The Slender Waist-Chapter 358 - 252: The Beginning of the Peace Talks
The time for the official peace talks had not yet arrived.
A giant water clock at the main entrance of the negotiation hall was slowly counting the time.
But in any alliance meeting, power and status spoke volumes. If Empress Dowager of Jin insisted that the Qi Emperor was late and disrespecting her, the Qi envoy would be furious inside, but could only hold it in.
In the imperial court, they all held high positions where their words carried great weight, but at the negotiating table, Feng Jingyao, too, had to smile and make amends, maintaining appearances.
The Qi Army’s defeat on the battlefield meant he had to "be a man who could bend and stretch."
At this moment, as both parties sat at the negotiation table, at least two hundred thousand troops from both sides were stationed outside Mingquan Town. With any slight movement, all the effort made recently could vanish into thin air, plunging them back into the quagmire of war.
Li Sangruo, relying on Pei Jue’s arrogance, did not show much courtesy, seeing the Feng Family’s significant influence in Qi Country.
But that was just her being verbally fierce. Could she really leave the venue and stop negotiating with Qi Country? She couldn’t make that decision. Although no one would care about her throwing a tantrum, if she really walked away, Pei Jue would likely be the first to disallow it, followed by her father, Li Zongxun.
The Empress Dowager of Jin was raging in the negotiation hall.
The Imperial Guards of both sides were ready outside the hall.
The common people couldn’t get close to the hall; even Mingquan Town was under martial law today, yet the local populace had been waiting there since early morning. Standing on their tiptoes, they peeked inside past the guarding soldiers...
Feng Yun’s shop was only a hundred steps from the hall; a line of Imperial Guards was not far outside her storefront. Ge Yi brought over a few small stools, and several people sat at the entrance, drinking tea and chatting while keeping an eye on the hall’s movements.
Nan Kui was completely convinced by Feng Yun.
"If the lady hadn’t planned ahead, we wouldn’t have had such convenience," she said.
Chai Ying said, "Our family’s shops were filled up early with people, and some were even willing to pay five times the usual rent to snatch a room..."
Feng Yun smiled without replying.
What was a bit of room fee to experience the gravity of national affairs up close?
"Here they come, here they come."
"The Qi Jun has arrived..."
The prince of Nanqi, a celebrated figure worldwide. Before Xiao San became Emperor, he was already famously charming among the royal family of Qi. Many people came just to catch a glimpse of his elegance. The clamor from the crowd outside grew louder, and as people kept pushing inward, the Imperial Guards shouted a few times with their sharp weapons before it finally quieted down.
Even Nan Kui and Chai Ying looked over in unison.
A carriage rolled over from the other end of the hall, flanked by guards and followed by attendants. The carriage, inlaid with jade, exuded opulence, captivating the attention of onlookers along the way until it stopped in front of the hall.
Feng Ying had been waiting early on and stepped forward to bow in greeting.
"This servant welcomes Your Majesty."
Feng Jingteng also came out from the hall and waited for the carriage curtain to open. Seeing Xiao Cheng’s face, he silently let out a sigh of relief and respectfully greeted him with a bow.
"Your Majesty. The appointed time is upon us; the Jin envoy has been waiting in the hall for a long time."
Xiao Cheng hummed in response.
He stepped out with a long leg, his face solemn and handsome, carrying the dignity of an emperor, yet bearing a hint of illness. His tall and imposing stature, with starry eyes and a straight nose, exuded a natural grace and nobility that made him appear as serene as the majestic landscapes in magnificent paintings. Such presence allowed Xiao Cheng to stand before anyone without losing a trace of esteem.
Feng Yun noticed the atmosphere around her becoming tense.
Nan Kui and Chai Ying, too, subconsciously changed their expressions.
She smiled faintly.
All women react this way upon seeing Xiao San.
She had seen such scenes plenty of times in Tai City, where ladies were instantly smitten by Xiao San’s charm...
Even she herself had once been one of those admirers, an insignificant one.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager of Jin is quite incensed; I fear she might not give you a good reception..."
Feng Jingteng informed Xiao Cheng of Li Sangruo’s demeanor in advance, wanting to prepare him mentally.
After all, he was the Emperor; there was no need for him to take heed of anyone else’s expressions. What if he couldn’t restrain himself and upset the table then and there? What would there be left to talk about?
Xiao Cheng nodded, but his face showed little emotion.
He had never truly taken Li Sangruo seriously...
Even though his path in this life differed greatly from his previous one, the people were still the same; nothing had changed.
Xiao Cheng was keenly aware that without Pei Jue and Li Zongxun, Jin Country was like a piece of rotten tofu that would crumble at a single punch.
The Empress Dowager of Jin was merely a puppet.
Not his opponent.
Xiao Cheng slowly ascended the steps, then suddenly stopped.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, his gaze passed over the triple-layered guards and landed on the woman sitting at the outskirts of the eatery.
Feng Ying and Feng Jingteng also looked over.
Their expressions were indiscernible to each other.
Nan Kui and Chai Ying unconsciously held their breath, whispering softly,
"Lady, is the Qi Jun looking at you?"
Feng Yun tugged at the corner of her mouth, gently tapping the tea lid, "I don’t think so."
Nan Kui whispered something, then suddenly clutched her chest, "So being gazed at could really make one’s heart race..."
The first to be stunned was Chai Ying, who then let out a soft chuckle.
"This Qi Jun is just too handsome..."
"That’s none other than the Prince Xiao San, isn’t it?"
