Chapter 578 State Banquet [Two in One]

Dinggou King Jiang Zhenye sat in the carriage with a solemn expression and a majestic look without even getting angry.

The roads in and around Frost North City were bumpy and the carriage was shaking violently, but his shoulders and back remained straight and unshakable, with a bright light flickering in his eyes, as if he was thinking about something.

When Liang Fuguo schemed to force him to step down, he was not actually too upset, because the emperor was still Emperor Mu Bei.

As long as Emperor Mubei was still alive, he, the great hero who "saved the emperor", would never lose the emperor's favor. When Liang Fuguo cleaned up the court, it would be like killing the rabbit and cooking the running dog. He only needed to get rid of this only threat, and he could easily come back, right?
First, because he was deeply trusted by Emperor Mubei, and second, because he was indeed one of the few people in the royal family who had some ability. Emperor Mubei wanted to place a pillar of support that he trusted in the army, and the candidate could only be Jiang Zhenye.

What really dealt a heavy blow to Jiang Zhenye was the death of Emperor Mu Bei.

To Emperor Mu Bei, his "hook" was worth a fortune and could bring him a lifetime of honor. But to another emperor, his hook would be worthless.

Especially in the new dynasty, Emperor Huairen has not yet really taken power, and the one who holds the power is Song Zhili. After a brief period of chaos in the army, Qi Kunlun, Tang Wei and Ling Sansi have now become the three giants of the military.

Originally, Ling Sansi was just a rookie general trained by Emperor Mu Beidi. He was chosen to temporarily replace the Three Guards of Longyuan because there was no need to worry that he could replace Jiang Zhenye and Jiang Zhenye could come back at any time.

Who would have thought that Ling Sansi not only had a stable position, but was also increasingly valued. After Qi Kunlun and Tang Wei both went to war, he actually became the head of the Wu'an Hall in Longyuan City, commanding the defense of the capital and making plans in the rear, looking like a future star in the military.

Jiang Zhenye felt aggrieved because he was doing all my work!
If Liang Fuguo had not done that, wouldn't he be the emperor's uncle with real power, a leading general, and the second most powerful person in Wu'an Hall?
Ling Sansi stole my life!

But it's easy to leave the court, but it's hard to go back. If you disappear for a few days, you will be forgotten. Especially Song Zhili's behavior is very strange. Since he took power, he has begun to further weaken the influence of the royal family, changing his previous image of a loyal dog to the emperor.

Just when Jiang Zhenye was getting extremely anxious and his urine was unusually yellow every morning when he woke up, someone finally remembered him.

The moment he received the imperial edict, Jiang Zhenye felt excited. He thought that at a time when the imperial court was in turmoil, he was finally remembered. Would he be sent to lead the army to war, or to stay in the capital?
It’s okay.

As long as you have military power, you will have the opportunity to make meritorious contributions, recruit old troops, and create new ones...

Wait, let me be an envoy?

When Jiang Zhenye first saw the commission, he was stunned for a while. It was like a hound that had rested for a long time and was finally brought back to the mountains by its owner, only to be told that his task was to cook two dishes for the lumberjacks in the mountains.

No, what does this have to do with me?

As a prince who is the center of attention, the only negotiation he has experienced is probably discussing with his wife every night whether they can sleep in separate rooms. It always feels a bit weird to ask him to represent Yin State in negotiations with Jiuyang.

After some searching, he finally figured out the reason.

Because although there were frequent reports of victory on the front line, the Yang people were not at the end of their rope, so it was a bit strange to propose peace talks at this time. The court was worried about losses if it sent anyone, and it was afraid of giving others a handle if it sent a small fry, so it sent him, the prince.

He holds a high position, has a great reputation, and no one would feel sorry if he died. These are the reasons why Jiang Zhenye was chosen to be the envoy.

After knowing the truth, Jiang Zhenye looked up at the sky for a long time to prevent his tears from falling.

……

But he soon calmed down and decided to take on this task and complete it well. The era of Emperor Mubei was over, and now it was Emperor Huairen's court. He wanted to show the new emperor his absolute loyalty, and no matter what he did, he would never look back!
It was just like being a dog for Emperor Mu Beidi.

