Chapter 246 Masters among the people
Princess Qi Jiaqing of the Canglang Kingdom was still struggling in her death throes, and everyone could see that she couldn't hold on for much longer.
Finally, Qi Jiaqing fell to the ground due to exhaustion.
The music stopped abruptly, and Qianhuan also stopped moving.
Qi Jiaqing's maid hurried over and helped her princess up.
Qianhuan said politely to the princess, "Princess, thank you for letting me."
Qi Jiaqing returned to her seat with a grim look on her face.
The people of Dayuan Kingdom were very excited. They won and got three cities for free without losing a single soldier. How could they not be happy?
The emperor was delighted. He laughed and said, "Liang Qianhuan, you won the competition for our Dayuan. I have decided to reward you well. You can choose to make a request to me, or I will directly make you a county lord. It's your choice."
The noble ladies all looked at Qianhuan with jealous eyes, while the prince looked at her expectantly. The prince probably hoped that Qianhuan would ask the emperor to grant them marriage.
However, Qianhuan knelt down and said, "I choose the position of county lady."
Emperor Jingxi was very surprised. He originally thought that this little peasant girl would choose to let him arrange a marriage between her and the crown prince.
After all, although the position of county lord is of the second rank, it is just an empty title. She enjoys a certain fief and salary, but has no real power.
Being the Crown Prince’s Consort is different, you can directly become a first-rank lady.
"Okay, since you choose to be the county lord, I will confer upon you the title of Jingrou County Lord, with a fief of 300 households."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The prince was a little disappointed. When Qianhuan returned to her seat, the prince asked, "Huan'er, is the position of the crown prince's wife not as good as that of a county lady? Why don't you choose to let His Majesty grant you a marriage?"
"Zi Yu, it's easy to get His Majesty to grant me marriage, but it's not easy to stop the gossips. I come from a peasant family, and my status is low. Since you and I confirmed our relationship, people in the capital have been pointing fingers at me behind my back. They laugh at me for not being worthy of you, so I hope to change my status through my own efforts."
The prince confessed affectionately, "Huan'er, you know I don't care about your status at all."
"But I care. I don't want people to laugh at you for marrying a worthless peasant girl. I want them to see that I, Liang Qianhuan, am the one who can truly stand by your side and match you."
When the prince heard these words, his unhappiness immediately disappeared. He didn't expect that his Huan'er was so strong-willed and caring about him.
Emperor Jingxi, who was sitting at the head of the group, looked at the third prince of Canglang Country and said, "Since Canglang Country lost the competition, then fulfill your promise and hand over the seals of the three cities."
The envoys from the Canglang Kingdom all looked very unhappy. They originally wanted to take away three cities from the Dayuan this time, but they never dreamed that they would end up losing more than they gained.
The third prince Qi Beiming had no choice but to hand over the seals of the three cities.
Emperor Jingxi looked at the envoy of Beilin Kingdom again, "I wonder what Beilin Kingdom wants to compete with Dayuan this time? What is the prize?"
The envoy of Beilin Kingdom stood up and said, "We, Beilin Kingdom, have chosen to compete in musical instruments. The prize is 50,000 horses. If Dayuan loses, give us 50,000 war horses. If we lose, give Dayuan 50,000 war horses."
When Emperor Jingxi heard that it was a competition of musical instruments, he was immediately delighted. They had so many talented men and women in Dayuan, and all of them were proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. It was just playing a musical instrument, which was easy.
Emperor Jingxi nodded and agreed on the spot, "Okay, I'll follow the envoy's wishes. I wonder what kind of musical instrument Beilin wants to compete in?"
The Beilin envoy clapped his hands, and immediately musicians came up to the hall with their instruments.
The people of Dayuan Kingdom looked at this musical instrument very unfamiliarly, and the emperor was instantly panicked. Even though the emperor was knowledgeable, he had never seen the musical instrument that Beilin Kingdom brought out before.
Envoy Bei Lin said, "This is our country's musical instrument. Now our musicians will play a piece, and then we will invite the musicians from Dayuan to play. Whoever plays the better piece will win."
When Qianhuan saw the instrument in the musician's hand, her eyes lit up instantly. She didn't expect that there was a saxophone in ancient times. This is her specialty instrument.
The musicians from Beilin Kingdom played a grassland song, and the song was long and distant.
After the song was over, the Beilin envoy said proudly, "Your Majesty, it is your country's turn to perform. Who would you like to send to fight?"
Emperor Jingxi looked at the crowd and asked, "Who can play this instrument? Come forward quickly. If you win the competition, I will reward you handsomely."
However, there was total silence and everyone lowered their heads.
Emperor Jingxi looked at the officials of the Royal Song and Dance Troupe and asked, "There are so many musicians in the Royal Song and Dance Troupe, is there not one person who can play this instrument?"
The official wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied with a guilty conscience, "Your Majesty, the musical instrument brought out by the Beilin Kingdom's envoy is probably something that no one in the entire Dayuan Kingdom has ever seen, let alone played. I really can't do anything about it."
The emperor was a little annoyed. "Call up the musicians of the Royal Dance Troupe who can play instruments to compete."
So the eunuch hurried to call for help, but the musician didn't recognize the instrument at all and was terrified. He picked up the saxophone and started playing it randomly. The shrill sound startled everyone in the hall and caused a noise.
The Beilin envoy looked very proud and said, "Your Majesty, I never thought that Dayuan, a country with a vast territory and abundant resources and a large population, could not even play a small musical instrument. In my opinion, you might as well just admit defeat."
Beilin Kingdom's words were merciless, simply trampling on the face of Dayuan Kingdom.
The ministers were so angry at these words that their faces turned red, but they could do nothing because they really didn't know this instrument.
Qianhuan is now a citizen of Dayuan after all. How can she stand idly by while watching her country being humiliated by foreign races?
She walked out and said, "Envoy from Beilin, who said that no one in Dayuan can play this instrument? Today, I will let you see what it means to have a master among the people."