Teasing the First Dragon at the Start

In her daze, she seemed to see the once prosperous capital of the Yuezhi Kingdom transformed into a desolate ruin filled with billowing smoke, with her own people lying one by one in pools of blood.

The guard hesitated and said, "No, there is actually another way."

Xiao Li was taken aback and hurriedly asked, "What method?"

The guard hesitated for a moment, then said, "Let's forget about it, this method won't work."

"I command you to tell me how to get the First Emperor to send troops to save my Yuezhi?" Xiao Li asked hastily, as if he were a drowning person grasping at the last straw.

The guard looked at Xiao Li with some reluctance, and said through gritted teeth, "That is... Your Highness, Princess."

"I?"

Xiao Li was taken aback, wondering what method he could use to get the First Emperor to send troops.

The guard clenched his fists, somewhat humiliated, and said, "After making some inquiries, I learned some rumors. I heard that although Bai Su is not interested in money or fame, he is known as a lecher."

"With Her Highness's unparalleled beauty, she will surely bewitch that lecherous man and persuade him to advise the First Emperor to change the Great Xia's decision."

"It is simply too humiliating for Her Highness, a woman of noble birth, to seduce a mere subject of another country."

"Let's think of another way."

Xiao Li was visibly taken aback, seemingly not expecting his minister to propose this method to save the Yuezhi.

A blush rose to her delicate cheeks. After hesitating for a long time, she gently bit her lower lip and whispered, "I...I can do it."

"Your Highness!!!"

The guard stared blankly at the minor official in front of him, as if he wanted to say something.

Xiao Li stopped them and said in a deep voice, "As long as I can get the First Emperor to send troops to save the Yuezhi Kingdom, I will do anything."

"Your Highness, it's all our fault for being incompetent."

The guards felt a pang of heartache as they watched their princess stoop to do such a thing.

Xiao Li shook her head slightly, her clear eyes looking at the guards in front of her: "You have protected me for so long, that is enough. As the princess of Yuezhi, it is now time for me to fulfill my responsibility to protect my people."

Chapter Seventy-Two: My Lord, What Are You Doing?

"Ah! I slept so well!"

As dusk approached, Bai Su got up from the bed, stretched, and his younger sister, Xiao Qiao, knelt beside him, combing his hair.

The older sister, Da Qiao, carried the prepared meal, a small dish of side dishes, millet porridge, and two plates of pastries, and virtuously placed them on the table.

Two sweet little maids had been circling around her since she opened her eyes. The feeling... Bai Su couldn't help but sigh in her heart, "What a wicked feudalism!"

I, Bai Su, am a man of unyielding integrity. As a determined and promising young man, how could I be corrupted by such sweet words and empty promises?

"Master, the soup is just the right temperature. Come and eat, or it will get cold." Da Qiao, the older sister, knelt in front of the dining table, her fair hand brushing aside her hair, her clear black and white eyes looking at Bai Su as she spoke gently.

"They're here..."

Bai Su subconsciously responded, then sighed painfully, but her body was enjoying the sensation.

Da Qiao handed over the bowl and chopsticks, while looking at Bai Su with some confusion.

She couldn't help but think to herself that her master was good in every way, had a kind personality, and had never punished them. Every time they ate, he would let them, as servants, eat with him, which she cherished immensely.

The only downside is that my husband often mutters things that are incomprehensible to others.

Such things as a minimum of three years and a maximum of the death penalty.

Is it really that difficult to be an official in the imperial court now? Do you have to be able to recite thousands of laws from the court?

Xiao Qiao sat next to Bai Su and said coquettishly, "Master, Master, can you continue to tell me the story of the Green Snake?"

Although the two sisters look exactly alike, their personalities are quite different. The younger sister, Xiao Qiao, is noticeably more lively and full of curiosity about all sorts of strange things.

When Bai Su had nothing to do, she told them some stories about the Green Snake and Fahai. Xiao Qiao, who had never heard such bizarre and interesting stories before, couldn't stop thinking about them even when she was sleeping.

I had dinner with Bai Su today, and I couldn't resist asking my husband to tell me what happened to the Green Snake in the end.

Da Qiao frowned and scolded, "Xiao Qiao, you must not be rude to the master."

Although she was very curious about what happened next in the story, she held back her curiosity.

After all, she was quite mature and knew that as a servant, she couldn't boss her master around, otherwise what if he got angry and kicked them out?

Bai Su smiled and said, "It's alright. I've got nothing else to do anyway, so I might as well tell you about it."

Xiao Qiao's face lit up with joy, and she happily hugged Bai Su's arm: "Master is the best."

Da Qiao's face first showed a hint of helplessness, then she looked at Bai Su expectantly.

After all, she was only of marriageable age, and it was inevitable that she would yearn for stories about gods and ghosts, and the love between men and women.

"It is said that the Green Snake and the White Snake wanted to flood Jinshan Temple, but then Fahai shouted, 'Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon, World Honored Ksitigarbha, All Buddhas of Prajna Paramita...'"

Just as the two were getting into the story, there was a knock at the gate.

Da Qiao was taken aback for a moment, then obediently got up to check. She returned a moment later and reported, "Master, there is a woman dressed in foreign clothing who calls herself Xiao Li and wants to see you."

"See me"

Bai Su was taken aback for a moment, then fell into deep thought: "Xiao Li?"

He pondered for a moment. Could the woman dressed in foreign attire be a member of the Yuezhi delegation, finally unable to resist the urge to pay her a visit?

Bai Su hesitated for a moment, then said, "Let her in."

Da Qiao said in a low voice, "Yes."

She lifted her skirt and slowly retreated.

Bai Su stroked her chin, lost in thought.

