Chapter 371
After listening to Xu Heming's words, Zhu Jingchen pondered for a while, and Xu Heming's words were not without reason.
If they fail to pay tribute to the Qinling Kingdom on time, the people of the Qinling Kingdom will surely send people to their Lanno Kingdom to demand those tributes back. After all, this time, what they want is not a small amount.
Five hundred thousand taels of silver—their national treasury can afford it now.
However, fifty shi of grain was no small amount.
The first half of the year was also difficult for their Lanno Kingdom. Thanks to Li Zhiwei's dowry, the people were not left without enough to eat or wear due to the floods in the south.
If they really send someone to Qinling Kingdom, it's unlikely that things will go well if it's just an ordinary person. If they send a capable minister, firstly, what if Qinling Kingdom decides to kill them? Wouldn't they lose a beloved general, which would be a huge loss?
If someone from Qinling Kingdom comes, Lanno Kingdom, although not as powerful as Qinling Kingdom, is still its own territory. If something happens, it won't be too difficult for them to help. Thinking of this...
Zhu Jingchen also slowed down his speech and said, "What Prince An said makes sense. In that case, we will wait for the people from Qinling Kingdom to come to our door. However, before that, we should also prepare a countermeasure."
"But Your Majesty, when the people from Qinling Kingdom come to our door, will they ask for an exorbitant price and try to rip us off?" Grand Tutor Cheng said with a troubled expression.
In his view, the people of Qinling Kingdom only wanted money. If they came, it would not only not reduce their burden, but would actually increase it. Wouldn't that be a loss?
Rather than doing that, it would be better for them to go out and talk to the other side, which would also demonstrate their sincerity in promoting friendship between the two countries.
"I don't think that the Qinling Kingdom will feel that we are sincere just because we went there. It's just that our national strength is not as good as that of the Qinling Kingdom. Will we anger them this time and give them a reason to attack our Lanno Kingdom?" Grand Tutor Wei sighed as he said this.
"The journey from Qinling to here is not short, so they probably won't be able to come for a while. Besides, we haven't received any news from the border about people from Qinling Kingdom. We still have time." Xu Heming thought that they could have their iron mines forge a batch of weapons first. Moreover, their Lanno Kingdom was much larger in area and population than Qinling Kingdom.
"Minister Xu, I will entrust this matter to you. Later, we will also discuss who should go with the people from Qinling Kingdom," Zhu Jingchen said, waving his hand.
Xu Heming did not raise any objections to this. After all, he was currently following up on the matter of those mines, so it was understandable that he would also follow up on the matter of weapon manufacturing.
"Your Majesty, I believe this task is originally the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonies. Why don't you have Lord Ye and Lord Yu receive the people from Qinling Kingdom together?" Grand Tutor Wei thought for a moment and then said.
"Your Majesty, I am willing to share your burdens," Ye Qingyan quickly stepped forward and said.
After all, this was originally a task assigned by the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonies, and he couldn't refuse it even if he wanted to. Moreover, compared to the previous plan to go to Qinling Kingdom, the fact that they had come to their territory was already a great improvement.
"Your Majesty, I believe that Lord Ye and Lord Yu alone are not enough to quell those wolves with ulterior motives," Grand Tutor Cheng said with a frown. After all, they came here to ask for something.
Although Ye Qingyan and Yu Guinian are formidable, the people sent by the Qinling Kingdom are definitely not simple.
Grand Tutor Cheng felt that they should still send out someone with influence and authority.
However, the current emperor's sons are too young to receive the envoys.
Otherwise, the prince would be the most suitable candidate.
"Minister Xu?" Zhu Jingchen smiled as he looked at Xu Heming.
“Your Majesty, I already have many responsibilities. Such an important matter should be entrusted to more capable ministers in the court.” Xu Heming rolled his eyes inwardly, thinking, “The Emperor probably doesn’t want me to do this, does he?”
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