Su Rong almost drew her sword against Nangong Zheng.
No, she should be drawing her sword against that bastard Yuan Zhao instead. Was he trying to present her with a consort? Was he trying to get her killed? Nowhere in her conditions had she mentioned wanting someone.
She couldn’t muster the courage to look at Zhou Gu, was at once angry and amused, but regardless of her internal emotions, she didn’t want to dress her feelings with charity or sympathy. Despite despising gossip, she still responded, "Oh? Only one prince is being gifted? How about adding the young master of the Nangong family as well? Nangong Zheng, in my opinion, you are quite handsome and I quite like you."
Zhou Gu instantly darkened his face, but said nothing.
Cui Yanjin’s eyes widened. Had he heard something? Was his cousin really seeking a husband? Wasn’t his cousin, who has a bad temper enough for her? Wasn’t she afraid that the people who came would all be killed by him?
Ye Guixue chuckled lightly on the side, saying, "The Princess is right, the members of the Dawei imperial court are all quite handsome, but the most outstanding is actually Dawei’s Crown Prince. How about giving the Crown Prince to our princess as her consort?"
Yuan Chen almost couldn’t maintain his composure, what dreams were they pursuing? How could his royal brother possibly become a consort?
Zhang Yun, getting a kick out of the drama, also laughed and said, "In my opinion, Nangong Zheng, you indeed have a pretty good appearance. Our princess likes good-looking people, so maybe you should comply. Since you’re coming, you’re coming home. Everyone says that it’s difficult to leave home. Once you become the husband, you can also take care of the ancestral tomb of your Nangong Family."
Nangong Zheng’s face fell instantly.
"What? Can’t do it?" Zhou Gu spoke in a chilly tone at this moment, "I think Nangong Zheng you are indeed quite good. As the prince consort, if you come to be the concubine, in the future you will have to call me ’elder brother’."
Still young, Nangong Zheng retorted, "In your dreams."
Zhou Gu scoffed, "I think you are the dreamer."
He looked at Su Rong with a half-smile, "You want a prince of Dawei to be your consort? Is one enough?"
Su Rong sensed the killing intent emanating from Zhou Gu. This killing intent was directed towards the people opposite him and her. She stretched out her hand to catch his, and with a tug, they sat next to each other. She laughed and told Yuan Chen, "Your royal brother thinks too highly of me. The princes of Dawei, I really can’t afford. If you really want to send, why not send to Daliang? I think my cousin, the Daliang Crown Prince, will be very willing to accept."
Yuan Chen thought to himself, the Crown Prince of Daliang, Yan Huisheng, wasn’t he always willing to take people as hostages? The person she wants is him. He immediately said, "What do you think of me, princess? I don’t mind calling Lord Thursday ’elder brother’."
If there had been a cup in Su Rong’s hand, she might have smashed it into his face at that moment. She thought to herself, were all the people in Dawei so shameless? How could a prince like Yuan Chen say such things? Didn’t he feel embarrassed?
Zhou Gu snorted coldly, "Yuan Chen, what gave you such confidence to think, if you call me elder brother, I would willingly accept?"
He rapped on the table, "Believe it or not, I could kill you right now."
Yuan Chen felt Zhou Gu’s surging killing intent, and gave a slight smile, "If Lord Thursday is unwilling, then he is unwilling. Dawei is entirely genuine in our intentions and we also want the princess to see Dawei’s sincerity, lest the princess wrongly believes that Dawei lacks sincerity."
Seeing that he could bend and unbend, Zhou Gu sneered, "Then you should agree to all our conditions, otherwise, there’s no room for negotiation."
"There is still room for negotiation," Yuan Chen said, "If Nanchu really wanted to fight, it wouldn’t accept a truce from Dawei. Since both sides are sitting down to negotiate, it is natural that both sides believe that a truce is more beneficial. This is a matter for both parties, Lord Thursday, don’t be so rigid."
Zhou Gu sneered, "You people from Dawei, turn out to be neither blind nor deaf."
Yuan Chen straightened up, "Of course, that’s why I am representing my royal brother today, sincerely seeking a truce with Nanchu. If Nanchu doesn’t concede and continues to hold onto their severe demand, then, my royal brother instructed me to fight to the death with Nanchu. Although Dawei’s military force in this area is few, they can still fight to the death with Nanchu. By then, even if Dawei’s entire military perish, Nanchu will also lose hundreds of thousands of soldiers. This is certainly not what Nanchu would like to see."
"You have the guts?" Zhou Gu started looking at Yuan Chen in a new light, thinking it was no wonder that Yuan Zhao sent him. He had thought that after all these years, being second in line, Yuan Chen was a prince who was always under Yuan Zhao’s thumb, with little ability and only capable of despicable acts and harboring minor ambitions, but he was unable to meet the high standards. But seeing him today, it was not the case.
"Of course, we in Dawei are still hot-blooded men. The territory that we fought for on horsebacks, all these years, we’ve also defended it on horsebacks. Otherwise, Daliang and Nanchiu, would not have regarded our Dawei’s precious horses and fretted." Yuan Chen said.
"Dawei will cede seven cities, five thousand prized horses, three hundred thousand tael gold, blueprint for the crossbow, and... your second prince will be kept in Nanchu as a hostage. There’s no room for negotiation." Zhou Gu opened his mouth and stared at Yuan Chen, "Not as a consort, but a hostage in Nanchu."
Su Rong was surprised and looked at Zhou Gu, wondering why he suddenly asked for Yuan Chen as a hostage.
Yuan Chen was shocked, "Impossible."
Zhou Gu scoffed, "Then there’s nothing to discuss."
Yuan Chen looked at Zhou Gu’s determined attitude and turned his gaze to Su Rong, "Does Lord Thursday have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the princess?"
Su Rong nodded on the side, "Of course."
"This condition is far too severe, Dawei cannot accept it." Yuan Chen shook his head, "The attitude of the princess and Lord Thursday, practically doesn’t seem like you are seeking peace."
"Then you Dawei, fight to your death!" Zhou Gu stood up and pulled Su Rong with him, "Let’s go."
Su Rong stood up with him.
As the two of them left, everyone who had accompanied them also left following the two’s sudden departure.
Yuan Chen immediately turned his head to look at Nangong Zheng.
Nangong Zheng shouted, "Wait, princess."
Su Rong paused, raised her eyebrows, "What? Did you change your mind? If you’re willing to be my consort, I can loosen the conditions."
Nangong Zheng clenched his fists, "I can’t possibly serve my enemy."
Su Rong laughed. She thought to herself, who wants you to serve anyway? I just think you are a big threat. You’re so smart at such a young age. If I don’t ask for you to be killed, it might be difficult when you grow up and struggle for power in Dawei.
But she wouldn’t put it like that, of course. She said, "You can go back and discuss. If the crown prince of Dawei gives me Nangong Zheng, I don’t need the second prince as a hostage. Plus, I can reduce the demand for three cities from Dawei, along with a reduction of one hundred thousand tael gold. I wouldn’t even desire Dawei’s siege weapons anymore."
Nangong Zheng’s expression slightly altered.
Su Rong pulled Zhou Gu’s hand and didn’t linger anymore.
After the people from Nanchu left, Nangong Zheng didn’t speak, and Yuan Chen was silent for a long time as well.
After a long while, Yuan Chen said to Nangong Zheng, "I will send a hawk messenger to deliver a message to my royal brother and let him make the decision! I can’t make the decisions for this matter, and neither can you."
Nangong Zheng nodded silently. He knew that Su Rong didn’t take a fancy to him, but instead wanted to kill him.
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