The scheming empress starts by conquering men

Shaodian Sishui smiled, took out the contract that she had prepared long ago from her arms, and handed it to him in two copies.

Gu Tanyan took the contract document, glanced at it and sneered.

"You really came prepared, even the contract is ready. Are you sure that I will cooperate with you?"

Shaodian Sishui raised his eyebrows without comment.

"Sign it. As long as you put your handprint on it, we will be allies from now on. I will find a way to prevent the marriage between the Great Zhou and the Shanrong."

"Okay, it's up to you."

Gu Tanyan's eyes were full of smiles.

Looking down at the contract, it stated that the iron ore mining would be for a period of ten years and would be traded at the price of copper ore.

Those who breach the contract will cede territory and pay compensation.

If Shaodian Sishui breached the agreement, he would give Yuyi City and the other four cities of various sizes around it to Guyang.

If Gutanyan breaches the contract, the 800-li grassland of the Guyang tribe will be given to her, and from now on this place belongs to the Great Zhou.

After seeing this treaty, Gu Tanyan pondered for a long time, especially the word "iron", which he had never seen before.

But it doesn’t matter. Anyway, the transaction is based on the real-time price of copper ore every quarter, and the period is ten years. No matter what the iron is, he will not suffer any loss.

He bit his finger and left bloody fingerprints on the two contracts.

Just as he was about to withdraw his hand, Shaodian Sishui grabbed his hand.

"Use your blood."

Then, under his astonished gaze, she wiped the blood on his hand on her thumb and pressed a bloody fingerprint on the paper.

Shao Dian Si Shui wiped her hands and smiled; "I'm afraid of pain."

Gutan Inkstone: “…”

"Pleasant to work with."

Shaodian Sishui stretched out his hand and shook hands with him.

When Gu Tanyan saw her outstretched hand, he also stretched out his own hand in surprise.

"what for?"

Shaodian Sishui said, "From now on, we are partners. We will help each other. I firmly believe that you men can also hold up half the sky."

Gu Tanyan looked at her in some surprise, even a little distracted.

She said that men can also hold up half the sky.

Haha, she actually thinks that men can hold up half the sky.

Gu Tanyan didn't know what was happening in his heart, but he felt inexplicably moved.

"Do you really think so?" Gu Tanyan asked with a sharp gaze.

Shaodian Sishui nodded; "Of course, I have never underestimated you men."

Before Gutanyan could say something else, the man who buried Youyi came back.

"Lord Yan, the person has been buried."

Shaodian Sishui stretched out his hand to Gutanyan and said, "Give me the dagger."

Gu Tanyan gave her the dagger without knowing why, and kept looking at her.

Shaodian found a larger stone at Sishui and engraved the tombstone of the Great Zhou soldier Youyi on it.

After the stele was erected, Gutanyan wanted to invite her to the Guyang tribe. Just as he was about to speak, the sound of horse hooves came from the west.

The scout beside Gu Tanyan came to report quickly.

"King Yan, he is a soldier of the Great Zhou."

Gutanyan waved his hand to ask people to leave, and looked at Shaodian Sishui with burning eyes.

"Are you going back?"

Shao Dian Si Shui nodded and said, "Yes, the wedding ceremony cannot be delayed. I will send someone to deliver the materials to you in a few days. As for the minerals, you can send someone to deliver them to Yuyi. Remember, this matter must be kept secret and not be known by the Shanrong people."

"Don't worry." Gu Tanyan didn't wait for her to say anything more, he jumped on the horse, bowed to Shaodian Sishui and said, "See you later."

After Gutanyan left, the soldiers also arrived.

Shaodian Sishui went to help Shaodian Ziqing up, and Shaodian Ziqing asked curiously.

"Sister, what did you say to Gu Tanyan just now? Why did he seem so respectful to you?"

Just now, the elder sister was very close to Gutanyan, so she didn't hear a word she said.

Shaodian Sishui said: "You will know later."

The soldiers arrived quickly and were shocked to see the wolf corpses all over the ground.

It is unbelievable that the Sixth Prince and the Prince are still alive and well amidst so many wolf corpses.

"Your Majesty!"

Zuo Yi quickly stepped forward to support Shaodian Ziqing. He was very worried. He looked left and right but didn't see You Yi, so he couldn't help asking.

"My Lord, where is Right One?"

