Chapter 011 The Dance of Seagrass at the Observation Pavilion
It’s getting closer, even closer.
Wei Wanlan hesitantly grabbed two withered and sturdy reeds by the water’s edge. The reeds were dry and tough, but their tips were sharp, and they felt like holding two hedgehogs in his palms. He slowly crawled forward in the reed bed outside the pavilion.
The voices from inside the pavilion, which had been like a thin thread, gradually became more distinct, with intermittent words. It seemed that the Persian merchant could also speak Chinese.
However, his Chinese was a bit stiff: “My esteemed and mighty Regent Prince, you are the beacon of the righteous path, shining upon all the Silk Road…”
Feng Luoyi’s official language was very clumsy, pronouncing the “Silk Road” like a “dead road.” Wei Wanlan nodded, finding it very acceptable.
System: [He is referring to the Silk Road.]
“Oh, I see.”
Feng Luoyi continued with his flowery praises, which had a unique charm as a Persian rainbow:”Ashna Shahli is wrongly called the ‘head wolf’ in the northwest, and the Turks have barbarically cut off the Silk Road through plunder, which is the act of a bandit, not a worthy friend.”
Wei Wanlan knew about the Regent Prince’s northern expedition to resist the enemy and defeat the Turkic Khanate. He had originally thought that the significance of the victory was only to protect the people of the Great Wei from the ravages of war, but he hadn’t expected that Su Jingzhi had also restored the trade routes and resumed the commercial exchanges between the Great Wei and the small foreign nations.
Feng Luoyi then said, “Persia continues to trade with the Great Wei, and the king has sent me to sign a trade agreement. We are willing to pay a tax rate of thirty percent on all goods transported from Persia to the territory of the Great Wei…”
[I understand, the original text did not elaborate on this plot, the problem lies in the tax system.]
“Tax system?” Wei Wanlan, whose brain had not survived more than three chapters of political intrigues, really couldn’t react, “A thirty percent tax rate sounds like a lucrative profit, what’s wrong with that?”
[Gems and spices are available everywhere in their country. If Feng Luoyi only sells these and not other goods, my local businessmen and the common people will certainly suffer greatly.]
“… Will it lose money?” Wei Wanlan’s brain struggled to turn, raising his heavy eyelids, “Will it lose a lot of money?”
[It will lose a lot of money.] The system gave the simplest example, [Persia will exchange their junk for our silver taels. Many merchants will go bankrupt, the common people will be unemployed, and they won’t be able to afford rice, only soup.]
Wei Wanlan understood, firmly nodding, “We can’t let everyone drink soup.”
He gripped the reeds and crawled even closer to the Observation Pavilion.
***
Inside the Observation Pavilion.
As Feng Luoyi handed over the agreement, the dancer’s figure became more and more graceful.
The Persian dance was enchanting and undulating, with the dancer’s features exceptionally bright. Her costume had at least several times less fabric than the women of the Great Wei, and the bells on her ankles jangled, the sound like beating on the heart.
Tang Tuan swallowed hard, feeling a bit hot. The dancer’s toes circled gently, and the scent of frankincense wafted to his nose.
Tang Tuan was dazed, the fragrance making his mind restless. When he regained his senses, the Persian dancer had left the carpet, her dancing steps approaching the Regent Prince who was examining the trade agreement. The Persian dancer’s eyes were seductive, with a thousand charms written on her face.
Tang Tuan inwardly felt that something was wrong, sensing that this Feng Luoyi was somehow too enthusiastic, but he couldn’t pinpoint the specific inappropriateness. He could only silently pray in his heart, hoping the Regent Prince would be alert: “Boss, this is a beauty trap.”
The Regent Prince’s expression was indifferent. He did not lift his eyes from the document.
Feng Luoyi discreetly sent a glance, and the dancer danced even more enthusiastically, her waist almost twisting into a pretzel in front of Su Jingzhi.
Before coming to the Great Wei, Feng Luoyi had done a lot of research. The actual ruler of the Great Wei was still unmarried and had no concubines. He was not a eunuch, so how could a man of this age with such youthful vigor not have any desires?
Probably… he was just too shy to express it too obviously.
