Qi An asked, "What did the others say? Should we choose option one or option two?"
No one spoke, but their expressions clearly said it all…
Choose option two.
Sacrificing just one woman would not only avoid ceding a city but also bring temporary peace; it's a win-win situation no matter how you look at it.
Anyway, they don't have to pay the price.
As for what the princess was going to suffer, they all knew in their hearts, but what could they do?
Who can blame her for being a princess?
Since they have enjoyed offerings and honors, they naturally have an unshirkable responsibility when it comes to needing them.
Qi An slowly walked down the jade steps and stood at the forefront of the faction that had backed down, facing them directly.
Staring at them with a half-smile, those people's faces turned from nonchalance to guilt.
Fortunately, the Empress said, "I have decided to choose the second option: a marriage alliance."
They had just breathed a sigh of relief when the Queen added another twist: "However..."
All the ministers raised their heads and looked at Qi An.
Qi An casually dropped a bombshell: "However, it's not the princess who's going for the marriage alliance, but the prince."
Destroying Wumeng was nothing more than a matter of waving a hand to Boss Qi; her actions were merely an attempt to retaliate against Nie Ming.
In his past life, he caused great harm to the people of Dayu. Shouldn't he do something to make amends?
What?
Prince?
The Dayu royal family only has one prince, Crown Prince Nie Ming.
After realizing what had happened, many people were shocked and knelt down to dissuade them.
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely forbidden! The Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the nation; how can he be sent to another country for a political marriage?"
"Yes, absolutely not! Wouldn't that make us a laughingstock? What would become of the dignity of our Great Yu?"
"Your Majesty, please rescind your order and select a princess for a marriage alliance."
"Your Majesty, please reconsider."
Qi An smiled enigmatically: "We're practically being treated like grandsons by others, and I never knew that Da Yu still had any dignity left?"
Those who backed down looked embarrassed.
The Queen's blunt honesty was too hurtful to her pride.
"Furthermore, I don't quite understand. You say that the princess enjoys the offerings of the people and should repay them, but haven't the princes enjoyed them too?"
"Compared to the honor and status enjoyed by the princes, what are the leftovers that the princesses take with them?"
Why should princesses have to pay with their bodies and dignity, while princes can comfortably hide behind their skirts, and if they're lucky, they can even inherit the throne and become the ruler of a country?
Qi An looked at them and asked, "Tell me, why?"
The ministers: "..."
They were trying to say that it was natural because princesses were women and princes were men.
Since ancient times, it has been the responsibility of princesses to marry into foreign lands, while only princes could participate in the struggle for the throne.
But at this moment, facing the cold and ruthless Empress, no one dared to say such suicidal words.
“Since Huangfu Xiao said they are sending a prince to marry a foreign ruler, it is only right that we, Dayu, should also send a prince over.”
"Precisely because the Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the country and has a noble status, wouldn't sending him to Wumeng as a hostage show our sincerity even more?"
Qi An glanced around and asked, "What do you all think, my dear ministers?"
The ministers: "..."
Stared at by her deathly gaze, no one dared to utter a single word of dissent.
Zhang Li was the first to kneel down: "Your Majesty is wise."
Since the crown prince is already beyond redemption, sending him as a hostage will allow us to make the most of his current state.
A moment later, all the ministers knelt down, looking pale and ashen: "Your Majesty is wise."
Ever since the Empress grabbed several censors by the collar and smashed them against the wall in the main hall, no one has dared to resort to the tactic of remonstrating to the death.
Because everyone knows that if anyone dares to remonstrate to the death, the Empress will grant their request on the spot.
It's a done deal that Nie Ming will go to Wumeng as a hostage; we can put Wumeng aside for now.
Just as the ministers were about to continue discussing how to deal with the vassal kings, the Empress spoke again.
“The Crown Prince is young and does not know etiquette, which would be a disgrace to our Great Yu. Therefore, I have decided to select a few more of my beloved ministers as envoys to accompany him to Wumeng.”
Qi An pointed at the Minister of Rites and the few ministers who had been most vocal in their submission, and said with a smile:
"My dear ministers are all very polite, so go with the Crown Prince. Go and broaden the horizons of those bumpkins in Wumeng, and use your silver tongues to talk them to death."
The men turned deathly pale, their previous concern for the country and its people vanished instantly, and they kowtowed and begged for mercy with faces full of fear.
"Your Majesty, spare my life..."
"Your Majesty, spare my life! I have an eighty-year-old mother and a three-year-old grandson. Please, Your Majesty, have mercy!"
"Your Majesty, spare me! I know I was wrong..."
The others in the "backing down" faction, heads bowed and shrinking back for fear of disturbing the Queen with their breathing, were also added to the envoy list.
The hardline minister was incredibly excited, his smile barely contained.
By now, everyone could see that the Empress had never considered backing down; she was the most assertive person in the court.
Then everyone remembered that two years ago, Dayu was defeated by Wumeng and suffered countless casualties.
More than half of the ministers in the court began to seek peace, and even the old emperor wavered.
Finally, the seventeen-year-old princess volunteered to lead the troops and rushed to the border overnight.
With her red-tasseled spear, she terrified the enemy, beheaded them, and reclaimed the land and dignity of Dayu.
Nie Yuhuang, who had experienced a palace coup, later seized the throne and became the first female emperor in history.
How could she be a spineless coward?
With a wave of his hand, Qi An dragged away the Minister of Rites and the others who were nearly frightened to death by the imperial guards.
What eighty-year-old mother and three-year-old grandson? They didn't take any of them with them when they ran away in their previous lives.
Qi An will take good care of their families.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Zhang Li was the first to bow his head and proclaim loudly, "Your humble servant swears to serve Your Majesty to the death."
The other hardliners followed suit, swearing allegiance, then came the terrified cowards, and finally a few regents.
"Your Majesty, we swear to serve you to the death."
After demonstrating loyalty, the problems still need to be addressed.
Minister of Justice Zhang Li said, "We can postpone dealing with the situation in Wumeng for now, but the vassal kings have already rebelled. We ask Your Majesty to decide how to resolve this."
Qi An said calmly, "They're just a few clowns. We can crush them. They're nothing to be afraid of."
Everyone understood that a fight was about to break out.
The Minister of Revenue said, "Your humble servant will immediately go and inventory the national treasury and consolidate the silver."
The Minister of War also said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured that the preparation of provisions and troops will be handled by your humble servant."
Several military officers knelt down eagerly, pleading, "Your Majesty, we are willing to lead the charge, to slay the rebels and quell the rebellion."
Qi An waved his hand: "No need."
The ministers looked completely bewildered.
What do you mean by "not needed anymore"?
Must we prepare horses, provisions, weapons, and troop mobilization in advance before going to war?
Zhang Li guessed, "Does His Majesty intend to go himself?"
Just as the ministers were about to say that a monarch should not take such a risk, the empress waved her hand again: "I don't need to go."
Another "not using it"?
What exactly is the Empress up to?
Seeing everyone's bewildered expressions, Qi An smiled domineeringly: "What I mean is, there's no need to bother anymore, the rebellion of the vassal kings has already been resolved."
The ministers were stunned by her words, thinking they had misheard.
Is it resolved?
When was it resolved? How was it resolved? Who resolved it?
At this moment, a commotion arose outside the hall, with exclamations of surprise from the Imperial Guards and Imperial Attendants rising and falling.
Qi An looked outside the hall and said loudly, "Come in."
All the ministers turned around to look.
A moment later, everyone gasped.
Are they dreaming?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com