The two Wu Yun envoys looked towards Xiao Yunzhou, unable to hide the surprise on their faces.
"Even our Wu Yun soldiers were astonished when they first saw these newly bred horses, unable to distinguish the middle from the superior breeds!"
"We must put them to the test on horseback!"
The ministers of Jing Country were aghast, their mouths agape. Chancellor Fu Cha's long mustache was fluttering in the wind.
The two Wu Yun envoys bowed respectfully to Xiao Yunzhou.
"Your Honorable Majesty of Jing Country, you are truly the sun in the sky, your radiance so dazzling."
"No heresy or deviant path could obscure your discerning eyes."
The ministers of Jing Country stared at the flattering envoys in disbelief.
"We have brought a striking white steed, which would be too conspicuous on the battlefield, hoping that your esteemed country would misjudge its quality and be unable to bargain down the price."
The Wu Yun envoy sighed, "But little did we expect that our petty tricks would be seen through by Your Majesty at a mere glance."
The Wu Yun envoy bowed again, his face flushed red.
"We are truly ashamed, and we beg Your Honorable Majesty of Jing Country to forgive our disrespect."
The entire court fell silent.
Chancellor Fu Cha trembled as he looked towards Xiao Yunzhou.
He did not know what was happening, but he felt a twinge of pain on his aged face.
Yet, his old back straightened!
Their Emperor, their ruler of Jing Country, had risen!
Outside the palace, the wind howled.
However, all the ministers of Jing Country felt their blood boiling with fervor.
How long had it been?
How long!
Since the reign of the previous emperor, Jing Country had gradually lost its voice among neighboring states.
Those who once paid tribute no longer feared them.
Those who were once on good terms no longer heeded them.
The national strength of Jing Country was declining, its fate seemed to be fading.
Under the previous emperor, it became increasingly difficult to reverse the trend.
But they still wished to maintain the dignity of Jing Country. If other nations disrespected them, they would not acknowledge those nations!
But today, the long-estranged Wu Yun had once again bowed before them in Jing Country!
At that moment, all the ministers were filled with emotion.
"Your Honorable Majesty of Jing Country, under your dazzling brilliance, we dare not deceive you any further."
"If you agree to purchase our nation's warhorses, we will share with you, without reservation, the methods of breeding and raising these new warhorses."
The Wu Yun envoy reverently placed his right hand on his left chest.
"It is our honor to trade with such a wise ruler as yourself."
Ah, ah.
The ministers of Jing Country could not help but smile.
Their teeth were almost soured.
The Wu Yun envoys flattered their emperor even better than the ministers of Jing Country themselves!
"You are too kind, and We also feel fortunate that you have traveled this great distance to Our country."
Xiao Yunzhou laughed heartily, then led the group back to the banquet.
"So, what price are you proposing for trading the warhorses?"
"Besides the warhorses, we have heard that you wish to establish border markets with us for trade, is this true?"
Xiao Yunzhou felt invigorated by their flattery.
But just as he was about to agree, he heard the two envoys quote their price.
"Your Majesty of Jing Country, our superior horses are not easy to breed. Raising them to adulthood requires a great deal of high-quality fodder."
"But in deference to Your Majesty's great wisdom, we can offer them to Jing Country at thirty taels per horse."
Xiao Yunzhou smiled.
The fine steeds of Jing Country also cost at least thirty taels.
The expense reports for horse breeding that the Ministry of War usually submitted were even higher than this price.
He was about to nod in agreement when he heard a soft whine from the little Princess Wei Zheng, nestled in his arm.
[The Wu Yun envoys' favorability toward you has not reached the highest level for 'offering the lowest price' in negotiations.]
Xiao Yunzhou suddenly came to his senses.
[In the novel, Chu State paid thirty thousand taels for one thousand superior warhorses.]
[Half a year later, they dispatched cavalry to seize our grain from the people of Jing Country.]
[Because they had paid too much!]
Xiao Yunzhou glared at the two Wu Yun envoys, whose mouths were dripping with flattery, as if he, the emperor, was truly their revered deity.
Yet, their quoted price was outrageous!?
Had the nomads become so deceitful these days?
Little Xiao Chuchu sighed in her swaddling clothes, [After the Emperor of Chu State bought a thousand warhorses, there were reports from their spies in Wu Yun.]
[Generations of horse breeders in Wu Yun have raised these superior horses to adulthood at a cost of eight to ten taels.]
"Ahem..." Xiao Yunzhou coughed violently, staring at the Wu Yun envoys in disbelief.
They had tripled the price and claimed it was the cost!
Wu Yun was too devious!
[Those who play politics truly have dirty minds!]
[Diplomacy with neighboring countries must involve scheming. If the emperor father believed them, he would fall into a great trap.]
Xiao Yunzhou: "..."
[Including transportation losses and labor, Wu Yun's true desired price for a thousand warhorses was twenty thousand taels.]
Xiao Yunzhou's gaze flickered, and he immediately stood up, looking down at the envoys with an imposing presence.
"We have sensed your sincerity."
"But We feel that thirty thousand taels for one thousand superior warhorses is too much."
The Wu Yun envoys gaped in surprise, "Your Majesty of Jing Country, breeding these precious horses is no easy feat. Ten years ago, when we traded horses, the price was already twenty-five taels per horse..."
Now, with the new warhorses being even better than before, a price increase was justified.
