Chapter 340: I Won’t Stop You

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

She has good looks but hasn’t reached the level of breathtaking beauty. What’s so good about her that is worth ten cities?

They wondered if the prince from that country was blind. Many of them are more beautiful than Princess Tianshui.

Only the second prince who has set his eyes on Ling’er knows she possesses something other girls don’t. Those blind to it cannot see her goodness.

Seeing the rejection again, the second prince’s eyes revealed a malicious gaze.

If soft methods don’t work, he’ll try the hard way. He has already sent people to investigate. Yuan Jiaqi’s family doesn’t even have a guard; the only formidable ones seem to be those sheep.

Even if they are formidable, they could only kick his subordinates. He plans to send a few experts to handle those sheep and chop them up.

He also plans to take Ling’er away and hide her somewhere. Then, he will bring her out of the Ming Dynasty. There’s no way he can’t get what he wants.

For the foreign envoys, today’s banquet was a failure. They didn’t get what they wanted, but fortunately, several princesses stayed. It’s like planting their roots in the Ming Dynasty. With time, people from their country will prosper.

The banquet ended, and Yuan Jiaqi left with his family. Yuan Haichuan looked at Qiao Mai.

“Mother, I think the so-called second prince won’t give up easily.”

“Let them come if they don’t fear death. After all, the want to take advantage and explore the situation in the Ming Dynasty. If they die here, it’s a good excuse to continue the war.”

“The emperor doesn’t want to start a war again. We barely got through the last one.”

“That’s his business. I gave him the steel formula and provided rice and wheat seeds. If he can’t become stronger, he might as well step down.”

“Wife, I think these visitors from the other countries are unfriendly. Do you

have any plans?”

“What is his Ministry of War doing? Are they all incompetent cowards? Each of them points fingers at my formula. Without me, would the Ming Dynasty have perished?”

Yuan Jiaqi awkwardly grinned, contemplating his wife’s words. She was right—relying solely on her without seeking progress would lead the country to a grim end. Even with powerful weapons, a nation couldn’t prosper without striving for advancement.

“Sorry. I was too impatient.”

After everyone had gone to rest at home, Qiao Mai used her telepathy to contact her contract partners.

She asked them to stay wary day and night.

The second prince couldn’t die in the Ming Dynasty. Since the Great Qin Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty share a border, they’ve long wanted to conquer the Ming Dynasty. She couldn’t provide them with a reason to attack the Ming Dynasty.

The first night went by peacefully. Yuan Jiaqi continued his duties, and Ling’er worked in the shop.

She sent one squirrel to the embroidery shop and one to the Qiao’s Small Eatery. Combined with the sheep, they were more than enough to handle unexpected situations.

Qiao Mai knew the second prince hadn’t given up on Ling’er. She left a trace of her divine sense on Ling’er.

The second night was also uneventful. On the third night, a group of black-clad people came to the Qiao residence.

As soon as they flew onto the roof, they were annihilated by the squirrels.

Their bodies fell to the ground with a thud. This time, Qiao Mai didn’t let them handle the bodies. Instead, she had Steward Zhang surround the area and take the bodies to the official court to file a report.

If these foreign killers were quietly dealt with, the shameless envoys would have asked the emperor for people, claiming that the Ming Dynasty was unruly. Killing them like this would have put the enjoys on the spot.

Sending men to intrude into the homes of court officials, whether for assassination or conspiracy, is a violation. According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, invading a private residence grants the homeowner the right to execute the intruders.

After filing a report, the officials from the capital took all the black-clad men away. When dawn broke, the report was given to the emperor.

Because many foreigners were among these black-clad men, the emperor was furious and summoned the envoy team into the palace again.

He had them identify the culprits face to face, but they all denied involvement. It was laughable.

Why identify anyone? If they did, they would be guilty. If they didn’t, it was better for them.

