In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

Li Yuanchang had a pot of tea brewed and then sat down in the city lord's mansion to wait.

The envoys sent by the Japanese emperor arrived under heavy guard, and they were visibly in a sorry state, with many of them bearing injuries on their faces.

He was probably beaten up after being discovered.

After all, news of their attack from both sides had already spread, and the Goguryeo natives were already at odds with Japan and were frequently harassed by Japanese pirates.

Therefore, they are extremely unpopular.

"Your Highness, they've arrived."

"Bring him in." Li Yuanchang adjusted his posture, dressed in a black robe and sporting a beard, exuding maturity and a sense of authority.

He is still young, but he has completely shed his naivety and is now a true overlord.

"yes!"

Soon, under the watchful eyes of his guards, a middle-aged Japanese man wearing a brown robe and sporting a beard took off his shoes and entered.

His beard looked rather sleazy and Japanese, completely different from Li Yuanchang's beard.

The moment their eyes met, the man trembled and suddenly knelt down.

"Kawakumano pays his respects to the King of Han!"

May the King of Han enjoy boundless blessings!

His Mandarin was not very fluent, and his honorifics sounded somewhat strange.

"Kawakumano? What's your relationship with the Emperor?" Li Yuanchang asked with amusement.

"Your Majesty, I am a close advisor and confidant of the Emperor. I have come here specifically to pay my respects to Your Majesty."

"Greetings?" Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow.

"A few months ago, you sent 40,000 troops here. Were you here to pay your respects then as well?"

The cold, piercing gazes from all around created a palpable sense of killing intent.

Kawakuma trembled, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, and hurriedly said, "Your Highness, please forgive me."

"Sending troops here is not what the Emperor wanted."

"That was because the Tang Dynasty sent envoys to coerce us, forcing us to send troops as a show of force. Besides, that was the idea of ​​the pro-war faction in Japan, not the Emperor's."

"I hope the King of Han can give us a chance to explain!"

Li Yuanchang blew on his hot tea and said calmly, "So, you're saying your Emperor can't make the decisions, and it's the war faction in your country that's mobilizing troops?"

"Yes...no!"

"Your Highness, the Emperor is certainly capable of making the decision; it's just that he was deceived by someone with ulterior motives before."

"The Emperor has specially sent me here today for peace talks."

As he spoke, he tentatively looked up, observing Li Yuanchang's expression while glancing at the guards on both sides of the hall, noting their shifty and sneaky appearance.

Li Yuanchang threw out the surrender document: "Is it peace talks, or surrender?"

Kawakumano looked embarrassed: "Yes, yes, we surrender."

Li Yuanchang stared at him and said, "Since you're surrendering, you should act like you're surrendering."

"But your Emperor's petition, aside from being superficial, contains no substantive content."

Kawakumano was overjoyed upon hearing this.

"Your Highness, it is my duty, it is my duty."

"To show our sincerity, the Emperor has prepared a generous gift, something the Prince of Han absolutely needs!"

Li Yuanchang and Guo Chao exchanged a glance: "What generous gift?"

"A treasure map! A treasure map!"

"Trying to fool me?" Li Yuanchang was displeased. Japan has only been around for a few years. What kind of treasure map is that? If they really had one, these pirates would have already looted it all.

"No, Your Highness, it truly is a treasure map."

"As far as we know, the Han King's army has been searching for sulfur and other minerals, right?" Kawakuma asked tentatively.

Li Yuanchang tensed, narrowing his eyes as he looked at him: "What do you mean?"

"Your Highness, please calm down. I am not asking for information. I want to tell you that the treasure map given by the Emperor contains what Your Highness needs."

"That's a hidden place where we discovered vast quantities of sulfur and saltpeter deposits, right on Japanese soil!"

"The Emperor said that this was to show loyalty and apologize to His Highness Prince Han, and he only hoped that His Highness would not send troops to attack Asuka-kyō."

"As for the south, the Emperor is willing to live peacefully with the Ōtomo clan, without interfering with each other's affairs."

Li Yuanchang's eyes lit up with intense interest.

In fact, sulfur and saltpeter were what he desperately needed. Black powder could be produced, but the output was always low.

The search for raw materials was severely limited by the production level of ancient times. Many minerals could not be surveyed. All that could be seen were towering mountains and deep valleys. To find them, one would have to cut through mountains and dig into the ground, which was extremely difficult.

Mineral resources that can be found using ancient methods are actually very few.

If the Japanese Emperor truly possesses these mineral resources, then he must acquire them.

"Where's the map?"

Kawakuman's eyes flashed, and he cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, the Emperor specifically instructed that another special envoy must personally deliver the package to Your Highness, and not to use anyone else."

Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow: "Is this a matter involving two people?"

"Your Highness, this is indeed a matter of great importance. The Emperor is also worried that someone might switch the bodies or send them across the sea. In case of any unforeseen circumstances, separating the two would reduce the risk. This is also a long-standing practice of the Imperial Family."

Li Yuanchang waved his hand: "Bring them in."

"yes!"

The guards then went out and brought in the person Kawano Kuma had mentioned.

On the long steps, a seven-foot-tall, slender man was slowly led in, carrying a box in his hands.

Before entering, he was thoroughly checked by his guards, who even opened the box for a quick look.

Such a level of security essentially eliminates the possibility of assassination.

Li Yuanchang glanced at Kawakuma: "You look nervous?"

A single, unexpected remark sent a shiver down Kawakuman's spine, causing him to react violently.

"Han, Your Highness the King of Han, no, no."

"It's just out of fear of the King of Han's majesty."

Li Yuanchang gave him a deep look; his guilty conscience was obvious from the moment the man walked in.

He glanced at Guo Chao, who nodded, remaining wary.

Just then, the sound of footsteps clattering on wooden planks filled the air, and the man presenting the treasure arrived.

"Murakami greets His Highness the Prince of Han!"

Li Yuanchang held his belt and raised an eyebrow slightly.

This man was seven feet tall, which was quite unusual among the generally short Japanese.

He had a thin face, some beard, and his hair was tied in a bun. He was even somewhat handsome, with a scar on his lip that gave him a cold and aloof air.

Especially those eyes; Li Yuanchang felt as if he had seen them somewhere before.

"Have I seen you before?" Li Yuanchang squinted.

"Reporting to the King of Han, no."

"Raise your head." Li Yuanchang looked down at him, about ten meters away. He always had a good memory, and this face looked somewhat familiar.

Murakami slowly raised his head.

Their eyes met, and Li Yuanchang saw the whole face, but couldn't remember where he had seen it before.

However, he sensed a hint of danger in Murakami's eyes, a kind of innate perception.

Li Yuanchang couldn't help but glance at Kawakumano again; he was tense and looked very unnatural.

"Open it," Li Yuanchang said in a deep voice.