territory! If that's true, we will definitely take responsibility for helping your country find them."

"Haha... No need to look anymore, you are my queen. As long as you give me a son, then I'll have a prince!" Crown Prince Xiping laughed arrogantly.

Before Leng Jie could react, Xuan Yuan suddenly stood up! If it weren't for the purple shadow behind him holding his clothes, he would have already sent that lewd Prince of Xiping back to his hometown.

The ministers were also greatly angered by the arrogance of the Crown Prince of Xiping. Let alone ceding territory and cities, they would never agree to give away even the celestial beauty, Miss Leng, to them. Did he think Jinghe was so easily bullied?

However, Leng Jie, the person directly involved, remained completely unperturbed. It wasn't that she had a good temper, but rather that she simply didn't take the words of the Crown Prince of Xiping as those of a normal person. She believed that for someone with delusions, uttering any earth-shattering statement was perfectly acceptable. Leng Jie reached out and pulled Xuan Yuan back to his seat, then, without changing her expression, addressed the Crown Prince of Xiping:

"His Highness the Crown Prince seems to have made a very important mistake."

"What is it?" Crown Prince Xiping replied naturally.

Leng Jie raised an eyebrow and smiled, pointing at Lin Yin'er and her son, and said:

"This Miss Lin Yin'er and the little prince were originally from Jinghe. How could they have become a gift from the Crown Prince to my Emperor?"

Prince Xiping opened his mouth to try and argue, but Leng Jie wouldn't give him the chance.

"Since the Crown Prince knew all along that the mother and son were members of the Jinghe royal family, why did he wait six years to send them back? As a member of the royal family himself, I believe you can understand the anxiety of a prince being stranded abroad. Although I don't know how they ended up in your Xiping Kingdom, and how coincidentally they were encountered by someone as noble as the Crown Prince, you knew they were members of the Jinghe royal family, yet without the entrustment of the King of Jinghe, you didn't immediately send them back, nor did you send a letter to our country requesting their return. Instead, you imprisoned them in the Xiping Palace for six long years. This doesn't make sense at all!"

No matter how you look at it, Xiping's words seem to imply that he kidnapped and extorted Prince Jinghe and his consort.

Leng Jie was pleased to see the Crown Prince of Xiping's face turn ashen. Before he could lash out, she continued righteously:

"You've already sent him back, fine! Our Emperor is magnanimous and doesn't hold grudges, so he specially hosted a banquet to entertain you all. But you actually treated our noble Prince as a gift to exchange for benefits, which is an insult to the Jinghe royal family. Then you made an almost insane demand to cede territory and cities, so we have to believe that your Xiping Kingdom is provoking our Jinghe Dynasty. If that's the case, then our 300,000 soldiers of Jinghe have no choice but to fight."

Leng Jie's words sent chills down the spines of the Xiping envoys, leaving them drenched in sweat. Their mission was simply to deliver the mother and child to the Jinghe Palace, but the Crown Prince, driven by greed, wanted to extort money from Jinghe. Little did they know, the people of Jinghe were no less cunning! A mere woman had managed to plunge them into despair with just a few words. The elderly Xiping man quickly stepped forward to explain:

“Miss, you misunderstand! Our purpose in coming here is simply to discuss trade with your country. As for the prince and princess, we met them by chance on the road. You can ask the prince and princess if you don’t believe me. We didn’t know them before.”

Leng Jie smiled warmly at the old man, as if she were listening attentively to his explanation. However, her expression clearly showed that she did not believe what he said. Then, she glanced at the Crown Prince, who was trying to compose himself, as if to remind the old man that even a lie should be somewhat believable.

As if receiving a prompt from Leng Jie, the old man followed her gaze to his prince and continued to explain:

"Our Crown Prince has always enjoyed joking. He only wanted to make a harmless joke with you all! Please forgive him, Your Majesty!" After saying this, he actually performed a standard Jinghe kneeling ceremony for the emperor.

Although the Crown Prince of Xiping was furious, seeing that someone had prepared a ladder for him, he naturally slid down it:

"Yes! I was just joking with everyone."

The sudden reversal of events left Jinghe's attendees both shocked and overjoyed. They seemed to understand now why the Emperor had treated this Miss Leng so exceptionally. Beautiful women are many, but those who are both beautiful and intelligent are rare. And someone who possesses beauty, intelligence, cunning, and kindness—could hardly be called human? Perhaps she was a god, or even a celestial being. And the Miss Leng before them was precisely such a living celestial being!