For a moment, a brief silence fell over the Great Hall.
But Fa Zheng soon recovered and cursed furiously, "That scoundrel is dreaming!"
"If he wants to attack, let him!"
Had it merely been a matter of handing over three thousand cartloads of grain and fodder, that would have been one thing. For Chang'an's survival, they could swallow their anger for the time being.
But handing over the Empress as a hostage? What a joke!
The Empress was the Son of Heaven's wife, the mistress of the Imperial Harem.
Handing over the Empress would humiliate the entire Great Han and the Son of Heaven, and slap the Imperial Court in the face!
That was absolutely impossible!
Not only Fa Zheng, but all the other ministers were filled with righteous indignation upon hearing Ma Chao's conditions, cursing him incessantly.
"How dare that brat Ma Chao be so insolent!"
"No compromise! We absolutely cannot compromise!"
"We swear to live or die with Chang'an!"
"We cannot agree, even if it means death!"
As ministers of Han, they still possessed a basic measure of backbone. They could never agree to such absurd conditions.
Otherwise, their names would stink for ten thousand years!
However... there was one exception.
Fu Wan frowned deeply. Listening to the officials cursing around him, he did not join in. His cloudy old eyes shifted slightly, as though he were considering something.
Only once their curses subsided did he step forward with his cane and slowly say, "Gentlemen, I believe... accepting this condition is not out of the question."
As Fu Wan's words fell, every voice abruptly ceased again.
Everyone's gaze settled on him.
Their eyes held bewilderment, surprise, anger, and disbelief.
"Imperial Father-in-Law Fu, have you gone senile?!"
Cui Lin spoke first, showing no courtesy whatsoever, anger plain on