The six maidens of Great Liang's Hengjiang, with the exception of Li Xin who remained unmarried, were all bestowed princess titles by Emperor Mu Cheng and simultaneously betrothed to Qin Feng. They were to share the position of principal wife alongside Zhi Rou, a move that emulated the deeds of Liang Xiao and caused a sensation throughout the nation.
Inside the carriage, Qin Feng and his wives gazed at the jubilant citizens, a sense of emotion filling their hearts.
They had been here before; the common folk had not possessed such an aura of happiness then.
Newspapers, cheap books, white sugar, the great conquest of the wilderness…
Undoubtedly, these were all related to Liang Xiao.
Zhi Rou and her sisters secretly glanced at Qin Feng, their hearts filled with worry: Could it be that Qin Lang had fallen for Liang Xiao...
At this moment, Qin Feng was unaware of his wives' hidden thoughts, merely feeling a profound sense of reflection.
Officials from the Court of State Ceremonial rushed to greet Qin Feng. The news of the Great Liang's Zhenguo Marquis entering the capital had spread like wildfire.
The people still welcomed him with reverence lining the streets, though not with the same fervor as before.
Their An Guo Marquis resided in the capital; they had long grown accustomed to his presence...
Qin Feng, however, paid it no mind. He proceeded into the Court of State Ceremonial, where he found Liang Xiao and the newly appointed Minister of Rites, He Jingyun, awaiting him.
Luo Qingxue and Jian Qinwan were also by Liang Xiao's side.
"Long time no see!"
Liang Xiao and Qin Feng greeted each other in unison, then couldn't help but chuckle.
Luo Qingxue and Jian Qinwan cast peculiar glances at Liang Xiao, then noticed Zhi Rou and the others looking strangely at Qin Feng. They seemed to understand each other implicitly, maintaining a tacit silence.
Qin Feng couldn't help but sigh, "If I were a woman of Great Gan, I would surely wish to be the wife of the An Guo Marquis. If that were not possible, I would not mind remaining unmarried for life."
As soon as the words left his lips, their respective wives simultaneously covered their mouths and stifled laughter.
Their gazes seemed to say: We knew it...
"You flatter me..." Liang Xiao said with a dry laugh, his mind already calculating.
His two little vixens, even after having children, had not lost their latent otaku tendencies. And Qin Feng's group of wives seemed to possess them too...
Qin Feng finally noticed the unusual behavior of his wives behind him and said, dejectedly, "Please do not misunderstand!"
Zhi Rou and the others merely nodded with smiles, their eyes conveying an "I understand, I understand" sentiment.
After arranging for Qin Feng and his entourage to rest at their accommodations, Liang Xiao, accompanied by He Jingyun, led Qin Feng to the imperial palace's grand hall.
At this moment, Xiao Qing was presiding over the court assembly. After Qin Feng paid his respects, he presented Emperor Mu Cheng's personal imperial decree.
Upon reading it, Xiao Qing's heart grew stern. He sighed, "All the princes and princesses of Great Liang, along with ministers qualified to attend court, have, under the arrangement of the Great Liang Emperor, signed a contract guaranteeing they will never harm the esteemed Liang during his diplomatic mission to Great Liang. Otherwise, they shall face extreme punishment, their clans will be implicated, and the entire realm will strike against them..."
"As long as the esteemed Liang undertakes this diplomatic mission to Great Gan, for a hundred years, Great Liang will maintain friendly relations with Great Gan and pledge never to encroach upon Great Gan's borders. Every successor crown prince must solemnly announce this to the world and adhere to this ancestral instruction before ascending the throne!"
As soon as his words fell, the assembled ministers were shocked, unable to comprehend Emperor Mu Cheng's intentions behind this act.
Prior to this, another imperial decree from the Great Liang Emperor had been dispatched to the capital.
The three imperial princes of the royal family, along with the legitimate sons of all the great aristocratic families, would be guests in Great Gan during Liang Xiao's diplomatic mission to Great Liang.
The entire court understood that these were, in essence, hostages!
Was it truly worth it to do this, all to invite Liang Xiao to visit Great Liang, even to the point of antagonizing the aristocratic clans?
"His Majesty merely earnestly hopes to put the An Guo Marquis at ease for his diplomatic mission to our country, while simultaneously guaranteeing the An Guo Marquis's absolute safety. Even if His Majesty himself were to die unexpectedly, the new emperor would not be allowed to harm the An Guo Marquis. He only wishes for the An Guo Marquis to grant the people of Great Liang solace for their lifelong longing." Qin Feng explained solemnly.
