Dust filled the sky in front of them, and the flag of the Xiliang army was vaguely visible. Behind them, there was even a crowd of ordinary citizens who had followed just to see what the excitement was about.
A rider raced forward at full speed, and shouted from afar, “Is that the Tiansheng envoy in front? What happened? Do you need us to help….”
His voice stopped abruptly.
Ahead, there was indeed a mess, with people laying prostrate all over on the ground, destroyed carriages, and things thrown everywhere…but they were all refugees and people of Xiliang. The Tiansheng envoy team, in the meanwhile, were neatly dressed, and calm, all were standing off to the side with serene smiles.
What is going on?
The rider was Xiahou Yuan, the commander-in-chief of the Xiliang Imperial Guards. According to the Regent’s orders, he had assumed that after arriving, he would pretend to disperse the refugees, comfort the embarrassed Tiansheng envoy team, and Xiliang’s face will be saved. However, what happened was beyond his wildest imagination.
“This…this…”
“I also want to ask what’s going on?” Feng Zhi Wei smiled and said to Xiaohou Yuan and a dazed-looking old man who had caught up to him. “It seems that the public safety of your country is really not very good The work of suppressing bandits and arresting robbers must be done quickly and swiftly. I encountered mountain bandits when I had just entered your country. It was by the barren border so I didn’t think too much of it, but who would’ve expected that during broad daylight, in your country’s vibrant city, on an official road that is merely a few miles away from city gate, we would be stopped by bandits, robbed, injured and carriages destroyed— is it possible that the Nine Cities Army and Calvary Divison of your country can’t afford to pay your men so they have all been sent home to live on their wives’ dowry?” (Only the most useless men would have to resort to living off their wives’ dowry so this is a double slap in the face.)
In front of everyone, she patted a destroyed carriage and shook her head, “This is my mahogany carriage, each side was exquisitely carved by masters and is worth a thousand gold. If the bandits in your country are really so poor and the Nine City Army and Calvary Division really can’t be paid, I will give you the carriage as a gift. It can be sold and help out a bit. There was no need to destroy it, such a pity.”
She nudged a refugee on the ground with her foot and said, “The bandits in your country are sure a rare bunch. In our words, their ambition is commendable, but their actions are foolish. Twenty to thirty people dared to rob a team of 2,000 people, and what’s more, they did it so close to the city gate. I have seen many bandits in my own country, but none so bizarre and so bold. Has the city suffered a disaster recently? But all the officials and the citizens seem plenty energetic to me.”
The commoners who had come from all directions to see what all the commotions were about were no dummies so as soon as Feng Zhi Wei finished talking, they promptly realized something seemed off. Some of those who were familiar with politics and knew the turbulent relations between the two countries soon began to discuss among themselves. Hearing those whisperings, the Xiliang officials had no clue how to react to their current situation. Their faces flushing bright red, they looked at Bai Deshan and Commander Qiu, hoping they would explain and get them out of this situation. However, those two’s faces were even more flushed than theirs. Listening to Feng Zhi Wei’s shameless lies, those two had almost passed out from fury but they couldn’t get a single word out and could only glare until their eyes almost popped out.
There was an awkward silence on Xiliang’s side but Feng Zhi Wei was still not done. Her smiling friendly tone abruptly changed to a violent storm, to one of harsh demand!
“Robbing an envoy team in front of a major city gate has never happened in the history of men, and it is impossible! If anyone tries to tell me today that this was an accident, that they were bandits from the outer areas of the capital, I will not allow it!” With a wave of her hand, a few people dressed as yamen runners were violently thrown in front of the Xiliang team. The dull sound of them landing on the ground sent a shock wave through the Xiliang officials.
“If it was a robbery by bandits, how did they know the route and arrival time of the envoy team?” Feng Zhi Wei took a step forward, and Xiahou Yuan took a step back.
“If it was a robbery by bandits, how dare they attack thousands of people with dozens of people?” Feng Zhi Wei took another step forward, and Xiahou Yuan took another step back.
