Don't ask where people go

Chapter 1490 Demanding
"Your Highness Prince Qi, Prince Zhongzheng, Miluo is really sincere in inviting you two to negotiate." Fang Zilan's expression was indifferent, but her words were merciless. "Is there no one left in Miluo? Why do I always see you two?"

"Same here." Mu Chuji smiled nonchalantly, "Sister, we meet again."

Fang Zilan's expression froze. Negotiation was not her forte. She was just here to watch the fun. She snorted coldly and stopped talking, leaving the situation to Zhuge Yu.

"Two princes, we have seen your country's conditions, but they are too perfunctory." Zhuge Yu said coldly: "If your country has such an attitude, peace talks are not necessary."

Hearing this, Fang Zilan quickly ran through the conditions he had seen before in his mind. Overall, they were not satisfactory. Although it was not too bad, it could not be said to be very good. They came to negotiate, and they came to bargain.

She had suffered a loss at the hands of the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance before, but she still felt sad about it, so she completely stepped aside and allowed Zhuge Yu to do his best, watching the two sides go back and forth.

Zhuge Yu had a very high profile as soon as he came up. No matter what Murong Xun and Mu Chuji said, they all said that if there was no sincerity, it would be better not to talk. The capital would not be short of this little money. At worst, they would send troops if the talks failed. It’s time to expand the territory.

Fang Zilan secretly thought that Zhuge Yu's appearance was really bluffing. If she hadn't known that the battle in Dajing was a national effort, she would have thought it was just a joke. There were many soldiers, horses, money and food behind her.

However, Murong Xun and Mu Chuji are not that easy to fool. In the early stage, Dajing lost several cities but did not fight back. They just stubbornly refused to get out. Anyone with some experience knows that there must be something weird, not to mention that they have experienced many battles. The man of war.

The two sides were in a stalemate for two consecutive days. Seeing that the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching and there was no conclusion yet, Fang Zilan couldn't help but feel a little depressed.

That day, she was sitting on the roof, looking at the increasingly round moon, feeling a sense of loneliness in her heart. How many years has it been? She didn't even have a good Mid-Autumn Festival, she was born to be busy.

"Sister Lan." Zhuge Yu's voice came from under the eaves, and Fang Zilan jumped down from the roof neatly, "A Yu, you want to see me if you have anything to do?"

"It's just a matter of peace talks." Zhuge Yu straightened his sleeves. Fang Zilan looked at him briefly and saw that his face was tired. She said helplessly: "It's not settled yet?"

"The new emperor of Miluo sent someone to deliver new peace negotiation conditions." Zhuge Yu's expression was dark and unclear, "The general conditions have not changed, but one has been added."

"What?" Fang Zilan asked subconsciously. Zhuge Yu lowered his eyes and said, "Send Prince Zhongzheng's son Murong Qing to the capital as a hostage."

Fang Zilan was stunned for a moment, then realized: "Isn't this condition too specific to Murong Xun? Can he agree?"

"Murong Xun complained that he was ill. I didn't see him at the banquet just now." Zhuge Yu sighed lightly, "If you add this, sincerity will be enough, and other conditions cannot be too demanding."

Zhuge Yu remained calm on the surface, but he was panicking for no reason in his heart, "Your Majesty is saying..."

"The flowers and trees in the palace are growing well this year, better than in previous years." Li Shengxuan interrupted Zhuge Yu before he finished speaking. His calm and composed look made him feel a little more at ease.

He remembered his grandfather saying that their emperor, who was good at battlefields, had experienced life and death countless times. One more point would be fatal and one less would be useless. No one knew how to judge the situation better than him.

Xiahou Zhang, who was standing by, came close to Li Shengxuan and whispered, "Your Majesty, the Queen and the Xiahou family are here."

Li Shengxuan looked up at the people walking towards them and nodded to indicate that he understood. When Fang Ziqin and the Xiahou family came closer, the people who were talking quietly stopped at the same time, and their eyes were fixed on a few people.

Fang Zilan was no exception, staring at the person who came.

The woman walking in the middle of the crowd was wearing a dark blue riding suit, and a cape of the same color made her look petite, and her steps were particularly spirited. Her sharp eyebrows and bright eyes were full of indescribable heroism. She was not a beauty in the traditional sense, but she had an indescribable aura of killing. People couldn't help but want to take a few more glances at her, but they were suppressed by her majesty and dared not look directly at her, which seemed to mean that she could only be admired from a distance.

Fang Zilan thought that with such an aura, it must be Xiahou Yunzhao.

On Xiahou Yunzhao's left side was a man in white, who looked about the same age as her. Although he was middle-aged, his facial features were still extremely delicate and handsome. His serious and proud look made him look like a banished immortal from a painting. He was truly noble and elegant, and it must be Xie Chen himself.

The man behind Xiahou Yunzhao on the right was dressed in riding clothes like her, and he looked ready for battle with the murderous aura unique to soldiers. He was the current head of the Xiahou family - Xiahou Mingxun.

The Xiahou family members greeted Li Shengxuan one by one. Their words and actions were neither warm nor distant, revealing an indescribable decency and restraint.

Fang Zilan secretly observed and felt strange. Logically speaking, the Xiahou family was Li Shengxuan's mother's family, so they should be more friendly than other people, but for some reason, she always felt that the Xiahou family was a little out of tune with everyone present, and she vaguely felt that their sense of disharmony seemed more like deliberate.

After everyone had been talking for a while, Queen Fang Ziqin came over and invited everyone to take their seats for the banquet.

The palace banquet was held in Wanfu Palace, which was closest to the Imperial Garden. It was a place in the palace used to entertain relatives and court officials.

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

Fang Zilan had been there before, not long after Li Shengxuan ascended the throne, when she was walking around the palace to familiarize herself with the terrain. The Wanfu Palace was not big, but it was exquisitely decorated.

She had heard from the old people in the palace that Wanfu Palace was originally built by Emperor Tai'an for Concubine Yu, and many of the furnishings and ornaments inside were designed according to the customs of the Baiyue people. Later, after Concubine Yu passed away, the palace was abandoned.

It was not until Emperor Ningshun ascended the throne that Wanfu Palace was rebuilt in the style of Dajing. All the original Baiyue style was removed and it became a place exclusively for banquets.

However, when Fang Zilan followed everyone in, before she could see the scene inside the palace clearly, she saw everyone standing in a daze at the palace gate.

She looked up. Although it was autumn and winter, she saw straw mats and curtains in the hall, vines and branches intertwined, and colorful brocade screens, which was exactly the decorative style of the Baiyue land.

No wonder everyone was stunned. She looked around and understood everything. Except for Li Shengxuan, Fang Ziqin, Zhuge Yu and Xiahou Zhang, everyone else had a look of surprise.

Xiahou Yunzhao glanced at him and said calmly, "Your Majesty still remembers what Wanfu Palace looked like when Concubine Yu was here. That's thoughtful of you." After she said that, she walked in without any hesitation.

Qiu Shui, who was beside Fang Ziqin, was very perceptive. He hurried forward and led the Xiahou family members to sit down.

The others looked at each other and followed the Xiahou family into Wanfu Palace.