Bai Qi was speechless for a long time, but he couldn't say anything.
In the end, he could only cough dryly: "It's getting late. We should enter the city as soon as possible and check into the inn first."
Grandma drops.
If I talk in front of Xiong Wuliang from now on, I will be a dog!
In Xianyang City, the streets are clean and tidy, and pedestrians are walking in a hurry.
Under the guidance of Bai Qi, the group walked straight to the inn.
The officials inside hurriedly came out, and after chatting with Bai Qi for three or five sentences, they bowed slightly to Zhaoju and others and raised their hands: "Everyone, please."
Bai Qi said to Zhaoju: "Please stay here for the Chu envoy, and then go and report to our king and the queen mother. If everything goes well, we will be able to conclude a treaty tomorrow."
…
Xiong Wuliang walked to his room - it was a small independent house. In addition to the master bedroom, there were two side rooms in the yard.
The facilities in the room are very simple. Apart from the necessary desk and bed, there are only a bronze mirror, two knives and pens, and a few blank bamboo slips.
Shaohu held up his hand honestly: "Master, the general lives in the side room next to me. If you need anything, just say hello loudly."
Xiong Wuliang nodded.
Staying here, at least you don't have to worry about safety - this is a post house opened by Qin State specifically to entertain foreign envoys, and Qin soldiers are stationed to protect envoys from various countries.
"Qu Yangjun, Lord Yin invites you to come and discuss matters." Xiong Wuliang had just sat down when a messenger came to the door.
Xiong Wuliang stretched and went to Zhaoju's other courtyard. When he arrived, he found that Prince Mi Heng and Huang Xie were also present.
Zhaoju hunched over, coughed, and went straight to the topic: "If you want to see King Qin, it will probably take at least several days."
Mi Heng: "Didn't that Qin general named Bai just now say that the contract can be concluded tomorrow? Why did Ling Yin say that he would have to stay for a few more days?"
Zhaoju smiled coldly: "When the Chu people come here for the first time, they will definitely have to dry out."
"Now that the new king of Qin has ascended the throne, the situation is delicate - of course, we must not show any cowardice."
Hearing this, Xiong Wuliang nodded slowly.
Although Zhaoju is authoritative, he still has a good sense of smell as he has been able to flourish in the political arena of Chu State for so many years.
"When the King of Qin summons us, the two deputy envoys will just follow. I will handle all the responses personally." Zhaoju warned uneasily.
He glanced at Xiong Wuliang in particular.
Just stay out of the way, kid.
To be honest, Zhaoju is really afraid of Xiong Wuliang!
When Mi Heng heard that he wouldn't be able to see King Qin in a short time, he couldn't help but feel a little uninterested. He waved to Xiong Wuliang: "Let's go out and visit Xianyangfang City."
There is a curfew in Xianyang City, but this curfew is only limited to civilians and local small businessmen. There is no restriction on nobles from other countries such as Mi Heng and Xiong Wuliang, as well as wealthy foreign merchants.
The "Shangshangfang" in the west of the city is open day and night to provide various services to these foreigners who come from afar and spend a lot of money.
Xiong Wuliang's hair stood on end.
"You can go shopping in the market, but you can't drink alcohol!" Xiong Wuliang emphasized.
In history, Mi Heng killed a Qin official in the street after drinking, which led to the breakdown of Qin-Chu relations and led to the disaster of a multinational coalition attacking Chu.
Now that Mi Heng said he wanted to go shopping, Xiong Wuliang was frightened on the spot!
Mi Heng said carelessly: "I'm not drinking, I just want to see how great Xianyang City of Qin State is."
So, Xiong Wuliang called Shaohu, Mi Heng called Huang Xie... The four of them walked out of the post house and went straight to Shang Shangfang.
…
Xianyang Palace.
Bai Qi passed through the palace gate guarded by two guards and ran straight to the study.
