“Khan Wutejin still looks radiant, but your courage has diminished greatly compared to before. What’s this? Were you intimidated by our dynasty’s Duke Dingguo’s might, so you’re anxious even upon seeing this Prince?”

This remark was full of provocation. Si Qin immediately frowned tightly, and the four ministers accompanying him behind also furrowed their brows. One with a more impatient temperament even wanted to step forward and argue.

Who knew Pang Xiao would suddenly change direction and smile again. “Please rest assured, Khan Wutejin. Our Great Zhou dynasty has been a land of propriety since ancient times and won’t go back on our word. Since we’ve accepted your Tatar submission documents, we won’t actively provoke any disputes, much less take advantage while the Khan and Khatun are on our Great Zhou territory. So the Khan’s anxiety is truly unnecessary.”

With one sentence, he clarified the status and position of both nations.

Tatarstan was Great Zhou’s defeated opponent. Though Si Qin held the noble title of Khan, wasn’t he the one who was beaten by Ji Zeyu until he cried for mercy and submitted?

He should be anxious. Seeing the Great Zhou war god who was as famous as Ji Zeyu, how could a defeated general not be anxious?

If he still dared to swagger about, he shouldn’t forget they were still on Great Zhou’s territory!

Pang Xiao’s words made Si Qin’s face turn iron-gray.

The Great Zhou accompanying personnel all felt satisfied inside, secretly praising Prince Zhongshun’s words as well-spoken. His firm stance was perfectly appropriate – truly worthy of someone who had been on battlefields. When his edge showed, even foreign Khans had to yield three points.

If they acted submissively before the Tatar Khan, wouldn’t that lose Great Zhou’s dignity?

Si Qin gritted his teeth. Having been in power for so long, he was accustomed to speaking his mind without worrying about anyone contradicting him, which was why he opened with mockery. Who would have thought this Pang Zhixi would directly counter with sarcasm at such a moment?

Just when the atmosphere was awkward and everyone wondered if Khan Wutejin would actually show anger, Lu Heng smiled and said, “Great Zhou and Tatarstan are friendly neighbors. As the saying goes, ‘Isn’t it a pleasure to have friends come from afar?’ The relay station in the city is prepared, and the banquet is ready. With heaven not cooperating along the way, I imagine the Khan, Khatun, and all ministers are tired. Why not ask the Khan to first move to the relay station for some rest?”

Having stairs to climb down, Si Qin secretly breathed a sigh of relief and coldly hummed to preserve his dignity as Khan.

Lu Heng then turned to order people to clear the way. He and Pang Xiao stepped aside to let Si Qin’s party enter the city.

Pang Xiao looked at Lu Heng with a half-smile.

Lu Heng smiled and said, “After all, they’ve come from far away and have already submitted. It wouldn’t be good if things became hostile on the spot.” His implication was actually blaming Pang Xiao for speaking too sharply and nearly causing a dispute.

Pang Xiao smiled, “No problem. Between you and me, one of us has to play the good cop.”

The meaning was that Pang Xiao had given Lu Heng the opportunity to be the good person.

Lu Heng felt fire burning in his heart, but his face remained warm and refined in smile. “My lord is truly brilliant in strategy. This subordinate admires you.”

“Earl Zhongyi is too kind.”

The two men looked at each other with smiles that didn’t reach their eyes, cupped their hands toward each other, and returned to their respective carriages, following behind Si Qin’s carriage into the city.

As for the Tatars who came with them, Lu Heng arranged for people to accommodate them separately. Naturally, he wouldn’t allow so many Tatars to enter the city together. Most of the Tatars were left to guard the tribute, with only four Tatar ministers entering through the city gates.

Lu Heng and Pang Xiao escorted them to the relay station, where everyone alighted and entered according to their status.

Lu Heng originally wanted to accompany Pang Xiao in settling Si Qin, but Pang Xiao put his hands behind his back and smiled, “Earl Zhongyi should go ahead. This Prince is accustomed to being crude – if I carelessly break tables or chairs, that would be bad.”

“My lord acts with proper measure. How could you be such a crude person?” Lu Heng smiled, “It seems my lord is afraid of extra work.”

“Not at all. Since Earl Zhongyi received the decree, please go handle your duties quickly.”

Lu Heng gritted his teeth. His facial smile was becoming increasingly stiff. If it weren’t inappropriate to fall out with Pang Xiao in front of the Tatars and become a laughingstock, he would probably have retorted sharply already. Pang Xiao probably saw that he couldn’t argue back at this moment, which was why he acted so brazenly!

Lu Heng took a deep breath, suppressing his anger with remarkable willpower, and smiled, “In that case, my lord can rest here for a while.”

Pang Xiao smiled slightly without saying more, appearing quite leisurely as he admired the not particularly special surroundings, as if this were his first time here and everything was especially novel.

Lu Heng quickly went inside and greeted Si Qin and the Khatun with a smile.

Only then did he see what the Khatun looked like.

She was a young woman with a tall, slightly full figure and a moon-like face. She wasn’t particularly outstanding in appearance, but her eyes and brows carried the unique arrogance of Tatar nobility.

The young Khatun curiously examined Lu Heng. She understood Great Zhou language, but her pronunciation was somewhat strange. “You are the head of the Lu family?”

Lu Heng had never seen such a formal occasion where the woman spoke first before the man had opened his mouth. However, Tatar women could become Khans, so what was wrong with speaking up in such circumstances?

“Yes. I’ve met the Khatun.”