So the merchant suggested gracefully, “The bangles on Shamanlei’s ankles are not bells, but the yearning of us Persian men. Our Persian daughters can sing and dance freely, and Shamanlei admires heroes. She wishes to serve at the Regent Prince’s side. Why don’t you fulfill her wish and take her into the palace?”
“This scoundrel merchant!”
A voice suddenly emerged from the reed bed.
Wei Wanlan hurriedly clamped his mouth shut. Then he crawled back into the reed bed, where a reed stalk poked him under the chin, making him hiss in pain.
“Hiss…”
The system seemed puzzled by Wei Wanlan’s hasty reaction, but he couldn’t see it: [Host, why are you in such a hurry?]
Wei Wanlan hid in the reeds, taking a sharp breath.
It’s really not his fault that he couldn’t hold back, this Persian merchant’s scheme was just too despicable. It was obvious that he wanted to confuse the Regent Prince’s mind.
[Even you can see it, how could the Regent Prince not know?]
“Oh, yeah.” Wei Wanlan thought about it for a moment, seeming to take a while for his brain to catch up. He blinked his eyes a little uncertainly, asking somewhat innocently, “System, were you just calling me stupid?”
The system: [You’re not stupid.]
Wei Wanlan nodded, and the topic didn’t continue.
[…] The system was very speechless, see, you just believe whatever others say, you little fool, who else could it be but you?
At this moment, a gust of winter wind swept across.
The reed bed pressed down, instantly making a rustling sound as the reed stalks followed the wind and bent low.
Wei Wanlan’s ears suddenly perked up, sensing that he was at risk of being exposed at any moment. He hastily gripped the two white fluffy reed heads, trying to use the reed heads to cover his palm-sized face.
But no one had expected the wind to be so strong.
The wind was unstable, gradually overpowering the reeds, and the reeds became lower and lower. Inside, Wei Wanlan’s golden clothes glittered, and although he was already almost pressing his face to the ground, there was still a risk of being exposed at any moment.
Thinking of being discovered and having to forcibly enter the main plot to confront the Regent Prince, Wei Wanlan was extremely unwilling. He must quickly come up with a plan to hide himself.
So he had a bright idea. As the strong wind blew, the reed heads swayed, and the little Emperor moved with them.
Swaying left, swaying right.
Swaying right, swaying left.
His waist was flexible, with excellent extensibility, demonstrating the professional quality of a beautiful and skilled cosplayer. He was like a seagrass.
Inside the Observation Pavilion, Su Jingzhi’s fingers paused as he held the agreement: “…”
The Regent Prince’s gaze had long since passed the Persian dancer, falling on Wei Wanlan’s waistline.
His thin lips tightened, the corners of Su Jingzhi’s mouth trembling slightly, unable to control. Although he tried his best to maintain his expression, his gaze was still firmly locked on the swaying little Emperor outside the Observation Pavilion.
Then he took a deep breath. He snorted faintly, “Outrageous.”
Tang Tuan’s face was almost about to explode: Savior, what kind of divine little cutie is this? This seagrass dance is much more interesting than what the Persian dancers perform, haha haha.
While the Observation Pavilion was watching Wei Wanlan, the Wei Wanlan outside was unaware, still swaying the reed heads in the reed bed, even dancing more immersed.
He won’t see me, he definitely won’t, right…
The system was unaware of the host’s current behavior, only feeling that the Observation Pavilion was too silent, and asked: [Why hasn’t the Regent Prince spoken yet?]
Wei Wanlan observed carefully, feeling that Su Jingzhi’s gaze was on the dancer, but not knowing that it had always been on him. He bit his lower lip and said, “I think you overestimate him. He doesn’t care about the common people, he’s just looking at the dancer.”
The system: [That’s impossible!] The Regent Prince’s character setting in the original book, that was the most clear-headed among the clear-headed, even on the battlefield when suffering from excessive blood loss, he couldn’t be blocked from his rational thinking and judgment: [You must be mistaken.]
Wei Wanlan continued to sway: “But he’s just looking at the dancer there, right?”
