Li Hongzhao bit her red lip, her bright eyes twinkling, exceptionally charming and alluring.
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Chu Zhiyuan, however, remained unfazed, smilingly saying, "Unfortunately, you are not the emperor, your words don't carry that much weight."
"...What will it take for you to believe me?"
"I don't know either," Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile, "If you were me, would you believe the promises of the Great Meng?"
"...I will now order the Great Meng to withdraw its troops," Li Hongzhao stared intently at Chu Zhiyuan with her bright eyes, "How about it?"
Chu Zhiyuan pondered.
Seeing that he was indeed tempted, Li Hongzhao quickly said, "This can be considered a bit of sincerity, but we also have a condition."
"Tell me about it."
"Great Meng's martial arts experts will also join the Yanwu Hall."
Chu Zhiyuan laughed, "Isn't this asking me to hand over the secrets?"
Li Hongzhao huffed, "Even if you hand over the secrets, who knows if they'll be useful or not?"
Just like martial arts, even if you know the mental cultivation method, not everyone can practice it.
Chu Zhiyuan's comprehension is so strong that it can be said to be rare in the world. The secrets he speaks of are probably not something that others can master. Even if he told them, it might not be useful.
Rather than that, it would be better to have him directly guide them.
The goal of the Great Meng is not to master these secrets themselves, but to maintain the current balance of power. Once this is clear, there is no need to seek his so-called secrets.
In fact, they can slowly research it themselves, by deducing it backward from the breakthrough process of these disciples.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Then let's see the troops withdraw first, and let the Great Meng send another delegation to negotiate. The specific conditions still need to be discussed by the imperial court. I am just a Prince."
These high-ranking officials in the court may not be as good as him in martial arts comprehension, but they are far better than him in handling such matters.
All he can think of is peace talks, but as for what to do next and how to prevent the Great Meng from going back on their word, he has no idea for the time being. He still needs to rely on the wisdom of these high-ranking officials in the court.
Li Hongzhao solemnly said, "Alright, I will first order the Great Meng to withdraw its troops, and then send a delegation over."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Your Highness, I admire you."
To be able to make such a decisive decision, she is indeed extraordinary.
Li Hongzhao said, "But I also need proof, to prove that you really have this ability and are not lying."
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head with a smile, "If you don't believe me, then forget it, why need proof?"
Li Hongzhao glared at him and said, "Saying that you can push a Perfected Houtian realm to Grandmaster in ten days, do you think the Great Meng will believe it?... To save some explanation, why don't you send two Perfected Houtian realm cultivators into the Grandmaster realm first?"
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head with a smile.
"Chu Zhiyuan, you are too stingy!" Li Hongzhao huffed, "Even if the negotiations fail, two Grandmasters won't hinder the overall situation!"
"Your vision is just too small!" Li Hongzhao huffed, "How can you compete for the throne with such a vision?"
Chu Zhiyuan laughed, "Compete for what throne!"
"Come on!" Li Hongzhao huffed, "Who are you pretending in front of me!... Who doesn't know who between the two of us."
Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand with a smile, "Your Highness is unfathomable, I am not as good as you."
Li Hongzhao glanced at him askance, charming and alluring.
Chu Zhiyuan lowered his eyes and drank tea, pretending that he couldn't bear her radiance.
As her cultivation progressed, she became more and more charming and beautiful, her radiance was compelling, and she was unbearable to look directly at. This Phoenix Cry Nine Heavens Art is indeed mysterious.
He has extrasensory perception, and is as calm as a god, how could he be easily shaken in his mind?
Only by actively opening his heart could Xiao Ruoling walk in. If he didn't open his heart, beauty would be useless to him.
Li Hongzhao huffed, "Originally, your achievements were not great, far inferior to Prince Ying, but now it's different. You are on par with Prince Ying, and next, it depends on when you step into the Grand Grandmaster realm."
Prince Ying has made great achievements in battle, resisting foreign enemies from invading.