Even the Minister of Revenue of Jing Country secretly gestured to Chancellor Fu Cha.
"Indeed, Your Majesty, in the past when we purchased horses, the price was—" the Vice Minister of Revenue was about to speak up as well, frowning.
Xiao Yunzhou shot him a glare, raising his hand to stop him.
Leaning forward, he looked at the Wu Yun envoys.
"We have treated Wu Yun with courtesy, as We hope to establish border markets and foster a harmonious life for the people of our two countries in the years to come."
"The trade of warhorses is but a small part of our mutual market."
Xiao Yunzhou raised his head, looking at the Wu Yun envoys with earnestness and pressure.
"You should know that what We desire is not a single transaction!"
"But the future of Jing Country and Wu Yun for the next ten, a hundred years and beyond!"
The Wu Yun envoy opened his mouth.
*Ding!* The Wu Yun envoy's favorability towards the Emperor of Jing Country decreased.
*Ding!* The Wu Yun envoy's favorability towards the Emperor of Jing Country decreased to Level 1!
Xiao Chuchu's eyes widened, her little face flushed red.
How could this be?
But in the next moment, she saw her system notifications explode.
*Ding!* The Wu Yun envoy's respect for the Emperor of Jing Country increased!
*Ding!* The Wu Yun envoy's respect for the Emperor of Jing Country increased to Level 4: 'I am willing to offer a low price to retain this customer'!
Xiao Chuchu's heart bloomed with excitement.
[Woo! The envoy's favorability decreased, but their respect for the emperor father skyrocketed!]
Xiao Yunzhou glared at the Wu Yun envoys, his heart pounding as he pricked up his ears in trepidation.
In the blink of an eye, as expected, the two envoys drinking behind the table indeed stood up again.
This time, they directly picked up the wine jug on the table and filled their golden cups, then drank them in one gulp while facing Xiao Yunzhou.
"Thank you for your sincerity."
"We did not expect that you would truly be willing to open mutual trade with our grasslands."
"In winter we lack grain, and if Jing Country is willing to permanently open the border granaries for trade with us, the price of our Wu Yun warhorses can be further reduced for Jing Country."
After drinking one full cup, the two envoys refilled and refilled again!
In one breath, they drank three full cups while facing the emperor Xiao Yunzhou, to show their respect.
"We Wu Yun can swear to heaven."
"If Jing Country treats us Wu Yun as brothers."
"Wu Yun will surely treat Jing Country as family!"
"Five fingers on one hand, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, but standing together and never abandoning one another!"
The officials of Jing Country were speechless, unable to find their own voices.
[Aowoo, for the Wu Yun, grain is the most scarce thing on the grasslands in winter, it is their lifeline!]
[The quicker my imperial father agrees to mutual trade, the more grateful they will be to Jing Country!]
[Hahaha, this time they are truly sincere!]
Xiao Yunzhou's heart skipped a beat.
Whether to open mutual trade, he had only been bluffing earlier.
In fact, he was still weighing the decision.
He had been thinking that after buying the warhorses, he could still drag out the mutual trade.
And then decide later.
But Xiao Chuchu blinked happily in Wei Zheng's embrace, [Imperial father has been getting better at handling affairs lately. Closing the country and isolating ourselves is ultimately not the way.]
Xiao Yunzhou froze with the wine cup in his hand, his expression suddenly stiffened.
Closing the country and isolating ourselves is not the way?
But from the time of his imperial grandfather, mutual trade had already been prohibited, and even Jing Country's maritime domains were closed...
[As imperial father said before, while Jing Country is developing, other nations are also developing.]
[We can complement each other's strengths and weaknesses, and only then will we become better and better.]
Xiao Chuchu reflected.
[Closing ourselves off and relying solely on our own efforts will only lead to stagnation in all areas of handicrafts, military, technology, and commerce.]
[Moreover, the circulation of silver in Jing Country is decreasing, with the common people hoarding their silver at home instead of spending it. We still need to find a way to allow silver from outside of Jing Country to flow into our country!]
Xiao Yunzhou stared wide-eyed.
[The history I have read from the modern era shows that closing the country and isolating ourselves has never ended well, and we will slowly be left behind by the times!]
Horror filled Xiao Yunzhou's eyes as he took a deep breath.
The histories of various nations that he saw in the immortal realm all showed that closing the country did not work?
He coughed lightly and looked towards the two envoys, immediately raising his wine cup and drinking it down.
"Excellent!"
"Then I shall not beat around the bush with you."
"When you return in the morning, list out the goods you wish to trade, and I will also have the Ministry of Revenue list out the items from the grasslands that Jing Country needs."
Xiao Yunzhou did not trust his officials, but he trusted the words of the immortal. After all, the prophecies from the immortal realm had never been wrong.
Xiao Yunzhou nodded as he thought this, "Once both sides have negotiated, we can sign the terms and open mutual trade."
The two envoys were overjoyed, "Thank you, Your Majesty of Jing Country!"
But Xiao Yunzhou quickly set down his wine cup and said to them, "I am extending this sincere gesture, and I hope you will also offer equal faith and righteousness."
"Top-grade warhorses, one thousand head, twenty thousand taels of silver."
"One fixed price."
The joy on the faces of the two envoys suddenly froze.
Fear and trepidation filled their eyes!
How did the emperor of Jing Country know... the lowest price for warhorses that they had discussed with the Khan before setting out?
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