Hearing the praise, Li Geng was naturally pleased, but he did not show it and remained humble.
"Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. This is all what this humble general should do!"
Admittedly, Qin Yu was extremely stingy with his enemies; even as an emperor, he would try to save every few hundred or a few thousand taels of silver.
but.
Qin Yu was incredibly generous to his loyal subordinates; after a moment's thought, he waved his hand dismissively.
"General Li's actions are truly to my liking, Anfu!"
"This old servant is here!"
"A reward of ten thousand taels of silver and a hundred bolts of cloth to General Li!"
"yes!"
When dealing with subordinates, it is important to be clear about rewards and punishments. It is not enough to just talk about it; both spiritual and material needs must be met.
This number is not small, especially since Li Geng knows that the emperor is not very wealthy at the moment.
It wasn't that he necessarily wanted the ten thousand taels of silver, but rather that this immense trust and high regard immediately moved Li Geng deeply.
A flicker of emotion crossed his previously indifferent face, and he knelt down.
"This humble general thanks Your Majesty."
After displaying the virtues of a wise ruler and loyal subjects, Li Geng immediately became serious and began to report the intelligence he had gathered over the past few days.
"Your Majesty, as you wished, the prince's guards were deliberately let go, and a fast horse was even provided for him."
"Now, the Xiongnu have learned of the prince's death. I heard that the Xiongnu royal court was furious and cursed Sima Lie for a whole afternoon!"
"The Great Chanyu of the Xiongnu also dispatched a regent, leading the Xiongnu's most elite Tianlang cavalry, vowing to crush Youzhou, capture Sima Lie and his son alive, and then cut them into a thousand pieces and grind their bones to dust!"
They also said they wanted to...
At this point, Li Geng glanced at the emperor with some hesitation.
"Go on, it was I who did this. Are you afraid of those Huns?"
"They also said they would trample the capital, kowtow to the Xiongnu in front of the people of the capital, and surrender. They also said they would make you personally perform some kind of sheep-leading ceremony."
This so-called "sheep-leading ceremony" can be traced back even further.
This custom arose when one country was defeated in battle or submitted to another. The envoy would lead sheep, cattle, or other livestock to the victor to express submission or request forgiveness. This ritual symbolized the humility and submission of the defeated party.
Of course, to ask the emperor to do it himself would be a blatant insult!
Qin Yu was startled upon hearing this.
The Great Chanyu had many children, and he originally thought that the Great Chanyu would at most be saddened after learning of the death.
But they were so angry!
The situation has escalated to the point where peace talks are no longer an option.
However, Youzhou is Sima Lie's territory anyway.
Despite old Bitden's constant complaints, he still has plenty of backup plans. At the very least, he won't immediately surrender to the Huns; he can hold them off for quite some time.
Qin Yu couldn't help but nod.
"Very good! Since the Xiongnu people can hate Sima Lie, it means that our plan has been very successful."
"Li Geng, the same thing goes on: keep a close eye on the front lines in Youzhou. Whether it's Sima Lie or the Xiongnu, report any unusual military developments to me immediately."
"Understood!"
After explaining the relevant matters to Li Geng, Qin Yu swaggered away from Qingyun Temple.
Anfu lifted the curtain of the luxurious carriage and helped the emperor into the carriage.
"Your Majesty, where are you headed?"
Qin Yu paused for a moment, then said, "Let's go back to the study!"
He planned to first draft the imperial edict to reward Gao Chao, and then send Anfu to the Ministry of Rites to have them organize a celebration ceremony in accordance with the edict!
The carriage roared to life.
At the same time, another carriage sped to the front of the Prime Minister's residence.
Gao Chao ran towards the mansion in a panic.
"Prime Minister, something terrible has happened! The Xiongnu have learned of the prince's death and have already threatened to retaliate!"
"I know!"
Sima Lie had already received the news, and now he was so angry that his face turned ashen, and the fury in his eyes was so intense that he could practically devour Gao Chao!
This tyrant is clearly blinded by his own smugness.
He indulged in debauchery day and night, believing himself invincible, unaware that his hegemony on the front lines was crumbling and on the verge of collapse. All the victory reports he received were merely fabricated to embellish the peace negotiations!
For now, he can only continue to keep this lie to the people of Great Xia. If he were to tell the truth, how would the world view him and Xiong Ba? Wouldn't it become a laughing stock?
Moreover, once the truth is revealed, Sima Xiongba's reputation for defending the country and guarding the borders, which he has built up over the years, will collapse!
Sima Lie felt like he was swallowing a bitter pill, unable to express his suffering!
His gaze was fixed on Gao Chao, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
Finally, unable to hold back any longer, he grabbed his hand and slapped her hard.
Snap!
"You incompetent fool! It's all your fault for not pursuing them properly, which led to the Xiongnu prince being killed by the Zhao family. Now, tell me how you plan to explain this to the Xiongnu?"
"Damn it! If he hadn't died, the negotiations would have just fallen apart, why did it have to escalate to this point!"
The latter was knocked to the ground, and of course felt wronged, but dared not explain at all. He just knelt on the ground, trembling, his face pale with fright.
The luxurious carriage on the other side also arrived at the Imperial Study.
Taking the prepared brush, Qin Yu immediately began to write furiously.
"I have personally reflected on this matter and found that Gao Chao has been loyal and devoted, fulfilling his duties to the utmost. He excels in both civil and military affairs, bravely fighting the enemy on the front lines in Youzhou and achieving remarkable military exploits. He also killed the prince of the enemy state who had insulted me in the capital. He is truly a pillar of the nation and a minister of the state."
"Therefore, I hereby bestow upon General Gao Chao a thousand taels of national debt to express his loyalty to the country, and grant him the title of General Xi Xiong to highlight his outstanding achievements!"
Touching his chin, Qin Yu was extremely satisfied with the imperial edict he had drafted.
The title "General Who Attacks the Xiongnu" sounds good.
Once this imperial edict was issued, Gao Chao would be killed by assassins sent by the Xiongnu without even having to go to the front line in Youzhou!
Just as he was about to put it away, Sima Jing suddenly walked in with light and quick steps.
By the time Qin Yu realized what was happening and looked up, the alluring woman was already standing right in front of him.
"Your Majesty, I miss you!"
It would be a lie to say she wanted to; she had come specifically on the Prime Minister's orders.
Her fox-like eyes had already seen the imperial edict, and immediately her brows furrowed.
"Oh?" Qin Yu let out his signature lewd laugh. "Then let me pamper Jing'er properly."
As he spoke, his large hand reached out to encircle her slender waist.
However, the latter reacted extremely quickly, twisting his body slightly to dodge the attack.
"Hehe... Your Majesty, I have another important matter to report this time."
"Please speak freely, my beloved consort."
Sima Jing first gave a charming smile, then became serious.
"I've heard that the Empress is having an affair with her own servant, Zhao Jian!"
"Sending the lamb was just an excuse! A palace maid saw with her own eyes that ten days ago, the Empress secretly entered the palace from outside the palace through the Imperial Garden late at night. The person who escorted the Empress back was a tall and strong man, who must be Zhao Jian!"
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