Chapter 2172: Starting from Strength and Status

A few days later, the agreement signed by Wang Xingyi on behalf of Mu State with Cangyan was placed on the Mu Emperor's desk.

Bailie's future import and export taxes on goods to and from neighboring countries would be extremely low, and on this basis, Mu State would enjoy a higher quota of tax exemption and deduction rights in Bailie.

That is to say, Mu State's goods entering and leaving Bailie would pay almost no tax.

A very long list was attached after the document.

Seeing this, the Mu Emperor couldn't help but smile.

Previously, Bailie was a vassal of Mu State, and Mu State's goods entering and leaving Bailie were naturally tax-free. After the Nine Abysses Great Emperor took Bailie, the tax rate should have been re-established, but he continued the previous policy there to dull the contradictions between the two countries.

The Mu Emperor noticed that the "Bailie" mentioned by the Nine Abysses Great Emperor actually included Dao Feng Port, because the text clearly stated that the implementation of the new law began after the return of Dao Feng Port.

The Nine Abysses Great Emperor used this agreement to indirectly express his determination to take Dao Feng Port at all costs.

At the same time, Cangyan State was willing to export silver manganese, white steel, and other rare raw materials to Mu State, averaging two thousand jin per year for the first five years, and after five years, with increased output, it could be increased to five thousand jin per year.

Silver manganese and white steel are essential raw materials for forging characteristic weapons, but the production of neighboring countries, including Mu State, is pitifully low—only the reserves in the Flash Gold Plains are unusually abundant—

In the past, the Flash Gold Plains were truly holding a golden rice bowl while begging.

As the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gradually thickens, characteristic weapons have found their place again. Without mentioning anything else, the Dragon God Army's victory in the crucial battle at Bai Qiu Yuan, the holy land of Ya State, allowed characteristic weapons to make a dazzling debut, and many countries have also noticed.

The new era is coming; whoever fails to keep up will fall behind, whoever falls behind will suffer misfortune.

Therefore, Mu State's demand for characteristic weapons and for several key raw materials is great. They had previously proposed purchasing from Cangyan, but the latter had consistently refused.

This time, the Nine Abysses Great Emperor wrote it into the agreement to release a kind of friendliness and express sincerity in cooperation.

After the letter, there were more than ten clauses on expanding cooperation and bilateral trade. If one does not look at what the Nine Abysses Great Emperor had done before, and only looks at this letter, it is truly full of sincerity and overflowing with enthusiasm.

The Mu Emperor placed the agreement on the table again and summoned You Huan once more:

"In your view, how should we get along with Cangyan in the future?"

The agreement's content is not extensive; You Huan read it twice more before saying:

"Externally, Bailie and Dao Feng Port are small places; the Nine Abysses Great Emperor wants to take them and still needs to find ways to justify it—this 'justification' is an account to Mu State. Internally, the Nine Abysses Great Emperor's subjects all firmly believe he keeps his promises, his word is bond, and he is a virtuous ruler. I heard that years ago he promised the Bai people he would let them return to their homeland, and now several thousand Bailong people have indeed moved back to A Fu Hai."

The Mu Emperor nodded: "Indeed, he keeps his word."

"It can be seen that the Nine Abysses Great Emperor maintains consistency in both external and internal affairs; the so-called 'virtue, trust, and propriety' is both a weapon and a shackle—it deals with others while also restraining oneself. Under normal circumstances, Great Mu need not worry about him going back on his word." You Huan said solemnly, "Furthermore, Cangyan has raised the banner of resisting the Heavenly Demons, making it impossible for them to be of one heart and mind with Between Between Between Beijia, and naturally they stand closer to us."

"I believe that in the future, we can maintain normal relations with Cangyan, and for now, treat the Bailie and Dao Feng Port matters as if they had never happened." He especially emphasized the two words "temporarily," lest the emperor misunderstand, "This not only fits the current situation, but also demonstrates the broad-mindedness of our Great Mu."

What is the current situation? It is that after Cangyan's rise, Mu State's geographical security has been threatened.

It is that the Nine Abysses Great Emperor led the Dragon God Army to forcefully establish his identity and status, so that any force, including Between Between Between Beijia and Mu State, must now take Cangyan's military strength seriously.

The Nine Abysses Great Emperor has meticulously arranged things to this point and now has the qualifications to sit at the table.

At this point, Mu State also has no choice but to be "broad-minded," and must improve relations with Cangyan State.

This is what is meant by "starting from strength and status."

And in Bailie, Du Shan and his ministers also congratulated the emperor on the conclusion of the agreement, and the two states' friendly relations.

This single contract sets the tone for the Bailie and Dao Feng Port incident, states Mu State's position and attitude, and lays the foundation for cooperation between Mu State and Cangyan.

As He Lingchuan previously said, once this agreement is signed, Cangyan's peaceful days will truly begin.

This single contract also represents Mu State's respect for He Lingchuan personally.

Because Lingshan and He Lingchuan were previously in a relationship of strength and weakness, Lingshan even assigned tasks to He Lingchuan, Mu State inevitably looked down on him, and by extension, did not pay much attention to the Cangyan he established.

This is a natural, psychological sense of superiority.

Without breaking Mu State's sense of superiority, interactions with Cangyan would not receive the due respect.

What to do, then?

Let Mu State suffer a good blow.

After suffering, it would become clear-headed.

……

Before the midsummer passed, the situation east of Mu State had already undergone sudden changes.

The Dragon God Army was stationed at the southernmost end of Bailie, and just three li ahead lay Dao Feng Port!

Even part of the camp was set up beside the trade route, so passing merchants could see the banners fluttering in the camp.

Rumors flew everywhere, and some even spoke with certainty that the Dragon God Army planned to annex Qing State!

The Qing King had indeed received an ultimatum from the Nine Abysses Great Emperor.

Although the wording was still relatively polite, this was an ultimatum, not a document.

The Nine Abysses Great Emperor is not Liu Zhen Sheng. As a creditor, how could he be nice to Qing State for occupying ancestral property and failing to repay on time?

The content of the ultimatum can actually be summarized in a single word:

If you do not return Dao Feng Port, I will take the entire Qing State!

This is a naked threat. The most frightening thing is, according to the Nine Abysses Great Emperor's past battle record, this threat is very likely to come true!

He said he would annex the Flash Gold Plains, and so he did annex the Flash Gold Plains;

He wanted to take Bailie, and so Bailie acknowledged him as the head of the family;

Now he says he wants to destroy Qing State.

Who still dares to question his ability to act?

The Qing King clearly understands that without Mu State's help, ten Qing States would not be enough for him to fight.

These two days and two nights have been unprecedentedly long.

The Qing King could not sleep or eat properly, his eyes were strained until red blood threads appeared, and indeed he had awaited the major news from Mu State.

However, this news was that Mu State had reinforced its troops and launched a strong attack on Ya State, not that Mu State had taken any action toward Cangyan.

The Qing King's plea sent to Mu Du was like a mud cow entering the sea—there was not even a hint of news.

The state letter was sent and lost? Impossible.

The only explanation is that Mu State did not want to wade into this muddy water.

However, Qingguo could no longer raise the stakes.

One day, the final deadline in the ultimatum arrived. The last news Qingwang received was that Mouguo and Cangyan had reached a series of cooperation agreements!

This bad news truly came like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, directly stunning the Qingguo ruler and his ministers.

Qingwang on the spot smashed all the furnishings in his sleeping chamber to pieces, shouting loudly, "Why!"