Familiar Old Acquaintance (2)

Setting foot in Cang Jin, also having Cang Jin’s officials welcoming, in addition to numerous soldiers escorting into the royal city, in this way, one didn’t have that much freedom. But, this wasn’t their country, and they didn’t need to inspect the country’s circumstances. In Cang Jin’s royal city, they can just learn what they want to learn, and this was enough. Presumably, the people of Cang Jin also don’t want to let them ‘scurry around’ in their territory.

Because their identity were too special, when Li Hong Yuan and Jing Wan entered the royal city, the Queen Regent of Cang Jin personally led the civil and military officials to the city gate to welcome.

In that moment, when Li Hong Yuan appeared along with Jing Wan, practically all the people of Cang Jin all revealed an unbelievable expression, the main reason being that the two of them truly appeared too young. Yuan Qi Emperor was already nearing sixty, and Yuan Qi Empress was also already in her fifties.

As members of the imperial family, when able to appropriately maintain one’s health, one will appear even younger. This wasn’t false, but the current Yuan Qi Emperor appeared at most just forty. If he were to remove the short mustache on his lips, even if saying he was thirty, there would certainly also be many people that will believe. On his head, one was practically unable to make out any white hair, his posture upright, and because it was currently summer, and Cang Jin also didn’t have any period that was too cold, under his thin clothing, one can even faintly see the outlines of his muscular body. Cold eyes and cold brows, to have might without anger, having a supremely majestic presence, no one can deny that he was a ruler, a ruler with overflowing power.

Even though the current emperor of Qi Yuan was his son, and he has left the center of power for more than a decade, but as long as he wanted, he still can have great power in hand.

And his wife carried a shallow smile, graceful and elegant, possessing a young posture and physique, her skin lustrous and sleek. Compared to her husband, she seemingly appeared gentle and harmless, completely just like a carefree noble madam. However, no one can underestimate this woman’s wisdom and knowledge. For Qi Yuan’s citizens, their reverence towards her even exceeded their ruler. Qi Yuan’s great momentum at present, she took up at least half the credit.

In this kind of condition, how come they would just retire that early? Back then when Yuan Qi Emperor announced his retirement, there wasn’t the saying of his body being unwell, yet quite a few people all had this kind of guess. However, looking at him now, this completely wasn’t the case. Turning back a few decades, their condition certainly would be even better than now. It truly made one puzzled.

However, the ruler and court officials of Cang Jin, in this moment, actually were glad that these two let go of power early, else if they were to continue reigning for another few decades, Qi Yuan’s surrounding perhaps really won’t have a place for others. Even though the Qi Yuan’s development currently also wasn’t slow, and Qi Yuan’s current ruler was similarly very wise, but people always felt that if it was his parents, then it certainly would be even better. Regardless whether it was the people of Qi Yuan, or the people of the other countries, they all felt this way.

——–Without comparison, there won’t be harm. If Li Tian Lin were to compare with Le Cheng Emperor’s reign, then he would certainly be praised into the heavens. Unfortunately, his throne didn’t come from his grandfather’s hands. As such, no matter how well he does, it would still just be viewed as mediocre.

In any case, Li Tian Lin had already deeply experienced this kind of feeling before when he was little. His mentality at present was actually pretty good, carrying on as usual, completely not planning on tiring himself to death on the imperial desk just for the sake of surpassing his parents. His imperial harem was also clean. As such, his days were also quite good.

Li Hong Yuan and Jing Wan’s identity were special, so naturally can’t say at an inn. The royal palace had already cleaned out a palace hall for them. Aside from some personal belongings, the rest were all prepared very adequately. After entering the palace, they certainly need to rest first. Thus, the welcoming banquet was pushed back.

Because the other party was a queen regent, that’s why, it was Jing Wan fully stepping in. Even though she was just an empress consort, no one had any complaints.

(T/N: Technically speaking, Jing Wan is just the spouse of a ruler, so status-wise, it’s not really ‘equal’ to the status of a queen regent who is a ruler in her own right.)

The current Cang Jin Queen Regent’s ability was still pretty good, but compared to Jing Wan, she was still lacking by a lot. Jing Wan perhaps had a lot of talent in governing, and in those dozen or so years, her abilities in this aspect got completely developed. When really being serious, there really weren’t that many people that can be on the same level as her.

There also wasn’t the so called being tired and whatnot. Jing Wan just spent about two hours chatting with Cang Jin’s Queen Regent. The Queen Regent of Cang Jin just felt that she’d benefited greatly, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. At the same time while feeling astonished inside, she also inwardly pitied, how great would it be if such a person was born in their Cang Jin royal family. Perhaps, they can even fantasize about Cang Jin becoming an unprecedented overlord?

The welcoming banquet was on the next day. It was a large-scale palace banquet.

And this seating arrangement was also unprecedented. The ruler of their country sitting on equal terms with the ’emissaries’ of another country. Although it appeared inconceivable, but in reality, it was still their ruler that benefited, alright! After all, if this was in Qi Yuan, even the current emperor at most would just sit as equals with his parents.

TN: All

The palace banquet was very lively, and also very harmonious. After all, Jing Wan and them came on friendly terms, and Cang Jin, in front of Qi Yuan, naturally didn’t dare to slight at all. That’s why, the people of Qi Yuan won’t provocatively show their might, and the people of Cang Jin also won’t dare to cause trouble, needing to show that their interior was harmonious and united. Moreover, Li Hong Yuan and Jing Wan have had a deep relationship for several decades, not having a third person inserting a foot, so Cang Jin naturally didn’t dare to do something like send beauties.

Official matters weren’t discussed at the banquet. They were instead pushed to the next day.

The two sides discussed matters such as bilateral trade, education, and so on. On Qi Yuan’s side, although Li Hong Yuan attended, just based on his personality that hasn’t changed at all in several decades, don’t count on him for anything. As such, for the most part, it was Jing Wan that was in charge.

These things more or less took about several days. Afterwards, it was ‘free time’.

Jing Wan played around inside the royal city, with Li Hong Yuan accompanying by her side. In terms of attire, they were very low-key, but they ultimately can’t really be the same as ordinary people. As such, they were very conspicuous. And in the surrounding, there were also many people, either on the surface or in the dark, protecting them.

However, the people of Qi Yuan living in Cang Jin were actually quite a few. As such, even if there were slight differences in terms of appearance, they really weren’t considered to be particularly attracting attention.

Cang Jin’s royal city certainly can’t compare with Qi Yuan’s capital city, but because the two countries had different cultural backgrounds, as such, there were actually a lot of places to play around in.

And when Jing Wan felt that they can soon leave Cang Jin, someone came looking. Reportedly, it was an old acquaintance. Seemingly, from the start, they’d just repeatedly wanted to request an audience, just got continuously blocked outside. This time, it was completely because of running into an old servant by Jing Wan’s side who knew the other party’s identity.

Jing Wan momentarily also couldn’t figure out who it would be, thus directly asked.

“Replying to your Highness, it’s Min Xiao Yuan.”

“Min Xiao Yuan?” Have to say, Jing Wan was quite surprised, “She, they are in Cang Jin’s royal city?”

“Yes, reportedly, they’ve been here for already more than ten years.”

Jing Wan nodded. Seemingly, it wasn’t hard to understand. After all, here, it was much easier for women to survive compared to any other place. Especially under the premise of her bringing along a ‘burden’, there was no better choice than Cang Jin.

“Since it’s an old acquaintance, then just meet with them.”