"If all Jing Country officials were as wise and valiant as Your Majesty the King of Jing, Jing Country would undoubtedly be the greatest in the world, unrivaled by any!" The Wu Yun envoy's flattery astounded the entire court of Jing Country ministers.
[Ding, the Wu Yun envoy's affinity level has increased to LV2 'Willing to Negotiate' trade level.]
[The highest level is LV5 'Willing to Offer the Lowest Price' friendly level.]
Xiao Chuchu blinked.
Xiao Yunzhou, upon hearing his daughter's thoughts, narrowed his eyes and looked towards the remaining two envoys, sensing untapped potential.
The banquet soon began.
The Wu Yun envoy instructed his attendant, along with officials from the Ministry of Rites and guards, to fetch horses from the courier station.
The courier station was within the imperial city, so it wouldn't take long. Everyone ate while waiting.
During the banquet, Xiao Yunzhou also arranged for performances from the palace's singers and dancers to entertain the Wu Yun envoys.
[Woo-woo, the Wu Yun people were raised in a life of harshness and bloodshed in their early years.]
[They most revere those with physical strength and martial prowess. Their preferred women are also capable, frank, and robust.]
Xiao Chuchu exchanged gossip using the system information.
[Slender women would starve on the grasslands.]
Xiao Yunzhou listened and was taken aback.
He looked at the thin-armed, thin-legged singing girls in the hall, his expression instantly stiffening.
Indeed, when he turned to look at the two envoys, their eyes were fixed on the slender figures of the palace dancers, and they yawned.
Evidently, the dancers were not to their taste.
Xiao Yunzhou let out a hiss.
[So it seems, the Wu Yun people prefer strong liquor, fierce horses, and domineering women!] Xiao Chuchu excitedly commented to herself, absorbed in the juicy gossip from the system.
Domineering women?
Xiao Yunzhou immediately glanced sharply at the Old Master of the Liu Family.
"???"
The Old Master of the Liu Family blinked in confusion, his mouth twitching.
As expected, Xiao Yunzhou spoke up, "Old Master Liu, how has your wife been lately? Has she scolded you again and pinned you against the wall?"
"??!"
The Old Master of the Liu Family's eyebrows twitched uncontrollably.
If he hadn't heard his great-granddaughter's thoughts, he would have wanted to pin the Emperor against the wall right now!
How could he ask such a question! It was unbecoming of the monarch!
But never mind, whatever his great-granddaughter said was law.
"Ahem, she didn't scold this subject. It's just that I woke up a bit late today and almost missed the morning court."
"My wife kicked this subject out of bed with one foot this morning."
"She didn't even give me breakfast, just kicked me out the door."
"!"
The surrounding officials stared at the Old Master in disbelief.
To share such an embarrassing incident, and in front of a foreign nation, was he really alright?
But when the Jing Country officials thought the Old Master had disgraced himself beyond redemption, they heard the two Wu Yun envoys burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! So Jing Country also has such domineering women?"
The two envoys applauded, their eyes now shifting from the graceful dancers to the Old Master.
They spoke highly of him, "It's a pity we're already married."
"Otherwise, we'd like to take such formidable wives too."
Clatter - clatter -
All the officials dropped their chopsticks.
[Hey, the envoys' affinity level has directly increased to LV3!]
"Pfft--"
Xiao Yunzhou nearly spat out his wine.
"Ah, we had always thought Jing Country valued feminine fragility as the standard of beauty for both men and women, all delicate skin and bones, incapable of accomplishing anything. Now we see our views were mistaken."
The two envoys were ashamed, their eyes filled with regret. "We haven't communicated with your esteemed nation for so long that we failed to understand its true situation. It was a grave mistake on our part."
"It turns out Jing Country is like our own. We have a saying in Wu Yun: 'A formidable wife is a heaven-sent treasure.'"
"Pfft--"
"Cough cough..."
The entire court of civil and military officials erupted in coughing fits.
The two envoys immediately raised their cups to toast the Old Master of the Liu Family, evidently bonding over their experiences of being henpecked by their wives.
The more they conversed, the more common ground they found.
"Tomorrow, we shall visit Brother Liu!"
"Welcome, welcome!" The Old Master grinned.
The entire court was speechless.
Xiao Yunzhou was delighted, listening to his daughter report the steadily increasing affinity levels of the envoys.
"Your Majesty, the horses from the courier station have arrived outside the hall."
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up. "Men, bring the lanterns!"