Shaodian Ziqing looked at the grave not far away with sad eyes.

Zuo Yi followed the prince's gaze and saw the tomb there. She was shocked and couldn't believe it.

"She on the right..."

Shaodian Ziqing nodded without saying anything, feeling extremely sad.

The circle around Zuo's eye turned red. He looked at the wolf corpses on the ground, gritted his teeth and said nothing.

If she had come along at the beginning, Youyi would not have died.

"Blame me!"

Zuo Yi slapped himself angrily.

It's all her fault! She should have come along.

Shaodian Ziqing pursed his lips, and mist rose in his eyes.

"Blame me. I knew there were wolves there, but I still came here."

The two of them just stood there, staring at the grave.

Shaodian Sishui climbed onto the horse, sighed and shook his head; "The reason is my fault. If you hadn't been looking for me, you wouldn't have been in danger, and Youyi wouldn't have died protecting you."

"I saved You Yiyi's life back then, but now her life is lost here. Everything is God's will."

"That's enough. Everyone is mortal. No matter how much you cherish her memory, she will never come back."

Having said this, Shaodian Sishui said no more and rode away on his horse.

Shaodian Ziqing understood this truth, but it was difficult for him to accept this fact in his heart.

"Let's go."

She withdrew her gaze, jumped on the horse, and followed her sister back to Yuyi.

As soon as the two arrived at Yuyi's mansion, Shuxiang came to report that the little girl's mother and father had passed away.

Shaodian Sishui found the little girl and asked her opinion whether to stay in Yuyi or leave with her.

The little girl naturally wanted to follow her. She actually knew that her mother and father had passed away, but she still didn't want to believe it in her heart.

Now that the facts are in front of her, she has actually let it go.

Shaodian Sishui left a letter and secretly gave it to Hua Qingmei, asking her to secretly contact the Guyang tribe and find a way to establish a turnover area in Yuyi for storing supplies.

At that time, she would ask Yi Feng to secretly send some merchants to deliver supplies.

Naturally, she would not give the Guyang tribe fine salt, but only coarse salt.

For the time being, fine salt can only be under the jurisdiction of Da Zhou. Only when she comes to power can she carry out large-scale sales and transactions of fine salt.

Shaodian Sishui used Shaodian Ziqing's study to record the method of steel smelting.

That night, Shaodian Sishui and Shaodian Ziqing had another long talk and chatted all night long.

If for no other reason, it was just to give Shaodian Ziqing a heads-up in advance and ask her to keep an eye on the iron ore smelting and enforce the law here.

"This steel smelting, sister, can this really be made into a weapon?"

Shaodian Sishui nodded; "According to the calligraphy and painting method I mentioned above, it will definitely work, but Seventh Sister still needs to do it secretly. This matter is known to heaven, earth, you and me, and must not be known to others."

Shaodian Ziqing frowned and stared at Shaodian Sishui; "Sister, I want to hear the truth from you, do you really want that position?"

Shaodian Sishui did not answer but asked, "Do you know the ancestral precepts of the royal family of the Great Zhou?"

Shaodian Ziqing was silent for a moment, then sighed and nodded; "Of course I know."

"Since you know that, you should understand why I want that position." Shaodian Sishui said calmly, "Shaodian Haolan and I are like water and fire, and we will fight to the death."

"If she ascends the throne, I will have no choice but to die. Even if you and Fourth Sister survive, you will definitely not have your own daughters, grandchildren, and descendants due to ancestral teachings and rules."

"But if I ascend the throne, in addition to Shaodian Haolan and Shaodian Chun'e, both my fourth sister and you will have a place in this Great Zhou, and you will also have your own husbands and descendants."

After she ascends the throne, she can protect the fourth and seventh sisters, and even give them the status of princes to guard the border.

Shaodian Ziqing's eyes dimmed, and he shook his head and said, "Sister, the rules have been set since ancient times. A princess who cannot ascend the throne cannot have grandchildren. If you break the rules, I'm afraid it will be difficult to convince the public."

Shaodian Sishui chuckled; "Really? Rules are dead, but people are alive. Let's wait and see whether we can break the rules."

Shaodian Ziqing was excited to see her sister was so confident. If her sister could really break the rules, would she be able to have her own granddaughters and descendants?

Thinking of this, she made up her mind.

"Don't worry, sister. I will definitely help you secretly and get that position."