AEOGA CH79

Helian Yu possessed striking beauty, yet she was by no means light-headed or flirty. Her deportment was composed, dignified, and elegant. Even in her capacity as an envoy from a defeated nation, she maintained a balance that was neither humble nor arrogant, while remaining perfectly polite—leaving no room for anyone to fault her.

Representing Xifeng in this task, she could not afford a single misstep that might plunge her into an inescapable abyss.

Generals who fought for their country often lacked tact in interpersonal relations. Take Qin Yulong, for example: a brilliant strategist and formidable fighter, yet completely ignorant of the complexities of human hearts.

Helian Yu, having been tempered in the pressure cooker of the Xifeng imperial palace, was a master of disguise, deeply scheming, and tactful. She knew precisely what to say and what expressions to show for any given occasion. Even upon seeing Changli’s Emperor and Empress, being awed by their looks and presence while calculating a hundred thoughts in her mind, she revealed none of it on her face.

Only when her gaze fell upon Helian Xi did her tone soften almost imperceptibly, showing a glimpse of genuine affection.

Helian Xi, however, was far less composed. Before taking command on the battlefield himself, he had grown up under his sister’s protection. In a royal court where every step was taken on thin ice, even the most flamboyant personality would develop a sensitive and cautious nature. Helian Yu had shielded him well, blocking out the vast majority of darkness and crime, allowing him to retain his arrogant, willful side.

Having been alone in a foreign land for a year and suddenly seeing the beloved family member he had longed for, no amount of mental preparation could stop Helian Xi from brimming with tears. Choked with emotion, he cried out, “Sister!”

Helian Yu nearly lost her seat, almost standing up to rush over, grab her brother’s hands, and ask where he had been wronged.

Back in the imperial palace of Xifeng, whenever a young Helian Xi was bullied by other imperial siblings, he would return crying with such grievances and call for his sister. Helian Yu would instantly darken her expression: “Who bullied you? Sister will go teach them a lesson.”

Helian Yu was an absolute protector of her brother. In their past life, she had been driven to seize power after Helian Xi was forced into a political marriage, and had even been willing to risk destruction alongside Yelang just to seek revenge against Changli when he died there.

Helian Xi was her inverse scale, as well as her weakness.

Yet Helian Yu remembered she was currently in Changli and could not simply run over to comfort him as she would in Xifeng. Just as she was secretly burning with anxiety, she noticed the handsome youth seated next to Helian Xi looking even more nervous than she was. He hurriedly offered a handkerchief to Helian Xi, and seeing that Helian Xi was too focused on her to notice, the youth gently wiped the tears from Helian Xi’s eyes while softly comforting him.

Helian Yu eased her mind slightly, her impression of this youth rising considerably.

She was a seasoned master at putting on a show, so she could tell that the youth’s anxious concern for her brother was entirely genuine. That brought her immense relief.

It seemed her brother had not failed to make friends in Changli’s harem.

Having a true friend by his side was vastly better than being isolated and helpless. She recalled her father, Virtuous Consort, whose heart had been broken time and again by her Imperial Mother over the years, only managing to endure thanks to the companionship of his dear friend, Noble Consort Zheng.

And so, once Noble Consort Zheng passed away… her father’s heart had completely died toward her Imperial Mother.

Restraining her impulse, she offered a faint smile: “Reunion is a joyful occasion, so why are you crying? Showing such a lack of composure—are you not afraid His Majesty will take offense?”

In such a stern and formal diplomatic setting, improper conduct before the throne was indeed an offense. In Xifeng, other consorts would surely seize upon this to make a fuss. By raising it directly herself, Helian Yu practically invited the Emperor to state that he “would not take offense,” preventing her brother from suffering grievances later.

Having to weigh every single word and action through endless calculations in Xifeng was truly exhausting.

Xie Chongjin caught her underlying intent and could only marvel at how this sibling pair possessed a mind with ten thousand twists and turns. He wondered what kind of earthly hell the Xifeng imperial palace was to raise people to be so excessively cautious.

In truth, Changli didn’t have so many intricate schemes. Xie Chongjin’s natural disposition was open, forthright, and generous.

Had it not been for the devastation of countless past lives that forged his deep shrewdness and camouflage, he would not have been sharp enough to notice this level of detail.

Xie Chongjin said nonchalantly: “Reuniting with your sibling brings natural joy and excitement; where is the offense? The Seventh Imperial Princess might as well stay at Feiquan Palace tonight—it happens to be Ninth Prince’s residence. During the Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth of the eighth lunar month, Ninth Prince was terribly homesick. Now that it is the reunion festival of the fifteenth of the first lunar month, you naturally should enjoy a proper gathering.”

Feiquan Palace had several empty side halls that would suit Helian Yu perfectly for a short stay.

Helian Yu froze.

