Chapter 301
The emperor’s words were like another heavy hammer hitting hard on Yelu Luan’s heart making him feel the cold swamp has reached his lips…
Does the Emperor of Daqi knows everything?!
But how?! Gu Jing’s complexion looked like he was wronged, and almost lost his composure.
However, the emperor seems to not care about him and just looks at Yelu Luan as he continued, “I will give you marriage with the third princess and Princess Yingluo, including a mansion.”
“After marriage, the three of you will never leave the mansion again.”
“These all are written in the agreement.”
The left minister of the Ministry of Rites was the only one who adhere as he wrote down the agreement clause by clause just like how he heard his emperor but couldn’t hide his shock: the emperor’s words revealed too much desire.
Was this a marriage… or a life imprisonment? What big mistake did the third princess and Princess Yingluo made!?
By this time, Yelu Luan was finally convinced, the Daqi emperor really knew everything.
After a short while, the left minister of the Ministry of Rites already completed the new agreement and present it in front of Yelu Luan. The terms of this peace agreement were both written in Daqi’s and Dayan’s characters, it was written neatly in a row, and naturally, it was clear, with no mistake, and straightforward.
Although for Yelu Luan, every word in this agreement was too crude, every stroke was like countless needles stuck in his heart.
His thick and broad chest heaved violently wanting to tear up the peace agreement in front of him.
Of course, he didn’t want to sign the agreement, however, he knew in his heart that he had no other choice. Even if he refuses to sign the agreement, the envoys who came with him were qualified to sign the agreement for him.
A’suoye took a step forward and called him out in a low voice, “Second Prince…”
This call would look like getting his attention from other people’s perspectives who were inside the imperial study but for Yelu Luan’s ears, this was no different from a reminder and a threat.
However, if Yelu Luan doesn’t sign this because he doesn’t want to be a hostage, then he would be seen as the eternal sinner of Dayan so even if he returns home, the king of Dayan would not let him go unscathed, and nothing could be said different with the Emperor of Daqi since he has the blueprint of the compound bow, obviously, he would not let him go!
Perhaps not only him but all of the envoys who were with him might not be able to leave.
But if he takes the initiative to sign the peace agreement this time, and when this news travels back to his country then Dayan, his father would surely convict him.
Yelu Luan struggled to walk towards the table that was next to the window where the agreement was placed, the distance was less than three feet but to him, it felt like mountains of daggers and seas of flames, like some sort of torment.
One step after another, and another step after another…
He couldn’t believe that things had developed to this point!
He had been done by Gu Zezhi and Yu Fuyun together!
Finally, Yelu Luan arrived at the table, he stiffly picked up the brush on the brush holder.
His every moment was slow and rigid, and when he held the brush the veins on the back of his hand bulged.
The left minister of the Ministry of Rites looked at the peace agreement with burning eyes, watching Yelu Luan as he sign and sealed the peace agreement.
And finally, the dust settled.
The emperor indifferently ordered, “Zhou Xin, send some people to send Second Prince Yelu and the two envoys back to Siyi Pavilion. Be sure to take good care of them.”
What he meant was, Yelu Luan and the two envoys were under house arrest.
Zhou Xin quickly obeyed the order.
Meanwhile, Yelu Luan’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot as he walked away without saluting the emperor.
The two Northern envoys did not dare to follow Yelu Luan, and politely saluted the emperor before chasing Yelu Luan out of the imperial study.
Gu Jing: “…”
Gu Jing stared at the door curtain swaying mid-air while still in doubt.
When he turned his gaze, he met the emperor’s eyes. The father and son looked at each other, disappointment and indifference were clearly reflected in the emperor’s eyes
Gu Jing’s heart instantly sank, he slightly opened his lips wanting to say something but the emperor raised his hand and stopped him.
The emperor sharply asked, “You have Yelu Luan the blueprint of the compound bow?”
Gu Jing: “!”
Looking at the speechless Gu Jing, the emperor was even more disappointed with his son, he continued, “Tai Wangye was in charge of the mass production of compound bows in the Ministry of Industry, so he had the blueprint of the compound bow in his hand and in order to get the blueprint you deliberately diverted the tiger away from the mountain, and first tried to distract Tai Wangye so you let him go to the northern Xinjiang.”
Gu Jing: !!”
The emperor’s eyes darkened even more as he said this.
His son has grown up and has his own plans, as well as ambitions, and although he could see some clues in his steps, he didn’t put all the fragments into pieces until Gu Zezhi put them down for him.
“The reason why Yelu Luan proposed to marry Changning as part of the agreement is also your idea, isn’t it?”
“Yingluo and Changning have already fought over who will get married, and you know Yingluo’s knot in her heart so you use this matter of the two countries to put pressure on her and encourage her to steal the design of the compound bow in the study of Tai Wangye, isn’t this emperor right?”
Gu Jing: “!!!”
Emperor: “Gu Jing, as the prince of Daqi, you betrayed Daqi. You let me down!”
“Imperial Father, this son never betrayed Daqi, and everything I did was for Daqi.” Gu Jing knelt down and looked up at the emperor to defend himself.
“Imperial Father, the future fate of Daqi is at stake in the peace talks between the two countries, and Daqi can no longer afford another bitter battle.”
“Last time, Daqi and Dayan fought periodically for more than ten years, and every year, the tax revenues from the south only went to northern Xinjiang which was not enough to bear the military pay and food.”
“After so many years of war, the lives of northern Xinjiang have been ruined. There are almost no strong men, there are not enough soldiers, not enough rations and food supplies, and there are still unrest in Daqi from time to time…”
“Imperial Father, Daqi needs to rest and recuperate!”
Gu Jing looked at the emperor with sincerity.
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