Familiar Old Acquaintance (1)

While Jing Wan and them were out, it naturally was impossible to just be touring around. Even if Li Hong Yuan had the rotten matters blocked out, it was mainly still aimed at those that voluntarily wanted to approach them, and the troubles that they might bring. When encountering certain unjust matters, they absolutely won’t just watch with folded arms. Even if rising up as the Retired Emperor and Empress Dowager, this was still their mountains and rivers, and their people. If encountering, they naturally didn’t have any reason to ignore. However, they were only in charge of starting and not cleaning up afterwards. The mess afterwards all got thrown back to the capital for their son on the throne to handle. After all, right now, he was the one sitting on the throne, so it wasn’t good for them to overstep, no?

Although the words were said this beautifully, but every time Li Tian Lin received a letter, from the indignation in the beginning, to becoming numb afterwards, he just became more and more skillful at handling this kind of matter. To the extent that at certain times, when getting called ‘useless’ by his imperial father in the letters, he was also very composed. ———–Such as, for such messy matters to happen under his rule, making his imperial mother angry, he was just incompetent, useless, and also greatly unfilial. These words, in a certain sense, seemingly weren’t wrong——but, Li Tian Lin still wanted to smash the desk. When you were the emperor, were there not these messy matters? Because you didn’t know, so they just didn’t exist?

However, Li Tian Lin also could only vent on his own. He really didn’t dare to actually retort back. Even if right now, he was the emperor, his old man was still the big mountain pressing above his head. Unfortunately, he can’t curse his old man to go die either. Just thinking about it made him feel stuffy inside. Never mind still being under his old man’s tyrannical might even now, just a casual line from the other party can just take away all the power in his hand. Even as time passes, the inside and outside of the imperial court were all still within his control. Facing his old man, he probably still wasn’t able to do anything.

As for Jing Wan and them, although it was traveling around and playing around everywhere, not everyday was like this. Sometimes, when tired, they will just select a place to temporarily stay either a bustling prefectural city, or a countryside home. On the short end, it was just ten days to half a month, and on the long end, it was anywhere from three to five months, or even half a year.

For Qi Yuan at present, the territory truly was a bit big. Based on this pace of theirs, perhaps in this lifetime, they all won’t be able to finish traversing.

Witnessing and experiencing the various regions local conditions, customs, and culture, have to say, it was indeed quite a satisfying matter. In her past life, Jing Wan although had also gone to quite a few places before, but she was ultimately young, and most of her time was still spent in school, so certainly can’t compare with now. Although they will always encounter some things, it was still mostly leisurely and carefree. This state of mind seemingly all restored their former youth.

Have to say, what Jing Wan was interested in the most was still Cang Jin. Even if not deliberately going, around a decade later, they still reached this country’s borders.

Cang Jin, prior to Qi Yuan swallowing Southern Qi, their national power was considered an upper intermediate level. But now, in Qi Yuan’s eyes, it naturally became much punier. The countries in its surrounding have already became a part of Qi Yuan, and only it alone, Qi Yuan never once touched before. Cang Jin’s ruler had also once thought of ‘voluntarily offering up’, but as a ruler of a country, no matter what, all don’t want to become the ruler of a fallen country. Thus, he put on a good attitude to slightly stall, wanting to observe the situation first. And just like this, he stalled again and again, finally discovering that Qi Yuan seemingly didn’t have any intention of touching them. All the way until now, Cang Jin was already about to become a country within Qi Yuan, yet Qi Yuan still didn’t touch them in the slightest, their attitude even quite friendly.

In other words, Qi Yuan was completely uninterested in Cang Jin? No interest is good, please continue staying this way! Although in a certain sense, it was actually a bit stifling, because they need to constantly be careful and cautious, and no one knows when Qi Yuan will just change their mind. Their surroundings have pretty much all gotten surrounded by Qi Yuan, practically just a turtle in a jar. Of course, it’s not that there weren’t benefits. In the past, because there were quite a few countries bordering them, and although they can’t compare with Cang Jin, it still didn’t stop them from disturbing the borders from time to time, unbearably annoying. Now, Cang Jin completely didn’t have this kind of trouble, frequently having all kinds of trades with Qi Yuan, the borders peaceful and rich.

Jing Wan and Li Hong Yuan’s identity were ultimately relatively special. To rashly set foot in another country’s territory wasn’t good. As such, it was better to take the normal route, presenting their credentials.

Qi Yuan’s Yuan Qi Emperor and Yuan Qi Empress gracing them with their presence, one can imagine just how colorful the complexions of Cang Jin’s upper stratum were.

But can they have them rejected outside the door? Absolutely can’t! On the contrary, they even need to work up their spirit and rack their brains to nicely receive them. If received well, perhaps there won’t be benefits, but if not considerate in their reception, then disaster most likely will befall. It can be said to be a completely strenuous and unrewarding task. One has to know, in those years when Yuan Qi Emperor and his empress were ruling, Qi Yuan’s speed in development and speed in expansion practically made one flabbergasted. It was more than enough to see their abilities.

This kind of person, how can the other countries not pay attention. However, even if paying attention, they can only just learn through their various governmental decrees. Towards their actual temperament, they can be said to know nothing at all. However, at this time now, they can’t just do nothing. Although it wasn’t sending diplomats to Qi Yuan every year, it was still every three to five years. Even though their meeting with Yuan Qi Emperor and Yuan Qi Empress was brief, simply unable to consider understanding, but in a desperate situation, it was like treating a dead horse like a living horse. They immediately summoned the officials that had once met with these two, regardless whether they were still serving in court or not.

Tracing back one by one, well what do you know, they really found people that had close interactions with Yuan Qi Empress before, and moreover, they’d even carried out a long friendly exchange before. Even though, at the time, Yuan Qi Empress was still just a qin-wangfei, and at present, it has already been more than thirty years since, but at least, it won’t just be general chit-chat anymore.

The three female officials of Cang Jin that had once met with Jing Wan, the oldest one had already passed away. Only the youngest one was still serving in court as an official, but they were also already over sixty.

Recalling the past, one can’t help but repeatedly sigh. Jin Qinwang back then was the one that everyone was the least optimistic about. Who could’ve thought that in the end, it was a completely different scenario.

Yuan Qi Empress was very interested in Cang Jin’s culture and customs? Recalling that Yuan Qi Emperor and Empress have very deep feelings for one another, unswerving from beginning to end for several decades, then associating it with Cang Jin’s most unique aspect compared to the other countries, it seemingly wasn’t that hard to understand. This naturally can’t be better.

TN: All

The current Cang Jin ruler was a woman. In her mind, she already had a basic understanding.

The people that Li Hong Yuan and them brought along weren’t considered many, but it also wasn’t just a few, because his own doctrine was just when able to enjoy oneself, then definitely need to enjoy oneself, and further can’t wrong Jing Wan. That’s why, even if living out in the wilderness, their things were also very complete, and also sufficiently comfortable. As such, with this many things, they naturally can’t lack manpower.

And since they were following the normal procedures for entering Cang Jin, then Qi Yuan’s side can’t not have other court officials accompanying along. As such, the court officials of the nearby prefectural cities got dragged along last minute. But, in these court officials’ eyes, this wasn’t an arduous task, but rather an extremely wonderful assignment.

T/N: Cang Jin emissaries were mentioned visiting Qi Yuan back then around chapter 398 for Le Cheng Emperor’s birthday celebration, and they met with Jing Wan in chapter 429.