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  When Zhang Gui and others walked out of the wine building, they saw a mighty horse rushing over. Baidu search [56 book library] Far away, seeing Zhang Gui, an eunuch called out: "Lanling Wangfei, come here for a moment."

  It turned out that Empress Hu and her entourage had rushed over specially. Zhang Gui hastily responded with a sound, and as soon as she walked to the outside of the carriage, she was pulled by Empress Hu's hand, "A Gui, come and talk."

  In the carriage, apart from Empress Hu, there were four other women, one of whom was surprisingly Zheng Yu.

  Empress Hu forced a smile and said, "You several individuals are all intelligent and wise in handling matters. I had them called here to discuss some things." This was an explanation directed at Zhang Qi.

  Zhang Qi understood and nodded, sitting down elegantly on one side.

  The Empress Hu liked seeing Zhang Gui's calm and composed appearance, her eyes turned to him, and she hastily said: "The Zhou envoys have arrived, they want Gao Qi to surrender Luoyang."

  She paused and continued, "Just now someone suggested to me that we could also send an envoy to ask the Zhou people to release us women and children. After all, our staying here is of no use, and if the Zhou people let us go, they can gain a reputation for benevolence."

  At this point, Empress Hu's voice was a bit hesitant, "That is to say, they said that Ah Gui, you are intelligent and eloquent, and have a good relationship with the Emperor of Zhou and the Grand Chancellor of Zhou, so it would be most suitable for you to go!"

  What?

  Zhang Qi suddenly looked up.

  She looked at Empress Hu in disbelief, and under her gaze, Empress Hu slightly shrank back. However, she soon furrowed her brow, seemingly annoyed that Zhang Qi was staring at her like that. Empress Hu glared at her and said with a stern face: "Doesn't Ah Qi want to share the workload for me?"

  The tone was icy, with an air of turning against each other.

  Zhang Qi still couldn't believe it.

  Is there anyone in this world who uses such a beauty as an envoy? Isn't that sending meat right into the mouth of the enemy?

  Besides, Gao Changgong treats her like a treasure. If they still do this, won't Empress Hu be afraid of chilling the hearts of the soldiers?

  Looking at Empress Hu's stunning face, Zhang Gui suddenly felt a bit annoyed. Just the other day, Empress Hu was still grateful to him, with an expression that seemed like she wanted to give him all her wealth and glory. But now, she had turned cold and ruthless!

  If it weren't for Zhang Qi's humble origins, she would have probably directly confronted Empress Hu by now. She took a deep breath and forced down the churning acid in her stomach, then turned to glance at the several women beside her. As soon as her gaze fell on them, they all turned their heads away to avoid her.

  Since Zhang Gui did not immediately respond, Empress Hu impatiently said: "Zhang. You still haven't answered me."

  Zhang Qi asked faintly: "Does Her Majesty the Empress want the people of Zhou to let you return to Jin Yang?"

  "Yes." Empress Hu saw that she had relaxed her tone and smiled again, "However, Aqie, you also have a share, when the time comes, you will go back with us." She gave her an expression of granting her great favor.

  Zhang Qi smiled and said: "I don't know who came up with this idea."

  On the side, a cough just started, and Empress Hu had readily replied: "It's Ayu. I think what Ayu said is very reasonable."

  It's Zheng Yu again!

  Zhang Qi turned her head, gazing deeply at Zheng Yu, and smiled: "Yes, Ah Yu's words also make sense." In her gaze, Zheng Yu gave a cold smile, staring straight at her without any reserve, as if the cough just now was not made by her.

  The Empress was overjoyed, "A Gui, you agree?"

  Zhang Qi didn't answer, but instead asked: "Does Your Ladyship think that the people of Zhou will agree to this request?"

  Empress Hu heard her tone and said displeased: "A Kui doesn't want to go? The palace thinks that others might be useless, but you A Kui can go. Maybe the Zhou people will agree!"

  Zhang Gui took a deep breath, suppressed her anger and slowly said: "If the Zhou people win this battle, there are two things that will make them most happy. First, they will get Luoyang's strong city, which is the throat of our Qi country. Second, they will get a large number of noblewomen, including Your Majesty." She stared straight at Empress Hu and interrupted her before she could speak, "Your Majesty is the mother of a nation, and the noblewomen who are with you are either from aristocratic families or are wives of powerful men. If they can capture these people, it will greatly damage our Qi country's prestige. Does Your Majesty think that in this situation, the Zhou people would give up such great benefits just because of my empty words as an ignorant woman?"

  Zheng Yu sneered and was about to interrupt her, but Zhang Gui continued, "When we sent back the mother of Yuwen Hu earlier, he was grateful and vowed to make peace with our country. But look, no sooner had the words left his mouth than he launched an attack on our country again. The words of the Zhou people are simply not trustworthy."

  "Thirdly, has the princess ever thought that if I fail to persuade the people of Zhou and instead get trapped in their land, what would Long Gong think? From ancient times to the present, Ah Qiu has never heard of using a beauty like me as an envoy! It's likely that the person who came up with this idea just wants to send Ah Qiu to the people of Zhou for nothing!"

  Zhang Gui's lengthy speech finally came to an end, and Empress Hu was extremely impatient. Her face sank as she ordered: "This palace doesn't care about any of these things. Zhang Shi, this palace now orders you..."

