Chapter 1988: Trading the entire nation to exchange for him, the goal is to strike at your heart, Wu Zhao!

The Imperial Palace.

Jin Luandian.

Wu Zhao sat high on the throne, the twelve-pattern embroidery on her black imperial robes flowing with a cold luster under the candlelight of the hall.

No joy or anger could be seen on her face, only a calmness like a deep pool.

"Announce the envoys of the three kingdoms!"

Following Wu Zhao's cold voice.

Soon.

Murong Fu, Tian Ying, and Xiang Qu entered the Jin Luandian with their heads held high and long strides.

Seeing Wu Zhao sitting high on the dragon throne, all three wore smiles, bowed in unison, and their attitudes were extremely humble.

"Yan Envoy Murong Fu, pays respects to the Emperor of Qian!"

"Chu Envoy Xiang Qu, pays respects to the Emperor of Qian!"

"Qi Envoy Tian Ying, pays respects to the Emperor of Qian!"

These three voices, and this respectful attitude, added to the strangeness, leaving the officials unable to fathom it.

Cui Xinghe frowned tightly, sizing up the three, and thinking of the harsh words released by the Xiongnu border invasion, alarm bells rang in his heart.

He only felt that today was very ominous!

Wu Zhao's gaze was like an ice pick, piercing the three: "The special envoys of the three kingdoms have come together, speaking of peace and caring for diplomatic relations, yet you did not submit credentials to me in advance, but instead coerced public opinion and came under the guise of peace. What is the meaning of this?"

"Is what you seek truly for the sake of peace?"

Wu Zhao's words tore through their disguises directly.

Facing Wu Zhao's imperial majesty, Murong Fu remained unmoved, a faint smile still on his face.

He simply stepped forward and bowed deeply to Wu Zhao, his posture and etiquette impeccable, and then he spoke.

"Your Majesty misunderstands!"

"I serve under the order of the Emperor of Great Yan; it is indeed for the sake of peace, for the ten-thousand-year foundation of our two nations!"

"Oh?"

Wu Zhao frowned.

She stared at Murong Fu, waiting for what followed.

Murong Fu continued, "Of course, my Emperor just has a small request!"

Wu Zhao sneered, looking completely unsurprised.

She leaned back against the dragon throne, looking down at Murong Fu from above, and said, "What request?"

Murong Fu stood straight as a pine in the snow, his voice clear, echoing in the Jin Luandian: "Your Majesty is wise and discerning; you should know that the talents of the world should be held by the virtuous and used by the capable—this is the Dao of Heaven!"

"However, I heard of a matter recently that made my Emperor sigh and unable to sleep at night! Your country's former Prime Minister, Gao Yang, possesses talent that can cover the heavens and earth, merit that has bolstered the nation, his strategy and tactics are peerless in this age, and his achievements have benefited all living things. Such a peerless national scholar, a talent that has never been seen before, was actually demoted, leaving a bright pearl covered in dust, languishing in the countryside!"

Hearing this, Wu Zhao's heart skipped a beat.

She sat up straight, her phoenix eyes extremely cold.

Cui Xinghe's face changed, and his fists clenched quietly!

Murong Fu became even more confident. He paused specifically, his gaze sweeping over the officials whose expressions had changed suddenly, and his voice rose sharply, like a bell ringing.

"This is not Da Qian's regret, but the sorrow of the world and the pain of all living things!"

"Prime Minister Gao's talent can secure the nation, stabilize the country, subdue the four barbarians, and benefit the masses! To be trapped in the countryside is truly a waste of heaven's gift!"

"My Emperor is thirsty for talent, values talent as life, and cannot bear to see such great talent buried, nor can he bear to see the world suffer because talent is not used. To show the sincerity of seeking talent, to solidify the foundation of eternal peace between Yan and Qian, and even more so to spare the world from the ravages of war, my Emperor is willing to exhaust the strength of the entire nation to offer—"

"One hundred thousand taels of gold!"

"Ten hu of North Sea night-luminescent pearls!"

"One hundred blood-sweating horses!"

"One hundred carts of treasures from the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun!"

"Just to exchange for Prime Minister Gao to enter Yan!"

Speaking to the end, Murong Fu's gaze burned, forcing Wu Zhao, throwing out his ultimate trump card, his voice echoing fiercely within the Jin Luandian.

"My Emperor is willing to appoint Prime Minister Gao as the Imperial Preceptor of Great Yan, with a status equal to a Prince, enjoying boundless honor, sharing the national destiny, and forever ensuring the peace of our two nations' borders! This is the manifestation of Your Majesty's benevolence, and also the blessing for the people of both nations and the greatest pattern for all the world's people! I humbly request Your Majesty... to think of the world, to value the common people, and grant this request, fulfilling this thousand-year beautiful deed and eternal merit!"

Rumble!!!

Murong Fu's words were like a thunderclap from the nine heavens roaring and exploding in the Jin Luandian!

The civil and military officials were all stunned, some even doubting their own ears.

One hundred thousand taels of gold?!

North Sea night-luminescent pearls?!

And one hundred blood-sweating horses, one hundred carts of treasures?!

Appointed as Imperial Preceptor, status equal to a Prince?!