I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 242 Negotiation
The Flying Dragon Guard was established by Emperor Kangzhi and was the personal guard of the emperors of the Dayu Dynasty. They were all highly skilled in martial arts and served as the last line of protection for the emperor.

"The Flying Dragon Guard's actions are all at His Majesty's behest," Prince Xuan slammed his hand on the table. "Has His Majesty had enough of the good life?"

Having only been emperor for a few days, he already wants to instigate a three-way conflict; he truly doesn't know his own limitations.

“As long as the Northwest Army is stationed there, the northwestern border of Chongqing will be peaceful,” Jiang Yiming said, waving his feather fan. “But the emperor will not think this is the credit of the Northwest Army; he will only think it is due to his own good governance.”

King Xuan was so angry that he drank a large bowl of herbal tea to cool down.

"Now that His Majesty's intentions are known, what does Your Highness intend to do?" he asked solemnly. "If the Northwest is unstable, the court will have a reason to send troops. At that time, it will be easy to invite a god but difficult to send him away."

"The tea-horse trade must not be disrupted," King Xuan said resolutely. "We need horses from Tibet and the Turks, and Tibet and the Turks also need our tea. If the tea-horse trade is disrupted, it will inevitably affect the trade between the three countries. Not only will ordinary people lose their livelihoods, but it will also lead to many merchants trading privately."

At that time, the northwestern border will be unstable.

Jiang Yiming was relieved, "Fortunately, the Bone Force Clan still has descendants."

King Xuan nodded, with Gulibanu present, the guarding of the tea-horse trade market would be taken care of.

"I have sent a message to the Turkic and Tibetan border troops that I wish to negotiate with them at the tea-horse trade market."

Jiang Yiming personally wrote letters to the two countries, and three days later, representatives of the three countries held negotiations in front of the Kukri government office at the tea and horse trade market.

The Tibetan envoy shouted and yelled, spitting all over the table. Tang Zhao, dressed in military uniform, stood behind King Xuan and expressed his sincere sympathy for him.

Despite being sprayed in the face, King Xuan accepted the handkerchief offered by Tang Zhao with a blank expression. After wiping his face clean, he said, "We are discussing the tea-horse trade now. As for the cause of death of Lord Dorje and his wife, we will discuss it after the negotiations are over."

The Tibetan envoy was intimidated by King Xuan's imposing manner and shrank back into his seat, not daring to utter a sound.

“Now that the Guli clan has passed away, the tea-horse trade market is left unguarded, but the trade must continue. Why not choose another clan to guard it?” the Turkic envoy said. “The Shelituli clan has lived in Zhangye for many years and has a deep understanding of the tea-horse trade market. Moreover, I have heard that the Shelituli have trade relations with Tibet and the Dayu Kingdom.”

The Turkic envoy turned to King Xuan, saying, "Especially the Huguang Mirror of Dayu has greatly enhanced the status of the Shelituli clan among the nobles. I think the Dayu envoy will not refuse the Shelituli clan's responsibility to guard the tea-horse trade."

Sheri Tulimaide stood behind the Turkic envoy and secretly glanced at Tang Zhao. When Tang Zhao looked back, he quickly put on a flattering smile.

Tang Zhao grinned at him.

Sariputra was startled and quickly looked away.

The two men behind them exchanged glances as if no one else was around, while the negotiation at the table in front continued.

“You are right, it sounds like I have no reason to refuse,” King Xuan said before the Turkic envoy could even smile, “but I refuse.”

Turkic envoy: ...

Tibetan envoy: ...

King Xuan said firmly, "The Guli clan's guarding of the tea-horse trade is a century-old rule recognized by all three kingdoms, and it cannot be easily changed."

The Tibetan envoy interjected, "But the entire Guli clan has been killed, and there's no one left to continue..."

"Who says the Guli clan has no one?" Guli Banu, hidden in Xuan Wang's ranks, spoke up angrily. "As long as I, Guli Banu, live, I will guard the tea-horse trade market."

