On the 24th of March, the morning of early spring was misty. The snow had melted, and warmth had returned to the earth, as if spring had just officially arrived at this moment.
Construction was going on everywhere in Winter Frost City. The East Capital had just been built, and all kinds of public facilities needed to be expanded and repaired. At this time, what the Qin Empire lacked was not money, but time.
On the city wall, a magic crystal cannon was being hoisted and installed. Duke Wei Wei Chou was standing by, supervising the construction in person. The defense position of the East City Gate was very important. If Winter Frost City was attacked by the enemy, this direction would be the first to bear the brunt.
As the cold wind of early spring blew, the belt of Wei Chou's robe in front of his chest swayed slowly. A mysterious power of ghosts and gods lingered around his body like clouds and mist, which was quite a spectacle.
"Tuk, tuk …"
The sound of hooves galloping came quickly. Two scouts of the Longdan Army Camp, who were ten-man squad leaders, reported loudly, "Commander, our people have captured a cargo ship from the Celestial Pole Continent at the harbor of the East China Sea. The people on the ship said that they are envoys from the Tianji Empire. They want to see Your Highnesses, commander!"
"Envoys from the Tianji Empire?"
Wei Chou looked at the fertile land in the distance, which was the direction of the Tianji Empire. What did the Tianji Empire want to do more than two thousand miles away? Either start a war or negotiate peace. Did they send envoys to make an alliance? On second thought, Wei Chou couldn't help but laugh. The Tianji Empire was so powerful that there was no reason for wolves to ally with sheep.
"How many people do they have?"
"A dozen in total. One of them is wearing luxurious clothes. He should be the envoy."
"Take away their weapons and equipment. Send two hundred Dragon-Courage Cavalrymen to escort them to the main hall."
"Yes!"
…
Two hours later, in the main hall of East Capital, Lin Muyu, Tang Xiaoxi, Feng Jixing, Qin Yan, and others were all there. Lin Muyu stood in front of the throne with her hand on the hilt of her sword, waiting with a smile.
"Yu seems to be looking forward to this envoy?" Feng Jixing asked with a smile.
"Yes, at least from this envoy, we can more or less see the attitude of the royal family of the Tianji Empire towards us."
"Yes, I think so too."
At the foot of the throne, there were many officials. Zhen Yifan, Xiang Yu, Wei Chou, Baili Cang, Su Yu, and the others were all present. Even Luo Xin had traveled thousands of miles from Yunzhong Province to dispatch troops. After the enfeoffment of four dukes and five marquises, the military power of the Qin Empire was very centralized. At the very least, the situation of Tang Lan and Su Muyun refusing to dispatch troops would not happen again.
Not long after, the emissary answered the summons. He was a lean man with a few attendants, but his weapons had already been removed.
"Tianji Empire's Tianji Province's envoy, Zhou Xinyao, greets Prince Qin, Prince Xin, Prince Zhong, and Princess Xi!" He was calm and could actually identify everyone's identity one by one. It was enough to show how much the Tianji Empire knew about the Qin Empire. At the very least, they had done their homework.
"You know us?" Feng Jixing said coldly.
"No, it's just my first time seeing the faces of the three princes."
"Then how do you know us?"
Zhou Xinyao smiled. "It's very simple. The three princes are famous far and wide. Prince Qin Lin Muyu is well-versed in the power of laws and is handsome. Prince Xin Feng Jixing is calm and steady. He is well-versed in the laws of wind, fire, and thunder. Prince Xin Qin Yan is the youngest among the three princes. Princess Tang Xiaoxi is extremely beautiful and can be said to be the number one beauty in the Shattered Tripod Realm. How could I not know her?"
"What a sharp tongue." Tang Xiaoxi smiled. "Zhou Xinyao, since you're the envoy of the Tianji Empire, tell me why you're here."
"Yes, Princess Xi."
