Jiang Qing

After the fifteenth day, the envoys of Jiang and Liang arrived in Pingdu slowly.

Years later, from the list of envoys sent by the two countries, Bai Bingchen could see that this meeting was not that simple.

In the past years, the regular meetings were all selected by the Ministry of Rites of each country, and most of them were diplomatic envoys who were familiar with the affairs of the three countries, but this year was quite different.

The Lord Jiang Guo specially sent his cronies—an upstart in the court who has nothing to do with the great general Yu Liang—as an envoy to Li Guo, expressing openly and secretly that he still controls Jiang Guo. Not optimistic.

Compared with Jiang Guo's swearing-in of sovereignty, Liang State attaches great importance to this meeting. The leader of Liang State's mission this time is actually Prince Qin Chengtao of Liang State.

Although he was puzzled in his heart, he couldn't help being careful, but in terms of reception etiquette, Bai Bingchen still followed the usual practice of previous years and did not show any special hospitality. Then they arrived at the dinner where Zhao Zhen officially entertained them.

Just after the New Year’s Eve, Pingdu is not yet warm, and even the flowers and plants in the palace are not refreshing. Fortunately, there are still lush pines and cypresses, and with a few plum fragrances, the environment of Magnolia Terrace is also considered quiet. After drinking for three rounds Afterwards, the guests and hosts had a good time together.

What was used to entertain the envoys was Li Guo's national wine "Drunk Qianqiu". Staring intently at the dancer's waist, the desire in her eyes was not concealed at all.

Zhao Zhen had also heard about the romantic deeds of the prince of the neighboring country. Seeing him in such a state, he felt disgusted in his heart, but he couldn't show it. He could only shift his eyes to other places and pretended not to see him.

Qin Chengtao's gaze became more and more presumptuous, and even gradually shifted from those singing and dancing ladies to the female relatives of the clan. His snake-like eyes with hooks swept across the faces of the noble ladies at the banquet one by one, and finally paused. On the two gold silk palace dresses with similar patterns, they both wore a set of ruby ​​jewelry, but one had a cold face, and no amount of gorgeous attire could warm the indifference in her eyes, and the other...

Qin Chengtao ignored Zhao Jinghe's extremely indifferent expression, and stared with great interest at Zhao Jingning, who was idly counting the orange petals in his hand, not at all aware of what kind of tiger and wolf was watching him.

Qin Chengtao looked at the innocent and clear eyes on her slightly immature face, licked the corner of her mouth maliciously, and glanced down along her green fingertips. She was obviously hidden by the table and couldn't see anything, but His gaze seemed to be solid, as if he was staring at the position covered by the table, seeing her waist through the wood, and his eyes burst out with a greedy brilliance.

Several warning eyes cast on him together, Qin Chengtao slowly moved away, first saw Zhao Jinghe's cold eyes staring straight at him, and then met Zhao Zhen's eyes that seemed to be smiling but not smiling.

Qin Chengtao calmly withdrew his frivolous gaze, leaned back slightly, and scanned the expressions of all the people present with a hint of playfulness.

He also knows about some relationships in Li's country, he has seen Zhao Zhen's warning and Zhao Jinghe's protection, and the man in Tsing Yi who is wearing a Taoist uniform... He knows that Zhao Jingning is Zhao Zhen's support. The jewel in the palm of her hand, she never thought that even Zhao Jinghe, who had a brother-killing feud with Zhao Zhen, would also sincerely protect her.

This little princess of Li country seems to be more important than he imagined.

In contrast, the two prime ministers were surprisingly stable, as if they didn't feel the undercurrent among them, they just focused on what they had on their plate and sat still.

"What is the prince of Liangguo looking at?" Zhao Zhen followed his gaze and glanced at the seat, asking as if he was talking homely.

"I've heard for a long time that there are two sisters in the royal family of the Li Kingdom. They are peerless in appearance and have very different temperaments. When I saw them today, they really lived up to their reputation. When Sui Jing and the eldest princess competed in martial arts to recruit relatives last year, I originally wanted Li Guo and his party to marry Jing and the eldest princess Fangze. It's just that there are so many trivial matters in the country, so I forcibly missed them. Now that Princess Jing and the eldest princess have concubines, it is naturally not easy for me to win the love, but Princess Jingning has not yet betrothed to someone else. If His Majesty doesn't mind, I will The country is willing to use the two border cities as an offer to marry Princess Jingning as the crown princess, and the two countries will be good friends between Qin and Jin from now on, and some disputes will be avoided, how about it?"

Qin Chengtao turned the wine glass in his hand, and his words were understated, but loud enough.

As soon as this remark came out, there was a lot of discussion in the hall.

Zhao Zhen's face turned cold. He glanced at his pleading sister, heaved a sigh of relief, and refused: "Jing Ning's childish nature is hard to handle in the hands of His Royal Highness, and besides, I'm just such a younger sister." In my heart, I want to keep her by my side for a long time, and in the future, I will point out a marriage to her in Pingdu, His Royal Highness, the crown prince, is as beautiful as Fengzhang, so we should choose another woman."

Zhao Zhen's words were already extremely euphemistic, but Qin Chengtao seemed to have never heard of them. He lightly tapped the wall of the white jade wine cup with his fingertips, and slowly raised his eyes to look at the emperor sitting in a high position. What he said was unquestionable. "The intermarriage between the two countries is a beautiful talk. Why should His Majesty reject it? If His Majesty is reluctant to let go of the brotherhood, I will often bring the Crown Princess back to visit in the future. Your Majesty knows in his heart that our Liang Kingdom is willing to give us two cities." It is already a great sincerity to hire, not to mention that this is not just a matter of two cities on the surface..."

