Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

Chu Xuan's last words were clearly sarcastic.

The eyes of the Youzhou army and the Scorpion Clan generals around him all turned to Li Shiming, filled with doubt and a hint of wariness.

The atmosphere suddenly became subtle.

Li Shiming seemed oblivious to the sarcasm in Chu Xuan's words and calmly continued:

"I am not being sentimental like a woman, but this person and I still have an unfinished deal to make."

"trade?"

Chu Xuan frowned even more, completely baffled as to what Li Shiming was up to.

At this point, what deal is there to negotiate with a dying enemy general?

"good."

Li Shiming spoke slowly, turning his gaze back to Han Xing, raising his voice slightly to ensure everyone around could hear him.

"My great general Yuchi Bo is the bravest in the army and is my right-hand man."

"Unfortunately, he was captured by the Chu army in a previous encounter and his fate and whereabouts remain unknown."

"I want to exchange Han Xing for Yuchi Bo!"

Upon hearing this, not only was Chu Xuan stunned, but even Han Xing, who was gritting his teeth and holding on not far away, had a look of astonishment in his eyes.

He had heard about Yuchi Bo's capture, but he didn't know exactly where he was being held.

He never expected that Li Shiming would make such a request at this time.

Chu Xuan snapped out of his daze, his face growing even more somber, and shook his head resolutely: "Emperor Tang, I'm afraid this is not a good idea."

"General Yuchi was a general of the Tang Dynasty. His capture was a matter between the Tang army and Chu Ning."

"Now that Han Xing has fallen into my hands, he is my prisoner, and how to deal with him is up to me."

"The Tang Emperor wants to use him to exchange for General Yuchi. That is a negotiation between His Majesty and Chu Ning, and it has nothing to do with me. I do not want to, nor am I obligated to, get involved."

His refusal was swift and decisive, and his reasons seemed quite valid.

His primary goal at this moment is to kill Han Xing, weaken Chu Ning, and at the same time demonstrate to the world his determination to completely break with Chu Ning and even replace him.

Use an important prisoner to help Li Shimin exchange people?

What good does this do him?

It will only add more variables.

Li Shiming seemed to have anticipated Chu Xuan's reaction. He wasn't angry; instead, he narrowed his eyes slightly, lowered his voice, and spoke with a hint of seduction and negotiation:

"Prince Xuan, you are mistaken. Han Xing is indeed in your hands now, but if my soldiers had not fought desperately to hold back Chu Ning's main force and deplete his strength, how could the Prince and General Gongsun's army have completed the encirclement so smoothly?"

"Our Great Tang Dynasty also deserves credit for this."

He paused, observing Chu Xuan's expression, and continued, "Since the Prince has broken with Chu Ning, he must also need to consider the foundation for his future security and even further advancement."

"Having an army without a solid foundation and strongholds is like a rootless duckweed."

Chu Xuan's eyes flickered, and he did not immediately refute, clearly Li Shiming's words had touched on some of his thoughts.

His betrayal of Chu Ning was a reckless gamble. If he succeeded, he would naturally conquer the world, but if he failed or the situation remained deadlocked, he would indeed need a reliable way out and a base of operations.

Although Youzhou is currently under his control, its location in the north and its direct confrontation with potential counterattacks from Chu Ning from other directions make it far from secure.

Seeing that he was interested, Li Shiming offered his real bargaining chip: "How about this, Prince Xuan, as long as you hand over Hanxing to me, I am willing to exchange it for the two important northern towns of Hejian and Pingyuan!"

Hejian!

Plains!

Upon hearing these two names, not only did Chu Xuan's breath catch in his throat slightly, but the eyes of the Youzhou army generals behind him also instantly blazed with intense light!

Hejian and Pingyuan were both important prefectures in the southern part of the Tang Dynasty, with key geographical locations, strong cities, large populations, and abundant food supplies.

Hejian, in particular, is a vital strategic location controlling north-south transportation!

If we could acquire these two cities, it would be like driving a solid wedge into the northern part of the Tang Dynasty, allowing us to advance or retreat as needed.

Whether it's competing for supremacy with Chu Ning in the future or striving for more benefits within the Tang Dynasty, they now have extremely important leverage!

The temptation is too great! It's far more valuable than Han Xing's head!

Chu Xuan's heart was churning violently.

Killing Han Xing would certainly vent anger and weaken Chu Ning, but it would also offend Li Shiming and potentially cost them two crucial cities.

He traded a prisoner who served no purpose other than to vent his anger for two cities of real, strategic value.

This is a great deal no matter how you look at it!

The gloom and displeasure on his face melted away quickly like spring snow, replaced by a deep sense of weighing and calculation.

He looked at Han Xing again, but his eyes were completely different now. He no longer saw Han Xing as a deadly enemy, but as a rare commodity that could be traded for huge profits.

After a full ten breaths of contemplation, Chu Xuan finally spoke slowly, his tone now calm, even carrying a hint of a smile:

"His Majesty the Emperor of Tang is indeed far-sighted and loves his generals like his own children. He is truly admirable."

"Since His Majesty values ​​Hanxing so much and is willing to exchange two important towns for it, it would seem unreasonable for me to refuse again."

He then changed the subject: "However, words alone are not enough."

"The Tang emperor must establish a state treaty to clearly define the handover of the two cities of Hejian and Pingyuan, the timing, and the rights and responsibilities of both parties during this period."

"Furthermore, Han Xing should be temporarily detained by my men until the contract takes effect and the city is handed over, at which point he will be handed over to Your Majesty for disposal. What do you say?"

Li Shiming sneered inwardly, knowing that Chu Xuan wouldn't act until he saw the benefit, but on his face, he showed a relieved smile:

"That is the way it should be! I will immediately order someone to draft a letter of state to discuss the details with the Prince. I will trouble the Prince to take care of Han Xing for the time being."

Their eyes met briefly in the air, and they both saw the undisguised calculation and the sense of temporary compromise in each other's eyes.

A deal surrounding Han Xing's life was struck in a cold and realistic way amidst the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, at the break of dawn.

Han Xing listened to the entire negotiation that would determine his fate, but felt no joy at being rescued, only endless coldness and mockery.

He, a dignified general of the Great Chu, was treated like merchandise, used by the emperor of an enemy state and traitors of his own country to trade for cities!

This is a tremendous insult to him, to His Majesty, and to the entire military spirit of Great Chu!

He wanted to roar, to denounce, to kill himself to preserve his honor and not let his body become a bargaining chip.

But the weakness from excessive blood loss and the last vestiges of his bodyguard's survival instincts forced him to clench his teeth and swallow all his anger and humiliation, along with the blood gushing from his mouth.

His bloodshot eyes, like the sharpest knives, scraped across Chu Xuan and Li Shiming's faces, etching them deeply into their very bones.