Chapter 316 Losing both the wife and the army
The seal in the imperial teacher's hand was only a hair's breadth away from a covenant. He suddenly paused and turned to look outside the hall.
The Northern Qi envoy breathed a sigh of relief and looked outside the hall calmly.
The ministers of the Great Zhou had tense expressions on their faces, although they felt regretful as they were just a little bit away from stamping the seal and the two countries would reach an alliance.
But the people coming outside the palace were post soldiers, delivering an extremely urgent message. The situation was probably more urgent than the signing of an alliance between the two countries.
Sure enough, Emperor Jing'an summoned the post soldiers into the palace.
The postman pulled a letter from his bosom and presented it to Emperor Jing'an: "Your Majesty, a plague has broken out in Yingcheng, and some civilians have fled to Licheng. The Prince of Zhenbei has ordered the city gates to be sealed and the civilians who fled into Licheng to be placed in separate tents and placed under strict supervision."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room was shocked.
The ministers of the Great Zhou were all shocked. The Northern Qi had just ceded Yingcheng to them, but a plague broke out there. In an instant, the city, once a source of abundant grain, became a hot potato.
Everyone present here is a shrewd and calculating person, so how could they not understand that there is something fishy about the plague in Yingcheng?
I'm afraid that the plague will break out in whichever city they choose.
The ministers of the Great Zhou looked very unhappy. The methods used by the Northern Qi were too dirty and despicable. In order not to cede the city to the Great Zhou, they even harmed the people.
It's totally unscrupulous!
They glared at the Northern Qi envoys angrily, wishing they could send all of them to Yingcheng.
Emperor Jing'an opened the letter in his hand. In the letter, Prince Zhenbei requested the court to allocate imperial physicians, medicinal materials, food and silver to Licheng.
"A plague has broken out in Yingcheng. How it will develop in the future is unknown." The Imperial Preceptor raised his eyes and looked at Emperor Jing'an: "Your Majesty, should I continue to stamp this seal?"
Emperor Jing'an clenched his fists. The Great Zhou had experienced several plague outbreaks, so he naturally knew the severity of the plague. Some families were wiped out, and some entire clans were wiped out.
Taking over Yingcheng would mean that Da Zhou would have to spend manpower, material resources and financial resources, and silver and supplies were exactly what Da Zhou was short of.
If he abandons Yingcheng, he will lose the support of the people and his reputation for benevolence will be ruined.
After the envoys from Northern Qi arrived in the Great Zhou, they were suppressed by the Great Zhou and forced to pay unconditional compensation.
Now that the Great Zhou has been forced into a dilemma, it can finally hold its head high.
The Northern Qi envoy raised an eyebrow and said, "Your Majesty, should we continue to stamp the covenant, or renegotiate the treaty?"
They looked at the ministers of the Great Zhou, who were filled with anger but could do nothing about them, and became more calm and composed.
The current situation of the Great Zhou is such that it cannot swallow Yingcheng at all.
The Northern Qi envoys had almost anticipated the outcome and were waiting for Emperor Jing'an to propose removing Yingcheng from the alliance treaty.
At this time, a cold voice came from the side hall: "Continue to stamp."
The Northern Qi envoy subconsciously looked up and saw Zhao Yi, wearing a bright red prince's robe decorated with a golden python, walking out from the side hall, exuding an air of luxury that could not be ignored.
The Northern Qi envoy was filled with astonishment, staring blankly at Zhao Yi as he walked around the ministers of the Great Zhou, came to the seat of the Northern Qi envoy, and sat calmly next to the imperial teacher.
They were confused and looked at each other in bewilderment, not understanding what Zhao Yi was going to do.
"The terms have already been negotiated, and the covenant has been drawn up. How can we go back on our word at the last minute?" Zhao Yi looked calmly at Emperor Jing'an. "Your Majesty, what do you think?"
The ministers of the Great Zhou were in an uproar, and looked at Zhao Yi as if he were a traitor.
Zhao Yi clearly knew about the predicament of Da Zhou, but instead of helping Da Zhou to solve the problem, he forced Da Zhou to take over Yingcheng?
The ministers were furious, angry that Zhao Yi had defected. Some were so enraged that they wanted to stand up and attack Zhao Yi, but were held back by their colleagues.
