SWDnovel Chapter 283 What do you plan to dowry in Li Yang?
Chapter 283 What do you plan to dowry in Li Yang?
I don't know how much time passed.
Qin Mu withdrew his gaze and looked at the magnificent palace.
Tianqi Hall.
The vermilion palace gates were open, and flickering candlelight could be faintly seen inside.
He spoke, his voice soft, yet each word clear:
"Let's go back inside the hall to talk."
After saying that, he took a step.
The moon-white robe fluttered gently in the night breeze, its hem swaying in the breeze.
He walked on, his steps leisurely and his posture elegant.
Heading towards the Hall of Apocalypse.
It was as if he were the master of this palace.
It was as if he were the true ruler of this imperial city.
Zhao Qingxue stared at his departing figure, slightly taken aback.
Then she smiled.
The smile was light and faint, yet it carried an indescribable sense of relief.
She took a step and followed.
......
Inside the Tianqi Hall.
Zhang Julu, Li Chunfeng, and Gu Jiantang remained standing in the same spot.
They watched as the moon-white figure walked into the hall step by step.
The moonlight shone in from behind him, casting his shadow long, long on the golden bricks inside the hall.
He walked on, unhurriedly.
Walk past those twelve golden pillars with coiled dragons.
Walk past that long table made of rosewood.
I walked past those unfolded documents and memorials.
Finally, he stood before the high throne.
He stopped.
He turned around.
Standing with hands behind his back.
His gaze swept over the three people inside the hall.
There was a smile in those deep eyes.
mild.
Calm.
It was as if he were the master of this place.
Zhang Julu looked at him, at the way he stood before the throne.
A complex and indescribable emotion welled up within me.
That was the throne of the emperor of the Liyang calendar.
That is where His Majesty ascended the throne.
That was a symbol of the imperial power of Liyang.
But at this moment, this man was standing right in front of it.
He was so composed, as if he was always supposed to be standing there.
Zhang Julu opened his mouth, as if to say something.
In the end, however, nothing was said.
I just stood there quietly, watching.
Li Chunfeng stood to the side, holding the white jade whisk in his hand.
His face was calm, but a complex emotion flashed in his cloudy old eyes.
He looked at Qin Mu, at that smiling, composed face.
In his heart, the sword intent he had just begun to grasp was slowly circulating.
It was a feeling I had never experienced before.
It was as if a door had opened a crack in front of him.
A sliver of light shone through the crack.
The light was faint, but it allowed him to see a landscape he had never seen before.
He knew that it was given to him by Qin Mu.
That battle was a gift that left him.
Li Chunfeng's hand tightened slightly.
He didn't speak.
I just stood there quietly, feeling the light.
Gu Jiantang leaned against the cracked golden dragon pillar, still immersed in the shock he had just experienced.
He looked at Qin Mu, at that moon-white figure.
There was no longer any anger or resentment in those tiger eyes.
He just stood there, leaning against the golden pillar, looking at Qin Mu.
Not moving at all.
Qin Mu was also looking at Zhang Julu and Gu Jiantang.
"Zhang Xiang, General Gu."
"Please sit down."
"we--"
He paused, his gaze deep and unfathomable:
"Let's get down to business."
Zhang Julu was slightly taken aback.
He nodded.
"Okay," he said.
"Then let's talk."
Qin Mu looked at him and walked behind the long sandalwood table.
He slowly sat down on the throne.
His movements were so natural, as if he were the very master of the palace.
Zhao Qingxue stood aside, watching this scene unfold.
She watched him sit in her seat.
Yet, there was not the slightest displeasure in his heart.
There was only a deep, indescribable sense of relief.
She stepped forward, walked to his side, and stood behind him like a maid.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the two of them.
Their shadows were cast on the ground, intertwined.
Zhang Julu watched this scene unfold.
They looked at their emperor and stood respectfully beside the man.
His eyes reddened again.
Gu Jiantang also walked to the long table and sat down.
His head was still lowered, and his expression was not visible.
Li Chunfeng walked to the window and remained standing there.
He did not sit down.
He simply stood there quietly, like a silent statue.
Inside the hall, the candlelight flickered.
Moonlight is like water.
Qin Mu sat on the throne, one hand supporting his chin, his gaze sweeping over the two people opposite him at the long table.
Finally, it landed on Zhang Julu's face.
"Prime Minister Zhang," he said, his voice soft but each word clear.
"Those things you were discussing just now—"
He paused, a meaningful smile curving his lips:
"I heard everything."
Zhang Julu's pupils contracted slightly.
He looked at Qin Mu, at that smiling, ever-composed face.
An indescribable chill welled up in my heart.
Did he hear everything?