Xifeng observed strict rules regarding physical boundaries between men and women. Aside from the Empress Regnant, men and women residing together in the inner palace was improper, even for blood relatives. If a male palace member wished to see his sisters, they had to speak from behind a curtain.

Though she longed to gather with her brother, she could not ruin his reputation by breaking such rules, so she politely declined: “Helian Yu shall stay at the official hostel; it is enough that I may enter the palace to visit A-Jiu. Men and women should not mingle closely; it violates propriety.”

Xie Chongjin said: “Changli has no such rule. Since the Seventh Imperial Princess has come to Changli, simply follow local customs.”

Helian Yu: “…”

That was true—Changli didn’t even have women, so naturally it lacked rules regarding physical boundaries between men and women.

But is this truly acceptable?

Even if the Emperor didn’t mind the siblings staying together, there were so many consorts in the harem—were they really just letting a woman move in like that?

Or perhaps… everyone in Changli is gay, so no one cares at all…

As Helian Yu pondered, she actually managed to convince herself.

Lu Xuechao spoke gently: “The Seventh Imperial Princess has traveled a long and exhausting journey. Changli has prepared a banquet to welcome you; please sample Changli’s wine, dishes, and fruits.”

When he spoke, his tone was warm yet his voice carried a crisp coldness, sounding like warm jade clashing, shattering the mundane noise of the world.

Changli’s Empress… is truly matchlessly gorgeous.

Helian Yu was awed by the Empress’s beauty, but she paid little mind to his words.

Banquet food was mostly for show—looking exquisite, but tasting entirely bland. Accustomed to imperial delicacies, she didn’t think Changli’s offerings could be anything special.

As for fruits, the finest and sweetest were all in Xifeng; how could Changli possibly compare?

Still, being in Changli, she had to give them face and eat a little.

These thoughts ceased the moment the food entered her mouth.

Over the past few months, Huaman Pavilion had introduced new dishes every month: Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Crab Roe and Shark Fin, Hibiscus Shrimp, Rock Sugar Hunan Lotus Seeds, and more. Grand Marshal Liu practically lived at Huaman Pavilion, clutching his Compendium of Heaven’s Delicacies all day while agonizing over how to rank them—these varied, uniquely flavored, and intensely delicious dishes triggered an absolute choice paralysis in him.

With an endless stream of irreplaceable new dishes, Huaman Pavilion’s business had never slowed. Not only in Yujing, but the branch in Jiangnan had also been overrun by wealthy local families as soon as Xie Chongjin returned to the capital, making business astronomically good.

Striking while the iron was hot, Lu Xuechao had Hua Yan arrange for several more branches to open across the nation, spreading Huaman Pavilion’s fame to every corner of Changli.

Fortunately, Huaman Pavilion opened few branches, targeting the high-end market with premium prices that set a high threshold, avoiding competition with ordinary folk; otherwise, other taverns would have been forced out of business.

Xie Chongjin had originally written the plaque for Huaman Pavilion. Seeing its success, he placed Huaman Pavilion’s dishes directly onto state banquets, designating them as national cuisine.

With this imperial halo added to its already soaring reputation, Huaman Pavilion even caught the attention of neighboring nations.

Foreign merchants came, tasted the food, and declared upon their return: “If you haven’t tasted Huaman Pavilion’s dishes, you haven’t truly been to Changli.”

Local diners remarked: “If you don’t visit Huaman Pavilion, you haven’t truly lived.”

Helian Yu had heard a little of these grand reputations.

Yet because the praise sounded so exaggerated, it felt unreal.

Only now, tasting it herself, did she realize the reputation was fully deserved.

While Helian Yu managed to maintain her composure, the other Xifeng envoys completely lost control of their expressions, revealing looks of delight and bliss.

They had never tasted such delicious food in their lives!

To serve as envoys, they were noblewomen in Xifeng at the very least, accustomed to luxury. Had they not tasted Changli’s national cuisine, they would have thought their everyday food was fine.

But by comparison, Xifeng’s dishes suddenly tasted entirely flavorless.

According to diplomatic etiquette, banquet dishes were merely decorative, intended primarily as a backdrop for conversation. Often, by the end of a diplomatic talk, barely a few bites were touched.

This time, however, they cleaned their plates completely, as if they had come solely to eat.

After the meal, they sampled a cup of sweet rice wine, its sugary fragrance instantly earning high praise from the group of women.

As Xifeng natives, they harbored friction with Changli and held a slight aversion toward it, second only to their hatred for Yelang.

Yet business was business—they genuinely wished to bring Changli’s national dishes and rice wine back home.

Watching her envoys focus single-mindedly on devouring the food, Helian Yu cursed them silently for embarrassing themselves.

She wasn’t afraid of Yelang, so she certainly wouldn’t bow to Changli. Though presenting tribute, she needed to display the proud, noble, and unyielding stature of a sovereign nation.

