The Great Han Dynasty Volume 1 The great wind rises and clouds fly high Volume 2 There is a tree on the mountain, and there are branches on the tree Ninety-five Rain Heart

  Lü Hou put down the cup in her hand and smiled, "This matter still needs to be carefully considered. The envoy may rest at the Long'an Barbarian Hotel for a few days first. The customs of Chang'an are quite different from those of the Han land. After the New Year, there will also be many lively scenes to see in the East Market. The esteemed envoy may take a good stroll and it will not be a wasted trip."

  "Empress Dowager," Su Mo exclaimed, "your hand."

  A green ear cup placed on a white jade glass case, with a faint blood color stained on the rim.

  Lü Hou snorted, stretched out her hand and let Su Mo bandage it for her. She spoke venomously, "Liu Jing, you old scoundrel! You brought suffering to my Manhua in the past, but that's not enough. This time, you've come to harm Ahn's grandson again. The Ahn family will never let you off!"

  After the death of Emperor Gao, the new emperor ascended to the throne. Empress Lü resented Liu Jing for his past proposal to marry Princess Yuan of Lu to Xiongnu, and found an excuse to remove him from office, strip him of his title as Marquis of Jianxin, and take away the 2,000 households of fiefs granted by Emperor Gao, which slightly alleviated her long-held resentment.

  "Ming Chang Le's household will take Fan Jue and Liu Jing to the Ai family."

  When Liu Jing was pushed into the Chang Le Palace by Fan Kuai, Empress Lü sat on the throne, narrowing her eyes to size up this minister whom she had once hated.

  It has been six years since Liu Jing was sent to the Xiongnu as an envoy of Heqin in the ninth year of Emperor Wu of Han. The harsh and disappointing years have worn out the vigorous middle-aged man from six years ago into the old man with worn-out clothes and a hunched back in front of him.

  Seeing Liu Jing like this, Empress Lü felt a wave of relief in her heart. Holding Su Mu's hand, she walked down the steps of the palace and asked, "Liu Jing, do you know your crime?"

  Liu Jing raised his head, and there was only a pair of bright eyes that had not faded in the passage of time. "Please instruct me, Your Majesty."

  "Ha!" Yu Hou's anger turned to laughter, "You're still complaining? Let me ask you, the Xiongnu envoy came to the capital recently and mentioned the peace treaty of that year. Lord Liu, did you have a private agreement with Modu Chanyu, promising him the daughter of the Long Princess?"

  This time, Liu Jing was silent for a long time, and his face looked somewhat dazed.

  He remembered the story of Hanjiu year:

  In the king's tent of Chanyu, Modun looked at the Xiongnu nobles with a smile.

  He was anxious in his heart and suddenly came up with a plan. He clasped his hands together and said, "If the Khan attaches such importance to my Han Emperor's bloodline, I have a way."

  "Oh?" He paused and poured himself a drink.

  "The Princess has a daughter, with the single name of Yān, who is only six years old. She is extremely beautiful and intelligent. As the legitimate great-granddaughter of the Great Han Emperor, her status is noble. When she grows up, the Xiongnu can ask the Great Han Emperor to marry her, and I will certainly agree."

  "Oh?" Mo Dun stopped drinking and looked at Liu Jing with interest, "This... Ah Yan's daughter, is she really as beautiful as you said?"

  "Yes." Liu Jing nodded, "The Khan does not know. Zhang's father was the former King of Zhao, a renowned handsome man in the Great Han. Because of this, when Princess Ru Yuan chose her husband, she favored him. And Zhang's appearance followed that of his father, naturally being matchless in beauty. I had the fortune to see her once before coming to Xiongnu, and although young, her beauty was already radiant and captivating."

  The most eloquent words finally moved the Khan's heart. Liu Jing took advantage of the opportunity to say, "It's just that Zhang's daughter is too young and needs to wait patiently for a few more years. The Han Dynasty has another beautiful and gentle woman, the Emperor wants to choose the best one with the courtesy of the Princess to treat her, make peace with Xiongnu, and serve the Khan."

