Chenchen’s birthday has passed.
As November arrived, after several consecutive snowfalls, the weather turned completely cold.
Along with this wind and snow.
The Western Xia mission, led by Prince Jin, also arrived in the Capital City.
This day early in the morning.
Zhao Junyao dispatched people from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the city gate to welcome them.
While he himself led important ministers and royal relatives to wait in the Imperial Palace.
Although Western Xia is a great nation.
Its national strength is still inferior to that of the Chu Dynasty.
Moreover, Prince Jin is merely a prince.
Therefore, Zhao Junyao did not need to greet him personally, only needing officials to do so.
...
At the city gate.
When Prince Jin arrived leading a mission of over a hundred people.
The officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Palace Attendants from the Ministry of Internal Affairs were already waiting.
Each one shivering in the cold yet not daring to utter a single complaint.
Seeing their arrival, the officials from the Ministry of Rites hurried forward courteously.
"Greetings to Prince Jin of Western Xia!"
"Our Emperor has sent me to respectfully welcome you, Prince Jin, I’ve been waiting here for quite a while!"
Because the other party was a foreign guest.
Even if their status was higher, the official could not refer to himself as a subordinate, only as ’I’.
Prince Jin found nothing to criticize.
He could only respond politely with a few words.
"Thank you, His Majesty the Emperor of Great Chu!"
"It’s been hard on you," and such!
The official from the Ministry of Rites then smiled and said.
"The weather is cold, and I have already prepared a carriage..."
"Please, Prince Jin, get into the carriage and accompany me to the palace to meet the Emperor!"
The streets are full of people.
It is certainly not possible to ride horses anymore.
Especially with the sturdy and fierce warhorses of the Western Xia Kingdom, they are even less suitable to walk on the streets.
Prince Jin understood this and nodded instinctively.
However, he looked around and saw that the person welcoming him was just this unfamiliar, seemingly low-ranking official.
He immediately frowned, his expression visibly displeased.
’How much does Great Chu look down on us to send such a person to greet me?’
’This is publicly humiliating me!’
The more he thought about it.
His rough and purplish-red face turned even darker.
Prince Jin, angrily shook the long, furry wolf skin cloak on his body.
Deliberately revealing the uniquely designed skull pendant around his neck.
And the long, curved, cold-glinting crescent dagger at his waist engraved with strange patterns.
Minister Tang of the Ministry of Rites was originally a scholar and had never seen such things.
He was immediately so frightened that his legs turned a bit wobbly.
But in order to save face for Great Chu, he still stiffened his body and invited again.
"Please, Prince Jin, dismount and accompany me to the palace to meet the Emperor!"
When missions from two countries visit each other, they must meet the Emperor first.
The task of the Ministry of Rites is to receive and introduce.
The task of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is to arrange accommodations for the mission.
With so many people, it’s impossible for them all to meet the Emperor, so the rest naturally need to go to the inn to settle first.
After that scene just now.
The people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs also started to tremble.
Everyone was cold and scared! They had never seen such a grand occasion!
It’s said that these barbarians kill people like it’s nothing.
If by any chance...
Their spines felt even colder, not daring to think further!
...
At this moment, Prince Jin was glaring angrily at Minister Tang, speaking coldly and cynically.
"The two nations are in-laws! I have come from afar!"
"It’s one thing that your Emperor did not come to greet me, but even royal family members did not show up!"
"Is this what your Great Chu Dynasty calls the Nation of Etiquette?"
Prince Jin’s voice was very loud.
In the howling northern wind, it seemed even more restless.
The dark clouds were pressing lower and lower, the wind was blowing harder, at some point snow had begun to fall.
The wolf-fur cloak covered in large snowflakes was flapping wildly in the air.
Minister Tang was almost frozen stiff.
But with the belief that ’might cannot bend’, he stood with his back straight.
Constantly thinking about how to get this difficult guy smoothly off his horse and into the carriage to the palace.
However...
Prince Jin was not a child who could be fooled with a few words.
With a belly full of anger, he stubbornly refused to dismount.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
Just when Minister Tang was at his wit’s end, and the situation was on the brink of getting out of hand.
Zhao Junyan appeared.
If Minister Tang’s status was not enough.
Then Seventh Prince Zhao Junyan’s status must be sufficient.
Only to see Zhao Junyan riding a pure black, high-quality warhorse.
Wearing a yellow robe symbolizing royal identity.
A golden crown with a jade buckle on his head, a long sword at his waist, his thin lips pressed together, his eyes bright, riding over from a distance.
The north wind, mixed with snow, was blowing fiercely by.
Zhao Junyan’s cloak spread out in the cold wind, like an eagle about to soar into the sky.
The pure black steed stopped slowly in front of Prince Jin.
Zhao Junyan dismounted, smiling politely.