“If it was a robbery by bandits, Why would there be yamen officials laying in ambush on both sides of the woods?” Feng Zhi Wei was already standing right in front of Xiahou Yuan. His horse was right behind him, so he had no more room to retreat. Swallowing hard, he glanced at the officials on the ground, and said helplessly, “Marquis Wei, this may be a misunderstanding….”
“If it was a misunderstanding, why would the yamen officials from Jincheng show up here at this time?” Feng Zhi Wei smiled viciously, “Don’t tell me they are here on official business. If they were on official business and saw that this place was being robbed, why didn’t they step forward to stop it? If they discovered the robbers’ presence, why didn’t they warn us? When they saw that the envoy team had arrived here, why didn’t they come out to greet us, but instead sneakily hid in the woods?”
Her series of lightning-fast whys made Xiahou Yuan’s mind go blank. He looked at the white-beared old man for help. Looking equally dazed, the old man wiped his sweat, and came over tremblingly with gritted teeth, bowed, and muttered in a low voice, “Marquis Wei, I am the Mister of Rites of Xiliang….”
“No need to exchange names with me!” Feng Zhi Wei waved her hand resolutely, interrupting him. “This marquis only exchanges names with friendly countries, but has no desire to play games of falsehoods with enemy countries! If Xiliang does not give a satisfactory explanation regarding today’s matter, Wei Zhi will not hesitate to turn west in front of the city gates! I will wait right here. A day I don’t get a clear explanation is a day I will not enter into the gate of Jincheng!”
Her tone was as firm as steel. Her voice was not loud but it was filled with such fierceness that everyone could hear her determination that she would never change her mind. The people of Xiliang stared blankly at the young man in simple blue clothes standing amidst the smoke and dust, and all they could think was that such a person really did live up to his reputation. Different from the commoners, the only thing the Xiliang officials could think of was that they had lost yet another round, lost yet another round…
================== ==
In the distance.
In a hidden forest.
A group of black-clothed figures, wearing long cloaks, sat on their horses unmoving, their gaze solemn and serious.
Among these iron-like guards, one person slightly raised his head and looked in that direction. Looking at the bright shining young man in the center of the crowd, watching that person skillfully manipulating everything at will, the person’s eyes shimmered with regret and joy of surprise.
After a while, he said in a low voice,
“Wei Zhi!”
=================================
Another contest ended with Xiliang losing. Feng Zhi Wei refused to budge and would not enter the city gate, instead, she led Tiansheng’s two-thousand-plus envoy team to the Dragon River Post (a traveling post that is specifically for housing dignitaries temporarily but obviously never this many people) This was of course a very awkward situation for the Dragon River Post, but thankfully, the Regent was one who knew when to bend when the situation requires it. Knowing that this thing would just get more embarrassing for Xiliang the longer it dragged on, the Regent immediately started heading for the Dragon River Post with a hundred officials in order to personally welcome the envoy team. (I am no history expert but a 2000 envoy team seems rather big, but that’s what the author wrote. For reference, Zhang Qian, a diplomat during the 2nd century BC led the envoy team that started the Silk Road, his envoy team had 99 people in it. Did they accidentally lose a person at the last second? 99 seems a rather odd number…)
Ps. Anyone have a guess on the identity of the mysterious person in the woods towards the end?
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Thank you, Ninja. Mystery! Who is the young man leading black-clothed figures? I thought it would be NY but probably is not. NY would not call her as Zhi Wei. He has NC with her. There are not many men in FZW life, HL was dead. GNY is with her. NY is at the capital. The only other man is the prince of Dayue, if I remember it right. Or maybe new enemy?
Hah, those were exactly my thoughts. 😂👌
I looove this story arc so much. I am repeating myself but I can’t help it. FZW really is her brilliant and mischievous self in this. ❤️
I’ve been reading this novel off and on for awhile. It’s mentioned here that HL, was dead. What happened to him again? I must have missed the chapter. Or maybe even what chapter should I go back to to find out