Back and forth: I brought supplies to help the impoverished prince

Chapter 271: A Banquet Where Swords Are Hard to Defend Against

Four days of almost sleepless and fast walking took a heavy toll on the body.

Qiao Shinian and Wen Jiu slept almost until the afternoon of the next day before they woke up from hunger. Perhaps it was the advantage of their young bodies. After waking up and eating a quick meal, they were almost fully refreshed.

Wen Jiu wiped the corner of his mouth and looked at Qiao Shinian who was slowly wiping his mouth beside him. He stood up and said, "It's been a long time since I returned to Beijing. Why don't you go out for a walk to digest your food?"

Wen Jiu's appetite has stabilized as he gets older. His amazing appetite has resulted in amazing strength. The last time he was measured, he was 1.82 meters tall. I wonder how much he has grown in the past few months.

Qiao Shinian shook his head at Wen Jiu's suggestion, indicating that he didn't want to go out.

Her sciatic nerve is still hurting now. It was because she had been running too wildly all the way. If she had known this was the reason, she would have taken the carriage back to Beijing slowly and ignored Wen Jiu's advice to return to Beijing as soon as possible and rest.

The news of Prince Yongle's return to the capital was not concealed. After one night, all the upper-class figures in the capital knew that Wen Jiu had returned to the capital, and everyone tacitly held a small meeting to discuss tomorrow's matters.

The original illusion created by everyone was based on the premise that Wen Jiu was not in the capital. Now that he is back, the strategy will naturally change, and what changes should be made will need further discussion.

So, today, more than half of the officials in the capital organized a cocktail party, inviting three or five good friends to gather at a certain place, and discuss countermeasures under the banner of reciting poems, playing the piano and painting to strengthen their relationships.

·

This was Qiao Shinian's third time attending Chu Wenguo's banquet.

Compared to the curiosity and shock she felt when she first attended an ancient royal banquet, she now felt that such banquets were just normal. Without that mood, she no longer felt that this was a shocking scene.

This is not a picture, this is a bloody feast. Everyone in this banquet is wearing invisible armor and holding a sword and a shield.

Langqing cannot be considered a country, it can only be said to be a nomadic tribe, but it has the name of a country.

The wolf-green envoy on this trip was an old man whom none of them knew. He had dark skin, a wolf-skin garment around his waist, and a wolf's head sewn on his shirt.

When he saw Wen Jiu and Qiao Shinian walking in, he stood up and bowed slightly to Wen Jiu.

Everyone knows the person from Yudan, the suave Lan Sheng. This prince who was a hostage everywhere was a smooth talker and frivolous in behavior when he first met him in Zhou State, but he was not annoying.

At this time, Lan Sheng no longer had the youthful vigor he had when they last met a few years ago. When he saw the people coming in, he was stunned for a few seconds, then nodded to Wen Jiu and Qiao Shinian as a greeting.

His face already showed that he no longer had the arrogance he had in the past, and only had left the cunningness that he hadn't revealed in the past.

The State of Zhou, the leading envoys of the State of Zhou, Wen Jiu and Qiao Shinian, were all very familiar with each other!

The last time it was Mo Cheng who sent someone to send Wen Jiu back to the capital, this time it was Mo Lin who came to Chu Wen to exchange resources with Emperor Gao Wen.

Qiao Shinian walked slowly behind Wen Jiu and couldn't help but sigh that the world is really small!

This time was different from the previous times. Qiao Shinian was invited to attend, and her seat was also intriguing. She was next to Wen Jiu, and she was the only woman at the banquet.

Not knowing what he was thinking of, Qiao Shinian looked towards Mo Lin. He heard that he was already the father of three children. Do men like to grow beards to prove their age when they feel they are mature?

As soon as she turned her head, she met Mo Lin's gaze. Qiao Shinian smiled slightly, raised the wine glass in front of her, bowed to him from a distance, and then drank it.

This can be considered as meeting an acquaintance.

The corners of Qiao Shinian's mouth slightly raised, maintaining a decent smile.

Before Wen Jiu could say anything, Lan Sheng, who had just finished talking to someone else, came over with a glass of wine in hand and a smile on his face.

When seeing him smile like this before, Qiao Shinian felt that this person really had the mind to find joy in misery. Now, Lan Sheng’s smile only made people feel that this person’s life was too hard, and his smile was so ugly and insidious.

"Ah, we haven't seen each other for almost ten years." Lan Sheng first walked to Wen Jiu and patted his shoulder in a familiar manner: "Time flies in this world. Back then, we had a close relationship in Zhou Kingdom. Where is your palace? I came to Chu Wen, and as the Prince of Yongle, you should at least play the role of a good host."

"Okay, I'll invite you out for a meal when I have time." Wen Jiu replied with a smile, and then turned to look at the smiling prince beside him: "Of course, I haven't been in the capital for a long time, and I don't know the characteristics of the capital. How about inviting His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to travel with us?"

The prince is now a teenager, and his eyes are more mature than they were a few years ago. It seems that his mentor has not slackened in teaching him over the years.

As the ancients said, "The prince is the foundation of the country." Behind him is the queen, a group of old guys at the pinnacle of power in the entire dynasty. They have taken root and infiltrated the entire Chuwen.

Qiao Shinian slightly turned his head to look at Wen Jiu. How was he going to fight? How was he going to argue?

Thinking of this, she lowered her eyes slightly, and the voices of the people around her drifted away like smoke and no longer appeared in her mind.