While the host and the system were discussing the Regent Prince’s character, inside the Observation Pavilion, Feng Luoyi was very satisfied with the Regent Prince’s reaction, thinking the Regent Prince had taken the bait, so he handed the pen to the female agent: “Shamanlei, you serve the Prince to sign the trade agreement between the two countries, Persia and the Great Wei will be forever good friends, and from now on you will be the Prince’s person.”
The petite Persian beauty smiled coyly.
Wei Wanlan couldn’t stand it anymore.
If the Regent Prince couldn’t be relied on, then to protect the common people’s onion pancakes and rice, he absolutely couldn’t let Feng Luoyi succeed. He grabbed a stone from the river’s edge, a brown pebble the size of a fist, drew a beautiful parabola, and shot it towards the Observation Pavilion like a meteor.
The stone headed for Feng Luoyi’s head.
But who knew the aim wouldn’t be quite right, Wei Wanlan had the passion to protect the common people, but that huge pebble didn’t hit Feng Luoyi’s head, but accurately headed towards the Regent Prince of the Great Wei’s bridge of the nose.
That was a fine, high, and elegant nose like a statue.
The Regent Prince was about to hit the stone with his face.
Tang Tuan immediately cried out in alarm: “Boss! The stone!”
The scene in the Observation Pavilion suddenly blazed like a raging fire, the Palace Secretary was at a loss, the dancer screamed, and even Feng Luoyi took a few steps back and fell to the ground, the merchant panicked: What’s going on, what’s going on???
Didn’t they say the Great Wei Regent Prince was all-powerful, how could there be someone in the palace assassinating him, and even using such primitive methods, throwing stones directly at his face???
At this moment, Su Jingzhi abruptly spread his wide sleeves, his royal robe shimmering with golden waves. The stone steadily fell into his hand. So the previous chaos was in stark contrast to the current serene sky.
The scene in the Observation Pavilion stabilized again.
Su Jingzhi rose, his gaze quickly fell on the reed bed, trying to catch a small figure inside, but that little thing had just committed mischief and had disappeared.
“…” Su Jingzhi was silent. He turned, seeing that the merchant was still glancing around suspiciously at him, and slowly placed the agreement back on the stone table.
He unobtrusively collected his thoughts: “Feng Luoyi, the matter of the Silk Road tariff should be based on the specific goods, with different rates for jewelry, silk, and tea. This agreement has problems, take it back and rewrite it.”
The dancer’s seductive dance steps stopped.
The merchant’s expression stiffened a bit.
Feng Luoyi’s big beard under his mouth trembled, still wanting to struggle a bit more.
But then they heard the Great Wei Regent Prince speak again, “Before the interruption of the trade route, the merchants of the Central Plains had trade orders with Persia. I heard that Persia has delayed and not issued them due to the war situation. I wonder if they have now settled the accounts with my people?”
Feng Luoyi’s eyes flashed a trace of guilt.
“Furthermore, I have led people to reopen the entire Silk Road, allowing various countries to resume trade. Persia only mentions commerce, but there is the issue of wear and tear on weapons, and passing through, should a protocol be drafted with my dynasty?”
This… this is clearly going to charge a fee!
Feng Luoyi’s forehead was covered in cold sweat, and the smile on his face became stiff. He nervously wiped his forehead.
And Su Jingzhi’s gaze slowly pressed down, sharp and firm, his seemingly calm tone hiding a raging undercurrent: “Envoy, should these be discussed with this Prince?”
Feng Luoyi now understood everything. He felt thorns growing all over his back, and a sense of terror like being locked onto by a mighty eagle in the sky.
It turned out that his previous little cleverness was no match for the Regent Prince at all.
Feng Luoyi hurriedly bowed and took his leave. He left behind a table full of rare treasures, not daring to take a single one back, afraid that his legs were too short and he would run too slow, and be detained by the Regent Prince to directly discuss the passage fee and protection fee issues. His feet felt like they were oiled.
The dancer, barefoot, also ran away, jingling all over, truly a case of too smart a man cannot marry. Yes, no matter how handsome, he can’t be, he really can’t beat him.
