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Waiting for the Martial Emperor\'s attitude.

After all, they had already submitted their memorials, and it all depended on the Martial Emperor\'s stance regarding this matter.

If the Martial Emperor had completely given up on Princess Junwan, he would very likely choose to send Princess Junwan to North Country as a hostage, even if Chai Jiliang resorted to threats of death, it would be futile.

Upon hearing Chai Jiliang\'s words, the Martial Emperor asked, "Since Chai doesn\'t want Princess Junwan to go to North Country as a hostage, who, in Chai\'s opinion, would be the best candidate for hostage?"

Faced with this question, Chai Jiliang did not answer immediately. Although he was quite anxious in his heart, fearing that the Martial Emperor would agree to send Wu Junwan to North Country as a hostage, he did not dare to answer this question rashly.

If he suggested sending a certain prince to North Country as a hostage, he would inevitably offend the faction of that prince. Under the current circumstances, continuing to antagonize those ministers would bring more trouble.

After pondering for a moment, Chai Jiliang finally spoke, "Your Majesty, I believe that whether it is Princess Junwan or the various princes, they are all Your Majesty\'s own flesh and blood. So, if Your Majesty must choose a hostage to send to North Country, the decision should be made by Your Majesty."

Upon hearing this, the Martial Emperor let out a laugh, Chai Jiliang really was watertight.

Then the Martial Emperor continued, "Since Aiqing also knows they are all my own flesh and blood, does Aiqing not think it is too cruel for me to personally choose one of my own children to suffer in the harsh lands of the north?"

Chai Jiliang did not reply but merely knelt on the ground.

Just then, the Martial Emperor continued, "As the eldest daughter, Princess Junwan naturally should bear the responsibilities of being the eldest. If North Country insists on choosing a hostage, I can only send Princess Junwan to North Country as a hostage with a heavy heart."

At this statement, ministers within the grand hall were taken aback, including Chai Jiliang.

Once everyone regained their senses, they unanimously exclaimed, "Your Majesty is wise!"

And just as the ministers\' voices fell, Chai Jiliang immediately cried out loudly, "Your Majesty, think again, please!"

The Martial Emperor paid no heed to Chai Jiliang\'s words and went on, "After court adjourns, I will personally talk to Princess Junwan regarding this matter. I believe she will understand my difficulties."

Chai Jiliang wanted to say more but was interrupted by the Martial Emperor, "Enough, the matter of the hostage is settled. We will discuss it no further."

This…

For the rest of the morning court, Chai Jiliang was dispirited, paying no mind to the other matters the ministers discussed in court. He had not expected the Martial Emperor to truly be willing to send his eldest daughter to North Country as a hostage.

Wu Junwan was a Grandmaster, after all, while those princes were good-for-nothings. Instead of sending the good-for-nothings as hostages, he had chosen one of the most formidable ones.

Could it be that the Martial Emperor had truly completely abandoned Princess Junwan?

After the morning court ended, the Martial Emperor sent someone to Green Cloud Palace to summon Wu Junwan to his study. He wanted to speak personally with his daughter about the matter.

At that moment, inside Green Cloud Palace, Wu Junwan lay despondently on a lounge, her eyes devoid of the brilliance they once held.

A person of great power, once deprived of that power, ages particularly quickly.

It was then that a female guard entered Green Cloud Palace. "Princess Junwan, the Emperor wishes for you to come to the Imperial Study Room right now."

Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan was initially stunned, then quickly rose from her lounge and asked, "What does my father the Emperor want with me in the Imperial Study Room?"

The female guard hesitated briefly before responding, "I have heard that the Emperor intends to send Your Highness to North Country as a hostage, and he wishes for Your Highness to come to the Imperial Study Room, presumably regarding this matter."

Hearing this, Wu Junwan was completely stunned.

To go to North Country as a hostage?

What kind of joke was this?

If she left the Imperial City for North Country, she would completely lose any chance of a comeback.

Was her father so heartless?

As she thought this, Wu Junwan\'s fists clenched slightly, and in that moment, the image of a certain young man flashed in her mind, and the words he said to her during her last visit to North Country echoed in her ears, especially one sentence that she still remembered very clearly.

"There may be no need to conquer all of Great Wu. Once North Country\'s strength grows to a certain extent, someone from the Great Wu Dynasty will naturally deliver Miss Qian to North Country."

Though the North Prince referred to Miss Qian at the time, he was speaking of her.

She never expected that the North Prince\'s words would become prophetic, turning into reality.

Although reluctant, Wu Junwan decided to go to the Imperial Study Room to see what her father the Emperor still had to say to her.

Soon after, she told her handmaidens, "Help me change my clothes!"

Shortly thereafter, Wu Junwan changed into a new outfit, combed her hair, and seemed much more spirited, although traces of dejection lingered on her face.

Then Wu Junwan proceeded to the Imperial Study Room.

When Wu Junwan entered the Imperial Study Room, the Martial Emperor was reviewing petitions. Sensing Wu Junwan\'s entrance, he put down his pen and looked at her.

