NOVEL NEXT Chapter 446
The Zhao’s were not from the capital, which was why they weren’t too familiar with noble etiquette. When they saw the embroidered seats being moved by the servants, they sat down instantly, not knowing that according to the etiquette, they were only supposed to sit on half the seat.
Naturally, Mu Mingtang would not care too much about that with them. Once she saw that the duo was seated, she stated, “The Prince and I have been bothering you quite a lot lately. Things might become troublesome for you, so I hope Sir Zhao and Madam Zhao can forgive us.”
Squire Zhao was a well-known squire in Qingshui Town. Addressing him by the term ‘sir’ meant that Mu Mingtang respected the man enough to use honorifics when it came to the squire. Madam Zhao hurriedly declined and said that she didn’t have to, “The King of Qiyang coming here to fight makes him the benefactor of our entire Qinghe Town. It is our family’s honour for the Princess to live in the Zhao family instead of it being troublesome.”
This was a simple case of both parties being mutually understanding. Mu Mingtang did not refuse her claims before she nodded and said with a smile, “Then I shall thank you again, Sir Zhao and Madam Zhao.”
Mother Zhao and Mu Mingtang talked for a while as the former thought that the Princess was not as inapproachable as she imagined. Princess An looked very kind and even behaved in a much nicer way than the County Magistrate’s wife. Mother Zhao slowly relaxed and chatted casually with Mu Mingtang, “Those Beirong people are really such scums, not even letting us spend the New Year’s happily. On the 15th day, we were planning to go to the county to watch the lanterns being set, but it turned out that the Beirong army had suddenly ended up being across the river, which scared us a lot. We still have a daughter at home who has not yet left the house much before, so how are we to be brave enough to let her venture out alone?”
Mu Mingtang glanced at Madam Zhao and immediately understood her worries. Although the imperial court and Beirong seemed to be in harmony and were discussing a peace treaty with each other last year, among the people, the Ye Dynasty had a particularly serious conflict with the Khitans of Beirong.
Even if the royal family such as Ye Luyan knew Chinese and learned their culture, they were still people outside the customs of the tradition. They drank blood, burned, killed and looted, which brought disaster to the common people of the Ye Dynasty. Hence, folks of the Ye Dynasty and the Khitans hated each other, which was why there was no surprise when all Madam Zhao had to say about the enemy was nothing but crass words.
Mu Mingtang had also experienced a war first-hand and understood this all too well. Instead, she was a little surprised, “Since Mother Zhao is worried about the Beirong army’s invasion and the fact that they’re so close, why haven’t you left?”
“Where can we go?” Mother Zhao complained, “Unless there isn’t another alternative, who would be willing to part with their home? When I first learned that the Beirong people were coming from the other side of the river, I was very scared and packed all my luggage. I planned to go to the capital to join my relatives. Unexpectedly, news came two or three days later that the King of Qiyang was going to war. When I heard that, I felt determined to stay and check out the situation for a few more days. Later, my relatives in the capital sent me a message, confirming that it was indeed the King of Qiyang who brought his men to fight. Now that he is here, we have no reason to escape any longer.”