roccoschili Chapter 147 Qin Qi Signs a Contract
Chapter 147 Qin Qi Signs a Contract
Upon hearing this, Li Si was overjoyed. He bowed respectfully and said with a beaming smile, "King Qi is truly wise and powerful. Before coming here, King Qin had predicted that you, King Qi, were a man of great talent and ambition and would surely agree to this matter. Now it seems that King Qi is indeed of one mind with my king!"
Upon hearing Li Si's words, the King of Qi's face instantly lit up with an ecstatic smile. He exclaimed excitedly, "The King of Qin is truly my closest and dearest friend!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than King Qi impatiently called out towards the outside of the palace, "Guards! Prepare a sumptuous feast tonight. I will make sure the Qin envoy has a good taste of the delicacies of my Great Qi." The eunuch serving nearby hurriedly bowed and agreed, then quickly withdrew to prepare for the banquet.
Upon seeing this, Li Si, standing below, smiled and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, King Qi."
King Qi, beaming with smiles, responded warmly, "Lord Li Si, you must drink to your heart's content today, and not leave until you're completely drunk!"
Li Si, equally beaming, respectfully replied, "Since the King of Qi is so hospitable, I, your humble servant, should gladly risk my life to accompany you and repay your kindness." The King of Qi felt exceptionally comfortable and satisfied with Li Si's perfectly timed compliments, and couldn't help but laugh heartily, repeatedly saying "Good!"
As King Qi's laughter echoed through the court, the morning court session came to an end. Li Si bowed to King Qi to take his leave, then turned and slowly walked out of the palace, returning to his inn to quietly await nightfall and the dinner invitation that King Qi had meticulously arranged.
As the sun set, its afterglow bathed the majestic buildings of Linzi Palace, adding a touch of mystery and solemnity to the entire palace. In this beautiful evening, Li Si walked slowly and steadily into Linzi Palace.
Inside Linzi Palace, many high-ranking officials had already gathered. Some were talking in hushed tones, while others gazed thoughtfully ahead. As soon as Li Si stepped through the palace gate, his gaze swept quickly across the crowd, and he soon spotted a familiar figure—Hou Sheng.
Hou Sheng was sitting upright in his seat, chatting and laughing with several ministers beside him. When he noticed Li Si's arrival, a warm smile immediately appeared on his face, and he stood up without hesitation to greet Li Si. He walked briskly, saying loudly as he went, "Oh my, Li Tingwei, you've finally arrived! Please, have a seat!"
Seeing this, Li Si smiled and cupped his hands in response, saying, "Thank you, Prime Minister." With that, he quickened his pace and walked towards his seat.
However, just as Hou Sheng was about to exchange a few more pleasantries with Li Si, a sharp shout suddenly rang out: "The King has arrived!"
The sound instantly shattered the previously relaxed and cheerful atmosphere in the hall. Upon hearing it, everyone's expressions turned solemn, and they knelt down in unison, shouting, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Li Si dared not be negligent and immediately knelt down with the others, shouting, "Greetings, Your Majesty!" Then, he bowed his head and waited for the King of Qi to speak.
King Qi walked steadily up to the throne, glanced at the kneeling ministers, and said loudly, "Rise." As soon as he finished speaking, everyone stood up.
King Qi then said, "Please take your seats." And so, everyone obeyed, returning to their seats in an orderly fashion. The entire hall was silent; all eyes were on King Qi, awaiting his next decree.
King Qi nodded slightly, and soon a group of graceful maids entered the hall like fish swimming in the water. They wore magnificent dance costumes with flowing sleeves, like fairies descending to earth. As the musicians played melodious tunes, the maids danced gracefully, some spinning lightly, others bending and stretching softly, their movements perfectly synchronized, a breathtaking sight.
Li Si watched the magnificent dance performance intently, his face showing a look of rapt attention, occasionally nodding slightly in appreciation. When the dance ended, King Qi announced loudly, "Today, Qin envoy Li Si has traveled a long way without complaint. Let us raise our cups to welcome Lord Li Si!" As soon as he finished speaking, everyone raised their wine cups and drank them down in one gulp.
