With Lu Kai announcing the end of the court session, the officials returned to their respective courtyards. Sun Zixi also followed the other officials back to their quarters, which, although under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites, had been set up as a separate courtyard.
He mainly continued doing the work that Sun Zixi had done before, negotiating with foreign envoys.
Recently, the envoy from Da'an has recovered from his leg injury and has some free time to come and discuss the matter of going to the palace to see the emperor.
As the only woman in the Lingyin Academy, Sun Zixi still received some guidance and protection from these seniors.
Nobody wanted her involved in those insulting things. Negotiations between two countries are just a war of words, aren't they? What can't she say?
A young girl like her could just help them organize documents and water the flowers. Doesn't the Great Yan have any men? Why send a new girl out to talk to them?
"The grassland king committed atrocities in your Great Yan capital; this matter cannot be left unresolved!" said the Da'an envoy, sitting before the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.
"Then what do you think? As you know, she is the queen of the grasslands, and our Great Yan cannot control her."
"I heard that the Great Yan signed a century-long peace treaty with the grasslands, and the border town has the Zhenbei King who subdued the Xiongnu. Why can't she be dealt with?"
The atmosphere between the two was still peaceful at this moment. If there was any disagreement, it was just a back-and-forth probing between them.
But Sun Zixi happened to be watering the flowers at the door. Watering flowers on her first day in office wasn't a big deal, but the person inside was speaking rather unpleasantly. Ultimately, the young woman couldn't hold back any longer, rushed into the room where the door wasn't closed, and pointed at the Da'an envoy's nose, saying...
"You're not convinced! Let your Emperor of Da'an come and fight! Let him conquer the entire grassland, and still call him the Prince of Zhenbei? Is the Prince of Zhenbei your father or your mother? He spoils you so much, and you still want him to avenge you when you get beaten."
"You look like a human, so you're just wearing a human skin, huh? Even if you tear off your face, nobody will want it; it's thicker than a city wall."
"You insolent brat! Is the Magistrate's Court a place where a woman like you can act so presumptuously?"
The Da'an envoy had never seen negotiations like this before. Negotiations between two countries always start with courtesy before resorting to force. This was the first time he had ever seen someone start by hurling insults.
But the girl was actually giving him a lot of face. Back when they were fighting the grasslands, even the Second Prince didn't dare to speak to her like that. What? You got beaten up and now you're all high and mighty?
"You call yourself a woman? Don't you have any idea why you got beaten up?"
"If you utter another word, I'll call the King of the Grasslands to come and beat you up!"
Sun Zixi's fighting prowess made the members of the Lingyin Academy, who felt pity for him, hold their breath. What a talent! This is the kind of talent that Lingyin Academy was made for! He was born to do this!
"Would the King of the Grasslands bother with a mere seventh-rank official like you? You think too highly of yourself."
The Da'an envoy looked down on Sun Zixi.
"Oh, you think I can't handle you? You're in the Great Yan, what are you so arrogant about? You wait here, don't leave, I'll call the Grassland King over right now to beat you up!"
Everyone thought Sun Zixi was joking. After all, when negotiations between the two countries get really intense, they can use any means necessary, from threats and bribes to insults and curses. Anyway, there was no live broadcast at that time, so they could talk about the demeanor of a great power and their magnanimity. But when they were actually at the negotiating table, it was a completely different story.
Seeing the little girl storm out, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Household Department poured a cup of tea for the envoy from Da'an, preparing for one of them to play the good cop and the other the bad cop.
Everything was arranged perfectly.
Before long, Sun Zixi returned, followed by the woman in traditional grassland attire.
"What? You're asking for a beating again? I heard you wanted to get a beating, so I came."
Da Ni'er was always there for whatever was in trouble. When Sun Zixi told her that the envoy from Da'an would give her fifty taels of silver for beating her up, the dark-skinned girl came running over with a pounding heart.
Fifty taels!
How many sesame cakes can I sell to earn fifty taels of silver!
“You! King of the Grasslands, don’t think that just because you’ve submitted to the Great Yan you can be arrogant. My Great Anai…” The man was startled when he saw the newcomer, and he stammered as he spoke.
"You son of a bitch! Let me tell you, this isn't over yet, the matter of you hitting my Dongyu is far from over. Wait until we're at the negotiating table and see how I curse you out!"
Sun Zixi's state was like a firecracker that had been lit, something Wang Dani was all too familiar with.
Back then, the two of them worked together so well. Sun Zixi would chat with the other person in front, and if she couldn't understand, she would take action. At least the Grassland King thought it was very good. Just like now, she can still be a support for her classmate, which is really awesome.
Da Ni'er sat behind Sun Zixi and, seeing that Da'an Envoy was able to speak to her properly, she pretended to doze off.
"When do you want to see the Emperor?" the girl asked coldly, staring at him.
"Tomorrow...the sooner the better."
"Our Emperor is busy. How about the next half month? You can come then."
The envoy didn't reply, he just nodded. He wanted to leave as soon as possible, because his legs hurt whenever he saw the king of the steppe.
"What's the main purpose of your visit? Tell me first."
"The marriage alliance brought peace and tranquility to the Great Yan and Great An for a century."
"You can't win, so you want a marriage alliance? What were you thinking before you started fighting?"
Sun Zixi knew it was useless to talk to an envoy, so he gave his colleague a wink, signaling him to write it down and then show it to the emperor.
Watching the man leave the magistrate's residence, the girl stood up, wanting to go out and continue watering the flowers, but looking around, her colleagues seemed like dogs eyeing a bone.
"Little Sun, were you born with such a silver tongue?"
"Do you have any brothers or sisters like you in your family?"
"If there are any, bring them all to our Imperial Physician's Office!"
The girl didn't mince words and spoke the truth.
“There is one, my brother. We are twins, but he didn’t pass the imperial examination and only became a provincial graduate.”
"A scholar who has passed the imperial examination!" the Vice Minister of the Imperial Academy said with a smile.
"Achieving academic success is enough. Tomorrow! Bring him here tomorrow. Once he passes the exam, the two siblings can serve the country together here!"
"Thank you, sir."
The room was filled with a happy atmosphere, except for one person who was unhappy.
The clear-headed Da Ni'er pouted and stormed out the door. What did this mean? Did she really have to approve official documents herself? Sun Ziyang didn't even leave her any? In that case, she'd go back to the Prince's mansion and wreak havoc on Huo Xiaolong!
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