Who says the prince is weak and can't take care of himself?

Chapter 134: Marriage is a good thing

Qing Lan scratched his head and raised his hand to gesture to Qi Xiao: "One every two days. It has to be alive. Try ten doses first."

Tang Ling nodded: "Qinglan, go write the prescription. Let Ye Huai get the snake."

Judge Fang was dumbfounded. From what he heard, Tang Ling even kept a venomous snake by her side?!

Qi Xiao pulled Tang Ling aside and said, "Don't think about the little white snake. Qinglan only asked for the gallbladder of a venomous snake, not the little white snake."

"This is Yuanjing City, not Fenglin Mountain. How could you easily find a poisonous snake?" Tang Ling knew Qi Xiao liked little white snakes, and she was reluctant to part with them since they were a gift to him. "How about this? Send someone to every medicine shop in the city to buy some right now. If they can find some before dusk, that's great. Otherwise, just do as I say."

"No."

"Qi Xiao..." Tang Ling pulled Qi Xiao around the corner, cupping his cheeks with both hands as they stared deeply into each other's eyes. Qi Xiao knew exactly what was important. He didn't need anyone's persuasion, just a little understanding and comfort to soothe his inner torment and anxiety.

"……I see."

Tang Ling smiled slightly and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Ninth brother..." When Concubine Lin woke up, Princess Twelve came out to look for Qi Xiao, and she saw the two of them being unbridled and intimate. She was stunned for a moment and hurriedly covered her blushing face.

Tang Ling was startled and blushed. She really wanted to find an excuse to run away immediately.

"Is mother awake? Come in."

***

"...Young Master? Young Master? What are you thinking about?"

Huang Zexian called Tang Ling several times before he brought his mind back to normal.

"Hmm? Uncle Huang, what did you just say?"

"Young Master, you're not in a good mood today? Are you tired?"

Tang Ling shook her head: "Uncle Huang, please continue."

"...What did His Majesty say after entering the palace?"

"No, we just played a game of chess."

"What happened? The young master has been absent-minded since he came back."

Tang Ling sighed silently. He had indeed been absent-minded since returning from the Westward Journey Palace. He had left Qinglan there to try out a new prescription. Qinglan whispered to him that Concubine Lin was already terminally ill. If it had been a year or two earlier, with proper care, perhaps her condition could have been delayed a little longer, but now it was too late. Qinglan could only do his best. What worried Tang Ling was not only Concubine Lin's illness, but also the conversation she had with him alone...

"Uncle Huang, business is important. Go ahead."

"..." Huang Zexian lowered his eyes slightly and glanced at the memorial that Tang Ling had held in her hand but had not yet opened. He said, "The conditions for Chen's peace talks are all in it. Your Majesty will definitely not agree to these conditions."

Tang Ling then remembered the memorial Huang Zexian had just handed over. She unfolded it and took a quick look at it. Leaving aside the minor details, the key items were only three: annual tribute, marriage alliance, and allied forces.

First, Zhou pledged allegiance to Chen and became a vassal state of Chen, paying an annual tribute of 100,000 taels of gold, 300,000 taels of silver, brocades, silks, and other treasures.

The second option was a marriage alliance, where Tang Ling would marry the Princess of Chen and stay in the Yuan capital permanently. However, it did not mention which princess she was to marry.

The third item is the coalition. Zhou is a vassal state of Chen, so they naturally have to share the same hatred of the enemy. If there is a war between Chen and Qi in the future, Zhou will be the vanguard.

After reading the memorial, Tang Ling was so angry that she laughed. It was indeed an exorbitant demand. There was no way that the Great Zhou would agree to such conditions, but the peace talks had to continue.

Tang Ling threw the memorial aside and said, "Since Uncle Huang says His Majesty won't agree, there's no need to present it to the Emperor. Uncle Huang and the other gentlemen should discuss drafting a new memorial for peace. Submit it to the Ministry of Rites tomorrow and present it to His Majesty."

