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The ministers were dumbfounded for a moment, looking at the scene in front of them, it seemed that the emperor and Maha had already finalized the general plan for the peace talks in a few words hidden in the hall.

The courtiers looked at each other in blank amazement.

Generally speaking, a peace negotiation is a matter of fighting each other's wits, and it is time-consuming. A peace negotiation that has a bearing on the overall situation like this will take an extremely long time. Some people even estimated in advance that this time the peace talks, the two sides bargained, If there is no ten days and half a month, there will be absolutely no results, and it will even take longer.

It's just that very few people thought that today, in the Chengtian Hall, the peace talks between the two parties seemed to have reached some kind of agreement.

However, Chu Huan could tell that His Majesty the Emperor and Maha Zang were tit-for-tat at the beginning and refused to give in to each other, but considering their own conditions, they were obviously unwilling to continue the war.

Both His Majesty the Emperor and Maha Zang are not talkative people who spend too much time on words. Both of them clearly knew in their hearts that if they want to reach a peace agreement, both sides must insist on something, but they also have to pay some price.

Xiliang's previous claim to occupy Xiguan Road was nothing more than a strategy of advancing and retreating, leaving an excuse for the lion to ask for property later.

The price paid by the people of Xiliang is to give up the occupied land, and also to send a princess. The price paid by Daqin is not only a princess, but also a huge amount of money and materials. There was a specific number mentioned, but Chu Huan could imagine that it must be an astonishing number, and then the two parties obviously had a dispute in private.

Just looking at the situation, Chu Huan has also concluded that there must be serious problems in Xiliang's internal affairs, and that they finally agreed to send out a princess has exposed their helplessness in negotiating peace.

Many generals in the hall showed shame on their faces.

They are the warriors of the Great Qin, and their duty is to protect the land and the country, but now they want to send a princess to seek peace, which is really a big blow to the face of the generals.

But fighting on the battlefield is never just about relying on the bravery of soldiers. In such a large-scale national conflict, the competition is ultimately about national strength. Qin's national strength is not suitable for continuing to fight with Xiliang. Even if the generals want to fight, they are helpless.

His Majesty the Emperor has been invincible all his life, and he has never compromised with anyone or anything, but today he made some compromises with the Xiliang envoys in the palace. Judging from the expressionless face of the emperor, the officials can see It is impossible to tell what kind of mood His Majesty the Emperor is in. No one knows that His Majesty the Emperor will compromise because of today's helplessness in the palace, and will lead the empire on a new path from now on.

His Majesty the Emperor glanced at the ministers, and his voice finally came to mind in the silent hall: "My dear friends, I want to send a mission to the Qingluo King City of Xiliang to propose marriage to the King of Xiliang. Which one of you dear ministers is willing to take on this task?"

There was a sudden silence in the hall.

The emperor's gaze first fell on Xue Huai'an, Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

Xue Huai'an was in charge of the Ministry of Rites. According to the principle, the Ministry of Rituals was naturally duty-bound to go on an envoy to a foreign country. Xue Huai'an lowered his head, feeling nervous.

What Maha Zang just said has actually made many courtiers panic.

In fact, from the mouths of some Xiliang merchants in the capital, people also vaguely know that although the land of Xiliang is not as vast as that of Great Qin, it is not a small country either.

However, compared with the geography of Qin State, Xiliang is obviously very different. Qin State has mountains, rivers, plains and forests, and its agriculture is developed. The large plains are suitable for agricultural production, but Xiliang is different. According to Xiliang merchants, People know that the plains of Xiliang are actually not vast. Although there are vast grasslands, there are many hills in the land, and the most terrible thing is that although the Jingulan Desert is called the land of Xiliang, the Xiliang China has no real control over the vast Jinguolan Desert.

It is said that the Jingulan Desert stretching between Xiliang and Daqin is very vast, and it takes more than half a month for those who are familiar with the desert to cross the desert horizontally. However, the Jinguolan Desert spreads vertically to the west, and no one knows Where does it go? At least the people of Qin Kingdom don't know where the western end of the Jingulan Desert is.

According to the merchants of Xiliang, the Jingulan Desert is a place of death. It is said that before the Xiliang caravan crosses the Jingulan Desert to come to Qin for trade, they will leave a suicide note before departure, and arrange the family affairs properly. Only then will they pray to their gods for peace, and finally they will embark on the journey.

Although the Jingulan Desert is the land of Xiliang in name, Xiliang has no real control over the Jinguolan Desert. The caravan crossing the desert, except for hiring warrior guards, the government cannot provide strong protection, so if Ten out of ten caravans crossed the Jingulan Desert, but definitely less than half of them were able to pass through smoothly.

