Chapter 307

The so-called penchant for the same sex means an abnormal sexual orientation.

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

"Ahem... 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 delayed, his chances of winning would decrease by a fraction.

"Exactly!"

"Great Qin Emperor, our Great Tang Emperor specifically sent me here to implore Your Majesty to lend us some troops. In view of the friendly relations between our two countries, I hope Your Majesty will not refuse." Du Ruhui stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Friendly relations?"

"Hmph!"

"Your Great Tang Emperor has quite a thick skin; how can he even say such things?"

Qin Mu snorted coldly and mocked him without any courtesy.

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

Du Ruhui was a bit confused.

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

What on earth is going on?

Ever since Fang Xuanling got involved with Qin Mu, Du Ruhui had basically taken over all the large 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 appearance.

Li Er's mouth twitched.

You, compassionate?

You, thinking of the common people of the world?

What nonsense!

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 them suffer."

Du Ruhui, not having the calculations of Li Er, asked with great surprise.

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

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

This brat always plucks feathers from a passing goose!

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

Empress Zhangsun didn't care.

No matter what Qin Mu was plotting against the Great Tang, she would unconditionally support him with all her might.

But 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 final. Since I have promised you, I will naturally help with all my might." Qin Mu nodded indifferently and smiled slightly: "However..."

Li Er, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and the others held their breath, waiting nervously 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 even more brightly, looking exactly like a complete profiteer.

"This..." Du Ruhui was speechless.

Qin Mu, as a monarch of a nation, possesses everything under heaven; 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 certainly 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 Xuanling stepped forward to help Du Ruhui out of the predicament.

He could be considered to know Qin Mu a little.

This brat is deep in schemes and highly 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 calculating! Do you think I care about your gratitude?"

Qin Mu sneered.

"Exactly!"

"Since you want Qin Mu's help, you should at least show some sincerity. To expect my Great Qin to help with such empty words is treating us like fools, isn't it?" Empress Zhangsun also chimed in from the side.

Before the words had even faded.

Everyone present looked at her in shock.

What is going on?

Which side is the Empress on?

Why does she speak for Qin Mu in every sentence?

Li Er was so angry that his face turned red, and a mouthful of old blood was stuck in his chest; he couldn't swallow it, nor could he spit it out, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

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

Has she gone mad?

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 described as effective for a hundred generations.

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

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

Precisely because of this.

And it was 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 others were beautiful women selected from the common people, who were then conferred the title of princess.

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.

Over ninety percent of the Great Tang princesses sent for marriage alliances met a miserable end!

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

Thinking of this, Qin Mu felt waves of disgust.