Mountains and rivers are waiting for you to return

Chapter 18 Qilu Tribute
Pei Nai quickly looked away, "No, I'm just curious."

Yixi didn't quite believe it, and looked over there. Was there anything special in that direction? Most of those who could sit over there were elders with half-white hair, except for the emperor and Duan Ding Gong.
It's nothing.

Ah, Lord Duan Ding! Yixi suddenly realized.

Yixi lowered her voice and said, "Mingzhi, you wouldn't..."

She stopped talking halfway, thinking of Duke Duan Ding's extraordinary hearing, and took Pei Nai's hand and wrote on her palm: "What do you think of him?"

Seeing Pei Nai shaking his head, Yi Xi breathed a sigh of relief. She wanted to say something more, reminding Pei Nai to cherish his life and stay away from Duke Duan Ding, but because Duke Duan Ding was present, she could only say a few words: "That's good!"

Yixi's gaze shifted slightly, and suddenly her whole body froze and she immediately lowered her head.

Pei Nai turned around in confusion, only to see Gu Jinheng looking at him from a distance, and their eyes met.

Pei Nai also hurriedly lowered his head. Yi Xi awkwardly picked up the chopsticks to pick up food for her, trying to cover up the little action of the two of them just now. "This hydrangea scallop is delicious. Try it quickly. It's crispy and fragrant. The cooking skills of the imperial kitchen in the palace have improved again."

Pei Nai nodded and hurriedly put the food into his mouth.

After a long time, the feeling of thorn in the back gradually disappeared. When I looked up again, Gu Jinheng had already looked away.

Yixi finally dared to raise her drooped head. She shuddered and made a frightened expression to Pei Nai.

Pei Nai was also very surprised. Although Gu Jinheng had good hearing, the hall was so noisy that it was enough to interfere with his sight and hearing. They never mentioned his name from beginning to end. It was impossible that he could feel Yi Xi writing with her fingers, right?

Or was it that, except for her, no one else dared to look directly at Gu Jinheng, and she had just looked at him frequently and was discovered by him?
This is possible, Pei Nai felt a little uneasy.

I shouldn't have revealed any clues, right? Pei Nai comforted himself and pretended to be calm as he began to eat.

When the dance ended, the dancers retreated in an orderly manner.

The eunuch shouted loudly: "The second prince of Qilu Kingdom is here with his envoys to see you!"

Xiao Mingyi looked dignified, "Announce!"

People looked up and stretched their necks to look towards the main entrance of the Fujiang Hall.

The gate slowly opened, and Daxian walked in step by step with the envoys. The people in the team were holding tributes in their hands.

When they reached the center of the hall, Da Xian knelt down first. "Your Majesty, I, Da Xian, lead the envoys of Qilu Kingdom to see Your Majesty. On behalf of my father, I present to Your Majesty a pure white jade Buddha statue from Zhaoshan, five snow lotuses from Yannian Yishou Mountain, five hundred rolls of top-grade ice silk and cloud brocade cloth, and twenty catties of Nanjiang Tianshan Ganoderma Lucidum and Dihua Ginseng. I wish Your Majesty good health, longevity, peace and prosperity, and a peaceful country!"

Pei Nai was also stunned. Wasn't this person just eating in the palace? Did he just run out in the middle of eating? Just to go through the formalities of paying tribute and worship at the banquet?

"Stand up, and thank the Emperor of Qilu Rong on my behalf. You have been traveling so long, are you used to coming to Tianyao these days?"

Da Xi'an stood up and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. Chaoyang is a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery. The envoys' journey was very smooth, but I do have a favor to ask of you."

Every year, Da Xian was responsible for leading the team to the north to pay tribute, but this was the first time he made a request to Xiao Mingyi.

Xiao Mingyi also became somewhat curious, and he extended his hand generously: "Second Prince Qilu, please speak."

Daxian turned around and looked in the direction of Pei Nai with a smile. His eyes scanned around and landed precisely on Pei Nai.

