bayedsolid Chapter 101 Convergence
Chapter 101 Convergence
“Your Highness, since that hasty parting years ago, time has passed, but you are still as radiant and charming as ever.”
Princess Qiulan's beautiful eyes sparkled as she smiled radiantly, praising the exceptionally handsome Spirit King before her.
Upon hearing this, King Ling raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a gentle yet dignified smile, and replied, "Princess Qiulan, your words truly flatter me."
However, if we're talking about the biggest changes, it has to be you, Princess!
It can truly be said that a girl changes drastically as she grows up, becoming more and more beautiful and charming, as delicate and beautiful as a blooming flower.
"It is truly a great honor for me to be reunited with the princess here today."
King Ling's words not only contained a degree of sincerity, but also revealed a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion or reflection) brought about by the passage of time.
Princess Qiulan blushed slightly upon being praised by the Spirit King, her face as alluring and adorable as a ripe apple.
She gently bit her lip, bowed slightly, and greeted the Spirit King once more.
She said softly, "Your Highness, you flatter me. I am truly unworthy of such praise."
"I am incredibly excited to have the opportunity to witness the Spirit King's magnificence once again."
After listening, King Ling first nodded slightly to indicate that he understood.
He then turned around and faced Princess Qiulan, saying, "Hmm... I wonder where Princess Qiulan is headed and why she is here."
"Qiu Lan recently visited for a while and is now returning. She happened to meet the Spirit King here."
"Oh I got it."
"I wonder if His Highness King Ling discussed any important matters with my father during his visit to our country?"
If Father were to learn of King Ling's arrival, he would surely personally sweep the bed to welcome him.
"To show respect and welcome to Your Highness," Princess Qiulan asked curiously.
"My visit to the court this time was merely to participate in the auctions for a few days, and has nothing to do with your father," King Ling said calmly and indifferently.
Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed in Princess Qiulan's beautiful eyes.
Her previously expectant expression dimmed somewhat; she had thought the Spirit King had come to visit her father.
She bit her lip lightly and continued, "Now that Your Highness the Spirit King has come to the Sichao, why don't you go to the capital of the Sichao together with Qiu Lan?"
His words carried a hint of earnest expectation.
"Well, since we're going the same way anyway, let's travel together." The Spirit King nodded slightly in response.
Everyone gathered together, chatting and laughing, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.
From their conversation, it's clear that Princess Qiulan of the Si Dynasty is a lively person.
Her lively and witty words, and her hearty laughter, were comparable to Mei Yanyan's.
However, her current style of dress seems somewhat out of place with her personality.
She was dressed in magnificent palace attire, but it couldn't conceal her lively and active nature; it was as if the outfit had become a shackle binding her.
Everyone spent the night in the village's ancestral hall, and the rain had stopped by the next morning.
The first rays of morning sunlight, like fine threads, pierced through the cracks in the ancient windows of the ancestral hall.
It dispelled the lingering dampness and chill of the night, bringing a touch of warmth and vitality to this solemn building.
Everyone awoke from their overnight rest, got up, and began packing their belongings, preparing to embark on a new journey.
Princess Qiulan, dressed in an exquisite brocade robe, turned to the attendant beside her and instructed, "Prepare the carriage, the most magnificent one."
Her voice was clear and melodious, like a mountain spring, refreshing and delightful.
Upon hearing this, the servants immediately sprang into action.
Soon after, a beautifully decorated carriage came to a steady stop outside the ancestral hall.
The carriage curtains are embroidered with intricate and exquisite patterns, symbolizing good fortune, such as the dragon and phoenix.
The natural beauty of mountains and water, shining brightly under the sunlight, is truly breathtaking.
Outside the ancestral hall, the sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze carried a slight chill, yet it felt exceptionally comfortable.
People bustled about in the sunlight, some nimbly boarding the spacious and magnificent carriages.
Some nimbly mounted their horses, creating a lively and vibrant scene.
Just then, Princess Qiulan walked gracefully in. She wore a light purple dress, the hem of which fluttered gently in the wind, making her look like a fairy descending to earth, beautiful and captivating.
She approached the King of Spirit, bowed slightly, and said in a soft and sincere voice, "Your Highness, I, Qiu Lan, humbly invite you to ride in the same carriage with me. Would you do me the honor?"
Upon hearing this, King Ling was taken aback at first, then his gaze fell on Princess Qiulan's sincere and expectant eyes.
He smiled slightly and readily agreed: "In that case, I will ride in the same carriage as you."
After saying this, he strode towards Princess Qiulan's carriage.
Once the two were settled, the carriage slowly started moving, the wheels making a soft sound as if setting the stage for the journey.
They chatted and laughed along the way, creating a harmonious and warm atmosphere.
The Spirit King spoke first, his tone carrying a mixture of curiosity and respect.
"Princess Qiulan, I am quite interested in your country's development in recent years. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me on a few things?"
Princess Qiulan smiled and nodded, then began to recount in detail the remarkable achievements Qisi Dynasty had made in agriculture, commerce, and culture over the years.
