Emperor Yanqing’s eyes flickered, his hands gripping tightly on his knees. He couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Liu Fang.
Liu Fang looked like she had not heard what they said. Leisurely sipping her tea with a calm and composed demeanor.
Noticing Emperor Yanqing’s gaze, Liu Fang smiled slightly and looked at Tuoba Gangyou who was standing in the middle of the hall with a meaningful smile on her face.
Tuoba Gangyou had never formally confronted her, so he was puzzled and bewildered by her demeanor.
But thinking of the arrangements made by his Khan and the instructions given by His Highness, he felt that this time, even if it was Liu Fang, she was in the capital and out of reach. There was nothing she could do.
With that thought, he instantly felt at ease. This time, they, the barbarians, would definitely turn the tide!
When Emperor Yanqing saw Liu Fang like this, although he felt a little uneasy, he still decided to trust her.
At the same time, he felt a complex mix of emotions. He wanted to use the barbarians to suppress Liu Fang, but he also feared that if he really lost the western border this time, the Dayan Kingdom would be in danger, and so would he as its ruler.
It was he who issued the decree summoning Liu Fang to the capital, and it was he who caused Liucheng to lose the leadership of Liu Fang, a talented girl. Coincidentally, have also taken this opportunity to launch another attack on the western border.
If they fall this time, the people would not blame Liu Fang. Instead, they would think it was his decree that led to this outcome.
The one who was at fault was him, the emperor, and it was an ironclad fact that could not be concealed!
As soon as Emperor Yanqing thought of this, he broke out in a sweat. Western Border must not fall! Otherwise, he would have to issue a self-criticism edict!
Then his reputation as an emperor was destined to be one that will be remembered with infamy for all time.
Emperor Yanqing felt restless and anxious deep down and wanted to ask Liu Fang. Did you have any backup plan? Surely you didn’t come to the capital completely unprepared?
But he couldn’t afford to lose the dignity of being the ruler of the nation, so he had to maintain a stern expression, which was truly uncomfortable for him.
Murong Zhuo remained calm. He knew Liu Fang well, and this heroine would definitely surprise the Barbarian Khan and everyone present!
Tuoba Gangyou looked calm and confident. Standing in the center of the hall without taking his seat. He was obviously waiting for news from Western Border.
Everyone in the Hall was waiting, and the envoys from other kingdoms were equally at ease.
This time, could the western border of the Dayan Kingdom survive the crisis?
Especially Liu Fang. Everyone looked at her and wanted to know, was her calm and serene demeanor genuine?
Was she truly prepared, or was she just putting on a facade, pretending to be calm?
What Tuoba Gangyou said was not wrong. Even though Emperor Yanqing did not send anyone to pay attention to the news from Western Border, an urgent report soon arrived.
The eunuch standing nearby quickly went outside the hall to fetch the reports and hurriedly presented it to Emperor Yanqing.
Emperor Yanqing stood up to take the report, opened it, and quickly read through it. As soon as he finished, he burst into laughter.
“Very good! Truly wonderful! This time, the soldiers and civilians of Western Border have defeated the barbarian army once again and captured more than 200,000 elite soldiers. It really lived up to my expectations and the hopes of the people of Dayan Kingdom! This truly showcases the might of our great nation! Excellent, excellent! Give a big reward to the generals and soldiers of Western Border!”
“Yes!”
The eunuchs beside him quickly responded, and all the officials of the Dayan Kingdom in the hall laughed, rising to bow and say: “Your Majesty is wise!”
Tuoba Gangyou: …(⊙o⊙)! ! This is impossible?! How can this be?
Only Liu Fang remained calmly seated, not getting up.
She smiled slightly, looked at stunned Tuoba Gangyou, and said to him slowly: “Your Excellency, it seems that this time your Khan will be disappointed. Our troops have captured more than 200,000 elite soldiers from your country, bringing the total to more than 700,000 captives. I wonder what your country plans to offer in exchange for these brave warriors. Surely, you wouldn’t want them to remain in the Western Border, working the fields for us, would you? That wouldn’t be very appropriate, would it?”
Tuoba Gangyou’s face darkened with rage and his whole body was trembling. He looked at the calmly smiling Liu Fang and said coldly: “Miss Liu truly has impressive skills! I don’t know if the slaves we sent to the Western Border are still safe. They’re not all dead, are they? Heh.”
Liu Fang smiled as she lifted her teacup and said to Tuoba Gangyou: “Your Excellency, rest assured. Those are the people of Dayan Kingdom, our family, how could they possibly die? I assure you, they are all safe and sound, and they will continue to live better and better in the future.”
After saying that, she smiled and drank the tea in the cup, then put it down. Bi Yan quickly refilled her cup with tea.
Liu Fang nodded slightly to Tuoba Gangyou with a smile on her face, “I must thank your Khan. This time, you were so generous to send so many of our people all at once. It’s truly appreciated.”
Tuoba Gangyou: …
He felt a surge of blood in his chest and nearly spat blood, but he forcibly swallowed it down. With a stiff expression, he bowed to Emperor Yanqing and said: “Your Majesty, this time our country has been defeated. We acknowledge it. During the subsequent peace negotiation, our great Khan will present another letter. At present, I hope Your Majesty can show some mercy and allow me to take back a few of our princes.”
Emperor Yanqing was in a very good mood, but he also knows that the victory in Western Border was largely due to Liu Fang’s planning. Therefore, he couldn’t agree to anything too easily.
