She mistakenly got into the bridal sedan chair and married a sickly but powerful minister, becoming

Chapter 313 Acceptance

Prince Qi, who was standing to the side, was furious. Emperor Jing'an was simply pushing his luck. He stood up abruptly, but was pulled back down to sit by Lord Gao.

When the ministers of the Great Zhou saw this, they sneered, "They say they are sincere in coming to negotiate peace, but now they can't even give up a single city. It seems they are not sincere in seeking peace."

These words instantly enraged the Northern Qi envoy, who retorted, "We, the Northern Qi, have come to negotiate peace sincerely. We have sent you seeds, technology, and exempted you from tariffs so that you can lead your people to prosperity. Not only are you not satisfied, but you are also pushing your luck, demanding that we cede cities. I think it is you who are unwilling to negotiate peace with us, the Northern Qi."

The minister of the Great Zhou sneered: "If you hadn't surrendered, not only would Yingcheng have been destroyed, but our Great Zhou's iron cavalry would have already crushed the Northern Qi."

One of the ministers slapped his face and said, "Giving you just one city is already a great favor."

The Northern Qi envoy, humiliated by the officials of the Great Zhou, was so enraged that he blurted out, "If you have the ability, then come and take it yourselves. Even if it leads to renewed war and mutual destruction, we will not agree to a treaty that would humiliate our country and cede our sovereignty."

The ministers on both sides were arguing fiercely.

At this moment, the Imperial Tutor calmly replied, "Alright."

The single word resonated deeply, silencing the entire audience and drawing their gazes toward the Imperial Tutor.

Among them, the officials of the Great Zhou reacted the most strongly, their faces full of shock, seemingly not expecting the Imperial Tutor to agree so readily.

This is a city.

Give it as you say it.

Even Emperor Jing'an was surprised.

Seeing the Imperial Tutor's calm and composed demeanor, and the incredulous expressions of the Zhou officials, the Northern Qi envoy finally calmed down, raised his chin, and snorted through his nose.

The Imperial Tutor had anticipated these demands from the Great Zhou Dynasty long ago.

The Northern Qi dared to cede cities to the Great Zhou; it remains to be seen whether the Great Zhou could accept them.

-

The negotiations between the two countries went exceptionally smoothly, and both sides reached an agreement.

The benefits and cities that Northern Qi promised to Great Zhou will be included in the terms of the treaty, and they will meet again in a few days to sign it.

The Great Zhou promised the Northern Qi that it would not send troops and agreed to the marriage between Princess Guangning and Prince Yu, with the wedding date set for the following spring.

Princess Guangning, like a shadow, quietly huddled in a corner, trying to minimize her presence. Even so, when she heard the marriage was settled, she couldn't help but shudder.

It felt like a knife that had been hanging over my head had finally fallen.

The main hall was warm from the underfloor heating, but she felt no warmth at all, only as if she were surrounded by ice and snow, her eyes filled with sorrow.

She was born a human being with her own thoughts, yet she was like an object, unable to control her own destiny.

Princess Guangning lowered her head even further, her fingernails digging deeply into her palms.

Even so, she still refused to accept her fate and submit to destiny.

Even when mired in the mire, they still desperately try to struggle and carve out a way to survive.

She subconsciously looked up at Prince Yu, just as the man turned to look at her. Her eyes darted away, but she forced a timid smile at him, suppressing her fear.

Prince Yu's aura was gentle, devoid of the ferocity he displayed at the foot of the cliff. He smiled slightly at her, which could be considered a response.

Zhao Yi noticed Prince Yu's reaction and frowned slightly. Ever since the matter concerning the Ministry of War was exposed, Prince Yu had kept a low profile.

Even if Prince Rui removed his henchmen one by one.

Prince Yu remained unmoved and took no action in private.

Zhao Yi knew that Prince Yu was biding his time.

After the banquet, Zhao Yi left the palace and returned to the Duke's mansion. As he got off the carriage, he saw Shen Qingtan holding an oil-paper umbrella and waiting for him at the side gate.

He quickened his pace and came up to her: "It's cold outside, why are you waiting here?"

Shen Qingtan said softly, "A eunuch from Northern Qi has arrived and wants to see you."