At the next morning court session, the atmosphere in the Golden Throne Hall was more solemn than usual.
The ministers argued endlessly over the issue of "who to send to Daqin to negotiate peace."
After Zhao Mang's defeat, although the Qin Dynasty did not immediately counterattack, it did not withdraw its troops either. The situation on the border remained tense, and someone was urgently needed to go to the border to resolve the crisis.
"I think we can send the Minister of Rites to negotiate peace!" A senior official stepped forward from the ranks of civil officials and said, "The Minister of Rites is well versed in etiquette and has always advocated for peace. He will surely be able to negotiate effectively with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Great Qin."
"inappropriate!"
Another minister stepped forward and said, "Qin Yuan is the crown prince of Great Qin, and he has a strong character. The Minister of Rites may be knowledgeable, but he lacks military authority to intimidate, so I'm afraid it will be difficult to convince Qin Yuan. In my opinion, we should send a prominent royal relative to demonstrate the sincerity of Great Chu."
Everyone nodded secretly, thinking that what the minister said made sense.
"But now the Second Prince is under house arrest, and His Royal Highness Prince Rui has been missing for a long time. Who should we send?"
Just as everyone was arguing, a voice of chanting was heard outside.
"Her Royal Highness has arrived—"
Gu Yanran was seen wearing gorgeous court dress for a princess, a phoenix crown on her head, and walking into the hall with a calm gait.
She was dressed exceptionally solemnly and elegantly today, with just the right amount of worry on her face, as if she had really come for the safety of Da Chu.
"Your son pays homage to His Majesty the Father!"
When she reached the center, she bowed to the Emperor of Chu.
Emperor Chu narrowed his eyes and looked at this witch who dared to appear in the hall, with a hint of murderous intent in his eyes.
If it weren't for his beloved daughter saying to wait a little longer and make sure these people stood at the highest point before falling down hard, the Emperor of Chu would have taken action long ago.
At the moment, in order not to disrupt Chu Qingluan's plan, he could only endure it for the time being.
"Why are you here?" The Emperor Chu's tone was not good, and even contained a hint of impatience.
"I have heard that the court officials are discussing who to send to Daqin to negotiate peace. I, your son, am willing to go to Daqin and represent Dachu to negotiate peace."
"What?" The ministers were in an uproar!
"Your Highness is a princess of wealth and status. How could you risk your life at the border?"
"Yes, the war is not over yet. If something happens to Her Highness, what will happen?"
Gu Yanran, however, didn't take it seriously. She raised her hand to signal for silence. Then, her tone became more confident, even a little shy: "You all don't know, but the Crown Prince of Great Qin has long been deeply in love with me. He's sending his troops to my border just to force me to show myself."
After he finished speaking, the expressions on the faces of the ministers varied and their reactions were strange.
There is no other reason, everyone always feels that this Princess seems very inconsistent with her previous image.
But no one expressed this suspicion on the spot.
"Therefore, I am willing to go and give it a try. If I can exchange my own life for peace on the border and avoid war between the two countries, I will not hesitate to die, but—"
She changed the subject, her voice rising with a mixture of helplessness and pleading: "I am here to represent the dignity of the Great Chu. If I were to go there merely as the Crown Princess, I fear I would be looked down upon and would be unable to give my all in the negotiations. Therefore, I boldly request that your Majesty write the decree of succession here and now, passing the throne to me!"
"Wow!" The court was in an uproar!
Pass on the throne?
Are you crazy?
What a joke, His Majesty is not dead yet!
Gu Yanran immediately explained eagerly, "Don't worry, Your Majesty, and all the others, this edict can be withheld for the time being. I will never ascend the throne immediately. I simply need the legitimate title of 'Empress' to increase my bargaining chips and confidence. When I successfully negotiate peace and return, I will definitely return the throne. Heaven and earth can bear witness to my heart. I serve my country with no selfish motives at all!"
After he finished speaking, the ministers' reactions were wonderful.
Some were deep in thought, some frowned, some found it absurd, and of course, there were also a few who were moved by Gu Yanran's sentiment of 'sacrificing for the country'.
The officials of Chu Lang's party were observing secretly, ready to act at any time.
The Emperor of Chu's eyes were dark and unclear, and a hint of murderous intent flashed across them quickly.
He slowly turned his gaze to Xie Yunqi beside him: "Xie Aiqing, what do you think about this matter?"
He was too lazy to ask for the opinions of his ministers and asked Xie Yunqi directly. He didn't want to waste even a minute and just wanted to quickly eradicate this evil woman and the forces behind her.
In an instant, everyone's eyes fell on Xie Yunqi. His attitude was crucial.
Xie Yunqi knew that this was a fake, so how could he agree to her ridiculous suggestion?
But Chu Qingluan said that she wanted to watch the show.
I want to see Gu Yanran, Chu Lang and others climb high and fall hard.
Chu Qingluan also said that after the matter was completed, there would be a "big gift" presented to him. It would definitely surprise him.
When he thought of the meaningful look in Chu Qingluan's eyes when she mentioned the "great gift", he, like Emperor Chu, became impatient.
He glanced at Emperor Chu, and they exchanged a knowing look.
"Your Majesty, I believe that... Your Highness the Crown Princess is concerned about state affairs and is courageous in taking on responsibilities. Her heart... is commendable."
He first said it in affirmation, which made Gu Yanran and Chu Lang's group immediately happy.
Then, Xie Yunqi changed the subject: "However, the succession of the throne concerns the foundation of the country. It is the most important matter in the world. How can it be treated as a child's play? Used as a bargaining chip? If this precedent is set, future generations will follow suit, and the country will lose its leadership."
These righteous words attracted the approval of many veteran officials.
Then he put forward a suggestion that seemed to be a compromise, but in fact it was a trick to lure the enemy into a trap.
"However, what Your Highness said is not without reason. Qin Yuan's thoughts are indeed unpredictable. How about Your Majesty granting Your Highness full authority as 'Regent' to oversee all matters concerning the peace talks on Your Majesty's behalf. Officials from the Ministry of Rites will assist you and make decisions on the spot when encountering problems, just as if I were present in person."
"This way, we can both demonstrate the sincerity and authority of the Great Chu in negotiating peace and not shake the foundation of our country. We can achieve the best of both worlds. When Your Highness returns with his victory, we can then reward him according to his merits. Wouldn't that be more appropriate?"
As soon as these words were spoken, a few quick-witted ministers quickly understood the mystery behind it.
This suggestion seemed to give Gu Yanran great power, such as the power of regent and the emperor's personal presence, which was enough to satisfy her need to "increase bargaining chips". In fact, it perfectly avoided the core issue of "succession" and pushed her out to carry out this dangerous task.
More importantly, once Gu Yanran gets the power to regulate the country, what will Chu Lang be?
First he lost Zhao Mang, his right-hand man, and then he lost his power as regent. Wouldn't he have to blame Gu Yanran?
This is equivalent to handing Gu Yanran a knife to expand her ambitions, and at the same time pushing her completely to the opposite side of Chu Lang.
If things go wrong, both sides will end up biting each other and end up with a mouth full of fur.
It can be said that Xie Yunqi's words were shrewd and calculated, killing two birds with one stone.
However, Gu Yanran did not understand the intrigue and had not comprehended the mystery behind it. She even felt that Xie Yunqi still cared about her and was still under her control.
Therefore, a confident smile appeared on her face.
"Father, Prime Minister Xie's words make sense."
A glimmer of understanding flashed in the eyes of the Emperor of Chu. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded and said, "Thank you, my dear minister, for your thoughtful words. Let us proceed accordingly."
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