The Prince of the Yong Kingdom went to the Song Empire in person this time, so it could be said that the Yong kingdom entourage were very sincere. Based on what they knew about the new Emperor of the Song Empire, there didn’t seem to be any reason for him to refuse their proposal of alliance.
To them, years of being a royal prisoner amounted to captivity. Now that Emperor Song had the opportunity to wash away his humiliation and break the prison where he was once captive, would he have any reason to even refuse this tempting situation?
The Prince of Yong Kingdom travelled to the Song Empire with such belief and lived happily under the reception of the officials of the Honglu Temple, waiting for Emperor Song to summon him.
Unexpectedly, this stay lasted for seven days. The Song Empire’s Emperor seemed to have forgotten about him as there was no response from the palace.
The Prince of the Yong Kingdom couldn’t sit still as he conveyed to the officials who welcomed them that he wanted to have an audience with Emperor Song. After another three days, there was a decree from the palace that the Emperor would see the Prince of the Yong Kingdom. However, the coldness during this period of time had already ruined Prince Yong’s previously confident mentality.
The Prince had heard that the Emperors of the Song Empire were licentious and that the palace would be very luxurious and beautiful. There would also be too many beauties and concubines, but even the maids were said to be too beautiful. The Prince of the Yong Kingdom did want to see such sights, so he looked around and all over when he made his way to meet the Emperor.
However, even though the palace was as luxurious and grand as the rumours said, the atmosphere was very austere. The palace servants that roamed around lowered their eyes cautiously, rigorously and solemnly as if they didn’t even dare to breathe loudly.
The palace guards led him and the accompanying soldiers out of a palace door and left before a deep voice sounded from inside, “The Prince of the Yong Kingdom is granted an audience.”
Prince Yong stepped over the palace gates and walked through a long corridor. He had to pass through another door and bypass the towering ceiling before finally approaching the inner palace, which was where he saw the rumoured Emperor Song.
He was incomparably surprised with just a mere glance.
The Emperor looked too young.
Not only was he young, but he was also good-looking. If it weren’t for the stern look that flashed in his gaze when he raised his eyes, anyone would have thought that he was just a handsome young man.
He was dressed in a black outfit, adorned with dragon patterns. They were embroidered with golden threads and his sleeves also bore a hue of dark red. He sat very casually on the couch, but it gave everyone else a sense of suffocating oppression.
The Prince of Yong Kingdom suddenly understood what was going on with the atmosphere in the palace.
He greeted the Emperor with the status of an envoy and explained his purpose, handing over a letter written by King Yong himself. Song Jinglan nonchalantly waved his hand, and Tiandong, waiting beside him, descended the steps from his side to take the letter. Then, he went back and handed the document to him.
Song Jinglan opened the letter, glanced at it twice, and looked at it with a half-smile,”What is the token of sincerity of your alliance with my kingdom?”
Upon hearing this, the Prince of Yong Kingdom thought there was something that he could assure as he replied, “Your Majesty, I have an Imperial Sister who is the pearl of our Yong Kingdom’s prairie. We are willing to grant this pearl to Your Majesty and bless that your marriage lasts forever.”
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