No title, no marriage? Do you think I'm some kind of lapdog?

quiet!

Dead silence!

Su Chuang saw that Kong Xiangtong's face was deathly pale, and Wanyan Zongbi's pupils also shrank suddenly.

"presumptuous!"

It took a full three cups of tea's time before Kong Xiangtong finally shouted out.

"Su Chuang! How dare you slander the prince and frame a court official!"

"He deserves to die!"

His finger trembled as he pointed at Su Chuang.

"hehe…"

"Stain?"

Su Chuang suddenly smiled.

After receiving Emperor Wu's permission, he stood up immediately.

He pulled a secret letter from his sleeve, but in reality, he took it out of his storage ring in an instant.

"This letter was sent out three days ago by the Second Prince's residence, and was handled by Zhang Qian, a disciple of Lord Kong."

"Should the young man read aloud the sentence from the letter: 'The northern frontier defenses are for sale; the highest bidder wins,' in front of everyone?"

Su Chuang's voice wasn't loud, but every word struck everyone's ears.

"Bang!"

Emperor Wu suddenly stood up, and the inkstone on the dragon desk crashed over.

Su Chuang caught a glimpse of Wanyan Zongbi's hand already on the hilt of his sword, and sneered inwardly:

Are you getting impatient? This is just the beginning.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty merely intercepted this letter by chance; there was absolutely no intention to frame me!"

He then feigned fear and knelt down, knowing that playing dumb was the best way to protect himself.

"accidental?"

"How did you manage to intercept the secret letter from the Second Prince's residence?!"

Kong Xiangtong was so angry that his beard trembled. This was not something a person with a reputation as a useless heir would do.

"Well... I found this on the main road when I went to Hongyun Restaurant that day."

Isn't that a coincidence?

Su Chuang raised his head, his face now bearing that sly, street-smart grin.

The authenticity of this secret letter is for Emperor Wu to investigate; there's no need for him to add unnecessary details to prove it himself.

"you!"

Kong Xiangtong nearly fainted upon hearing this.

"Bring the letter here."

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Gui immediately stepped forward, took the letter from Su Chuang's hand, and presented it to the Emperor with both hands.

"Bang!"

Emperor Wu unfolded the letter, and after only scanning a few lines, the veins on his forehead began to throb.

Kong Xiangtong.

"Zhang Qian, who is he to you?"

The Emperor asked in a cold voice.

"Back to, your Majesty..."

"It is indeed my disciple... but I had no idea he would dare..."

Kong Xiangtong was so frightened that his legs went weak and he knelt down with a thud.

"I don't know?"

"The letter clearly states 'Our revered teacher has tacitly approved'!"

"What are you condoning? You're condoning him selling the Great Qian's border defenses to the Xiongnu?!"

Emperor Wu threw the letter down fiercely.

Kong Xiangtong trembled and lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to speak.

"The Great Qian Emperor!"

Wanyan Zongbi suddenly stepped forward.

"I have no intention of interfering in your country's internal affairs."

"But Su Chuang killed my envoy in public; this matter must be explained!"

His voice was hoarse, and his eyes gleamed with a fierce light.

Su Chuang knew perfectly well that Wanyan Zongbi was trying to divert attention.

If the matter of the second prince's collusion with the enemy is investigated thoroughly, all of the Xiongnu's trump cards in this negotiation will be exposed.

"Explain?"

"Weren't you listening to me?"

"When your guards abducted women in the street and stabbed my general, did they ever think about giving an explanation to my Great Qian Dynasty?"

Su Chuang turned his head, looking puzzled.

"You're talking nonsense!"

Wanyan Zongbi was outwardly fierce but inwardly weak.

"Is this nonsense...?"

Su Chuang grinned, then suddenly raised his voice as if to say something, but was interrupted!

That's enough.

Emperor Wu finally spoke.

He propped himself up on the dragon table, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below before finally settling on Su Chuang with a complex expression.

He doesn't want to escalate the conflict with the Xiongnu right now!

"Su Chuang".

"Your subject is here."

"What you did today, though reckless, can also be considered... meritorious."

"But killing the envoy was ultimately a transgression."

Emperor Wu spoke slowly.

