Chapter 510 - 507: The Dignity of a Great Power_1
Dong Changlan looked at Xiao Rongyan with great surprise that Xiao Rongyan would think of mutual trade. He smiled and shook his head, saying, "Mr. Xiao, what you said, my late father had also suggested to the Imperial Court years ago. However, the Emperor believed that if the Jin Kingdom proposed mutual trade first, it would be seen as bowing to the Rong, which would harm the prestige of the Jin Kingdom. Moreover, he was also afraid that the Rong spies might infiltrate."
Later, Dong Qingyue wanted to secretly send someone to the Rong to negotiate and make them propose mutual trade first. But Dong Qingping persuaded him against it, fearing that his brother’s goodwill might lead to charges of treason.
Upon hearing this, Bai Jinzhi couldn’t help but roll her eyes. As if the suffering of the border people being looted every year didn’t harm the country’s prestige.
The nation’s prestige, isn’t it about not letting the people suffer from wars, not letting them be looted by foreign countries, and not letting them go hungry?
If Bai Jinzhi had her way, she would have the Emperor live in Dengzhou for a few years to experience the suffering of the border people. Then he would understand what true prestige was!
Xiao Rongyan nodded without saying more.
The maids of the Bai Mansion filed in, carrying food boxes painted in black lacquer with gold inlay, and set up lunch on the third floor before leaving through another staircase.
When lunch was ready, Nanny Qin came down to invite everyone upstairs.
Today’s lunch featured a dish personally cooked by Dong Tingzhen: Dengzhou-style baked cakes. Though not as good as those in Dengzhou, the gesture of letting Mrs. Dong taste the famous Dengzhou baked cakes from her hometown was very thoughtful of Dong Tingzhen.
"This baked cake, Miss Dong started preparing it before dawn. After several tries, this batch tastes the closest," Dong Tingzhen’s personal maid said with a smile.