Chapter 231 Are you tired today?
Ji Jun didn't expect Huo Zheng to say such things openly. He was stunned for a moment, but then he quickly reacted and said with a smile, "How could the prince and the emperor not be of the same mind? What I mean is that since the prince is now in charge of Xizhou, the peace talks between the two countries should also be decided by the prince, and I and others will assist from the side."
Huo Zheng said, "When my father asked Prime Minister Ji to come to Xizhou, he was placing the heavy burden of peace talks between the two countries on his shoulders. If I were to make this decision, wouldn't that be overstepping my authority?"
Ji Jun felt a cold sweat on his back. "Your Highness, you are too kind. Who in the entire Xizhou dares to say anything bad about you?"
Huo Zheng said indifferently, "Is that so? I just received the Xiling envoys who entered the city first, and Lord Liang complained."
Ji Jun cursed Liang Xu in his heart for his inability to accomplish anything and his overwhelming failure. "It was because Lord Liang was filled with resentment towards the people of Xiling that he offended Your Highness. This old minister apologizes to Your Highness on his behalf."
Prime Minister Ji stood up and bowed to Huo Zheng.
"What is the Prime Minister doing?" Huo Zheng raised his eyes, his expression still expressionless. "I haven't even bothered with Liang Xu, so why should I ask the Prime Minister to apologize on his behalf?"
Ji Jun felt that the Prince of Chang'an was now unfathomable. He smiled and said, "Your Majesty is magnanimous. It is a blessing for Liang Xu."
As the prime minister of the current dynasty, Ji Jun has been secretly being wooed by Prince Rui and the Ninth Prince, but he has not yet taken sides because the Prince of Chang'an in front of him is the one he favors the most.
But the King of Chang'an never extended an olive branch to him.
Moreover, since his daughter Ji Ruzhen married Lu Jingyun, he offended the King of Chang'an because of an old grudge with the princess.
Now that Ji Jun has met the King of Chang'an, he can't help but be hesitant.
Huo Zheng accepted the memorial and said to Ji Jun, "Prime Minister, if you have nothing else to do, please go and rest. I will carefully review these peace terms."
"There's one more thing." Ji Jun didn't leave immediately. He spoke again, "The emperor said it was a private matter, so he didn't issue an official decree."
Huo Zheng had already guessed it in his heart, "Prime Minister, please feel free to speak."
Ji Jun said, "The emperor asked this old minister to bring an oral message to the prince."
Upon hearing this, Huo Zheng stood up and pretended to listen attentively.
Ji Jun said, "The Emperor has ordered the Prince of Chang'an to send someone to escort the Ninth Prince back to the capital today. He must be brought back safely."
"As you command," Huo Zheng replied, and then he said to Prime Minister Ji, "I will send someone to escort my ninth brother back to the capital. However, he may not be willing to leave Xizhou, so I'd like Prime Minister to persuade him."
"The Ninth Prince is unwilling to leave Xizhou?"
Ji Jun never thought that there would be such trouble.
According to the Ninth Prince's rebelliousness, he was captured by the rebels in Xizhou and imprisoned for several months. He suffered such a great loss that he should not be able to stay for even a day and never want to stay in Xizhou again.
How could you not want to leave?
Huo Zheng didn't intend to elaborate on this, but simply ordered his attendant, "Come here, take Prime Minister Ji to Yuntai Waterside Pavilion to meet the Ninth Prince."
"Yes, Your Highness." The attendant stepped forward and said to Ji Jun, "Prime Minister, please."
"Then I, the old minister, will take my leave first."
Ji Jun bowed to King Chang'an and left with his attendants.
Huo Zheng casually threw the letter on the table, with a look of displeasure on his face.
It's really a fantasy that such conditions for peace talks can be put forward!
He sat alone for a long time before leaving the hall and returning to his room.
At this time, Chunzhi had almost finished packing up. Seeing him come back, she walked over to him and asked softly, "Are you tired today?"
"Why do you ask?"
Huo Zheng put his arm around her and walked into the inner room together.
Harue said, "You don't look very happy."
It is said that the envoys from Xiling and the envoys from the capital arrived in Xizhou City at the same time, and the peace talks between the two countries were imminent. This was what Huo Zheng wanted to see most.
But after meeting those people, his eyes were dim and he looked even more tired than after fighting outside.
"The one who understands me is the spring branch."
Huo Zheng put his arm around Chunzhi's waist and kissed her on the forehead.
He has been a person who keeps his emotions to himself since he was young, and few people can see what he likes and dislikes. As he grows up, he becomes more and more expressionless. Even Queen Wang, who raised him, finds it difficult to see his emotions.
But Chunzhi could see it at a glance.
Chunzhi pulled him to sit at the table and asked softly, "Is there something wrong with the peace talks?"
Huo Zheng said, "Peace talks are not something that can be concluded in a day or two. The conditions proposed by my father and Prime Minister Ji are a bit excessive."
"Just a little?" Chunzhi looked at Huo Zheng. "It's really too much, right? Otherwise, why would it make you so unhappy?"
"Yes, it's excessive."
Huo Zheng looked at her with a look that said, "My Chunzhi is so smart."
Chunzhi felt a little embarrassed by his gaze. She cleared her throat and said to him seriously, "Even small business owners like us bargain with buyers. Furthermore, these are two countries negotiating peace. I think there's nothing wrong with making some excessive demands at the beginning. It might scare the Xiling people, and then make reasonable demands so they're more receptive."
Huo Zheng didn't expect Chunzhi to be so insightful. He smiled and said, "Indeed."
"It's just..." He couldn't help but frown when he thought of the memorial Ji Jun brought, "I'm afraid that the emperor really wants to meet those conditions."
Chunzhi said, "Father, your father may think what he wants. Now that you are in Xizhou, how you can mediate the situation depends on how you act."
Huo Zheng looked at Chunzhi, his eyes moving slightly.
He found that Chunzhi could always give him new surprises.
Her ideas seem to be different from many people's.
"How does that saying go?" Chunzhi thought seriously, "When a general is on the battlefield, he may not obey the king's orders."
She winked at Huo Zheng with her right eye as she spoke, "Xizhou is so far away from the capital. How could it be possible that nothing has changed during the peace talks?"
Isn't it Huo Zheng who has the final say on these changes?
Huo Zheng nodded and said with a smile, "That's right, Princess."
At worst, the peace talks can be prolonged.
If there is anything that is very frustrating, let Prime Minister Ji talk to the emperor about it.
Now that these people are here, they all need to be used.
We can't let him be alone and feel miserable.
Huo Zheng was in a good mood thinking about this.
It was just time for dinner. Chunzhi had already ordered people to prepare Huo Zheng's favorite dishes. At this moment, the maids came in one after another and placed the dishes on the table.
Chunzhi served Huo Zheng some food while softly saying, "You've been tired all day, eat more."
Huo Zheng said: "You too."
The two were having dinner when a maid came in to announce, "Your Highness and Princess, the Ninth Prince has arrived."
Chunzhi whispered, "What's he doing here? He's not going to ask us for honeysuckle, is he?"
Huo Zheng didn't want to see Huo Yan either, so he said in a deep voice, "Let him wait outside."
"Yes, Your Highness." The maidservant responded and retreated.
However, a moment later, Huo Yan pushed everyone aside and rushed in...
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