Chakchin leaned back lazily in his chair, twirling the cup in his hand.
The steam from the cup rose gently.
A deep voice echoed in the small, warm room.
“In our Wuhuan society, women have no right to say no. The strongest man can get whatever he wants.”
He Youyou picked up the peanuts from the plate and peeled off the shells one by one.
Put it in your mouth and crunch it.
While eating, he grabbed a few peanuts and handed them to Ali next to him: "Good son, want some peanuts?"
Ahri took it with a puzzled look.
He Youyou winked at him: "How can we listen to gossip without snacks?"
As he spoke, he grabbed a few more and placed them directly in front of Chakchin without asking any questions.
The topic then shifted: "The men of Wuhuan are indeed brave and domineering. In my hometown, there are indeed many women who like such domineering men."
Chakchin picked up a peanut and popped it into his mouth: "Why don't you come back with me, Mrs. Han? I can give you anything you like."
He Youyou put down the peanuts, clapped her hands to shake off the crumbs.
She suddenly smiled and asked, "Does the King's mother also like such domineering men?"
This was the first time Chakchin had abandoned his composure after entering the room.
He abruptly stopped chewing peanuts, his pale eyes narrowed slowly, and he stared at He Youyou with an unfriendly expression.
He Youyou thoughtfully poured him more tea.
"I heard that the King's mother was originally a free woman living on the grasslands. Because of her beauty, the King's father wiped out her entire family and took her into the palace, where he doted on her every day. The King's father is truly a powerful and domineering man. Your mother must be very happy."
Chakchin squeezed the peanuts into powder with force.
Crushed peanuts fell onto the table with a soft thud.
"Oh dear, it's not good to waste food." He Youyou turned to Ali, "Ali, take these peanut crumbs to the yard to feed the sparrows."
Ah Li responded, ignoring Chakchin's extremely ugly expression, swept the peanut crumbs off the table, and carried them out of the room.
Only after Ah Li left did Chakchin's deep voice begin to ring out.
How do you know about my mother?
How did He Youyou know?
She wrote it all down in her little notebook.
Her notebooks not only recorded national policies, social trends, and people's daily lives, but also the personal information of key figures.
The more important someone is to her business, the deeper and more detailed her understanding of them becomes.
Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.
"Royal secrets are something that ordinary people love to talk about. You can find out about them with just a little inquiry."
Chakchin's eyes were blazing with fury.
He Youyou calmly rested her chin on her hand, looking at him across the table.
"He Youyou, your Youruitang is still doing business in the Wuhuan Kingdom. Aren't you afraid that if you anger me, I will target your caravan?"
"Your Majesty, do not do something that will kill a thousand enemies while losing ten thousand of your own. You and I both know that the existence of Yuruitang is of great benefit to Your Majesty. It cannot be replaced for at least five years. Your Majesty has just ascended the throne, and there are still many places where you will need Yuruitang."
Chakchin remained silent.
One of the reasons he wanted to marry He Youyou as his queen was You Ruitang.
Because Youruitang brought him great benefits, he decided to keep He Youyou firmly in his grasp.
This woman is quite capable.
Within the Wuhuan Kingdom, there are merchants, but those with great vision and ability are few and far between.
He Youyou is right. In the short term, Youruitang is irreplaceable.
A sudden wave of irritation washed over him. He loosened his collar and leaned back in his chair.
"You like a man like Zhao Changqing? He's just a prince. No matter how much power he has, he'll always be suppressed by others."
"Although Zhao Changqing is only a prince, he has never lost a battle against the Wuhuan Kingdom."
"He can't beat me."
"Wars between nations are not individual contests; they rely on the strength of the state. In a one-on-one fight, Zhao Changqing might not be your match, but in a war between two countries, it is the strength of the nation that matters."
This is the advantage of a large platform.
Choosing a platform is more important than choosing a job.
A temporary calm suddenly descended upon the warm pavilion.
Neither of them spoke; their eyes met in mid-air, neither willing to yield.
The cotton curtain was lifted, and Ali, who had gone out to feed the sparrows, came in.
This broke the silence in the room.
Chakchin continued, "Thank you, Mrs. Han, for your care for our students studying abroad."
"It's nothing, Your Majesty, you don't need to be so polite."
The burly figure stood up from the chair, and the heavy black fur coat was draped over his body again.
Chakchin put on his clothes, looked down at her with a gaze that was both intense and tangible.
"Madam Han, until we meet again."
He Youyou also stood up.
"Please take care, Your Majesty."
The guards of the Wuhuan Kingdom followed Chakchin out of the mansion.
Outside the house was a quiet alley.
This area is full of government offices.
One after another, they were divided into various grades.
Chakchin stood in the alley, like a towering mountain, motionless.
His gaze was fixed quietly on the distance.
At the end of the alley, a row of crossbows greeted him.
The crossbow bolts were pointed at him, gleaming coldly.
At the very front of the archers stood a man.
With a jade-like face and a golden crown, and a fur coat that flowed to the ground, he exuded an air of nobility.
Chakchin turned around and looked behind him.
At the other end of the alley, there was also a row of crossbowmen.
He silently turned around, stepped forward, and walked towards Zhao Changqing.
Zhao Changqing stood motionless, waiting for him.
Chakchin stopped when he had walked about ten feet away.
"King of Yue, why are you so hospitable?"
Zhao Changqing stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze devoid of any warmth.
"We are ordered to protect Your Highness back to your residence. We dare not be negligent in the slightest. Your Highness, please..."
As he spoke, he stepped aside, and the archers split into two lines, making way for Chakchin to pass.
Chakchin strode ahead, followed by his guards leading his horses.
Zhao Changqing then raised his hand and made a gesture.
On the rooftops of the houses on both sides, archers appeared, one row on each side, holding bows and crossbows, staring intently at the Wuhuan troops below.
Chakchin sensed the movement, glanced at the rooftop out of the corner of his eye, but said nothing.
He paused for a moment as he brushed past Zhao Changqing.
"Is Your Highness planning to be so wary of me every day?"
Facing him, Zhao Changqing remained calm and resolute: "As long as Your Majesty is in the capital, I will not be able to sleep peacefully. I will do my utmost to protect Your Majesty and ensure your safety every day of the Great Campaign."
Chakchin's gaze lingered on the crossbow bolt that gleamed with a cold, icy light.
"Your crossbow is quite good, is it an improved version?"
Zhao Changqing, however, gave an irrelevant answer: "We have over a hundred thousand such crossbows in Da Gan's armory. If Your Majesty likes them, I will send this batch of crossbows to Youzhou for deployment as soon as possible."
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