Chapter 1140: Palace Banquet (2)

Antonio said excitedly, “This is an opportunity for Spain. If we can…”

Antonio’s voice was almost inaudible, and Andre looked in the direction of Qi Haoran and his wife in a daze. Based on his experience dealing with Great Qi officials, it was very difficult to rip this country off.

And starting a war was simply not feasible. Having witnessed Great Qi go through a major war in the past year, Andre was aware that Great Qi had the largest and most powerful army he had ever seen. Unless the country fell into chaos again, it would be difficult for them to make a move.

Many thoughts flashed through Andre’s mind, and he only came back to his senses when the Emperor raised his wine cup.

Regardless of what these envoys were thinking, they raised their cups and smiled, congratulating this powerful country on the new year.

Mu Yangling finished the wine in her cup and glanced in the direction of the envoy. She said to Qi Haoran, “Andre has also become a Spanish envoy? Isn’t he a businessman?”

Qi Haoran glanced at the group of people and said, “He also has a noble title. Since he’s the most familiar with Great Qi among the many Westerners, it’s not surprising that he was sent here as an envoy. In this aspect, the other countries are much worse. Seeing as none of the people who came to the capital this time are familiar faces, it looks like it’s their first time coming to Great Qi.”

Qi Haoran did not pay attention to them. To him, these people were not as attractive as the singing and dancing in the venue. Qi Haoran had never understood why Mu Yangling was so wary of the Western countries. It was true that they might have ill intentions towards Great Qi, but their countries were thousands of miles away from Great Qi and their national strength was far inferior to Great Qi. There was really no need to regard them with such great importance.

To him, the greatest threat to Great Qi came from the land, such as West Xia and Great Yuan.

Regarding the Western countries, Qi Haoran had always regarded them as merely trading partners.

Seeing that Mu Yangling was still paying attention to the Westerners, Qi Haoran turned to her and said, “Where did Tiger Head and the others go? You have to keep a close eye on them lest they get into trouble. All the officials are watching.”

Mu Yangling’s attention immediately shifted. She turned around to look for the children and realized that only Little Bear and Little Treasure were still sitting obediently opposite her. The other children, including the Second, Third, and Fourth Prince, had all run off somewhere.

Mu Yangling turned to look at Fan Zijin. Seeing that Little An and Little Fu, who had been sitting obediently, had disappeared, Mu Yangling couldn’t sit still anymore. She quickly stood up and said, “I’ll go take a look.”

Qi Haoran had just said it casually, but now he, too, realized that something was wrong. The brats were really gone.

At this moment, Little An and the others were hiding in the rear hall and were about to change into the eunuchs’ clothes. Seeing that Little Fu had also taken off his clothes and was about to change, Little An hurriedly held his hand. “You’re still young. How can there be such a young eunuch serving others in the hall? Go back and sit down with your parents. We’ll come back and tell you all about it.”

Little Fu was unhappy. “You guys always don’t bring me along to play. I won’t play with you guys anymore.”

“Haven’t you seen the Westerners back in Guangzhou? Wenqian and Wenmi haven’t seen the Westerners before, that’s why we’re bringing them over to take a look.”

Little Fu’s eyes were filled with confusion. “Have I ever seen Westerners?”

“Aiya, I bet he doesn’t remember since he was too young at that time.” Tiger Head spun around on the spot twice before finally came up with a mischievous idea. “Why don’t you hide behind us and go over to take a look? It doesn’t matter even if you’re a tad younger. We promise not to let anyone discover you.”

“No, how can a living person like him not be discovered?” Little An felt that it was a bad idea.

“But we can’t leave Little Fu alone…”

The two cousins quickly started arguing. Seeing this, Little Lion and Wensu quickly tried to stop the fight. “Alright, stop arguing lest you attract others’ attention.”

The Third Prince, Qi Wenqian, and the Fourth Prince, Qi Wenmi, looked at the noisy crowd in a daze. Didn’t they say that they would bring them to observe the Westerners up close?

Why were they arguing instead?

The more Little Lion tried to persuade them, the angrier he became. Somehow, he started arguing with Tiger Head first. Wensu, who was sweating profusely, tried to stop the fight among the three of them. In the end, he was so angry that he put his hands on his waist and shouted, “Go ahead and argue. You’re making such a commotion it’s bound to attract Fourth Aunt over!”

Meanwhile, the argument between Tiger Head, Little Lion, and Little An had already digressed to who had eaten an extra snack last night.

In the end, Little An regained his rationality and shouted, “I won’t argue with you anymore. If you attract the eunuchs over and the truth is exposed, none of us will have a good time.”

Mu Yangling and Little Madam Xia stood at the door and asked curiously, “Expose what truth?”

The room fell silent. The children turned around stiffly and looked at the door. Only then did they realize that Mu Yangling and Little Madam Xia were standing at the door and looking at them with a faint smile.

Little An, Tiger Head, and Little Lion immediately stood in a row tacitly. When Wensu saw this, he quickly pulled his two younger brothers forward and lined up with them, blocking a pile of eunuch clothes behind him.

Little Fu screamed and ran from Little An to the fourth prince. In the end, he ran back in a panic and hid behind his older brother, refusing to come out.

Little Madam Xia: “…”

Little An: “…”

The children: “…”

Mu Yangling looked down at them and pointed behind them with a smile. “You seem to have forgotten the height difference.”

Tiger Head looked up at his mother and then at their heights. He thought to himself, ‘I wonder if it’s too late for us to form a human pyramid now…’

In the end, Mu Yangling couldn’t help but smack their butts twice each before interrogating them.

Little An was in low spirits. He thought that he had organized it well. Because he had helped the Crown Prince prepare for the palace banquet previously, he was very familiar with the layout of the Hall of Union. While not very familiar with the eunuchs, he did know them all.

As long as he changed his clothes, lowered his head, bypassed the patrolling eunuch, and took two detours with the wine pot, he would be able to reach the western envoys. At that time, Qi Wenqian and Qi Wenmi could look at them however they wanted.

However, he did not expect that they would fail before they even attempted. Furthermore, the cause of failure was his argument with Tiger Head. What a failure.

Little An was sad about his failure, but he didn’t know that Little Madam Xia was so furious that she wanted to beat him up. How could he do whatever he wanted in the palace?

Speechless, Mu Yangling said, “If you want to see the Westerners, just go over and take a look openly. Why do you have to go through so much trouble?”

Qi Wenqian said shamefully, “But the ministers in the court don’t seem to like these Westerners, seeing as the Westerners’ seats are lined up so far behind. If we rashly go to them, I’m afraid we’ll be impeached by the officials.”

Everyone was watching the princes’ every move. They did not want to be impeached by the officials just to satisfy their curiosity.

However, Mu Yangling’s expression darkened. She said sternly to the two children, “Considering you’re not young anymore, you should be able to tell right from wrong. Some advice of the civil officials needs to be heeded, but some, you don’t have to care about so much. You’re princes. If you want to do anything, go openly. Sneaking around like this will damage the prince’s dignity.”

Then, she went to lecture Little An and Tiger Head and Little Lion. “The three of you are the older brothers. Not only did you not take good care of your younger brothers, but you even brought them along to commit mischief. If a Western envoy exposes your identities on the spot, do you have any idea what the foreign envoys will think of you and Great Qi when they see the dignified princes wearing eunuchs’ clothes to the palace banquet?”

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