Chapter 143

Qin Mu looked Du Du Ruhui up and down, a glimmer of cunning flashing in his eyes.

Du Du Ruhui felt his skin crawl from being stared at.

This brat...

Could it be that he has a penchant for men?

The so-called penchant for men means an abnormal orientation.

Du Du Ruhui subconsciously wrapped his clothes tighter and retreated backward with some caution.

"Cough, cough... Prime Minister Du, let's talk about serious business first."

Li Er was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

For every hour of delay, his chances of winning would decrease by a point.

"Exactly!"

"Great Qin Emperor, our Great Tang Emperor specifically sent me here to implore Your Majesty to lend some troops. Hoping that in view of the friendly exchanges between the two countries, I ask Your Majesty not to refuse." Du Du Ruhui stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Friendly exchanges?"

"Hmph!"

"Your Great Tang Emperor has a thick enough skin; can he even say such words?"

Qin Mu snorted coldly and mocked him without any politeness.

"Your Majesty, what do you mean by this?"

Du Du Ruhui was a bit confused.

This child is so young, why would he have such great resentment toward the Emperor?

What on earth is going on?

Ever since Fang Fang Xuanling got involved with Qin Mu, Du Du Ruhui had basically taken over all the big and small affairs in the imperial court.

He had been so busy for so long that he was dizzy.

He knew nothing about the various disputes between Qin Mu and Li Er.

"Since you don't understand, then forget it."

"You just said you wanted to borrow troops from my Great Qin; I can consider it. After all, we are neighbors!"

Qin Mu put on a compassionate look.

Li Er's mouth twitched.

You are compassionate?

You care about the common people of the world?

Bullshit!

You are hoping for the Great Tang to fall into chaos so that you can take advantage of it.

"Is Your Majesty's word true?"

"I am acting out of concern for the common people of the world; I cannot bear to see the people suffer."

Du Du Ruhui did not have the calculations of Li Er and asked with great surprise.

However, the expressions of Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou and Fang Fang Xuanling did not change at all.

Unlike the newcomer Du Du Ruhui, they knew Qin Mu too well!

This brat always plucks a feather from every passing goose!

Agreeing to lend troops so readily must mean he has other motives.

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou didn't care.

No matter what Qin Mu plotted against the Great Tang, she would unconditionally support him.

But Fang Fang Xuanling was feeling uneasy.

Fear!

He was truly terrified!

He really couldn't understand what Qin Mu was thinking.

"Of course, a monarch's word is not a joke. Since I have promised you, I will naturally help with all my might." Qin Mu nodded indifferently and smiled slightly: "However..."

Li Er, Fang Fang Xuanling, Du Du Ruhui, and others all held their breath, nervously waiting for Qin Mu to continue.

The entire room was extremely quiet.

One could even hear everyone's breathing clearly.

"My Great Qin cannot help you for nothing for no reason, right?"

Qin Mu smiled more and more brightly, looking exactly Wu Li Ke a complete profiteer.

"This..." Du Du Ruhui was a bit speechless.

As a monarch of a country, Qin Mu is wealthy across the four seas; what else could he want?

Gold, silver, and jewelry?

Antique paintings?

No!

These are always a bit too narrow.

"If Your Majesty can help us overcome this difficulty, the Great Tang will definitely be grateful for Your Majesty's kindness, and for generations to come, we will not be enemies with the Great Qin and will maintain friendly relations!" Fang Fang Xuanling stepped forward to help Du Du Ruhui out of the predicament.

He could be considered to know Qin Mu a little.

This child is deep in schemes and ambitious.

What he values most must be his own reputation!

If the Great Tang could regard the Great Qin as a benefactor, it might satisfy Qin Mu's vanity.

"Prime Minister Fang is truly good at calculating! Do you think I care about your gratitude?"

Qin Mu sneered.

"Exactly!"

"Since you want Qin Mu's help, at the very least you should show some sincerity. With just empty words, you want my Great Qin to help; aren't you treating us too much Wu Li Ke fools?" Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou also chimed in from the side.

Before the words fell.

Everyone present looked at her in shock.

What's the situation?

Which side is the Empress on?

Why does she speak for Qin Mu every time she opens her mouth?

Li Er was so angry that his face turned red, a mouthful of old blood stuck in his chest, unable to swallow or spit it out, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Qin Mu raised his head and looked at Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou with a complex gaze.

Has she gone crazy?

Does she really think of me as her own flesh and blood?

Troublesome!

"Then... then in that case, how about the Great Tang bestows another princess in marriage?"

Li Er revealed his trump card.

Marriage alliance!

This tactic can be said to be effective for generations.

Whether it was the Turks back then or the Tibetans before, as long as a princess was used as the price, unimaginable returns could be obtained.

In his eyes, there was nothing that a marriage alliance couldn't solve.

Because of this.

And it was precisely because Li Er pioneered this precedent that in the nearly 300-year history of the Great Tang, no fewer than a hundred princesses were sent for marriage alliances!

Some of them were daughters of the royal family, and some were beautiful women selected from the common people, who were then titled princesses.

These women had no strength to truss a chicken, yet they had to shoulder the heavy responsibility of maintaining friendly relations between the Great Tang and neighboring countries.

When the noble families of Changancheng were singing and dancing, no one would remember what kind of humiliation these women would suffer in foreign lands.

According to incomplete statistics.

More than ninety percent of the Great Tang princesses sent for marriage alliances had miserable endings!

They suffered humiliation, swallowed their pride, and still had to struggle to survive.

Thinking of this, Qin Mu felt waves of nausea.