The envoys from Tibet and the Turks were greatly alarmed. Hadn't they said that the Guli clan had all died out?

Where did this Gulibanu come from?

King Xuan sighed and succinctly summarized Gulibanu's identity: "Given that the Gulibanu clan still has descendants, the position of guarding the tea-horse trade should still be held by the Gulibanu clan." The Tibetan and Turkic envoys exchanged glances, their expressions somewhat grim.

"How can he alone guard the tea-horse trade market?"

“He alone is certainly not enough, so I propose that each of the three kingdoms select one hundred men to assist in the defense,” King Xuan said solemnly. “But there is one condition: the men guarding the area, regardless of which kingdom they are from, must obey the orders of Gulibanu.”

The Turkic and Tibetan envoys looked even uglier. They had come all this way, only to lose people instead of gaining any benefit.

Who the hell can do this?
“It is alright if the two envoys are unwilling. Our soldiers of Dayu love peace the most and are willing to take on this important task.”

If the guards of the Tea Horse Road were all soldiers of the Dayu Kingdom, then what difference would it make if the Tea Horse Road belonged to the Dayu Kingdom?
That's a damn good scheme!

The envoys from both countries resolutely refused, but due to old regulations, they had no choice but to agree that each country would send one hundred people to guard the tea-horse trade market.

After the negotiations ended, the Turkic envoy left in a huff, while the Tibetan envoy was still preoccupied with the deaths of Dorje and his wife.

The Tibetan envoy formed a faction, saying, "Gulibanu, tell me, is the death of Dorje and his wife related to Dayu?"

That is indeed relevant. Gulibanu glanced at King Xuan, but Da Yu had just helped him win the right to guard the tea-horse trade. How could he repay kindness with enmity?

The Bone Force Clan has no man like that!

Gulibanu categorically denied it, saying, "My aunt and uncle's deaths have nothing to do with Dayu!"

The Tibetan envoy's smile froze on his face. He pointed at Gulibanu for a long time before angrily saying, "Fine! Fine! It doesn't matter if you don't admit it! The Zanpu has already sent an envoy to the capital of Dayu, demanding that the Dayu emperor give our people an explanation!"

King Xuan ignored him completely and turned to leave.

The Tibetan envoy let out a screeching sound like a groundhog, followed by a torrent of beautiful Tibetan words.

Whoosh! A snowball flew by and hit the Tibetan envoy right in the mouth.

The Tibetan envoy spat out the snow from his mouth and looked around for the person who had thrown the snowball.

However, the next moment, snowballs came from all directions. The Tibetan envoy's attendants had no choice but to use their bodies to block the snowballs while carrying the Tibetan envoy away.

The guards of the Protectorate General's Mansion, who had been hiding under the eaves, appeared one after another and knelt before Tang Zhao to receive their punishment.

"If you dare to act on your own again, you won't get dinner!"

This punishment was hardly a punishment at all. Wu Yi'er and the others chuckled as they stood up and obediently stood behind Tang Zhao.

Sheri Tulimaide, who had also stayed in the same spot, approached with a fawning smile. "My dear friend from Dayu, I heard that your Liulifang has closed down. Is that true?"

Tang Zhao nodded.

"Oh!" Shariputra clutched his chest. "Does that mean we can no longer produce the Pot-Shaped Mirror!"

Heaven knows how popular the Huguang Mirror was among the Turkic nobles; he had already prepared the horses and jewels for the trade, just waiting to trade with his partners in Da Yu.

Since business had come knocking on his door, he couldn't let it pass. Tang Zhao looked at Sheri Tulimaide and said, "My dear Turkic friend, if you don't have the Mirror of Light, I still have Dew and strong liquor!"

Sheli Tulimaide didn't know what "flower dew" was, but he knew the words "strong liquor." Sheli Tulimaide's big eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly, following Tang Zhao back to Wuwei to inspect the goods.

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