He smiled and raised his hand, gesturing for the still-kneeling ministers to rise and take their seats.
He also sat down calmly, and slowly said: “Regarding the matter of Western Border, I have fully entrusted it to Rongning. If you have any opinions, you can freely inquire with her. Her wishes are my wishes.”
In the current situation, regarding the matter of the Western Border, aside from Liu Fang, even the emperor himself had little say.
It would be better to straightforwardly hand this matter over to Liu Fang, to avoid any embarrassment for him as the ruler if things went awry. That would truly be a source of ridicule for the foreign envoy.
Liu Fang smiled slightly, bowed respectfully and said, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!”
Tuoba Gangyou: …Hehe.
Fully entrusting the matter of the Western Border to Liu Fang? Then what else was there to ask?
Liu Fang would never agree to their request easily, and Tuoba Gangyou was very clear about this.
So, had all their plans fallen through? And all the other party had used was a stone tablet?
No, there was still the Western Border!
Tuoba Gangyou couldn’t understand, no matter how hard he tried, why Liucheng remained impregnable even after Liu Fang entered the capital, and even captured their army once again, and rescued the slaves they had specially sent over?
How did she manage to do that?
Could it be that she already knew that they would send troops again?
If that was the case, then this person was truly terrifying!
Tuoba Gangyou now truly understood why the Third Prince was so wary of this woman. Her methods were simply too formidable!
However, causing a scene now would be of no use. Tuoba Gangyou swallowed his frustration, bowed to Emperor Yanqing, and then led his people to sit down in their designated area.
There was no rush, they didn’t have only that one method. They could take it slow.
The night was still long.
…………
Now that everyone has arrived, the banquet could officially begin.
The beautiful singers and dancers took the stage, fine wine and delicacies were served, and the atmosphere was harmonious, with music and dance flourishing.
As for the hidden thoughts, there was no need to rush. One must first eat and drink to their fill before having the energy to scheme, right?
Liu Fang didn’t know what others were like. She herself had only entered the palace for the banquet after having a full meal.
So she was still eating now, but at a slow pace.
Leisurely and at ease.
Many envoys from other kingdoms were filled with curiosity. How did this heroine manage to do it?
Didn’t she leave Western Border long ago? She was rushing all the way to the capital. How could she have had time to plan and arrange things?
Except for the envoy from the barbarian tribe, the envoys from the other four nations had already arrived in the capital. Therefore, they knew when Liu Fang received the imperial edict and when she entered the city.
How did she manage to keep a backup plan to deal with the elite forces of the barbarians in such a short period of time?
Moreover, how did she know that the other party would definitely send troops again?
The other three nations were somewhat different. Although they couldn’t help but be curious and engaged in various discussions, they ultimately felt a mix of awe and wariness.
The envoy of the Ling Kingdom was truly anxious. Why didn’t she trust them? If she was willing to go to Ling Kingdom, how powerful would Ling Kingdom become!
Unfortunately… She just didn’t believe them. She thought their words were all tricks aimed at deceiving her.
They really feel wronged! (ㄒoㄒ)
Everyone in the hall couldn’t help but glance at Liu Fang. She had expected this and remained completely calm, as if she didn’t notice anything and continued to eat and drink leisurely.
Perhaps due to growing up in the Western Border, she had become accustomed to the cold weather and was equally used to drinking.
Her alcohol tolerance was quite impressive. The wine of this era probably couldn’t make her drunk.
However, Liu Fang would not indulge herself. She would just sip her wine slowly, occasionally glancing at the beautiful singers and dancers in the hall, while savoring the delicious dishes on the table.
However, among those present, there were individuals who would not allow her to enjoy such a relaxed evening.
Therefore, after the singing and dancing performance, as soon as the music stopped and the dancers left, someone began to toast Emperor Yanqing, and the atmosphere in the hall started to lively up.
After a round of flattery, the Barbarian Tribe envoy, Tuoba Gangyou, stood up again and said to Emperor Yanqing: “Your Majesty, our nation’s warriors have long heard of Miss Liu’s exceptional bravery. Today, in the hall, we wish to witness her prowess once more, and we kindly ask for Your Majesty’s permission.”
Emperor Yanqing was delighted. Finally, it had come!
This was different from the previous crisis in Western Border. If Liu Fang lost, her reputation would take a significant hit.
He was pleased to see such a thing happen.
So he said to Liu Fang with a smile: “Rongning, what do you think? Are you willing to accept the request from the barbarian envoy?”
Liu Fang let out a slight chuckle, holding the wine glass, and said softly: “Defeated opponents are really not worth the effort; let’s forget about it.”
Emperor Yanqing: …
Tuoba Gangyou: …
Everyone in the palace: …
Murong Zhuo smiled, and raised his wine glass to Liu Fang, saying: “The princess is right! They are just defeated opponents, how could they have the qualifications to make our esteemed Princess take action”
After saying that, he winked at Liu Fang and drank the wine in his hand in one go.
Liu Fang smiled, drank the wine in her glass as well, nodded to Murong Zhuo, then her gaze to the visibly frustrated Tuoba Gangyou and said: “Your Excellency, have you not been humiliated enough by me? You have come from afar and were the honored guests of our Dayan Kingdom. As the eldest princess of Dayan Kingdom, how could I allow you to lose face repeatedly? That wouldn’t be right at all, would it?”
Tuoba Gangyou was so furious he felt like he could explode on the spot. He wishes he could kill Liu Fang with one blow!
But he lacked the confidence to do so.