Qin Chengtao glanced at the Jiang Guo envoy on the opposite side, and said without hesitation, "I heard that something new has happened in Han Queguan recently..."

"His Royal Highness!" Zhao Zhen felt that he had touched the bottom line, and couldn't help interrupting, but the faint words in the words were overshadowed by the clear words of another person.

"His Royal Highness." The same four words, from Qingxuan's mouth, were much gentler. He raised his ancient waterless eyes, looked at Qin Chengtao quietly for a while, and then said: "Jing Princess Ning entered my Taoist sect three years ago, and although she is already a child of a layman, she is not yet fully cultivated in Taoism, and I am afraid that it is not suitable for marriage in recent years. If she insists on breaking the precepts, there may be changes."

Qin Chengtao narrowed his eyes slightly, fixedly stared at Qingxuan, and said forcefully: "I don't shy away from these things."

"It is a taboo in the Li Kingdom. The Liang Kingdom royal family should have taught His Highness the etiquette of going to the countryside to do as the Romans do. His Royal Highness may not believe in gods, ghosts, and Buddhas, but His Royal Highness, don't forget how the Li Kingdom was established in the early days."

Qin Chengtao's eyes moved slightly, and there were faint signs of loosening. Qingxuan was about to say a few more words to make him die, but Qin Chengtao suddenly laughed softly, the toughness in his eyes slowly faded away, and he relaxed. He showed a look of indifference again, and said: "The national teacher has said so, how dare I not go to the village and do as the Romans do?"

He bit the last four words very clearly, but Qingxuan didn't seem to have heard it, but just looked back at him without avoiding, with peace in his eyes.

Qin Chengtao took the lead to look away, and focused his gaze on Zhao Jingning again. He raised his glass and respected her from a distance, evoking a smile that was bound to win, "Little Princess Jingning, we have a bright future."

He frivolously drank the wine in his glass, not paying any attention to the patient gaze of the monarch above.

Being disturbed by Qin Chengtao, the originally breezy dinner party became solemn, and after not staying for long, Zhao Zhen broke up the banquet on the grounds that he was tired.

As soon as the emperor left, all the officials in the hall also dispersed in twos and threes, led by the little eunuch to the direction of leaving the palace.

Bai Bingchen was walking halfway, chatting with Cao Bai, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, about the fashionable New Year's goods a few years ago, when he heard someone calling him from a distance.

Hearing the greasy tone, Bai Bingchen couldn't help frowning, pretending not to hear, and walked a few steps forward.

Cao Bai turned his head first, and glanced at Qin Chengtao who was striding over.He bowed politely and withdrew.

Seeing that the person had already walked in front of him, Bai Bingchen had no choice but to suppress his discomfort, turned around, and smiled decently.

"Bai Xiang walked so fast, I just sobered up at the door for a while, and in a daze, Bai Xiang disappeared." Qin Chengtao walked side by side with him, and moved closer involuntarily.

Bai Bingchen had already drank some wine tonight, and at this moment, he was smoked by the strong fragrance of powder on his body, and he could hardly breathe. He pulled a little distance away calmly, and said politely: "There are still things to deal with in the mansion, so let's go quickly." A little bit."

Qin Chengtao raised his eyebrows when he heard the words, and understood: "Most of the political affairs of the Li country have to be handled by Bai Xiang. Naturally, Bai Xiang has worked very hard, but Bai Xiang is a weak scholar with no power to restrain a chicken. Some things are held in his hands. Do you find it hot?"

Bai Bingchen heard his intentions, and narrowed his eyes slightly, "What does His Royal Highness mean by this?"

"I have only been in Pingping for a few days, and I am not very familiar with the local customs and customs. Prime Minister Bai has been in Pingdu for a long time. I wonder if I have time to guide me to the market and enjoy the customs of the Central Plains?" Qin Chengtao deliberately raised his voice, attracting attention. Officials on the official road frequently looked back to visit.

Bai Bingchen felt that he had ulterior motives, snorted coldly, and was about to leave, but was blocked by Qin Chengtao.

"Bai Xiang's personality is not as hospitable as Zhang Xiang's. Just now when Ben Gong sobered up, Zhang Xiang took the initiative to invite Ben Gong to sit at his house. Bai Xiang is not as good as Zhang Xiang in this regard."

There was a dangerous gleam in Bai Bingchen's eyes, and he said with a half-smile, "His Royal Highness has already said so, there must have been a good place to go."

Qin Chengtao patted him on the shoulder with a slight smile, deliberately lowered his voice, and said, "After tomorrow evening, in Zhezhu Pavilion, I will be waiting for Prime Minister Bai."

Zhezhu Pavilion?A well-known Qingguan place in Pingdu.Thinking of the time when he was threatening to marry Zhao Jingning during the banquet, and now meeting him in such a sensual place, Bai Bingchen sensed that the rumored prince of Liang's extravagant and lustful reputation was well-founded, and he couldn't help feeling disgusted in his heart.

"Since it's a secret meeting, His Royal Highness is making such a big fanfare to meet with Bai on the official road, it can be seen that his intentions are impure."

Hearing this, Qin Chengtao really laughed a few times, and said: "I just asked Mr. Bai to take me around the different styles of Pingdu. People on the official road will only know that Mr. Bai is the kindness of the master, why not?" Come to say it from your heart?"