The Heroes of Gulong: Great Chefs from Past to Present

Chapter 82 Queen of Kucha
  A few days later, Kucha Royal City.

Princess Pipa, no, Queen Qiuci was sitting on the throne. The courtiers looking down at the throne cheered and worshiped her, but there was not much joy on her face.

Looking to the east, there should be a camel caravan in that direction, with Chu Liuxiang and several others inside.

Just when Queen Qiuci was mourning, an attendant came into the palace to report.

"King, the neighboring countries in the Western Region have sent envoys to congratulate you. Now I am asking for instructions on how to receive you."

When Queen Qiuci heard the names of the countries in the Western Regions, she no longer showed any joy on her face. She clenched her throne tightly with an angry look on her face.

"My father asked them to take action with huge sums of money, but in the end they couldn't even protect my father's life, so how could they receive it?"

Having said this, Queen Qiuci also suppressed the anger in her eyes and barely calmed down her emotions before scanning the many ministers and issuing orders.

"Just accept it according to the past etiquette."

Minister Kucha wanted to persuade the queen not to be estranged from the countries in the Western Regions, but Queen Kucha's argument was also convincing.

After Princess Pipa followed Ji Bingyan back to Kucha City, she also learned the truth from the warriors loyal to the royal family that the countries in the Western Regions came to help, just for gold, silver and jewels.

The treasure used by King Kucha is not the treasure of the Star of Bliss, but the treasure accumulated by the previous King Kucha.

As for whether there is any treasure in the Bliss Star, only Li Chaofeng knows the truth at this moment.

After the king's order was issued, the surrounding ministers stopped talking. Instead, Queen Qiuci briefly thought about it and then asked.

"How was the investigation on the tribute paid to the emperor last year?"

"This"

The ministers of Qiuci looked at each other, and then a minister also walked out of the team and began to report.

"Although the traitor Andeshan was granted a new year, he did not dare to report his rebellion to the Central Plains court. He was still sent away as usual last year."

Queen Qiuci knocked on the throne and opened her eyes and said.

"In this case, this rebellion is over. Whether the emperor knows it or not, it doesn't do much good to me, Qiuci."

"It's just that I have newly ascended the throne today. As the vassal king, I should go to the Central Plains to pay homage to the emperor. This year's tribute will be paid by me instead of the envoy."

When they heard that Queen Qiuci was going to the Central Plains to meet the Emperor, many old ministers were suddenly shocked and quickly kowtowed in opposition.

"Queen, you can't do this!"

"Huh, all the kings in the Western Regions are vassal kings in the Central Plains. It is their duty to meet the emperor. Why can't they do it?"

Queen Qiuci looked confused at first, then put her emotions away and shouted with a threatening face.

"Could it be that you plan to find a husband for me first, and then let my husband take me to meet the emperor?"

"When the time comes when the emperor says "Jiji Sichen", I, the Queen of Kucha, will probably become the Queen of Kucha."

"Are you going to imitate the traitor Andeshan and seek to seize the kingdom of the former king?"

"I dare not wait!"

Although Queen Qiuci is the legitimate heir, she is still a woman. As a queen in an era when men are king, she will inevitably be underestimated.

So she needs someone who can be justified, and the Emperor of Zhongyuan is the person who can make her justified.

Because Qiuci is not an independent kingdom, it is a vassal state in the Central Plains. The King of Qiuci nominally belongs to the Central Plains vassal king.

Although Queen Qiuci was majestic, she also knew that without the support of many ministers, it would be extremely difficult for her to secure the throne. When the stick was dropped, she naturally gave some sweet dates and smiled.

"Uncles, please get up first."

When many ministers stood up, Queen Qiuci also put on a sad look and began to speak sincerely.

"Little Wang was angry just now. He just wanted to defend Qiuci for his father. I know in my heart that you all want me to continue to fulfill the Western Region Covenant."

"But if the alliance continues and many princes come to propose marriage, how can I refuse?"

"If you don't refuse, in a few decades, the name of Qiuci will probably be submerged in the rolling yellow sand."

