Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 191 The Returning Envoy
The light from the bronze lamp flickered on Lü Shang's sleeves. A palace servant entered the hall, prostrating himself and saying, "Your Majesty, Minister Wu has returned from his mission."

The wine cup in his hand paused in mid-air. Lü Shang raised an eyebrow and looked down the steps. Following the palace attendants, Baili Ming and Feng Boling hurried into the hall and said, "Your Majesty, the eldest son of the concubine, Chong, has sent word that Prime Minister Wu's carriage has crossed the border."

Xu Guozhushi, a trusted minister entrusted with the care of the late emperor, Wu Yun and Wu Wenhe, have finally returned to Xu today.

In order to help Lü Shang find a wife, Wu Wenhe's mission to Jiao State lasted for more than four months.

"Quickly, open the palace gates, open the city gates! I must personally escort my father-in-law out of Xuchang!"

Lü Shang rose abruptly, his robe sleeves causing the eight human-shaped lamps to tremble simultaneously, and the gleam in his eyes was three times brighter than the candlelight in the hall.

Before Xu Boshang could finish speaking, the assembled officials in the hall responded in unison.

Lü Shang left his seat and strode towards the outside of the hall. When he reached the threshold, he suddenly stopped, turned to Baili Yu, and said, "Lord Li is a vital asset to the country. You can allocate the Jiangyun Pavilion next to the West Palace to him for residence, and prepare all the utensils according to the etiquette for a Grand Master."

"The copper, iron, gold, and tin needed for Lord Li to forge weapons can be obtained from the treasury first. If there is a shortage, I will have someone procure them myself."

After Baili Yu solemnly accepted the order, he turned to Li Tan and said, "Lord Li, please follow me to my residence."

"Your Majesty, I take my leave."

After bowing to Lü Shang, Li Tan slowly followed Baili Yu out of the hall.

After Li Tan left the palace, Baili Ming asked, "His Majesty is personally welcoming Minister Wu. What kind of ceremonial procession should be used to greet him?"

"There's no need to summon the entourage,"

Lu Shang interrupted him, saying, "Your Excellency has been traveling for four or five months. I regret that I cannot fly to the border to welcome you. I will prepare a carriage and set off immediately."

"promise,"

Baili Ming knew that Lü Shang and Wu Wenhe had a deep friendship, so he agreed.

"drive,"

As dusk settled over the walls of Xuchang, Lü Shang drove his carriage out of the city, with riders leading the way holding torches whose flames danced in the night wind.

Rumble!
When the city gate guards saw the king personally driving out of the city, they all dropped their weapons and lay prostrate on the ground.

After leaving Xuchang, Lü Shang, holding the reins, asked Baili Ming, who was riding beside him, "How far is the Prime Minister's carriage from here?"

Baili Ming leaned down and replied, "The scouts report that we have passed Shili Pavilion and should be able to see it in about half an hour."

"it is good,"

Lü Shang nodded, and the carriage beneath his feet sped away.

As dusk settled in the wilderness, Lü Shang drove his chariot, his robes fluttering in the night wind.

After walking for a while, a fire suddenly flickered ahead. Lü Shang was overjoyed to see it, and the sound of bells from the bronze chariot could be faintly heard in the distance.

"Prime Minister!" Lü Shang called out loudly, his voice filled with barely concealed joy.

"drive,"

The carriage continued its journey towards the firelight without stopping. In the twilight, the sound of bells, like shattered jade striking each other, gradually became clearer until the firelight was almost upon them. Then, Lü Shang pulled on the reins, and the carriage came to a sudden stop amidst the jolts.
"Your Majesty,"

The carriage curtain was lifted, and a figure in black robes rose with the weight of the carriage. Wu Wenhe's expression was calm, the bronze sword at his waist swaying slightly with the carriage. Although he was covered in dust, his back remained as straight as a pine tree.

He looked up and saw Lü Shang standing against the wind in the carriage ahead, his frosty white eyebrows suddenly rising. "How could Your Majesty personally drive here?"

Wu Wenhe's voice was clear and crisp with the night dew. He was about to get out of the car before it had come to a complete stop, but Lu Shang stretched out his long arm and supported his waist and shoulders.

"Your Excellency has worked hard,"

Lü Shang said loudly, "If I do not personally welcome him, how can I thank the Prime Minister for traveling thousands of miles for me?"

As night fell, Wu Wenhe was helped down from the carriage by Lü Shang. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Lü Shang took half a step back, solemnly cupped his hands, and said, "Your Excellency has been on a mission to Jiao for several months. I have been anxiously waiting for you every day. Now that I see you have returned safely, a great weight has been lifted from my heart."

Wu Wenhe looked at the handsome and upright king before him and thought of the late king's dying wish.