This played right into Qiao Mai’s hands. On the first night, eight black-clad men came. On the second night, twelve, and the number kept increasing every night.

Not only did their numbers increase, but their martial arts skills also improved.

It seemed they were desperate. Well, there were casualties every night in Lucky Garden. The emperor was furious, summoning Yuan Jiaqi into the palace.

“I say, in-law, can you leave me a live one?”

In his anxiety, he directly called Yuan Jiaqi in-law.

“These are all desperate characters; how can we let them live? Once we capture them, they’ll bite the poison hidden in their mouths and commit suicide.” “But people are dying daily, causing panic among the people in the capital.’

“My wife said it’s almost done. They’re running out of people. When they have no one to use, they won’t come anymore.”

“who?”

“Your Majesty, do you really not know, or are you feigning ignorance?” With Qiao Mai supporting him, Yuan Jiaqi’s boldness rose as well.

“Are you talking about the second prince of the Great Qin Dynasty?”

“Humph, who else? Failing to get what he wants overtly, he is now resorting to covert methods. Since he couldn’t obtain my daughter with ten cities, he is trying to snatch her.”

“This is unreasonable! They are too audacious. Where do they place me?” Angered, the emperor slammed the desk, but it was useless. He glared at Jiaqi.

“Did Madam Qiao really kill them all?”

“Well, it seems so. I was busy with official duties during the day and slept soundly at night, not fighting battles with my wife.”

The old emperor pursed his lips. Fighting battles? Yuan Jiaqi doesn’t know anything except to chew on words. He’s not even as good as him.

His eyes rolled again. “Your wife has great moves!”

“Of course. With my wife around, these petty thieves are nothing. Even if more come, we’re not afraid.’

“All right, since the Qin Dynasty envoys won’t admit their guilt, I’m saved from trouble.”

Thus, Lucky Garden killed over a hundred assassins in five days. Originally well-known in the capital, it became even more famous.

Everyone knew there was hidden danger in the Duke of Blessing’s residence. They reminded their family members not to enter without permission.

The Qin Dynasty envoys finally behaved. With no more men, they could only obediently stay at the inn.

The second prince was furious, wanting to lead people into the palace, use Princess Jiamei as a threat, and force the emperor to hand over Ling’er. But after entering the palace, he nearly lost his life there.

The emperor deployed all the Golden Dragon Guards to guard various places in the palace. As soon as they entered, they were discovered.

Later, they thought about ambushing Yuan Haichuan and Yuan Jiaqi on their way to the court meeting, intending to capture them and force Ling’er to surrender. However, they were wiped out by Dongzhao and Dracaena.

The envoy team from the Great Qin Dynasty came with two hundred people. Now, there were only fifty-something left. It was a miserable situation.

Upon hearing this, the emperor burst into laughter. Now, they can’t even complain.

Serves them right!

He won’t stop them from seeking death.

The marriage of the four princesses proceeded hastily. They were betrothed in July and married in September. However, no girls were willing to marry the princes. The emperor was quite pleased to see them frustrated.

People said the emperor treated his officials benevolently, not forcing them. He was willing to give up ten cities if the girls were unwilling. This earned him the reputation of a wise ruler.

The princes of the four countries were interested in Ling’er, but after witnessing the disastrous defeat of the Great Qin Dynasty, they wouldn’t throw themselves into a hopeless situation and let their subordinates die in vain.

Seeing that it was about time, the old emperor began to drive them away.

The girls from the Ming Dynasty didn’t want to marry foreign men. What are they still doing in the capital? Leave quickly!

Thus, the envoy teams packed their belongings, rode in carriages, and left the capital on a morning, with Ming Dynasty soldiers escorting them.

People from the border left from the North Gate, the Great Qin Dynasty from the West Gate, and the other two countries from the South and East Gate.

Once the envoy teams left, those families that married foreign princesses immediately split up. They didn’t fully separate but extracted the sons who had married foreign girls into separate households..