Xiao Qing felt a surge of pride in his heart, though he responded solemnly on the surface: "Esteemed Liang is my right-hand man. I would not bear to force him. This matter requires Great Liang to persuade the esteemed Liang. During this period, I permit the Great Liang Zhenguo Marquis and the esteemed Liang to converse freely without any objection from anyone."
Qin Feng had foreseen this and expressed his gratitude on the spot. He looked at Liang Xiao, seated beside Xiao Qing, his feelings complex: holding the highest position as a subject, his merits overshadowing the realm, yet showing no arrogance, treating people the same as he did in the past.
After the court assembly concluded, Qin Feng, accompanied by his wives, proceeded to Liang Xiao's residence. After paying their respects to Liang Xiao's elders, they became guests in Liang Xiao's courtyard.
Luo Qingxue took Zhi Rou and the others to meet Yue Lian and the rest, leaving only Liang Xiao and Qin Feng for a private conversation.
Liang Xiao then said, "You needn't be so constrained here."
Qin Feng finally lowered his head and said, "I am deeply ashamed!"
Liang Xiao shook his head, "You should know, if you were to become timid in matters of state and military affairs due to your acquaintance with me, then I would truly look down on you. As it is, I can only offer you recognition and respect, because you have never forgotten your original intention, always prioritizing the common people and disregarding personal honor or disgrace."
Qin Feng finally felt at ease, nodding with a smile.
Among the three gentlemen of the two nations, some things need not be said explicitly; they were already understood implicitly.
"But I still cannot fully comprehend why the Great Liang Emperor is so eager for me to undertake this diplomatic mission to Great Gan," Liang Xiao sighed.
Qin Feng then took out the personal letter signed and sealed by Mu Cheng and handed it to Liang Xiao for perusal.
Liang Xiao read it carefully for a moment, a bitter smile on his face, "He certainly has fortitude, to not blame me for implicating him."
The letter contained much content, but what truly surprised Liang Xiao was a single sentence.
"The foundation of our ancestors' legacy cannot be given away without cause, nor can it be replaced by the aristocratic clans. The times have changed, and the world is different. I only wish for the well-being of the people; the rest is of little concern."
"This is the general trend of the world. Our Emperor has clearly stated this. If there is blame, it can only be laid upon his own inadequate governance. Otherwise, why would Great Liang be influenced by you?" Qin Feng sighed.
Liang Xiao fell silent.
The An Guo Bookstore, newspapers, white sugar, various state policies...
Everything that Liang Xiao brought had not only changed Great Gan but also brought unprecedented impact to the deeply entrenched Great Liang!
The founding emperors of the two nations, having established their kingdoms in the same year, had drawn a dividing river and maintained a century of tacit peace in the face of border threats.
Great Gan had the wilderness, the Guishuang Dynasty, the southwestern barbarians, and warlords. Great Liang had the southern barbarians, the Western Peacock Dynasty, and eastern pirates...
As for the aristocratic clans, from the era of Great Heng, the Dugu family, the Gongyang clan, the Yan family, and the Dong family had harbored ambitions of undermining imperial authority...
However, Liang Xiao had no obligation to pacify the hearts of Great Liang's people.
On the contrary, as a subject of a neighboring country, it was better for him if Great Liang descended into greater chaos, as this would aid Great Gan in its unification.
In Mu Cheng's eyes, the common people were innocent. To enable them to live better lives, he had adopted such a humble posture, inviting the An Guo Marquis of Great Gan, Liang Xiao, to Great Liang, so that the people could witness a sage of the present era, believe in his existence, and firmly support national reforms.
Even if the reforms failed, Mu Cheng could leave the seeds of resistance for the people, ensuring that they would one day be able to eliminate the aristocratic clans.
This was Mu Cheng's deep-seated hatred for the aristocratic clans, having been marginalized by them since childhood, and his profound understanding of their harm to the nation and its people.
Especially after learning of the Shame of Yanzhou in Great Gan, Mu Cheng became even more convinced of the danger posed by the aristocratic clans, yet he was powerless to alleviate the prevailing situation of land annexation.
Qin Feng's heart was filled with trepidation as he spoke, "As stated in the imperial decree, if you are willing to undertake the mission, the dates and treatment are yours to choose. I only hope to see you once in my lifetime, to witness the appearance of a sage of the present era. If you are unwilling, His Majesty will absolutely not force you..."