Although it was already dark, the candles in the study were still brightly lit. There were officials running back and forth with their heads lowered, holding large bundles of bamboo slips in their arms, covered with sweat.
Vaguely, voices in the study can be heard——
"I heard that there is a special product called 'white paper' in the Chu region. It is extremely light and easy to write on. If it can be widely used, it will be very convenient." This is a woman's voice.
"Is this happening? I will send someone to inquire tomorrow and try to use this white paper to replace the bamboo slips in the palace as soon as possible!"
Bai Qi came to the door and whispered: "Zuo Geng Bai Qi, please see the King and the Queen Mother."
There was silence in the study for a moment, and then a woman's voice came out: "It's Bai Qi, just come in."
Bai Qi lowered his head and entered the room, bowing his hands to the two people in the room and saluting: "Greetings to the queen mother, hello to the king... I'm sorry that I'm wearing armor, so I can't salute you fully."
Empress Dowager Xuan smiled and said in a calm tone, as caring as the aunt next door: "Don't be formal - how are you enjoying your stay in Wuguan?"
"Thank you, Queen Mother, for your concern. Everything is fine." After Bai Qi answered respectfully, he said in a deep voice, "The envoys from the Chu State and our Great Qin Alliance have arrived at the post house."
"The chief envoy is Yin Zhaoju, the Ling of Chu State, one of the deputy envoys is Prince Heng of Chu, and the other is Prince Liang of Quyang."
When mentioning Xiong Wuliang, Bai Qi's tone emphasized the words intentionally or unintentionally.
Empress Dowager Xuan and Qin King Ying Ji looked at each other and said with a smile: "It seems that Chu State attaches great importance to it."
Bai Qi cupped his hands and said, "I have sent them to Xianyang. The mission has been completed. I will rush back to Wuguan overnight..."
Before Ying Ji could speak, Empress Dowager Xuan said with a smile: "Don't worry, stay in Xianyang for a while, just in time to tell Ji'er military stories."
"All the princes of Chu have come to Xianyang, and there is no way to fight in Wuguan."
Ying Ji also smiled and said, "What the Queen Mother said is very true."
Bai Qi hesitated for a moment, and finally accepted the order: "I obey."
Queen Mother Xuan's eyes flashed: "There is no rush to receive the Chu State's envoys. Let them rest in the post house for a few days first."
Bai Qi didn't ask why, "No."
"What are you promising?" Empress Dowager Xuan smiled: "Receiving envoys is a matter for 'pedestrians' (equivalent to diplomats). You just need to stay in Xianyang and chat with Ji'er and me."
Bai Qi scratched his head cautiously: "I will obey the Queen Mother's order."
…
Queen Mother Xuan was once a royal princess of the Chu Kingdom, so she naturally knew that although the Chu Kingdom was no longer as powerful as it once was, it was still a skinny camel after all, and the Chu people still had the arrogance of their former overlords in their hearts.
In the Qin State at this time, the new king had just ascended the throne, which was a critical time for the transfer of power.
The new king Ying Ji had been a hostage in the Yan Kingdom for a long time, and his reputation in Xianyang was not well known. Except for Wei Ran, Mi Rong and other ministers of Chu descent, he had no wings to speak of.
Queen Mother Xuan knew that several other royal princes, especially Mr. Zhuang and others, were eyeing the position under Ying Ji's buttocks.
In the palace, her position was not stable, and she was suppressed by Queen Mother Huiwen (the head wife of King Huiwen Yingsi and the biological mother of King Wu Yingdang).
At such a time, Qin can be said to be strong on the outside and weak on the inside.
But the more this happens, the less cowardly we can show ourselves in front of the Chu State!
Although the Queen Mother Xuan has the blood of the Chu Kingdom, she is now the Queen Mother of the Qin Kingdom, and her son is the new king of the Qin Kingdom... Of course, she has to sit on the side of the Qin Kingdom.
Drag it!
