The pork butcher is smoother than a pig butcher!

Chapter 464 Cession of Territory and Indemnities
The already low morale in Wangcheng Shache reached its peak with the arrival of Hu Tou and his men.

The formidable reputation of the Guanzhong army could be used as a cry for help when children in various cities of the Western Regions cried wolf.

Eleven men, eleven riders.

Like a storm, it swept across the entire royal city's trending topics list.

Then, news spread that their prince had failed in his attempt to abduct people and had been captured instead!
The whole city was in an uproar.

King Hasbaren stared intently at the Han Chinese boy standing proudly before him, and said angrily:

"You have wounded my lord's beloved son and killed three thousand of my Khanate's elite troops, and you are still not satisfied with ceding the Ili River Valley? Compensation? You're asking for an exorbitant amount?!"

The tiger's head represents both a newborn calf and a tiger.

"Does Your Majesty still remember the words you signed on the white silk a few years ago? You haven't given a single penny of the war reparations of 500,000 taels of gold and millions of cattle and sheep."

Oh, not only did they not give it to you, Your Highness, but you also kidnapped our General and took you and many noble hostages back to Shache from the prisoner camp.

Last year, you did send envoys to return the ceded territory of the Nine Guards of Guanzhong, which were our former homeland, but you didn't mention a word about the cession of the Iri River Valley that our General mentioned.”

Young people don't know any subtle diplomatic tactics.

Tiger Head unleashed a barrage of attacks right from the start.

Hasibaren was so angry that he almost had him thrown out.

It's not that Hasbaren is denying his debts; despite years of relentless exploitation, the national treasury hasn't even accumulated one-tenth of what it used to.

Even if you sold the entire palace, you still couldn't come up with such an exorbitant compensation.

The only thing that could comfort him was that his clever youngest son was still alive; as long as he was in the Khanate, there was still hope!

Tiger Head puffed out his chest as a guarantor:

“Your Highness is guaranteed to be alive! The Khan can send his personal guards with the letter of credence and reparations to accompany me to Ili to welcome Your Highness back.”

Life is guaranteed, but health is not.

How do you plan to remove the shotgun pellets lodged in your coccyx?
The messages Hasbaren received all mentioned that his son was injured but not dead.

Such an important matter, the other party wouldn't dare to lie.

Well, the problem is coming!
How much compensation should I pay to satisfy the other party, while also being able to afford it myself?
In late autumn and early winter, the capital city was already noticeably chilly.

You need to wear thick clothes in the morning and evening.

It was past midnight, and it was still pitch black outside.

The civil and military officials who were to attend court had to get out of their warm beds and ride horses or sedan chairs to the capital.

Rain or shine, year-round without rest.

Fortunately, there is another option for keeping warm this year – wool sweaters.

After the third-day celebration of the eldest princess's legitimate daughter, this woolen fabric from Kansai began to become popular in the capital.

Well-established families employ embroiderers. These skillful embroiderers, after mastering the basic knitting techniques of wool yarn, quickly produce warm clothing such as wool sweaters, wool pants, scarves, gloves, hats, and socks.

This is not.

After the weather suddenly turned cold, many of the elderly officials attending court added a high-necked cashmere sweater under their cotton-padded coats.

I absolutely have to choose this style!
Otherwise, no one can see it if it's worn inside!

If you can't see it, you can't show it off.

I thought today would be just another ordinary, mundane assembly.

As soon as Emperor Qianwu sat firmly on the dragon throne, the civil and military officials heard someone running outside the palace to deliver a message.

"Eight hundred miles urgent!"

"The Kansai region has sent a letter from the Kashgar Khanate ceding the Iri Valley!"

"Eight hundred miles urgent!"

"The Kashgar Khanate has formally ceded the Iri River Valley to my Yongtai Dynasty!"
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These guards can all announce things. The titles are clear and the content is eye-catching.

The civil officials were instantly captivated.

The Western Regions launched another undeclared war and suffered a defeat? I need to quickly come up with a good excuse so I can condemn their wolfish ambitions!
The high-ranking officials in the Ministry of War looked at each other in bewilderment.

