Chapter 2365: Mission 45

Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

“Alright, there’s nothing more for you to attend to at present. You may depart. It seems that one by one, you struggle with handling tasks. You exhibit incompetence at every turn. What purpose does your presence here serve?” The King of Baizhou Land expressed his dissatisfaction, rose from his seat, and hastily left.

The Grand Council ministers lingered in an uncomfortable silence.

Naturally, the King was displeased with Wu Jinghui’s suggestion.

They were reluctant to break free from the thousand-year-old traditions because of the risks involved.

Yet, the King’s remarks held a kernel of truth.

But…

The Grand Council ministers sighed and eventually dispersed.

They were bound for Jinwei Land to investigate.

Concerns about the impending outcome weighed heavily on their minds.

The ministers traveled in groups of two or three, while Wu Jinghui proceeded alone.

He harbored no resentment.

At this juncture, the die was cast.

In the Baizhou Land court, Gu Chaoyan and her companions reveled in their triumph. The prince, the King, and the King of Baizhou Land held her in both admiration and fear.

On the other hand, the Jinwei Land envoy grappled with a challenging situation.

Now that the Third Prince had managed to converse with Gu Chaoyan, she didn’t mind granting him some favor.

Before long, the time arrived for the Baizhou Land palace banquet.

Distinct disparities separated Baizhou Land from Jinwei Land.

Just from the matters in the palace.

In the palace of Jinwei Land, the young princes and princesses were accommodated within the palace grounds.

In contrast, Baizhou Land adopted a different approach. The princes and princesses resided in courtyards located outside the main palace. Within the palace, only the King and his concubines dwelled.

Due to the prevailing belief that female presence brought misfortune, the Baizhou Land’s people predominantly relegated the princesses to the external courtyards. They would only set foot in the palace on special occasions, such as palace banquets. The princes experienced a somewhat more lenient treatment and enjoyed the freedom to come and go from the palace. However, they too didn’t reside within the palace, maintaining their separate residences outside the palace walls, under the supervision of teachers appointed by the prince, the King, and the King of Baizhou Land.

This arrangement stemmed from Baizhou Land’s apprehension that mothers might exert undue influence over the upbringing of their royal offspring. The nation adhered to deeply entrenched feudal practices, which were underscored by a notable bias against women.

On the day of the palace banquet in Baizhou Land, the princes and princesses from the external courtyards would converge within the palace. This was an infrequent occurrence in the Baizhou Land palace.

Gu Chaoyan stood by the window, gazing outside contemplatively, lost in her thoughts.

Meanwhile, the nanny held a sandalwood comb, meticulously tending to Gu Chaoyan’s hair as she commented, “Tomorrow marks the palace banquet. After its conclusion, you may return to Jinwei Land.”

“Yes, I believe the imperial banquet may pose some challenges, so I’ve instructed the preparations,” Gu Chaoyan responded.

“Understood,” the nanny continued to comb her hair.

The desolate northern landscape lay beyond the window, but Gu Chaoyan’s interest in it waned quickly. She returned to her seat within the room.

At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted the tranquility.

The voice that accompanied the knock caused a slight crease in Gu Chaoyan’s brow.

While Gu Chaoyan had initially extended some courtesy to the Third Prince, his behavior was growing increasingly audacious and avaricious.

Over the course of their shared experiences, Gu Chaoyan had become adept at discerning people’s true intentions. It was clear that the Third Prince had sought to align himself with her to improve his future prospects once she returned to Jinwei Land. However, the Third Prince’s motives might have taken a more sinister turn, which troubled her.

Gu Chaoyan heaved a sigh and remarked, “There’s no need to entertain him further. He’s a man who’s beyond our reach—neither capable nor content, just greedy.”

The nanny nodded in agreement.