The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 978: offer as much
Chapter 978: Present in Full
Bai Qingyan looked at Bai Jinse with the corners of his lips raised, and whispered: “The road is long and arduous, we should search up and down…”
“I have remembered what my elder sister said! We must work hard to find ways to govern and develop the country… It is our responsibility!” Bai Jinse bowed to Bai Qingyan.
Seeing Bai Qingyan nod, Bai Jinse handed her the teacup and whispered, “Eldest sister, have a cup of tea. It’s time to take a rest! Tomorrow, when the Bai Mansion has made arrangements, Sister Chuntao and Nanny Tong will be able to enter the palace to take care of you.”
Bai Jinse was precocious, so Bai Qingyan never hid anything when speaking in front of her. Seeing her sister’s determined look, she was deeply moved. She raised her hand to rub the top of her sister’s head and took the teacup.
“Your Majesty, King Yan of Xiliang requests to see you…” Wei Zhong stepped forward and whispered.
“It’s already this late, and King Yan still came to ask for a meeting without telling you what it is?” Bai Jinse asked with a frown.
Ever since my eldest sister ascended the throne, she has been busier than before… so busy that she doesn’t even have time to eat.
Bai Qingyan, who was holding a teacup in his hand, curled up the corners of his lips slightly. It seems… Li Zhijie is anxious.
“Tell King Yan of Xiliang that it is too late today. Invite him to meet again after the morning court tomorrow.” Bai Qingyan lowered his head and slowly blew the tea leaves in the teacup.
“Yes!” Wei Zhong slowly retreated out of the hall.
Bai Qingyan lowered his eyes and looked at the tea leaves floating in the cup. When he meets Li Zhijie tomorrow… he can also meet Ayu at the same time.
After all, Rongdi and Xiliang both wanted to form an alliance with the Great Zhou, but the alliance had not yet been finalized. Li Zhijie came to meet the Empress of the Great Zhou, so naturally the Ghost-faced Prince of Rongdi also had to meet him.
Bai Qingyan closed the lid on the cup, clenched the cup tightly in his hand, and decided to ask someone to pass a message to Ayu, asking her to come after she met Li Zhijie… preferably when she was with A Niang.
“Wait…” She looked up at Wei Zhong, “Ask Li Zhijie to come over early tomorrow morning, before… I go to have breakfast with my mother.”
“Yes!” Wei Zhong responded.
As long as this news is released, Ayu will know that after Li Zhijie left the palace, she had breakfast with her mother, and if she comes over at that time… she can see her mother.
Ayu will definitely come.
·
Bai Qingyan asked Li Zhijie to come after the morning court yesterday. Li Zhijie did not dare to delay and came to wait outside Bai Qingyan’s study early, bringing the parrot with bright feathers.
On the day Bai Qingyan ascended the throne, Li Zhijie was so anxious because the killer he lent to King Baishui was discovered that he never mentioned giving the parrot to Bai Qingyan. When he came to see Bai Qingyan again today, he brought the parrot with him, which could be regarded as an excuse to see Bai Qingyan.
After a while, Wei Zhong came out of the study, smiled and saluted Li Zhijie, and said: “King Yan, His Majesty invites you…”
Li Zhijie nodded and thanked Wei Zhong, stuffed a heavy purse into Wei Zhong’s pocket, and said he wanted to treat Wei Zhong to tea. Then he went into the study with Wei Zhong.
Seeing Bai Qingyan sitting on the couch, Li Zhijie hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects, asked someone to bring the parrot up, and said with a smile: “I originally wanted to present this parrot to Your Majesty on the day Your Majesty ascended the throne, but who knew that the incident with Prince Baishui happened, and the foreign ministers were so panicked that they forgot about it!”
It was the first time that Bai Qingyan had seen such a huge parrot. It had blue feathers all over its body and yellow feathers on its neck. Even in the hall… one could see that its feathers were shining brightly. It was indeed of top quality and rare to see.
The two men carried the parrot into the birdcage in the main hall. The parrot held onto the crossbar with its claws tightly and spread its wings. It was not until the cage fell to the ground that the parrot saw Li Zhijie, then it folded its open wings and made a low hum in its throat.
Li Zhijie saw Bai Qingyan looking at the parrot with clean and bright feathers, and said with a smile: “Your Majesty, why not let me feed the parrot something? There will be a pleasant surprise.”
Wei Zhong saw Bai Qingyan nodding at him, so he took some melon seeds, walked over to the parrot, and fed it one. The parrot immediately stretched its neck and screamed, “The Empress of the Great Zhou is the most beautiful! The Empress of the Great Zhou is the most beautiful!”
Even Wei Zhong was surprised.
Seeing Bai Qingyan’s slightly surprised expression, Li Zhijie said again: “Thank you, eunuch, for feeding this beast again.”
Wei Zhong fed the parrot again. After eating, the parrot screamed at the top of its voice: “Long live the Empress of the Great Zhou! Long live the Empress of the Great Zhou!”
Li Zhijie took a deep look at the parrot that made him look proud, then turned around and bowed to Bai Qingyan: “My little beast, I am here to make the empress smile. I hope the empress will accept it.”
Bai Qingyan nodded to Wei Zhong, indicating that Wei Zhong should accept it: “Thank you, King Yan, for giving King Yan a seat…”
Li Zhijie bowed and thanked him. After he sat down, he spoke slowly, “I remember the first time I met the Empress of the Great Zhou, it was at Qiushan Pass. I saw the Empress riding a horse from afar, and she was so heroic… I was shocked by her beauty. Now I think that maybe the gods were reminding me that in the future, Your Majesty will be the master of the vast country.”
Bai Qingyan looked at Li Zhijie with a smile: “King Yan’s visit here should not be just to give me a parrot and praise me a few words!”
Li Zhijie stood up and bowed: “Xiliang still hopes to form an alliance with the Great Zhou, but… this matter has not been finalized, so I dare to come to see Your Majesty. I know… what General Yun did to the 17th Young Master of the Bai Family did make Your Majesty sad, and it is reasonable for Your Majesty to hold a grudge. General Yun actually regretted it after he returned, otherwise he would not have sent his eldest grandson to come and pay for the life of the 17th Young Master of the Bai Family, and our Xiliang Queen would not have given up so many cities.”
Bai Qingyan picked up the teacup, blew slowly into it, lowered his head to drink the tea, and did not respond. He was thinking about how to test Li Zhijie to see if he knew Jintong’s identity.
Seeing this, Li Zhijie gritted his teeth and continued, “What Xiliang can give to the Great Zhou is far better than Rongdi, so the Great Zhou can do it without any effort… Taking more than 20 cities is equivalent to winning a battle without fighting!”
“Xiliang also has the war horses that Rongdi has…it’s just that Xiliang is preparing for war now and can’t provide so many horses at once! As long as Dazhou can sign an alliance with Xiliang, after the war, Xiliang will provide Dazhou with as many horses as Rongdi gives Dazhou now!” Li Zhijie said slowly, “This is a very cost-effective deal for Dazhou.”
“But the fine horses given by Rongdi will arrive immediately, and Xiliang’s promise after the war… is just empty words to Da Zhou.” Bai Qingyan stroked the teacup in his hand, “What if Xiliang loses? Isn’t it… lip service? Da Zhou wants Xiliang’s cities, but war horses are also very important to Da Zhou. With war horses… Da Zhou has many brave generals, and Xiliang’s main force is tied down by Rongdi. It should be no problem for Da Zhou to capture more than 20 cities. What do you think, King Yan?”