  "Liu Jing." Lu Hou's voice was stern, "This is deceiving the king. Don't you think you've gone too far? Ah Yan was only six years old back then. A six-year-old child. You led her to this point, how can you bear it?"

  Liu Jing's voice fell to his knees on the steps. He said proudly, "I told the previous emperor about this matter as soon as I returned from Xiongnu, with no intention of deceiving him. In any case, for the sake of the great Han, maintaining temporary peace with Xiongnu through marriage is the best strategy. Privately, I owe an apology to Princess Long and Zhang's daughter, but publicly, I am proud of my actions and have nothing to hide, this heart can be reflected in heaven and earth."

  "Oh, you think that by dragging in the late Emperor, you can escape your guilt? Empress Lü's face grew brighter with smiles, but her voice was icy cold to the bone. "The late Emperor is already deceased, dead men tell no tales, and no one knows whether what you say is true or false. Moreover, Liu Jing——are you truly devoted to the country, without personal considerations? Only you yourself are clear about that."

  "Can you honestly say that your actions were not motivated by a desire for fame and praise? Liu Jing's body trembled, his face turned slightly pale, and he heard the Empress Dowager loudly ordering, "Guards, take Liu Jing to the Ministry of Justice, where he will be interrogated and executed on a day to be chosen."

  "Liu Jing has made mistakes, but they are not punishable by law."

  On the second day, Liu Ying went to Chang Le Palace and pleaded his case before Empress Lü.

  "Oh," Lü Hou chuckled, "In the past, you protected Liu Jing. If it weren't for Your Majesty back then, I would have beheaded that old scoundrel long ago. Does Your Majesty think that instead, we should follow his idea and marry Little A'yan to that old lecher from the Xiongnu?"

  "It's not natural." Liu Ying's eyebrows furrowed into an arc, "I won't just watch Ah Yan suffer this misfortune. But I still think that as the Emperor, one shouldn't harm the public for personal reasons. Although Liu Jing is at fault, he still has a public heart and considers the country's interests. He is a capable official, and not being able to use him due to circumstances is already an error. If we let him die because of this, it would be an even greater mistake."

  "These are not the current priorities," Lü Hou said coldly, "Let him stay in the Ting Wei for a few more days first. Since war between Han and Xiongnu cannot be initiated, Your Majesty might as well consider how to deal with the Xiongnu envoys in the Barbarian Guest House."

  A burst of piano music poured out from the waterside pavilion of the Marquis of Lü's estate, sounding as gentle and lovely as a babbling brook.

  The scent of tea wafted, and the young man in white on the couch closed his eyes and hummed a tune. When the song ended, he reopened his eyes, clear and bright. "Jiuniang's guqin skills are excellent, her artistry is impeccable. However..."

  "What's wrong?" The woman in black clothes raised her head from the piano, her voice cold and clear. She looked all the way

  He Zhen sighed and pointed, "Your heart is restless."

  Lü did not remain silent.

  "The palace visit is imminent, and Ninth Sister's mind is restless, which is only natural." Lü Tai walked up from the garden, smiling. "Mr. He, I have something to discuss with your sister."

  He Zhen nodded slightly and didn't speak with Lü Tai, picking up his zither. He said lightly, "In that case, I'll take my leave first."

  Lü Tai raised his eyes to look at his sister sitting in front of the piano, and although they were siblings, he often felt that this girl was born with a beautiful face, while her clear and cold eyebrows seemed like snow on a mountain peak, always making people want to melt it like the sun.

  "These days, due to the envoy of Xiongnu's geographical reason, the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty have been very busy, temporarily unable to attend to the matters of Your Majesty's grand wedding." Lü Tai smiled and said, "However, don't worry, sister. On the day you enter the Weiyang Palace, I will definitely hold a lively and grand wedding ceremony for you, making all people under heaven envy you."

  "Hmm." Lü Wei nodded in understanding.

  Sunlight shone over from the west, the setting sun melted gold, and spread on the piano. In an instant, the strings flashed, dazzling Lv Wei's eyes. She reached out to pluck the strings, "Big brother."

  "Huh?"

  "Do you really think," she said with a slight hesitation, "I would have such a wedding?"