At this moment, the flames dancing in Lü Shang's eyes were even brighter than when he first ascended the throne four years ago.

Wu Wenhe stroked his beard and sighed, saying, "This old minister has been fortunate to fulfill his mission. The Jiao Kingdom has agreed to the marriage and will send the young lady to Xudu soon."

"Good!" Lü Shang clapped his hands and laughed, his voice echoing through the night sky.

As dusk fell, Lü Shang helped Wu Wenhe into his four-horse carriage, personally holding the reins in front, while the escorting riders behind him carried torches that snaked like a crimson ribbon, illuminating the way home.

The wheels rolled over the gravel, the sound of bells mingling with the night wind. Wu Wenhe leaned against the carriage, looking at Lü Shang's straight back, his eyes slightly darkening beneath his frosty brows, and said, "This old minister has heard that Your Majesty has been building the Golden Terrace for more than a month now. Has any great talent come to serve you?"

Lü Shang whipped his horse and said, “Does the Prime Minister know of the Li Kingdom? It is descended from the Jiuli clan and is skilled in weapon forging. A member of the Li royal family has already answered the call at my Golden Terrace. I will appoint him as the head of all craftsmen. Once he forges a powerful weapon, the Xu Kingdom’s armor and weapons will surely be able to dominate Henan and Xiangshui.”

Wu Wenhe stroked his beard and nodded, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes. He said, "Your Majesty's Golden Terrace has actually attracted the Li Kingdom's royal family to join you. In this light, Your Majesty's move can be described as a brilliant one."

"Miao Shou" is a term in Go (the game of Go). Emperor Yao created Go to teach his son Danzhu, and it was after Emperor Yao that discussions about Go began.

Upon hearing this, Lü Shang lightly flicked his riding whip and laughed, "You flatter me, Prime Minister. I was just thinking of making a casual move, but I never expected it to attract such a phoenix."

When the carriage entered Xuchang, four large bronze lamps were already hanging at the city gate. The lamp oil was mixed with camphor, which emitted a pale golden glow in the night fog.

Lü Shang held the reins and brought the carriage to a steady stop at the foot of the stone steps in front of the palace gate before turning around to help Wu Wenhe get out of the carriage.

The palace servants on duty on the steps saw the Prime Minister's banner and immediately reported to the inner court. At this moment, the corridor was brightly lit with candles, and eight halberd-wielding warriors stood with their hands on their swords.

"Prime Minister, please return to your residence to bathe and rest first,"

Lü Shang took off his fox fur coat and draped it over Wu Wenhe's shoulders, saying, "I have already had ginger tea and venison soup prepared in the warm pavilion of the Prime Minister's residence. After the Prime Minister has eaten, we will discuss state affairs in detail at the morning court tomorrow."

Wu Wenhe pressed down on Lü Shang's hand, his white eyebrows twitching slightly, and said, "When I was in Jiao, I saw a bluebird carrying a message that the four kingdoms of Nan Yan, E, Qi, and Yin had invaded our borders. Although Your Majesty has tempered their edge, I do not know the extent of their casualties. Have the small towns bordering Nan Yan and the other kingdoms been plundered?"

The State of Xu also had small towns, but compared to the only large city of Xudu, the population of the small towns in the State of Xu ranged from a hundred households to thirty or fifty households.

The term "household" here refers to a family of five, all of whom are Chinese.

Lu Shang said softly, "Father, please rest assured. When the scouts discovered that the four-nation allied forces had invaded, I had already ordered the border magistrates to fortify the walls and clear the fields, and to organize able-bodied men into the local militia, while the elderly, weak, women and children were all moved to the outskirts of Xuchang. Even if the Southern Yan cavalry could raze the empty cities, they could only pick up some leftover millet."

"As for the battle losses, the four-nation allied forces seemed to come with great momentum, but in reality, they each had their own agendas. Moreover, they underestimated my cultivation level, so when I jumped off the city wall and charged into the enemy formation, I caught them off guard."

"Once the formation was disrupted, a great defeat ensued. After the battle, a count revealed that our army had lost only a dozen or so armored soldiers."

Upon hearing this, Wu Wenhe's white eyebrows trembled slightly, and he nodded with full approval, saying, "Excellent. Your Majesty is able to avoid their sharp edge with the strategy of fortifying the walls and clearing the fields, and you are also able to assess the situation and break through the formation with force. Such resourcefulness and decisiveness make you more composed than when you first ascended the throne."

He paused, his tone suddenly turning somber, and said, "However, Your Majesty is the ruler of the nation, how can you lightly tread such dangerous ground? If you are defeated in battle, what will become of the ancestral temples and the state of Xu? Although I know Your Majesty's cultivation is advanced and your supernatural powers are great, I still hope that Your Majesty will prioritize the well-being of the nation."

(End of this chapter)