Chapter 661
Chapter 661
“The armies of Tiannan Province are likely down to just a few thousand. The only force with any combat capability is Marquis Xuanwu, Jin Zhuo's, five thousand private soldiers.”
Hearing Royal Uncle Ning Ji’s words, Ning Yuanxian asked.
“How large is King Ang’s army?”
Zhang Zhao replied, “At the very least, fifty to sixty thousand. At most, over a hundred thousand.”
“In the Nangou Kingdom, he annihilated our State of Yue’s two hundred fifty thousand troops with his one hundred thousand. He even managed to pin down and batter our one hundred seventy thousand troops with just thirty or forty thousand of his own. Do you all believe Tiannan Province can stop him?”
At Ning Yuanxian’s question, all the officials shook their heads, their faces contorted in pain. The great defeat of the two hundred fifty thousand troops had left the entire southern half of the State of Yue empty. There were only two places with soldiers now: the combined forces of Bian Wu and Ning Qi in Tiannan Province, numbering over a hundred thousand, and Zhong Yao’s hundred-thousand-strong army in the west. The capital also had a small force of a few tens of thousands, and Zhang Zixu held some troops in southern Tianxi Province. But the remaining regions were completely devoid of military power.
The entire southern part of the State of Yue was now like a beautiful woman, sitting naked and defenseless, letting others trample all over her. One could come and go a hundred times without resistance. So, what was to be done now?
“Your Majesty, General Zhu Lin has sent a final testament.”
At Zhang Zhao’s words, Ning Yuanxian cried out with a look of extreme disgust.
“I don’t want to see it! You read it!”
Zhang Zhao began to read the final letter. The beginning was all about Zhu Lin admitting his guilt.
“Skip that part. Read the important section,” Ning Yuanxian said, annoyed.
“We must immediately enter negotiations, or even form an alliance, with King Ang to focus all our efforts on dealing with the State of Chu. We must even be prepared to cede the five commanderies of Tiannan Province to King Ang!”
Upon hearing those words, everyone fell silent. Not a single person cursed in anger.
*Could King Ang want so little? Would a mere five commanderies be enough?*
Furthermore, no one spoke of it being a treaty of lost sovereignty and national humiliation. The five men present were all figures of supreme power; there was no need for theatrics. If ceding five commanderies could satisfy King Ang, they should be grateful. The State of Yue was in a perilous state. Once King Ang crossed the border and marched north, the south of Yue would fall, and his army would sweep through Tiannan Province in one fell swoop, marching all the way to the capital.
Dispatching troops south to defend Tiannan Province was already impossible. First, there wasn't enough time. Second, there were no troops to dispatch. If the State of Chu learned of this, they would surely seize the opportunity to start a war, launching a fierce assault on the western territories of Yue. Zhong Yao’s hundred-thousand-strong army would be more than stretched thin just defending against Chu’s three hundred thousand troops. How could they possibly spare any soldiers?
The State of Yue was simply incapable of fighting a war on two fronts simultaneously. Moreover, if Yue were to face a pincer attack from King Ang and Chu, the State of Wu would also mobilize. That would truly be a fatal disaster. The State of Yue would be unable to escape the fate of being carved up, its territory fractured, with at least two-thirds ceded to other nations.
“Then let’s negotiate. We should send a secret envoy to negotiate with King Ang. Who would be best to send?”
“What about Shen Lang?”
“No.”
Ning Yuanxian flatly rejected Zhong Yue’s suggestion. This negotiation was about begging for forgiveness, ceding land, and shouldering the infamy of surrendering sovereignty. Then, Royal Uncle Ning Ji spoke up.
“This old servant is willing to go.”
Ning Yuanxian was deeply moved but decided against sending him. Ning Ji was too upright and rigid in character, not suited for negotiations. Zhu Hongzhu spoke.
“How about sending Zhu Rong to talk first? Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Zhu Rong should have already gone to speak with them. Or, Your Majesty! What about Xue Che?”
Xue Che? That was a rather good choice. He had been stationed in the Great Yan Empire for a long time, handling intelligence and diplomacy, and was adept at employing various tactics.
***
In the days that followed, a relentless stream of truly nightmarish news arrived. The capital’s populace, once boiling with excitement, was instantly chilled, and the officials who had been congratulating one another began to tremble. The bad news grew progressively worse. The Nangou Kingdom had completely fallen, the State of Yue’s main force of two hundred fifty thousand was annihilated, and General Zhu Lin had died in battle. But this was only the official news; there was also unofficial news. Marquis of Zhenbei, Nangong Ao, had surrendered. Crown Prince Ning Yi had surrendered.
This news was a fatal blow to both the Crown Prince’s faction of officials and the people of the capital, a source of utter humiliation. Just days ago, everyone had been praising the Crown Prince to the heavens, saying things like, “Had heaven not given us Ning Yi, the State of Yue would be like an endless night,” and “A wise ruler, the likes of whom is seen only once in a century.” And now, that wise ruler had surrendered to King Ang.
*You, you are the young lord of a nation! You lost a war and didn’t even have the courage to kill yourself? What a disgrace! And we thought such a person was a wise ruler! We thought he was the hope of the State of Yue!*
After hearing that Crown Prince Ning Yi had surrendered, Ning Yuanxian fainted again. This time, it was almost like he had a stroke. When he awoke, half of his body was paralyzed for a long time. His Parkinson's-like symptoms had worsened significantly. He could no longer hide the trembling in his hands. In his heart, Ning Yuanxian was filled with regret that he couldn't tear this son of his to shreds.