Feng Yun listened to the two ladies’ gossip, not dodging Xiao Cheng’s gaze. With a mockingly playful look, she watched him as well as Feng Ying and Feng Jingteng beside her. Her eyes were bold and calm, and nobody knew what she was really thinking.
Xiao Cheng firmly pressed his thin lips together, his face weary as he withdrew his gaze and continued walking.
Every time he saw Feng Yun, he couldn’t help but lose his composure, trapped between his past and present life memories.
The woman with whom he was once so intimately close, now just a distant figure... unapproachable.
Feng Jingteng slightly bent over, observing Xiao Cheng’s expression. Only after he walked in did Feng Jingteng straighten up and glance at Feng Yun.
"Let’s go."
Feng Ying seemed not to hear her father’s words as she stood still, watching Xiao Cheng’s tall figure and the loneliness that faintly shimmered in the daylight. Her gaze was cool, as if her heart had thoroughly chilled.
She could not attend the negotiation meeting in the hall.
Arriving here early today was Lady Chen’s idea. Displaying virtuousness was one aspect, but mainly, such occasions served to exhibit one’s status. Not the Empress, but akin to her.
Yet just now, in front of everyone, Xiao Cheng did not even spare her an additional glance...
Feng Ying chuckled softly, her gaze coldly shifting towards Feng Yun through the sheer fabric of her veil.
From a distance, she bowed her head in a curtsey and silently entered the negotiation hall.
Nan Kui was stunned, finding even the melon seeds in her hand less appetizing.
"My lady, did she just try to make amends with you? I’m not seeing things, am I?"
"Not at all," Feng Yun said. "I could slap her a few more times on the face, and she would still cry out saying, ’Sister, you hit well.’"
Pfft! Nan Kui burst out laughing, and Chai Ying followed suit.
"This Lady Feng is quite something."
Feng Yun said, "How can one aspire to be the Empress without even that bit of temperament?"
The group whispered among themselves.
Sitting to the side, Jiang Yin was rather silent.
Feng Yun gave her a glance but did not inquire further.
All her thoughts were in the negotiating room...
She could not be certain whether a brief peace would come.
After all, the negotiation in her previous life took place in Andu, not Xinzhou, and the circumstances were entirely different from today.
-
This was the first time Li Sangruo had seen Xiao Cheng.
Even before she could make out his face within her sight, she felt somewhat surprised.
Despite being late and despite Qi Country’s weaker position, Xiao Cheng’s composure, which could even be described as serene, still drew her in.
That subtle numbness rising from the soles of her feet straight to her heart had been absent for a long time. She was accustomed to seeing attractive men, and the Jin Imperial Cavalry were filled with tall, handsome youths, yet Li Sangruo could not help but take a few extra glances at Xiao Cheng, whose appearance and noble demeanor were rare in this world.
Almost subconsciously, she looked over at Pei Jue again.
Familiar brows and eyes, carved like from a chisel, showed no trace of animosity, only a cold and placid depth.
Shouldn’t romantic rivals be particularly envious at a meeting?
How did they manage to keep their composure?
Li Sangruo sneered inwardly.
She suddenly felt as if this wasn’t a negotiation table between Jin and Qi but a vulgar drama of two men vying for one woman, and she was the clown on the sidelines...
No one knew the turmoil within the heart of the Jin Empress Dowager.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they went straight to the point.
The negotiation drafts were already prepared, and both sides exchanged and discussed matters in regards to their own requirements and negotiation terms.
An initial understanding had been reached earlier, so there were not many points of contention in the renewed negotiations.
The contested issue was Xinzhou, including Mingquan Town where the negotiation hall was located.
Qi wished to reclaim Xinzhou and govern it across the water from Jin, willing to compensate with increased tributes, as well as opening several crossings in Xinzhou and Fuzhou, offering concessions to Jin in other aspects.
To this end, Qi detailed in the draft the benefits and advantages that Jin would have to forego upon relinquishing the governance of Xinzhou.
What was feasible and what was not, after several rounds of deliberation, there was no consensus.
Envoys from both sides retreated to their respective smaller negotiation chambers to rest, drink tea, and consult.
Servants gradually brought in food and drinks.
The Jin envoy lavishly praised the cooks of the negotiation hall, and the room was filled with joy.
Only Pei Jue was nowhere to be seen.
Li Sangruo knew he had gone next door, where Feng Shi Er Niang had cooked something special for him. He couldn’t stay away not even for a moment, and had hurried over.
She sneered once again.
"Relinquishing Xinzhou, what do you think, my dear ministers?"
The Jin envoys put down their drinks and shook their heads in turn.
"Impossible."
"Your Highness is too benevolent to know the trickery of Qi."
Given the significant sacrifices made by the Jin Army to seize Xinzhou, how could it be possible to just give it up?
The additional tributes promised by Qi could be taken back at any time, but the land beneath their feet was tangible. More importantly, Xinzhou was a key thoroughfare for north-south travel, making such a deal a loss no matter how one calculated it.
It was impossible to concede, but their words had to sound more pleasant.
After all, Xinzhou was previously within Qi’s territory before the war.
Li Sangruo watched their discussion with a relaxed expression, her heart fluctuating and her eyes frequently glancing towards the threshold.
She even felt that continuing the war wouldn’t be such a bad thing...
If Pei Jue went to fight, he would not be able to dote on Feng Shi Er Niang day in and day out. Every strike he made would be for her son’s kingdom...
She suddenly stood up impatiently, "Please continue at your discretion; I am going to change my attire."