"Miss Qiao?! I haven't seen you for many years, and you are still as beautiful as you were back then." Lan Sheng looked at Qiao Shinian with a smile, his voice slightly raised.

"Do you still remember Lianlian? She was the little maid who always followed me. She is now my concubine and has three children. Before I came to Chu Wen, she was still talking about you.

She said she didn't know if a beautiful and casual woman like you was as innocent and straightforward as she was back then. She always looked incredulous when she recalled you. She said you made her feel like a goddess descended from heaven, and your dancing and singing were the most beautiful scenes she had ever seen.

"Really? She said all this?" Qiao Shinian responded with a smile.

"Yes, every time she talked about this, she would always lament that time is not forgiving. She is already a mother of three children, and she is no longer as energetic as she was when she was young." Lan Sheng turned his head to look at Mo Cheng who was sitting below, and said, "Hey, General Mo, you see, isn't it? Miss Qiao hasn't changed at all since we first met eight years ago!"

Mo Lin frowned, obviously dissatisfied with Lan Sheng's rude behavior.

As soon as this voice came out, the outside field became almost quiet, and everyone's eyes turned to Qiao Shinian.

Under the scorching sun, a woman in a peacock blue tube-top dress and a hookah green outer veil stood tall and straight, her jade-like skin faintly visible in the light, and on her fair and beautiful swan neck was a butterfly-shaped pearl and sapphire necklace.

This scene was so beautiful that it made many people feel a chill on their backs.

Many of Chu Wen’s old ministers knew Qiao Shinian.

When the impoverished prince returned to the capital, he was accompanied by such a stunning beauty. It should not be said of stunning beauty, but of a feeling, a feeling that makes all young men of marriageable age fall in love with her. She was clean, beautiful, innocent, and confident, like a fairy who was full of curiosity about everything and fearless.

Those eyes as lively as a deer's were always looking around with curiosity. She thought her secret observation had not been discovered by anyone, so she became more bold and outspoken.

The young men of marriageable age back then are now husbands and fathers, but the girls back then still look like girls. The cheeks of their wives are no longer as plump and beautiful as those of girls. Fine lines have appeared on their wives’ cheeks over the years, and the fine lines have finally deepened.

It has been nearly ten years since Wen Jiu returned to Beijing, but the person who has been with Wen Jiu as always is still young and beautiful. Wen Jiu has grown from a short stature to a tall and straight young man, and he and she look quite a perfect match.

Qiao Shinian looked at Lan Sheng, and she could hear a buzz of discussion in her ears.

"I heard that you were in critical condition before, but fortunately you survived. However, I also heard that your eyes and ears were damaged. I wonder if you have recovered now?" Lan Sheng asked with concern.

Qiao Shinian slightly clenched the round fan in her hand, still smiling and saying: "Don't you already know that my hearing is not good, so you speak to me in such a loud voice? My eyes have recovered 80% to 90%, but my ears are still hearing impaired. Your voice is so loud that I feel like you are whispering in my ear. I really have to listen carefully and dare not be distracted at all."

"Really? Then I'll have to speak to you in such a loud voice from now on." Lan Sheng obviously didn't mind being the most conspicuous person in the audience.

"When I met you in Zhou, although we were both hostages, you took care of me and the prince. I didn't have time to see you off when you left. Now that we meet, you look old, no longer as energetic as you were before. I guess you haven't lived as well as you want in your own country these years.

I heard that you are here to learn agricultural knowledge, and I will repay your kindness to us by teaching you everything I know."

Lan Sheng looked at Qiao Shinian and sighed the next second: "When I left Zhou Kingdom, you were in love with His Royal Highness the King. I thought you could become his concubine, but now it seems... Alas... It's really fate that plays tricks on us."

After saying that, he then smiled and looked at Wen Jiu: "But... Prince Yongle is also very good. I heard him say that you were his maidservant. It is also a good choice to continue to stay with him now.

I know that the maidservant was fake, but now it seems that he got what he wanted. He has always valued you. When you and the virtuous king were having an affair, I saw that he was in a bad mood but he had to suppress his anger and pretend to smile in front of you. He loves you so much, you should not let him down for someone who is no longer here. "

"Lan Sheng, I think your tongue is a little redundant." The smile on Wen Jiu's face had completely disappeared. He just stared at Lan Sheng coldly, then pulled Qiao Shinian to sit down: "Okay, we have finished reminiscing about the past...Father."

The two who had just sat down stood up again in a hurry, and the civil and military officials who were originally whispering also bowed and saluted: "Your Majesty~"

"Hahaha, I wanted to come over and see what you guys are talking about, but it turns out there's no point in coming over quietly." As he said this, he started laughing.

Eunuch Gao, who was following behind him, had sagging skin and many age spots on his face.

Compared with Eunuch Gao, Emperor Gao Wen looked much younger. His face was just a little sagging, but he was in good spirits.

"Prince Yudan, I noticed that you and Wen Jiu have been talking for a long time. What were you talking about? Tell me what you were talking about."

Lan Sheng looked up at Wen Jiu, then hesitated for a moment, "We were just talking about Miss Qiao. We haven't seen her for many years, but she looks the same as before. They say time makes people grow old, but this is not true for her."

Everyone was frightened by Emperor Gao Wen's sudden sneak attack. Now, after Lan Sheng said this, the entire venue suddenly became silent.