“Mm. You are very well-mannered. Better than that Prince Zhongshun.” The Khatun smiled, “Are you planning to hold a banquet?”

Lu Heng smiled and responded, “Yes.”

“Then I won’t drink with you men. We women should drink with women.”

Lu Heng smiled and said, “My wife will certainly come to accompany the Khatun at the banquet.”

“Your wife? Your woman? No, no, no. I want to see Prince Zhongshun’s woman.” The Khatun sneered, “That criminal who killed Khatun A’na Ri – I want to see with my own eyes what kind of demon she really is!”

Hearing the Khatun speak this way, Lu Heng was momentarily speechless. He rarely dealt with women who spoke so directly. Moreover, the other party was a noble Khatun. And Khan Wutejin had been silently listening to the Khatun speak, obviously acquiescing to her behavior and not minding Qin Yining’s appearance at the banquet.

However, he and Qin Yining and Mu Jinghu knew better than anyone how Khatun A’na Ri had actually died.

Qin Yining had been scapegoated for so long that probably even Si Qin was starting to forget the truth.

Lu Heng ultimately couldn’t bear to let Qin Yining come out and suffer. The Khatun was of noble status and now seemed to be someone proud and tactless. He worried that if Qin Yining appeared, she would be manipulated by the Khatun.

“In response to the Khatun, whether Princess Zhongshun comes requires further arrangements.” Though tactful, his refusal was clear.

But the Khatun couldn’t hear the implication. “Arrange what? At that time, call your Prince Zhongshun to come too, let him bring his woman, everyone together, lively. Our Khan has come – can’t your country let the most noble local people accompany us?”

These words were spoken righteously but truly left no dignity for Lu Heng, the official responsible for the reception.

In this Khatun’s eyes, even though Lu Heng was the head of the prestigious Lu family and an Earl, his status couldn’t compare to a warrior who had long lost military power!

Lu Heng secretly grew angry, but he was long accustomed to dealing with all kinds of people with different temperaments, so he wouldn’t really argue with an ignorant woman.

He couldn’t lose his composure, couldn’t be certain whether Pang Xiao would be willing to let Qin Yining come, and couldn’t refuse the Khatun.

Just as he was about to tactfully respond, the Khatun said displeasedly, “Are my demands excessive?”

Si Qin smiled, “Not excessive at all. I think since Great Zhou has become friendly neighbors with Tatarstan, such a small request from the Khatun – Earl Zhongyi wouldn’t embarrass this Khan, would you?”

“Not at all. The Khan speaks too seriously.” Lu Heng smiled in response, but grew alert in his heart.

It seemed that even if the Khatun’s words weren’t Si Qin’s instigation, Si Qin was quite “interested” in Qin Yining. What was this? This man killed Khatun A’na Ri, yet still wanted to see how the woman who took the blame for him was doing?

Lu Heng chatted briefly before temporarily taking his leave.

Outside the door, he immediately asked Lu Wenru, “Where is Prince Zhongshun?”

“He’s having tea in front. What are the Earl’s instructions?”

Lu Heng didn’t answer, but strode forward quickly without a word.

Though Pang Xiao was too lazy to entertain Si Qin, he couldn’t just abandon his duties entirely, so he remained here temporarily to guard against any unexpected situations.

Who knew that just as he refilled his tea cup, Lu Heng burst in urgently. Before catching his breath, he anxiously said, “The Khatun has requested to dine with the Princess tonight. Khan Wutejin didn’t object.”

Hearing this, Pang Xiao slowly set down his tea bowl.

After a moment of silence, Pang Xiao smiled, “Is that so? The Khatun seems to be an outgoing person.”

Lu Heng didn’t expect Pang Xiao to open with this, and couldn’t help feeling annoyed. “How can you not worry at all?” He moved closer to Pang Xiao and lowered his voice, “That day when Khatun A’na Ri died, it had nothing to do with the Princess at all. Khan Wutejin used the Princess as a scapegoat for so long, and now he’s brought a new Khatun here – clearly up to no good. How can you still be so calm? Don’t forget for whom the Princess was kidnapped to Tatarstan and suffered so much!”

Pang Xiao’s smile completely disappeared as he sneered, “For whom? It certainly wasn’t for you. Earl Zhongyi, don’t you think your anxiety is somewhat excessive?”

Lu Heng, usually unshakeable, couldn’t help but flush red and narrow his eyes slightly. “What does my lord mean by this? This subordinate doesn’t understand.”

“Is that so?”

Pang Xiao stood up and walked in front of Lu Heng with his hands behind his back.

He was half a head taller than Lu Heng. Someone who had crawled through mountains of corpses and seas of blood on battlefields didn’t hide his murderous aura when displeased. His eyes were like blades flashing coldly in moonlight. Anyone he stared at would only feel their whole body trembling – the instinctive reaction when targeted by a fierce beast.

Even though Lu Heng had seen countless grand scenes and was steady by nature, not someone easily intimidated, he now felt every hair on his back standing up.

However, facing someone of Pang Xiao’s background, his pride as a legitimate son of a prestigious family wouldn’t allow him to show weakness. Moreover, they were rivals in love – showing weakness before a rival would mean complete defeat.

“My lord should not speak carelessly. Slandering colleagues arbitrarily – I can impeach you before the Emperor.”

Pang Xiao suddenly burst into hearty laughter. The laughter carried far, making Lu Wenru, Huzi, and others outside unable to help looking toward the room.

Lu Heng’s expression grew even uglier. He couldn’t be bothered with official pretenses anymore. “What do you mean!”