Chapter 201 The Right to Explore
Wang Yushi was probably the freest empress in the history of the Great Xia Dynasty. At least in recent generations, empresses did not have the right to leave the capital at will, which was one of the conditions she agreed to become empress.
"Why did you summon me here in such a hurry? Could it be that you've been intimidated by those boastful headscarves?"
Wang Yushi's face showed disdain. Now, whenever she sat opposite Qin Mo, her face would become lively, no longer as cold as she was to outsiders.
"Civil officials are also pillars of the court. They are not as incompetent as you. It's just a little trouble. Of course, if the Empress can help resolve it, I will be extremely grateful."
"Then what do you mean by 'important matter'? I traveled thousands of miles, not to taste your new tea."
Wang Yushi gently put down her teacup, raising an eyebrow as she looked at Qin Mo. He had left the capital immediately after receiving Qin Mo's letter, but now it seemed that Qin Mo's claim of "having something important to discuss" was somewhat unreliable. She couldn't help but feel a little angry. "Who do you think I am that you can summon me at will?"
“Your Majesty, I have an important matter to discuss with the Imperial Family. This matter is of great importance, and I would like to hear your opinion first.”
Qin Mo straightened her posture, poured tea for Wang Yushi, and then looked into Wang Yushi's eyes, her gaze clear, upright, and innocent.
"look...."
Wang Yushi then realized that Qin Mo had been referring to himself as "your younger brother" from the beginning of their meeting, which was a very solemn tone, indicating that the conversation that was about to begin would be very formal.
"You know that my brother has elven heritage, don't you?"
Wang Yushi nodded, signaling him to continue.
"If I possess something capable of changing the course of the war in the north, how will the Imperial Family... treat me?"
"Naturally, it will be taken for the use of the empire, then you will be promoted and richly rewarded, and then..."
When Wang Yushi heard that Qin Mo had something that could change the course of the war in the north, she was immediately shocked and blurted out a series of words without hesitation. But then she suddenly froze because she saw the mocking smile on Qin Mo's face.
"I am already a prince, what title do you want to bestow upon me?"
Wang Yushi was speechless. What rank was above a prince again? Heh...!
"A generous reward? Do you think I'm short of money? Or perhaps tens of thousands of vitality potions?"
Wang Yushi lowered her head and began to ponder. If asked who was rich in the Great Xia Dynasty right now, she would definitely dare to say, "This Empress is rich!"
But if you were to ask who is the richest, it would probably be the person sitting right in front of you. Those powerful families may be richer than Qin Mo, but their wealth isn't just for the head of the family, nor is it something Qin Mo can manage on his own.
As for giving Qin Mo tens of thousands of rubbings of 'medicine', haha! Let's not even talk about whether the Imperial Family has that many in stock. First, explain to me what you're going to do with so many 'medicines'? Are you going to create an army of cultivators to fight against whom?
"Are you sure your legacy can change the course of the war in the north?" Wang Yushi raised her head and asked solemnly.
"I am certain that within two years, the orcs will be forced to retreat a thousand miles, rendering them incapable of advancing south."
"Even if we expand our territory by thousands of miles, it would be a great achievement to take back Beihai." Wang Yushi's eyes turned fiery. She was not really suited to be an empress; she was more suited to be a general who charged into battle and fought with iron will.
Will the imperial family discard its useful members after they have served their purpose?
"You overestimate the imperial family's magnanimity. The nobility is the cornerstone of the empire, and the imperial family will never destroy its own foundation." Wang Yushi was somewhat annoyed, feeling that Qin Mojin was being too fussy.
"Let me show you the stuff first! Then you can give your assessment."
Qin Mo led Wang Yushi to a valley in the suburbs. Birds sang in the lush forest, and a river meandered along the mountainside. If it weren't for the several large black lumps on the riverbank that were so conspicuous, it would have looked like a paradise on earth.
“We call it ‘Elf Wrath,’ but you can also call it ‘Cannon.’”
"This is your... elven heritage? Why is it so crude?"
Looking at the dark cannon, Wang Yushi asked suspiciously, "Elven items all possess a natural and harmonious beauty. This clumsy, large, and crude cannon is really not related to the Elven race."
Qin Mo was speechless. Did all women in the palace care about "first impressions"? He explained while pounding the gunpowder, "Simplicity is also a kind of beauty, violence is also a kind of beauty, and artillery is 'simple, violent, and beautiful'."
"Boom... Bang!"
Just as Wang Yushi was about to retort, she was startled by the roar of the cannon. With her excellent eyesight, she watched as an iron ball flew for three miles, broke a tree a foot thick, and disappeared into the forest, raising a cloud of dust and startling countless birds.
"Think about it! If you had hundreds of cannons, all the cities would open their gates to you. Ulan-Ude? Irkutsk? No, no, no, Moscow and St. Petersburg are the cities you need to conquer. If you had three hundred cannons, the outcome of field battles would be a foregone conclusion..."
While Wang Yushi was still processing the shock of the artillery fire, Qin Mo had already begun his performance—or rather, his speech. His speech was brilliant; he seemed to see stars in Wang Yushi's eyes.
Wang Yushi's eyes were truly blazing with fury. She imagined hundreds of cannons positioned beneath the enemy city walls, the catapults' range utterly ineffective against them, the relentless bombardment creating massive breaches in the walls, and soldiers in full iron armor swarming in...
Qin Mo stopped his speech. He was admiring Wang Yushi, admiring the passion in her eyes and the desire for battle in her heart. He had always felt that Wang Yushi was most beautiful when she was in battle, while Wang Yushi as the empress had a little bit more... allure that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
Wang Yushi suddenly said, "Are you sure you want to reveal this secret? If you change your mind, I can pretend I didn't see it."
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