Upon hearing this, Lü Chunqiu immediately broke into a cold sweat, and even had the urge to kowtow and apologize to Emperor Jiajing!
Although his hereditary title of Marquis Wenxin originated from the previous dynasty, it had been recognized by the founders of Chu, Han and Ming's three kingdoms.
Therefore, despite not being considered subjects of the Three Kingdoms, generations of Marquis Wenxin still had the privilege of not having to bow to the three emperors.
Emperor Jiajing's imperial carriage had arrived in Lü City first, and today he formally tried to recruit Lü City into his Great Ming Dynasty.
Lü Chunqiu had long heard that Emperor Jiajing was a heroic lord of the generation, and indeed had the potential to unify the realm. He had considered formally incorporating Lü City into Great Ming.
However, upon truly facing Emperor Jiajing, Lü Chunqiu inexplicably felt a sense of danger!
Lü Chunqiu's cultivation level was at the ninth stage of Grand Completion in the Stage of Unity of the Way. He was only one step away from the Great Vehicle Stage!
But the dangerous feeling Emperor Jiajing gave him didn't come from the difference in their strengths.
This intuition was deeply ingrained in the Lü clan's bloodline over generations, a commercial talent named 'Opportunity'.
Lü Chunqiu's ancestor had relied on his 'Opportunity' intuition to follow a prince of the previous dynasty back then.
After that prince inherited the throne and ruled the realm, the Lü clan took advantage of that opportunity to become the foremost clan under heaven.
‘Choosing a backer is so difficult.’ Lü Chunqiu bitterly thought to himself.
The situation of the world will eventually reunify after long division, and divide again after long reunification.
When Lü Chunqiu's ancestors first founded the city, they had already expected that Lü City could not remain perpetually neutral.
Yet Lü Chunqiu didn't expect that after several thousand years of neutral peace, it might come to an end during his generation.
Fortunately, Emperor Jiajing didn't continue forcing him. "This Emperor is tired and will go back to rest first. I hope that before the end of the [Three Emperors Summit], Marquis Wenxin can give me a definite reply."
"Many thanks for Your Majesty's magnanimity!"
Emperor Jiajing had taken half a step back by giving him more time on his own initiative.
Lü Chunqiu naturally had to grasp this opportunity to concede. He expressed his great thanks, personally sending off Emperor Jiajing from the Marquis Wenxin Estate.
"Daddy!" A crisp female voice, as melodious as a nightingale's song.
"My lucky treasure?" Lü Chunqiu saw that it was his beloved daughter, the gloomy look on his face slightly fading as he revealed a comforting smile.
Lü Fuchao had her hair in double buns. She appeared to be fifteen or sixteen years old, delicate and lively.
"Daddy, news came from the eastern city gates that the processions of Chu and Han's Emperors are about to enter the city."
"The two emperors are less than three li from the city. Why isn't Daddy going out ten li to welcome them like you did for Emperor Jiajing?"
A few days ago when Emperor Jiajing arrived at Lü City, Lü Chunqiu had gone out of the city to welcome him from ten li away.
Yet now, with Chu and Han's emperors less than three li away, Lü Chunqiu was still at his estate residence.
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Lü Chunqiu sighed, "The Han Emperor Liu Xi has had his power stripped for many years. Great Han's power is currently held by the National Teacher Dong Zhuo." As for the Great Chu side..." He repeatedly shook his head, seemingly too lazy to even mention them.
"Oh!"
Lü Fuchao seemed to recall something. She spoke out for her father instead, "The Chu Emperor is even worse off than the Han Emperor. He only ascended the throne a few months ago before his authority was quickly usurped by Prime Minister Fan Li. I even heard that he was forced to address Fan Li as Foster Father in the royal court!"
Lü Chunqiu smiled bitterly. "With such weak rulers whose days are numbered, why should I welcome them?"
But recalling that Chu and Han's emperors would enter the city together, he changed his mind again.
"Forget it. It's still a matter of face for two Sons of Heaven. I'll go welcome them briefly."
"Daughter will go with Daddy!" Lü Fuchao happily said.
By the time the two of them arrived at the city gates, Chu and Han's imperial entourages were less than a hundred zhang from the gates.
