TNIBFT -Chapter 202 Mother and Son Meet

At this moment, outside the City Lord’s residence.

When the people learned that an envoy from Great Zhou had come to negotiate peace, many citizens had already gathered outside the City Lord’s residence before dawn, waiting all the way until the lanterns were lit at dusk.

The crowd kept growing.

The streets were filled with anxious townsfolk, waiting eagerly.

Light snow fell from the sky. Everyone stood packed together in the snow, faces full of hardship, pressing close to one another to share warmth.

Countless guards stood along both sides of the street, weapons in hand, maintaining order.

“Why hasn’t the Great Zhou official arrived yet? This is far too arrogant!”

“The Great Zhou Empress fought her way to the imperial capital with a single silver spear. Even our emperor had to kneel and beg for peace. For commoners like us to survive at all is already a blessing!”

“Heaven above, please show mercy—just let the Great Zhou Empress spare us and stop this war…”

“Yes… my father and my husband both died in battle. I can’t let my son go die as well!”

The crowd chattered noisily.

“Thud, thud, thud…” Rapid hoofbeats suddenly rang out, interrupting the discussions.

A group of guards in dark red uniforms galloped through the wind and snow, holding red flags as they shouted, “The Great Zhou envoy has arrived!”

“Make way! Clear the path!”

“The Great Zhou envoy has arrived!”

At the announcement, Tao Lichun led Ye Yunting out of the City Lord’s residence to personally receive them at the gate.

Snowflakes drifted down. Ye Yunting’s small face was expressionless, his thoughts unreadable.

He turned his head to look. At the far end of the now-cleared street, several tall horses led the way. The soldiers riding them wore silver armor, tall and imposing, their gazes filled with disdain—as if they were gods looking down upon the people of Sifang City.

They moved slowly. In the middle of the formation followed a massive, luxurious carriage, so exquisitely crafted that the citizens of Sifang City dared not look at it directly. Wherever it passed, the people fell to their knees in waves.

Abandoning all dignity, they knelt and kowtowed, praying desperately.

“My lord, please have mercy on us—don’t let there be war again!”

“We have nothing left in this city but our lives…”

“The Great Zhou Empress is benevolent—please spare us common folk!”

“Please, my lord, put in a good word for us before Her Majesty!”

The people wept as they knelt.

Seeing this, Tao Lichun felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if his chest were suffocating. He covered it with one hand and shook his head helplessly, thinking to himself:

“Great Liang… heavens above… these are the people of Great Liang!”

“The law of the jungle—how tragic!”

“This is the shame of our generation. Yunting, remember this—one day, you must make Great Liang rise again. Promise your teacher.”

Ye Yunting frowned but did not answer.

Though he was a citizen of Great Liang, it was people from the imperial consort’s faction who had tried to kill his family. He had grown up in Sifang City without receiving a single bit of protection from Great Liang. Why should he make Great Liang rise again?

What did it have to do with him?

Tao Lichun was about to continue speaking, but the carriage had already approached and come to a stop. He had no choice but to step forward to receive the envoy.

Tao Lichun cupped his hands and called out loudly, “I am Tao Lichun, Chief Secretary of Sifang City. I lead the city officials in welcoming the envoy.”

“You must have had a tiring journey, my lord.”

“Please follow me into the residence to rest. I have prepared a welcoming banquet, with simple wine to warm you against the cold.”

The wind howled.

For a long while, there was no response.

The carriage remained silent.

Tao Lichun stood where he was and slowly raised his head to look toward it.

The surrounding townspeople knelt on the ground, whispering among themselves.

The envoy refused to step out of the carriage?

Time passed, second by second.

Seeing sweat beginning to form on his teacher’s forehead, Ye Yunting glanced at the carriage and stepped forward. In a childlike, tender voice, he said, “Sir, Chief Steward Gao Defu has been waiting for over half a month. He’s been longing for your arrival and is still waiting inside the residence, sir…”

Before Ye Yunting could finish—

A pair of fair, slender hands pulled open the curtain. A man dressed in luxurious dark blue robes, with a black sable cloak draped over his shoulders, stepped down from the carriage.

