"Your reason sounds so plausible, could it be that you look down on the position of concubine and want to become the principal wife?" The Empress's voice turned cold.
She disliked people who played tricks on her the most. She wondered if Gu Lili's words were a strategic retreat.
Although, Gu Lili's appearance is good enough to make her the principal wife.
However, her position as the principal wife was already a foregone conclusion, and no one could change it.
Therefore, Gu Lili's little scheme is likely to fail.
Gu Lili quickly shook her head, "This subject has absolutely no such thought, Your Majesty. Everyone has their own desired life. When I said I liked rural life, it was truly from the bottom of my heart, without the slightest falsehood."
Gu Lili had already knelt three times in less than half an hour in the Empress's palace.
This kind of life is definitely not what she likes.
Although she did like Yin Jiuchen, Gu Lili absolutely could not choose a life she didn't like for the sake of a man.
Seeing that Gu Lili's expression was completely genuine, his expression softened slightly.
"You silly girl, why do you keep kneeling? Get up quickly. Let's discuss this matter further after we meet with the Japanese envoy today."
Gu Lili nodded and sat back down.
The rest of the time was spent chatting with the Empress.
For example, he recounted how he learned the Japanese language.
For example, how did you discover the sweet potato?
The Empress listened with great interest. After all, she had grown up in the inner chambers of her home, and what Gu Lili was saying was almost entirely new to her.
As we chatted, it was almost noon.
"Your Majesty, Princess, please proceed to Chaoyang Palace. The palace banquet is about to begin."
The Empress glanced outside, nodded, and stood up first.
Gu Lili followed behind the Empress, heading towards Chaoyang Palace together.
After leaving the Empress's palace, the Empress boarded her palanquin, and Gu Lili followed beside it.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, they finally arrived at Zhaoyang Palace.
As the palanquin landed, a slightly shrill eunuch's announcement rang out from the doorway.
"Your Majesty, Princess Yongning has arrived!"
Gu Lili followed beside the Empress, all the way to the seat of the Emperor in Chaoyang Palace.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."
"Your subject, Gu Lili, pays her respects to Your Majesty."
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress!"
The hall was filled with the sounds of bowing and paying respects, making it extremely lively.
A slightly weak voice came from the head of the room.
"Your Majesty, there's no need for such formalities. Please rise. Princess Yongning, please rise as well. Everyone, please rise."
After everyone thanked the Emperor, they watched as the Empress rose first, and then they slowly rose as well.
Gu Lili clearly sensed that countless eyes were looking in her direction.
Presumably, everyone wanted to see what this legendary extraordinary woman looked like.
Most people were shocked.
"Princess Yongning, please have a seat," the Emperor said.
After thanking the emperor, Gu Lili was led to a seat by a eunuch.
After settling down, Gu Lili glanced around the main hall. Since they were negotiating with Fusang, the hall was filled with ministers, but there were no women present.
However, this excludes individuals who are alone.
That was Yin Jiuchen. Sitting next to him was a woman with a dignified and elegant appearance. Gu Lili guessed that this must be Yin Jiuchen's fiancée, Liu Qionghua.
At this moment, Liu Qionghua was sizing up Gu Lili, and Gu Lili smiled at Liu Qionghua.
Liu Qionghua returned a polite smile.
Looking at Yin Jiuchen, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, Gu Lili felt a pang of pain in her heart for some reason.
Yin Jiuchen's eyes and brows were filled with sorrow and guilt.
Gu Lili guessed that Yin Jiuchen didn't come to see her immediately yesterday because he hadn't kept his promise to her.
That's why he felt ashamed to face himself and thus never showed up.
Gu Lili nodded to Yin Jiuchen and then stared at the snacks and fruits in front of her.
In fact, Gu Lili had already foreseen this ending.
Moreover, it was the ending that Gu Lili herself wanted.
However, when this outcome came true, it was inevitable to feel somewhat unhappy.
However, Gu Lili believes that time heals all wounds.
Yin Jiuchen looked at Gu Lili, his hand gripping the wine glass tightening unconsciously.
Just as she was feeling down, a voice that Gu Lili found repulsive reached her ears.
It must be an envoy from Fusang, because what they are speaking right now is the language that Gu Lili hates most in her life, without exception.
"Your Majesty of the Southern Yue Kingdom, my Fusang is willing to submit to the Southern Yue Kingdom."
Gu Lili looked up and saw the shifty-eyed envoy from Fusang.
"Princess, please translate this."
The Emperor coughed and spoke to Gu Lili.
He was supposed to meet Gu Lili first, but he was too weak, so the Empress received Gu Lili instead.
The Empress also instructed Gu Lili on the matters to be handled today.
Gu Lili quickly stood up, bowed gracefully to the Emperor, and translated the words of the Japanese envoy verbatim.
At this moment, Gu Lili secretly glanced at the Emperor.
Gu Lili was almost startled when she saw it.
The emperor, sitting at the head of the table, was so thin he was skin and bones, his cheeks sunken in.
At this moment, the emperor was leaning back on the dragon throne, and the eunuch behind him was keeping a close eye on his movements, afraid that he might accidentally fall to the ground, so that he could help him up in time.
Perhaps due to prolonged illness, the emperor's hair had turned almost entirely white.
However, even though he was very weak, his sharp eyes, like Yin Jiuchen's, exuded an imposing aura without anger.
Seeing the Emperor like this, it is indeed as the Empress said, that his days are numbered.
Originally, the Southern Yue Kingdom could have directly destroyed Fusang. Before that, Yin Jiuchen used Gu Lili's method to make all the Fusang soldiers faint, and then sailed directly to the small island where Fusang was located.
But to everyone's surprise, the ruler of Fusang was shameless to the point of being witty.
Seeing Yin Jiuchen's unstoppable advance, he directly captured all the women and children in the city to form a human wall to resist the attack of the Southern Yue Kingdom.
This made it difficult for Yin Jiuchen to make a move.
Unfortunately, Uncle Fortune left after giving out the anesthetic and the Kongming lantern, and now there are no more anesthetics available.
In war, the most taboo thing is to kill innocent civilians.
Originally, Yin Jiuchen could have simply conquered Fusang in one fell swoop, regardless of the women and children of Fusang, since history is always written by the victor.
At worst, we can just wipe out the entire Fusang Kingdom.
But seeing the women and children blocking his way, crying so pitifully, reminded Yin Jiuchen of the people of the Southern Yue Kingdom.
Therefore, it was not done.
Upon seeing that Yin Jiuchen neither made a move nor retreated, the Fusang Kingdom, after repeated discussions, surrendered and agreed to submit to the Nanyue Kingdom.
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