frightfiction Chapter 388 Lu Jia and the Queen Mother Reach an Agreement
Chapter 388 Lu Jia and the Queen Mother Reach an Agreement
The next day, taking advantage of the fact that no one was watching, Lu Jia went to request an audience with the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager had naturally heard of Lu Jia and Liu Qi, as they had appeared before Touman Chanyu, and she was filled with curiosity about these two merchants from the Central Plains. When she learned that Lu Jia wished to see her, the Empress Dowager readily agreed and had him led into her tent.
At this moment, the tent was completely silent, with only the Queen Mother and Lu Jia sitting opposite each other. Lu Jia took a deep breath, stood up, and gave the Queen Mother a standard bow, then slowly said, "Greetings, Queen Mother. I am Lu Jia, a merchant from the Central Plains. I have come to pay my respects to the Queen Mother to discuss a cooperative matter."
Upon hearing this, the Queen Consort's lips curled slightly upward, revealing a half-smile. Her large, watery eyes, as soft and alluring as silk, stared intently at Lu Jia, as if they could see right through his soul. This sudden gaze caught Lu Jia off guard, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of unease.
After all, Lu Jia was just a young man who had not yet come of age, and was still quite ignorant about matters between men and women. Before this, he had almost never had such close contact with a woman, let alone been gazed at so intently by such a charming and beautiful woman. However, he knew the purpose of his trip, so he forced himself to remain calm, composed himself, and continued, "Empress, what are your thoughts on Modu Chanyu?"
Before the words were even finished, the queen's face instantly darkened, her previous alluring demeanor vanishing completely, replaced by disgust and resentment. Clearly, the name Maodun had touched a nerve deep within her, filling her with resentment towards this man.
Lu Jia observed all of this, pondering to himself. He noticed that the Empress Dowager's hand was unconsciously stroking her slightly protruding belly, as if protecting the fetus within. Taking the opportunity, he asked, "Empress Dowager, judging by your belly, you must be about to give birth?"
The queen was slightly taken aback, then quickly recovered, a smile returning to her lips. She said softly, "Yes, the time is almost here. You little rascal, you're quite thoughtful." Her gaze fell on Lu Jia again, and she asked meaningfully, "You just asked me about my opinion of Maodun, does that mean you don't like him either?"
Lu Jia did not directly answer the queen's question, but instead said slowly, "Modu is brave and skilled in battle. He not only has a large number of supporters in the tribe, but also demonstrated outstanding talent in the recent war against the Donghu, winning the high praise of the Chanyu. If this continues, Modu will surely become the next Chanyu of the Xiongnu. At that time, you and your unborn child will probably face a very serious situation!"
Upon hearing these words, the Empress Dowager, who had been lazily leaning against the soft couch, suddenly sat up straight. She stared intently at Lu Jia, the tenderness in her eyes vanishing instantly, replaced by a coldness and vigilance.
Lu Jia met the Empress's gaze without flinching, his eyes firm and steady, as if he had already anticipated her reaction. After a while, the Empress finally broke the silence, her voice icy as she asked, "What exactly do you want to say?"
Seeing this, Lu Jia's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile, and then he slowly said, "If Maodun were alive, your child would certainly not be able to become the new Chanyu in the future. Not only that, Maodun would very likely try every means to get rid of your child to ensure his own stability. Queen, are you willing to let such a thing happen?"
A chilling killing intent suddenly flashed in the queen's eyes, as if a cold light had swept across them. Her voice was deep and cold, carrying an undeniable authority, as she said, "Get to the point."
Upon seeing this, Lu Jia quickly composed himself, not daring to be negligent in the slightest. He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and then respectfully said, "I am willing to lend the Queen Mother a hand, to keep Maodun away from this place, and to remove future obstacles for your child."
The queen's eyes narrowed slightly as she scrutinized Lu Jia, seemingly considering the veracity of his words. After a moment, a barely perceptible flicker of interest crossed her eyes, but her tone remained cautious as she pressed, "Why are you helping me? What is your purpose?"
Lu Jia smiled slightly, revealing a sincere expression, and explained, "I come from the Central Plains, and I only hope that the Xiongnu can be stable internally, so that our business can last. If I can help the Empress resolve her worries, I hope that she will take good care of our business in the Xiongnu in the future."
The queen listened, then remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. Finally, she asked, "So what is your plan?"
Lu Jia confidently replied, "This matter is actually very simple. All you need to do is suggest to the Chanyu that Maodun go to Yuezhi."
The queen frowned slightly, seemingly having some doubts about the plan. She pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Sending Maodun to Yuezhi? That's a good idea. But will the Chanyu agree?"
Lu Jia smiled confidently: "The queen only needs to advise the Chanyu in this way, saying that the Yuezhi and the Xiongnu have maintained good relations for many years, but have always lacked sincerity. Sending Maodun will not only show the Xiongnu's sincerity, but also give Maodun some experience. Given the Chanyu's favor towards the queen, he will definitely consider it."
The queen nodded slightly, a ruthless glint in her eyes: "If this succeeds, I will never forget your kindness." Lu Jia quickly thanked her.
That night, the queen recounted to Touman Chanyu the words Lu Jia had taught her. Touman Chanyu was initially hesitant, but after the queen's persistent persuasion, he finally agreed to let Maodun go to Yuezhi. Upon receiving the order, Maodun, though doubtful, accepted the command and prepared to go to Yuezhi.
Maodun knew perfectly well that ever since his father, Touman Chanyu, married a new queen, his days had become increasingly difficult. This new queen never treated him well, constantly making sarcastic remarks or nitpicking, and in short, she disliked him.
To make matters worse, this new queen is now pregnant! Maodun inwardly groaned: What should he do? Knowing her temperament, once her child is born, his life among the Xiongnu will likely become even more difficult. She might even kill him, the son of the former queen, to ensure her child's ascension to the throne!
After much deliberation, Maodun decided that rather than living in constant fear among the Xiongnu, it would be better to leave as soon as possible and seek refuge with the Yuezhi. Although going to the Yuezhi was out of necessity, at least there he could secretly accumulate his strength and wait for the right opportunity to return. Moreover, in the Yuezhi, he could grow up peacefully without having to worry about being assassinated every day.
After all, he is still too young. Although many people have shown him goodwill, that's only because Touman Chanyu currently only has him as his child. But once the new queen's child is born, how many of those who originally supported him will still stand by his side? Maodun knew without a doubt that very few would remain.
After careful consideration, Maodun had made a clear decision. Without further hesitation, he quickly and decisively packed his belongings. Once everything was ready, he, accompanied by several loyal guards, resolutely prepared to leave the Xiongnu.