He didn't need to worry about the negotiations, as there was a staff team sent by the Xiangguomen. He only needed to be a mascot. As long as he returned safely, he couldn't leave himself idle again. He had to find a place for himself in the court.

With such an ambition to make a comeback, Jiang Zhenye determined his goal this time, which was to persevere no matter what he went through, and returning to the capital would be victory.

"Your Highness." As soon as they entered the Frost North City Gate, a guard came to report, "Liang Xianguan has prepared a banquet to welcome the delegation."

"Go." Jiang Zhenye nodded.

It was not until he arrived at Tianxia Pass that he learned that Liang Yue was protecting the delegation. He was wary of the rumored son of Liang Fuguo. He had helped him get out of power, and later he heard that he had done many more deeds.

I heard a while ago that he only had a few months left to live, but now he is not only alive and well, but there is also legend that he killed Bei Luo Shimen with one sword.

It would be a lie if Jiang Zhenye said he was not afraid.

This kid was a guard of the Imperial Capital Guards more than a year ago. I couldn't even see him when I lowered my head in the Thirty-Three Heavens. Who would have known that in the blink of an eye, my safety would be protected by him.

But the diplomatic negotiations are a national affair after all. He won't endanger his own life here, right?
Thinking about it again, even if I don't mention the identity of the prince and the envoy, I am at least a master. As long as he doesn't kill me head-on, I won't die so easily.

If there are any means, I will take them on!

With this determination, Jiang Zhenye quickly arrived at the destination. He lifted the car curtain and saw that the place Liang Yue chose for the reception was actually a small restaurant.

The other carriages did not stop and continued to move forward. Only Jiang Zhenye's carriage and his personal guards stayed behind.

Liang Yue stood in front of the door with a smile, followed by four great demon kings who showed no restraint in their aura, looking terrifying.

Jiang Zhenye's heart skipped a beat. Was he going to start a fight on the street?
Before he could finish his thought, Liang Yue said, "This is a famous small restaurant in Shuangbei City. Your Majesty is used to eating delicacies from land and sea, so you should try this special dish. However, there are limited seats in the restaurant, and the number of the envoys is too large, so let them go to the general's mansion to have an ordinary banquet. This is only prepared for Your Majesty."

Judging from his expression and words, he seemed quite normal.

But Jiang Zhenye was still a little cautious. After getting out of the car, he told his personal guards, "Wait for me here."

Then he looked at Liang Yue and said, "Since Liang Xianguan has prepared it so kindly, I will come and try this restaurant."

As long as they don't take direct action, Jiang Zhenye is not afraid. He can just fight back against the enemy with his troops and block the water with earth.

So he followed Liang Yue into the restaurant. There was smoke from the kitchen, and it seemed that they were busy preparing to welcome him.

When she heard that Liang Yue was going to welcome the prince to his restaurant, Gu Ping'er was actually a little nervous. After all, she hadn't received a guest other than Yan Shenbing for a while, let alone such a high standard. But Liang Yue just told her to relax and just cook her best dishes.

There was a round table in the restaurant, and there were already several plates of pitch-black dishes on it.

Ah.

Jiang Zhenye sneered in his heart, it turned out to be just some childish tricks.

What good would it do to make things difficult for yourself? As long as the food is not poisonous, you can swallow it.

When they were trapped in the mountains during the march, they had experienced chewing tree bark, digging grass roots and even eating horse manure. Do you think this could cause any psychological trauma to a general who had spent half his life in the military?

Thinking of this, everyone had already taken their seats. Liang Yue extended his hand and said, "Your Majesty, please move first."

Jiang Zhenye raised the corner of his mouth, met his gaze, picked up a piece of indescribable food provocatively, and stuffed it into his mouth.

Ok?
For a moment, he felt as if his taste buds had exploded. No, it was not just a problem with his tongue, it was a resistance and trembling that emanated from the depths of his soul.