The Yuezhi delegation traveled thousands of miles to Xianyang to pay tribute, hoping that their leader, Zhengjie, would send troops. However, Xianyang did not send any troops for a long time. Faced with the Xiongnu's large army pressing in, the Yuezhi delegation must have been very panicked.

They must be trying to persuade me to seduce the First Emperor into sending troops, but the question is, what can they offer to seduce me?

According to information obtained from the imperial court, the Ferghana horses, spices, and fruits they brought had already been presented to Zhengjie, leaving them with nothing of note.

Could it be...

They wanted to offer land, or cattle, sheep, and horses, as a price to force them to make concessions.

If that's the case, then I'll have to take a good bite later, after all, horses are a good thing, and you can never have too many.

Before long, Da Qiao led Xiao Li in.

Following the etiquette of the Yuezhi, Xiao Li bowed to Bai Su with her hand on her chest, saying, "Princess Xiao Li of the Yuezhi greets Lord Bai."

Bai Su smiled and cupped her hands in greeting: "So you are Princess Yuezhi. I am truly honored by Your Highness's presence at my humble abode."

Da Qiao, being tactful, brought over some drinks, then pulled her younger sister, who was still sitting there blankly hoping to hear a story, and led her out, closing the door behind her.

Xiao Li forced a smile: "Lord Bai, you are too kind. I am no princess, but merely a foreign envoy who has been humbly seeking reinforcements."

Bai Su sensed the resentment in the girl's eyes and immediately felt a little embarrassed.

After all, her current predicament of not being able to get reinforcements is inextricably linked to him.

He coughed lightly and changed the subject, saying, "May I ask what brings Your Highness to my humble abode today?"

Xiao Li's expression changed slightly as she recalled what the guard had told her at the post station.

Although she was incredibly brave, she was still an unmarried young woman. Despite her verbal promise to sacrifice everything for the Yuezhi Kingdom, she felt uneasy and couldn't bring herself to speak when it came to actually doing it.

Bai Su gave Xiao Li a strange look; the Yuezhi princess seemed to have something on her mind.

After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Your Highness, please speak frankly. If I can be of any help, I will do my best."

Xiao Li gritted his teeth and said, "Lord Bai, the Yuezhi Kingdom and the Great Xia Kingdom are interdependent. If the Yuezhi were to be annexed by the Xiongnu, it would be of no benefit to the Central Plains."

"I hope that Your Excellency will consider the common interests of both countries and persuade the First Emperor to send troops to rescue the Yuezhi. Saving the Yuezhi now will reduce casualties in the Central Plains in the future."

Bai Su shook his head regretfully: "So that's what it is. This matter is of great importance. His Majesty has decided to discuss it with his court officials for three to five months before sending troops. I can't do anything about His Majesty's decision."

Xiao Li's expression froze. Bai Su had directly cut off what she was about to say, leaving her speechless for a moment.

Bai Su certainly wouldn't be kind enough to help her. It's true that this girl is pretty, but what does that have to do with him?

He accepted the negotiation task from Zhengjie in front of all the civil and military officials in the court. If he didn't handle it well, those officials in the court who already disliked him wouldn't let him off easily.

After all, he had only recently arrived in Xianyang and didn't yet have any connections or influence.

Although with Sister Zheng's protection, there shouldn't be any danger, it's still best to avoid giving others any leverage just in case.

Xiao Li wiggled her lips and looked at Bai Su pitifully: "Why don't you understand the importance of mutual dependence, sir?"

Bai Su took a sip of wine and said calmly, "I am naturally aware of the relationship of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold,' but... since ancient times there have been rotten lips, but I have never heard of rotten teeth. Even if your Yuezhi loses its lips, my Great Xia's teeth will still stand tall in the East."

Xiao Li's face turned pale, and she bit her lip, saying, "Young master, aren't you worried that if my Yuezhi submits to the Xiongnu and becomes an enemy of the Central Plains, causing huge casualties among the Central Plains' troops?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Su raised an eyebrow, downed the wine in his bowl in one gulp, and slammed it heavily on the table with a "bang," startling Xiao Li.

He sneered, his sharp eyes fixed on the girl before him: "You are free to choose to defect to the Xiongnu. To my Great Xia, there is no difference in essence. It's just that the number of beheadings has increased from 100,000 to 200,000."

"These former six kingdoms, with their million-strong armies, were wiped out in an instant. Now, I, the First Emperor, would not care about wiping out one more."

After he finished speaking, he thought to himself, "I've said everything I need to say. Now it's time to discuss the terms."

Should we ask her to fund the construction of one trade route, or two?

Xiao Li was startled by Bai Su's sudden fierce gaze. She knew that Bai Su would never give in easily unless she offered enough benefits.

So she gritted her teeth and pleaded, "Please, my lord, enter the palace and persuade the First Emperor to send troops. I am willing to serve you like a slave..."

If this drags on for another three to five months, the capital of the Yuezhi Kingdom will probably be captured by the Xiongnu.

Thinking of this, Xiao Li suppressed her shyness, reached for her belt, and gently untied it. Her clothes slipped down, revealing a white undergarment with a horse pattern underneath.

Bai Su was momentarily stunned, looking at the Yuezhi princess in front of her.

What is this girl thinking? He just wants to get more leverage so that she can provide more grain and supplies to the Central Plains, and then he can just sign those two trade treaties.

Why did she suddenly take her clothes off?

However, it must be said that the Yuezhi princess in front of us is graceful and elegant. It seems that she was in an environment of yellow sand and sun, with her skin showing a sexy wheat color and her figure curvaceous. She looks elegant and noble.

Especially now, wearing only a thin undergarment and with a shy expression, she looks exceptionally charming.

Xiao Li felt a little awkward, perhaps because Bai Su's gaze was too direct. She turned her body slightly to the side, as if trying to avoid Bai Su's gaze.