Le charme d'une femme puissante se répand à travers le monde - Chapitre 47
After changing my clothes, it was already lunchtime. Because I had something on my mind, I didn't care about being hungry and walked towards the Heavenly Imperial Palace with Xi Lan. Xi Lan walked beside me without saying a word.
When the eunuch outside the palace gate saw that it was Tian Xilan and me requesting an audience, he hurriedly went in to announce our arrival. A moment later, Eunuch Yang came in person to deliver the message. Tian Xilan and I went in together, and Eunuch Yang and the eunuch closed the door and bowed as they withdrew.
A table full of dishes was placed on one side of the hall, with tableware for three people. King Tianqing was sitting at the head of the table, as if he had expected us to come at this time.
"tide Yue (Xi Lan) greets Father Emperor." The two bowed and paid their respects together.
"Sit down." King Tianqing looked at me, his eyes flashing with an ambiguous light, and said, "Xiyue left the palace today?"
"Father, today I begged Xilan to take me to see the sacred mountain and the sacred lake. I have never seen such a beautiful view in my life, it was like being in a fairyland." I looked like I was still immersed in the scenery, but then I became very serious and said, "There was only one thing, the purple snow lotus that Xilan picked and gave me, it looked like a cabbage, which disappointed me a lot."
King Tianqing finally couldn't help but twitch his lips a few times, but he didn't burst out laughing on the spot. I still admire his composure and self-control.
"Hehe, Father is really amazing. How did you expect us to come to pay our respects at this time?" I blinked at the Azure King a few times, asking with a mixture of admiration and curiosity.
"So Xiyue just came to pay her respects. I thought you came to see me because of the matter of the Fourth Prince requesting permission to lead troops into battle!" King Tianqing said with a half-smile.
My secret was exposed in a single sentence, leaving me no chance to pretend to be innocent or cute. Sigh, I guess I'll just have to be honest and get down to business.
"Father," Tian Xilan spoke before I could, "the matter that Father asked Xilan to investigate yesterday has yielded results."
"So fast, good!" King Tianqing looked at Tian Xilan with satisfaction, his expression one of unprecedented joy.
"Then please keep yesterday's agreement, Father." Tian Xilan said neither humbly nor arrogantly, but the smile on her face was somewhat distant and fleeting.
I looked at Tianqing King, then at Tian Xilan. When did the two of them make an agreement? Why am I completely unaware of it?
"At the morning court tomorrow, I will appoint Dai Cunren as the Generalissimo of the Western Expedition, leading an army of 200,000 men. They will depart in three days." The Heavenly King looked at me, his eyes revealing not only calculation and conspiracy, but also an arrogant confidence that he had everything under control.
I was speechless for a moment. Was this the agreement Xi Lan was referring to? No wonder he was so sure that the Heavenly Azure King wouldn't grant the Fourth Prince's request at the morning court session. So, what was Xi Lan offering in exchange?
"As for the alliance document, Xiyue, when would be the best time for me to give it to you?" he asked casually.
I was shocked. Could the alliance document be one of the conditions of the agreement? But on my face, I smiled calmly and said, half seriously and half coquettishly, "Father, you have already recognized Xiyue as your adopted daughter, so why are you still pushing Xiyue to Longyao Kingdom? Although Xiyue brought the alliance document to Longyao Kingdom, there is no reason for Xiyue to send it back now. So many people are fighting for it, just asking Father to give them a chance to serve and make contributions, but Father only wants to send Xiyue on this mission, without feeling sorry for Xiyue at all."
"Haha, since Xiyue is unwilling to share my burdens, I will have no choice but to send someone else to deliver the alliance document as quickly as possible." Though he said this, his expression and eyes were full of satisfaction and joy. I was right after all; how could the Azure Sky King truly hand over the alliance document to me and then let me leave this place!
However, upon hearing that King Tianqing had agreed to the alliance, my heart leaped with joy. If Fox and Qinglin knew this news, I wondered how happy they would be. Especially Qinglin; I had told myself that if King Tianqing agreed, I would tell him the news first. I tried my best to suppress my joy, maintaining my usual smile, and looked up to see Xilan, who was also smiling at me. My heart ached. I had been so focused on King Tianqing's agreement that I had forgotten Xilan!
King Tianqing glanced at the smiling Xi Lan, then looked at me thoughtfully, and said casually, "This morning, Consort Rong sent someone to invite you to a banquet?"
"Yes, Father."
"I heard that girl is still kneeling there."
“Father, she is just a maid, yet she dares to be so rude and disrespectful to Xiyue. Your son has already sent someone to take her to the Imperial Household Department to receive punishment.”
I looked at Tian Xilan in surprise. I hadn't seen Yu Fu when I came out, and I thought she had finally come to her senses and left. I didn't expect that Xilan had sent someone to take her to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Tianqing King didn't look at Xilan, but instead looked at me with great interest, as if I were his chosen prey.
“We’re all family now, it’s good to spend time together and connect,” he suddenly said to me with a kind expression.
"I will follow my father's instructions and send someone to report to Consort Rong as soon as I return," I replied respectfully.
