Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

Upon hearing Emperor Jingzhao's words, the envoy from the Northern Li Kingdom's expression faltered slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

The leading envoy stepped forward, bowed slightly, and said respectfully yet with a hint of firmness, "Your Majesty, our Northern Li has always respected the Great Zhao. This matter was truly unexpected. My Emperor of Northern Li's original intention was to properly handle this matter through negotiation, and there was absolutely no intention to threaten the Great Zhao."

He raised his head slightly, looked directly at Emperor Jingzhao, and slowly said, "Your Majesty, my Northern Li hopes to further deepen the friendship with Great Zhao. This time, the Crown Princess is a guest in my Northern Li. Your Majesty is willing to exchange sincerity for peace and friendship. I hope that Great Zhao can cede twenty cities to Northern Li. These cities will surely become important hubs for trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries in the future."

"At the same time, we hope that Da Zhao can bestow a considerable amount of gold, silver and jewels. Not to mention the fine silks and satins, their exquisite beauty will add splendor to the royal families of both countries. There are also the calligraphy and paintings with profound cultural connotations, the fragrant tea, and the exquisite porcelain. These are all treasures of Da Zhao, which His Majesty of Bei Li has long admired."

The envoy paused, his gaze sweeping over the various expressions on the faces of the people in the hall, before continuing, "Furthermore, His Majesty the Northern Li also hopes to develop new cooperation in trade with the Great Zhao, such as opening several border markets and reducing tariffs on some goods. This would be a boon for the people of both countries."

The envoy cleared his throat and emphasized again: "Your Majesty, we have come here with the utmost sincerity. We are well aware of the strength of the Great Zhao and have no desire to be its enemy. As for the matter of the Crown Princess, as long as we can reach a mutually satisfactory conclusion through negotiation, it will surely bring joy to both sides and elevate the relations between our two countries to a new level."

After he finished speaking, he stood quietly in place, waiting for Emperor Jingzhao's response.

His eyes also revealed his anticipation for the negotiations, as well as an undeniable certainty.

The atmosphere inside the hall was as heavy as the anticipation before a storm.

Upon hearing the demands of the Northern Li envoy, the civil and military officials displayed a variety of expressions, their thoughts a jumbled mess.

Most of the military officers had flushed faces and glared angrily.

An old general with a distinguished military record clenched his fists, veins bulging on the back of his hands, as if he were about to rush forward and argue with the envoy.

The cities of Dazhao were all won with the blood and sweat of our soldiers; how can we give them up so easily?

And there were a full twenty of them!

Those gold, silver, jewels, and rare treasures were the wealth accumulated by the Great Zhao over many years, and no other country should be allowed to covet them.

The other generals were the same; although they tried to control their emotions, the anger and resentment in their eyes were clearly visible.

However, at the same time, they were also very worried about the Crown Princess.

They were worried that if the Great Zhao did not agree to these demands, even though they were certain to destroy the Northern Li.

But what about the Crown Princess?

If the two countries go to war, the Crown Princess will be the first to suffer.

They have the ability to destroy Bei Li, but they are unwilling to see the Crown Princess sacrifice herself.

Therefore, they were all very conflicted and in a dilemma at this moment.

The civil officials split into several factions and began whispering amongst themselves.

Some ministers frowned, their long beards trembling slightly, knowing full well the difficulty and complexity of the negotiations.

They believed that they should not easily agree to Bei Li's request, but they also could not refuse it outright; they needed to consider the matter carefully.

Some hot-blooded young civil officials, on the other hand, were filled with indignation.

They felt that Bei Li's move was a blatant provocation, and that Da Zhao should take a tough stance and resolutely safeguard national dignity and interests.

Therefore, some officials looked at Emperor Jingzhao with expectant eyes, hoping that His Majesty could make a decisive decision and give the Northern Li a powerful counterattack.

Some looked worried, fearing that mishandling the situation could trigger a war between the two countries, causing immense suffering to the people.

In a corner of the main hall, there were some lower-ranking officials.

They dared not speak freely, but watched the situation unfold nervously.

The entire court was immersed in a tense and chaotic atmosphere.

The officials were filled with unease and anxiety.

The entire court was immersed in a tense and chaotic atmosphere.

Everyone was waiting for Emperor Jingzhao's response.

Including Xiao Muyao.

He had already planned how he would respond if his father disagreed with these conditions.

No matter what, he will make sure Yan'er returns safely.

Emperor Jingzhao calmly surveyed the hall, taking in the expressions of all the officials.

He slightly raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet, and the hall immediately fell silent.

Then Emperor Jingzhao looked at the envoy from Beili, his expression calm, but his tone carried an unquestionable authority: "The envoy has come from afar, and I know you are carrying a mission. However, the matter of ceding cities concerns the very foundation of Great Zhao. I need to discuss it carefully with the senior officials in the court and weigh the pros and cons. Great Zhao has always cherished the friendship between the two countries, but the land and the people are my heavy responsibility and cannot be decided lightly."

He paused, then continued, "As for gold, silver, jewelry, silk, and other valuables, although the Great Zhao is rich in resources, such a quantity would require time to prepare. Moreover, exchanges between the two countries should be based on fairness and mutual trust. If the Northern Li is truly seeking peace and friendship, then I can have people discuss the specific arrangements for opening border markets and reducing tariffs. However, this requires the joint efforts of both sides to protect the interests of each other's merchants and people."

Then Emperor Jingzhao stood up, the embroidery on his dragon robe gleaming in the candlelight.

He stood with his hands behind his back and continued, "My daughter-in-law is a guest in Bei Li, and I am deeply worried. I hope that Bei Li will treat her with courtesy and facilitate her safe return as soon as possible. In the meantime, I may send an envoy to Bei Li to discuss policies for friendly exchanges between the two countries, but all of this is on the premise that the Crown Princess is safe and sound."

Emperor Jingzhao looked at the Northern Li envoy with a firm and profound gaze, conveying his meaning.

The Northern Li envoy nodded slightly upon hearing this, his eyes still holding that same certainty.

He clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to Emperor Jingzhao, saying, "Your Majesty is wise and what you say is absolutely right. The matter of ceding cities is indeed of great importance, and my Northern Li is well aware that Your Majesty needs to weigh the matter carefully. However, Your Majesty's sincerity is evident. If those twenty cities are returned to my Northern Li, Your Majesty can rest assured that my Northern Li will definitely send capable people to govern them and make them prosperous places where the two countries can exchange goods and live in harmony."

He paused slightly, observed Emperor Jingzhao's expression, and then continued, "As for Your Majesty's mention of the time needed to prepare supplies, we understand. Our Northern Li is willing to wait for Your Majesty's arrangements, but we hope Your Majesty can give a reply as soon as possible. Our Emperor treats the Crown Princess with great courtesy and will certainly not let her suffer any grievances. Your Majesty need not worry."

After the envoy finished speaking, he stood respectfully again, awaiting Emperor Jingzhao's response.

His expression appeared humble, but in reality, he still held onto hope for the conditions proposed by Bei Li.

They also tried to find a breakthrough from Emperor Jingzhao's response to further push the negotiations in a direction favorable to the Northern Li.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingzhao narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze deep and wise.

After pausing for a moment on the envoy from the Northern Li, he spoke again, his voice steady and powerful: "I have understood what the envoy said. However, cities are the foundation of a country and the support of its people. We cannot act rashly. I will discuss this with my ministers immediately and give your country a proper answer. As for the Crown Princess, I hope your country can ensure her safety and arrange her return as soon as possible."