Return of the Swallow

"Khan Wutjin is still radiant, but his courage is much less than before. How come he is so intimidated by the majesty of Duke Ding that he is frightened even when he meets me?"

These words were full of provocation, and Siqin immediately frowned. The four ministers who followed Siqin behind him also frowned, and one even had a more irritable temper and wanted to come forward to argue.

Unexpectedly, Pang Xiao changed the topic and laughed again: "Please rest assured, Khan Utkin, our Zhou Dynasty has been a state of etiquette since ancient times and will not do anything that goes back on our word. Since I have accepted your Tatar letter of surrender, If we show off, we will not take the initiative to stir up any disputes, let alone do whatever we want while Khan and Ketun are in our land of Great Zhou, so Khan’s fear is really unnecessary.”

One sentence clarified the status of the two countries at this time.

The Tatars were the defeated generals of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Although Siqin was a Khan, wasn't he the one who was beaten by Ji Zeyu and made him cry for his father and bow to his mother?

He should be afraid. When he saw the Zhou Dynasty war god who was as famous as Ji Zeyu, how could he not be afraid when one of his subordinates was defeated?

If he still dares to show off his power, don't forget that they are still on Da Zhou's territory!

Pang Xiao's words made Siqin look livid.

The people accompanying Da Zhou felt happy, secretly praising Prince Zhongshun for what he said. His toughness was just right. He was worthy of being a man who had been on the battlefield. Even the Khans of other countries would show courtesy to him when he showed his strength.

If he was submissive in front of the Tatar Khan, wouldn't it be a loss of face for Zhou?

Si Qin gritted his teeth. He had been in a position of superiority for a long time and was used to blurting out words without having to worry about anyone refuting him, so he started to mock. Who would have thought that Pang Zhixi would come back with sarcastic words at such a time?

Just when everyone in the awkward situation was wondering whether Utkin Khan would directly turn his face into a black face, Lu Heng said with a smile: "The Great Zhou Dynasty and the Tatars are friendly countries. There is a saying that 'It is not surprising that friends come from far away.' , the posthouse in the city has been prepared, and the banquet has been prepared. God has not been kind to us on this journey. I think Khan, Ketun, and all the ministers are already tired. Why don't you ask the Khan to move to the posthouse first and take a rest?"

When he reached the bottom of the steps, Siqin secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said "Yeah" with a sullen face, preserving his dignity as a Khan.

Lu Heng then turned around and ordered people to clear the way, making way with Pang Xiao to allow Si Qin and his party to enter the city.

Pang Xiao looked at Lu Heng with a half-smile.

Lu Heng said with a smile: "After all, you have come all the way and have already surrendered to me. It would not be good if there was a quarrel on the spot." The implication was that he was blaming Pang Xiao for speaking too sharply and almost causing trouble. There was a dispute.

Pang Xiao smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, there will always be a flatterer between you and me."

This means that Pang Xiao gave Lu Heng the opportunity to act as a good person.

Lu Heng's heart was burning, but his smile was still gentle and elegant, "Your Majesty is really resourceful, I admire you."

"Uncle Zhongyi, you're welcome."

The two looked at each other with smiles on their faces, but the smiles did not reach their eyes. They cupped their hands with each other and went back to the car. He followed Si Qin's carriage into the city.

As for the people who came with the Tatars, Lu Heng arranged for extra people to settle them. Naturally, he would not allow so many Tatars to enter the city together. Most of the Tatars were left to guard the tributes, and only four Tatar ministers accompanied them. Then entered the city gate.

Lu Heng and Pang Xiao sent the people to the post house, and everyone got out of the car and entered one after another according to their identities.

Lu Heng originally thought of going with Pang Xiao to send Si Qin to be resettled, but Pang Xiao put his hands behind his back and said with a smile: "It's better to invite Uncle Zhongyi. I am used to being careless. It would be bad if I accidentally damage the table, chair or bench." ”

"Your Majesty is very relaxed and relaxed, how could he be such a careless person?" Lu Heng smiled, "It seems that Your Majesty is afraid of overwork."

"Where is it? Now that Uncle Zhongyi has received the order, go and do the errands."

Lu Heng gritted his teeth, and the smile on his face became stiffer and stiffer. If it weren't for the fact that he had to break up with Pang Xiao and let the Tatars see the joke, he was afraid that he would have retorted. Pang Xiao might have seen it right. He couldn't refute at this time;

That's why you are so unscrupulous!

Lu Heng took a deep breath, suppressed his anger with amazing willpower, and said with a smile: "In that case, Your Majesty, please take a rest here."

Pang Xiao smiled slightly and didn't say much. He took a leisurely look at the non-special scenery around him, as if it was particularly novel when he first came here.

Lu Heng quickly arrived at the house and greeted Si Qin and Ke Dun with a smile.

It was also at this time that he saw Ke Dun's appearance.

She was a tall, slightly plump young woman with a face like a full moon. Her appearance was not particularly outstanding, and her eyes and brows carried the unique arrogance of a Tatar noble.

Young Ke Dun looked at Lu Heng curiously. She could understand Dazhou dialect, but her pronunciation was a bit strange, "Are you the head of the Lu family?"

Lu Heng had never seen such a formal occasion where the man did not speak and the woman at home spoke first. But even a Tatar woman can be a khan, let alone say something on such an occasion.

"Yes. I have met Ke Dun."

"Yeah. You know the rules very well. Better than that Prince Zhongshun." Ke Dun smiled, "Are you planning to hold a banquet?"