From when?
From when they were discussing the betrothal gifts?
From when they were discussing the dowry?
From the moment Gu Jiantang said he wanted to fight him?
still--
When they were discussing how to deal with the North?
Zhang Julu's fingers slowly tightened inside his sleeve.
But his face remained expressionless.
They simply watched Qin Mu and waited.
Qin Mu smiled gently as he looked at him.
"Don't worry," he said, his tone as casual as if he were chatting about everyday things.
"I will not make things difficult for you."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the four people in the hall:
"I have come here only for—"
His gaze fell on Zhao Qingxue's face.
Those deep eyes were now filled with tenderness.
"Take her back."
"By the way—"
He withdrew his gaze and looked back at Zhang Julu:
"I'd like to discuss the wedding arrangements with you."
Zhang Julu fell silent.
Gu Jiantang also fell silent.
Inside the Tianqi Hall, candlelight flickered.
On the long sandalwood table, the light from the jade lamp flickered slightly in the night breeze, casting the shadows of the group onto the gold-brick floor behind them, making them appear longer and shorter.
Qin Mu sat on the throne, one hand supporting his chin, his posture languid.
He sat there as if the main hall of the Liyang Imperial Palace were no different from the side hall of his Yangxin Hall.
The moon-white robe gleamed warmly in the candlelight, its hem cascading onto the gold-brick floor, creating a strange harmony with the long sandalwood table that symbolized the imperial power of Liyang.
Zhao Qingxue stood behind him, no more than three feet away.
She stood there, her moon-white dress gleaming softly in the candlelight.
Those deep purple phoenix eyes were now gazing at the two people opposite the long table.
Looking at Zhang Julu.
Looking at Gu Jiantang.
She looked at her two most trusted senior ministers.
Zhang Julu sat in a rosewood armchair on the left side of the long table.
On that aged face, there was no anger, no resentment, only a deep weariness.
Those sharp eyes, which had been sharp all their lives, were now slightly lowered, fixed on the unfolded map.
But in those eyes, there was clearly nothing there.
His fingers were slowly caressing inside his sleeve.
That was his habit when he was thinking.
What he was stroking was the jade pendant he always carried at his waist.
The jade pendant was a gift from the late emperor, and it was engraved with the character "忠" (loyalty).
Thirty years have passed.
He never parted with this jade pendant.
Gu Jiantang sat on the right side of the long table.
He remained upright, his black iron armor gleaming coldly in the candlelight.
But those tiger eyes were now lowered, fixed on his own blood-stained hands.
The wound on the tiger's mouth had congealed, forming a dark red scab.
The blood scabs on his palm were a shocking sight.
He just stared at it, motionless.
It was as if they were looking at something far away.
Qin Mu didn't care about the silence of the two people, but instead turned his gaze to the long table.
The map was laid out before him.
The map marks the mountains, rivers, cities, and passes of Liyang.
Those places he had never set foot in before were now right before his eyes.
Soon, these places will also belong to the Qin Dynasty.
Zhang Julu's gaze fell on the spot where Qin Mu was looking, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat. Instinct told him that he had to change the subject now.
So he asked in a hoarse voice:
"What exactly does Your Majesty wish to discuss?"
Qin Mu looked at him and smiled softly.
"What are you talking about?"
He repeated those three words, his tone slightly playful.
Then, he leaned back in his chair, adopting an even more languid posture.
Those deep eyes fell on Zhang Julu's face.
"Zhang Xiang".
"I've been listening to your discussion for quite a while now."
"It's all about betrothal gifts, dowry, how to deal with the court and the public, and how to deal with the northern border."
He paused, his gaze deep and unfathomable:
"Let's start by talking about these things."
Zhang Julu fell silent.
He looked at Qin Mu, at that smiling, composed face.
The resentment that had just been suppressed surged up again in my heart.
bride price.
Dowry.
These were things that Li Yang should have demanded from the Qin Dynasty.
These should have been their bargaining chips.
But hearing it from Qin Mu's mouth at this moment made him feel—
How ironic.
Zhang Julu sighed, his voice still hoarse, yet exceptionally clear:
"Whatever Your Majesty wishes to discuss, I will discuss."
Looking at him like this, Qin Mu's appreciation deepened.
He stopped keeping everyone in suspense.
He simply said:
"Let's start with the betrothal gifts."
He paused, his gaze falling on Zhang Julu's face:
"What do you, Li Yang, want?"
Zhang Julu's pupils contracted slightly.
He looked at Qin Mu, at that earnest, genuine face.
What do you want?
They want more.
They wanted the Qin Dynasty to cede three cities east of the Lancang River.
