Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 462 Princess Anna (Special thanks to the book friend Happy People_eA for two monthly tickets!)

After the plan to attack Fusang was decided, Chai Zongxun immediately issued an order:

He ordered the Royal Navy's First and Second Fleets, totaling 2,000 sailing battleships and 200,000 soldiers, to immediately begin military training. Once preparations were made and the weather and time were suitable, they would set out to invade Fuso.

The Royal Navy officers and soldiers, who had been preparing for war for many years, were overjoyed when they received the news. They immediately mobilized the entire army, sent their warships out of the Port of Shanghai, and conducted intensive training near the coast in order to land and capture Fuso in one fell swoop.

Two days later, on September 25th, Chai Zongxun summoned the Roman Empire envoy, Duke Rick, to the Huangji Hall.

After retiring from court the day before yesterday, Kou Zhun reported the Duke of Rick's gift to Chai Zongxun and wanted to hand it over to the national treasury.

Chai Zongxun refused and gave the gift sent by the Duke of East Roman to Kou Zhun as a reward for his past contributions.

After the greetings, Duke Rick presented the list of gifts he brought with him on this mission:
There are more than 200 rare treasures and 100 beauties from various ethnic groups in the Roman Empire, including Joachims, Armenians, and ancient ethnic groups in Asia Minor, such as Isaurians and Cappadocians.

After chatting for a while, Chai Zongxun smiled and said:
"Duke Rick, Lord Kou has informed me of your intention to go on this diplomatic mission.

Khwarezm was conquered by our Great Zhou soldiers who braved arrows, stones, swords and killed more than ten thousand people.

Although our Great Zhou Empire and the Roman Empire have been allies for many years, I cannot ignore the hard work of the soldiers and give away the occupied territories!"

Duke Rick was anxious and said:

"Your Majesty, since the two countries formed an alliance to fight against the countries of the Star Cult, although our Roman Empire has not won a major victory, our Majesty Basil II has kept his promise since the signing of the treaty and sent 600,000 troops to attack Khwarezm and the Black Caliphate.

Your Majesty, over the past few years of war, the number of enemy troops of the Star Church that fought against our country has reached more than 800,000, and more than 200,000 Roman soldiers have sacrificed their lives for their country.

Marshal Badas has been leading his army to attack the five states of Donkwo for several years. When he was about to capture them, Yang Ye, the commander-in-chief of the Eighth Corps of your country's Longxiang Army, disregarded the friendly alliance between the two countries and forcibly seized them, resulting in a near-violent battle on the battlefield!
I pray that Your Majesty, for the sake of the friendship between our two countries, return the five states of Donkwo to our country so that the foreign ministers can return to their country to report.

As long as Your Majesty agrees, our Emperor is willing to send 800,000 troops to help Your Majesty conquer the Black-robed Dashi and other remnant states of the Star Religion."

Chai Zongxun thought:
"The countries of the Star Religion are already in my hands, why do I need your Roman troops to help?

Are you going to compete with my Great Zhou for the territory of the Star Sect again?"

Chai Zongxun exchanged glances with Kou Zhun, who was standing in the hall, and Kou Zhun stepped out and said:

"Your Majesty, the Roman Empire has made great contributions since it formed an alliance with our country. I hope Your Majesty will consider the friendship between our two countries and show some mercy."

When Rick heard Kou Zhun say this, he couldn't help but feel secretly grateful.

Chai Zongxun pondered for a moment and sighed:

“What you two dear ministers said makes a lot of sense.

Although the Roman Empire did not launch any sieges, it did make great efforts in the war against the Star Cult.

I will consider this matter for a few days before making a decision."

Rick had no choice but to bow to Chai Zongxun and leave the hall with the Minister of Rites Kou Zhun.

Chai Zongxun immediately ordered the hundred Eastern Roman beauties waiting in the side hall in the front yard of the imperial palace to be brought into the palace.

