This is what diplomatic negotiations look like, how tense everyone was a moment ago, coercion and temptation. After the game, you have to ensure basic demeanor.

Therefore, after a day of negotiations, those who had just been spitting began to talk and laugh in the banquet hall again.

Earl John is a good negotiator who turns his face faster than a book, one second he is still making a loud threat, and the next he can throw another idea. However, his changeable behavior did not disrupt Xiao Chen's rhythm, and they still adhered to the principle of not opening the Black Wood Pass in an unchanging way.

After repeated refusals, Earl John threw out a new proposal, he reduced the number of people who passed through the Blackwood Pass to the two detachments of the Blackguards and their retinue, and let them cross the Blackwood Pass and go eastward to destroy behind enemy lines and plan for the battle on the Eastern Front.

There are about 100 black guards in a detachment, and the scale of nearly 500 people will be added to the retinue.

According to his words, even if the Chinese disagree, the black guards can easily penetrate the territory of the kingdom over the mountains. But if the Chinese allow them to cross the border through Heimu Pass, a lot of equipment supplies and logistics personnel can be transported directly over, and then they can also continuously supply the troops at the front. This is not a bad thing for the people of the kingdom, because then Kuroemon does not need to raid and destroy the area.

"This one is a very fair offer. Earl John leaned back in his chair, looked at the guests coming and going at the buffet, raised his glass and took a sip, and said, "Both His Majesty the Emperor and I hope that the first step between us will be friendly and cooperative." ”

Now on the other side of the earl's small square table, only Xiao Chen sat alone, Xiao Chen said: "I have already emphasized in the afternoon, we do not accept threats. Our government is not governed in the same way as the kingdom, it is our duty to protect the people, and if there is a large force to plunder the people, we will definitely encircle and attack them. ”

Earl John laughed and said, "What are you worried about? If you have the confidence to encircle them, why should you worry about them entering the customs? If it is a matter of quantity, we can still discuss ......."

At the meeting, Earl John's attachés were also talking with others on the Chinese side.

Most of the people who came with Earl John were minor nobles, some of whom were responsible for helping him record the content of the negotiations, some of whom provided him with various materials to support him, and some of whom were his intellectual trusts, who often communicated with the Earl in private. The two sides are talking about some irrelevant things, but in their hearts, they are more or less thinking of spying on each other's intelligence and looking for each other's bottom line.

Greeting with these people made Shi Hao, the Chinese from the earth, very uncomfortable, most of them were originally soldiers, not used to doing long-sleeved good dancing, and there was no common topic with the nobles here, but those Heimuguan officers left behind in the kingdom were more able to cope with this kind of scene. Although the empire and the kingdom belonged to two camps, it was not uncommon for nobles to intermarry with each other, and there were many people whose ancestors were from the same lineage, and they were still distant relatives. Many of the nobles in the northern part of the kingdom and the southern part of the empire had similar customs and hobbies, whether it was horseback riding, archery, balls, or hunting, they could often talk together.

Zhang Hong tried to chat with the clerk from a small aristocracy, and the other party had been trying to find common ground with him in the belief in the god of nature, but Zhang Hong felt that the words were not speculative, so he simply found a reason to withdraw.

He sat at a table in the corner, somewhat bored, eating a plate of pastries. Now the general life here in Kurokiguan still seems to him to be miserable, and if it weren't for foreign affairs, he would hardly have had any chance to eat decent things other than military rations. Today, Shi Hao selected masters from various cooking classes to hold a banquet, which was a rare opportunity, so he couldn't help but eat a few more pieces.

Zhang Hong was eating, but he didn't expect that at this time, an entourage of Earl John came to this corner with a plate and sat next to him.

Zhang Hong looked up and found that this person was somewhat familiar, but he didn't remember seeing him anywhere.

The attaché looked around and no one paid attention to this corner, pulled the chair towards him a little, and whispered: "Your Excellency Zhang Hong, I have something to show you in private, but there are too many people in this room, and it is a little inconvenient, you can arrange it and find a quiet place." ”

Zhang Hong stuffed a piece of pastry into his mouth, rubbed his fingers on the tablecloth, and looked at the person in front of him with doubts, "I don't know you, what do you want to tell me in private?"

The visitor smiled and approached Zhang Hong. The small area where they were was a little dark, he had the light on his back, his facial features didn't look very clear, he pressed his hand on a talisman around his neck, the amulet lit up slightly, the person's face actually twisted, and changed in a few seconds, although the position of the facial features was close to the original, but the image was greatly changed.

Zhang Hong recognized him at a glance, this person turned out to be the half-elf demon archer Cole, who was once a subordinate of Kalanda, and also the cooperation intermediary between Baron Goya and Chu Ying, and now he was mixed into the ranks of the Imperials. Of course, more importantly, Cole was once hired by him to go deep into the Temple of War to hunt down those horse thieves.

"Koh, Cole!" Zhang Hong let out an exclamation, but he covered his mouth in time to attract the attention of the others in the room. He wasn't stupid, and he knew that Cole would be here, so he must have something to rely on.

Cole's hand was released from his neck, and his face returned to its original appearance, and it looked like the amulet was a very rare camouflage prop.

"Do you know that the Ministry of Intelligence and the Ministry of Public Security are arresting you, and you dare to appear on our territory?" Zhang Hong said with some nervousness.

"Why don't I dare? As long as no one denounces me, who knows I'm Cole?" The ordinary face in front of him showed a hint of a smile, "Could it be that Your Excellency Zhang Hong will betray me?"

"What do I have to do with you, what can't be betrayed!" Zhang Hong threw the plate on the table, trying to get up and leave this position, but Cole reached out and pinched his arm.

"You'd better find a reason to take me out of this room now, and then find a secret place where we can talk, or you'll regret it. Cole whispered.

Zhang Hong stood up and broke free a few times, but found that the other party was pinched very firmly, and it was difficult for him to get rid of it at all, but he didn't dare to use magic to fight back, it would definitely attract the attention of Xiao Chen's people.

Seeing that he was unwilling to cooperate, Cole whispered a name in his ear.

Zhang Hong was still struggling, but at this time, he stood there as if he had been frozen, and his hands and feet trembled uncontrollably.

Because he heard a long-lost name: Hong Lifeng.