People also turned around and followed his gaze to look at Pei Nai. They whispered to each other, wondering what the second prince of Qilu was doing.

Only Pei Nai's heart suddenly skipped a beat and he silently said: It's over.

"I would like to ask your majesty to marry Miss Tang Mingzhi of the Ju Mansion." Da Xi'an's voice was as loud as a bell, and his words were heard in every corner of the hall. Few people in the hall knew her. Even Xiao Mingyi only looked at Pei Nai after being reminded by the eunuch beside him. However, people were talking about it, and Pei Nai felt that many people had seen her through the guidance of others.

Pei Nai felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, but she anxiously shook her head at Xiao Mingyi, hoping that Xiao Mingyi could understand what he meant.

Xiao Mingyi looked at her for a few times and said loudly, "If it is Tianyao's natural treasures, Second Prince, just ask for it and I will satisfy you. But my aunt, Tianyao's heroic wife, once taught me when I was young that marriage is no joke and it concerns the happiness of two families. Only when two people love each other can it be considered a match made in heaven. For so many years, I have always followed her teachings and never arranged a marriage for private reasons. Please forgive me, Second Prince Qilu, for not being able to agree to your request for the time being. If you can please Mingzhi and bring her to see me, I will personally grant you a marriage."

Pei Nai almost applauded him, it was such a good point!

Listen to her teachings, how great they are. Many children from wealthy families of marriageable age have avoided being matched up with random people and ended up in jail because of her words.

Daxian looked back at her, feeling a little regretful, but still stepped back.

Gu Jinheng's eyes were indifferent and only stayed on her for a moment from beginning to end. Pei Nai also understood that he would not care about the affairs of a stranger. It was only because the incident just now involved the marriage between the two countries and almost became a national affair that he raised his eyes.

Ju Liancheng was sitting across from Pei Nai at the table. As the only person present who knew the inside story of Pei Nai's rebirth, his eyes swept over Da Xian, Xiao Mingyi, Gu Jinheng and Pei Nai in turn, and suddenly a barely perceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Pei Nai no longer had the energy to roll his eyes at him, and lowered his head to avoid people's sight.

Yixi sympathetically handed her a piece of snow-baked crispy meat.

After the Qilu delegation withdrew, the dancers came on stage again and the banquet continued. Only the occasional glances from people reminded Pei Nai of what had just happened.

The banquet ended late at night, with only some leftovers left on the table.

The emperor has returned to the palace, but the princes and ministers are still in high spirits and are greeting each other at the palace gate, with their families waiting by their side.

Pei Nai stood on the high steps at the entrance of the palace, but saw a person walking away.

Seeing that the emperor could not bring guards with him, he also followed suit. The guards who followed him in Yuanxiao Pavilion in the afternoon were not by his side. They should be waiting for him near the carriage. The direction he was going was the direction of the palace gate.

It's still lively here, but why do I feel so sad inside?

Everyone was keeping each other company, talking and laughing, waiting to get in the carriage and go home together.

The moonlight was like a silver thread, and its silver glow soaked the shadows of the tree branches. He walked silently on the road, with noise behind him and coldness and solitude ahead.

This scene resembles his half life. He moved towards the throne, but he cannot go back to the past.

Will he be lonely too?

Pei Nai suddenly wanted to run down the stairs and rush into his arms.

Just like many years ago, I would take his arm, walk on the bluestone slabs on the way home, complain to him about which dish cooked by the imperial chef had become unpalatable, or lean over and stroke his forehead to see if he was drunk.

Although he always frowned and made signs in annoyance every time before: "It's impolite, we are outside!"

Pei Nai didn't care and just thought he was embarrassed, and continued to enjoy it.

But things are unpredictable. When she was reborn, she was too far away from him. The steps she took became chasms that he could not cross.

Pei Nai looked up at the stars in the sky and muttered helplessly.

Alone, alone, who isn't?

(End of this chapter)