sbdcsierra Chapter 464 A Conversation Between Two People
Chapter 464 A Conversation Between Two People
Li Muyan became instantly unhappy when Shen Tingzhi stopped her from eating meat.
She pouted, looking aggrieved, and pointed at the meat on the table, saying, "Eat meat, I want to eat meat."
Seeing Li Muyan's aggrieved and tearful appearance, before Shen Tianjiao could speak, the Marquis of Zhenbei spoke first.
“An’an likes to eat meat, so let her have it, let her have another piece. She’s old enough to eat meat.”
"She's been eating more meat porridge than usual lately. Children who like to eat meat are healthier."
"All of you except Jiaojiao started eating meat at her age."
Without waiting for anyone to say anything more, Marquis Zhenbei handed Li Muyan a piece of meat.
Once Li Muyan got the meat, she stopped making a fuss and obediently started eating it.
Seeing Li Muyan's gluttonous eating, everyone at the table was amused.
When Shen Tianjiao saw her children again this time, her biggest feeling was that her two children had really grown up and were different from before.
Halfway through the meal, Shen Tianjiao stood up and left the table; she had more important things to do.
Marquis Zhenbei arranged for Shen Tianjiao and Duan Qingning to meet at the Water Pavilion in Ziyun Manor.
When Shen Tianjiao arrived, Duan Qingning was already waiting there.
Hearing footsteps, Duan Qingning turned around, stood up, stepped aside, and said, "Your Majesty, you've arrived."
Although Duan Qingning's eyes have improved after treatment and she can see some light, she has not yet fully recovered.
She could only see Shen Tianjiao's blurry shadow; she couldn't make out what she actually looked like.
"Madam Duan, please don't stand on ceremony, please have a seat."
As soon as Shen Tianjiao finished speaking, Chun Chao stepped forward, helped Duan Qingning to her seat.
Shen Tianjiao then sat down as well. Chun Chao poured tea for the two of them and then stepped aside.
"Your Majesty the Empress wishes to see me today. Has something happened? Is Chaoyun alright?"
Duan Qingning isn't worried about anything right now; her only worry is her precious daughter. She's wondering if anything might happen to her.
"Madam Duan, don't worry, Chaoyun is doing very well in the palace. She has recovered very well these days."
"Although she hasn't fully recovered yet, she can already speak and walk normally."
"If it rests for a while longer, it should be just like before."
Now that Shen Tianjiao is a mother, she can understand Duan Qingning's feelings at this moment.
With the Gu King given to Chao Yun by Duan Qingning, and the meticulous care of the imperial physicians, Chao Yun's body has recovered significantly. She is no longer the person she was before, on the verge of death.
Duan Qingning visibly breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Chao Yun was alright, she had nothing to worry about.
Since her last visit to Ziyun Manor, she has been staying here to recuperate. Although she is here, her heart is always with her daughter, Chaoyun.
"What brings Your Majesty the Empress here today?"
Although Duan Qingning didn't know why Shen Tianjiao wanted to see him, he knew in his heart that it was definitely not a trivial matter.
Shen Tianjiao looked at Duan Qingning and, without beating around the bush, said directly, "I have come to see Madam Duan today to discuss a business deal with her."
"Does Her Majesty the Empress want to discuss business with me?"
Duan Qingning was taken aback, but then she understood the meaning behind Shen Tianjiao's words.
She lowered her head and smiled, saying, "Your Majesty is too kind. It was you who saved the lives of my daughter and me."
"Your Majesty, please feel free to give any instructions. I, Duan Qingning, will absolutely not refuse and will do as you command."
Duan Qingning was well aware of her current situation. She was neither a princess of the Southern Chu Linwang Mansion nor a concubine of the Yunli Emperor. She was just a useless, ordinary old woman.
Given her current status, she is not in a position to negotiate with Shen Tianjiao.
Moreover, as she said, Shen Tianjiao was the savior of her and her daughter, and she would never refuse to do anything Shen Tianjiao asked her to do.
"Madam Duan, you are exaggerating. I once promised you that I would help you return to Southern Chu to avenge your family."