Lu Heng responded with a smile: "Yes."

"Then I won't drink with you. We women want to drink with women."

Lu Heng smiled and said, "Zhuo Jing will definitely come back to accompany Ke Dun at the banquet."

"Zhuo Jing? A woman from your family? No, no, no, I want to see the woman from Prince Zhongshun's family." Ke Dun sneered, "The sinner who killed Anari Khan, I want to see with my own eyes what she is. Such a monster!"

Lu Heng was speechless for a moment when he heard the way Ke Dun spoke like this. He rarely dealt with such a direct woman. It just so happened that the other party was Ke Dun, who was of noble status. And Utkin Khan had been listening silently to Ke Dun's words, obviously acquiescing to her behavior, and not minding Qin Yining's appearance at the banquet.

However, he, Qin Yining, and Mu Jinghu knew better than anyone how Anari Khan died.

Qin Yining has been taking the blame for so long that even Si Qin may have almost forgotten the truth.

After all, Lu Heng was reluctant to let Qin Yining come out and suffer. Ke Dun has a noble status, but now he seems to be a proud and ignorant person. He is worried that Qin Yining will be manipulated by Ke Dun if he comes forward.

"Back to Ketun, we have to make further arrangements whether Princess Zhongshun will come." Although the rejection was euphemistic, it was also clear.

But Ke Dun couldn't understand the meaning, "What are the arrangements? When the time comes, ask your Prince Zhongshun to come with him, let him bring his woman, and let everyone have fun together. Our Khan is here, can't your country let the locals Will the most noble person come to accompany me?"

This was said righteously, but it really didn't give Lu Heng, the official responsible for the reception, any face.

In the eyes of this Ke Dun, even if Lu Heng is the head of the Lu family, even if he is an uncle, his status cannot match that of a reckless man who has already lost his military power!

Lu Heng was secretly angry, but he was used to dealing with people. He had seen people with all kinds of temperaments, and he would not really be serious about it with an ignorant woman.

He couldn't lose his grace, and he wasn't sure whether Pang Xiao would be willing to let Qin Yining come, and he couldn't refuse Ke Dun.

Just as he was about to respond tactfully, Ke Dun said displeasedly: "Are my demands too much?"

Si Qin smiled and said: "It's not too much. I think since Zhou Dynasty has become a friendly neighbor with the Tatars, but for such a small request, the loyal uncle won't have to refute this Khan's face, right?"

"What's wrong? Khan's words are serious." Lu Heng responded with a smile, but he became alert in his heart.

It seems that even if Ke Dun opened his mouth without Si Qin's instruction, Si Qin is also quite "interested" in Qin Yining. Why, this man killed Anari Khan and wanted to see how the woman who took the blame for him was doing?

Lu Heng chatted with him for a while and then left temporarily.

When he arrived outside the door, he immediately asked Lu Wenru, "Where is Prince Zhongshun?"

"I'm having tea in the front. What do you want me to do?"

Lu Heng didn't answer and walked quickly forward without saying a word.

Although Pang Xiao was too lazy to entertain Si Qin, he couldn't just give up the job, so he stayed here for the time being, just in case something happened.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he refilled his cup of tea, Lu Heng rushed in like a whirlwind. Before he could catch his breath, he said anxiously: "Ketun proposed to have a dinner with the princess, and Utkin Khan did not object."

When Pang Xiao heard this, he slowly put down the tea bowl in his hand.

After a moment of silence, Pang Xiao smiled: "Really? It seems that Ke Dun is a cheerful person."

Lu Heng didn't expect that Pang Xiao was talking about this, so he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed, "Why aren't you worried at all?" He approached Pang Xiao and lowered his voice, "The death of Anari Khan that day had nothing to do with the princess. Utkin Khan took advantage of it. The princess has been blamed for so long, and now she comes with Xin Ke Dun, who clearly has bad intentions. How can you be so calm? Don't forget that the princess was kidnapped and went to Tartar to suffer so much. For whom!”

The smile on Pang Xiao's face completely disappeared, and he sneered: "For no one, not for you. Uncle Zhongyi, don't you think it's a bit unnecessary for you to be so anxious?"

Lu Heng, who has always been immovable, couldn't help but blush when he heard the words, and narrowed his eyes slightly, "What does the prince mean by these words? I can't understand this."

"Yeah."

Pang Xiao stood up and walked up to Lu Heng with his hands behind his back.

He was half a head taller than Lu Heng. On the battlefield, people crawled through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. When they were displeased, the evil spirit all over their bodies was undisguised. His eyes were like sharp blades shining coldly under the moonlight. People who were stared at by him would only feel Trembling all over the body was the instinctive reaction when being stared at by a ferocious beast.

Even though Lu Heng had seen countless big scenes and was a calm person, he was not someone who couldn't bear to be frightened. At this moment, he felt that every hair on his back stood on end.

But facing someone with Pang Xiao's background, his arrogance as the legitimate son of a noble family did not allow him to show cowardice, not to mention they were love rivals. If he showed weakness in front of his love rival, he would lose completely.

"Your Majesty, it's better not to talk nonsense. If you slander your colleagues at will, I can go to your Majesty and give you a copy."

Pang Xiao suddenly laughed, and the laughter spread far away, making Lu Wenru, Hu Zi and others outside the house couldn't help but look back at the house.

Lu Heng's face became more and more ugly, and he didn't care to use any more official words, "What do you mean!"