Zhou Xinyao raised his head, completely ignoring the gazes of the Qin Empire's civil and military officials around him. He said, "The Tianji Empire is located in the northwest of the Celestial Pole Continent. It has a vast land and a prosperous people. His Majesty, the Sacred Martial Emperor Beiming Yuan, has long heard of the Shattered Tripod Realm's richness and prosperity. Therefore, he wishes to form an alliance to protect and help each other. "Along the way, I've seen a few counties and chambers of commerce in the Lingdong Province. I'm deeply impressed by the prosperity of the Qin Empire. Your country's cloud brocade and silk weaving skills are superb and can be said to be otherworldly. Therefore, I request to establish trade relations with your country and exchange our Tianji Empire's goods for cloud brocade and silk weaving."
Lin Muyu had long known that there was no silk in the Celestial Pole Continent. Their brocade clothes were actually only equivalent to the fine cloth in the Shattered Tripod Realm. In terms of true luxury, Tang Xiaoxi's cloud brocade dress was probably enough to instantly outshine all the luxurious clothes of the imperial concubines in the imperial palace of Tianji City.
"What do you have to exchange with us?" Lin Muyu asked.
Zhou Xinyao smiled. "We have gold and silver. If Your Highness needs them, we can also transport the beauties of the Tianji Empire to the Shattered Tripod Realm. Moreover, His Majesty said that as long as the Shattered Tripod Realm is sincere in establishing trade relations with us, he's willing to pay 30% of our business income from the coastal ports of the Shattered Tripod Realm as taxes."
"30%?"
Lin Muyu raised her eyebrows. "Is 30% enough?"
"Then, 40%?" Zhou Xinyao's expression didn't look too good.
Lin Muyu spread her fingers. "50% then. Oh, right, what other good things do you have? Apart from money and women. "
"Demon spirit stones," Zhou Xinyao said indifferently.
"Demon spirit stones?" Lin Muyu pretended to be suspicious.
Zhou Xinyao shook his head with a smile. "That's right. Demon spirit stones are a kind of treasure that is completely different from the spirit stones in your empire's territory. Demon spirit stones are formed from the body of a demon spirit and can be refined and absorbed by cultivators. Regardless of whether one is in the Sacred Realm or the Divine Realm, one can absorb demon spirit stones without limit. In this way, an outstanding genius can obtain a great leap in power within a few years or even half a year."
"Are you really going to sell us demon spirit stones?" Feng Jixing asked.
"That's right." Zhou Xinyao waved his hand and smiled. "However, demon spirit stones are too precious and rare. Therefore, they can only be traded between countries. Every year, the Tianji Empire can sell 500 demon spirit stones of the sixth tier and 3,000 demon spirit stones of the seventh tier to your empire. The price will be 200,000 Jin Yin Coins and 50,000 Jin Yin Coins respectively. What do you think?"
"200,000 Jin Yin Coins for one?"
Lin Muyu squinted her eyes. "Why don't you just rob us? Our Jin Yin Coins are 30% heavier than the gold coins of your empire. Moreover, they are all made of pure gold. The value of gold is equivalent. I think … we don't need the demon spirit stones. Guards, send our guests off!"
A group of soldiers from the Longdan Army Camp stepped forward.
"Wait, Your Highness Emperor Qin!"
Zhou Xinyao hurriedly said, "Are you … refusing to trade with us? Trade is an important matter between two countries. If Your Highness refuses, I'm afraid it will affect the trade between our two countries in the future. Your Highness, please reconsider. "
"Trade? That's fine too. "
Lin Muyu smiled and said, "Go back and tell His Majesty Beiming Abyss that after your ships trade at our port, you will have to pay 50% of the tax to the Lingdong Province's government. In addition, the ships of the Tianji Empire and the Blackstone Empire can only land at Blue Wind Port, Tianyin Port, and Whitefish Port in the Lingdong Province to trade. I have specially approved a few routes for your country and the Blackstone Empire. Your ships can only travel on this route. If they deviate from the route or land at other ports, they will be attacked by our army. In addition, all merchants from the Tianji Empire and the Blackstone Empire can only stop at the ports and are not allowed to enter the mainland. Everyone has to register as soon as they reach the shore. Otherwise, they will be arrested. Do you understand?"
