Is this a prisoner of war? You're telling me this is a prisoner of war?

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Beneath the celestial canopy, people across various dynasties burst into laughter as they watched Esen's thoroughly defeated and world-weary expression.

The Great Qin Empire.

"This is truly a first in a lifetime. You call this a captive? You're telling me this is a captive?" Ying Zheng's jaw dropped in utter shock.

He suddenly recalled his own days as a political hostage, which were as vastly different from Zhu Qizhen's situation as heaven and earth!

The civil and military officials exchanged bewildered glances as they looked at Esen's despairing demeanor.

"What the hell? This kid's got some real skills. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was the one holding the other guy hostage!"

"You can say that again! Just look at that fellow—does he look like a prisoner in the slightest?"

...

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Great Han.

Emperor Wu stared at the celestial screen in absolute disbelief, pointing dramatically as he shouted, "What the hell?! And here you were saying no peace marriages! This emperor practically ran over there to marry into the alliance himself!"

His voice echoed through the grand hall, as if the entire palace was shaken by his astonishment.

As Emperor Wu's voice trailed off, the solemn atmosphere in the hall was instantly shattered. The officials burst into roaring laughter, as though someone had struck their funny bones.

"Indeed," someone chimed in, "not only did he go personally for the alliance, but he also brought a dowry of two hundred thousand men! This is truly an unprecedented spectacle in history!"

"And more than fifty ministers—it's practically as if he relocated the entire imperial court over there!" another added with a chuckle.

The Three Kingdoms Era.

"Wenhe, this... what do you make of this?" Cao Cao asked Jia Xu.

Jia Xu considered himself well-traveled and accustomed to grand spectacles, yet this was a scene he truly had never witnessed before.

No, wait... he had. He had seen something similar when Lord Cao pursued General Guan.

"Prime Minister... surely you haven't forgotten General Guan? Back then, you weren't treating him much better than this!" Before Jia Xu could speak, Xu Chu piped up with a somewhat aggrieved tone.

Hearing this, Cao Cao flew into a rage, "You reckless brute, what do you know?!"

"What kind of man was General Guan? How can he be mentioned in the same breath as this brat? You're dragging General Guan's good name through the mud!"

Xu Chu muttered under his breath: "Fine! I shouldn't have opened my mouth. The power of a lingering first love remains terrifyingly consistent as ever."

The Great Tang Empire.

Li Er spat out a mouthful of fish soup he had just swallowed with a sudden choke.

His face was a mixture of utter disbelief and helpless amusement. Coughing repeatedly, he managed to say, "I've fought wars all my life, and what kind of prisoners haven't I seen? But something like this is truly a first!"

Cheng Yaojin, standing nearby, burst into roaring laughter upon seeing this, nodding repeatedly and agreeing, "You said it! Serving as a prisoner like that is even more comfortable than being an emperor!"

Meanwhile, the two sovereigns of the Great Song felt nothing but envy, jealousy, and bitter hatred toward Zhu Qizhen!

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They were both captives too; why could this brat live in such supreme comfort? He even got to sleep with the chieftain's sister!

And what about them? Their empresses and imperial princesses were all thoroughly despoiled by outsiders... and they even had to endure the humiliating sheep-leading ritual!

The more those two thought about it, the more aggrieved they felt. Just moments ago, they had even heard that the chieftain of the Jurchen army had been inspired by the celestial screen and was making them go call the city gates!

It was unfair—grossly unfair!

The two of them strongly demanded to swap places... If this was what a prisoner's life was like, what on earth did that make them?

Damn it all, there's simply no comparison...

Zhu Di and the old Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang were also left with their jaws dropping to the floor by the celestial screen.

So this was how this brat became a master of diplomacy?

Damn it... if he had known, wouldn't it have been simpler to just let him go on a personal expedition from the start?

If he hung around for a few years, he might have even managed to win back the title of Great Khan...

Meanwhile, high above on the celestial screen.

Esen was still left standing in a daze of disarray when he heard his mother calling out to him: "Hurry up! You're dawdling so much just roasting a lamb leg! Is it done yet? Bring it over quickly..."

At that moment, he genuinely wanted to cry. He really wanted to cry—this was his standing in his own home now...

Carrying the roasted lamb leg into the tent, he saw Zhu Qizhen casually using his personal golden dagger to peel a Hami melon—that very golden dagger had been a gift for his coming-of-age ceremony!

