“Your Majesty, you currently have two choices. One is to use the Third Prince’s life to repay the life of my imperial sister. The other is to cede the Shannan Region to Lubei. Otherwise—war.”
The Emperor looked at the document sent by the Lubei envoy and slammed his palm heavily onto the Dragon Throne. The ring on his finger struck the edge of the throne, producing a sharp, crisp sound.
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger!” Eunuch Li hurried forward and advised gently, “Your Majesty, the disaster has already happened. You must not harm your health over this. You are the heavens of Yunxi—if the heavens collapse, how can the people below continue to live?”
Hearing Eunuch Li’s words only made the Emperor’s heart heavier. Hao Lin had already moved out of the palace and left word that he would henceforth stand in absolute opposition to Yunxi. The human-skin painting had also been left with the Emperor. When he first saw it, he nearly fainted in Taihe Hall—he had never imagined that the Third Prince would go to such extremes.
The Emperor let out a long sigh. Ever since the incident, he had barely eaten for two days. His complexion was far worse than before; in just two short days, he seemed to have aged more than twenty years.
“Summon General Xiao.”
“Yes…” Eunuch Li carefully stepped away from the Emperor and called out toward the outside, “Summon General Xiao!”
Before long, General Xiao strode into Taihe Hall and approached the Emperor.
“I pay my respects to Your Majesty. May I ask why I have been summoned?”
The Emperor’s expression was grim. He sighed and said in a low voice, “Everyone else, withdraw.”
Ordinarily, when the Emperor said this, Eunuch Li would still be allowed to remain at his side. But this time, the Emperor waved his hand, indicating that Eunuch Li should also leave.
Eunuch Li obeyed and walked out, but as soon as he turned, his expression became somewhat uneasy.
Once the vast hall was left with only the two of them, General Xiao raised his head and said, “Your Majesty may speak plainly. I am willing to share Your Majesty’s burdens.”
“Where is Emperor Hao Lin now? And what news is there from Lubei?”
General Xiao answered truthfully, “According to intelligence from our spies, Emperor Hao Lin’s whereabouts are uncertain. However, aside from the several thousand elite troops he brought with him, no additional Lubei forces have been seen within Yunxi. Therefore, Your Majesty may rest assured—Emperor Hao Lin likely has no intention of going to war with Yunxi.”
“And the defenses along the border—are they secure?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, the Shannan Region has been reinforced with heavy troop deployments. It would not be easy for Lubei to breach the border. Moreover, Lubei is currently facing a shortage of food and water. If they wish to attack our borders, their soldiers would need to carry sufficient supplies. Not to mention the harsh conditions along the way—simply transporting such quantities would exhaust their strength. Even if they reached the border, without at least a day of rest, they would not have the morale to fight. We have spies within Lubei; once there is any movement, we will strike first while they are resting.”
The Emperor’s expression improved slightly. Looking at General Xiao, he asked, “Have you heard that Lubei soldiers used cannons on Yudao Street?”
“Cannons?” General Xiao’s face changed slightly, his eyes filled more with confusion than anything else.
The Emperor gave a complicated smile. “Yes. I heard those cannons are extremely powerful—stronger than the arrows of hundreds of elite soldiers. That day, just a few shots were fired in the street, and half the street was burned to ruins. The people there—some died, some were injured. Even their own soldiers were blasted into pieces of flesh.”
General Xiao was shocked. “Such a thing exists?”
As soon as he said it, he immediately regretted it—wasn’t this clearly his own negligence? He had thought that as long as the borders were secure and Lubei troops were kept from entering, everything would be safe. Who could have expected that Emperor Hao Lin had brought such powerful weapons into the city from the start?
For a moment, both men fell silent. The Emperor’s expression remained complex, though confusion outweighed sorrow.
“Perhaps it’s just a rumor. No matter how powerful those cannons are, didn’t Mu Xueshi still manage to escape?” the Emperor said, as if comforting himself.
General Xiao also let out a slight breath of relief and followed along, “Indeed, perhaps the story has been exaggerated to mislead people. Think about it—if the soldiers heard such things, who would still dare to fight Lubei? Your Majesty must not believe it, or we would fall right into their trap.”
“Call Eunuch Li back in. After all, he has dealt with Emperor Hao Lin before. It would be better to have him join us in discussing the next steps,” the Emperor ordered.
General Xiao hurried out. Soon, he returned with Eunuch Li. The two stood on opposite sides of the hall, both looking toward the Emperor.
The Emperor lifted his teacup and took a small sip.
Eunuch Li quickly reminded him, “Your Majesty, the tea has gone cold. Shall I have someone prepare a fresh cup for you?”
“No need,” the Emperor said with a faint smile. “It helps clear the mind.”
Seeing that the Emperor’s expression had eased somewhat after his return, Eunuch Li couldn’t help but wonder what General Xiao had said to lift the Emperor’s heavy mood.
“Eunuch Li, I have just discussed matters with General Xiao. I intend to enter peace talks with Emperor Hao Lin. Since he has presented two conditions, I will choose one of them.”
