Who Said I Was Negotiating with You? You Aren't Qualified to Negotiate with Me!

Everyone in the hall widened their eyes and pricked up their ears.

Some ministers had served for decades, yet this was the first time they had heard anyone dare make such demands.

Those who knew the situation could understand that Li Chen was laying out his conditions for a marriage alliance.

Those who did not might have thought he was robbing the Northern Court.

Then again, his demands were no different from robbery.

The civil officials marveled, but also felt uneasy. If His Majesty truly said such things, he would inevitably provoke a conflict that might prove difficult to resolve.

Most scholars valued stability. Trading a few small favors for lasting peace was an excellent bargain, by any reasonable measure.

The military officials, however, were all smiles. This new emperor seemed to have swept away centuries of gloom.

Li Chen's words made them feel they could finally stand tall.

The Heavenly Strategy Dynasty was clearly powerful, yet it always ceded something to its neighboring nations for the sake of stability.

Most countries at least knew to offer gifts in return. Only the Northern Court knew nothing but taking.

Yet the Northern Court was always careful about its demands, asking for just a little without touching the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's foundations. The late emperor and his predecessors had not bothered to quibble.

Over time, those tiny amounts had accumulated into something substantial.

Before long, Altai and Atad recovered from their stunned bewilderment. They exchanged a glance, and the elder brother, Altai, spoke. "Your Majesty, surely there has been some misunderstanding. Shouldn't this marriage alliance involve a princess of your dynasty marrying into our northern lands? Besides, aren't you asking for far too much?"

Altai's original plan had been to ask Li Chen to send the Ninth Princess over, then request some gold, silver, and other treasures to sweeten the occasion.

Wasn't that what all the other Court Envoys from the Northern Court had asked for?

But this emperor had opened his mouth and demanded hundreds of beauties, tens of thousands of fine horses, and ten thousand tons of beef that had to be premium quality. Even stocking up on goods wasn't this outrageous!

"What? You can't even provide this much, yet you have the nerve to propose a marriage alliance with me? Even beasts know to repay kindness, and you still expect me to marry off my younger sister? Are you provoking me?" Li Chen demanded sharply.

His voice echoed throughout the hall, carrying an authority that brooked no question!

Even the military officials, stirred by him, began glaring at the two envoys.

One word from Li Chen, and ministers would surely rush forward to beat the pair.

"Would you allow us to discuss this matter with the Khan?" Altai asked. Though he was an envoy, he held little authority in the Northern Court-certainly not the authority to declare war.

If the Khan did not want war and they spoke out of turn, they could lose their heads upon returning.

"Ridiculous. I am informing you, not negotiating with you. Go back and tell your Khan that I give him six months to prepare everything. Otherwise, I will personally lead troops to collect it!" With those words, Li Chen had nailed the coffin shut on the matter.

Negotiate? Who said I was negotiating with you? You aren't even qualified to negotiate with me!

At this point, Li Chen could not be bothered to waste any more words. He simply ordered them driven out of the hall.

Altai and Atad had arrived with their noses in the air. Now they were driven out in utter disgrace.

The Imperial Guard took its cues from the emperor. When he treated the Northern Court warmly, they naturally dared not offend its envoys. With the emperor taking this attitude now, why would the guards show any courtesy?

Weren't you two looking down on us just now? You'd better behave yourselves, unless you want us to get rough.

After leaving the palace, Altai and Atad looked utterly dejected. Nothing about this journey south had gone smoothly.

Hadn't previous envoys all been treated well, then returned home bragging endlessly about how impressive they were?

Why had things turned out like this for the two of them?

"Brother, what do we do now? Are we really going back empty-handed?"

Atad knew that ever since the Khan had seen the Ninth Princess's portrait, he had been unable to forget her.

His ravenous lust had been genuinely frightening.

Before setting out, Atad had guaranteed that he would succeed, and the Khan had even shared a bowl of wine with him.

Now he had botched everything!

"Hmph. I'll be sure to tell the Khan all about this. The Heavenly Strategy Dynasty won't get away without paying a price this time."

Altai was merely talking tough.

What else can we do but go back like this? Do you actually dare cause trouble?

Don't you know what cultivation realm their emperor is in? Didn't you see how this hand of mine was crippled?

As they walked, inspiration suddenly struck Atad. He whispered, "I heard the Ninth Princess enjoys poetry and songs, and often studies at academies in the Imperial Capital. Why don't we..."

He dared entertain the idea only because it could spare him punishment upon his return.

After all, the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's emperor had spoken so uncompromisingly that the Khan would certainly refuse to let the matter rest.

Relations between the two countries would sour sooner or later. They might as well take things all the way.

Altai had to admit that his younger brother had incredible nerve, daring to abduct someone in the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's Imperial Capital-and their princess, no less.

But if they succeeded, not only would they escape punishment upon returning, they would receive rewards instead. It truly was a move that burned their boats and smashed their cooking pots.

"Fine. We'll do it. Let's gather information first."

Altai knew he would have only one chance. He needed to consider everything carefully.

Once morning court ended, news of Li Chen's humiliation of the Northern Court's envoys quickly spread.

In the Empress Dowager's chambers, the voluptuous yet graceful Empress Dowager exercised amid fluttering gauze to maintain her enviable figure.

Sunlight streamed through the exquisite window lattice and fell upon her warm, jade-like skin, lending her an even softer radiance.

The Empress Dowager wore an exercise outfit as thin as a cicada's wings, her full figure swaying gently with her movements.

Every backbend and every kick retained an indescribable allure and elegance.

This was the secret that allowed her to indulge her appetite while maintaining her figure.

Her trusted palace maid had arrived at the doorway some time ago, but had refrained from interrupting when she saw the Empress Dowager exercising.

Only after she finished a full cycle did the maid begin reporting the events of this Morning Court.

The Third Prince's withdrawal was within the Empress Dowager's expectations. These princes would not fight a battle they were not confident of winning.

The strength Li Chen had displayed was indeed enough to make them rethink their strategies.

But that did not mean they would give up.

It was Li Chen's attitude that she could not fathom. Did the boy intend to intervene or not?

When the maid reached the matter of the Northern Court's envoys, the Empress Dowager murmured, "His Majesty is rather hot-blooded, but without that fire, could he still be called a young man?"

"Empress Dowager, should we begin making arrangements in the north ahead of time?"

Her trusted palace maid had served her for many years and knew a great deal.

The Empress Dowager's influence was not confined to the Imperial Capital. She had people along the northern border and even within the Northern Court.

The maid had raised the question because she did not think this emperor was joking.

"Proceed as you see fit. Remember to leave no traces. Quite a few people have their eyes on us lately."

"As you command."

Just as the Empress Dowager finished speaking, a delicious aroma drifted into her nose and stirred her appetite.

She had already instructed the imperial kitchens to prepare all the seasonings Li Chen had given her yesterday. At noon today, she intended to enjoy a proper feast.

Aside from the court officials and those in the palace, the people who reacted most strongly to this incident were naturally the scions of the noble houses.

Lineages like the Liu family, which had once fought on the northern battlefields, were simply waiting for Li Chen's command.

Liu Hao's father urged him to hurry and make himself a familiar face before His Majesty. Then military achievements and a meteoric rise would be just around the corner.

Li Chen's treatment of the Court Envoys also caused an enormous stir at an academy on the western side of the Imperial Capital.

For the Ninth Princess, Li Sining, was studying at Cloud Deer Academy, the largest academy in the Imperial Capital.