"Ugh—" He couldn't help but turned his head and spit out the indescribable thing again.

"Your Highness doesn't like this dish?" Liang Yue asked.

Jiang Zhenye wiped his mouth and said, "I am just tired from the journey and have a stomachache."

Even so, his chopsticks were still honest, picking up another piece of indescribable meat, putting it in his mouth, chewing it for a few times, and turning his head again. "Ugh—"

In his heart, he silently apologized to the tree bark, grass roots and horse manure one by one.

"Your Highness, are you feeling unwell?" Liang Yue asked with concern.

"It's okay, this dish is made of beef, right?" Jiang Zhenye finally couldn't help but refuse and said, "I don't eat beef."

……

Just as the Yin Kingdom delegation was about to enter Shuangbei City, the Jiuyang delegation also entered the city from the north gate.

This time, the representative of Jiuyang’s delegation was the great elder of the Fire Snake Tribe, Wu Mengshan.

The carriage of Jiuyang was pulled by two monster beasts. The carriage was very large. Inside sat representatives from seven tribes, headed by Wu Mengshan. In the ordinary carriage at the back sat the water priest Xiao Jue.

Although the war did not last long, the division of power within Jiuyang had already been revealed to the world.

The Canglong tribe was tied to Huanshen Peak, and most of the time they advanced and retreated together. The remnants of the Wood Wolf tribe, who had lost their territory, had almost no room for autonomy. The power and resources were divided among the tribes, and the remaining tribal leaders could only rely on the Canglong tribe to exist.

They can be considered a faction.

Although the other seven tribes usually have conflicts among themselves, under the pressure of Huanshen Peak and Canglong Tribe, they will stick together for warmth and strive for their own independent status. They can be regarded as a faction, but they are relatively loose.

On the eve of the war, the coalition forces of the seven tribes suffered some losses, and the Canglong tribe was advancing triumphantly. Immediately, some of the seven tribes contacted the Canglong tribe privately, and there were definitely more than one or two of them, and the alliance was almost broken.

Fortunately, the Canglong tribe suffered losses soon, and everyone continued to wait and see calmly until the main force of the Canglong tribe was almost wiped out at Tianxia Pass, and the Guxu City in the rear was also wiped out by Tang Wei.

The Canglong tribe became the biggest loser. The alliance of seven tribes did nothing and avoided further losses.

That's why they want to push for peace talks. From their perspective, they don't really want to fight. Since you, Huanshen Peak and Canglong tribe, insist that you can win, then go ahead and try. If you fail, I will surrender immediately. There will be no big loss.

The Canglong tribe has already invested so much, and they cannot accept coming up empty-handed.

Now their positions are completely opposite, and the Canglong and Mulang tribes will not participate in the peace talks at all.

"Have you found out the location of Jiang Zhenye?" Wu Mengshan asked while sitting in the carriage with his eyes closed.

"He was taken to a small restaurant for dinner." Someone outside the curtain immediately answered.

"You guys go to the envoy building arranged by Yin Kingdom first. I will go to see Jiang Zhenye secretly." Wu Mengshan closed his eyes and continued, "Although the Canglong tribe didn't come this time, I am worried that they will not be willing to accept failure."

"Are you afraid they will do something bad?" A representative from another tribe frowned and said, "But the demon riders of the Canglong tribe are almost wiped out, and Princess Yushi is recruiting soldiers everywhere. What else can we do?"

“Even if they don’t have the means, they still have to be wary of the Phantom God Peak.” Someone else said.

Even though the Canglong tribe was powerful, they were familiar with it, and Huanshen Peak had always been mysterious and respected in the eyes of the Jiuyang people, and they were all full of awe for it.

"That's right." Wu Mengshan said, "Although the water priest came with the delegation, his purpose is still unclear, so we can't relax blindly. I will go to Jiang Zhenye first and explain our situation to avoid changes that will affect us."

They have only one goal, which is to prevent the possible conspiracy of Huanshen Peak and Canglong Tribe from affecting their surrender plan.

That's why Wu Mengshan wanted to find Jiang Zhenye to clarify things first.

