Qin Yu chuckled and gave a casual, perfunctory response before quickly changing the subject.
"Um, Your Majesty, weren't you supposed to stay at the front lines for a while longer? How come you've returned early?"
Qin Yu felt it was a pity.
He could still be enjoying some wonderful time with his sister-in-law!
Zhao Lan is back, and my good days are over!
The blush of shame and indignation on her pretty face gradually faded, replaced by a serious expression.
"I came back to tell you about this!"
Now, instant noodles have been widely used and equipped in the Tiger Army. After the Zhao Family Army arrived in Youzhou, they could betray Sima Lie at any time!
This is a golden opportunity; if successful, it will bring about a dramatic change in the situation of the Great Xia Dynasty!
But.
At the front, they heard news that Sima Lie had secretly reached a peace agreement with the Xiongnu!
Now, all that's left is for King Qin Yu to sign it personally, and then the war and peace agreement will take effect!
Everyone knows what methods Sima Lie used.
Under his coercion and enticement, it would be a matter of minutes for the emperor to nod and sign the peace treaty.
The father was extremely worried. This agreement would plunge the Great Xia into chaos, as the amount of reparations would be enormous, placing a heavy burden on both the court and the people!
Moreover, with the loss of several of the most important fortified cities on the Youzhou front, there will be no possibility of recovering the lost territory! The Great Xia will forever be dominated by the Xiongnu.
Secondly, after obtaining silver and valuables, the Xiongnu's strength will greatly increase. They will expand their military and increase their soldiers, and their first target for revenge will be Longxi!
Thirdly, once the two sides make peace, the Zhao family will completely lose the opportunity to betray Sima Lie, and it will be a long time before they defeat Sima Lie and change the situation of the court!
So his father made him return early so that the emperor wouldn't be coerced or lured into signing a peace treaty by Sima Lie.
"Oh?" Qin Yu saw the resentment on the woman's face and asked directly, "My Empress, you might as well speak frankly!"
"Speak plainly?" Zhao Lan reprimanded him righteously.
"Do you know? The war on the front lines is fierce, the situation in Youzhou is extremely precarious, and the Great Xia is clearly in crisis, yet you are still indulging in eating, drinking, and having fun in this deep palace, completely indifferent!"
Recalling the tyrannical emperor's lewd behavior and absurd words, Zhao Lan grew angrier and angrier as she spoke, finally slamming her hand on the table.
Bang!
Qin Yu pretended to be completely unaware and indifferent, then waved his hand and laughed loudly.
"So what if the Xiongnu invade? General Tianbao has already defeated them so badly they're crying for their parents and retreating in disarray!"
"The memorials on my desk have never stopped flowing, and the Xiongnu have been defeated to the point of suing for peace! I will send envoys to sue for peace immediately!"
Zhao Lan despised him to the extreme, and her resentment was evident in her heart, but instead of being angry, she laughed.
"Haha... My good emperor! As the ruler of a country, how can you be so ignorant! How ridiculous, utterly ridiculous."
Qin Yu curled her lip and immediately retorted.
"Am I not telling the truth? How can you call me ignorant? If you don't speak properly, I will punish you severely."
"Punish me?" Zhao Lan's laughter rose again, then stopped abruptly, her eyes flashing coldly.
"Do you know that the army at the front has suffered a major defeat and has been almost completely overwhelmed by the Xiongnu? Several important cities have been lost in succession, and the Xiongnu will soon occupy most of Youzhou!"
"Your proud General Tianbao has really fooled you quite a bit!"
Qin Yu feigned surprise, widening her eyes, "What?"
Zhao Lan continued, "Sima Xiong Ba can no longer be called a mediocre general; he was an incompetent wretch! Taking advantage of the natural barrier of Youzhou, instead of defending the city and waiting for reinforcements, he couldn't resist the provocation and launched an attack, only to be utterly defeated by the Xiongnu!"
"Such a clumsy attempt at seduction can be seen through by anyone who has read some military texts!"
"Now, the Sima family has lost most of its troops, and the few remaining cities in Youzhou are almost indefensible. They have no choice but to sue for peace in order to preserve their strength!"
"But does Your Majesty know what conditions the Xiongnu have offered? They want five million taels of silver, five hundred thousand people as slaves, one hundred thousand head of cattle and sheep, one hundred thousand bolts of cloth and silk, and ten thousand beautiful young girls!"
Zhao Lan spoke with righteous indignation, and Qin Yu was equally enraged!
Throughout history, there have been countless instances where dynasties, unable to defeat the northern barbarians, temporarily yielded and paid compensation in kind!
Of course, this was not a good thing, and Qin Yu, being an angry young man, was naturally unwilling to get involved.
However, he originally planned to make peace first, and then launch a heavy attack on the Xiongnu after regaining power!
Now, it seems that won't work!
This peace treaty is unacceptable under any circumstances.
How much tax revenue does the Great Xia Dynasty collect in a year?
They demand 500,000 with just a few words!
Cattle, sheep, common people, and young girls—all of these would greatly enhance the Xiongnu's national strength!
Along the long border, the two countries are neighbors and at war.
Ultimately, it's not about strategy and tactics, nor about temporary gains or losses of territory, but about national strength!
Only when a nation is strong enough can it completely crush the other side!
They are now making exorbitant demands, nearly killing the Great Xia, while simultaneously strengthening themselves. With this shift in power, the Xiongnu will become even more difficult to deal with in the future, and the Great Xia will never have a chance to rise again!
The brutality of the Xiongnu was well-known. After breaching a city, in order to boost morale, they would either massacre the city's inhabitants or capture civilians as prisoners.
Qin Yu could not leave the people to suffer.
He clenched his fists and frowned.
No, we absolutely cannot consider peace talks in this battle. We must let Sima Lie continue to wear down the Xiongnu!
Even if it drains the blood of our frontline soldiers, we cannot make peace!
Of course, in order to avoid leaks, Qin Yu could not agree immediately.
He continued to feign arrogance and complained to the Empress.
"snort!"
"Your words clearly show that your Zhao family is jealous of my General Tianbao! Your Zhao family lives off military merits, so of course you want the war to go on forever!"
"But I can't do that. I only want peace and stability. Since the Xiongnu are willing to make peace, I will give them a chance!"
Zhao Lan was angered by Qin Yu's ambitious and arrogant demeanor.
The peaks in front of him surged and undulated.
Her face was ashen, and she really didn't know what to say.
"A tyrant! You are truly..."
"Alright! I know what you want to say, but there's no need!"
Qin Yu feigned anger, then stood up abruptly with a flick of his long sleeves.
"You're such a troublemaker, always stirring up trouble for the Zhao family with your ill intentions!"
"After you leave, I'll continue to have fun with your sister!"
After saying that, Qin Yu left.
Zhao Yan, standing to the side, had a face so flushed it looked like it could drip blood. She kept her head down, clenching her fists on her lap, not even glancing at her sister.
A wave of intense guilt washed over Zhao Yan, causing her immense suffering...
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