In one night, the murder of the Jiang family shocked the world.
It was also from this day onwards that one piece of shocking news after another spread throughout the world.
Countless voices of discussion spread among the commoners.
"Have you heard, the Emperor has developed a crop that can produce forty stone per mu!"
"Not only that, I also heard that the Emperor has built a school, and requires the poor to enter the government!"
"Is that true? Doesn't that mean that us poor people can also study … but books are so expensive. "
"Don't worry, the Emperor has already developed a paper-making technique, and books are sold very cheaply now."
"Is that so! Then I'll go buy a few sets first! "
Ever since Xu Que had massacred the Jiang family of the five families and seven hopes, things had gotten out of hand.
Roads, papermaking, trade, splitting up the aristocratic families, raiding the national treasury …
One policy after another, as if it had long been prepared, began to be implemented step by step.
This also pushed this dilapidated Eastern Tang Kingdom towards the side of prosperity.
After Xuanyuan Wanrong knew of the murder of the Jiang family, she seemed to have tacitly agreed with Xu Que's methods, no longer objecting, and allowed him to gradually take over the entire court.
This meant that the Empress, who had once held great power, was really going to give up her power to fight for.
After all, in the end, the two of them had the same goal.
As long as the Eastern Tang Kingdom could continue to develop peacefully, without any major changes, the two of them could live peacefully until they died of old age, successfully passing the test, and that was the best outcome.
Xuanyuan Wanrong still could not understand why Xu Que's mind could always come up with such strange ideas.
It seemed to be deviant, but it always had an unexpected effect, changing the country for the better.
She even thought, could it be that what Xu Que had said before was not nonsense, and that he really had the ability to become an emperor?
As time passed, Xuanyuan Wanrong herself did not realize that her view of Xu Que was changing bit by bit.
… …
Time is the best at changing people. In the blink of an eye, the two of them had already been in this world for two years.
In these two years, Xu Que's various policies had turned the Eastern Tang Kingdom into a powerful and prosperous nation.
Even though it still could not compare to the State of Qin, compared to the Eastern Tang of two years ago, it was already a world of difference.
On this day, it was yet another morning assembly.
After the court was dismissed, the two of them were in the Imperial Study, discussing how to develop the next step.
"Report!"
Suddenly, a eunuch rushed in and knelt outside the imperial study, shouting, "Your Highness the Empress, uh … Your Majesty, the Qin Kingdom has sent an envoy!"
"Hmm?"
Xu Que and Xuanyuan Wanrong looked at each other. After two years of working together, they were so familiar with each other that they could read each other's thoughts.
The two of them had a tacit understanding that trouble had come knocking on their door.
"I'll deal with it. You're not good at these things," Xu Que said.
"…" Xuanyuan Wanrong hesitated for a moment, then nodded her head in acquiescence.
The two of them stood up, opened the door of the Imperial Study, and strode out.
… …
At the same time, in the main hall, the Qin envoy stood among the other officials, his expression arrogant and his eyes filled with disdain.
The surrounding officials all had dark expressions as they discussed in low voices.
"This Qin envoy is too arrogant!"
"There's no other way … after all, the Qin Kingdom has a strong army and has already ruled over half of the Nine Provinces."
"This time, they said that they're here to visit, but who knows what they're hiding!"
Listening to the discussions around him, the envoy laughed coldly, his expression becoming more and more arrogant.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness the Empress has arrived!"
Accompanied by the sharp voice of the eunuch, Xu Que sat on the dragon throne, while Xuanyuan Wanrong sat on the phoenix throne beside him.
The envoy's eyes were filled with disdain as he cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Greetings to the Emperor of the Eastern Tang Kingdom."
One of the remonstrating officials immediately stepped out in anger, "Bastard! Not kowtowing when greeting His Majesty is a great disrespect! "
The surrounding officials also had hidden anger in their expressions, all of them looking at him as if he had killed their father.
Xu Que, however, waved his hands and said with a smile, "No matter, you're a guest from afar. I wonder what this envoy has come for?"
Xuanyuan Murong glanced at him, somewhat surprised.
Although the two of them had already discussed on the way here, no matter how the envoy provoked them, they had to endure it.
After all, the current Qin Kingdom was powerful, and if they really fought, the Eastern Tang Kingdom would be destroyed in less than three days.
Right now, they were unable to use even the slightest bit of True Yuan, and were purely two ordinary people. Naturally, they could not rely on the power of the cultivators to crush the Qin Kingdom.
Therefore, the only thing they could do now was to delay.
First, they had to think of a way to protect the Eastern Tang Kingdom. With their literary and military strategies, they could definitely slowly plan and overthrow the Qin Kingdom.
But this required time.
With her understanding of Xu Que, this fellow could not possibly endure it.
At this time, the envoy straightened his body and said in a clear voice, "Your Majesty, our Qin's Saint has sent this humble subject to your esteemed country this time, with only one decree."
He paused, looking around at the officials, and said word by word, "For your esteemed country to surrender!"
Hua!
The entire hall was in an uproar!
"What? He wants us to surrender?! "
"The Qin King has gone too far! I'll go to your mother! "
"Do you want to die by saying this? I'll go to your entire family! "
"Surrender before the battle has even begun? What a joke! My Eastern Tang Kingdom will fight this battle even if we have to use all of our strength! "
"Eh … Old Du, think carefully, we really can't win."
The envoy's words were too straightforward, and caused the crowd to be furious.
This kind of behaviour of persuading the other party to surrender before the battle had even begun, in the context of countries, was equivalent to saying that I'll eat you up, and if you listen to me, I won't beat you up.
To put it crudely, it was no different from sitting on the head of the Eastern Tang King and shitting on him.
Especially since these words were said by an envoy, it was a great humiliation.
But what was unexpected was that Xu Que did not have much of a change, and maintained his smiling expression the entire time.
After a while, Xu Que pressed his palm against the air, and the crowd calmed down.
Xuanyuan Wanrong moved closer to his ear, and said in a low voice, "We can agree for now. Currently, the Eastern Tang Kingdom is weak, and does not have the military strength to fight a war of the entire kingdom."
Xu Que's expression did not change, "How long do you think it will take for us to reach the national strength of the Qin Kingdom?"
"Ten … No, eight years."
Xuanyuan Wanrong understood the strength of the Eastern Tang Kingdom. They had a large population, but their military strength was weak, and their military equipment was outdated, so they had always been a weak country.
Eight years was enough to create a strong country.
At that time, it would be enough to fight the Qin Kingdom.
Xu Que nodded his head, and the smile on his face became more and more enthusiastic.
If Duan Jiude were to see Xu Que's current smile, he would definitely exclaim, "This brat is definitely up to something again!"
"My beloved subjects, do not be impatient. The fact that the Qin King has sent an envoy means that he is still very sincere."
Hearing the King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom say such a thing, the envoy's expression became even more arrogant, and he adopted a domineering attitude.
"However … before making a decision, there are some words that I hope this envoy can help me bring to the Qin King." Xu Que beckoned to the envoy. "Envoy, come forward. These words cannot be heard by others."
The envoy laughed coldly in his heart. Thinking that it was just some words begging for mercy, he walked in front of the dragon throne.
The eyes of the officials were about to spit out blood, and some of them were already clutching their official hats in their hands, waiting for Xu Que to announce his decision before throwing their hats away.
"King of the Eastern Tang Kingdom, what words do you have to bring to our Emperor?" The envoy asked arrogantly.
Xu Que said with a smile, "Tell the Qin King, tell him to wash his neck clean … and wait for his death!"
… …
(End of this chapter)
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