In a moment, hundreds of young and outstanding girls from various Eastern Roman ethnic groups entered the hall led by the eunuchs and imperial guards in front of the hall. They paid their respects to Emperor Chai Zongxun, who was sitting on the golden throne, according to the etiquette guided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the past few days.

Chai Zongxun smiled and said:

"Everyone loves you!"

Chai Zongxun looked into the hall and saw that the hundred Roman beauties were all between fifteen and eighteen years old. Their skin was as white and tender as milk, and their hair was either blonde, brown, or black, and some were quite stunning.

Chai Zongxun was very pleased after seeing the pictures, and immediately selected more than 20 beauties who made him fall in love with them to enter the harem, and ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to give the remaining more than 70 to several married princes and three younger brothers. In the evening in Baoci Palace, when Chai Zongxun was having dinner with Empress Dowager Fu and the second empress and 16 concubines, Concubine Anna kept looking for opportunities to flirt with him.

Chai Zongxun understood and nodded slightly.

After the meal, he played a game of Go with Empress Dowager Fu and chatted with the concubines for a while. Then Chai Zongxun said goodbye to Empress Dowager Fu, and Concubine Anna immediately followed him out of Baoci Hall.

The two of them walked back to Anna's bedroom, surrounded by their personal eunuchs and palace maids.

After sitting down and drinking a few sips of tea that Anna personally served, Chai Zongxun smiled and said:

"My beloved concubine, do you have something to tell me?"

Anna smiled and nodded, saying:

“Your Majesty, yes.

This time, my brother, Duke Parrick, came to my Great Zhou and presented gifts to Your Majesty, and also brought some gifts to me."

Chai Zongxun had heard Tang Qi's report on this matter a long time ago. Duke Rick asked Tang Qi to deliver gifts and letters to the Roman Princess Anna, and he nodded immediately.

Anna continued:

“Your Majesty, Duke Rick is a veteran of two dynasties of the Roman Empire and a trusted minister of my brother. Sending him as an envoy shows how much my brother values ​​our Great Zhou Empire.

The two countries have been allies for a long time. In the war with the Star Cult a few years ago, many soldiers were sacrificed. It is not appropriate for the two countries to become enemies because of the five states of Dunkwo. "

Chai Zongxun said:

“My beloved concubine is right. I don’t want this to cause a dispute between the two countries. After all, the Eastern Roman Empire made contributions in the war against the Star Religion.

It's just that your brother sent Duke Rick to ask for too much land in the five states of Dunkwo, and I cannot ignore the sacrifices of the soldiers."

Princess Anna was overjoyed when she heard Chai Zongxun's tone soften. She quickly helped him undress and get on the bed. She used a woman's most primitive "weapon" to try to please Chai Zongxun in various ways...

After the joy, Princess Anna begged Chai Zongxun to cede the five states to the Eastern Roman Empire.

Chai Zongxun reached out and pinched Princess Anna's extremely plump breasts, pretending to be angry and said:

"My beloved, your brother brought a letter asking you to beg me?
Are you loyal to our Great Zhou or to Rome?"

Anna screamed in pain and said softly:
“Since I entered the palace to serve Your Majesty, I have naturally devoted my heart to Your Majesty’s Great Zhou.

Your Majesty has conquered such a vast territory of the Star Religion, and three of the five states of Dunkwo were originally lost territories of Rome. Your Majesty, in consideration of my diligent service, please return them to my brother!"

Chai Zongxun pondered for a moment and said with a smile:

"Well! My beloved concubine has begged me so much, how can I bear to refuse you?

But these five states, at most the three states lost to Rome by Khwarezm, will be returned to me. Otherwise, I will not be able to give an explanation to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives and shed their blood.

But for the sake of my beloved concubine, I can allow the Nestorian missionaries from Rome to preach in the newly occupied territories of Central and West Asia of our Great Zhou.

As for your brother sending 800,000 troops to help our Great Zhou attack the Black-robed Arabs, that is not necessary."

Anna saw that Chai Zongxun had made up his mind and knew that he could not change it, so she had no choice but to thank him and fell asleep with him.

(End of this chapter)