Chapter 695
Chapter 695
Upon hearing the news from Ning Zheng, Ning Yuanxian was so overcome with joy that he could no longer hold back the tears streaming down his face.
“I am truly no king. I am not. I am all bluster and no substance, strong on the outside but hollow within.”
Ning Yuanxian reproached himself. For the past twenty-odd years, he had grown too comfortable in his role as king, and his complacency had brought disaster upon the State of Yue.
“Ning Yi is just like me. He appears meticulous and grand, but he is stuffed with straw. Ning Qi, on the other hand, is quite brilliant. His political acumen is so impressive that even I cannot help but admire it. I never realized he possessed such talent. In playing the part of my son, he was unable to fully display his abilities.”
Ning Yuanxian spoke with a hint of sarcasm. He had certainly been shocked by Ning Qi lately. The prince’s actions had been nothing short of dazzling. This son, who had always been so quiet, had suddenly revealed an astonishing side. Ning Yuanxian had even wondered if entrusting the State of Yue to Ning Qi might be a good choice. But Ning Qi was too clever. To ascend the throne, he would stop at nothing. He had abandoned his original wife to take Zhu Ying as his consort, generously offered to cede the entirety of Tiannan Province, and even promised six commanderies in Tianbei Province. He had cast Ning Yuanxian aside to negotiate with the Great Yan Empire and had mortgaged Raging Tide City to gain the support of the Hidden Yuan Society.
Witnessing all these maneuvers, Ning Yuanxian was deeply impressed. Besides, he himself had once abandoned his own wife, so he could hardly condemn Ning Qi for doing the same. But even he had never gone so far as to cede territory. Compared to Ning Qi, Ning Zheng was terribly stubborn and dull-witted. He had chosen to risk his life for the sake of a single city. To prove that the Ning royal family still had fire in its veins, Ning Zheng had stood at the head of his soldiers, shedding blood and fighting with his own hands. Perhaps that was the very spirit the royal family had been lacking. With too many clever men, the State of Yue needed a ruler who was, by comparison, a fool.
Only after reading the secret report in detail did Ning Yuanxian truly understand how desperate the situation in Yangguo City had been. It was a perfect illustration of the saying, "Heaven helps those who help themselves."
In this crisis that threatened to destroy the kingdom, Shen Lang had done everything in his power to turn the tide, but if Ning Zheng had not fought with every fiber of his being, Yangguo City would have fallen and its garrison annihilated. At the critical moment, Ning Zheng had not abandoned the city to flee; instead, he had chosen to live or die with his men. His resolve had ignited the morale of the eighty-seven hundred guards, enabling them to repel Su Nan’s army and hold on long enough for Shen Lang to work his miracle. Had Ning Zheng acted otherwise, Shen Lang’s miracle would have come too late.
This further solidified Ning Yuanxian’s conviction that the future State of Yue needed a king like Ning Zheng. Only a monarch with such an iron will could resist the encroaching grasp of the Great Yan Empire, which sought to devour the world. Only a king like Ning Zheng, who threw himself into every task, great or small, could resolve the latent troubles plaguing the State of Yue.
* * *
Prince Ning acted with the swiftness of thunder and the speed of wind. He could have put on a show, of course—letting Su Nan’s army continue its assault on Yangguo City while dispatching another force to attack the Marquis of Xuanwu’s estate. He could have also feigned acceptance of Ning Qi’s proposal to lower his guard. But Prince Ning idolized Jiang Li and despised such duplicity. Immediately after concluding his negotiations with Shen Lang, he dispatched messengers to the armies of Su Nan and Nangong Ao to proclaim his decree. To Nangong Ao, his message was simple.
"I do not blame you, my lord. You remain the Deputy of my Privy Council."
Nangong Ao fell to his knees and wept silently, unable to rise. He had been under immense pressure. Though Siyan was the nominal commander of the Eastern Route Army, everyone knew that Nangong Ao was the one truly in charge. Yet, in this northern expedition, his performance had been utterly abysmal. He had attacked the Marquis of Xuanwu’s estate three times and failed each time, losing more than half of his fifty-thousand-strong army.