*Ning Yi, why didn’t you kill yourself? Why didn’t you kill yourself? If you had killed yourself, our royal family of Yue could have at least saved some face! Surrendering to King Ang? Do you have any idea how much of a blow that is to our state’s morale? How am I supposed to face the world? Will the Ning Clan have any prestige left to rule the State of Yue?*
***
The Spring Festival arrived, but not a single household in the entire State of Yue celebrated. A cloud of despair hung over the nation. On the third day of the first month, the worst news yet arrived. King Ang, having retaken the Nangou Kingdom, officially declared to the world that he had reclaimed his ancestral lands. Following this, King Ang assembled a hundred-thousand-strong army of the Great Nan Kingdom and began to march north along two routes, east and west. The eastern route was commanded by Shayan of the Great Nan Kingdom, with Nangong Ao as his deputy, leading a total of fifty thousand troops out of Luoye City. The western route was commanded by the Great Nan Kingdom’s Commissioner of Military Affairs, Su Nan, leading fifty thousand troops out of Si City. The entire situation in the State of Yue was on the verge of collapse. Countless people in Tiannan Province began to flee.
***
In the capital of the State of Yue.
A nighttime curfew and food rationing were implemented once again. This time, there was no need for enforcement. The entire capital was frozen in a mood of despair. Moreover, a flood of refugees fleeing from Tiannan Province poured into the capital every day, and the rumors grew increasingly terrifying. Tales of King Ang having already seized Tiannan City and the entire Tiannan Province, of the Jin Clan surrendering, and of King Ang’s army about to attack the capital, sent shivers of fear throughout the city.
***
On the fifth day of the first month, an envoy from King Ang arrived in the capital for an audience with Ning Yuanxian.
“My master wishes for a truce!”
Upon hearing this, all the lords and ministers of Yue were unexpectedly overjoyed. Ning Yuanxian had already sent a secret envoy to negotiate with King Ang. But the envoy had just entered the Nangou Kingdom, so negotiations hadn't even formally begun, yet King Ang had sent an envoy first? And he had come officially to see Ning Yuanxian.
“The conditions for the truce are very simple. Cede the five southern commanderies of Tiannan Province!”
The moment he heard this, Ning Yuanxian and the powerful ministers who had been in the study the other day were completely astonished.
*What… what in the world is this?*
Only seven people at most knew about the decision to cede five commanderies: Ning Yuanxian, Zhu Hongzhu, Zhong Yue, Ning Ji, Zhong Zhao, Lu Zhun, and Xue Che. Only these seven knew, so there was no way the information could have leaked. Yet, it was as if King Ang were a worm in their bellies, seeing right through them, proposing this very condition before Yue’s envoy had even reached the Nangou Kingdom. The envoy from King Ang then pointed to a map, indicating the five commanderies to be ceded.
Tiannan, Yangwu, Nujiang, Wu'an, and Ningshui. This included the capital of Tiannan Province, as well as Nujiang Commandery, where the Jin Clan was located. The area of these five commanderies was seventy thousand square kilometers, with a total population of over two million. This was undoubtedly a treaty of humiliation, an unprecedented disgrace. Twenty years ago, the State of Wu had ceded nine commanderies and had been on its knees for two long decades, still unable to stand up straight.
But in the minds of Yue’s lords and ministers, this price was not actually that high, and King Ang’s demand was by no means unreasonable. At a time when the nation’s survival was at stake, refusing King Ang’s demand meant they couldn't protect the entire Tiannan Province. Half the country might even fall. If ceding five commanderies could secure a truce with King Ang, the State of Yue could focus all its efforts on defending against the State of Chu. It was a worthwhile trade. The loss of face, however, would be unavoidable.
King Ang’s envoy had presented these terms in the court, before all the officials. If Ning Yuanxian accepted, he would go down in history with an infamous name. Such matters should have been delegated to a minister to negotiate, so that all the blame for disgracing the nation could be placed on that minister. Just as Li Hongzhang had signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki.
“Let the envoy rest for now. A matter of this magnitude requires deliberation.”
In response to Ning Yuanxian’s words, King Ang’s envoy replied resolutely.
“My master said I can only stay here for three days! After that time, the negotiations will be considered a failure, and the army of our Great Nan Kingdom will sweep through the south of Yue. I shall take my leave now!”
The envoy from King Ang departed. His attitude was firm, as if he had come not to negotiate but to deliver an ultimatum.
*Accept quietly, or let’s fight!*
After the envoy left, the court of the State of Yue fell silent. No one dared to speak, even though everyone felt they must agree to the terms. King Ang’s conditions were remarkably conscientious. Of course, if the State of Yue accepted, they would lose the domains of the Jin Clan and the fiefdoms of the Xue Clan, as both Xuanwu City and Wu'an City were within the ceded territory. However, whoever spoke up first would henceforth be branded with the crime of disgracing the nation. King Ning Yuanxian, especially, could not be the one to speak. After a long while, Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu stepped forward and said.
“This old servant is willing to negotiate with the envoy of the Great Nan Kingdom.”
Finally, the Prime Minister of Yue had stepped forward, ready to bear the crime of national humiliation. Ning Yuanxian said nothing. Royal Uncle Ning Ji posed a question.
“Will King Ang go back on his word?”
He would not. Everyone instinctively thought so. Even the King of Wu knew that a signed contract should not be easily broken. How could a monarch of King Ang’s exceptional talent and grand strategy be any different? Once the treaty was signed, King Ang would absolutely not go back on it for a very long time.