Chapter 83

There was another, more important matter.

Qin Mu had kidnapped Empress Zhangsun and Princess Changle, causing Zhangsun Wuji's political power to lose a major pillar of support.

Especially Princess Changle.

Li Er and he had originally planned to arrange the marriage between Zhangsun Chong and Princess Changle immediately after the Tibetan envoy mission left the capital.

If things had gone smoothly, Princess Changle would already have been his daughter-in-law.

The Zhangsun family would have once again stepped onto the pinnacle of glory!

Now.

All of this had turned into a bubble!

Not only did it fail to bring glory to the Zhangsun family, but his own status in Li Er's heart had plummeted.

The once bustling Zhao Duke Prefecture had been visited by countless officials from dawn till dusk.

But now, the entrance to the prefecture was so desolate that not even a fallen leaf would land there.

Everyone avoided it as if it were a plague!

Everything, everything was because of Qin Mu!

"Qin Mu!!!"

"This old man will tear you into ten thousand pieces!"

Zhangsun Wuji clenched his fists and roared at the sky.

Inside the prison.

It was dark and lightless.

Fang Xuanling, wearing prison garb, lay inside the cell, his hair disheveled and his face devoid of life.

He was like an eggplant beaten by frost...

Lost to the extreme!

"Qin Mu? Your Majesty?"

"Hahaha!"

"Hahahahaha!"

"This old man was truly stupid to the core; I thought I could form a friendship across generations with him, and I thought that keeping my promise could bring back peace between the two countries."

"And the result?"

"I was merely a chess piece in his hand!"

"A friend? Hahaha!"

Fang Xuanling laughed desperately with a hoarse voice.

He had once truly believed that Qin Mu regarded him as a friend.

The two had different political views, different statuses, and a vast difference in age, yet they were able to develop a sense of mutual appreciation.

Fang Xuanling had thought that by keeping his promise and letting Qin Mu marry into the Great Tang, perhaps there would still be a little room for easing tensions between the two countries.

Coupled with his efforts to clarify the past matters between Qin Mu and Zhangsun Wuji, perhaps they could turn hostility into friendship.

Wouldn't that be the most beautiful ending?

But Fang Xuanling had thought wrong after all.

He had not expected Qin Mu's heart to be so resolute!