Chapter 662
Chapter 662
"If Prince Gong does not go back on his word, then this old servant believes we should accept!"
Everyone was stunned to hear Royal Uncle Ning Ji's words. *Truly, Royal Uncle Ning Ji is naive and frank.* To say such a thing—was he not afraid of being cursed for ages to come? But inwardly, Ning Ji was seething with rage.
*'If I don't speak up, does His Majesty have to be the one to say this?'*
Royal Uncle Ning Ji continued.
"Your Majesty is unwell. Why not go and rest? Please leave matters like this to us."
His intention was perfectly clear. The king should not bear the infamy for an act that would damage the nation's sovereignty. Ning Yuanxian smiled bitterly.
"At a time like this, it's best we stop deceiving ourselves. I am a man who values his dignity and wishes to preserve it. But with this national crisis upon us, we must cast aside all pretense and overcome this ordeal. All of you, speak. Should we accept Prince Gong's terms?"
The officials remained silent. Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu bowed and said,
"This servant believes it would be best to accept!"
Ning Ji was the representative of the military officials, and Zhu Hongzhu, the civil officials. With these two leaders having spoken, the civil and military officials below them also began to speak in unison.
"This servant agrees!"
"This servant agrees!"
What a disgrace. To sell out the country so cheerfully. To think they were getting a good deal by ceding the territory of five commanderies to another. Ning Yuanxian said,
"How about this? Negotiate with Prince Gong's envoy. Ask if we can swap two of the ceded commanderies so that Nujiang and Wu'an commanderies are spared!"
Shen Lang's home was in Nujiang Commandery, and Xue Che's was in Wu'an Commandery. Hearing this, everyone was astonished.
*'Your Majesty, at a time like this, how can we afford to worry about the Jin and Xue clans? The Jin Clan has Raging Tide City, and the Xue Clan has the South Sea Sword Sect. You need not concern yourself with them.'*
"Go and negotiate. If you can persuade them, try to swap those two commanderies. If not, then the Jin and Xue clans will simply have to suffer the loss!"
Zhu Hongzhu bowed and said,
"This old servant accepts your command!"
Ceding the territory was now a foregone conclusion. The monarch and officials of Yue had all agreed to cede five commanderies in Tiannan Province to Prince Gong in exchange for a truce, so they could then focus all their strength on fighting the State of Chu to protect the majority of their lands. As the saying goes, when disaster befalls a nation, all its people suffer. The Jin and Xue clans were long-standing noble families of Yue; they would have to make a sacrifice alongside their country. Moreover, it was best to conclude this armistice agreement as quickly as possible. The tides of war wait for no one. In the future, Yue would face a decisive battle with the State of Chu to the west, a battle that would determine the nation's very survival.
Zhu Hongzhu was about to leave the grand hall to negotiate with Prince Gong's delegation. This was the collective will of Yue's monarch and officials. But just then, a voice echoed through the hall.
"I object!"
Unexpectedly, the voice belonged to Ning Zheng. Soon after, another figure walked into the grand hall. It was Shen Lang, a face not seen in a long time. Nearly a year had passed before he returned to the capital.
*'He's finally back!'*
Ning Yuanxian's eyes grew hot.
*'Shen Lang, you wretched bastard. It happened just as you jinxed it. When you left last year, you said it clearly: the day we lost the war in the Nanguo Kingdom would be the day you returned to the court. All your predictions came true. But I never imagined we would be defeated so miserably. Not even a year has passed, yet everything has changed. Our State of Yue has fallen into such dire straits that we are on the brink of ruin. What a pity. Shen Lang, you've come too late. The tide in the south has already turned; not even a god could reverse it now. Defeat is a foregone conclusion!'*
Shen Lang entered the grand hall, bowed, and offered his greetings.
"Your Majesty. This servant objects to making this armistice agreement with Prince Gong."
Ning Yuanxian said,
"Shen Lang, I know your home is included in the lands to be ceded this time. We will do our best to negotiate with Prince Gong, to ask him to swap the commanderies to be ceded and protect your family as much as possible. But if we truly cannot, doesn't your Jin Clan still have Raging Tide City and Leizhou Island?"
Shen Lang said,
"Your Majesty, I am not objecting for the sake of my Jin Clan! I object for the sake of Tiannan Province, for the sake of the State of Yue! This time, our State of Yue will not cede a single inch of territory!"
Then, a sinister voice was heard.
"Shen Lang, harsh words are easy to say, and anyone can speak of justice. Right now, all of Tiannan Province is empty, without a single intact army. If we don't accept Prince Gong's condition to cede five commanderies, who will stop his hundred-thousand-strong army? Will you stop them alone?"
"That's right! His Highness Ning Zheng and I will stop Prince Gong's hundred-thousand-strong army. We will achieve a complete victory without losing a single inch of Yue's territory."
Everyone was shocked by Shen Lang's resolute declaration.
* * *
Governor-General Zhu Rong of Tiannan Province learned of the defeat even faster than the king. At the time, as soon as he received the news, he dispatched a messenger north to report to Zhu Hongzhu and the king. However, Zhang Chong's speed was slightly faster, so he arrived in the capital two days before the messenger. After dispatching the messenger, Zhu Rong immediately headed south in his capacity as Governor-General of Tiannan Province to secretly visit Prince Gong. There was no doubt that he was a brave man. When he passed through the Sicheng Pass, Zhu Rong had no one by his side; he had truly entered the enemy camp alone. For him, every second counted, so he had no other choice.