"Qiuci is located between the Central Plains and the Western Regions, the midpoint of the Silk Road. My father's heart was set on the Western Regions, but he was taken advantage of by the thieves and joined forces with the Central Plains martial arts to murder his father."

"Now that we have finally brought things back to order, Kucha at this time cannot bear the second rebellion." As soon as Queen Kucha spoke, many ministers looked sad, and the Prime Minister even raised his head and asked directly.

"Is that why the Queen formed an alliance with those two Central Plains people?"

When the former Princess Pipa and now the Queen of Kucha heard this, her face flashed with memories, but she slowly shook her head.

"Young Master Li killed the traitor Min Hongkui and achieved a great restoration. His request is not much. It is just some trade rights. Why can't he agree to it?"

The prime minister didn't believe it, but he also tried to persuade him.

"In governing the country in the Western Region, we have always paid tribute to the emperor, but have not accommodated the Han people's trade. Please take back the promise."

Queen Qiuci heard the Prime Minister's advice, but did not refute it. She just closed her eyes silently and then asked calmly.

"So, is there any way for you to enter the rebel camp at night and bring back the sensitive thief's head after sunrise?"

"minister"

When the Prime Minister heard this, he lowered his head silently and did not dare to reply.

Li Chaofeng entered the enemy camp in the middle of the night, relied on his superhuman five senses and wore the clothes of the Kucha Forbidden Army, and killed Min Hongkui as if he was entering a no-man's land.

After sunrise, Princess Pipa directly took Min Hongkui's head to recruit the imperial army. Everyone knew about this.

And this means two things.

First, Queen Kucha’s new allies are very strong, at least when it comes to killing people.

Second, Queen Kucha wanted to break the covenant and could not afford the price.

Seeing the ministers lowering their heads again, Queen Kucha, who was only sixteen years old, stood up and glanced at the ministers.

"Since there is no objection, the matter is settled."
-
  Four horses appeared in the small town on the edge of the desert. They were Ji Bingyan and his four friends who had just arrived from Laolong Bay.

Shi Guanyin was dead, and Qingbeard naturally brought the information about Black Pearl. Chu Liuxiang could only laugh or cry at this situation and could only come back.

Shi Tuo took Ji Bingyan and the four of them back to Laolong Bay, and then said goodbye to Ji Bingyan and followed Liu Biefei back to the mountains and forests.

Maybe they will go to the Huashan Sect, but the Huashan Sect is no longer their home.

The Huashan sect was exterminated by Shi Guanyin seventeen years ago. Ku Mei led Huashan to revive little by little, but it had little to do with these two senior brothers.

In Shi Tuo's words, hatred is in the past, and people should live well. It's just that Liu Biefei can't let go of it alone.

Ji Bingyan, who returned to Laolong Bay, was surprised to find that Xiao Pan never came back.

Ji Bingyan's order to Xiao Pan was to stay in the desert town for a month, see the final result of Caofangge's gambling, and then give the letter to his two concubines.

But now, almost two months have passed since they came in and out of the desert, and Xiao Pan has not come back.

This was not right, so after resting for a night in Laolong Bay, the four of them rushed to the former desert town early the next morning.

What appeared in front of them was only a ruined wall, and countless withered corpses scattered across the town, including Xiao Pan's corpse.

It seems that a group of sand pirates accidentally ransacked this small town with nothing.

Only a dozen acres of grass squares are left floating in the wind outside the town.

Yes, the once acres of grass grid have been expanded several times by the people in the town. Ji Bingyan understands the desert, and so do the townspeople who live on the edge of the desert.

They didn't even wait a month, but within seven days, they began to expand the area of ​​the drafting grid little by little.

As long as there is no wind and sand to cover it up, their wells can naturally remain.

If there is enough rain, they even think they can regain their former land.

Unfortunately, all these hopes were wiped out by the sand bandit's butcher's knife.

"Gollum."

As a slight swallowing sound reached Li Chaofeng's ears, he walked straight to the only well in the town and jumped in.

(End of this chapter)