"I am willing to accept the punishment!"

Su Chuang immediately kowtowed.

"He will be fined six months' salary and confined to his home for three days."

"Three days later... you will be fully responsible for negotiating with the Xiongnu delegation."

"No delays allowed!"

Su Chuang's heart skipped a beat; the predicament of certain death today was now resolved.

They even set a date for the negotiations, that's good.

After the negotiations were over, he decided to look for an opportunity to join the army in northern Xinjiang!

As for Kong Xiangtong…

"Remove him from the post of Right Chancellor and temporarily imprison him in the Imperial Prison."

"The case of Zhang Qian shall be thoroughly investigated by the Court of Judicial Review."

Emperor Wu's gaze turned to Kong Xiangtong, who was slumped on the ground.

"Your Majesty! This old minister is innocent!"

Kong Xiangtong wanted to cry and plead, but was ruthlessly dragged away by two imperial guards.

"Since the Emperor of Daqian has made his decision... I will await the Duke of Su's return in three days."

Wanyan Zongbi gritted his teeth and finally bowed.

When he said the words "Duke of Su," he almost squeezed them out from between his teeth.

He would never forget that the golden knife was still on Su Chuang's person, and he had to find a way to get it back!

"Sure, sure!"

"At that time, I will certainly... treat the envoy well."

Su Chuang smiled innocently and brightly.

"Alright, I'm tired. You may all leave..."

……

"Chuang, you took too much risk today."

Xu Mengran trailed Su Chuang three steps behind and lowered her voice.

"adventure?"

"Being in the capital is a constant adventure."

Su Chuang didn't turn around, but slowed his pace and waited for her to get closer.

"The Second Prince... won't let this go easily."

Xu Mengran said in a low voice.

"It doesn't matter..."

"The feud started the day he sent someone to impersonate an angel and kill me."

Su Chuang shrugged indifferently.

Even though he knew someone was using the Second Prince as a tool, he could still go along with it.

Xu Mengran was about to say something when Su Chuang suddenly stopped.

"Duke Xin, His Majesty has given a separate imperial edict."

"I'll have you wait at Tingyu Pavilion in the Imperial Garden."

"That's what Grandpa Gui said calmly."

Su Chuang's heart skipped a beat.

A private meeting?

This is not a good sign.

It seems that our doomed situation is not over yet.

But he still had that carefree look on his face.

"Thank you for your trouble, sir!"

"Um... His Majesty didn't say what he would reward us with?"

"For example, yellow or white substances..."

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Gui's lips twitched.

"...You'll know when you get there."

This was the first time he had ever seen someone so proactive in approaching Emperor Wu and demanding money.

……

Listening to the Rain Pavilion in the Imperial Garden.

Emperor Wu was not wearing a dragon robe, but only a set of ordinary clothes.

He sat in the pavilion, pouring himself a drink.

He glanced around and saw Su Chuang arrive before pointing to the stone bench opposite him:

"sit."

His voice was devoid of emotion, making it difficult for Su Chuang to understand him.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Su sat down awkwardly, but her gaze fell on two things on the stone table:

A pot of wine, a dagger.

"Scared?"

Emperor Wu looked up at Su Chuang.

Yes, a little.

Su Chuang swallowed hard, nodded honestly, and gave a slightly naive smile.

"There are no outsiders here, so there's no need to be so formal."

Emperor Wu suddenly smiled.

"It's Father..."

Upon hearing this, Su Chuang spoke cautiously.

"You weren't like this just now in the Imperial Study."

Emperor Wu poured a cup of wine and pushed it towards him.

"Well, they were forced into it..."

"Even a cornered dog will jump over the wall..."

Su Chuang took the wine glass, carefully took a sip, and then his eyes lit up.

"Excellent wine!"

It's just not as good as the wine he brews.

"The Imperial Brew 'Drunken Thousand Autumns' is produced in only ten jars a year."

Emperor Wu himself took a sip and said slowly.

"Xiao Chuang, that letter you used today... was it stolen from the Second Prince's residence?"

Su Chuang's hand froze.

But Emperor Wu's next words sent a chill down his spine:

"I know you stole it."

"I also know that you have the Embroidered Uniform Guard under your command."