Chapter 23

Proud to have a peerless young heroic master!

Tubo, no, Great Qin, under the Emperor's leadership, will surely unify the four seas.

As for a mere Great Tang, the Emperor will surely take it into his pocket sooner or later!

"Hahaha, everyone, taking advantage of this joyous occasion, I will announce two more pieces of good news."

After Li Li Chengqian finished the toast, Li Er smiled again with a glowing face.

"May I ask the Great Tang Emperor, what are the good news?"

One of the Western Regions envoys asked curiously.

Everyone nodded and leaned in to listen carefully.

"The first piece of good news belongs to you Western Regions nations."

"I have already issued a decree that Princess Wencheng, Li Li Xueyan, will be the marriage princess and will be betrothed to one of your countries!"

Li Er continued to explain.

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall was in an uproar.

"The Great Tang Emperor is truly generous and magnanimous, this is too great!"

"This mission to Great Tang truly did not fail the trust! If I can win this marriage for my monarch, wouldn't that be a great achievement?"

"Princess must belong to our Gaochang Kingdom!"

"Hehehe, thinking too beautifully, our Yuezhi Kingdom is not to be trifled with either!"

"It must belong to us!"

The noise from the envoy delegations of various nations grew louder and louder, everyone arguing until their faces were red and their necks were thick, wishing they could fight on the spot.

"Your Majesty, there is only one princess, may I ask how Your Majesty intends to betroth her?"

Gar Tongtsen, who had been silent, stood out from the crowd and asked a key question.

After he raised this question, the envoy delegations from various nations finally quieted down.

"Good question. Since I promised to betroth her, I must naturally be fair and just."

"I have already thought of three difficult problems for you, and I will give you one day. Whichever nation's envoy can answer these three problems most perfectly, that nation will marry the princess."

As he spoke, Li Er had his attendants distribute the questions to all the envoys present.

The envoys from various nations carefully collected the questions, planning to try their best to solve the puzzles after returning.

"May I ask Your Majesty, what is the second piece of good news?"

After the envoys from various nations finished, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji asked loudly.

There was a trace of expectant light in his eyes, as if he had known this good news long ago.

"This second piece of news is also about the princess."

Li Er scanned the room mysteriously and said leisurely: "I have decided to marry Princess Princess Changle to the Duke of Zhao's heir, Empress Zhangsun Chong." The hall was silent.

Everyone was surprised at first, then cast envious glances at the Duke of Zhao, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji.

Who doesn't know?

Princess Princess Changle is the apple of Li Er and Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou's eye!

Whoever can marry her will surely rise to the top.

More importantly, Princess Changle is not old, but she is already a budding beauty.

Given time, she will surely be a beauty who can topple kingdoms!

Whoever marries Princess Princess Changle has the blessing of their ancestors.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your heavenly grace. Even if this old minister were to die, it would be hard to repay even a ten-thousandth of Your Majesty's kindness!" Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji bowed respectfully to Li Er, his hands trembling with excitement. Hahaha!

I have finally achieved my wish!

My sister is the Empress, and my daughter-in-law is a princess.

This is truly the pinnacle of being a subject!

Although the officials and nobles in the hall were jealous, they could do nothing about it.

After all, Empress Zhangsun Chong's contributions were there for all to see!

If you want to blame someone, blame your own son for not being up to the task.

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

"The Duke of Zhao is truly the head of all officials, the Emperor's favorite."

"Don't forget to invite us to the wedding!"

A moment later, everyone's faces were once again filled with joy, and they congratulated Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji one after another.

Only Princess Changle, who had been silent all along, had pale cheeks and bitten lips, wishing she could rush out of the hall, out of the palace, and never come back.

Unknowingly, the banquet came to an end.

After the envoys from various nations were full of food and wine, they also left the palace swaying.

Gar Tongtsen held the three difficult problems tightly in his sleeve and prepared to leave.

Must hurry back to the post station to inform the Emperor of this!

"Tubo envoy, please stay!"

Just then, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji's voice came from behind.

"So it is the Duke of Zhao. May I ask what you want?"

Seeing Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji, a cold light flashed in Gar Tongtsen's eyes.

He knew that this old fox in front of him had an irreconcilable hatred with his Emperor, Qin Mu.

But what exactly the hatred was, Gar Tongtsen himself was not very clear.

Anyway, in short.

This old thief definitely has no good intentions!

"Envoy, please step aside to talk."

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji smiled mysteriously and led Gar Tongtsen away from the hall quickly.

The night was Wu Li Ke water.

The Changancheng post station was silent.

In the private room, shadows flickered.

Gar Tongtsen stood respectfully before Qin Mu and recounted the series of events that happened at the banquet earlier.

Besides that.

Gar Tongtsen dared not hide anything from Qin Mu about what Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji talked to him about.

It turned out.

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji found Gar Tongtsen for two purposes.

The first purpose was instructed by Li Er.

Li Er ordered Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji to contact the Tubo envoy and tell him the answers to the problems.

In fact.

This marriage alliance with the various nations was fair and just in name, but in reality, Li Er had already decided on his allies.

Yuezhi, Dashi, Tuyuhun, and other Western Regions nations were small and weak; even if they were betrothed, they could not help Great Tang, at most just flattering more.

Only Tubo truly had the strength and qualifications to become Great Tang's ally.

The second purpose was Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji's personal request.

That was to inquire about Qin Mu's whereabouts from Gar Tongtsen.

But Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji only said that he had the answers to the three problems and would exchange them for news of Qin Mu.

As for whether it was instructed by Li Er, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji did not tell Gar Tongtsen truthfully.

"Then did you tell him my whereabouts?"

Qin Mu's fingertips tapped the table rhythmically, his tone light and breezy, as if he didn't care about these things at all.

But upon hearing this, Gar Tongtsen knelt on the ground with a thud, sweating profusely, and hurriedly explained: "Your Majesty, even if I had ten thousand guts, I would not dare to leak Your Majesty's whereabouts to that old thief!"

"No need to be so nervous, I was just joking." Qin Mu smiled and continued: "I think since you didn't tell him about my whereabouts, I guess that old fox won't give up."

"Your Majesty is wise, that is indeed the case." Gar Tongtsen continued: "This old fox is very deep; when he heard there was no news of Your Majesty, he wanted to make another deal with me."

"What deal?"

"Exchange the answers to the three problems for Tubo to continue searching for news of Your Majesty for him."

"Old fox, truly good at calculating."