After breakfast, Dali's envoys left the Court of State Ceremonial's guesthouse and headed straight for the Great Ming Imperial Palace.
The Emperor of Great Ming usually received envoys from foreign lands in the Hall of Preserving Harmony. This time, however, the audience was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, commonly called the Hall of Golden Chimes, which was normally reserved for major occasions, to demonstrate the importance attached to Duan Yu, Dali's Crown Prince.
Ba Tianshi, the Dali envoy accompanying him, was very satisfied with Great Ming's attitude. It seemed the marriage alliance would succeed.
But judging by His Highness's expression, he did not seem particularly happy.
Was he still thinking about the Prince of Zhennan's passing?
But for Dali's sake, His Highness had to seek a Great Ming princess's hand. The Song Clan of Southern Yue had been eyeing Dali like a hungry tiger.
After entering the Hall of Golden Chimes, Duan Yu frowned slightly.
What was going on? He had expected to see many civil officials, so why did he sense the auras of so many powerful martial artists?
Duan Yu did not understand why, but he kept feeling that something was wrong.
"Duan Yu, Crown Prince of Dali, together with Dali's envoys, Ba Tianshi and the others, greets Your Majesty, Emperor of Great Ming." Duan Yu cupped his hands.
The Emperor of Great Ming laughed heartily. "Dispense with the formalities, Crown Prince of Dali. Please sit. Give the other envoys seats as well."
After the two exchanged a few pleasantries, Ba Tianshi could not resist speaking. "Your Majesty, our Crown Prince has personally come to Great Ming's capital not only to sign the treaty of alliance, but also to seek a Great Ming princess's hand as his principal consort."
"With our two nations joined by marriage,