Chapter 240 - 163: Threat and Return
Chapter 240: Chapter 163: Threat and Return
"Mother, you’re going to the wrong place," Xiao Hua reminded her softly.
She had realized her mother wasn’t heading toward the inner palace.
"I haven’t gone astray. I’m going to the Grand Ancestral Temple to kneel in penance for three days. You will manage the court’s affairs in my stead while I am gone."
After speaking, the Xiao matriarch walked toward the Grand Ancestral Temple.
Her figure seemed somewhat hunched.
She had thought that after unifying the Three Barbarians, Great Qin could finally hold its head high. But now, reality had knocked them back to square one. ’Our foundation is still too weak.’
Without a Renowned General to serve as a pillar of the state, they would continue to be bullied.
If it weren’t for Lu Yuan, Great Yu probably wouldn’t have even sent an envoy. Instead, they would have just waited a year to carve up Great Qin with Dayong.
’But even so, can we be confident of victory in the battle with Dayong a year from now?’
’Lu Yuan may command his troops with divine skill and possess immense talent, but can he truly match a Renowned General?’
’What’s more, Dayong also has the Unparalleled Marquis, a Quasi-Renowned General. It’s said he’s been in seclusion recently, preparing for a breakthrough.’
’He’s probably waiting for the battle against Great Qin to shock the world once more.’
Xiao Hua’s eyes grew red as she watched her mother’s retreating back.
She sniffled, then walked toward the inner palace.
She knew that now, more than ever, she had to pull herself together.
Over the next few days, Li Qing was left to wrangle with the envoy from Great Yu.
In the end, after ceding grasslands equivalent to about three prefectures, the Great Yu envoy signed a two-year non-aggression pact and departed, fully satisfied.
As for Lu Yuan, he finally returned to Great Qin over ten days later.
His trip to the buffer zone had been very fruitful. Not only had he obtained a Spiritual Soldier, but he had also gained support from the Crown Prince Elixir.
Given his performance this time, their support for him was sure to increase.
At that point, with Xiao Hongling’s assistance from the inside, seizing Dayong’s Northern Border would be well within reach.
The only thing he needed to do now was improve his cultivation.
At the very least, his cultivation had to reach the Divine Power Realm by the time war broke out for his personal strength to be enough. Furthermore, his mastery of Military Arrays also had to reach the level of a Renowned General.
Otherwise, facing one of Dayong’s Renowned Generals would be disastrous.
After all, the war in a year would undoubtedly be a clash between massive armies.
And if Dayong’s border was seized, they would be pushed into a corner, and their Renowned Generals would undoubtedly be forced to act.
The moment he stepped into his Prince’s Mansion, Cai Chong came forward to greet him. "Your Highness," he said respectfully.
"At ease," Lu Yuan said. "Has there been any trouble at the manor?"
Lu Yuan spoke as he walked toward the main hall.
His expression was neutral.
Cai Chong hurried to reply, "Everything is running smoothly. The businesses in South City have been completely stabilized."
The two entered the main hall as they spoke. Once Lu Yuan was seated, he glanced outside and asked, "What about the imperial court? Has anything happened?"
"Well... there is one thing," Cai Chong mumbled.
Lu Yuan’s brow furrowed. "Go on."
’Something must have happened at court,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, Cai Chong wouldn’t be acting this way.’
After glancing at Lu Yuan and hesitating for a moment, Cai Chong said, "Your Highness, a while ago, Great Yu sent an envoy to inform the court of some news. Dayong is planning to attack us and invited Great Yu to join them.
Great Yu implied that as long as we cede a plot of grassland to them, they won’t join Dayong in attacking us next year.
Otherwise, they would join forces and attack Great Qin."
"And Her Majesty agreed?" Lu Yuan asked, raising an eyebrow.
Cai Chong said softly, "Yes, she agreed. The treaty has already been signed."
Lu Yuan took a deep breath.
He then waved his hand, dismissing Cai Chong.
His expression had soured, but he knew the imperial court had been left with no other choice.
’If Dayong and Great Yu attacked together, we truly would have a hard time defending ourselves.’
’Even with my system, the risks would be substantial.’
Still, the news left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Great Yu," Lu Yuan murmured, "I will take back double what we have lost."
TAP! TAP! The sound of hurried footsteps snapped Lu Yuan back to his senses. He looked up to see Xiao Hua running in.
"Yuan, you’re finally back! Is everything finished in the buffer zone?"
"It’s all taken care of. You found out I was back so quickly."
"Hehe, I told the guards at the palace gates to inform me the moment you returned," Xiao Hua said with a grin.
"Alright. After I see my mother, I’ll go with you to the palace to visit my aunt."
"Okay," Xiao Hua nodded.
Then she sat down quietly beside Lu Yuan.