"Now there is an opportunity, but I don't know if Madam Duan is willing."
Duan Qingning was stunned again when Shen Tianjiao said this. When Shen Tianjiao told her that she would send her back to Nan Chu to help her take revenge, she had not taken it to heart at all.
Because she understood her current situation very well. She was someone who had no value to anyone, and no one would pay such a high price to help her return to Southern Chu to seek revenge.
Now, when Shen Tianjiao mentioned again that she wanted to send him back to Southern Chu to take revenge, one can imagine how great the shock was to Duan Qingning.
Seeing Duan Qingning standing there in a daze, Shen Tianjiao didn't say anything, letting Duan Qingning slowly come back to her senses.
It took Duan Qingning a long time to recover from her shock. It would be a lie to say that she didn't want revenge.
All her close relatives died in that conspiracy. The reason she has been able to survive until now is because of the hatred in her heart and the desire to avenge her family.
Otherwise, she should have died when she came to Yunli.
She desperately wanted revenge, but she also knew that she no longer had the power to do so.
Now that Shen Tianjiao is willing to help her return to Nan Chu to take revenge, she is naturally willing.
Of course, she also knew that there is no such thing as free help in this world, and that it is always best to give and take.
Shen Tianjiao's decision to help her return to Southern Chu to seek revenge was naturally driven by her own plans and motives.
But Duan Qingning was willing to do anything to avenge her family and secure a bright future for her daughter.
"Your Majesty the Empress is willing to return to Southern Chu and is willing to accept any arrangements made by Your Majesty the Empress."
Shen Tianjiao looked up and smiled. It was indeed good to deal with smart people; she didn't even have to waste words.
"Madam Duan, I am willing to send you back to Southern Chu and offer you the opportunity to take revenge, but there are indeed conditions."
Duan Qingning got straight to the point, and Shen Tianjiao wasn't one to mince words.
When smart people interact, there's no need for so many roundabout ways; everyone can just speak frankly and openly.
"Madam Duan, you should also know that Nan Chu is a major threat to Yunli."
"After that great battle, although Southern Chu outwardly submitted to Yunli, they actually continued to make underhanded moves behind the scenes."
"After I returned from Ziyun Manor, I encountered an assassination attempt orchestrated by people from Southern Chu on the main streets of the capital."
Shen Tianjiao got up and walked to the window, looking at the scenery outside, and said, "Whether as the current regent empress of Yunli, or just as an empress, I absolutely cannot tolerate this kind of thing."
"Since I am going to cooperate with Madam Duan, there is no point in hiding anything from her."
"I have decided to wage war against the six kingdoms of the Nine Provinces to free Yunli from its current predicament of being surrounded by enemies."
"Therefore, Southern Chu is now the first obstacle that I must remove."
"If Madam Duan wants to cooperate with me, then you should not only point the knife at your enemy, but also at your motherland, Southern Chu."
"Of course, I will not threaten you, nor will I use any means to force you to submit."
"I will give you time to consider, Madam Duan. Even if you disagree, it doesn't matter."
"You and Chaoyun can still stay in Yunli. I will still take care of your lives from now on."
Shen Tianjiao knew that Duan Qingning wanted to return to Nan Chu to seek revenge, but Shen Tianjiao also understood that Nan Chu was Duan Qingning's maternal clan.
If he wanted Duan Qingning to kill the emperor of Southern Chu, or even the entire royal family of Southern Chu, Duan Qingning wouldn't even flinch.
However, it would be difficult for Duan Qingning to point his knife at Nan Chu.
Nan Chu is where Duan Qingning was born and raised. No one would easily sell their home to others, allowing their enemies to enter and destroy it at will.
Especially now, if Duan Qingning agrees to cooperate with Shen Tianjiao, it also means that Southern Chu could be destroyed at any time.
In this situation, Duan Qingning should indeed be given time to think things through.
After all, this decision, no matter what choice she makes or what the outcome will be, is a very difficult one for Duan Qingning to decide.
Just as Shen Tianjiao turned to leave, wanting to give Duan Qingning time to think alone, Duan Qingning, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke.
