Traveling through Tianlong: Starting from the Zhenlong chess game

Chapter 631 The Queen Mother invites you
Seeing Zhao Mu's confident look, Zhezong said, "Since your uncle is so confident, I'd better ask him to share my worries this time."

"Ah? What? Have the envoys from Liao arrived?" Zhao Mu asked.

Zhezong nodded and said, "Yes, we mobilized troops in such a big way that the Liao Kingdom could not fail to notice. Just before the emperor's uncle came back, the envoys sent by the Liao Kingdom to inquire had already arrived in Bianjing for many days. It's just that I haven't summoned them these days because of illness. Now that the emperor's uncle is back, please share my worries with him."

Zhao Mu smiled and said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will deal with them."

Zhezong nodded and said, "Well! In that case, then your uncle will meet the Liao envoy at the grand court tomorrow."

At this moment, the fruits, cakes, wine and delicacies that Zhezong had ordered were delivered.

Afterwards, the uncle and nephew took turns drinking from the cup.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Cheoljong was in high spirits, so he ordered the dancers to dance in front of him. He also sent someone to invite the concubine to accompany the two men to drink.

Of course, due to etiquette, Zhao Mu did not dare to hug Zhezong's concubines. After Zhezong agreed, he chose a young and beautiful palace maid to pour wine and serve food for him.

Zhezong drank the glass of wine, and his face gradually turned red as he got drunk.

The drunk Zhezong looked at Zhao Mu and said, "Uncle! If we can recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun after defeating Liao, then you will be the greatest contributor to our Song Dynasty. Even our ancestors Taizong and Zhenzong were not as good as you. If you can accomplish such an extraordinary feat, what reward would you like me to give you?"

People get drunk even if they don't drink. Although Zhao Mu has always had a good alcohol tolerance, he got a little tipsy when he thought about his great achievement.

But Zhao Mu was still very clear-headed. He said, "Your Majesty, have you discussed this reward with me before? After defeating Liao, all the women of Liao's royal family will be given to me as slaves, and their gold and silver will also be given to me as rewards. This reward is more than enough for me, so how can I ask for anything else?"

Zhezong waved his hand and said, "No! My uncle just wants some money and women, how can that be possible? I still want to reward my uncle with something else. But now my uncle has really reached a point where there is nothing more to reward or title to be given. After all, my throne was returned to me by my uncle. What can I reward my uncle with? This really troubles me."

Zhezong thought for a moment and said, "How about this. After we destroy the Liao Kingdom and take over the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, I will give all the Guanzhong land adjacent to Qi to my uncle. How about that? After all, Prince Duan had thought about ceding land to my uncle before. Now I think this is the best idea."

Zhao Mu waved his hand and said, "Now I am in Lingzhou, and I am also vassalized by the surrounding barbarians. I am already satisfied with their offerings. If Your Majesty still wants to show you mercy, then I will not pay tribute to Your Majesty with the wealth, treasures, and beauties I have obtained this time. How about this?"

Zhezong pointed at Zhao Mu and laughed, "Hahaha, uncle wants to eat alone this time? Well, I am not interested in those Liao women. Those treasures and utensils are useless to me. If uncle likes them, he can take them back. Oh! By the way! If uncle takes those Khitan women back this time, I am afraid that Hua'e Xianghui Tower will not be able to accommodate them. I will give uncle another favor. If uncle wants to expand the palace again, he does not have to come all the way to report to me. Uncle can decide for himself."

Zhao Mu was afraid that Zhezong would say something irrational when he was drunk, so he quickly said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

After that, Zhezong drank a few more cups and fell drunk on the table. Zhao Mu also ordered Concubine Liu and others to send Zhezong back to the palace to rest.

Zhao Mu himself planned to return to the Eastern Palace.

But just as Zhao Mu was leaving the pavilion, a beautiful palace maid blocked his way.

The maid walked up to Zhao Mu and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager invites Your Majesty to the Cining Palace for a chat."

