Xie Yunqi heard this, the smile on his face did not fade, "Master Zhou, you underestimate me too much."
"It's just a small matter, so I don't need your secret recipe. But my Lord, you look unwell today, probably because of the hard work. Why don't you keep the recipe for yourself?"
This made the Minister of Rites laugh out loud: "You kid, you are still so unforgiving."
The ministers around them saw the two men playing guessing games, and then looked at Xie Yunqi's smug look, and instantly understood about 70% of it, and all showed expressions of enlightenment.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall eased a lot.
Emperor Chu sat on the dragon throne, watching all of this, but his expression grew even darker.
He coughed lightly, interrupting everyone's jokes: "Alright, politics are more important. Xie Xiang just returned, so I guess he doesn't know the news from Daqin yet?"
"The Emperor of Qin has sent a letter, asking to see Zhaoyang. I wonder what Prime Minister Xie thinks of this matter."
The smile on Xie Yunqi's lips suddenly froze.
He pondered for a moment, and when he looked up again, there was no trace of joking in his eyes, only calmness and sharpness.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor of Qin wishes to see the princess. On the surface, it appears to be to promote diplomatic relations between the two countries, but in reality, I'm afraid there are deeper motives."
"Oh?" The Emperor of Chu raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Since Qin Yuan has returned with the marriage certificate, the marriage between the two countries should have been a natural outcome. Now that the Emperor Qin suddenly wants to see the princess, there are only two possibilities."
"First, the Emperor Qin was dissatisfied with the marriage conditions Qin Yuan brought back and wanted to discuss it with the princess in person;"
"Secondly, he wanted to see if the princess was really as worthy of the price Great Qin had to pay, as the rumors said."
The Minister of Rites couldn't help but interrupt, "Prime Minister Xie is saying that the Emperor of Qin is weighing the pros and cons? He wants to test the strength of the Chu?"
"That's right."
A minister pressed the issue, "What does Prime Minister Xie mean by that... we shouldn't meet?"
Xie Yunqi shook his head: "Your Majesty..."
"Of course I will!"
Before Xie Yunqi could finish his words, he was interrupted by a cold voice.
When the officials turned around, they saw Chu Qingluan, dressed in a bright red dress with a gold phoenix pattern, appear at the door, walking in slowly with her head held high and her chest puffed out.
Behind him, Chu Hong followed.
All the officials looked sideways and saluted Chu Qingluan.
She raised her hand to signal everyone to stand up, and her eyes slowly swept across the hall, finally landing on Emperor Chu.
"Father, I have just heard the discussions of the gentlemen outside the palace. Since the Emperor of Qin is interested in meeting me, I am willing to go to the Qin Empire in person."
The King of Chu frowned, clearly a little surprised: "Zhaoyang, this matter is of no small importance. Why do you have to go there in person?"
He originally wanted to arrange for an important official in the court to go on a diplomatic mission to first inquire about the situation in Daqin and then decide whether to go or not.
"Princess, think again."
The Minister of Rites also advised: "The attitude of the Great Qin is unclear now. If you go there rashly, you may be in danger. As the crown prince of the Great Chu, you must not take risks!"
Chu Qingluan shook her head, her tone firm: "Your Excellency, the Minister is overthinking. This time, I will go there as the Crown Princess of Great Chu to formally submit a letter of credence and discuss the specific details of the marriage between our two countries with the Emperor."
"I am not a princess waiting to be married, but the future empress. This trip to Daqin is a game between emperors. The dignity of Dachu cannot be underestimated by anyone."
His words were so powerful that no one among the officials refuted them.
On the side, Xie Yunqi's eyes moved slightly, and he was about to speak, but saw Chu Qingluan suddenly looking at him.
"However, this trip needs to be grand, so I have another idea."
She paused and continued, "Then let Minister Xie accompany me. Firstly, Minister Xie is resourceful and can protect me;
Secondly, this trip requires a grand ceremony to demonstrate the majesty of our Great Chu. I wonder if Prime Minister Xie is willing to do so?"
Xie Yunqi looked at Chu Qingluan. In addition to the businesslike look in her eyes, there was also a kind of silent comfort.
Xie Yunqi cupped his hands, a hint of an arc on his lips: "I am willing to go with the princess, and I will definitely not fail in my mission!"
"Royal sister!"
Behind him, Chu Hong suddenly spoke up, his tone dissatisfied: "Although Prime Minister Xie is talented, your brother is the prince of the Great Chu, and his status is more noble. It is more appropriate for him to accompany you!"
He glanced at Xie Yunqi with obvious hostility in his tone.
"Besides, Prime Minister Xie has just returned from the Western Regions and is probably exhausted. How can he protect the Imperial Sister? I am willing to go with the Imperial Sister and will definitely ensure her safety!"
The hall suddenly became quiet.
Emperor Chu narrowed his eyes and glanced back and forth between the three of them.
Xie Yunqi sneered, "Your Majesty, are you questioning my ability?"
"The princess's trip is crucial to the fate of the Chu Empire. Your Highness, have you ever been aware of the situation in the Qin court? If the Emperor of Qin were to make things difficult during the negotiations, would Your Highness be confident that you could escape unscathed?"
Chu Hong's face darkened after being rebuked. "These matters will naturally be the responsibility of the ministers. The main purpose of the Royal Sister's trip this time is..."
"So, Your Highness believes that this trip is just a show, and that everything will be left to the people below. If the Great Chu loses face, won't the blame be placed on the ministers as well?"
In one sentence, all the officials changed their expressions, especially the officials from the Ministry of Rites, who looked at Chu Hong with a hint of wariness and fear in their eyes.
Yes, if the prince fails to manage this marriage and puts the Great Chu in a passive position, then won’t the officials in the same field like them have to take the blame?
Chu Hong's face darkened after being confronted, and he turned to bow to Emperor Chu and said:
"Father, I don't mean to compete with Prime Minister Xie for credit. It's just that your Majesty has just recovered. How can the court be without both the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince? If something were to happen in the Western Regions..."
"Although I am not as proficient in government affairs as Prime Minister Xie, I will definitely have no problem protecting the royal sister. Moreover, even if I leave the capital, Prime Minister Xie will still be in charge of the court, so I can ensure that nothing goes wrong."
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