Chapter 90: Second Request for Peace
Shen Lingge spread out the paper in his hand. "Ceding ten cities is indeed much better than the five that Mobei promised us, but we originally captured seven cities. Doesn't this mean that Mobei only gave us three more cities?"
This was what Shen Lingge couldn't understand. Their original plan was to capture twelve cities.
Although Xu Zhao didn't know why only ten cities were required in the end in history, she still told Shen Lingge her own opinion.
"These ten cities in Mobei are poor and far away from the original territory of Yue Nation. They are actually not easy to manage. No matter how many cities we want, they will be difficult to manage and will become a burden. It is better to go with the flow and do a favor."
"Yue Country and Mobei Country are neighboring countries. Each country has its own specialties. These ten cities can be used for trade between the two countries. Both Yue people and Mobei people can live in the cities."
"But when people from two countries live together, friction is inevitable. What should we do?" Shen Lingge asked humbly.
"The Yue Kingdom can set up a Protectorate here to manage these ten cities, in order to maintain friendly relations between the two countries. Besides..." Xu Zhao looked at Shen Lingge meaningfully, "The unification of the four countries is an inevitable trend, and people from different countries will always have to adapt to each other's lives."
"Sister Zhao Zhao, what you mean is..."
Before Shen Lingge finished speaking, Xu Zhao raised his index finger and placed it in front of his mouth, making a gesture to silence him.
"You'll know when the time comes."
Shen Lingge: “!!!”
She also said that she was not a fairy. This made Shen Lingge even more convinced that Xu Zhao was a fairy who came down from heaven to help them solve their problems.
Xu Zhao didn’t care about the mess in Shen Lingge’s mind, “Compared to the city, war horses are the most important strategic materials.”
A good warhorse will have greater endurance on the battlefield and will run faster. It is an indispensable item for killing the enemy, and is much better than a city with poor air.
"That's right. Mobei's war horses have always been the best among the four countries. Even Zhongjin often buys war horses from Mobei, but they strictly control the number of first-class war horses."
The Mobei Kingdom was naturally afraid that other countries would buy the best war horses and attack their country later.
Shen Lingge looked at the contents on the paper. The original thirty A-grade war horses were changed to fifty, and the B-grade war horses were increased to one hundred.
"Since we have ten cities that coexist with the Mobei Kingdom, why don't we use them to our advantage and let our people learn how the Mobei Kingdom raises war horses? This way, we can not only produce war horses ourselves, but also obtain a batch of excellent war horses from the Mobei Kingdom."
"Good idea!" Shen Lingge clapped his hands.
"As for spices and furs, let your uncle decide for himself." Xu Zhao stood up, stretched, and made herself a cup of tea. After talking so much, she felt a little thirsty.
"Hurry up and have someone deliver it to your uncle."
…
Chen Yu received Xu Zhao's letter in the evening of the next day. After opening it and seeing Xu Zhao's crooked handwriting, the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
This word is really eye-catching!
Although the handwriting is ugly, it is still barely legible.
After reading it, Chen Yu roughly knew what Xu Zhao meant. She must have her reasons for writing it this way. In that case, he would do as Xu Zhao said.
After the first negotiation, Jirimutu roughly understood the attitude of Yue Kingdom, but twelve cities were too many for Mobei.
After his first attempt to seek peace failed, he submitted a letter stating the Moon Kingdom's conditions and had it sent back to the imperial city at full speed. However, he was reprimanded by the new emperor for his poor performance and was ordered to seek peace quickly without delay.
Seven days later, Jirimutu appeared again in the Yue Kingdom's camp. Because the two sides are currently negotiating a ceasefire, Shen Yu's army remains on standby, waiting for Mobei to sue for peace.
This time he revealed his true colors, saying that he would cede a maximum of ten cities, including the seven captured by the Moon Kingdom.
"Heh," Fang Xuren snorted at Jirimutu as usual, "Then for the two cities we lost, shouldn't Mobei Kingdom compensate us somewhere else?"
Before this meeting, Chen Yu had discussed with several deputy generals and decided to take what Xu Zhao provided them as the bottom line. If they could get more, it would be better not to get more. If not, the conditions Xu Zhao wrote to him would not be unacceptable.
When Jirimutu heard that Yue Kingdom agreed to take fewer cities, he puffed out his chest and said humbly: "I wonder what compensation Yue Kingdom wants?" As long as the conditions are reasonable, everything can be negotiated.
The territory of Mobei Kingdom is not large to begin with, and its cities are not as large as those of Yue Kingdom. If a city is taken away, the land around the city will also be lost. Twelve cities are definitely a heavy blow to the territory of Mobei.
Now, whatever can be saved is better.
Fang Xuren glanced at Vice General Wang, who immediately added: "Everyone in the four kingdoms knows that Mobei's war horses are top-notch. You only gave us thirty first-class horses, which is a bit too stingy."
"This... war horse is different from ordinary horses and is difficult to train..." Jirimutu's back, which had been straightened with great difficulty, now became hunched again. Thinking of the thundering methods of the new emperor after he ascended the throne, he sighed. It seems that this time he is really going to retire and return home.
"No matter how difficult it is to train them, Mobei sells a hundred war horses to Zhongjin every year. They are just giving us a few more now."
From what I heard, Lieutenant General Wang does have the potential to be a local rogue.
"I wonder how much your country wants?" Jirimutu really had no idea what to do.
This was a matter concerning the country, so Vice General Wang naturally could not speak. He turned his gaze towards Shen Yu who was sitting in a high position.
"I wonder how much your country can provide?" Chen Yu was originally looking down at the miscellaneous notes on the table. When he heard Ji Rimutu's question, he raised his eyes and glanced at him.
At this time, the two sides were testing each other. Chen Yu was afraid that the amount he quoted was too low, while Jirimutu was afraid that the amount he quoted was beyond what the person in front of him wanted.
Jirimutu asked tentatively, "Forty?"
Fang Xuren knew the minimum number his prince wanted. Hearing that the envoy in front of him only carried ten horses, he became even more unhappy, "Bah! I see that you, envoy, have no intention of seeking peace at all. I think it is better to forget it and return the armistice agreement to Mobei Kingdom."
If the armistice agreement was returned, it would mean that the Yue Kingdom would attack Mobei again, which was a scene that the new emperor did not want to see.
"Fifty!" Jirimutu almost fell backwards because of palpitations. He bit the tip of his tongue hard to calm himself down. "Prince Shen, we really can't have more. My Mobei country is willing to offer fifty first-class war horses and one hundred second-class war horses every year. I wonder what your country thinks!"
It is easier to breed a B-grade warhorse than an A-grade warhorse. Even if you breed ten warhorses in a row, you may not necessarily produce an A-grade one. This shows how scarce A-grade warhorses are.
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