"Your Majesty, there's no need to give me time to think. I agree to cooperate with Your Majesty and will do as Your Majesty instructs."
Duan Qingning's quick reply surprised Shen Tianjiao.
"Mrs. Duan, you..."
"Your Majesty, please don't say anything more, I'm willing."
Duan Qingning interrupted Shen Tianjiao before she could finish speaking.
"Your Majesty need not doubt why I agreed so readily, nor need you fear that I harbor any ill intentions or want to frame you and Yunli."
"Although Nan Chu is where my maternal clan is located, I have no relatives left in Nan Chu. All my relatives died in that political conspiracy back then."
"The Southern Chu of today is nothing but a place of sorrow for me."
For Duan Qingning, Southern Chu was indeed not a place where she could be happy. The deaths of her relatives, the betrayal of her lover, and the humiliation she had suffered for more than twenty years all stemmed from there.
If it weren't for seeking revenge for her parents and relatives, Duan Qingning would never want to set foot on the land of Southern Chu again in her life.
"I have a question for Her Majesty the Empress."
Shen Tianjiao, who had already planned to leave, turned back and sat down again after hearing Duan Qingning's words.
"Mrs. Duan, please feel free to ask any questions you may have."
Duan Qingning sat up straight and faced Shen Tianjiao. Although her eyes could not see like a normal person, she was able to determine Shen Tianjiao's location by the blurry shadow in front of her.
"If Your Majesty the Empress gets what you want, how do you plan to treat the people of Southern Chu?"
Duan Qingning's question was quite sharp.
To be honest, Shen Tianjiao had never thought about this question before.
When faced with Duan Qingning's question, she did not answer immediately, but thought about it for a moment.
He then said, "Whatever the royal family of Southern Chu has done, it has nothing to do with the people of Southern Chu."
"If one day I succeed in recovering Southern Chu and making it a part of Yunli, then I will treat the people of Southern Chu no differently than the people of Yunli."
"As long as they obey orders and don't cause trouble, they will have everything that the people of Yunli have."
"Southern Chu is located in a remote area, and its people are wild and fierce, all because no one has been civilized about it."
"I will send someone to Southern Chu to enlighten and teach them to read and write, so that they can understand right from wrong and not act recklessly like they do now, without any guidance."
"The people of Southern Chu are not good at farming. While I am sending people to educate them, I will also arrange for people to teach them farming so that they can solve their food and clothing problems through farming."
"In short, I will treat them as my own people, and do everything in my power to protect them, ensuring they have enough to eat and wear and live a peaceful and prosperous life."
Although Shen Tianjiao had never thought about how she would treat the people of Nan Chu if she really succeeded in taking over Nan Chu in one fell swoop.
However, she understood one thing: people from all over the world, regardless of their country, are often victims of imperial power.
They also need to be protected, treated equally, and respected.
Although it is not an easy task to educate the barbarians of a country, if they become subjects of Yunli, Shen Tianjiao has the obligation and responsibility to send people to educate and change them.
Shen Tianjiao's answer exceeded Duan Qingning's original expectations.
Duan Qingning looked at Shen Tianjiao with some excitement and said, "If Your Majesty the Empress can truly treat the people of Southern Chu as you treat the people of Yunli today, then it will be a blessing for the people of Southern Chu."
"The Duan family has ruled Southern Chu for over a hundred years, but the people of Southern Chu still live in misery, with many unable to even get enough to eat."
"The royal relatives and nobles can drive the people and provide them with a life of pleasure and luxury, but they never care about the lives of the people."
“These days, I have heard many people’s comments about the Empress.”
"I also know that Your Majesty the Empress is a rare and wise ruler. You have governed Yunli very well and treated your people exceptionally well."
"Based on this alone, Her Majesty the Empress is a hundred times better than the Emperor of Southern Chu, and is more qualified to govern Southern Chu."
"If Southern Chu can submit to Yun Li, I believe that under your rule, Southern Chu will definitely be much stronger than it is now."
"This is also why, although I don't want to go back to Southern Chu and face those things from the past, I am still willing to cooperate with Her Majesty the Empress."