Zhou Xinyao was stunned for a moment before he looked deeply at Lin Muyu and cupped his fists with a smile. "Emperor Qin, Lin Muyu, the son of the Radiant Prince, Qin Jin, you truly live up to your reputation. I'm impressed!"
He raised his head and said, "Then, everything will be according to His Highness Emperor Qin's instructions. Let's trade at the three main ports."
"We will draft a document detailing the trade rules." Tang Xiaoxi said, "Please rest in the posthouse in Winter Frost City for two to three days. You can return to report after you've collected the document."
"Yes, I understand. Thank you for your hospitality, Princess Xi."
"Men, escort the envoy to the posthouse to rest."
Under Tang Xiaoxi's order, a few imperial guards immediately went forward to escort Zhou Xinyao away.
Zhou Xinyao was indescribably steady and calm. He bowed to the crowd and left calmly.
…
The crowd was in an uproar after Zhou Xinyao left.
"This person has ulterior motives. We have to be careful!" Xiang Yu squinted and said, "He clearly has at least a tenth-level Grotto-Heaven Realm cultivation base, but he hid his aura to be as simple as a Heaven Realm cultivation base. Hmph …"
Lin Muyu said, "It's not tenth-level Grotto-Heaven, but twenty-first level Grotto-Heaven!"
"What?"
Luo Xin was stunned. "Your Highness Yu, he really has a twenty-first level Grotto-Heaven cultivation base."
"Yes."
Although Luo Xin had been cultivating diligently for the past few years, she had only entered the Holy Heaven Realm. She could not see through Zhou Xinyao's true strength at all. On the other hand, the stronger Lin Muyu could see through Zhou Xinyao's suppressed power. She could determine his specific cultivation base and ability from his breathing and the pulse of his power.
Zeng Yifan held the jade tablet in his hand and said calmly, "Your Highnesses, do you think the Tianji Empire and the Blackstone Empire sincerely want to trade with us?"
Lin Muyu and Feng Jixing shook their heads together.
Qin Yan, on the other hand, was ignorant of the affairs of the world. He stood there blankly. In terms of shrewdness and decision-making, he was much inferior to Lin Muyu and Feng Jixing.
"Master Fan, what do you think of this matter?" Lin Muyu asked.
Zeng Yifan took a deep breath. "It's very simple. The Tianji Empire could have directly sent an army to invade us, but they didn't. Instead, they went to great lengths to send an envoy like Zhou Xinyao over. Then, there can only be two reasons. The first reason might be that Zhou Xinyao's visit was fake, and his real purpose was to find out the actual situation of our army. The second reason is that they are stalling for time. Zhou Xinyao's arrival is just a cover-up. Perhaps the Tianji Empire and the Blackstone Empire have other plans."
"That's right …" Feng Jixing nodded.
Lin Muyu placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. Her gaze was cold as she said, "Then, we will not change. Send more scouts and warships into the East Sea. We will know the enemy's situation at all times. Then, send people to keep an eye on Zhou Xinyao. We will not let him act rashly in Winter Frost City! Also, where is Baili Cang? "
The Navy Commander Baili Cang stepped forward. "I am here!"
"How is the navy's warships' assembly going?"
Baili Cang said in a deep voice, "Two thousand warships and nearly a hundred thousand navy soldiers are already stationed at the major military ports. In addition, two hundred fortress ships have already set off from Daojiang. If there are no accidents, they will arrive at the East Sea coast in two days."
"Mm, good. Then, let's end the court session and return to prepare for war! "
Lin Muyu lowered her head and thought for a moment. Then, she said, "Ministry of Works, Ziling, you guys stay."
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