Bayan Temür, Esen's younger brother, saw his eldest brother standing there in a daze and frowned deeply.

"What's wrong, Elder Brother? Why haven't you hurried and brought that over to my big brother? My big brother is hungry!"

His younger sister was busy massaging Zhu Qizhen's shoulders at the same time. "That's right, Elder Brother..."

His daughter... and his mother had all been completely won over by Zhu Qizhen. Esen, a man as fierce as a steppe eagle, was on the verge of tears right then.

Suppressing the urge to weep, he placed the roasted lamb leg on the table!

The sweet fragrance of the Hami melon mingled with the rich scent of mutton fat, filling the tent and making his temples throb intensely.

"This mare's milk wine is growing increasingly mellow. It's truly delicious!" Zhu Qizhen reclined lazily against a tiger-skin cushion, his white jade cup clinking rhythmically against a golden bowl.

Esen's mother looked at Zhu Qizhen with a gaze full of maternal warmth: "Your Majesty, if it tastes good, drink more. This old woman of mine is also a subject of the Great Ming!"

"That's right, Big Brother, let's clink cups!" Bayan Temür raised his golden bowl and gulped down a massive mouthful.

Esen's sister continued massaging Zhu Qizhen, while his daughter led three Oirat singing maidens to kneel on the ground, singing Jiangnan folk ditties in awkward Mandarin. Life could not possibly have been more luxurious and pleasant.

Esen gripped the curved saber at his waist tightly, desperately fighting the impulse to slice this brat down in one stroke.

Two months ago, when he returned in triumph escorting his captives, he had believed he held the winning cards to overthrow the Great Ming. Now, looking back, he had essentially brought home a gluttonous Pixiu beast.

When it came time for sleep, Zhu Qizhen demanded silk and damask for his night robes, and insisted that Central Plains chefs brew his tea.

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Once, he even pointed at his most cherished gyrfalcon, demanding to tame it just to relieve his boredom.

Last night, he had witnessed with his own eyes one of his personal guards learning how to massage Zhu Qizhen's legs, imitating the Han Chinese style.

The scene on the screen shifted once again!

"I wish to go hunting by the lake tomorrow."

Zhu Qizhen wiped his fingertips casually with a silk handkerchief. "The carved bow in your brother's tent happens to fit my hand quite well."

Bayan Temür patted his chest and promised readily, "Big Brother, just wait right here, I'll go get it for you immediately!"

Esen watched with his own eyes as his cherished carved bow was used by Zhu Qizhen simply to swat at game, feeling a sharp pang of heartbreak.

That bow had accompanied him for decades; he never expected it would meet such a destiny in the end...

Esen could take no more... He was on the verge of a complete breakdown!

He had to find a way to get this pest out of here, or else his throne as Great Khan might not remain secure.

His younger brother and his trusted subordinates now spent their entire days trailing behind Zhu Qizhen like a pack of idle street ruffians...

And then there was his sister... she had already slept with the fellow. If he didn't get him out soon, judging by the look in his daughter's eyes, she would sooner or later become this brat's morsel as well.

On this particular day, enduring immense psychological pressure, Esen tearfully resolved to send Zhu Qizhen away.

His brother... his sister, along with his mother and his daughter, all bid him a tearful farewell!

"Big Brother, have a safe journey! Drop by to hang out whenever you have free time—brothers are always in our hearts!" Bayan Temür even thumped his own chest.

"My Lord, I swear to the eternal sky, in this lifetime I will never marry another..." Esen's sister made a blood oath, vowing to remain a virgin widow for Zhu Qizhen.

"Your Majesty, this old servant... forever welcomes Your Majesty to come on an inspection tour!" Esen's mother gave a tearful guarantee that she would always remain his loyal subject.

Esen's daughter blushed deeply, mustered her courage, and shouted, "I'm just like my aunt—I'll keep waiting for you!"

Esen nearly tumbled right off his horse head-first!

Zhu Qizhen still wanted to turn back and say something, but Esen lashed out with his whip, striking him right across the backside to force him away!

Fearing that Esen might harbor ill intentions toward his big brother, Bayan Temür rode alongside them the entire way as a personal guard.

Just when they thought they could smoothly dispatch this plague god, an event occurred that utterly defied all imagination!

...

(Once again, earnestly begging for five-star book reviews! Dear patrons, please bestow them upon this child!!)

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