Consort Rong actually postponed the banquet to the evening because of me. Looking at Yu Fu's behavior and Tian Qing Wang's seemingly unintentional words just now, what kind of conspiracy is hidden in this banquet that seems to be indispensable to me?
Clouds Drunk, Moon Slightly Asleep (Revised Edition) Volume Two: Where Does the Vast Sky and Water Lead? The Strings of Music are Muffled, Yet the Thoughts Remain (Part Two)
Chapter word count: 3548 Update time: 08-12-21 16:25
The melody of each string, a suppressed thought (Part Two)
"Xi Lan, what did you promise Father Emperor? What did you offer him to make such a big deal?" I pulled Xi Lan into the house, dismissed everyone else, closed the door, and hurriedly asked the still smiling man.
"It's nothing, Wei Mian, don't worry." He pulled me to the soft couch, pressed me down on it, and said gently, "You haven't stopped since you got up this morning, and you didn't seem to sleep well last night either. You have a banquet tonight, so take a rest now."
"It's definitely not a small matter, Xilan. Don't get caught up in the political vortex because of me. You've never liked these things." My heart aches and feels bitter when I think of everything Xilan has done for me. In order to achieve my own goals, I have repeatedly pretended not to know and taken advantage of Xilan's feelings for me. When did I become such a shameful person?
"I only temporarily complied with Father's wishes so that he would agree to the alliance, and I could take you away from here as soon as possible. This is what we agreed on before. I know you don't like this palace." He pulled over a thin quilt and covered me with it, indicating that I should rest on the soft couch for a while.
"Xi Lan, why are you so foolish? Why are you so good to me? You're giving so much, but you won't get anything in return. It will only hurt you more. Xi Lan, don't hurt yourself more because of me." Tears streamed down my face, but I didn't know if they were for Xi Lan or for myself. I just felt so heartbroken. How I wished that Xi Lan was only cooperating with me because he had a grudge against the Fourth Prince and wanted to get rid of him, just like I initially thought. But I knew clearly that wasn't the case. He didn't save me, help me, protect me in the palace, or do things he didn't want to do for that reason.
"I just want to protect Wei Mian and don't want her to get hurt, so don't feel guilty. This is what I want to do and what I'm willing to do." He put one hand on my shoulder and gently wiped away my tears with the other. His usual smile disappeared, but his voice was exceptionally gentle as he said, "Back then, I was too young and didn't have the ability to protect my mother. So now, I won't let Wei Mian suffer any harm."
"Xi Lan, the better you treat me, the more my father will scheme against you..." I could only say half of it before I couldn't continue. I'm such an idiot. If Xi Lan didn't do this, how could I have a place to live in this palace?
Xi Lan, Xi Lan, if my heart had never been lost, never had any attachments, then perhaps the guilt and heartache in my heart would not be so intense right now.
"Go to sleep, don't think too much."
I closed my eyes, but my heart was in turmoil. Xi Lan, he has done so much for me, so what can I do for him?
Rongyu Palace was resplendent in gold and brightly lit. I gently took Zisu's hand and slowly entered. Before me was a scene of fragrant clothes and flowing hair. In addition to Consort Rong, Consort Shu, Consort De, the Third Princess, the Seventh Princess, the Eighth Princess, the Crown Princess was also present.
After a series of greetings and bows, we finally took our seats. It wasn't a very formal banquet, so there weren't many rules. The Crown Princess pulled me to sit next to her, and the Seventh Princess sat on my other side.
I felt a little awkward seeing the Crown Princess. Yesterday, I had refused her plea to kneel, but she didn't seem to mind. Her face was still pale in the lamplight. She held my hand and affectionately called me "sister." As for the Seventh Princess, since I was made a princess, this was the first time we had met face to face like this, except for the time at the Fourth Prince's double celebration banquet. She reluctantly called me "elder sister" and then stopped talking to me with a sullen face.
"Is Your Majesty feeling any better?" Out of politeness, I still had to inquire.
"You're too kind, little sister. I've gotten used to this illness, so please don't take offense." She smiled gently.
Even after what happened yesterday, I still don't dislike the person in front of me, but I won't like or fawn over them either. In fact, if I could, in this vast palace, apart from Xi Lan, I wouldn't want to talk to anyone or have any interaction with anyone else.
I kept my head down and didn't speak, casually eating a few bites of food, trying my best not to attract attention. Suddenly, the Crown Princess next to me coughed lightly, covering her mouth. Everyone stopped talking and looked in our direction. The Crown Princess stood up, supporting herself on the table, and said softly to Consort Rong sitting opposite her, "Consort Rong, Han Dan is unwell and has disturbed the enjoyment of all the ladies and sisters, so she will return early."
"What are you saying? The fact that Han Dan is here is already giving me a lot of face. I just like to have some fun when I have free time. What I fear most is that people I invite will not come." Consort Rong was dressed in her palace attire, with tassels hanging down and a skirt with pleats of a hundred flowers. Her voice was as gentle as water, but it made me smile bitterly.