Has war broken out in the Kansai region?

I do not know!

There wasn't a whisper of it.

Did they cede the Iri Valley so easily?
That's the largest oasis near Kansai!
Make big money!

The civil and military officials had different thoughts, and the impatient Emperor Qianwu also craned his neck to wait for the urgent report to be delivered into the hall.

Then, with a flick of his dragon robe sleeve, he pointed at the eunuch delivering the imperial decree.

"Read it! Read it loudly for me! Let all my ministers hear what kind of trouble these barbarians have gotten up to this time."

Look at this tone, this protectiveness!
They immediately labeled the Hu people.

"According to the order!"

The eunuch hurried forward and took the urgent report delivered over 800 li.

General Zhaowu Xiong Zhen kowtowed and submitted a memorial:
Your subject, Xiong Zhen, bows his head and, at the risk of his life, submits this memorial.

There is an urgent military situation concerning the safety of Guanzhong and the dignity of the court. Therefore, I am sending this urgent report to Your Majesty for your wise decision.

A month ago, the General of the Western Garrison was ordered to go to the Yili River Valley to purchase mares to replenish the army's horse farm.

This operation concerns the breeding of warhorses in the Kansai region and is a matter of military importance, but it has been complicated by unexpected events at the cattle and horse market in the Iri River Valley.

Surileg, the son of the Kashgar Khan, harbored treacherous intentions. While General Gan's troops were out buying horses from a tribe a hundred miles away, he sent several hundred elite soldiers to forcibly abduct General Zhenxi.

The general's personal guards broke through the encirclement and summoned reinforcements to confront the enemy. However, Surilge remained stubborn and refused to admit to the abduction. Instead, he turned the tables and openly declared war on the Kansai army.

Our soldiers from the Kansai region were outnumbered by only one-tenth, but they fought bravely and engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy. In the end, Surrender was shot, and his elite troops were completely annihilated by our army, with no survivors.

After the war, the General of the Western Garrison sent a messenger to deliver a message from Surilege back to the capital of Shache. Upon hearing the news, the Khan felt deeply ashamed and offered to exchange the Ili River Valley for his son. He also promised to compensate our dynasty with 80,000 taels of gold, a quantity of Hetian jade, 10,000 fine horses, 50,000 cattle, and 1 million sheep in order to settle the matter peacefully.

Your Majesty, I am well aware of the gravity of this matter and dare not act on my own initiative. Therefore, I submit this memorial to the court, hoping for Your Majesty's wise decision.

Quiet.

It was surprisingly quiet.

After the eunuch finished reading the contents of the urgent report that traveled 800 li, the entire court was as quiet as a chicken.

Older people often assume it's a problem with their ears!

The General Who Guards the West is no nobody.

She was a fearsome and ruthless female demon!
Regardless of the literal meaning of Xiong Zhen's report, these high-ranking officials who had heard of his military achievements expressed their doubts.

The civil officials all wore the same expression.

The military officers were completely bewildered.

Emperor Qianwu, however, burst into laughter:

"My esteemed ministers do not believe me? Could it be that Xiong Zhen would dare to deceive the Emperor in a report sent with urgent messages? I have heard that Surilege was captured in Weilumu a few years ago, and the General of the Western Garrison was ordered to go and negotiate as a military doctor. It is very possible that this Surilege has mistaken the General of the Western Garrison for a weak and frail doctor!"

Zhao Muyun was able to become emperor because he could accurately predict every major and minor event in the Guanzhong Army.

The civil officials finally remembered.

It's said that this fiercest warrior of the Kansai region was also a great beauty! Her appearance would be extremely deceptive to those who don't know her!
Despite the doubts, it was a great thing that the court had expanded its territory almost without bloodshed!
Now it's time for the congratulations.

Led by several bachelors:
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! The territory of my Yongtai Dynasty has expanded westward by more than a thousand li!"

"Congratulations to Your Majesty on acquiring this fertile land, which once again demonstrates the might of our great nation in the Western Regions."

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