The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 478

Chapter 478: 243 Toughness (Second Change)

Chapter 478: 243 Toughness (Second Change)

When the news reached the Imperial Palace, the emperor was in the Imperial Study Room discussing a peace negotiation between two nations with several ministers.

Zhan Country and Chen Country had fought quite a few wars, with Zhan Country greatly weakened as a result. The nation’s treasury has been in a state of semi-insolvency for several years now, and Liang Country is so powerful that it pays no mind to Zhan Country at all.

During this peace negotiation, Liang Country’s attitude was unyieldingly strong, leaving absolutely no room for concessions.

The emperor and the elder statesmen were turning grey with worry.

And then, out of nowhere, the prince sent word – Liang Country was willing to make concessions, and the condition was just a child?

“What sort of child?” the emperor asked.

An emissary from Liang Country said, “An orphan. The prince and his wife took a liking to the child and want to adopt him. As a reward, the prince will make concessions during the peace talks.”

“How… much?” asked the Grand Tutor.

The minister from Liang Country smiled and pulled out a list from his wide sleeve.

Eunuch Wei stepped forward to take the list, ensuring it was neither poisoned nor containing any hidden weapons before presenting it to the emperor.

The emperor read it and then passed it to the Grand Tutor and others.

The Grand Tutor, Chancellor Yuan and other senior officials were flabbergasted after reading it.

They couldn’t believe it!

The original negotiation terms were – Liang Country would exchange their limewater mortar technology for Zhan Country’s bellows and sticky rice mortar technologies. Trade would also be opened up on the border of the two countries, with Liang Country’s cheap handicrafts in exchange for Zhan Country’s top-grade silk and tea.

But now, they had added glass technology. Liang Country’s glass craft was unique and exquisite. It was so valuable that it was beyond the reach of the common people. Only royal households in the Six Kingdoms could afford such a luxury. Plainly speaking, a poor country like Zhan Country couldn’t afford it.

This technology was extremely tempting.

At the very least, it showed the sincerity of Liang Country.

It was rumored that Yan Country had once coveted Liang Country’s glass-making technology, but was refused.

Yan Country was a prestigious kingdom, on par with Liang Country. If Liang Country were to pass on such technology to Zhan Country instead of Yan Country, they might offend the latter once word gets out.

Does the prince know what he’s doing?

Is he behaving so recklessly because he is the biological son of Liang Country’s king?

“Could it be a trick?” one of the senior officials asked.

The emissary from Liang Country scoffed, “My prince is a man of his word. Does he need to play tricks on you?”

Are you all deserving?!

It’s like an elephant wanting to crush an insect. All it has to do is step on it; is it really necessary for it to hop about confusing it, dizzying it, making it lower its guard?

Everyone suddenly understood the logic.

But… all for a child?

Everyone was genuinely baffled by the prince’s puzzling behavior.

The emperor was also perplexed. He did not immediately agree, sensing that something was amiss. He sent the ministers away and kept the emissary from Liang Country for questioning.

“Why would the prince set his sights on an orphan from Zhan Country?” the emperor asked directly.

The emissary from Liang Country wasn’t afraid that the emperor would adopt a ‘lion’s den’ approach once he knew the truth. After all, this emperor of Zhan Country was not easily fooled. He relayed the prince’s words verbatim, “Your Majesty, do you remember the visit by the prince and his wife five years ago?”

The emperor nodded, “I certainly remember.”

The emissary continued, “Back then, the princess was pregnant and stayed in Zhan Country for several months until she had given birth.”

“It was said that the child had died a premature death. I was deeply saddened when I heard about it,” said the emperor, his brows furrowing, “Does this have something to do with that child?”

The emissary from Liang Country smiled, “My prince came across the child by chance and found out that the child didn’t die after all. Someone may have saved him from the coffin. Considering that Zhan Country has taken care of the prince’s son for so many years, my prince has agreed to make concessions in the peace talks as a way of repaying you.”

If that was the case, everything made sense.

The emperor nodded, then quickly asked with a hint of suspicion, “Is it really the prince’s son?”

The emissary from Liang Country said, “Do you think my prince would make such a great sacrifice for a fake son?”

The emperor also felt it unlikely, and asked again, “Where is the child now?”

The emissary from Liang Country laughed, “He was adopted by a young doctor from a medical hall.”

Upon hearing the words ‘medical hall’, a faint sense of unease rose in the emperor’s heart: “Which medical hall? Huichun Hall?”

The emissary laughed, “Ah, no, it’s Miaoshou Hall.”

The emperor’s face changed.

After two classes in the afternoon, Xiao Jingkong was out of school, and Gu Jiao came to pick him up from Guozijian.

Xiao Jingkong thought that Uncle Liu would come to pick him up. He sighed and walked along reluctantly, only to find out that it was Gu Jiao when he got to the door. He felt as though he had missed out on a million!

If only he had run faster! That would have been so much more time spent with Jiaojiao!