dognovel Chapter 296: Meeting an Old Friend Again
Chapter 296: Meeting an Old Friend Again
At this time, Li Siqi was in the imperial study. He sat there with his eyes closed, concentrating, and no one knew what he was thinking about.
It was not until someone came to announce that the Prime Minister had arrived that Li Siqi opened his eyes and looked outside.
"Let him in." After a long time, Li Siqi spoke.
Not long after, the Prime Minister came in with his head lowered, "This old minister pays respect to His Royal Highness the Regent."
"Prime Minister, please stand up. How is the thing I asked you to do going?" Li Siqi's voice was indifferent, and no emotion could be heard. He just stared at the Prime Minister in front of him.
The prime minister noticed Li Siqi's gaze on him, and immediately felt cold sweat on his back. In fact, he was one of the ministers who did not support Li Siqi's ascension to the throne at the beginning, but Li Siqi's iron-blooded strategy forced the prime minister to submit.
"In reply to Your Majesty, it has been done. I took my people to the outside of the city gate, and Princess Wenwa was indeed waiting there. However, she did not seem happy when she saw me, and even a little dissatisfied. In my opinion, she should hope that Your Majesty would go to greet her in person." The Prime Minister thought of what happened outside the city gate not long ago, and there was some resentment and contempt on his face. The Great Zhou was a wealthy country, and therefore, many court officials did not think highly of the countries in the Western Regions. Naturally, they found Ye Dina's unrealistic fantasy very ridiculous.
"I, the king, personally come to greet her. How can a mere Princess Wenwa be worthy of this?" Li Siqi sneered.
"I also think so, so I gave Princess Wenwa an excuse, but..." The Prime Minister still had some concerns.
"Just what?" Li Siqi raised his eyebrows.
"But, I am worried that the intention of this Princess Wenwa is unclear. Although the Western Regions sent a letter saying that they are here to seek peace, I have seen Princess Wenwa's attitude and behavior. I don't think she is someone who can seek peace peacefully. What do you think we should do, Your Highness?"
"Let's keep our troops in place for now. It's definitely not easy for Ye Dina to survive with the Wen Wa people in that cannibalistic place in the Western Regions. We are still unclear about her purpose. Pass the order and send people to secretly monitor the group from the Western Regions and pay attention to their whereabouts, especially the whereabouts of Ye Dina." Li Siqi pondered for a moment and gave an impeccable solution.
The prime minister retreated, and Li Siqi was the only one left in the imperial study. However, he did not rest for long, as the guards outside the door came in again and reported that Ye Dina had sent someone to deliver a message.
Li Siqi didn't expect that Ye Dina would be so restless and send someone into the palace so quickly. This just happened to be in line with Li Siqi's intention. Perhaps he could also know what Ye Dina wanted to do.
"Let him in." Li Siqi ordered lightly.
Then, a man dressed in Western Regions costume came in with the guards, "Greetings to His Royal Highness the Regent." The man seemed to have a good attitude and saluted Li Siqi respectfully.
"No need to be so polite. Get up. What do you want to see me for?" Li Siqi looked at the man in front of him, his eyes flickered for a moment. Li Siqi knew this man, or rather, he had seen the man in front of him before.
The man obviously recognized Li Siqi, and there was some disbelief in his eyes, but he seemed to think of the relationship between him and the man in front of him. He suppressed his surprise and began to convey Ye Dina's message, "Your Highness the Regent, our Princess hopes to meet you."
"I have already arranged a banquet tomorrow to entertain everyone from the Western Regions. The princess will naturally be able to meet me then." Li Siqi did not refuse directly, but his words revealed his dissatisfaction.
"Your Highness, you may not know that our Princess has admired you for a long time. This visit to the Great Zhou was decided by our Princess against all odds. I believe your Highness does not want to disappoint our Princess." The visitor continued.
Having said this, Li Siqi couldn't refuse anymore.
After a long while, Li Siqi finally spoke, "I understand. Go back and tell your princess that I will send someone to ask her to prepare to enter the palace."
There was a hint of chill in Li Siqi's voice, and he seemed very dissatisfied with Ye Dina, but now he really couldn't do anything to Ye Dina, so he had to hold back his anger.
After the people from the Western Regions left, Li Siqi's face suddenly turned gloomy.
"Yedina, you are really great, someone come here!" Li Siqi shouted loudly to the outside.
The guards outside did not dare to delay and hurriedly walked in with their heads lowered.
"Send it to the Minister of Rites."
"Yes."
The Minister of Rites was brought in quickly, and he naturally noticed Li Siqi's dark face.
"Your humble servant greets His Majesty. I wonder if Your Majesty has any instructions for you." The Minister of Rites restrained his expression.
"Take people to Liuyun Pavilion and invite Princess Wenwa to the palace for a chat."
The Minister of Rites was a little confused and wanted to ask why, but when he met Li Siqi's eyes, he tactfully shut his mouth.
"Yes, I understand." After saying that, he walked out.
An hour later, Ye Dina stood outside the imperial study as she wished.
"Your Majesty, Princess Wenwa is already waiting outside the palace."
"Bring people in."
"Yes."
"This princess can come in by herself, so there's no need to bother the Minister of Rites." Ye Dina's voice came closer and closer.
"Your Highness, you can't..." The guards who were guarding outside wanted to stop Ye Dina, but there is a difference between men and women. What's more, Ye Dina's status is noble. Even if the guards wanted to stop her, they still couldn't stop Ye Dina from breaking in.
"Okay, you all go down first." Li Siqi spoke first, signaling the Minister of Rites and the guards who came to report to go out first.
After the palace maids prepared tea and snacks, there were only two people left in the imperial study.
Li Siqi did not speak first, but stared at Ye Dina without saying anything.
Ye Dina also kept her composure and smiled, and for a moment it was impossible to see through her thoughts.
The two of them remained in a stalemate for about an incense stick of time before Ye Dina spoke first.
"I didn't expect that after not seeing you for such a long time, you've become the regent of the Great Zhou, Li Siqi." Ye Dina took a sip of tea and spoke with some sarcasm.
Li Siqi didn't care about Ye Dina's rudeness, but his brows were slightly frowned. Whenever he saw Ye Dina, he couldn't help but think of the days when he and Xu Yingying suffered a lot in Wenwa. The past was too painful to recall. He was already giving Ye Dina face by being able to sit here and talk to her peacefully.
"I think the princess has to come to see me not just to reminisce about the past. Besides, in my opinion, we don't have anything to reminisce about the past. What do you think?" Li Siqi spoke slowly, but his words made Ye Dina a little defensive.
She pinched her palms hard to avoid losing her manners.