When I woke up, I wanted to go home.

At this moment, not only Zhu Chongjiu and King Shi Gang were in the main hall, but also some princes and ministers who had been summoned by Shi Gang.

After all, Zhu Chongjiu was the emperor of a country, and he should be given the respect he deserved. However, judging from the current situation, he wasn't given that much attention!

Shi Gang sat on the high throne, and after everyone had arrived, he spoke to Zhu Chongjiu, who was resting with his eyes closed below: "I wonder what brings the Ninth Emperor to our Houtu Continent?"

And upon arriving in the capital, they immediately gave me a hard time!

Zhu Chongjiu slowly opened his eyes after hearing Shi Gang's voice.

Instead of answering Shi Gang's question, he asked Shi Gang in return, "Logically speaking, you and I are equals, yet you are sitting on a high platform, making me look up to you."

"Now, I ask you, King Shi Gang, do you look down on our Flame Empire, or do you look down on me, the Nine Emperors?"

As Zhu Chongjiu's voice grew increasingly cold, his aura also intensified.

When Shi Gang on the stage saw this scene, he was also stunned and thought to himself, "I was careless again. I knew that this Ninth Emperor was not someone to be trifled with, but he was also very powerful."

Regardless of how one would describe it in private, in such a formal setting, where the emperor of the Flame Empire had personally arrived, doing this was indeed somewhat insulting!

After analyzing the pros and cons, Shi Gang quickly said to Zhu Chongjiu, "This is my mistake, please don't take offense, Your Majesty."

After saying this, Shi Gang hurriedly descended from the high platform throne and ordered his servants to set up a new two-person table and chairs, where he and Zhu Chongjiu sat down together.

After everything was completed, Zhu Chongjiu spoke first: "King Shi Gang, please don't think that I'm using force to oppress you. There are some rules that must be followed."

It's clear that King Shi Gang is also a magnanimous and courageous hero!

Let me put it this way: I've come to bring immense benefits to your Houtu Continent, not to swagger and bully you.

Shi Gang was unimpressed when he first heard Zhu Chongjiu's words, but after hearing about the enormous benefits, he became somewhat tempted.

He asked Zhu Chongjiu with a question in mind, "What kind of tremendous benefit does the Nine Emperors refer to?"

Zhu Chongjiu glanced at Shi Gang, who seemed somewhat unconcerned, then pointed to the sky and uttered two words: "Sun."

Shi Gang, who had already picked up his wine glass and was about to drink, froze instantly. He didn't even realize that the wine glass he had put to his lips had fallen to the ground.

The princes and ministers below, who had initially looked at Zhu Chongjiu with hatred and hostility, were now staring at him in a daze, waiting for him to continue.

After a moment of stunned silence, Shi Gang suddenly grabbed Zhu Chongjiu's hand, which was about to eat a piece of fruit.

He asked excitedly, "Nine Emperors, what did you say?"

What's wrong with the sun?

"Did Fire Flame send you?"

Zhu Chongjiu looked at the fruit that Shi Gang had shaken to the ground, gently shook off Shi Gang's hands with his inner force, stood up, picked up the fallen fruit, and said softly, "No matter what, we must cherish food!"

After saying that, Zhu Chongjiu began to eat heartily.

After Shi Gang's hands were shaken off by Zhu Chongjiu's internal force, he regained some of his composure and did not do anything rash. Instead, he anxiously watched Zhu Chongjiu carefully savoring the fruit.

After Zhu Chongjiu finished eating a fruit, pit and all, he slowly raised his head and looked at Shi Gang, saying, "First there was your provocation at the city gate, and then there was your demonstration in the main hall just now."

Do you realize how much more resources you'll lose because of your stubbornness?

No sooner had Zhu Chongjiu finished speaking than a prince or minister below spoke up before Shi Gang could utter a word: "My king was merely testing your skills at the city gate; it was hardly a provocation."

Besides, wasn't my king defeated by you too?

Secondly, regarding the etiquette between the king and his subjects in the main hall, since my king has not experienced this matter before and it was just a momentary oversight, how can it be considered a demonstration?

"Your Majesty, don't rely on your superior strength to falsely accuse our Houtu Kingdom!"

No sooner had the prince and minister finished speaking than Shi Gang pointed at the man and said before Zhu Chongjiu could speak, "Nonsense! Take him away, strip him of his cultivation, and exile him to the coldest and most desolate place on the Houtu Continent. He will never be allowed to return home until his death!"

Upon hearing King Shi Gang's words, the prince and minister shouted, "I have done nothing wrong! Your Majesty is disregarding your loyal minister!"

Just as two old men suddenly appeared from the depths of the main hall, grabbed the prince and minister, and dragged him out of the hall, Zhu Chongjiu spoke up to stop them, saying, "Wait a moment, I have a few words to say to this man."

