Chapter 150

The music was pleasant, and the guests were drinking and chatting.

A lively and festive atmosphere permeated the entire hall.

Qin Mu sat before the throne.

On the left were the Great Tang envoys led by Fang Xuanling, with Li Er sitting side-by-side with Fang Xuanling.

On the right were the Princess Consort Li Xueyan, as well as Empress Zhangsun and Changle.

The main dish of the banquet was hot pot.

Everyone had a pot and many side dishes in front of them.

Li Er, Fang Xuanling, and the others had never seen such a way of eating and found it very novel.

Seeing their clumsy appearance, Changle scoffed.

Pfft!

So unsophisticated!

Qin Mu was quite happy today, drinking cup after cup, and soon he was a bit tipsy.

"Your Majesty, it is rare to see you so happy."

Fang Xuanling raised his glass, looking at Qin Mu with a face full of smiles.

Li Er, sitting beside him, looked sour.

Seeing his closest official call someone else "Your Majesty," his heart...

Always felt a bit sour!

"Hahaha, I am indeed happy today." Qin Mu laughed heartily: "Fang Xiang, do you know why I am throwing such a big banquet today?"

"The foreign minister naturally knows! Your Majesty is celebrating the successful negotiation between the two countries and also seeing us off."

Fang Xuanling drank the wine in his cup in one gulp, feeling it go to his head.

This wine was truly strong!

"Not so, not so."

"Fang Xiang, everything I do is for you!"

Qin Mu grabbed Fang Xuanling's hand and patted it gently.

What???

Seeing this scene, everyone's eyes widened.

Especially Li Xueyan, who was trembling all over.

Heavens!

Why treat me like this?

"Cough, cough, cough!"

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

Hearing this "passionate confession" from Qin Mu, Fang Xuanling choked and coughed incessantly.

This old man is a straight man through and through!

What on earth does this brat mean?

"Fang Xiang, I have appreciated your talent for more than a day or two. What is so good about that Great Tang Emperor of yours? Why not abandon the darkness for the light and be a Prime Minister in my Great Qin?"

Qin Mu looked at Fang Xuanling with a smile.

Hearing this, everyone except Li Er breathed a sigh of relief.

So it was just the mutual appreciation of gentlemen!

But Li Er, sitting on the side, had an extremely ugly expression.

Damn it!

Poaching my talent right in front of me.

Brat, you've really got some nerve!

"Your Majesty's kindness is appreciated, but this subject has nothing to repay you with! My life has already been pledged to the Great Tang, so I hope Your Majesty will forgive me." Fang Xuanling was incredibly awkward, his eyes constantly glancing toward Li Er.

What is this called?

Sigh!

It turns out being excellent is also a trouble!

Li Er was drinking cup after cup of bitter wine, his face flushed with anger.

"Sigh!"

"Forget it! I knew you would say that."

"Let's not talk about this today. Come, drink!"

Qin Mu waved his hand generously, raised his glass, and drank it in one gulp again.

"Great Qin Monarch, is my Great Tang Emperor really as unbearable as you say?"

Li Er could no longer endure it; taking advantage of the alcohol, he loudly questioned Qin Mu.

As soon as these words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent.

Empress Zhangsun, Li Xueyan, and Changle all held their breath.

Your Majesty, please don't be impulsive!

Fang Xuanling was also startled and hurriedly signaled to Li Er.

Your Majesty, oh Your Majesty!

Didn't we agree to just eat and drink without talking?

"You?" Qin Mu put down his glass, squinted at Li Er, and muttered: "I remember you; you're the one who publicly refuted me in the main hall before, right?"

"It is indeed me!"

Li Er nodded and admitted it without fear.

Everyone's hearts were in their throats.

They were terrified that Li Er would be recognized by Qin Mu.

"Very good! You can be considered a person of courage."

Qin Mu didn't pay much attention to Li Er and just nodded faintly.

He drank a cup of wine to himself and continued: "Since you want to know, I'll give a brief evaluation."

Hearing this, everyone quieted down.

Li Er's expression was even more grave.

He wanted to know too much!

He wanted to know what kind of person he was in Qin Mu's eyes.

Perhaps this was the mutual appreciation between emperors?

Empress Zhangsun, Li Xueyan, and Changle also pricked up their ears.

They really wanted to know Qin Mu's evaluation of Li Er.

"A few years ago, outside the Xuanwu Sect, the then-Prince of Qin launched the Xuanwu Sect Incident, cut down the former Crown Prince and his third brother Li Yuanji, and had their entire families executed. From this, it can be seen that the Prince of Qin was ruthless, decisive, and vicious enough!"

"Even if such a person becomes emperor, there is basically only one path left: to be infamous for ten thousand years!"

Hearing this, the emotions in Li Er's heart were complex; he didn't know if it was sadness or disappointment.

The bloody scenes from back then quickly emerged in his mind.

That was Li Er's inescapable nightmare!

Empress Zhangsun's expression was also not very good.

This was indeed an inglorious past.

"However..."

Just as everyone was bowing their heads in thought, Qin Mu's voice sounded again.

"If I were him, I would have done the same!"

"In an era of great contention, one is either the butcher or the fish. A person only has the right to speak if they are alive."

"All right and wrong in this world are merely written by the victors."

Boom!

Once dead, everything vanishes like smoke!

These words made Li Er's scalp tingle.

I truly didn't expect...