She spoke eloquently and clearly, her words filled with love and pride for her country.
King Ling nodded repeatedly as he listened, his eyes gleaming with admiration.
At the same time, Princess Qiulan inquired about the situation of the Ling Kingdom from King Ling.
King Ling, of course, spoke frankly and without reservation, describing how the Ling Kingdom had become increasingly prosperous and powerful under his rule, with its people living in peace and contentment, and society enjoying harmony and stability.
Princess Qiulan listened intently, occasionally interjecting to express her admiration and respect.
He exclaimed, "His Highness King Ling is truly wise and powerful. He has governed the Ling Kingdom so well, which is a blessing for the people."
And so the two went back and forth, one topic after another, sometimes discussing the way to govern a country, sometimes exchanging views on local customs and traditions, and sometimes sharing interesting anecdotes.
Their conversation was like a meeting of kindred spirits, profound yet witty and humorous, making the reader feel as if they were in a world full of wisdom and laughter.
As time passed and the carriage moved slowly forward, the two hearts gradually drew closer during the journey.
Time flies, and the carriage travels smoothly along the road. Before they know it, several days have passed.
Finally, not far ahead, a magnificent city appeared before everyone's eyes—that was the capital of the Si Dynasty.
From afar, one can see the towering city walls standing majestically, with banners fluttering on them.
The city's bustling streets crisscross, lined with shops and teeming with pedestrians; the noisy market is filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, creating a lively atmosphere.
The entire capital city was brimming with vitality and energy, making it a place that people longed to visit.
At this moment, Qin Lingxing arrived outside Princess Qiulan's carriage and made a gesture, causing the carriage and everyone to slowly stop moving forward.
"Reporting to King Ling, we have arrived at the city gates of the capital of the Si Dynasty," Qin Lingxing said respectfully.
Upon hearing this, the King of Spirit inside the carriage nodded slightly and then quietly bid farewell to Princess Qiulan.
As soon as King Ling stepped out of the carriage, a series of orderly footsteps came from not far away. It turned out that a large number of Sichao soldiers were walking towards them.
Behind the soldiers, one could hear a man laughing heartily; his voice was incredibly loud and its echo reverberated.
Just by listening to this voice, one can tell that this person possesses profound inner strength and is no ordinary person.
As the man approached, he appeared to be a middle-aged or elderly man, tall and strong, resembling a majestic mountain peak.
He was dressed in a magnificent black and red suit, the gold embroidery on which shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.
Compared to the Spirit King's height of only 1.7 meters, the man was a full head taller than the Spirit King.
"Haha... You, Liu Lingzhen, came to my court without even informing me beforehand. Aren't you afraid I'll punish you for deceiving the emperor?" The man laughed heartily, his voice booming like a bell.
When Princess Qiulan saw him, she quickly ran to his side and hugged him, saying, "Father, have you missed your daughter? Your daughter has missed you so much."
Emperor Si Chao looked at her and replied, "You, you're always running around outside."
As the Spirit King watched him approach, talking incessantly, there was no sign of anger on his face; he simply responded calmly.
"Liu Xinhao, it's been over ten years since we last met. You're so aggressive the moment we meet. Are you preparing to start a war with me?"
The soldiers of the court standing near the two trembled slightly when they heard the King of Ling call out their emperor's name.
"Hmph, Liu Lingzhen, Liu Lingzhen, I'm so lonely. No matter what, tonight you must drink with me until we're both drunk. We won't stop until we're both completely drunk."
At this moment, Liu Xinhao completely disregarded the gazes and reactions of those around him.
His face revealed an expression of urgency and longing.
He stared intently at the person in front of him, as if trying to see through the other person's cold exterior to the depths of their heart.
"Alright, I didn't come here to have a verbal battle with you. Let's forget about the so-called 'drinking until we're drunk'."
The Spirit King remained expressionless, his eyes cold, and he refused without hesitation.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Liu Xinhao of the Si Dynasty, who was standing to the side, turned red in the face instantly, like a powder keg that had been lit, and instantly flew into a rage.
He kept muttering complaints, completely lacking the dignified demeanor expected of a ruler.
"How can this be? You, Liu Lingzhen, have finally had the chance to come here. No matter what, you must come back to the palace with me."
As for all those other trivial matters, how could they compare to the importance of us two brothers drinking heartily?
"If you refuse to come to the palace with me today, I will absolutely not allow you to return to the Ling Kingdom."
As Liu Xinhao spoke, he put his hands on his hips, widened his eyes, and spoke in an unusually forceful tone, as if he would not give up until he achieved his goal.
Meanwhile, Daya and the others standing to the side looked completely bewildered.
They were completely baffled by the conversations between these high-ranking figures and had no way of understanding their meaning.
In stark contrast, Qin Lingxing and the others turned pale with fright after hearing Emperor Si Chao's words.
Large beads of sweat rolled down their foreheads, and they didn't even dare to breathe, standing silently in place as if they were trembling with fear.