How could their female-dominant nation be outshone by a group of men?

Yet her team had been bought off by a single meal.

Though… it really was delicious.

Helian Yu set down her silver chopsticks before her empty bowl, elegantly wiping her lips.

The fruit platter held post-meal fruits like oranges and apples to cleanse the palate.

They don’t have grapes; they lost on this point, Helian Yu scored a small victory in her heart.

Compared to Changli’s cold climate and vast barren lands, Xifeng enjoyed a superior geographical location with abundant farmland and mineral veins, making it rich and beautiful. Its warm, pleasant climate was ideal for cultivation, resulting in excellent agricultural development. Agriculture drove its economy, making grain, vegetables, and fruits its largest exports.

They also shared the deepest hatred with Yelang.

Xifeng was wealthy, but lacked powerful weapons. Such a land was practically waiting for Yelang’s cavalry—whose military stats were maxed out while its populace starved—to trample and plunder. Had Changli not stood between them, making it inconvenient for Yelang to bypass Changli for a full-scale invasion, Xifeng would have been in grave danger.

Due to these mutual interests, despite hating male rule, Xifeng and Changli had historically been friendly trading partners before the current Empress Regnant launched that war due to internal strife.

Of course, Xifeng never cut trade with Yelang either; Yelang constantly traded outdated weapons for Xifeng’s grain, leaving Xifeng angry but silent. If they refused, Yelang sent troops to raid them directly. If Yelang launched a full war, Changli would step in, but when small raiding parties borrowed passage, Changli usually turned a blind eye—unable to beat Yelang themselves, there was no need to force a confrontation.

The law of the jungle always governed international relations. After ascending the throne, Xie Chongjin had developed the military and strictly guarded the borders, determined not to let a single Yelang soldier enter. Whether invading or borrowing passage, Yelang troops treading on Changli soil showed utter contempt for Changli.

Unfortunately, he had been controlled, missing the opportunity to grow strong.

The Empress Regnant was mediocre and tyrannical, fearful of military houses, and refused to employ good generals. Facing Yelang’s raids, she consistently advocated suing for peace with grain and money. Only after Helian Yu took military command did Xifeng gain the backbone to drive Yelang soldiers from its borders every time.

As her military merit grew, backed by her maternal Wen family of generals, she became an object of suspicion.

Helian Yu came this time with a mission.

Not only was she here to present tribute, but also to restore diplomatic ties between Xifeng and Changli.

Before their common enemy, Yelang, the minor friction between their two nations was insignificant. Previously, when the Empress Regnant attacked Changli’s border, Changli had severed ties and halted trade—which was actually the game’s automated choice, operating on a simple logic: she attacked me, so of course I sever ties.

From Xie Chongjin’s perspective, he would never make such a rash move. Without buying grain from Xifeng, Changli’s agricultural level couldn’t produce enough to feed its populace, inevitably leading to devastation and widespread starvation. National grudges did not mean economic ties had to end; Yelang and Xifeng shared a blood feud, yet trade between them never stopped—each simply took what it needed.

Reality was no game.

The Empress Regnant originally hadn’t cared. Without Xifeng, Changli faced grain shortages and couldn’t survive the winter, surely falling into internal chaos before long.

Yet Changli gained Lin Chanzhi, an agricultural officer who reclaimed wasteland nationwide, planted crops suited to local climates, cultivated new rice strains, boosted yields, and vigorously developed agriculture. This winter, Changli’s people lived comfortably.

Only then did the Empress Regnant panic. Excluding Leyang, which sat isolated at sea, the three continental powers had formed a balance. Changli’s military was stronger than theirs; once its agriculture caught up, Xifeng would become the weakest on land, leaving its position precarious.

She had to ally with Changli once more.

She merely wondered whether Xifeng still held any value in Changli’s eyes.

Helian Yu had accepted this task and arrived with this mission; only by accomplishing it could she hold weight before her Imperial Mother.

Failure was not an option.

That the Empress Regnant wished to restore ties with Changli came as a surprise to Xie Chongjin and Lu Xuechao.

In the countless past lives, the Empress Regnant had always been hostile toward Changli, never raising the idea of restoring diplomatic ties.

Though brilliant, the two had been briefly misled by this habitual thinking.

In past lives, lacking freedom, Changli grew weaker under player control and truly couldn’t survive winters without Xifeng, so the Empress Regnant saw no need to re-establish ties.

Now, under their governance, Changli had grown slightly stronger.

Thus, the outcome changed.

Even so, their intention to support Helian Yu remained unchanged.

An incompetent ally would only drag them down even if allied.

If Helian Yu did not ascend the throne, Xifeng would sooner or later be ruined by its own Empress Regnant. When succession chaos struck, Yelang would seize the chance to strike.

That was something Changli did not wish to see.