Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

"She's amazing, isn't she? We're both women, both governing a country, but compared to her, I'm nothing."

Tian Ying smiled and shook her head, resting her cheek on her hand against the table, her eyes full of admiration.

"If given the opportunity, I would very much like to meet the Empress of Great Chu and seek her advice on governing the country."

It's a pity, I had a brief encounter with Ban Dingyuan, the envoy of the Chu state, in Shengjing six months ago.

There wasn't a chance for deeper contact, and I don't know if there will be another opportunity in the future.

The woman took a sip of tea and said softly, "Some things are a matter of fate, Your Highness, you don't need to worry about it too much. By the way..."

I heard that the State of Qi suffered a disaster, and Emperor Wu Zhao sent three million shi of grain to your country as relief. Hopefully, the disaster situation in your country is under control now.

Tian Ying sighed softly: "The disaster has indeed been brought under control, but Qi has also incurred huge debts as a result. I came to Wuzhao this time hoping to ask the Emperor to reduce some of the debts, but I encountered the matter of the Chu army's ocean fleet occupying Haizhou."

"Wasn't it supposed to be relief? How did we end up in debt again?"

The woman was very puzzled.

Tian Ying replied, "There's no such thing as a free lunch. Wu Zhao is willing to provide grain to aid Qi, so Qi should naturally pay a corresponding price."

Since it is a vassal state, I must send the Crown Prince of Qi to Shengjing as a hostage. However, my child is still young and I cannot carry out this order for the time being. Therefore, I can only collect 100,000 Sea Dragon Pearls for the Wu Zhao Kingdom.

The oysters that produce sea dragon pearls live in the deep sea, and pearl divers face great danger every time they go out to sea, and they can only harvest a thousand pearls a year.

"The purpose of my journey is to plead with Your Majesty for leniency and to allow me to exchange other goods, so that my people will no longer have to toil and live in such danger every day."

The woman said, "It's rumored that sea dragon pearls, when ground into powder, can be used in medicine and also have excellent beauty effects. They've always been a luxury item for the upper class, and only the wealthy and powerful can afford them."

Wu Zhao really made a killing by exchanging three million shi of grain for one hundred thousand sea dragon pearls.

Tian Ying: "How could I not know that this is a tactic used by Wu Zhao Kingdom to exploit my Qi Kingdom? But I have no choice. After all, no matter what..."

"The disaster in Qi can be brought under control thanks to Wu Zhao's great efforts, and I must repay this kindness. However, Qi truly cannot afford such a price."

The woman asked, "Besides the Sea Dragon Pearl, what other goods does your Qi Kingdom have that you can offer for trade, even grain seeds would be fine?"

Tian Ying shook her head: "Our Qi Kingdom is poor and sparsely populated, and it is also an island country. Crops cannot be cultivated on a large scale. Apart from the Sea Dragon Pearl, the only thing we can trade is some iron ore."

"iron ore?"

"Yes, but our Qi Kingdom's mining tools are outdated, and we can only produce 20,000 catties of pig iron per year. Who would buy such a small amount of iron?"

The woman seemed not to hear her: "Is your country rich in iron ore?"

Tian Ying: "Yes, but many mining areas are blocked by mountains and rocks, so even mine shafts cannot be dug deep."

The woman smiled slightly: "Your Highness, I have a suggestion. Why don't you entrust your country's mines to me for management and operation? As for the payment method..."

You can sign a trade and production agreement with me, whereby I will pay your country a fee annually, or you can sell all the iron ore I produce to me at a price 30% lower than the market price.

The 30% saved is in labor and equipment costs. Of course, before formally signing the agreement, I will need to send people to your country to survey the distribution and reserve production of iron ore mines.

Tian Ying was completely bewildered and had no idea what the woman in front of her was saying.

But she intuitively knew that what this woman was saying was profound and could bring about great changes to the State of Qi.

So Tian Ying replied, "Madam, are you perhaps also in the mining business?"

"We do business with anything that's valuable, not just mining."

Tian Ying exclaimed, "I never imagined that there would be such an extraordinary woman as you in the world, daring to come to this troublesome place alone. I thought you were just accompanying your husband."

The woman said, “I did come with my husband, but he is away on business. I am handling all the affairs of Haizhou. Your Highness, please consider the suggestion I just made. It will definitely benefit your country’s livelihood.”

"I will consider it carefully," Tian Ying replied, then added, "However, Madam, I advise you to stay in the outer region during this time and not to move around unnecessarily."

"Why?"

"Such a big thing has happened in Haizhou. The Wuzhao court cannot sit idly by. They must have already dispatched troops to Haizhou. I'm afraid it won't be long before war breaks out in Haizhou again."

The woman laughed and said, "Isn't the Empress of Great Chu here?"

Tian Ying: "No matter how wise and intelligent Her Majesty the Empress is, she is now on foreign soil. As the saying goes, even a powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake. Wu Zhao will absolutely not let Her Majesty the Empress go."

The woman smiled slightly and did not reply.

Just then, Meng Gong entered the teahouse and looked around.

Upon seeing the woman, he immediately strode up to her, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, the Wu Zhao army is already stationed forty li outside Haizhou City."

The monk Qinlin has sent messengers who are clamoring to see Your Majesty outside Haizhou City. Should we detain them?

Jiang Mengxuan stood up and shook her head: "Let Ban Dingyuan contact the envoy from Wuzhao, listen to their terms first, and then make a decision."

Furthermore, notify the Marines of the Third Regiment to be ready for battle at any time. Haizhou City, I am determined to take it.

"Yes!"

After giving Jiang Mengxuan a military salute, Meng Gong immediately turned and left.

At this moment, Tian Ying was completely dumbfounded after hearing the conversation between the two.

She quickly stood up, her tone no longer as casual as before, and asked cautiously, "You are..."

Jiang Mengxuan smiled slightly, her long sleeves swaying lightly behind her phoenix waist: "I am Jiang Mengxuan, the Empress of Great Chu. Your Highness greets me."

"what?"

Tian Ying was so shocked that she immediately sat down in her seat, her face filled with disbelief.

"Your Highness, don't forget what I told you before. If you've thought it through, come to the Governor's Mansion to see me. Wu Zhao Kingdom can't be trusted, but I and Chu Kingdom can."

After saying that, Jiang Mengxuan smiled slightly and stepped out of the teahouse.

"She is the Empress of Great Chu... She is truly... someone to be envied..."

Watching Jiang Mengxuan calmly walk away, Tian Ying was filled with hope and shock.

At the same time, after getting up close to the Empress, his admiration for her grew even stronger than before.

"Both are rulers of a country, so why is the Empress so calm and composed when facing the Wu Zhao Kingdom, without showing any worry on her face?"

"If I had half of her spirit, no, even a tenth of it, that would be great."

Thinking of this, Tian Ying suddenly made up her mind.

"This is a rare opportunity, and I must seize it firmly. Perhaps by getting in touch with the State of Chu, my State of Qi will never have to suffer like this again."