A golden crown adorned his head.

He wore cloud-patterned brocade boots and stood with his hands behind his back, frowning slightly in the wind and snow.

His bearing was so extraordinary it could overshadow mountains and rivers. An invisible pressure radiated from him, instantly silencing the chaotic scene.

Qin Fengyi stared blankly at the child before her. Though she did not know who he was, her eyes inexplicably grew moist, and she felt an overwhelming urge to rush forward and embrace him.

Her hands trembled as she struggled to restrain herself, clenching her fists tightly within the wide sleeves of her robe.

Nanfeng softly reminded, “Master?”

“Master!”

Qin Fengyi’s gaze flickered, and she finally broke free from her emotions. A faint smile appeared on her lips as she cast a cold glance at the sorrowful townspeople. Her voice was indifferent: “Since Chief Steward Gao is waiting, let us go in at once.”

With that, she stepped past Tao Lichun. When she reached Ye Yunting’s side, her steps paused briefly.

She slightly turned her head.

She wanted to ask clearly—
Is your father Ye Tian?
Are you… my son?

It felt as if every drop of blood in her body was roaring.

The bond of blood could not be mistaken.

Neither could her intuition.

Lowering her head, Qin Fengyi clenched her teeth and walked past Ye Yunting. She swore this would be the last time—

That a mother and son would meet without recognizing each other.

Tao Lichun quickly led the officials of Sifang City to follow. Seeing Ye Yunting still standing there in a daze, Tao Lichun patted his shoulder and said with relief, “The older I get, the more hasty I become. I didn’t think things through as carefully as you did.”

He gave a bitter smile. Recalling how the envoy had paused beside Ye Yunting, Tao Lichun still felt lingering fear. He added in a low voice, “Just follow along. Don’t draw the attention of the Great Zhou people—I’m afraid it may be harmful to your future.”

“This Meng Yuquan is not simple.”

Ye Yunting nodded.

Only then did Tao Lichun lead the group after Qin Fengyi.

As the envoy entered the City Lord’s residence, several armored soldiers from Great Zhou also attempted to follow, but Qin Fengyi’s confidants blocked them at the entrance with drawn swords.

“My lord did not permit you to enter!”

“You’ll have to trouble yourselves to wait outside.”

“You—!” The men were unwilling and glared angrily, about to argue. But as the two confidants drew their swords, they immediately lost their momentum.

Along the journey, Lord Meng had become increasingly strange. Some of his former trusted aides had either met with inexplicable misfortune or suddenly offended him and were pushed aside. Everything had appeared justified, and given Lord Meng’s unpredictable temper, it all seemed normal.

So they dared not think too much of it. After all, Meng Yuquan was the son-in-law of the Left Chancellor—who would dare scheme against him?

Inside the City Lord’s residence, the scenery was bleak.

Qin Fengyi narrowed her eyes as she glanced around and said in a low voice, “The snow disaster in Sifang City is not as severe as imagined. Though the people are poor, such conditions cannot be changed overnight.”

“I see the townspeople are orderly and hold Tao Lichun in high regard. It seems he is a capable administrator.”

Nanfeng nodded, standing just one step behind her.

“And that child…” Qin Fengyi began, then suddenly halted.

The officials of Sifang City kept their heads lowered as they walked. Seeing the envoy suddenly stop, they became extremely uneasy, nearly dropping to their knees in fright.

With a faint smile, Qin Fengyi looked kindly at Ye Yunting beside Tao Lichun and beckoned to him.

“I feel as though I’ve seen you before.”

Ye Yunting looked up in surprise.

Tao Lichun grew anxious.

The officials lowered their heads, cold sweat forming on their brows.

Tao Lichun stepped forward respectfully and cupped his hands, “My lord, Yunting has grown up in Sifang City. I fear he has never had the fortune of meeting you. He is still but a child—he may not be worthy of your favor.”