When Emperor Jing'an saw Zhao Yi sitting next to the Northern Qi envoy, surprise flashed in his eyes, especially when he saw that Zhao Yi was wearing the clothes of a Northern Qi prince, his expression became even more gloomy and unclear.
He slowly loosened his clenched fist and said in a deep voice, "If a person is not trustworthy, he cannot stand. If a person is not sincere, he cannot be trusted. As the ruler of a country, how can I not keep my word?"
The ministers of the Great Zhou Dynasty panicked: "Your Majesty..."
Emperor Jing'an raised his hand to stop him, his tone strong and powerful: "Seal it."
This time it was the Northern Qi envoy's turn to be anxious. After the seal was issued, Yingcheng was really ceded to the Great Zhou.
They were shocked and angry, and couldn't tell whether Zhao Yi was helping Da Zhou or harming Da Zhou.
Although the Great Zhou conquered a city, it was unable to eradicate the plague in Yingcheng with its financial and material resources.
If Emperor Jing'an fails to handle the hot potato of Yingcheng properly, he will lose the support of the people.
The Northern Qi envoy was thinking hard, as if he had thought of something.
Could it be that Zhao Yi was deliberately harming the Great Zhou and trying to show goodwill to Northern Qi?
If Emperor Jing'an fails to handle the plague in Yingcheng, will Northern Qi be able to step in to retake Yingcheng?
Thinking of this, the ministers of Northern Qi exchanged glances with each other, wanting to see what Zhao Yi was up to.
Zhao Yi didn't care about the ministers' opinions. Instead, he looked at the Imperial Preceptor and asked, "Why don't you stamp it? Does the Imperial Preceptor still have doubts?"
With a "clang" sound, as Zhao Yi finished speaking, the seal in the imperial teacher's hand was stamped down.
"Great Zhou and Northern Qi have formed an alliance. The two countries are like brothers. If one is in trouble, the other has the responsibility to help." Zhao Yi held up the alliance agreement and looked around at the ministers of both countries. "Now that a plague has broken out in Yingcheng, Great Zhou, Northern Qi, as an ally, will certainly send imperial physicians, medicinal materials, and financial aid to Yingcheng to help Great Zhou overcome this difficult time."
The hall fell silent in an instant.
The ministers of the Great Zhou were stunned. Did Zhao Yi go to Northern Qi as a spy?
He faced the conspiracy of Northern Qi and helped the Great Zhou to take Yingcheng. In his capacity as a prince of Northern Qi, he provided imperial doctors and money and food to Yingcheng.
Northern Qi deliberately created a plague in Yingcheng in order to force the Great Zhou to abandon Yingcheng.
Now the Great Zhou not only obtained Yingcheng, but also received support from Northern Qi.
If Northern Qi wanted Zhao Yi to return to Northern Qi, it would definitely not be able to reject Zhao Yi's words.
The ministers of the Great Zhou wanted to laugh in their hearts, laughing at the Northern Qi for being in trouble and losing both the wife and the army.
Sure enough, the Northern Qi envoys were caught off guard by Zhao Yi's words of turning the tables.
Not only did they offer a city to the Great Zhou, they also sent money, food, and people to control the plague?
The envoys from Northern Qi were naturally unhappy, as Zhao Yi had no position to speak on behalf of Northern Qi.
They were about to open their mouths to refute, but saw Zhao Yi's slender fingers brush off the dust on his robe.
The Northern Qi envoy looked at the prince's clothes worn by Zhao Yi. The words on the tip of his tongue could neither be spit out nor swallowed, and his face turned red with bloating.
Because the imperial teacher said that the Emperor of Northern Qi hoped that Zhao Yi would return to his ancestral home.
It is a shame for the entire royal family that a prince of a country is stranded in another country.
Moreover, the Emperor of Northern Qi wanted to use Zhao Yi to contain the Great Zhou.
If they said that Zhao Yi was not qualified to represent Northern Qi, it would deny Zhao Yi's identity, and Zhao Yi would not return to Northern Qi.
The Northern Qi envoys were suddenly at a loss and looked at the imperial tutor, hoping that he could come up with a solution that would satisfy both parties.
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