The two imperial carriages were placed almost side by side. Han Emperor Liu Xi looked even more aged than Xiang Ning had seen in portraits. His hair and beard were especially grayish-white.
"The Han Emperor seems even less happy than me?" Xiang Ning thought to herself.
The two weak rulers felt an affinity at their first meeting. Especially a kind of sympathy between fellow weaklings. As soon Liu Xi saw Xiang Ning, he had a strong urge to vent to her.
"The Chu Emperor has suffered, having to bring that man along." Liu Xi whispered to Xiang Ning from across their carriages' armrests.
At this time, Fan Li was no longer freeloading for the ride to avoid gossip. He rode a royal horse around ten meters away, gazing into the distance.
Fan Li didn't expect that upon first meeting, Han Emperor Liu Xi would secretly look at him with great disgust.
Liu Xi withdrew his gaze, trying to cheer himself up. "For this trip, Teacher Dong didn't come along with me. He took in a new favored concubine called Diaochan..."
"The loyal ministers accompanying me this time are Great Han's Three Excellencies. Minister of Works Cao Cao, General of the Left Liu Bei, and General of the Chariots and Cavalry Sun Quan. These three men excel in both civil and military affairs, and are absolutely loyal to me. It's just that their power bases are still too shallow to resist Dong Zhuo."
As Liu Xi spoke, he suddenly lowered his voice, "I heard you only cultivated behind closed doors without grooming any talents at court. If you don't prepare early, do you plan to just wait for heaven's thunder to kill that treacherous minister!?"
"Uh..." Xiang Ning felt very awkward.
After briefly meeting, Liu Xi seemed to already see her as an old friend? All along their journey, he poured out his bitterness while she didn't even have a chance to get a word in, let alone bring up the marriage alliance.
"The Han Emperor urgently wants to purge his court of evil officials, but me and Fan Li..." Xiang Ning felt somewhat uneasy. To be honest, she didn't have the heart to kill Fan Li.
Especially after hearing Liu Xi's complaints. Xiang Ning suddenly realized that Chu and Han's circumstances weren't the same at all.
Although both Fan Li and Dong Zhuo were deemed treacherous ministers and evil high officials, their treachery seemed different?
Dong Zhuo had thrown Han's court into chaos, slaughtering officials, oppressing the common people, truly deserving death for his crimes!
The Han court had just completed the relocation of the capital, but Dong Zhuo had left both the old and new capitals ravaged beyond recognition.
As for Fan Li...
"Fan Li does often bully me, but my Great Chu's affairs are thriving. The return of the Black Dragon has increased our national strength. Fan Company's trade is booming and the common people live in peace and prosperity.
Great Chu's military is ready for action with tough soldiers." Especially those 100,000 garrison troops who are truly an elite lion army."
After Liu Xi vented for a while, his mood seemed much better. He let out a long sigh of relief before finally recalling something, frowning as he said, "I heard that Lü Chunqiu went out ten li to welcome Great Ming's Emperor Jiajing. Yet now, with me and Your Majesty less than one hundred zhang from the gates, Lü Chunqiu still hasn't come out to welcome us?"
Liu Xi quietly muttered something in the Han dialect that seemed to be cursing at someone.
Fan Li smiled wryly, thinking that the atmosphere today made it inconvenient to propose marriage.
Just as she thought to comfort Liu Xi with some words, she saw Lü City's eastern gates wide open.
"Marquis Wenxin respectfully welcomes both Your Majesties." Lü Chunqiu's voice was as if reciting ancient poems, clear, ethereal, and distant.
As his words fell, the sound of stringed instruments and bamboo flutes echoed within Lü City, accompanied by the resonating tones of bells and drums. Dancers performed in harmony.
For the first time, Xiang Ning experienced the cultural atmosphere of Lü City, though he didn't fully grasp its appreciation. He only felt that the dance here was more professional than that in the grand palace of Great Chu.
However, Liu Xie praised, "These must be dances from the previous dynasty, separated by thousands of years. Only the Lü family could preserve them so well. Marquis Wenxin has put a lot of effort into this."
The troubled expression vanished from his face, replaced by a contented smile.
Xiang Ning felt a bit frustrated, thinking that the Han Emperor had too little pride. Clearly being slighted, he was appeased with just a dance?