After defecting to the Great Nan Kingdom, Nangong Ao had been granted a high position and had been allowed to move his entire clan safely into their territory. This was his chance to prove his worth and repay his new lord. Yet, having lost three consecutive battles, he had been certain his position was forfeit. But Prince Ning had not uttered a single word of blame, instead reaffirming his title as Deputy of the Privy Council. Compared to Ning Yuanxian’s harsh and ungrateful nature, Prince Ning was truly magnanimous.
“This humble subject will devote body and soul to Your Highness’s profound grace and serve you faithfully unto death!”
Then, Prince Ning’s messenger read the new decree.
“The Great Nan Kingdom and the State of Yue will formally cease hostilities. The combined forces of Siyan and Nangong Ao are ordered to withdraw from the territory of the State of Yue. This order is to be carried out immediately upon receipt.”
“As you command!”
The remaining twenty-thousand-some troops under Nangong Ao’s command packed their belongings and prepared for a full withdrawal. Nangong Ao once again requested a meeting with Jin Zhuo, the Marquis of Xuanwu. The two men set up a table for drinks outside the marquis’s estate.
“Brother Jin Zhuo, don’t laugh at my expense.”
Nangong Ao drank, his face flushed with shame. Jin Zhuo said nothing, simply downing his wine in one gulp.
“Prince Ning has shown me grace as immense as a mountain. From this day forward, the Nangong clan will serve the Great Nan Kingdom, and a long road lies ahead of us. Take care of yourself, Brother Jin Zhuo.”
Jin Zhuo remained silent, once again downing his wine in a single gulp.
The next day, the twenty-thousand-some troops under Siyan and Nangong Ao marched south in a grand procession, withdrawing completely from the territory of the State of Yue.
* * *
Unlike Nangong Ao, Su Nan was extremely reluctant to accept the decree. While Nangong Ao’s forces may have lost the will to fight, Su Nan’s army was still a formidable fighting force. Moreover, if Prince Ning desired it, he could dispatch ten thousand reinforcements from the Great Nan Kingdom to march north. He was ninety percent certain he could take the capital of Yue. The order to withdraw the entire army was a bitter pill to swallow.
In the end, however, Su Nan formally signed the truce agreement with Ning Zheng outside Yangguo City. Once the two of them had signed, the document would be delivered to Ning Yuanxian, and the monarchs of the two nations would officially ratify the armistice. Su Nan sighed.
“Perhaps the State of Yue is fated to survive after all.”
Ning Zheng said nothing. He meticulously signed his name and affixed the seal of the Grand General of the Southern Pacification Army. His entire body was covered in wounds. His face alone bore half a dozen scars, leaving it a complete mess—though for Ning Zheng, there was little difference between a ruined face and his usual one. Su Nan gazed at him with an expression of surprise.
*Back when I served in the Yue court, I never noticed. I never knew Ning Zheng was so…*
For a moment, Su Nan could not find the right word to describe him. Exceptional? Remarkable? Neither seemed quite right. One couldn't call Ning Zheng a great talent. But he possessed an iron will, fierce pride, immense magnanimity, and a character of rare quality. Suddenly, Su Nan asked a question.
“Your Highness, do you know what Prince Ning Qi promised me?”
Ning Zheng looked surprised and shook his head.
“He promised the independence of my Su clan and to return the Marquisate of Zhenyuan to me. He even offered me all the lands of Zhenyuan City. So, I would like to hear what you, Prince Ning Zheng, can offer me.”
Ning Zheng thought for a moment before asking.
“Are you not faring well in the Great Nan Kingdom, Lord Su?”
Su Nan burst into laughter.
“I am. I am faring very well indeed!”
Then, Su Nan extended his hand to Ning Zheng.
“We never had this custom of shaking hands before Shen Lang introduced it. Your Highness, shall we?”
