lcionline Chapter 246 Plans Can't Keep Up with Changes
Chapter 246 Plans Can't Keep Up with Changes
The emperor was delighted by the goodwill shown by Goryeo from the very beginning and maintained a smile throughout the entire visit.
Until the Arctic Kingdom spoke up.
The Arctic is mostly covered in snow-capped mountains, and the temperature is low all year round, which is not suitable for the growth of crops.
The large grasslands at the foot of the mountain are perfect for grazing.
Therefore, they mainly raised cattle, sheep, and horses, especially warhorses, which were incredibly well-bred and shiny. In particular, the Hequ Thousand-Mile Horses used by the Great Jin Kingdom for communication were obtained from them.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. I have come today on a joyous occasion. My king is seeking a principal wife for my eldest prince and is willing to offer ten thousand cattle and sheep, as well as three thousand fine horses, as a betrothal gift to express our sincerity."
After the envoy from the Great Jin Kingdom finished speaking, the entire room fell silent instantly, and even the emperor's upturned lips remained turned up.
Everyone knows that when the Great Jin Dynasty was first established, the emperor said that the Great Jin Dynasty would never make peace through marriage.
The emperor's only sister was sent by the late emperor to marry a foreign ruler, and she met a tragic end, her body torn to pieces.
"Envoy of the Northern Ice Kingdom, what do you mean by this? Don't you know that the Great Jin Kingdom never engages in marriage alliances?"
Seeing the Emperor's darkening face, the Left Prime Minister stood up angrily.
The envoy from the Northern Kingdom said with a smile, "A marriage alliance is for the benefit of both countries. My king said that the bride will be treated as his own daughter. If your country is not satisfied with the dowry, we can add another city."
The Arctic Kingdom dropped a bombshell, and the ministers present jumped up like fish out of a pond.
The Northern Ice Kingdom is truly generous; to offer so much merely to propose marriage to a queen, they must have much more to gain.
The eldest princess, sitting among the princesses and trying to remain invisible, had to pinch her own palms hard to maintain her outward composure.
Among the royal family, she was the only one of suitable age for a political marriage; those who had just reached marriageable age had basically already found a partner.
Only someone like her, who lost her mother and father and is now an unknown person, with no one to care for her, has been dragging on until she's this old.
"Go back and tell your king, the Great Jin Kingdom does not accept marriage alliances!"
The Emperor slammed down his wine cup and spoke with overwhelming force.
Seeing that the emperor truly had no such intention, and fearing for his own life, the Northern Kingdom said nothing more.
When the Emperor spoke, the ministers present who had daughters and granddaughters breathed a sigh of relief. The Northern Ice Kingdom did not stipulate that only princesses could be married off. If they took a fancy to their daughters and granddaughters, they really could not refuse.
The Queen, with her keen eye, summoned the dancers to the stage, thus breaking the somber atmosphere.
Song Jiaojiao found this scene truly amusing. The Great Jin Kingdom was now rich and powerful, and with the favorable weather of the past few years, the people had enough to eat and wore heated floorboards.
The emperor is naturally loved by the people, so how could he possibly go through a marriage alliance? Only a weak country would do that.
The banquet lasted until midnight, and since no one caused any trouble, it passed peacefully.
The next day, Song Yi came to find Song Jiaojiao.
"Jiaojiao, the daughter of Sidu has been found and is on her way back. If all goes well, she should arrive in about a month. Then we'll know exactly what happened back then."
"I never expected that after so many years of searching, finding his daughter would provide a clue. It's like God is helping him!" Song Yi thought to himself.
"Found it? Looks like it's time to know the truth!"
Song Jiaojiao originally planned to return to her hometown after the banquet. Staying here in the capital meant she had to be cautious and timid, which made her feel uncomfortable.
It's still better to be free and easy in Qingshui Village. It's just that this space is still one level away from being fully upgraded. I really don't know when I'll be able to upgrade it to the maximum level.
