Chapter 71
[Ding, the ambassador from the Wu Yun Country reached the highest level of reverence, LV5 'willing to offer the lowest price', in negotiations with the emperor of the Jing Country.]
Xiao Chuchu burst into laughter upon seeing this.
The two ambassadors from Wu Yun were currently seated at the dining table, unable to stand up.
Their faces were filled with terror and regret.
The emperor of Jing had suddenly revealed the bottom-line price for war horses that they had discussed with the Khan back in Wu Yun.
This... was too terrifying!
Had Jing Country already planted spies inside the Khan's royal tent?
The ambassadors from Wu Yun turned red and pale, with cold sweat beading on their foreheads.
On that day when they discussed the price of war horses with the Khan, only the two of them and the Khan were present.
There was no fourth person!
And the two ambassadors had been together, eating and sleeping on the journey, so how could they have leaked information to Jing Country?
How did the emperor of Jing find out?
The ambassadors from Wu Yun stared in horror at Xiao Yunzhou.
Xiao Yunzhou raised his cup cordially towards them, "Servants, I've heard that Wu Yun favors strong liquor. Serve the ambassadors the most potent brew."
The hands of the two ambassadors from Wu Yun began to tremble.
Jing Country... was not to be trifled with!
This emperor was too clever!
Previously, they had heard that the emperor of Jing liked to farm and walk with his ministers, and had his son work in the kitchen, implying he lacked ambition!
Now they realized they were gravely mistaken!
This emperor was wise beyond measure!
The two ambassadors from Wu Yun exchanged a glance, seeing the lingering fear in each other's eyes.
This was too dangerous.
Earlier, they had quoted a price of thirty taels per war horse, overcharging by ten taels, and the emperor of Jing was undoubtedly angered.
But he did not expose them publicly, instead engaging them in friendly conversation.
After lulling them into complacency, he directly pressed them for the lowest price!
This emperor was truly formidable!
"We will make a list upon our return tomorrow," the two ambassadors from Wu Yun no longer dared to employ tricks or tactics they had learned from Chinese military strategies of concealing the real and appearing unreal.
This person was too clever, they could not possibly outmaneuver him!
The ambassadors from Wu Yun wiped their sweat, ready to drink as self-punishment and take their leave.
However, Xiao Yunzhou pricked up his ears and heard the thoughts of his beloved daughter.
[Oh, let me check what status these two ambassadors hold in Wu Yun.]
Xiao Chuchu was one who loved gossip and wanted to know everything about everyone.
Xiao Yunzhou listened with interest, his eyes sparkling.
Xiao Chuchu exchanged points for system information, and upon seeing it, she laughed: [Oh wow, one of them is the sworn brother of the current Khan of Wu Yun, and the other is the son of the Khan's wet nurse!]
[How impressive, my father has earned the reverence of these two lords of Wu Yun!]
[The emperor, my father, has utterly awed them!]
Xiao Chuchu almost laughed out loud in Wei Zhenghuai's embrace.
Xiao Yunzhou nearly spat out his wine in laughter as well.
His beloved daughter never failed to amuse him with her mischievous thoughts, making him want to laugh every day.
But Xiao Yunzhou quickly suppressed his smile, not letting himself become complacent.
He looked with interest towards the fat lambs on the throne—these two ambassadors who were the Khan of Wu Yun's closest brothers.
If he did not tease them a little, he would not live up to his daughter's wise insights.
"With your ambassadors being so forthcoming, I shall treat you as brothers," Xiao Yunzhou chuckled, shamelessly extending his hand.
"Let me introduce you to some of my sons."
Thereupon, a line of princes stood up and nodded cordially towards the ambassadors.
The two ambassadors from Wu Yun were particularly struck when they noticed the white jade adorning the waist of the fifth prince, Cheng Qian.
The white jade of Wu Yun was only bestowed upon the most revered individuals.
And among the seven princes of Jing Country, from eldest to youngest, only the fifth prince Cheng Qian wore white jade!
The others wore gold-inlaid jade, emeralds, and other precious stones.
Instantly, the ambassadors from Wu Yun held Prince Cheng Qian in high regard.
"We have brought some gifts on this visit," the ambassadors received a treasure chest from their attendants.
"Please accept them, princes."
After presenting a heavy wooden bow to the crown prince, they took out an exquisite dagger inlaid with white jade from the treasure chest.