Ning Zheng reached out, and the two men gripped each other’s hands firmly.
“Your Highness, the road ahead is fraught with peril. Take care!”
“You as well.”
Su Nan led his army of over forty thousand men south in a grand procession, withdrawing completely from the lands of Yue. The truce signed by Prince Ning and Shen Lang had stipulated a withdrawal by the fifteenth of the third month, but the armies of the Great Nan Kingdom had pulled back entirely. Normally, in such situations, one might delay to extort as much as possible, but the two armies had withdrawn a full ten days ahead of schedule.
* * *
Four days after Shen Lang left the capital of the Nan’ou Kingdom, an envoy from the Celestial Path Society paid a formal visit.
“Your Highness Prince Ning, you may send your men directly to the border to collect two million taels of gold! Here is the mercenary contract signed by His Highness Prince Ning Zheng. And this is the loan agreement drafted by Her Majesty the Queen of the Qiang Kingdom. It details the repayment of one and a half million gold taels over ten years, at an annual interest of five percent! This debt will be jointly guaranteed by Young Master Shen Lang and our Celestial Path Society.”
Prince Ning was utterly stunned.
*Paying so promptly? How many days has it been since Shen Lang left this city? The gold has already been sent?*
This meant Shen Lang had begun transporting the gold even before he started negotiating with him.
Prince Ning said to Huang Dong.
“You have gone to great trouble.”
“Henceforth, I shall be personally responsible for all trade in Fallen Leaf City. Your Highness, you may tell me everything you wish to sell or buy, and we will handle it all.”
* * *
Prince Ning’s envoy once again entered the capital of Yue to formally sign the truce with King Ning Yuanxian. There were no conditions. The armies of the Great Nan Kingdom would withdraw completely from Tiannan Province without the cession of a single city or commandery. The entire court was stunned by the terms of the agreement.
*Heavens. What in the world happened? How could things change so drastically? Did we miss something? Just a short while ago, Prince Ning was poised to conquer all of Yue, swallowing Tiannan Province whole. His armies were at our very gates, ready to destroy Tianyue City, and now he is suddenly withdrawing his forces? Could there be some secret deal at play?*
But in the end, the news that Prince Ning had withdrawn his forces and ended the war in the south was cause for celebration. The ministers all cried out in unison.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty!”
Ning Yuanxian laughed heartily.
“Well done, truly well done. Ning Zheng has accomplished something great. He fought splendidly.”
None of the ministers echoed his praise, shifting uncomfortably. They were not yet prepared to sing the praises of Ning Zheng.
“Ning Yi incompetently led an army of over two hundred thousand to its annihilation. Yet Ning Zheng, with a mere ten thousand men, unexpectedly held off Prince Ning’s army of one hundred thousand. Remarkable!”
The ministers remained silent.
“Zhu Hongzhu, Ning You, Prince Ning Zheng has achieved a peerless victory. How should we reward him?”
At the king’s words, Zhu Hongzhu stepped forward.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty. Perhaps we should discuss the matter of a reward after His Highness Prince Ning Zheng returns to the capital?”
Just then, a messenger cried out from outside the throne hall.
“Urgent dispatch! Urgent dispatch! His Highness Prince Ning Qi has successfully concluded negotiations with the King of Wu! The King of Wu will advance no further south and has withdrawn thirty li! The northern border of our State of Yue is secure!”
In an instant, all the civil and military officials bowed as one.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty! The Third Prince bravely ventured into the State of Wu alone, single-handedly conducting negotiations and achieving the unparalleled merit of saving the State of Yue from its dire predicament!”
Ning Yuanxian sneered inwardly.
*What impeccable timing. The moment I sign a truce with Prince Ning, news arrives of Ning Qi’s diplomatic victory in the north. Ning Zheng went south, stopped Prince Ning, and forced him to withdraw his army. In the north, Ning Qi pressured the King of Wu to prevent a war. One in the south, one in the north, both striving to salvage the situation. Their achievements are truly neck and neck.*