Watching the two clowns flee, Tang Tuan proudly praised, “Haha, sure enough, the boss is better than the black-eyed beauty.” Previously, he had thought the boss might fall for the Persian beauty scheme, but it seems he was overly worried.
Su Jingzhi: “Where is the little Emperor?”
Tang Tuan rubbed his nose, it seems the strength of the Persian beauty scheme was not enough, the boss’s aesthetic had already been spoiled: “Uh, maybe just now the wind was too strong and blew him away?”
Su Jingzhi: “Absurd.”
Sensing the Regent Prince’s might, he hastily changed his words: “Or maybe… he was jealous of the Persian dancer’s attention to you, my lord?”
“Ridiculous.”
Su Jingzhi’s brows knitted tightly, only a sound of ‘Ka’. He crushed the pebble in his hand.
***
Great Wei Regent Prince’s Mansion, the training field.
The courtyard torches blazed high, spreading a vast expanse of golden-orange light.
Su Jingzhi galloped across the training field on horseback, his figure steady and powerful on the horse, like a black thunderbolt. The hoofbeats thundered, and he suddenly stretched out his arms to open the heavy bow, the bowstring released with a thunderous roar, and dozens of feathered arrows shot towards the targets lined up along the training field.
Thud thud, several voices, every arrow hit the mark.
Crack!
One of the targets could not withstand the powerful recoil force of the arrow and was knocked over to the side of the field.
Su Jingzhi threw the arrow and bow aside.
Thin sweat soaked his sword brows, his features gilded by the courtyard torches:
“… Could it be that the little Emperor saw the dancer being too enthusiastic towards you, and he got jealous?”
“…The bangles on her ankles are not bells, but the yearning of us Persian men.”
“Regent Prince, wuwu, my foot is sprained.”
This little thing…
A wave of heat surged in Su Jingzhi’s heart, his breathing involuntarily became rapid, his gaze falling on his own right hand, and in his mind emerged the scene in the imperial garden in the snow: “Wei… Wanlan.”
The little Emperor’s delicate ankle, with soft skin, his ear tips blushing and trembling.
He opened his arms to him: “Regent Prince, you carry me, please.”
“The Regent Prince is the best~”
Su Jingzhi frowned heavily.
His chest felt stuffy, he could barely breathe, forcibly suppressing the jumbled threads, and then brought up the scene of his last audience with the previous Emperor.
“Su Jingzhi, I wish to pass the throne to Prince Linian to continue the Great Wei dynasty. My brother is still young and willful, not obedient to discipline. I know your Su family has been loyal for six generations, I hope you will wholeheartedly assist theWei clan’s rule, bearing the great responsibility of the nation, without any violation.”
“Your subject obeys the decree.”
Suddenly the entire city was in a storm, and the cold rain poured down frantically along the red walls and black tiles.
In the end, fearing that the previous Emperor had lost his dignity before his death, Su Jingzhi returned, standing outside the imperial bedchamber. Amid the drizzling sound of rain, he heard the Emperor instructing the internal officials on the arrangements for the funeral:
“Wait until Su Jingzhi dares to have any second thoughts, he must lose all five senses, his spirit and soul completely destroyed, plunging into madness, with the same tragic end as the previous five generals.”
“Your Majesty plans for the long-term rule of the dynasty, Your Majesty is wise.”
“Cough, cough cough, the rumors say the Su family’s sins are too heavy, cursed by Heaven to have a short life, it’s just that generation after generation the ruler is weak and the minister is strong, fearing him, afraid the Su family can become a force to be reckoned with.”
The golden-orange courtyard torch suddenly flashed.
Su Jingzhi’s eyes reflected two flickering flames, the flames burning fiercely, but his gaze was as cold as the abyss: “Summon the officials.”
“Yes.” The soldier attending the training field stepped forward.
“Notify all the ministers that court is dismissed tomorrow, the secret police will closely monitor the Emperor, the sixteen gates of Chang’an will be closed, the southern and northern barracks will control the imperial capital. The Great Wei dynasty is about to change hands. “Su Jingzhi coldly adjusted his royal robe sleeve, the flowing light like poured gold, “Him. I will personally end him.”
The Jin Wu Guard’s voice was solemn: “Understood!”
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