"...After the previous proposal was rejected by the Ministry of Rites, the peace talks were put on hold by Emperor Chen. He only proposed one condition for restarting the peace talks: to send the prince to Chen as a hostage."

Tang Ling laughed. "It's a different time now. I'm already here, right? Uncle Huang, just do as I say. Actually, there's no need to change too much. Just write it all backwards."

"Write it all backwards?" Huang Zexian couldn't help but wonder, "Sir, will this anger the Emperor of Chen and make him think we have no intention of negotiating?"

Tang Ling chuckled. "How could I be unintentional? We in the Great Zhou completely agree with the three most important points here. It's just that the terms need further negotiation. When you draft your memorial, please be careful with your wording and be more humble."

Tang Ling pointed out the items one by one to Huang Zexian: "First, Zhou and Chen should establish peace to promote trade and achieve common prosperity. Zhou is willing to purchase 300,000 kilograms of black iron ore from Chen every year at a price 20% higher than the market price. We also want to invite Master Pan Yun to join Zhou as a guest official with a large sum of money."

Tang Ling ignored the insulting demands of vassalage and tribute, insisting only on trade. She wanted nothing more than the black iron that would strengthen the Chen army. Black iron ore was strictly controlled by the imperial court, with no market price. Trading in black iron was a capital offense in Dachen. Furthermore, production was low, with Dachen producing no more than 50,000 kilograms annually. Tang Ling's demand for 300,000 kilograms was sheer absurdity. Huang Zexian was stunned by this.

Black iron is just one example. Master Panyun is the most renowned swordsmith of his time, perhaps even the most renowned swordsmith of the past century. The weapons he forges are priceless, heirlooms. The Dust Fate locked around Tang Ling's wrist was one of them. Tang Ling holds a grudge, so it would be wonderful if Great Zhou could also obtain a few of Master Panyun's divine weapons.

The Great Zhou could not possibly agree to Chen State's conditions, and it was also impossible for Chen to agree to Tang Ling's conditions.

Before Huang Zexian could finish his shock, Tang Ling pointed to the second option: "Marriage is a good idea. But it can't be me. Instead, my Great Zhou wants to marry a princess to the Crown Prince of Chen. Ask the Emperor and father which one they would like to choose."

"Chen...hasn't appointed a crown prince yet."

"That's why I asked you to ask the Emperor who he would choose. Now that the eldest prince is under house arrest, only the fifth and seventh princes in Yuanjing City have a chance to compete. It all depends on whether the Emperor is willing to support the Qin family or the Gongsun family."

There is only one position of crown prince and emperor. The Qin and Gongsun families cannot coexist with each other. It would be better for Tang Ling to add more fuel to the fire to make it burn more vigorously.

"Ah? I thought it was the candidate for the princess' marriage."

"Princess Xihe. Before I left the Great Zhou, the cabinet discussed this, and the emperor also had this idea." Princess Xihe, the younger sister of the Emperor of the Great Zhou, was the only suitable candidate.

Huang Zexian nodded. Princess Xihe was only twelve years old, still young and ignorant, but she had to shoulder the destiny of two countries. It was really sad.

"The third alliance, Chen and Zhou joining forces to fight Qi, will be an opportunity to break the divisions among the three kingdoms. This will have both advantages and disadvantages for Great Zhou, so we must be extremely cautious. Great Zhou is happy to support Chen and rely on each other. Whenever Chen wants to use its forces against Qi, we will support them and hold the line for the Chen army."

Tang Ling's meaning was very clear. The coalition army could be formed, but the only way for the Great Zhou to send troops was to invade the State of Qi. If they could not fight, the Great Zhou would never be the vanguard.

"My Lord, you are wise. I now know how to write this memorial."

"Then I'll have to trouble Uncle Huang."

"By the way, I need to send a separate letter back regarding the marriage, and I must inform my father first."

"Okay." Huang Zexian nodded and talked about another matter, "Sir, how should we deal with the assassins in the Dushifu?"