"Miss Yan, this old woman has been waiting for you for quite so ti. Please, this way."
As soon as Yan Ruxue stepped down from the carriage, the manager of Drunken Immortal Tower imdiately walked forward with a beaming smile to greet her, then quickly led Yan Ruxue to a rear courtyard of the establishnt.
The rear courtyard was surrounded by bamboo fencing, with so common fruits and vegetables planted inside. In the center stood a bamboo pavilion that looked quite elegant.
"Miss Yan, Her Highness the Princess is already waiting for you inside the bamboo house."
The manager of Drunken Immortal Tower bowed respectfully to Yan Ruxue.
"Thank you for your trouble, Manager."
Yan Ruxue nodded and, accompanied by her maid Xiao Chun, entered the courtyard and walked toward the bamboo house.
Upon reaching the bamboo house, Xiao Chun knocked on the door on behalf of her young miss.
Soon, the sound of footsteps ca from inside the room.
The door opened, and an extrely beautiful woman appeared before Xiao Chun.
Looking at this woman, Xiao Chun couldn't help but freeze.
This was the first ti she had seen a woman as beautiful as her own young miss.
"This humble woman, Qin Mujiu, pays her respects to Miss Yan."
Qin Siyao bowed respectfully to Yan Ruxue, appearing extrely respectful and cordial.
It seed as though Qin Siyao had known Yan Ruxue for a very long ti and had admired her for ages, finally eting her at last.
"Her Highness the Princess is too polite."
Yan Ruxue also returned the courtesy with a bow, her every movent graceful and dignified.
"It should be Ruxue who pays respects to Princess Qinyang. Your Highness has traveled such a long distance, and as the host, it should have been Ruxue who invited Your Highness to a banquet. Instead, Your Highness has invited . If word of this gets out, I'm afraid people will say that Ruxue doesn't understand propriety."
"Sister Ruxue, what are you saying? Sister, please co in quickly. Mujiu has already prepared the dishes and was just waiting for you."
As she spoke, Qin Siyao intimately took Yan Ruxue's arm, then gestured for the maid to withdraw.
Seeing that the other party intended to be alone with her, Yan Ruxue also nodded to Xiao Chun.
Xiao Chun understood her young miss's aning and could only retreat outside the door, closing it behind her.
"Please sit, Sister Ruxue." Qin Siyao led Yan Ruxue to sit on a cushion, then sat down across from her. "Sister Ruxue's great reputation, Mujiu heard about it even while in the Qin Kingdom."
"Her Highness the Princess flatters . Ruxue has no such great reputation." Yan Ruxue gracefully lifted her teacup with her sleeved hand and took a light sip. "However, speaking of which, what matter does Her Highness the Princess have in seeking out Ruxue today?"
"This... I'm afraid it's sowhat difficult to say..." A faint blush rose on Qin Siyao's cheeks, and her eyes carried a hint of apprehension. "If Mujiu speaks of it, Sister Ruxue, please don't be angry, alright?"
Yan Ruxue nodded. "Her Highness the Princess may speak freely."
"Then... Mujiu will speak directly."
Qin Siyao organized her words and began to speak.
"Two hundred years ago, the ancestor of the Qin Kingdom and the ancestor of the Zhou Kingdom were close friends. The two countries established a betrothal arrangent, with the two nations to be joined in marriage to cultivate friendship for generations.
However, after that, both the Qin Kingdom and the Zhou Kingdom each experienced so difficulties, and both countries were overwheld with their own affairs, so this matter naturally fell through.
Now, Brother Emperor believes we should fulfill this promise. Otherwise, if our Qin Kingdom has grown powerful but looks down on the Zhou Kingdom, people will gossip about us."
As she spoke, Qin Siyao sighed, her expression carrying guilt. "But Mujiu also knows that Sister Ruxue is already engaged to His Majesty, and the two of you are about to hold your wedding ceremony.
Mujiu kept telling Brother Emperor that this wasn't appropriate, but Brother is stubborn, and Mujiu couldn't persuade him, so I could only co."
Qin Siyao raised her head, and those clear eyes were full of sincerity. "So, today Mujiu invited Sister Ruxue to co because I wanted to ask Sister Ruxue not to be angry.
Even if in the end, Mujiu and Sister Ruxue both enter the palace together to serve His Majesty.
Mujiu also wants to acknowledge Sister Ruxue as my elder sister and will absolutely not compete with you for His Majesty's favor.
Sister Ruxue, what do you think? Is this acceptable?"