At Shi Gang's signal, the two old men released the prince and minister. Zhu Chongjiu then slowly said, "Your king knew that I was a king of the Flame Empire, holding the position of a monarch, yet he still mocked me."

And seeing that I was small and thin, they even challenged me to a contest, trying to embarrass me.

Even more surprisingly, at the city gate, where there was a large crowd, he even agreed to fight me.

Excuse me, sir, if this isn't a provocation, then what is it?

Secondly, regardless of the continent, the government, the state, and the etiquette of the monarch are of paramount importance.

Your king made me, someone of equal status, sit down so that I could look up at him, yet you say it was just a momentary oversight?

The king failed in his duty, but did you princes and ministers also fail in your duty?

What else is this but a protest against me?

Do you really think I'm a three-year-old?

After Zhu Chongjiu was filled with righteous indignation, he said to this prince and minister, "You can't even flatter the right people. I really don't know how you became such a high-ranking official."

Then Zhu Chongjiu turned to Shi Gang, who had a forced smile and looked somewhat embarrassed, and said, "It seems you really need to carefully select your subordinates. Don't just hire some simple-minded, muscle-bound people."

After Zhu Chongjiu finished speaking, King Shi Gang looked at the prince and minister who was already heartbroken and said, "Why aren't you dragging him away? He's waiting for the master chef to reward him!"

After giving the order, Shi Gang turned to Zhu Chongjiu and greeted him with a smile, saying, "Ninth Emperor, I'm truly sorry, nothing escaped your discerning eyes."

I was just a bit too competitive.

I really didn't mean anything by it. Please don't hold a grudge and let this little thing affect the relationship between our two countries and between us brothers.

After all, our two countries have a long-standing friendship, deeper than that of any other continent.

After Shi Gang apologized, Zhu Chongjiu said, "I won't waste any more words with you. The main reason I came here this time is to deal with your sun."

For no other reason than that, regardless of who is at fault, the people living on this continent are not at fault.

They work diligently in the fields, simply hoping to live a better life.

When Zhu Chongjiu mentioned this, Shi Gang also praised him repeatedly, his flattery tinged with sincerity.

Zhu Chongjiu interrupted Shi Gang and continued, "However, don't expect me to help you for free. You'll have to pay 20% more than the amount of supplies you send to the Flame Empire every year."

The most important thing is, don't use the Peace Merchant Guild for transport; I will have people from the Flame Empire come and collect it themselves.

Shi Gang wasn't interested in the most important point Zhu Chongjiu mentioned. After all, they were just the shipper, and it didn't matter to them who picked it up or who transported it.

However, adding 20% ​​is indeed a bit of a dilemma.

After all, the amount of supplies sent to the Flame Empire is enormous. If it were 20% more, it would be a huge amount of money in no time!

When it came to serious matters, Shi Gang sat up straight, his jovial demeanor gone. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Nine Emperors, since we're discussing business now, I have to say something."

Regarding the matter with the Peace Chamber of Commerce, it can be done as the Nine Emperors suggested.

However, the fact that it increases by 20% every year is a bit of a challenge for me.

After all, the amount of supplies was agreed upon by our ancestors long ago. You came here, beat me up first, and then increased the supplies by 20%.

Regardless of the pressure that the extra 20% of supplies will put on our Houtu Kingdom.

Tell me, whatever the reason, if I do this, will I still be able to command respect from the people of Houtu Kingdom?

After listening to Shi Gang's words, Zhu Chongjiu calmly said to Shi Gang, "I have considered all of these things for you."

Let's first talk about how this extra 20% of resources is putting some pressure on your Houtu Kingdom.

However, after more than a month of investigation in your Houtu Kingdom, I have discovered that a large part of your arable land is still abandoned.

The reason is probably that the sun in the sky is gradually setting, and the harvest of food is becoming meager, so people are abandoning large tracts of land to reduce unnecessary labor.

However, if the sun shines on the earth again, allowing crops to grow rapidly, then the extra 20% of resources will be readily available.

Secondly, the issue of saving face you mentioned is also easy to resolve.

"Just release one message, and all the problems will be solved."

Upon hearing this, Shi Gang asked, somewhat puzzled, "What news?"

At this moment, Zhu Chongjiu stood up, raised his hand to the sky, and said loudly, "I will make sure that the sun in the sky never sets, and shines on this land forever!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Gang was so excited that he stood up alongside Zhu Chongjiu, asking in a trembling voice, "Ninth Emperor, is what you say true?"

"Seriously, I am, after all, a ruler of a nation. How could I possibly speak carelessly on such a matter?"

Furthermore, I can also sign a letter of credence with your Houtu Kingdom on behalf of the Flame Empire!

It is used to guarantee what I have said.

If you violate this rule, then my Flame Empire will maintain the sun for your Houtu Kingdom for ten thousand years free of charge, without taking a single penny!