It can be confusing! New continent, new characters. Again lol
This is from memory so apologies for incorrect info. The Great Meeting is happening to negotiate new trade agreements and talk about issues concerning both empires and such between the Lethiri Empire and the Tiste Edur tribes. Buruk the Pale represents Letheri interests, merchants, government, that sort of thing. Think of Hull Beddict and Seren Padoc as designated ambassadors from Lethirri escorting Buruk, without them, Buruk couldn't enter Tiste territory. The Tiste don't really care and only do it to placate the large human nation next door and to provide a steady supply of human slaves. Hull has a bad history between himself and the Letheri Empire that you'll see and wants to maybe muck up the whole process and more. The Queen is not a nice person, but the King truly is compassionate and I can't remember why they need Gerun out of the city. Think of the Letheri Empire as capitalism run amok. The Letheri are a "slow and steady wins the race" kind of Empire. Their society runs on debts and treaties and backstabbing and plotting. They don't tend use their military unless they have to. They see territory they want but say your tribe is already there. They offer you trade and things you want and ask you give up your people and land and put you into so much debt you have to sell everything you have including yourself, and then they assimilate you and your culture so after a generation or two, you wonder just what happened?
The Letheri have been ignorant of much of the rest of the world beyond their own large continent for a very long time. Keep that in mind, the world has passed them by.
Midnight Tides was my least favorite book at first, BUT by the time I was finished with it I saw how it was all going to come together and now it's one of my favorites. Like all Erikson books, the ending is fantastic. I enjoyed the Tehol and Bugg mystery/banter and how Trull's story slowly unfolds. I felt the same way, "ANOTHER new continent?!?!" but Midnight Tides is all about what's going on on the other side of the world while the previous books are taking place. You'll have quite a few "Ah Hah!" moments as events from other books are aluded to in this one from other characters from a different perspective. Plus Trull and Tehol/Bugg and Brys, you'll grow to love, and Rulahd...well, just read on! Trust me you are not alone in how you feel. But it may change! It did with me. Keep reading!
After this you get to Bonehunters, (back to the Malazans) and all the major subplots across all previous five books and continents start to slowly weave together for an epic Convergence in the Crippled God.