Wu Junwan immediately performed a courtesy and said, "Daughter pays respect to Father Emperor!"

The Martial Emperor nodded and said, "Rise."

Wu Junwan directly asked, "May I know why Father Emperor has summoned me?"

The Martial Emperor said indifferently, "Junwan, your father knows that you hold a deep resentment towards him for stripping you of your title, but you must understand, I had no choice but to do so.

Great Wu\'s defeat in the war is inseparable from you, as if it weren\'t for the lack of intelligence, not knowing that the North Country possessed so many powerful weapons, Great Wu would not have suffered such a crushing defeat. Therefore, I must punish you."

Wu Junwan said expressionlessly, "Daughter understands, and since it has already happened, I am willing to accept the punishment."

The Martial Emperor said, "It\'s good that you understand my difficulties."

"Now, North Country is prospering, and the mysterious weapons they possess are so powerful that they have become the greatest threat to the Great Wu dynasty."

"Even if the peace talks succeed this time, in not too many years, the North Prince might well launch an offensive, intending to engulf the entire Great Wu."

At this point, the Martial Emperor rose from his chair, walked to the center of the study, came before Wu Junwan, looked into her eyes and said, "You are the daughter I value the most. Therefore, I want to entrust you with a mission. Would you be willing to accept it?"

Hearing this, Wu Junwan immediately guessed what her father emperor was about to say next. She was no fool, and it was impossible for her not to know that her father emperor was dangling a carrot in front of her.

"Please speak, Father Emperor!"

The Martial Emperor then said, "I hope you can go to North Country as a Hostage, and then find a way to obtain their secrets, especially the methods of manufacturing those North Country weapons."

"If you can acquire the blueprints for the manufacture of those North Country weapons, once the term of your being a Hostage is complete and you return to Great Wu, I will reinstate you as Princess Junwan, and perhaps even as the Crown Princess."

Hearing this, Wu Junwan\'s heart skipped a beat again.

Although she was aware her father emperor would surely dangle a carrot, she hadn\'t expected it to be such a large one.

What status was that of the Crown Princess?

The Crown Princess, like the Crown Prince, was the heir to the Emperor.

To reinstate her as the Crown Princess meant that her father emperor planned for her to take over his throne, in other words, he wanted her to be the next Martial Emperor.

In the past, no matter how hard she tried or how well she performed, her father emperor would never have uttered such words, considering this a rather traditional country, where few people from top to bottom would want a woman to be the emperor.

It took Wu Junwan some time to snap back to reality. Once she did, she said, "Father Emperor, your daughter understands. I will certainly find a way to complete your mission,"

Hearing this, the Martial Emperor showed a hint of a smile, then continued, "I entrust everything to you."

"That\'s all for now; you may go back. Once the delegation comes up with the peace negotiation terms with North Country, you must head there immediately."

Wu Junwan then performed another courtesy and said, "Yes, Father Emperor, your daughter will take her leave."

As Wu Junwan turned to leave the Imperial Study Room and her figure was leaving, the smile on the Martial Emperor\'s face vanished in an instant.

Crown Princess?

How could he possibly entrust his throne to a woman?

If it hadn\'t been to win over those on the Empress\'s side, he would not have appointed Wu Junwan as Princess Junwan. Now that those people around her had flocked to support other Princes, or directly to himself, the Emperor, he was even less likely to allow Wu Junwan to hold power.

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Though his daughter was outstanding, her excellence did not bestow her with the right to the throne.

His earlier words had been spoken only out of concern that Wu Junwan, once sent to North Country, might give up on herself and would no longer support Great Wu.

If he gave her a glimmer of hope, then Wu Junwan would surely think she could become the Empress of Great Wu in the future, thus continuing to work for Great Wu, and even with more motivation than before.

The Martial Emperor murmured to himself, "Junwan, you better not disappoint your father."

On her way back to the Green Cloud Palace, Wu Junwan\'s heart was not stirred.

Although her father emperor\'s words had momentarily stunned her, she soon came to her senses. She did not believe her father emperor would truly make her the Crown Princess.

If her father emperor had truly entertained that idea, he would have made her the Crown Princess a long time ago, not just now.

Now that those who had followed her deceased mother had dispersed, even Pei Hong, who was a Grandmaster, had switched his allegiance directly to the Martial Emperor. She no longer had anyone she could rely on. To her father emperor, her only value now was probably as a Hostage to steal North Country\'s secrets for Great Wu.

Clearly, her father emperor was trying to ensure her compliance, to prevent her from giving up or betraying Great Wu, and also to make use of her as a pawn in North Country.

At that moment, a subtle smile appeared on Wu Junwan\'s face.

Though she was aware that her father emperor was only leading her on with false promises, it also made her realize, she wasn\'t without hope. Someday, she would seize that position for herself.

The image of that little man surfaced again in her mind.

This debauchee wanted her to go to North Country, so she was going, and by being a dangerous woman in North Country for an extended period, this little man would one day regret it!