"A hundred million Gold Soul Coins? Why doesn't he just rob us!"
Inside the Star Luo Imperial Palace, Dai Xiao flew into a towering rage upon receiving the news, smashing things all over his bedchamber to vent his displeasure.
As merely the crown prince, Dai Weisi had no authority to decide this matter at all. He could only shrink back and wait for his imperial father to make a decision.
A long time passed before Dai Xiao emerged from his lunatic mode. His hands still retained the memory of his frenzy and kept trembling.
A hundred million. That was a hundred million!
What did that amount mean?
Take the Star Luo Empire, for example. Its annual revenue was only ninety million Gold Soul Coins, and that was with imperial power centralized and the feudal lords not daring to slight the imperial family.
Look at neighboring Heaven Dou. Its annual revenue was only fifty million, nearly half that of Star Luo. Most of the money went into the pockets of princes and nobles, and once outside Heaven Dou City, the emperor's authority might not even be acknowledged.
In short, a hundred million was a tale from the Arabian Nights as far as Dai Xiao was concerned. He would sooner jump down and die right here than pay a single coin more!
Dai Weisi spoke meekly. "Father, Li Si said that if we don't agree to this proposal, the Heaven Dou Empire won't cooperate with us..."
Dai Xiao's bloodshot eyes suddenly cleared, and his voice grew much quieter. "You mean we have to buy it, or cooperation is off the table?"
"Yes."
"Did you haggle? Ask them to lower the price?"
"I did, but it was no use."
"..."
After some back-and-forth, Dai Xiao realized that no matter how much he said