  "What nonsense are you talking about, little sister?" Lü Tai's voice was slightly urgent, but his face was smiling, "You've grown up with His Majesty since childhood, as a biological cousin. His Majesty has always been very protective of you. Now that His Majesty is getting married, who else can he marry besides you?"

  Lü did not sigh and said softly, "I understand."

  "Sister is tired," Lü Tairen said softly, "This zither is a good thing, but it's not suitable to be too obsessed with. Why don't you go back to your room and get some rest? On the day of the grand wedding, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to get tired."

  "Good."

  "That foolish brother of yours has left first. Ah Mei, you won't be having any more wild thoughts, will you?"

  "No."

  "That's good."

  The sky gradually turned dark, and suddenly a loud thunderclap sounded, followed by a downpour of cold rain that poured down and wet the steps in front of the house.

  "The sky is blue," said Lv, barefoot and standing on the carpet, shouting loudly, "Quickly go and close the windows."

  The maids responded with a sound and came forward to close the windows in the room.

  Tian Qing placed the lamp on the table, smiling and saying, "To think about it, this wife's idea of a folding window is really a good thing, easy to open and close, much better than the straight windows before."

  "How can she be compared to our Ninth Sister?" Cai Lan retorted excitedly, "In terms of playing the zither, in terms of calligraphy, in terms of painting skills, which noble lady in Chang'an City can compare to Ninth Sister?"

  "Alright." Lv Wei frowned and scolded, "What's the point of making a racket on a rainy day? Tian Qing, go to Liu Lang's residence and ask for that book 'Gu Yu' he borrowed last time. Tell him I need it urgently. Cai Lan, go to the kitchen and cook a bowl of tea porridge, add some ground chestnuts and simmer it over low heat until it's very thick."

  On a rainy night, drinking tea and reading books was a long-standing habit of Lv Weisu. The two girls didn't suspect much and nodded in agreement, then slowly left.

  For a moment, the large room was left with only Lv Wei alone.

  She lay on the couch, closing her eyes to listen to the rainwater flowing along the eaves of the roof, finally falling down from the eaves, pattering. The small courtyard was filled with a humid breath of spring rain.

  She never indulges in wild fancies, for she knows that all her doubts and worries are real.

  About the grand wedding preparations, people told her that it was because the Xiongnu envoys had arrived in the capital from the border regions, and the entire Han court was in a state of anxiety, busy figuring out how to respond. She should be at ease. However, she still sensed a feeling of unease from the stifling air of Chang'an and her uncle's subtle expression that hinted at unspoken words.

  No, she grew up with the emperor's cousin in Fengpei, and they had a very close relationship. When they were poor, her cousin always took good care of her. However, this does not mean that after Liu Ying became the crown prince or even the emperor, and after she became the ninth daughter-in-law of the Lu family, their relationship remained as intimate as before.

  That emperor who is about to become her husband, what kind of person is he?

  She tried hard to recall, but her memories left her with only a pale shadow.

  The unrestrained laughter turned into awkward courtesy, and every time they met in the Changle Palace, they only bowed from a distance, respectfully addressing him as "Your Majesty."

  She has a cold personality and can't get close to that kind of intimacy, only getting more and more distant.

  But even though they were distant, she could still feel it, Liu Ying didn't like herself.

  She couldn't help feeling a little wronged.

  I don't know if it's just my own illusion, but as I walk among the nobles of Chang'an, the glances people give me are filled with a sense of understanding and pity.

  This gaze was enough to drive her mad.

  It's getting easier to write smoothly, it's time to end the chapter.

  Those book reviews are getting excited, we're not in a hurry. If Ah Yan really marries into the Xiongnu tribe, I should rename this book "Xiongnu Yan Hua".

  I have class tonight, so I'll upload the chapter first. If there's anything missing, I'll add it when I get back.

  Here is the translation:

  Below is a PK advertisement, Book name: Red Makeup County Order Book number: 1169111 Author: Yanzi A capable and talented county magistrate who takes office on the roadside, showing off her skills and writing an alternative officialdom!

  Comrades, go take a look.

  Also, I continue to ask for pink tickets, press and be healthier.

  Did you press it today?