Upon hearing this news, a blazing fire ignited in Concubine Chen's heart. However, no matter how angry she was inside, she still had to maintain a calm appearance on the surface. The matter of the Seventh Princess was easy to handle, but in any case, this bowl of rock sugar Sydney had to be sent out.
"Please, Eunuch Li, do me this favor and send this into the imperial study. I'm thinking that if the Emperor comes back, he can still have a taste."
From an angle invisible to the guards, Concubine Chen secretly took out a silver note from her sleeve and stuffed it into Eunuch Li's hand.
Seeing Concubine Chen stuffing the silver note into his hand, although Eunuch Li was somewhat tempted to accept it, he immediately returned it to Concubine Chen. If Xiao Huaishi found out that he had accepted the silver note from Concubine Chen to do things, it would be terrible. "Your Ladyship, you're being too polite. You have the Emperor in your heart. So if you need any help, just let this humble one know. Coincidentally, the Emperor asked me to tidy up the imperial study today. I can help you take the thing in. It's just..."
"You see, I've been struggling in the palace for so many years. I'm most afraid of doing something wrong and making the Emperor angry. So it's not my fault. It's just the rule. This humble servant is just afraid of putting it in the wrong place and losing my life all of a sudden."
Concubine Chen nodded. "I understand, Eunuch Li. You're just thinking about the Emperor when you do these things. It's just that I felt it was rather hot today, so I made this rock sugar Sydney for the Emperor. If the Emperor asks about it, it has nothing to do with you, of course."
Eunuch Li gave a somewhat embarrassed smile. Although he was in the Emperor's favor, he still didn't dare to be too presumptuous in front of the imperial concubine. After all, with just a few words in the Emperor's ear, Eunuch Li wouldn't know what his fate would be. So he lowered his head and whispered to Concubine Chen, "Since Your Ladyship has said so, then please hand the thing to this humble servant. This humble servant will put it in the imperial study and will tell the Emperor about it later."
Hearing this, Concubine Chen heaved a sigh of relief. "Then thank you, Eunuch Li. I've delivered the thing. I'll take my leave first. I won't take up any more of your time, Eunuch Li. Just remember to remind the Emperor to have a taste."
Eunuch Li nodded and looked at the imperial concubine. "Your Ladyship is so kind - hearted. This humble servant will. Then please take your time, Your Ladyship."
At this moment, Shen Li had sneaked into the palace. After seeing the Emperor leave the imperial study, he came to a small corner, took out a set of eunuch's clothes he had just found, disguised himself, then pulled his hat low. All the way, he inquired about the place where the Emperor would meet the envoys from the Western Yue State, and then rushed there in a hurry.
Xiao Huaishi was already waiting for the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue State. Although there had been an early report that the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue State had arrived, it was still necessary for the Emperor of the Eastern Ling State to wait.
After a while, finally a eunuch came to report. "Your Majesty, the people from the Western Yue State have entered the palace and will be here in the palace soon."
Xiao Huaishi waved his hand and said a bit irritably, "Alright, I know. Go prepare a pot of hot tea and then come in to replace it."
Just as the eunuch had backed out, the envoy from the Western Yue State stepped in directly, bowed to Xiao Huaishi and said, "Greetings to Your Majesty."
Then he came to Xiao Huaishi's side very enthusiastically and said loudly, "Your Majesty of the Eastern Ling State, I didn't expect that we'd meet again so soon."
Xiao Huaishi also wore a faint smile. "Yes, I didn't expect it would still be you this time. But why do I only see you today? Where are the Seventh Princess and the princess - consort of the Western Yue State? Don't tell me you're trying to deceive me. Or is it that the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue State is so arrogant that she still makes me wait for her? By rights, I'm the Emperor and she's a princess. I'm an elder and she's a junior."
The envoy from the Western Yue State smiled and quickly explained, "Your Majesty is still so prone to misunderstandings. It's not that there's no one in our Western Yue State. As I've said before, we have many capable people. It's just that since I came to the Eastern Ling not long ago, I'm more familiar with the situation here. So our sovereign sent me here again. The princess - consort is at the post - station. She caught a cold due to the long journey and is probably not convenient to enter the palace to pay homage to Your Majesty. As for the princess..."
Xiao Huaishi raised his eyebrows and looked at the envoy from the Western Yue State leisurely, signaling him to continue. As the monarch of a country, he had gone to such great lengths to wait for the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue State, but she had disappeared. He wanted to see how this eloquent envoy from the Western Yue State would explain.
The envoy from the Western Yue State had been thinking about this problem all the way. What if the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue State didn't want to come to the palace? He could only say somewhat guiltily, "The princess will come soon."
Xiao Huaishi asked with a smile, "Will she come soon? But as the monarch of a country, I still want to ask where the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue State, our guest, is. I'm afraid it's not up to the envoy to decide everything, after all. The monarch of the Western Yue State has never come to discuss matters with me in person."
The envoy from the Western Yue State was also very helpless. The Seventh Princess of the Western Yue State was fond of having fun. As soon as she came, she was attracted by the prosperity of the capital and insisted on wandering around. How could he stop her? So he could only say somewhat helplessly, "I'm sorry to trouble Your Majesty to wait. Our princess was delayed on the way. She will indeed arrive later than us. But please rest assured, Your Majesty. I'm absolutely telling the truth. This time we've brought the imperial edict, which clearly states the reason."
After saying that, the envoy from the Western Yue State told his subordinate to present the carefully - stored imperial edict. He bent his legs slightly and respectfully handed it to Xiao Huaishi for inspection, looking very pious.
Xiao Huaishi glanced at the envoy from the Western Yue State. He didn't seem to be faking his earnestness, but just in case, he didn't take it. He said, "You open it first. After you've read it, I'll take a look. I'm afraid you might miss something written by the Emperor of the Western Yue State."
The envoy from the Western Yue State looked as if he understood. How could he miss anything? It was just that Xiao Huaishi was so sly and suspicious. He probably was afraid that he had poisoned the imperial edict. So he took a step back, calmly opened the imperial edict, read it carefully again, then turned it over to show Xiao Huaishi and said, "Your Majesty, I've read it again. There's really nothing I've missed. I think you can take a look now."
After saying that, the envoy from the Western Yue State handed the imperial edict to Xiao Huaishi again. Seeing the envoy's behavior, Xiao Huaishi took the imperial edict with confidence and then looked at it carefully. It was indeed as the envoy from the Western Yue State had said. Then he put it away and handed it back to the envoy, saying, "It's indeed genuine. I'll trust you for the time being, also for the sake of the good relationship between our two countries. But you have to give me an exact time when the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue State will arrive. Otherwise, this could be regarded as the crime of deceiving the Emperor, right?"
Xiao Huaishi was really worried about the existence of the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue State, because she was also a bargaining chip, a bargaining chip for the friendly negotiation between the two countries.