Hearing Qin Siyao's words, the corners of Yan Ruxue's mouth curved up slightly, her eyes gentle, and her every movent seed to fully display the bearing of a proper wife and matron.
"An agreent between two nations, how can it be treated as child's play? Now the Qin Kingdom grows increasingly powerful, as everyone knows.
Yet the ruler of the Qin Kingdom still does not look down on the Zhou Kingdom and has not forgotten the agreent of our forebears. This is even more worthy of respect from all under heaven.
Now, if you and I both enter the palace together to serve His Majesty, what's wrong with that?
As for the distinction between elder and younger sister, Ruxue doesn't care about such things. Everything will be as His Majesty decides."
"Thank you for your understanding, Sister Ruxue. Mujiu will absolutely not presu too much. If I enter the palace, I will listen to you in everything." Qin Siyao seed to breathe a great sigh of relief and hurriedly raised the wine cup on the table. "Mujiu offers a toast to Sister."
"Sister Mujiu is too serious."
Yan Ruxue also raised her wine cup in return.
The two wine cups clinked together, creating shallow ripples.
Qin Siyao seed to truly like Yan Ruxue very much, constantly telling her about interesting events from the Qin Kingdom, and even rembering clearly every single one of Yan Ruxue's poems and songs, looking just like a little fangirl.
However, throughout all of this, Yan Ruxue only nodded gently with a faint smile.
Half an hour later, Yan Ruxue took her leave from Qin Siyao.
Qin Siyao escorted Yan Ruxue to her carriage, waving goodbye until the carriage disappeared into the distance.
Only then did Qin Siyao withdraw her gaze, her respectful deanor displayed to the fullest.
Inside the carriage, just as Xiao Chun was organizing her words in her mind, wanting to ask her young miss what she had discussed with that Qin Kingdom princess, Xiao Chun felt her eyelids growing heavier and heavier. Finally, she collapsed to one side, sleeping soundly.
At the sa ti, a graceful figure in green flew into the carriage. "Sister..."
"Mm." Yan Ruxue nodded and asked her younger sister, "She is that Qin Kingdom's ruler, isn't she?"
"Yes."
Little Green responded. Earlier, while Yan Ruxue had been talking with that so-called Qin Kingdom princess, Little Green had been hidden in the courtyard, listening the entire ti.
"This Qin Siyao's other identity is Princess Qin Mujiu but what exactly does this Qin Kingdom’s ruler want to do?
Does she truly willingly agree to be a concubine?
No! Even if she's willing to be a concubine, it's not acceptable!
I won't agree to it!"
"Who knows." Yan Ruxue smiled and shook her head. "This woman is indeed rather interesting."
Little Green's eyes narrowed, revealing killing intent. "Sister, let go kill her!"
"Silly girl..." Yan Ruxue extended her slender hand, her soft fingertip tapping her sister's forehead. "The human world isn't just about fighting and killing. Besides, you can't kill her."
"?" Little Green was stunned. She was an Immortal realm cultivator, yet she couldn't kill this mortal kingdom's ruler?
Yan Ruxue didn't explain to her sister, only smiled faintly, remaining composed and unhurried from beginning to end.
"There's no rush. Sister will have a good ga with this Sister Qin and see what exactly this legendary Ancient-Knowing Sacred Body intends to do."
After Yan Ruxue left, Qin Siyao did not imdiately return to the envoy's residence.
She still returned to the bamboo house in the courtyard and had her maid stand guard outside the door.
Qin Siyao poured herself a cup of wine and spoke to the empty room, "Since the Sect Master of Ten Thousand Swords Sect has co, why not sit down and have a drink?"
Just as Qin Siyao's words fell, on the window ledge of the bamboo house sat a woman dressed in a long gown, cradling a long sword in her arms.
"To be able to detect , the rumored ruler of the Qin Kingdom is indeed extraordinary." Jiang Qingyi spoke coldly.
Qin Siyao smiled slightly. "Sect Master flatters . However, Siyao didn't expect that the Sect Master of Ten Thousand Swords Sect would personally serve as the National Preceptor in the Zhou Kingdom, and even reside in the imperial harem. How very strange."
"That has nothing to do with you." Jiang Qingyi's cold sword intent seed ready to unsheath at any mont.
"Indeed, what the Sect Master does is the Sect Master's business. But... relying solely on the Sect Master, can you truly deal with the Lord of the Four Seas?"
"What do you an?" Jiang Qingyi narrowed her eyes.
Qin Siyao only smiled, filling a clean wine cup on the table with wine and looking toward the woman at the window.
"How about you and I discuss a transaction?"
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