They respectfully handed it to Prince Cheng Qian.
"The fifth prince of Jing Country, this dagger matches perfectly with the white jade at your waist, so we present it to you."
[Awoo, white jade is supreme!]
Xiao Chuchu could not help but applaud her brother.
[The ambassadors are paying special respect to my brother! They value him!]
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up.
The son he had taken note of, Cheng Qian, was not just another ordinary prince, as even the neighboring country could see?
As Xiao Yunzhou looked towards his fifth son Cheng Qian, he found that the prince received the ambassadors' gifts with poise, neither humble nor arrogant, maintaining propriety without losing face. Xiao Yunzhou nodded in approval.
Five days later.
A thousand war horses from Wu Yun arrived within the borders of Jing Country, and Xiao Yunzhou used grain and flour to offset part of the silver cost, spending less than ten thousand taels in total.
The ministers of the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of War wore beaming smiles for several days.
When the ambassadors from Wu Yun departed, Xiao Yunzhou dispatched his son Prince Cheng Qian to see them off.
Seeing the white jade at Cheng Qian's waist, the ambassadors from Wu Yun felt they had received the highest honor from the royal family of Jing Country and left with great satisfaction.
[The goodwill of the ambassadors from Wu Yun towards Jing Country has increased!]
[Hehe, they think the emperor, my father, sent the most outstanding and revered prince to see them off.]
[Much more courteous than the neighboring Chu State!]
Xiao Chuchu laughed as she watched the live broadcast in Xiao Yunzhou's embrace.
Hearing this, Xiao Yunzhou grew even more impressed with his fifth son Cheng Qian.
He did not expect that at such a young age, his son could receive foreign ambassadors better than the ministers of the Ministry of Rites!
[Oh, I can draw a lottery again?]
Xiao Chuchu exclaimed in surprise, instantly filling Xiao Yunzhou with delight.
His daughter could draw a lottery from the immortal realm?
In the palace of Chu State, the Chu king was furious.
"Didn't you tell me that Wu Yun Country would definitely not trade with Jing Country and would come to my Chu State instead?"
"You told me to wait?"
"Wait for what!"
"Servants, dispatch ambassadors to Wu Yun, I want to procure war horses!"
"Jing Country purchased the first batch of a thousand, I will purchase three thousand!"
The ambassadors of Chu State set out swiftly.
In just a few days, the Khan of Wu Yun received the envoys from Chu State in his royal tent.
However, after the meal, the two lords who were the Khan's closest brothers, Er Si and Er Xi, who had just returned from Jing Country, offered words of advice.
"My Khan, the emperor of Jing Country is extraordinary, extremely intelligent."
"Far superior to the emperor of Chu State!"
The Khan frowned, "Is this true? I have heard that Xiao Yunzhou of Jing Country is obsessed with cultivating the Dao."
"It's false!" The two envoys acted as if facing a formidable enemy. "The people of the Central Plains are cunning. Xiao Yunzhou must be pretending."
"He never leaves the palace, yet he knows about affairs across the realm!"
"Your Majesty, it's best we don't antagonize the Jing Country."
"!!!"
Khan Wu Yun gaped in astonishment.
He had originally intended to form an alliance with the Chu State to support them against their enemy, the Jing Country!
That was a close call!
"Let the people from the Chu State return. Tell them our winter provisions are insufficient this year, and we'll discuss acquiring warhorses next year."
*
Xiao Yunzhou held his daughter, playing with her, unaware of the events unfolding on the distant grasslands and the Chu State's brewing military actions.
Yet at that moment, as he listened to his daughter's thoughts, his expression shifted, his emotions rising and falling.
["Oh my, I obtained two SSR skill books!"]
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up!
Another heaven-sent wonder like the plague cure!?
As the emperor, he could once again stand before the officials and set an example, teaching them how to benefit the common people?
Xiao Yunzhou listened eagerly, brimming with excitement.
But the next moment, the tea Wei Zhenghuai had brought was sprayed from Xiao Yunzhou's mouth.
["'Postpartum Care for Sows and Crossbreeding Techniques for Pigs'"]
["'Techniques for Artificial Incubation and Rapid Rearing of Ducklings'"]
["Oh wow, how practical."]
"!!"
Xiao Yunzhou's vision went black.
As the emperor, how could he explain this to the officials!
"Your Majesty, you... have insights about sows?!"