By the time he arrived in the capital of the Nanguo Kingdom, the war was already over. The fifty-thousand-strong army of Yue had surrendered, and the entire Nanguo Kingdom had fallen. Zhu Rong waited another two days before he finally met Prince Gong, and the two sides immediately held a secret talk. At that point, he believed it might not be too late, as the news of the Crown Prince's surrender had not yet reached the State of Yue.
"Zhu Rong, a subject of the State of Yue, pays his respects to Prince Gong."
Prince Gong looked at Zhu Rong and said,
"Lord Zhu, you should not have come."
But how could Zhu Rong not have come? Time was flying like an arrow; if he didn't stop this wildfire in advance, it would spread unstoppably throughout the State of Yue.
"I have only one request. Please release the Crown Prince and suppress the news of his surrender."
Prince Gong did not respond to Zhu Rong's request.
"Prince Gong, I will give you the entire southern part of Tiannan Province. In return, I ask that you release the Crown Prince and, at the opportune moment, cooperate with us in a little play."
Prince Gong remained silent. Su Nan, standing beside him, chimed in with a smile.
"A play? One where we sweep through all of Tiannan Province and march straight for the capital, bringing the State of Yue to its darkest moment in history, on the verge of collapse and disintegration. But then, Crown Prince Ning Yi appears with a host of troops, blocks our grand army, saves the capital, pushes us back hundreds of miles, and recaptures seven or eight commanderies—is that the kind of play you have in mind?"
The words struck Zhu Rong to the core. That was the only way. They would make a secret pact to cede the entire southern part of Tiannan Province to Prince Gong. When Prince Gong's army marched north, Tiannan Province would offer no resistance, leading to the fall of the province and perhaps even parts of Tianyue. The Crown Prince's infamy for abandoning his army and fleeing was already widespread. But if, at the most desperate moment, the Crown Prince were to burst forth with a great army, drive Prince Gong's forces back hundreds of miles, and reclaim a dozen or so commanderies, the State of Yue would have a miraculous escape, and Crown Prince Ning Yi could become a hero once more. However, this required Prince Gong's cooperation. Without it, even ten Ning Yis attacking at once could not defeat him.
Zhu Rong knew that although the Zhu Clan had built an unparalleled faction of civil officials in the State of Yue, they still had to rely on the monarch. Therefore, Crown Prince Ning Yi was a core political asset for the Zhu Clan. One truly had to admire Zhu Rong. To find a way to revive the Crown Prince's fortunes even in a situation like this.
Su Nan asked him,
"If our master accepts your proposal, what does he stand to gain?"
Zhu Rong replied,
"Investiture from the Great Yan Empire."
Hearing this, Su Nan's eyes lit up. The Great Yan Emperor's investiture would be of immense value to Prince Gong. Currently, Prince Gong's Great Nan Kingdom had not yet been recognized by any of the world's major powers. This, of course, included the State of Chu, with whom he had a secret pact. Prince Gong's coronation ceremony had been exceedingly simple; besides the Great Jie Temple and some merchants from the Western Regions, no foreign envoys had attended. Therefore, receiving investiture from the Great Yan Empire would instantly solidify his prestige as a monarch.
Zhu Rong continued,
"First, he can be invested as a duchy, and then we can work towards elevating it to a kingdom later. Prince Gong must already know that our Zhu Clan has the ability to make this happen."
Prince Gong certainly believed in their capabilities. The Zhu Clan was an aristocratic family with nearly a thousand years of power in the Great Yan Empire, and the Zhu Clan of Yue was merely a branch that had split off from the Zhu Clan of Yanjing. The Zhu Clan's foundation was in Yanjing, and currently, one of the four prime ministers in the Great Yan Empire's Department of State Affairs was a Zhu. Just as the Zhu Clan had once saved Ning Yuanxian's life, they could help secure Prince Gong's investiture today.
Governor-General Zhu Rong said,
"Prince Gong, doesn't releasing the Crown Prince perfectly align with your own interests?"
This was even more blunt. Crown Prince Ning Yi was, after all, a general defeated by you. Wouldn't it be advantageous for you if he were to ascend the throne in the future? He was implying that if a wise and majestic monarch took his place, it would be disadvantageous for the Great Nan Kingdom.
"If you do so, the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion will surely remember your benevolence."
Zhu Rong believed the terms he offered were extremely attractive and irresistible. A man as ambitious as Prince Gong would surely covet the investiture of the Great Yan Empire. However, Prince Gong remained silent from beginning to end.
"Your Highness Prince Gong, I will give you all ten of the thirteen commanderies in Tiannan Province. Later, you just need to help His Highness the Crown Prince recapture three of them."
Su Nan stared intently at Prince Gong, who suddenly spoke.
"Zhu Rong, I have already sent an envoy to the capital of Yue to request an audience with the King of Yue. Furthermore, I have presented my demand for the cession of five southern commanderies."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Rong was greatly surprised.
*'Prince Gong, are your desires so small? You only want five southern commanderies? I was prepared to offer ten.'*
Zhu Rong said to him,
"Prince Gong, recall your envoy at once."
"It is already too late, and there is no need. Lord Zhu, you should get some rest."
Then, Prince Gong lifted his teacup, signaling that their business was concluded and the guest should leave. Su Nan, the Privy Councilor of the Great Nan Kingdom, personally saw Zhu Rong out.
"Marquis Su. I ask that you persuade Prince Gong."
Zhu Rong's insides were burning with anxiety, and he could no longer hold back his plea. Su Nan smiled and said,
"His Highness possesses outstanding talent and grand strategies. A subject like myself cannot fathom his thoughts."