The ministers held their breath and all looked up.
"Your Majesty, has the Great Jin army reached our borders?"
General Wang immediately requested orders. "Your Majesty, I request permission to rush to the frontier and intercept the Jin troops..."
Her Majesty the Empress wore an extremely peculiar expression. After a long while, she finally spoke. "No. Great Jin... has sued for peace."
"What?"
The ministers thought they had misheard.
"Sued for peace?"
General Wang, who had requested orders, wore an expression of utter astonishment.
Great Jin had always been arrogant and conceited. How could it possibly sue for peace?
"Your Majesty, there must be a trap!"
The ministers hurriedly echoed her. "That's right, Your Majesty. You must not believe them."
Her Majesty the Empress's gaze darkened. "Not only have they sued for peace, they've also promised to send tribute every year from now on."
"Is Great Jin... preparing to become our vassal?"
But how was that possible?
"Your Majesty, this... this is real?"
All the ministers were stunned.
Her Majesty the Empress, however, did not remain stunned. She suddenly rose and shouted furiously, "Guards, seize Prime Minister Sheng!"
A squad of guards rushed in and immediately twisted Prime Minister Sheng's arms, forcing her to the ground.
"Your Majesty, why is this?"
Prime Minister Sheng had already sensed that something was wrong when she heard that Great Jin had sued for peace.
Her expression was ugly now, but she was still unwilling to surrender without a fight.
The Empress looked down at her with a cold laugh.
"Prime Minister Sheng, you're truly capable. You actually colluded with Great Jin, hoping to use the price of ceding ten cities to overthrow my Great Su Dynasty and turn the entire realm into your Sheng Family's possession."
Prime Minister Sheng's heart was thrown into