Li Si quickly rose and replied with a smile, "Thank you for your hospitality, King Qi." He then finished his wine and slowly sat down. The atmosphere at the banquet was lively, with people enjoying delicious food while watching the subsequent entertainment.
Li Si took a sip of the fine wine from Qi, finding it rich and fragrant. But for some reason, the image of the white wine brewed by Princess Jiayang suddenly came to mind. The intense flavor of that wine seemed to linger on his lips and teeth, leaving a lasting impression.
Looking at the sumptuous meal before him, with its delicious beef and mutton, exquisite pastries, and various flavorful dishes, Li Si couldn't help but admire the Qin stir-fries that had recently appeared in the past two years. The aroma alone could be smelled from afar. Li Si couldn't help but sigh inwardly; the Qi people's refined taste and pursuit of culinary excellence were indeed unique, but the Qin cuisine suited his palate better.
A lavish and grand banquet lasted from late afternoon until the night was deep, a full two hours. The banquet was filled with the clinking of glasses, singing and dancing, and the guests' laughter and chatter creating a lively atmosphere.
After several rounds of drinks, Li Si and Hou Sheng helped each other out of Linzi Palace. A cool breeze blew gently from outside, like a clear spring flowing by, causing Li Si to shiver. The chill seemed to penetrate his heavy clothes and reach his very heart.
The gust of cold wind instantly cleared Li Si's head, which had been spinning from drinking. He composed himself and tried to stay alert. At the palace gate, Li Si bowed to Hou Sheng in farewell and then boarded the carriage to return to the inn.
The carriage swayed and rocked along the way, the jolting making Li Si feel drowsy. However, despite his extreme fatigue, he forced himself to stay alert. After all, this was Qi territory, fraught with unknown dangers and uncertainties, allowing no room for complacency.
Finally, the carriage arrived at the post station. Li Si alighted and dragged his heavy steps into the room. He plopped down on the bed, his tense nerves finally relaxing, and he quickly drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window and fell on Li Si's face. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, sat up, and felt his head still spinning, as if shrouded in a thick fog. But he knew very well that today was the important day for Qin and Qi to formally sign the agreement on economic zone cooperation and development, and he could not afford to make any mistakes.
Li Si quickly washed his face with cold water, rinsed his mouth, and then promptly put on his neat and dignified court robes. Once everything was ready, Li Si, without bothering with any further details, rushed out of the room, his heart filled with anxiety, and sped towards the signing location.
Sunlight streamed down the street, illuminating Li Si's hurried figure. His steps were brisk, his eyes resolute, and only one thought occupied his mind—to reach the signing ceremony as quickly as possible. Soon, Li Si arrived at his destination. Before the tall, magnificent building, a bustling crowd thronged, but he paid no heed, walking straight through the throng and ascending the steps leading to the platform.
On the high platform, King Qi had just arrived. Li Si walked steadily towards King Qi. The two exchanged a smile, and then stepped together onto the center of the platform. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, they began the solemn signing ceremony.
Li Si solemnly picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and carefully wrote his name on the paper, stroke by stroke. After finishing, he gently blew on it to let the ink dry slightly, then cautiously handed the paper to the King of Qi. The King of Qi took the paper, carefully examined Li Si's handwriting, nodded in satisfaction, then signed his own name with flowing strokes and returned the signed paper to Li Si. After exchanging documents, both sides carefully confirmed the other's signature again, and then each added their signature to the other's documents.
Thus, the entire signing process was successfully completed. Just then, Hou Sheng approached with a broad smile, warmly inviting Li Si to a banquet to celebrate the success of the cooperation. However, Li Si declined his offer without hesitation. At that moment, Li Si was eager to return to Qin and report this important news to the King of Qin.
After bidding farewell to his victorious wife, Li Si stepped out of the post station and boarded the carriage that had been prepared for him. The driver cracked his whip, and the wheels began to turn, speeding westward along the wide road toward the Qin state.