Zhao Mu snorted coldly and said, "Oh? She invited me, so I have to go? You can tell my sister-in-law that she has caused a big mess this time. If she knows what's good for her, she should stay in Cining Palace. She is still the Queen Mother of the Song Dynasty. But if she still wants to hinder the great cause of me and Your Majesty, then don't blame me for being ruthless." Hearing what Zhao Mu said, the little maid was so scared that she knelt down and said, "I beg Your Majesty Zhongdi to go to Cining Palace for a talk. Otherwise, my life will be in danger."

As she said this, the little palace maid started crying out of fear.

This little palace maid had a pretty face and good looks. Her behavior was quite polite. Obviously, she was not an ordinary tribute girl, but a palace maid after being selected as a lady from a noble family.

Seeing the pitiful appearance of this girl with tears in her eyes, Zhao Mu couldn't help but snort coldly.

Zhao Mu also sighed in his heart. Although the Queen Mother had not met him many times, she was very good at seeing through people's hearts and controlling him. She knew that he was greedy and lustful, so she sent such a beautiful little girl to stop him. And she cried so sympathetically, obviously wanting him to have sympathy.

But it was not the Queen Mother Xiang who understood Zhao Mu. It was Zheng Cairen who understood Zhao Mu. It was Zheng Cairen who betrayed Zhao Mu.

Although Queen Wang, who had always had a good relationship with Empress Dowager Xiang, hated her because of Prince Duan's death.

But not all women around Zhao Ji were like Queen Wang, who had a deep love for Zhao Ji and thus took her anger out on Empress Dowager Xiang.

Zheng Cairen was always with Empress Dowager Xiang, so she was not too sad about Zhao Ji's death.

In her mind, being a concubine to Zhao Mu is also being a concubine, being a concubine to Zhao Ji is also being a concubine, there is no difference in itself. But if she could choose, she would still choose Zhao Mu. Because Zhao Mu is much more "strong and powerful" than Zhao Ji, compared with Zhao Mu, Zhao Ji is no different from a eunuch.

This Zheng Cairen was a female official beside Empress Dowager Xiang. Whether she was working in the palace before or married to Prince Duan's mansion, she was taken care of by Empress Dowager Xiang.

Today, Empress Dowager Xiang is secluded in her own palace. Although she has no worries about food and clothing, she feels like she is in prison all day long.

The Queen Mother sent people to plead with King Cheoljong several times, but King Cheoljong ignored her every time.

Moreover, the Princess of Wei who was imprisoned in the Zongzheng Mansion always complained to her mother, hoping to be released as soon as possible. But how could the Empress Dowager Xiang save her since she herself could not save herself?
Fortunately, after Zheng Cairen came back, she immediately took the gifts she brought back from Goryeo to honor Queen Dowager Xiang. Only then did Queen Dowager Xiang complain to Zheng Cairen in tears.

Seeing Empress Dowager Xiang looking so pitiful, Concubine Zheng couldn't bear it, so she rolled her eyes and came up with an idea.

That is, your majesty may not listen to others, but he will never disobey Zhao Mu. The only person in the world who can save Empress Dowager Xiang is Zhao Mu. She suggested that Empress Dowager Xiang find a way to beg Zhao Mu and let Zhao Mu plead for mercy in front of Emperor Zhezong.

Zheng Cairen had been with Zhao Mu for a long time, so she naturally knew Zhao Mu's temper. If someone else came to invite Zhao Mu, she would definitely not give him any face. But Zhao Mu was soft-hearted, and what he couldn't bear to see the most was a woman crying, especially a young and beautiful woman crying.

So it was her bad idea that led to this incident.

Moreover, the little maid had been waiting in the imperial garden for a long time, but Zhao Mu and Zhezong were having a feast, so she did not dare to disturb them. She had been waiting here for a long time, and her legs were sore. The tears on her face were not completely fake, but more of the child's grievance.

Zhao Mu looked at the young palace maid's tearful face and thought, "Forget it! I might as well go to the Cining Palace and hear what this old witch is up to next."

(End of this chapter)