Both General Xiao and Eunuch Li’s expressions changed at the same time. General Xiao was puzzled—when had he ever discussed this matter with the Emperor? But seeing the Emperor’s resolute expression, he understood that it was best not to question it and simply listen.
“May I ask which option Your Majesty intends to choose?” Eunuch Li asked.
The Emperor instead countered, “What do you think I should choose?”
Eunuch Li had not expected the Emperor to push the question onto him. After thinking it over repeatedly, he cautiously replied, “In this servant’s opinion, Your Majesty would certainly not exchange the Third Prince’s life.”
“Hahaha…” The Emperor suddenly laughed a few times and said to Eunuch Li, “I knew you would guess wrong. This time, I truly must bear the pain and let go.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the smile on the Emperor’s face disappeared, replaced by deep bitterness and helplessness.
Eunuch Li’s face changed drastically. He stepped forward and dropped to his knees with a thud. “Your Majesty must think this through! Although Your Majesty has many sons and grandsons, there are very few as talented as the Third Prince. Your Majesty cannot lose a future wise ruler for the sake of a piece of land!”
The Emperor let out a cold laugh. “Talented? Would a truly talented person commit such foolish acts? Someone who disregards the court and the people, acting only to settle personal grievances—can such a person become a wise ruler?”
The Emperor’s words left Eunuch Li speechless. Seeing that the Emperor truly intended to issue such an order, Eunuch Li hurriedly added, “Your Majesty, even if the Third Prince has done something so outrageous, he is still a prince of Yunxi, representing countless citizens. If we yield to Emperor Hao Lin’s coercion and execute our own prince, it will damage our national prestige. Other rulers will mock us, and even the people of Yunxi will feel ashamed. How can the court still earn their support then?”
The Emperor nodded, signaling Eunuch Li to rise, and then replied calmly, “In the hearts of the people, as long as a ruler ensures their prosperity and peace, he is a wise ruler and worthy of support. Compared to that worthless pride, what the people truly fear is war and disaster.”
Eunuch Li wanted to speak further but found no words.
The Emperor continued slowly, “Moreover, as you said just now, the Shannan Region is merely a few dozen li. When the time is right, we can reclaim it. In your eyes, that place is only fertile land—even if Lubei occupies it, it merely solves their food shortage. But its significance to Yunxi—you may not fully understand. General Xiao, explain to Eunuch Li just how important the Shannan Region truly is.”
After saying this, the Emperor’s expression returned to calm as he waited for General Xiao’s answer.
Eunuch Li, meanwhile, felt as though he had swallowed bitterness he could not spit out. He knew the importance of that land, but he had assumed the Emperor would keep the Third Prince. Fearing his words might anger the Emperor, he had deliberately argued in the opposite direction. He had not expected that this time the Emperor would act contrary to his expectations—none of his arguments had aligned with the Emperor’s decision.
“Lubei and Yunxi are separated by only one mountain. But without that mountain, they would be separated by only a single step,” General Xiao said briefly. He knew Eunuch Li understood perfectly well—everyone in court knew the importance of that mountain, especially someone like Eunuch Li, who served closely by the Emperor’s side.
Eunuch Li replied awkwardly, “Thank you, General Xiao, for the explanation. I have learned something.”
General Xiao did not press further but instead thought for a moment before addressing the Emperor. “Your Majesty, choosing one of the options outright may appear as submission to Emperor Hao Lin. Yunxi is a great nation—why should we follow his will? Just because he offers two paths, must Your Majesty choose between them? What if we execute the Third Prince, yet Emperor Hao Lin continues to press us? Would that not mean a life was sacrificed in vain?”
“Yes…” Eunuch Li added, “Your Majesty, in my view, Emperor Hao Lin is not someone who will simply let matters rest. Even if he takes the Third Prince’s life, he may still send troops against Yunxi.”
“I am well aware of that,” the Emperor replied. “But the conditions were proposed by him—clearly written in black and white. If he continues to oppose Yunxi afterward, then he will be in the wrong. At that point, it will be much harder for him to gain support from other nations.”
General Xiao frowned. “Your Majesty, I believe that if war truly breaks out, most other nations will adopt a neutral stance. Unless there is profit to be gained—if Emperor Hao Lin offers favorable terms, will those rulers still care who is right or wrong?”
“……”
A trace of weariness appeared on the Emperor’s face. It was unclear whether he had truly taken in their words. He simply said to General Xiao, “General Xiao, go and deliver a message to the Lubei envoy. Tell him that I have made my decision. Princess Wenyang is not only a princess of Lubei but also the daughter-in-law of Yunxi. Since my son has cruelly killed her, I cannot ignore right and wrong or show favoritism.”
General Xiao’s expression darkened slightly, but he still accepted the order and withdrew.
After General Xiao left, Eunuch Li sighed softly and looked at the Emperor. “Your Majesty, do not grieve too much. Your health is what matters most. I believe the Third Prince will understand Your Majesty’s difficult position.”
At the mention of the Third Prince, the Emperor’s expression grew even more solemn. He stood up and said to Eunuch Li, “Prepare the carriage. We are going to Qinyi Courtyard.”
Futile Devices Scans 
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