"We shall accompany the envoys and ministers to admire the horses!"
Everyone streamed out, walking to the outer courtyard.
Even the infant Xiao Chuchu craned her neck, as the ancient horses were much more robust than those she had seen at modern amusement parks.
She was very interested.
"These three are our new breed of war horses."
The Wu Yun envoy pointed to the three sturdy horses led by the attendants.
One black, one white, and one brown.
Their coat colors were unclear in the night.
Guards and palace maids on both sides held lanterns, illuminating the sides of the three horses.
"Please allow the esteemed King of Jing Country to have a look."
The envoy respectfully bowed.
"Which grade do you fancy for trade with our country?"
The surrounding officials followed behind Xiao Yunzhou.
Upon hearing this, Chancellor Fu Cha frowned.
"Wu Yun envoys, our King is esteemed. It would be better for our Minister of War to inspect the horses."
How would the King know how to judge horses!
Chancellor Fu Cha shook his head inwardly.
The King had learned horse riding and archery in the palace since childhood, but the horses in the palace had always been meticulously selected fine Jing Country steeds.
There was never a need for Xiao Yunzhou to personally pick horse breeds in the palace.
Fu Cha was afraid the King would carelessly make a poor choice.
Paying a high price to purchase inferior horses would not only be a loss for their nation but also a disgrace if mocked by neighboring countries!
"Minister of War, you inspect the horses on behalf of the King," Fu Cha ordered, ignoring the King as usual.
Xiao Yunzhou took a deep breath. "The Chancellor worries too much."
He looked at Fu Cha with resentment.
Here it comes again.
Not letting the child take the lead!
He now understood that since childhood, Fu Cha and the previous Chancellor Tong had overprotected him.
They preferred he do nothing at all!
Xiao Yunzhou closed his eyes in anguish.
Soon, the Minister of War, who had seen battlefields in his youth, bypassed him and approached the horses, shoving Xiao Yunzhou out of position.
It didn't take long before the Minister of War favored the lead jet-black stallion.
"Sleek and glossy black coat, clean ears, limbs agile and long - not bad, a prime specimen!"
The two Wu Yun envoys' smiles grew even wider than before.
They even yielded their standing spots for the Minister of War to closely examine the black horse's powerful build.
"Your Majesty, this black horse should be acquired for Jing Country. It is taller than our military horses by more than five inches."
Xiao Yunzhou listened with raised brows, greatly tempted.
His daughter had said that the military strength of Jing Country was lacking.
Upgrading and replacing the war horses was definitely valuable!
If spending money, only the best would do!
He immediately stepped forward, also admiring the black horse with satisfaction.
But just for a fleeting moment, he heard Xiao Chuchu let out a wail from within Wei Zheng's embrace, interrupting his steps.
[The Minister of War has made a mistake!]
[Of the three horses, only the white one is of the highest grade.]
[The black horse is of middle grade, and the brown horse is of the lowest grade.]
Xiao Chuchu lifted her head while in Wei Zheng's arms and looked, instantly alarmed!
[Chu State purchased the highest-grade white horses!]
Xiao Yunzhou's steps came to an abrupt halt!
[This white horse is the new secret of war horses that Wu Yun Country discovered after their cavalry suffered a great defeat, observing the horses of the opposing tribes!]
[War horses not only need to be mighty and tall, but also agile!]
[Of these three, only the white horse has a slender and long neck, allowing it to turn swiftly!]
[The black horse has an advantage in straight-line sprinting but struggles in complex battle environments and terrain.]
[Hence, the black horse is middle grade, while the white horse is top grade!]
[Chu State spent thirty thousand gold to exchange for a thousand of these superior horses!]
The hand Xiao Yunzhou was about to place on the black horse's head suddenly changed direction, moving towards the white horse on the left.
A group of people from the War Ministry frowned in displeasure.
"Your Majesty, are you perhaps selecting a visually appealing white horse for the ladies of the harem? Then at most, you would need only a dozen or so."
How could the Emperor only consider the appearance of the horses!
The War Ministry officials hurriedly exclaimed, "If we're talking about horsepower, the black horse is definitely superior."
But as their words trailed off, they heard the two envoys from Wu Yun Country let out a sharp gasp.
"Esteemed Emperor of Jing Country!"
"How could you discern the superior horse at a glance in this dim light, where one's vision is impaired?!"
Chancellor Fu Cha: "?"
Minister of War: "?"
What?