The Yin Kingdom specially arranged a small building for the Jiuyang delegation to live in. When the carriage entered the delegation building, a gust of black wind flashed by. Wu Mengshan secretly left the team and went to the restaurant where Jiang Zhenye was, which his subordinates had investigated.

In front of the small entrance of the restaurant, a team of royal guards stood. When they saw an old man in a fire python robe and a gray fur hat approaching, the guards immediately raised their swords and guns to stop him, "Stop!"

"Go and tell them that Wu Mengshan, the elder of the Fire Snake tribe, wants to see King Ding Gou of Yin State." The old man calmly introduced himself, "I met King Ding Gou on the battlefield before."

The restaurant was only this big, so there was no need to inform anyone. Jiang Zhenye had already noticed the old man's arrival.

He was being held by Liang Yue at this moment, saying that it was a special reception for him alone. The dishes were served one by one, but he didn't eat them, as if he was not giving him face. But after only two or three bites, he seemed to have seen Mu Beidi waving at him.

Perhaps he was missing the late emperor, as tears welled up in his eyes.

Just when he didn't know what excuse to use to leave, he saw Wu Mengshan coming up to him. He immediately stood up and said, "I heard that Master Wu is the chief envoy of Jiuyang this time. Why did you come here in advance? Is there something important? I'll come right away..."

"You don't have to be so polite, Lord Ding Gou." Wu Mengshan walked in and held out his hand, asking Jiang Zhenye to sit back down. "I am here not to disturb Lord Ding Gou's banquet. I just have a few words to say. I will leave after I finish speaking. I won't stay any longer."

"This place is cramped and dark, not suitable for receiving distinguished guests." King Ding Gou stood up again, "Let's go to a more formal place to talk."

"Don't do that." Wu Mengshan pushed Jiang Zhenye back again. "I don't want to disturb you. I am just a little worried about the relationship between the two countries. That's why I came to see King Ding Gou in advance. If I disturb the prince, I will be very sorry."

“You…” Seeing that the other party insisted on not letting him leave, Jiang Zhenye simply glared, “Then Elder Wu, please sit down and eat together!”

At this moment, Jiang Zhenye’s mentality was probably… since you won’t let me go, then no one will have an easy time.

"In that case, I'd better obey your command respectfully." Wu Mengshan didn't think too much about it. He sat down and wanted to talk to Jiang Zhenye.

He also glanced at the dishes on the table, but didn't think much about it. The nobles of Yin Kingdom were used to eating delicacies from land and sea, so it was normal for them to eat something strange to relieve the greasiness.

Since he was invited to sit down, he couldn't just sit there and eat nothing, as that would seem like a disrespect to them, so he picked up the chopsticks and picked up a piece of indescribable food.

He didn't think it was a big deal. The Jiuyang tribe had been begging God for survival all year round. There were always famines in years of natural disasters. What had they not eaten?

When Wu Mengshan was a child, he was extremely hungry. He ate rats, bats, locusts...all of them alive.

Now, no matter how bad the food tastes, it won’t make him feel the slightest bit.

As soon as the old man sat down, Yan Shenbing went to the kitchen to inform him, "Ping'er, the chief envoy from Jiuyang is here too. Please prepare two more dishes."

"Ah?" Gu Ping'er became more nervous when she heard this, "How come... how come I am allowed to be a guest at the state banquet?"

"It's okay." Yan Shenbing held her hand and encouraged her: "We all believe that you are the best chef. Don't think too much, just be yourself."

Soon, the voices of the two countries' important officials talking could be heard in the hall.

"When I was young, my family was in financial difficulty. During the famine, I went into the mountains alone to look for food. That was when I was truly miserable. Ha, compared to that time, everything now... Ugh—"

"Elder Wu is indeed my respected senior. When I was still a newcomer on the battlefield, Elder Wu had already been famous for many years. Now... Ugh—"

"Remembering the past... Ugh—"

"If I'm not mistaken, Elder Wu came to see me this time because... Ugh—"

"What King Ding Gou said... Ugh—"

(End of this chapter)