He knew everything; Qiao Ci must know too. Her recent getting angry must be related to this matter. She must be feeling conflicted and troubled.
"This matter started because of me. Hand me over. As long as you hand me over, they will calm their anger and stop attacking Mo Country." Su Mo pursed his lips and spoke first.
"Huh?" Qiao Ci's small face turned red. Between chewing, she looked at him, not understanding.
Su Mo couldn't help but laugh and cry. At such a time, she was still acting as if nothing had happened.
"Cang Country claims you detained Princess Nanping without cause, and your Emperor's husband disdains Cang Country and is preparing to join forces with other countries to attack you. Only by releasing Princess Nanping and handing me over, the perpetrator, can their anger be appeased."
"Detained without cause? Disdain Cang Country? Spreading rumors is truly costless, as long as one has a mouth! Whatever they say, where is their face!?"
"Besides, how did you become the perpetrator? It's not your fault if others covet you. Hehe, if anyone is to blame, it's me, for having such good taste and choosing such a handsome Emperor's husband!"
"They are definitely jealous that this Empress has a good husband, and they want this Empress to painfully part with him, sell him for glory, and lose dignity. Their intentions are punishable!"
"If they want to fight, let them fight. I'm not afraid~"
She didn't immediately consider handing herself over. Su Mo's heart was warmed, but he couldn't be so selfish and only think of himself.
"But Cang Country has a strong military, coupled with the covetous eyes of those neighboring countries, we have no chance of winning."
"Moreover, war will only bring suffering to the common people, displacement. I don't want you to become a foolish ruler who acts rashly for a beauty..."
"What foolish ruler? Is defending your own man and your country's dignity foolishness?"
"However, just for that face of yours, it's worth being a foolish ruler."
Seeing her playfully teasing him, Su Mo's ear tips turned red. "Let's be serious."
Qiao Ci said seriously, "The serious matter is that an Empress who can hand over her Emperor's husband is considered useless by other monarchs. One compromise leads to more compromises, and they will only become more aggressive!"
"If I hand you over today, they might force me into a political marriage with their princes to control me, or even find an excuse to attack and divide my Mo Country. By then, not to mention the common people, what will be the fate of this beautiful Empress of a fallen kingdom?"
After speaking, Qiao Ci's expression suddenly turned pitiful, "Can you bear to see them bully me in places you can't see~"
After speaking, Qiao Ci picked up her chopsticks, scooped a piece of meat from the hot pot, and was about to put it in her mouth.
Before she could put it into her mouth, a hand pulled her into an embrace that trembled slightly, as if wanting to knead her into his body.
The bright red slice of meat "splashed" into a small dish.
"No, don't! Even if I die, I won't allow anyone to bully you even a little!" Su Mo's eyes turned fierce, his eye tails a strange red, at the thought of Qiao Ci being bullied.
Qiao Ci put down her chopsticks and gently patted Su Mo's back, "So, some things cannot be avoided, and they won't be resolved just by your tolerance. Some things will only get worse until you can no longer bear it."
"Now, do you know what to do?"
"If it means war, then war. If you die, I will not live alone!" Su Mo held Qiao Ci, his voice filled with unprecedented determination.
*
After arranging the court affairs, Qiao Ci prepared to lead the troops in person, with her Emperor's husband accompanying her!
Originally, there was a large chorus of opposition in the court. Qiao Ci specifically spent a morning giving them a patriotism lesson.
In the middle, she infused them with countless passionate motivational speeches, moving many officials to tears and igniting their blood, making them eager to charge into battle immediately, to kill one to make up for it, and kill two for profit!
Finally, persuaded by Qiao Ci, they decided to stabilize the rear for the Empress and await her triumphant return.
Upon hearing that the Emperor's husband would also be going to the battlefield, everyone felt they had been too harsh on him before. Even Prime Minister Su had a moment of conscience and specifically entered the palace to earnestly instruct him on many things, such as taking good care of the Empress and taking care of himself.
After all, his eldest son was already useless, and this was his only remaining son.
Hearing that the Empress was going to lead the troops in person, the common people erupted in excitement.
Although the Empress had only been on the throne for two years, she had done many good deeds for the people. Now, everyone in Mo Country could eat their fill, the poor could enter officialdom, women could study... and the common people could live and work in peace.
These were all achievements of the Empress's new policies. To many, the Empress was no less than their reborn parents, a supreme leader who appeared once in a millennium, dedicated to the country and its people.
Now that someone wanted to attack their Empress, they were filled with indignation. The Empress cared for the people, and they could not be ungrateful!
Thus, the common people voluntarily donated grain and clothing to supply the army, and some spontaneously organized themselves to go to various strongholds in Mo Country to reinforce and defend against the occasional harassment and probes from other neighboring countries...
At the border between Mo Country and Cang Country.
Qiao Ci had Princess Nanping brought forward. This fellow thought Qiao Ci was scared, and that the so-called personal expedition was merely for appearances, and that she would eventually be released. It was just a way to negotiate with Cang Country.
In any case, her life was guaranteed, so Princess Nanping was no longer afraid. She held her head high, her elaborate bonds failing to conceal her smugness.
"I advise you to release this Princess quickly! I am doted upon in Cang Country. If my Imperial Uncle and Father King knew I had suffered so much, they would never let you and your Mo Country off." Facing Qiao Ci, Princess Nanping's nostrils were practically turned up to the sky.
Her peripheral vision caught sight of Su Mo beside her, clad in armor, standing tall, and as handsome as a heavenly god. Princess Nanping's eyes went straight to him, and she shouted loudly, "I want him! I want him! As long as you give him to me now, this Princess will let bygones be bygones."
Su Mo's eyes were filled with disgust, his delicate and sculpted features becoming even colder. He truly felt disgusted by such brainless, infatuated women. "Can you make her shut up? I can't even finish my lunch with this disgust."
Princess Nanping was furious upon hearing this. For him, she had suffered so much, and yet he called her disgusting. She struggled and cursed loudly, "Su Mo, what are you pretending to be so pure for? When my Imperial Uncle defeats your Mo Country, I will definitely send you to a male brothel, let you be ridden by ten thousand people and slept on by a thousand, and then we'll see who is disgusting! And your Empress, when my second cousin is tired of her, he will sell her to a prost... Ah!"
Princess Nanping's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at the sword in her chest...
Su Mo looked at his blood-stained hand, his eyes dark. When he heard her insult Qiao Ci, his heart was filled with malevolence. A devilish voice inside him tempted him, kill her... kill her...
He felt like a stranger at that moment, yet it made him feel excited and infatuated...
Qiao Ci stepped forward and held his slightly trembling hand, thinking he was scared.
She gently pulled the sword from his hand, used a silk handkerchief to wipe the blood from his hand, and smiled, "Ah Mo killed the person who insulted me for me. That's great. Thank you for bravely standing up to protect me."
As she spoke, she stepped forward, hugged him, and said in a very chuunibyo tone, "I originally wanted to kill her in front of Cang Country before the battle. But now, it's fine too. The dead are even more provocative!"
"We want to tell them clearly, sorry, not only do you want to fight, but we've also found you unpleasant for a long time."
"Come on, draw your swords!"
Under her vivid reassurances, Su Mo suppressed the bloodthirsty desire in his heart and reverted to the gentle, well-behaved little puppy. He held Qiao Ci tightly, rubbing his chin against her hair.
"Regret it and are you scared? From now on, I'll handle things like this. Good boy, don't be scared."
After a long while, Su Mo's voice sounded,
"No regrets. If I had to do it again, I would still kill her, without hesitation!"