But Chu Zhiyuan's move has strengthened the martial arts of Great Jing, and also strengthened the Great Jing court. His contribution to Great Jing may not be weaker than Prince Ying.
Even better.
After all, war exploits are not just Prince Ying's alone, but Chu Zhiyuan alone has changed the strength of Great Jing.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "It's too early to say these things, who can say for sure what will happen in the future, I won't see you off."
He picked up his tea again.
Li Hongzhao huffed, "Alright then, I'll leave!"
She stood up abruptly, her graceful figure swaying as she left.
"Ah..." Bai Ning Shuang let out a long sigh.
She slowly sat down, rubbing her cheeks, and glared at Chu Zhiyuan reproachfully.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "What's wrong with me again?"
Chu Yi stepped forward to support Bai Ning Shuang, gently massaging Bai Ning Shuang's shoulders and slender waist, "Mother, tell us quickly."
"My face has been smiling so much today that it's numb," Bai Ning Shuang said unhappily, "I've been putting on a smiling face."
"Did elder brother cause trouble?" Chu Yi's eyes lit up.
Li Suyue also sat aside, burying her head and saying nothing.
Chu Minghou smiled and said, "Is it for the matter of the Yanwu Hall?"
Bai Ning Shuang huffed, "What else could it be!"
Chu Minghou shook his head and smiled, "It's the same for me, I'm being pestered so badly, everyone is trying to get close to me, as if I've suddenly become silver, everyone likes me."
Bai Ning Shuang said, "Me too, every imperial concubine is inviting me over to talk, and I have no way to refuse, so I can only meet them, one after another."
"Mother, what did these imperial concubines say?"
"Just some small talk about family matters."
"Didn't they plead with you to ask elder brother for help?"
"How could these imperial concubines be so impatient?" Bai Ning Shuang said unhappily, "Even if they wanted to plead, they wouldn't say it explicitly, let alone say it directly."
These imperial concubines all have good means, even if they didn't understand these things before, they would have learned them after being immersed in the palace for a few years.
Of course, they wouldn't rush to say these things, but would first get closer, and then say these things step by step.
"Elder brother has really become a popular commodity now, hehe," Chu Yi's eyes lit up.
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, "This is not a good thing."
Chu Minghou said, "They don't even think about it, if Yuan'er really makes an exception, how much trouble would that cause? If Yuan'er really did that, who would take the rules of the imperial court seriously?"
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Father, don't worry."
He knew that Chu Minghou was reminding him.
You can't make an exception, otherwise, there will be endless troubles, not only troubles in terms of personal relationships, but also the anger of the imperial court.
Chu Minghou smiled and said, "I will report to the Emperor and issue an imperial decree to you, if you make an exception, you will be severely punished."
Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly.
This is the safest way.
At this moment, Feng Xi's report came from outside, Huang Cheng has arrived.
Chu Zhiyuan's spirits lifted.
Huang Cheng naturally brought the Emperor's decree.
Soon, Huang Cheng, accompanied by two red-clothed middle-aged eunuchs, entered the front hall.
Chu Zhiyuan stepped forward and clasped his fists in greeting.
Huang Cheng said with a smile, "Your Highness, Prince, Princess Consort, Princess, this servant has come to congratulate you."
Chu Zhiyuan said, "What is the imperial grandfather's decree?"
Huang Cheng smiled and took down the imperial decree covered with golden silk from the sandalwood plate, "It's for the Princess Consort."
Bai Ning Shuang was stunned, "Me—?"
Chu Zhiyuan opened the imperial decree and took a look, then handed it to Bai Ning Shuang with a smile, "Congratulations, Mother."
Bai Ning Shuang took it and quickly said in surprise, "I've actually been rewarded with a manor."
Huang Cheng smiled, "There is also a reward for Earl Bai."
Bai Ning Shuang's bright eyes were even more surprised.
"The Emperor said that the Prince is like this, mostly because the Princess Consort's teaching is meritorious, so she should naturally be rewarded."
Bai Ning Shuang pursed her lips and smiled charmingly, "The Emperor is wise."