Every time Xiliang businessmen talked about the Jingulan Desert, they would show panic. They talked about the fierce desert wolves in the desert, those sand bandits who killed without batting an eye, and the god-given The desert storm that is punished by the world, and the poisonous snakes and scorpions that hide in the sand but can kill people, I don’t know if they are really frightened by the desert or just use it to raise the value of the goods, at least in the state of Qin Xiliang goods have always been extravagant and expensive. Whenever Qin people and Xiliang merchants dispute the price of goods, Xiliang people will tell them the horror of the Jingulan Desert with a heavy heart, showing that these goods It can only be transported to the Central Plains with its life as a bet.

In the past, Xiliang goods were all the rage in the capital, and the dignitaries were the main consumers of Xiliang goods. They didn't know Xiliang, but they were still somewhat familiar with the creepy Jingulan Desert in Xiliang.

Most of the ministers in the palace owned goods from Xiliang, so they had heard about the Jingulan Desert that Xiliang merchants often mentioned. At this time, they heard that the emperor was going to send envoys across the Jinguolan Desert to Xiliang to propose marriage. I'm a little flustered.

Especially the officials of the Ministry of Rites, headed by Xue Huai'an, were terrified and afraid that they would be assigned to their heads.

They are not familiar with the Great Desert, and all they know is the terrifying death zone that Xiliang merchants talked about. The official will not provide protection in the desert, although it has a taste of intimidation, but it is really not that easy to cross the Jingulan Desert.

Departing from the capital of Luo'an, we will travel thousands of miles to Qingluo Wangcheng in Xiliang, and we must arrive within three months. Everyone knows that this will be a difficult and dangerous road with many obstacles and dangers on the way, and there may even be no return , who is willing to really take on such an errand.

The courageous courtiers in the court were either dismissed from office or their heads fell to the ground. Nowadays, there are not many courageous and insightful officials in the court. When they think of the thorns on the road to propose marriage, many people have lowered their heads so as not to be looked down upon by the emperor. middle.

When the hall was silent, an old voice was suddenly heard saying: "Your Majesty, the purpose of sending out this mission is to propose marriage to Xiliang, but it also wants to show the prestige of the Great Qin Dynasty. The envoys we send must be both civil and military. Only then!"

The one who spoke suddenly was none other than the senile Duke An.

The emperor nodded slightly and said, "Xue Huai'an!"

Xue Huai'an, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, felt his scalp tense, trembling with fear, he came out and knelt down: "This humble minister is here!"

"I appointed you as the envoy of the mission, and lead my Daqin mission to Xiliang, would you like to?" The emperor stared at Xue Huai'an, and asked lightly, his eyes were sharp, with a faint chill, Xue Huai'an looked up at After one glance, he was terrified, knowing that if he dared to say no in the hall today and lose his majesty in front of the people of Xiliang, then his head would most likely not be able to be kept, so he bit the bullet and said: "Report to the Holy Majesty , The Holy Majesty entrusts this important task to this humble official, it is really the honor of this humble official, and this humble official should lead the mission!"

Hearing this, the emperor's expression eased a little.

Ma Hong, Minister of the Household Department, was secretly glad at this time, only thinking that it was really good for God to replace him.

If it wasn't for the red and silver book, Hu Bufan, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, committed suicide in fear of crime, then Ma Hong is still in the position of Minister of Rites, and it would not be Xue Huai'an's turn to be on this mission, but Ma Hong.

Thinking of this, Ma Hong felt a little apprehensive in addition to being thankful.

Seeing that His Majesty's expression eased, Xue Huai'an cupped his hands again and said, "I'm willing to go through fire and water for Daqin's holiness, but... what An Guogong said, I also think it makes sense. All over the world, a minister who goes on an envoy must have both civil and military skills, it is the honor of a humble minister to go on an envoy, but... but a humble minister does not know martial arts, and the difference is too far away from being able to be both civil and military, I am afraid that a humble minister will fail the great trust of the Holy One!" He also had the courage to say these words.

Xue Huai'an really knew a lot about the horrors of the Jingulan Desert, and when he thought of the envoy's narrow escape, he had the courage to say these words, and only hoped that the emperor would choose someone else.

As soon as Xue Huai'an said this, the officials became nervous again.

Xue Huai'an used to be the servant of the Ministry of Rites, but he was also well-read in poetry and books. He was very talented and well-known in Beijing as a person with outstanding literary talent. , Talking about literature is more than enough, but discussing martial arts, but he knows nothing, not to mention both civil and military skills.

Everyone was afraid that the emperor would change his mind and choose someone else.

In the past, people who were proficient in both civil and military skills were extremely proud and proud of their talents. Today, it is precisely these people who feel drummed in their hearts, regretting why they have learned both civil and military skills.

The emperor said indifferently: "You will be the official envoy, and I will choose a deputy envoy for you to assist you in the envoy." Looking at the ministers, he asked: "My dear friends, who is willing to assist Xue Aiqing in the envoy?"

There was another moment of silence, Maha looked on coldly and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, if this prince chooses someone for you, if he goes on an envoy, he will surely live up to his envoy, and if he goes on an envoy to Xiliang to propose marriage, he will definitely make things easier." Get twice the result with half the effort!"