  Before she could finish, Zhang Gui suddenly raised her voice and called out: "Your Majesty!" Interrupting Empress Hu's words, Zhang Gui said coldly: "Whatever plan you have in mind, it would be better to discuss it with Prince Luoyang first before making a decision. Don't fall into the trap of an ignorant and foolish woman."

  Without mincing words, Zhang Qi gave a low command: "Stop the car, stop the car—"

  The horse carriage stopped abruptly, and Zhang Gui got out of the carriage. Seeing her walking away amidst the crowd of Cheng Shi and others, Empress Hu suddenly opened the curtain and shouted sharply: "Zhang, you are so rude!"

  Zhang Qi didn't turn back or respond, she quickly got into her own carriage.

  Before long, Cheng Shi and others surrounded her, asking in a low voice: "Princess, what happened?"

  Zhang Qi took a deep breath and recounted what had just happened.

  As soon as she finished speaking, Cheng Shi and others blushed. A guard angrily said: "Really, really stupid to the extreme!" It's clear that Zhou people won't agree, it's clear that it's just a trick to send the princess last year, but Empress Hu actually agreed? Really stupid!

  Cheng Shi's face also sank, he came from a big family and had seen such foolish and selfish masters. Every time a family appears with such a master, that family is not far from decline. Thinking of this, Cheng Shi suddenly felt a bit disheartened.

  It wasn't just Zhang Gui, that night, the two hundred guards beside him all had cold faces, and towards this country they once wanted to devote their lives to, felt a little desperate.

  On that day, after Empress Hu angrily left, she really found Luo Yang Wang Gao Qi and wanted him to join her in pressuring Zhang Gui to send troops to Zhouying.

  Luoyang Wang was shocked. He didn't understand why this plan had moved Empress Hu so much? It was clearly impossible to succeed, and it would only send Princess Langling into the tiger's mouth. At that time, he tried every means to persuade her, but in the end, she stormed off with a flick of her sleeve, putting an end to this absurd farce.

  It's been several days again.

  The situation in Luoyang is getting increasingly tense, with no signs of reinforcements from outside, and nearly a thousand soldiers have been killed by arrows. This is secondary, the main problem is that the city's defenses are insufficient, although there is still enough food to last for some time, as the days drag on, the major shops begin to close their doors and stop selling, while the people of Luoyang who cannot get food start to become restless.

  However, Luoyang Wang Gaoqi was a powerful leader. He killed several wealthy families and finally suppressed the chaos in the city.

  As the situation grew more tense, grain and weapons became increasingly scarce, and the defending soldiers were exhausted one day after another. Gradually, a suffocating atmosphere that made people collapse began to spread over Luoyang City.

  "The queen." A footstep came from outside, and Cheng Shi said in a low voice: "Empress Hu has sent someone to invite you."

  Firmly, Zhang Gui said inside: "Report back to the person who came, and say that I won't go."

  "Yes."

  Before long, another footsteps came, and Cheng Shi said: "The princess, Zheng Ayou's carriage is outside, she said that she was ordered by the empress dowager to take the princess away." This time when he mentioned Zheng Ayou, there was no pity, no hidden respect, no sighs, only disgust.

  Zhang Qi's voice sank, and she said coldly: "If she doesn't leave, you drive her away!"

  "Yes."

  Cheng Shi had just turned around, when Zhang Qi shouted: "Slow down! Tell Zheng Yu that if she still doesn't know what's good for her and doesn't retreat, then don't blame me for having someone slash her face and make it so she can never turn over a new leaf in this lifetime!"

  "Yes."

  Not long after Cheng Shi left, Zhang Qi called another guard and said: "You find a way to buy or arrange some people around Zheng Yu, I want to know what she has done!" There is no reason for not being prepared against thieves. Since Zheng Yu does not give up, then this time, she will let her have no chance of turning over again!

  "Yes."

  Outside the wine tower, Zheng Yu stood proudly beside the carriage and saw Cheng Shi and others get up. She said elegantly and arrogantly: "What's wrong, is Zhang still unwilling to come out?"

  Cheng Shi didn't say a word, he walked up to Zheng Yu and suddenly stretched out his arm, tightly grasping her hand.

  Zheng Yu was shocked and shouted: "You with the surname Cheng, what are you going to do?"

  "What are you doing?" Cheng Shi said coldly, "By order of the princess, I have come to drive away this wicked and poisonous woman." As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed Zheng Yu's arm and dragged her, pushing and pulling her into her carriage in just a few moves.

  "With a 'clang' sound, it was thrown in. Cheng Shi patted the non-existent dust on his sleeve, drew out his long sword, and pointed the cold blade at the charioteer, saying in a deep voice: "Take this worthless woman away!" The voice was like thunder, causing Zheng Yu's men to involuntarily take a step back."

  That scared him so much that he shuddered and hastily replied: "Yes, yes."

  He had just driven the carriage when he heard Zheng Yu screaming loudly in the carriage: "What a surname Cheng, you have a big nerve!" She shouted here and sternly ordered the coachman: "Don't move -"

  At that moment, Zheng Yu was stunned and didn't know what to do. Just then, he heard Cheng Shi's icy voice coming from outside, "Zheng family, my princess said that if you continue to act foolishly and don't know when to advance or retreat, we will disfigure your face!" Due to disgust and anger, Cheng Shi looked at Zheng Yu in the carriage with eyes as cold as looking at a dead person.

  The gaze of Shang Chengshi made Zheng Youshen shudder. At this time, the carriage had already moved, and the coachman was driving it hastily, carrying her away in a flurry.