Chapter 398: The Cang Jin Country

“Things have already come this far, there’s no need to worry over it, just need to wait for the final outcome.”

Jing Wan nodded. It can only be like so, unless they have the plan withdrawn, else can only wait. Rather than thinking of those trivial matters, it was better to properly rest.

“Tired.” Jing Wan carried a bit of coquettishness as she snuggled against Li Hong Yuan. “If not personally handling, then wouldn’t have known how difficult and how exhausting it is. Compared to the things you’re doing, this is merely an insignificant small matter. Watching you handle things on normal days, seemingly it’s just like eating and drinking, that simple. Yet, for me, just this matter already took this many days…………….” This disparity!

“How can this be compared? You’re just not familiar with it, not fully understanding yet, completely starting from the beginning. Once you’re familiar, slowly grasping, then it’ll be like that too.”

“You say it rather easily, but for many things, it all emphasize on natural talent.” A certain someone definitely had an abnormal amount of natural talent in this aspect. Some people, even if you give them ten lifetimes, they are still unable to learn.

“I believe Wan Wan’s natural talent in this aspect won’t be lacking. Compared to many beginners, Wan Wan has always done well.”

“Don’t praise me, my tail will climb into the heavens.”

“It’s fine. Never mind climbing into the heavens, even if stabbing a hole in the sky, there’s still me supporting.”

Jing Wan clicked her tongue, reaching out to pinch Li Hong Yuan’s face. If she was someone with not yet fully developed world views, then don’t know how badly spoiled she will end up.

Li Hong Yuan neither dodged nor blocked, freely allowing her two hands to mess around on his face.

The Former Wei first prince did seek an audience with Le Cheng Emperor once. Although he didn’t clearly state his purpose, the meaning was more or less very obvious, and that was just that their Great Wei princess indeed fell for Jin Qinwang, but their princess definitely wasn’t that kind of unreserved and frivolous girl. Her upbringing, talent, and etiquette all very good. It was just because of her first awakening of love, thus difficult to control her emotions. That tone and expression all appeared very helpless, completely like a good older brother that had spoiled his younger sister, and no matter what, all unable to bear letting his younger sister be sad. He also faintly hoped for Le Cheng Emperor to grant this wish.

According to his explanation, this younger sister, ever since birth, has just been fully doted on by everyone, including the elders, and including them, these older brothers. Just, because her heart yearned for the places outside of Great Wei’s capital city, and imperial father couldn’t bear to see her saddened appearance, thus accompanied along to Qi Yuan. Just, unexpectedly, this trip caused her spring heart to emerge, “……….When a girl is grown, one is unable to keep her.”

Le Cheng Emperor also didn’t say anything and just played a round of taiji^[1] with the Former Wei first prince. What he said didn’t count, because that son of his was one with a stubborn temper. To want to let him marry someone, then one must have him nod his head first, else he can have the entire capital overturned, “…………This sixth son of this emperor’s lost his birth mother at birth, so this emperor couldn’t help but dote on him more, yet as a result, just had him spoiled to the point of becoming lawless and out of control. This emperor’s words all may not necessarily have an effect. But, things are already like this now, so can’t really just punish him. This is this emperor’s own sin, so no matter what, can only just continue indulging.”

Le Cheng Emperor was very much telling the truth, but in the Former Wei first prince’s ears, that was just a complete excuse. In an ordinary family, raising such a brat that disobeyed the old man wasn’t that rare, but as a ruler of a country, it was definitely impossible to get disobeyed by the son, because he was first a ruler, then a father. The imperial prestige cannot be swept, the ruler’s command cannot be disobeyed.

Of course, Le Cheng Emperor also knew that these people won’t believe him. That’s why, he just used the truth to brush them off, completely not needing to look for an excuse, how relaxing.

“How about this, why don’t we discuss this matter after the birthday banquet? What do you think?” Le Cheng Emperor suggested.

In the end, there was still a large discrepancy in status between the Former Wei first prince and Le Cheng Emperor, so naturally he wasn’t able to say no.

Just, they probably would have never thought that there will no longer be the opportunity to discuss again.

There was just three days until the birthday banquet, but there were still three countries that had passed on papers but still haven’t arrived. The West Xiongnu that was a level inferior to Qi Yuan and Former Wei, but still considerably formidable, the medium-rank country Cang Jin, where women held very high positions, and also a small country. Because they were located to the west as well as southwest of Qi Yuan, it was relatively far from Qi Yuan’s capital, so for them to arrive last, it also wasn’t that strange. In reality, at the earliest, it’s also nothing more than just a day or two early.

If Former Wei, because of Princess Yi Ning’s ‘grand and prestigious’ procession, attracted attention, then for Cang Jin, it was just because one-third of the entire emissary team was entirely made up of women. However, they were completely different from Princess Yi Ning, because they genuinely held actual power. Including the emissary team this time, the ones in charge were all women. There were women among the civil officials, and even among the military officials, there were women. These people were truly the ‘headdress not yielding to the beard and brow’. Although they didn’t occupy half of Cang Jin’s rivers and mountains, they still can’t be underestimated.