The two chatted for a short while. After visiting his mother, the Lu matriarch, in the rear courtyard, they headed straight for the palace.
After all, the return of a Prince was a major event. Protocol dictated that his first stop should be the palace to pay respects to Her Majesty, but Lu Yuan had business at his mansion, so he had gone there first.
Of course, the Xiao matriarch wouldn’t mind the breach of etiquette.
When they arrived at the study in the inner palace, Lu Yuan saw the Xiao matriarch seated at her desk, looking through memorials.
"Aunt, I’ve returned," Lu Yuan said with a warm smile.
The Xiao matriarch looked up and pointed to a nearby chair. "You two sit down. I’ll be with you once I’m finished with these memorials."
Lu Yuan nodded and sat down with Xiao Hua.
A moment later, the Xiao matriarch tossed the memorials aside. "Yuan, I assume you’ve heard about what happened with Great Yu."
"I have."
"Any thoughts?"
"What’s done is done. There’s no point dwelling on it. We focus on fighting Dayong first. We crush them, and then we take back the grasslands." His words were simple, but they held an unshakeable resolve.
"How confident are you that we can defeat Dayong?" the Xiao matriarch asked quietly.
"In one year, if I don’t have to face a Renowned General, my confidence is absolute. If I do, I’d say I have a sixty to seventy percent chance," Lu Yuan replied conservatively.
The Xiao matriarch smiled at him. "You’re certainly bold. Focus on improving your strength over this next year. Dayong’s attack is now a certainty.
When the time comes, it will be unavoidable for you to lead the campaign."
"I understand," Lu Yuan nodded.
The three of them spoke for a while longer, and then Lu Yuan departed.
Although he had made many preparations for the war with Dayong, he couldn’t afford to relax.
On the battlefield, a single moment of carelessness could lead to unbearable consequences.
「Meanwhile, inside the Dayong imperial palace」
The Yong Emperor was furious. The mystical mist that typically coiled around his body churned in disarray.
At his side, Prime Minister Lv Ze spoke softly, "Your Majesty need not be so enraged. Great Yu has always been like this. They use their strength as a license to do whatever they please.
This just puts us at something of a disadvantage."
This Prime Minister was the head of Dayong’s aristocracy, a man of venerable status.
At a time like this, he was the only one who dared to speak in the Yong Emperor’s presence.
"That fool of a Yu Emperor! I will make him regret this decision. It would be one thing if he simply refused to join Dayong in attacking Great Qin, but to run off to them himself, demand a plot of grassland, and even leak our plans!
Sooner or later, I will make him understand the price for such an act."
"In reality, Great Yu acted for two reasons," Chang Dao said calmly. "First, to take advantage of Great Qin. Second, to sit back and watch the tigers fight—to see us and Great Qin tear each other apart."
Lv Ze shot him a look but said nothing.
The Yong Emperor snorted. "Dayong has built up its own reserves over the years. If he thinks he can just sit back and watch us fight, he’s dreaming."
He was quite confident on this point.
The million-strong army in the buffer zone was more than enough to take on Great Qin.
As for Dayong’s domestic Imperial Guard, they could defend against Great Yu. Moreover, he had kept the news of Prince Ze’s breakthrough to the Renowned General level completely under wraps.
This was his hidden ace.
When the time came, it would be a surprise for them all.
The Unparalleled Marquis was also in seclusion. Though over a decade of imprisonment had subjected him to endless torment, it had also deepened his understanding of Arrays.
If all went well, he too should be able to advance to the rank of Renowned General within a year.
That would be more than enough to handle a Great Qin that had no Renowned General of its own.
As long as they could cripple Great Qin with overwhelming speed, Great Yu wouldn’t get the chance to take advantage of the situation.
Just as he was thinking this...
「At that same moment, in the imperial palace of Great Yu」
The Yu Emperor chuckled as he looked down at the returned envoy. "Excellent. With these grasslands, we can raise tens of thousands more warhorses.
Great Qin certainly knows its place."
But the envoy said softly, "Your Majesty, by forcing them to cede their land, I fear we have made a sworn enemy of Great Qin."
"And so what?" the Yu Emperor said dismissively. "Next year, they’ll have a bloody battle with Dayong and suffer heavy losses, setting their strength back. In two years, my Great Yu will be able to crush them with ease."
The envoy below quickly replied, "Your Majesty is wise."
The Yu Emperor waved his hand. "You’ve worked hard. Go and get some rest."
With that, the envoy withdrew.
A smile played on the Yu Emperor’s lips as he muttered to himself, "Without a Renowned General to keep them in check, what does it matter if the Three Barbarians have united? It’s impossible for them to replicate the Great Qin of old.
In the end, they still had to hand over their land obediently."
With that, he raised his wine cup and drained it in a single gulp.