"Yes! After this matter is settled, your mother and I plan to hold a grand family reunion banquet for you." Song Yi wanted to make up for all the love he owed Song Jiaojiao over the years.
He wanted everyone to know that Song Jiaojiao was his daughter, not some nobody.
Time flies, and years slip by unnoticed.
A month or so passed quickly.
As the leaves turn yellow, autumn arrives.
This year is destined to be a turbulent one.
Song Yi took Song Jiaojiao to see Liu Siyu.
The woman in front of her looked older than Song Jiaojiao.
The constant winds at the seaside have made her face rough and calloused, and her hands, which used to be used for embroidery, are now covered in calluses from the constant labor.
Looking at the woman whose appearance hadn't changed much from back then, Liu Siyu immediately recognized her as Song Qinghuan.
The woman who was kidnapped by bandits because she witnessed something she shouldn't have.
If only they hadn't come to the temple back then!
“Madam Liu, this is my daughter Qinghuan. Do you remember her?” Song Yi stepped forward and introduced her.
I remember! How could I forget?
Back then, because she witnessed this, she was threatened by the daughter of the Left Chancellor, now Consort Li. If her father hadn't been the Director of Military Funds, she probably would have ended up like Song Qinghuan.
Oh! She might not have the same good fortune as Song Qinghuan, who was able to come to the capital and meet her biological parents.
However, she is not doing well now. The Liu family was imprisoned and exiled, and her father passed away on the way to exile. Now, she is the only one left in the Liu family.
"Yes, Song Qinghuan, I remember."
Song Jiaojiao looked at the woman in front of her with some confusion. Some images flashed through her mind, stinging her painfully, and her face turned pale instantly.
Seeing that Song Jiaojiao's face had turned pale, Song Yi quickly stepped forward and asked with concern, "Jiaojiao, what's wrong?"
After regaining her senses, Song Jiaojiao gently shook her head, "It's nothing, I just had some images flash through my mind and my head hurts a little."
Liu Siyu looked at the people in front of her in confusion. She had no intention of hiding anything anymore. What kind of trick were these two playing?
Seeing Liu Siyu's confusion, Song Yi said, "After Jiaojiao was kidnapped, she injured her head and lost her memory during the escape. Perhaps seeing Madam Liu reminded her of something."
Liu Siyu suddenly realized that she had really thought Song Jiaojiao was so lucky, but she never expected that she had lost her memory.
No wonder it took so many years to come to Beijing.
"Mrs. Liu, could you tell me what happened back then?"
Song Jiaojiao asked, wanting to understand what had happened and give the original owner an explanation.
"Back then, we agreed to go to the royal temple to pray for blessings. After drawing lots, you felt bored and went out for a stroll. However, you returned in less than fifteen minutes looking flustered. When asked what happened, you didn't say anything."
There was only one more monk after that, who came looking for you, saying that an old friend wanted to catch up.
Seeing that you seemed uneasy, I followed you and saw you being led to a deserted courtyard and knocked unconscious by a young monk.
"Afterwards, my maid and I hid, intending to rescue you after the monk left, but then we saw Consort Li arrive with her people and carry you away."
Thinking back on this incident, Liu Siyu still regrets that she listened to her father out of fear and didn't tell him about it when he came to Dali Temple to inquire.
Father thought he could escape this calamity by pretending not to know, but he never expected that the other party had no intention of letting him go. In the end, he still suffered the consequences and received this retribution.
"After Consort Li left, I hurriedly took my maid and returned to the mansion. When I got back, I told my father about it. That night, the Left Prime Minister came to the mansion, and the next day, people from the Dali Temple came."
I did as my father said, and afterwards I kept having nightmares about it, I was afraid to go out, and I lost a lot of weight.
My father was afraid that I would get into trouble sooner or later if I continued like this, and since the prime minister kept coming to visit, he decided to send me back to my ancestral home in Tongzhou.
I didn't dare go out in Tongzhou. It wasn't until the authorities came to arrest me that I learned my father had been convicted of embezzling military funds.