"Ah, let's choose six with good skills!"

Cao Cao waved his hand, then pulled Yuan Shao toward a private room on the second floor.

"Six...six?"

Even the madam was taken aback for a moment.

Soon, the madam, as Cao Cao had requested, brought six carefully selected women to the private room.

"Hmm, not bad, these are the ones!"

Looking at the six women with their graceful figures and beautiful faces, Cao Cao nodded in satisfaction and then dismissed the madam.

"Hey~, don't rush, line up, one at a time!"

As Cao Cao finished speaking, the six women obediently lined up and came to a guqin (a seven-stringed zither).

Soon, beautiful piano music filled the private room.

Cao Cao and Yuan Shao listened with obvious enjoyment.

That's right, the two of them really did come here simply to listen to music.

Deyang Palace.

Upon learning of the return of yet another team, Liu Hong summoned Chen Fan, Hu Guang, Li Ying, Yuan Feng, Yang Ci, Cao Song, Xun Shuang, and others to the palace.

After the emperor and his minister exchanged greetings, Liu Hong first looked at Yang Ci, who was then serving as the Grand Herald.

"Grand Herald, how many foreign envoys are currently in the Court of State Ceremonies?"

Yang Ci stood up: "Your Majesty, as of today, there have been twelve missions!"

These included the Xiongnu Qiangqu tribe, the western Xianbei Tanshihuai tribe, the central Xianbei Yuwen tribe, the western Qiang Shehetai tribe, the Baima clan, the Wuhuan Qiuliju tribe, the Wuhuan Nanlou tribe, the Fuyu tribe, the Chenhan, Mahan, and Bianhan, as well as the Western Regions kingdom of Shanshan.

Liu Hong frowned as well: "What? Out of so many countries in the Western Regions, only Shanshan sent an envoy?"

Yang Ci nodded: "Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Bang!" Liu Hong immediately slammed his hand on the table and stood up, asking in a deep voice, "It's one thing for the Western Regions countries not to obey the imperial edict, but why haven't the Imperial Guards I sent out returned after so long?"

"this.....!"

Upon hearing Liu Hong's question, everyone felt a chill run down their spines, as if they had also thought of something bad.