When Jing Wan was learning about Cang Jin, this country, she was somewhat surprised, but even more was admiration towards those women. The current Cang Jin King was also a wise and open-minded person. Because of him, women’s status once again elevated, and the amount of women serving as officials in Cang Jin also reached an unprecedented height, occupying nearly thirty percent. Moreover, nearly half of these people were all in the upper middle position. For the status of women in Cang Jin to be this high, it was largely related to their first queen. That was also a legendary woman.

In Cang Jin, although it was still the system of one wife and many concubines, but compared to the other countries, it far wasn’t that serious. Even for the current Cang Jin King, the number of women in his harem can be counted on one hand. And in households where the woman was in charge externally, while the man assisted internally, concubines were further, for the most part, without a trace. A man taking in a wife, and a woman taking in a husband were all the norm. There didn’t exist the saying of ‘a man getting taken in by the wife’s family^[2]‘. Even if the man was weaker compared to the woman, no one would say anything either. There were independent men, and also independent women, but there were also delicate women and delicate men. Compared to the other countries, perhaps it would seem outlandish, but Cang Jin’s interior was very harmonious. Moreover, Cang Jin has existed longer than Former Wei.

As Jing Wan researched about Cang Jin, truthfully speaking, there was that tiny bit of yearning in her heart.

Li Hong Yuan took it all in. In reality, in his past life, Cang Jin’s influence towards him wasn’t considered small. Of course, in this matter, there was certainly Jing Wan’s influence. If not for Jing Wan, towards this country’s customs, he certainly would scoff at. However, because of that rather peculiar emotional stirring, in his past life, only Cang Jin was left untouched. The other countries surrounding Qi Yuan, the small countries were directly devoured, and for the larger counties, it was beating cripple to the point where it will be difficult for them to recover their strength for several decades. He knew that there were certainly those who doubted, but no one dared to question him, this absolute supreme ruler. At that time, just because Jing Wan had passed away, aside from not touching Cang Jin, everything else, he didn’t care too much about either.

“If Wan Wan is interested in Cang Jin’s history, why not get in touch with the female officials of Cang Jin after the birthday banquet.”

“Okay.” Jing Wan bluntly responded.

During the last two days prior to the birthday celebration, no new troubles occurred, although some people moved about Qi Yuan’s capital rather frequently, visiting this one and visiting that one, once in the morning, and once in the afternoon, yet still disdaining that it wasn’t enough. Of course, there were also those that purely strolled around Qi Yuan’s capital, looking at the various things in Qi Yuan. Especially those smaller countries that were relatively poor, probably calculating whether or not they can launch border trades with Qi Yuan, boosting their relations, and mutually develop.

A country’s longevity festival (Emperor’s birthday) was also considered a country’s festive holiday. Setting aside outside of the capital, inside the capital, as it approached, the commoners all began decorating with lanterns and colored banners, appearing fiery and red. The majority of people also all carried smiles on their faces.

Aside from these, the most lively and the most enthusiastically discussed about was probably just the various presents that the officials outside of the capital successively sent back for Le Cheng Emperor, each surpassing the other in value, each competing in rarity. Just, don’t know exactly how much manpower and resources were spent on these things, and don’t know whether or not anyone died over a certain one.

However, the commoners were unable to see exactly what these things were, purely just watching for fun, mutually praising a few words. All in all, can’t go wrong with saying positive things.

On the night before the birthday banquet, heavy snow actually floated down from the skies like goose feathers. By the morning of the birthday banquet, the entire capital was already covered in white.

Early in the morning, there were people everywhere clearing up the snow all over the city. After all, it was the day of the Emperor’s birthday, so there will be many people entering the palace. One can’t be held up because of the snow accumulated on the road, and further can’t let anything inauspicious happen, else when the blame from above comes down, perhaps one will just lose one’s head.

Jing Wan and Li Hong Yuan were also for the most part prepared and can set out at any time.

Jing Wan stood under the corridor, donning the qin-wangfei formal gown, with a fire fox cloak that had a hood draped over top. The fiery red color didn’t have a single discolored fur mixed in. The hem of the cloak slightly trailed on the ground. A hand furnace nestled in her arms as she watched the fluttering snowflakes, “Timely snow foretells a prosperous year.”

[1] Taiji – Also romanized as taichi, although in this context, it’s not the literal sense of the word, but rather saying that Le Cheng Emperor danced around the subject with him, basically being vague and avoiding the main point.

[2] 入赘 – Ruzhui is a term that doesn’t have an english equivalent, so in this line the context might be a bit confusing. The concept of ruzhui in ancient chinese culture is for a man to become a part of the wife’s family, so their children will inherit the wife’s surname and not his. In a time where bloodlines and family names were very important to the people, this is usually done when the girl’s family doesn’t have a male heir so they take in someone of lesser status than them as a son-in-law. It’s similar to how a married daughter is no longer considered part of her maiden family, the same can be said for a man that gets registered under his wife’s family. Although it’s similar in Cang Jin’s case where a woman can take in a husband, it’s not considered the same as ruzhui, which was generally viewed pretty negatively for men.