They wanted the Qin Dynasty to pay them one million taels of gold in compensation.
They wanted the Qin Dynasty to promise never to invade the borders of Liyang.
want to--
But he knew that none of that was possible.
Because Qin Mu didn't come to negotiate.
He came to deliver the message.
We've come to make them accept it.
Zhang Julu closed his eyes.
I took a deep breath.
When I opened my eyes again, they were filled with a cold, clear light.
"I dare to ask," he said, his voice hoarse but clear.
"Li Yang only wants—"
He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:
"May Your Majesty be well."
Qin Mu raised an eyebrow.
"That's all?"
Zhang Julu looked at him and nodded.
That's all.
He said that every word seemed to be squeezed out from the deepest part of his heart:
"As long as His Majesty is safe."
"As long as His Majesty is not wronged."
"As long as Your Majesty..."
His voice finally choked with emotion.
"I'm having a good time."
"Leaving Yang, I have no other desires."
Qin Mu fell silent.
He looked at Zhang Julu, at that aged face covered in tears.
Looking into those cloudy yet unusually determined eyes.
for a long time.
He nodded.
"Okay," he said.
That single word sent a shiver down Zhang Julu's spine.
Qin Mu continued, his voice soft, yet each word clear:
"I agree."
"From this day forward—"
His gaze fell on the moon-white figure behind him.
It landed on Zhao Qingxue's face.
Those deep eyes were now filled with tenderness.
"She will be my empress."
"I will protect her."
"I won't let her suffer the slightest grievance."
Zhang Julu's tears finally welled up and spilled out.
He stood up, walked around the long sandalwood table, and stood in front of Qin Mu.
Then--
With a "thump".
He knelt down.
Forehead, touching the ground deeply.
The gold brick floor was icy cold, but he was completely unaware of it.
He just knelt there, his voice choked and trembling:
"minister--"
He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty."
Gu Jiantang sat motionless.
He watched Zhang Julu kneel down, looking at his aged, slightly trembling back.
Tears welled up in those tiger-like eyes.
But he gritted his teeth and refused to kneel down.
He just sat there, clenching his fists tightly.
The fingernails dug deep into the palm, and blood seeped out again.
But he couldn't feel it.
He just stared intently at Qin Mu.
Zhao Qingxue's heart trembled, her eyes reddened, and she felt a pang of heartache.
She wanted to help Zhang Julu up, but Qin Mu was there, so she couldn't do it. She was afraid that Qin Mu would get angry and then take it out on Zhang Julu.
Qin Mu shifted his gaze from Zhang Julu to Gu Jiantang's face.
He looked into those tiger-like eyes and saw the complex emotions surging within them.
Looking at those clenched fists and bleeding palms.
He smiled softly.
"General Gu," he called out.
Gu Jiantang's body stiffened slightly.
He looked at Qin Mu without saying a word.
Qin Mu looked at him and said, word by word:
"You hate me?"
Gu Jiantang fell silent.
He looked at Qin Mu, at that smiling, handsome face.
Looking into those deep, all-seeing eyes.
Then he spoke.
His voice was hoarse and deep, yet it carried a resolute determination, as if he had nothing to lose.
"hatred."
Qin Mu raised an eyebrow.
"Then do you want to kill me?"
Gu Jiantang's pupils contracted slightly.
He looked at Qin Mu, at that serious face.
His hand rested on the hilt of the sword once more.
But in the end, he simply let go slowly.
"I want to," he said.
The voice was hoarse, yet exceptionally clear.
"But I will not take action."
Qin Mu looked at him, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes.
Why?
Gu Jiantang raised his head and met his gaze.
"Because I am no match for you."
He said that every word was as if it were squeezed out from between his teeth.
"Because if I were to take action, it would only make things more difficult for Your Majesty."
"because--"
He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Your Majesty, I cannot allow you to worry about me any longer."
Qin Mu smiled after hearing this.
"General Gu."
He said his gaze fell on Gu Jiantang's face:
"You are a good general."
"He's a good person too."
He paused, then added:
"I will remember you."
Gu Jiantang was stunned.
Qin Mu didn't look at him again.
He withdrew his gaze and focused it back on Zhang Julu.
"Zhang Xiang, get up," he said.
Zhang Julu slowly stood up.
He stood before Qin Mu, hands at his sides.
Qin Mu looked at him and continued:
"The betrothal gifts are settled."
"Next—"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the people in the hall:
"It's time to talk about the dowry."
Zhang Julu was slightly taken aback.
Dowry?
Qin Mu looked at him and said, word by word:
"When Empress Li Yang gets married, her dowry must be commensurate with her status."
"What do you plan to bring as dowry when you leave Yang?"