We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

The square coffin stood on the carriage, out of tune with everything around it, yet it seemed as if it belonged there.

Everyone was caught off guard and screamed in shock.

Zhang Fan and Li Che spoke seriously before, and everyone believed it and really believed that the things on it contained gifts.

Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a huge coffin!

This is a diplomatic mission, why bring a coffin? It's so unlucky!

Zhang Fan remained silent, but walked forward and gently touched the coffin lid.

Amidst the stunned gazes of the crowd, he slowly spoke, "This time, the Ministry of Rites drafted several memorials, repeatedly revising the gift list before submitting them to this envoy. After much hesitation, I finally made up my mind at the last moment before leaving the city."

"On this mission, my delegation only brought swords and knives. Apart from that, we didn't bring any gold or any gifts!"

Zhang Fan pointed to the coffin behind him and said, "Only this coffin will accompany me north!"

Seeing that everyone was puzzled, Zhang Fan did not explain immediately. He just took a deep breath and said slowly:

"Your Highness forbade me from committing suicide, so I agreed. I am ashamed, but this time I have committed the crime of deceiving the king."

"But, a senior once taught me that as an envoy, one should disregard life and death, and seek to survive even in the face of death! This is the path to death for me, Zhang Fan, but the path to life for an envoy!"

"I am carrying a coffin on a mission today. If I cannot persuade the Mohe tribes to surrender, I will never return!"

Zhang Fan withdrew his gaze, locking onto the soldiers and followers below him like a hawk, and the words that came out of his mouth were sonorous and powerful, yet every word was clear.

"Today, those who wish to follow me will travel north with me, Zhang. If this succeeds, you will be promoted and rich. If this fails, the Mohe barbarians will hate us to the core, and there is no way you and I will survive! Zhang is incompetent, and if I end up in pieces, I am willing to share a coffin with you!"

"By then, even if I perish, my name will be recorded in history!"

"Those who disobey me may return to the city on their own! I swear I will not embarrass you. Not only that, I will also write a letter to Your Highness, urging him not to embarrass you!"

Zhang Fan's eyes flashed as he looked towards the road leading to the north, and then towards Chaoyang City behind him.

"You decide for yourselves whether to retreat and live, or advance and die. There is absolutely no ambiguity between the two!"

After saying this, he stood under the coffin with his sleeves swung, and said no more.

As soon as the words fell, there was dead silence.

Everyone looked at Zhang Fan in amazement, and then looked at the pitch-black coffin behind Zhang Fan.

Sure enough, the coffin was very large.

If everyone was reduced to ashes by the Mohe barbarians, each person could take a few handfuls of ashes, which would be enough to hold all the ashes.

At this moment, Liu Dafeng suddenly burst into laughter.

Everyone looked over and saw the burly man laughing and bowing as he asked:

"I am a big, plump person. Could you please leave me some space in the coffin?"

Zhang Fan also smiled and replied: "I can't give you the place of others, but I can scatter less ashes to make room for you!"

"Not necessarily." Liu Dafeng stood up and looked back. "But if anyone is willing to leave now, I won't laugh at him. Leaving now would be considered a good deed. It would not only preserve your reputation, but also make more room for me!"

Everyone was silent at first, and then a Fengtian Army soldier said indignantly, "How can the deputy envoy look down on me like this? I am not talented, but I believe I am qualified to occupy a place in that coffin!"

As soon as these words came out, followers flocked to him:

"Count me in. I'm short and don't take up much space!"

"How can the men of the Fengtian Army be cowards? The adults have underestimated us!"

"I'll die if I want to. Why would the deputy envoy mock us for such a trivial matter?"

"Going back to the city now? I'm alive, but I'd be worse off dead!"

"We are willing to die with you, my Lord!"

Noisy voices rang out from all directions, and finally merged into one sentence:

"I am willing to die with you, sir!"

. . . . . .

This delegation had multiple destinations, all of which were Mohe tribes sandwiched between Feng State and Khitan.

Among them, the Heishui Mohe was the strongest, and the other tribes were all large tribes. Small tribes of a few thousand people were not within Zhang Fan's consideration at all.

The small tribes were too weak, had no fighting power, and were difficult to control, so it would be useless even if they were persuaded to surrender.

The roads in early spring are a bit difficult to walk on, and spring rain falls from time to time. It’s okay if there are newly built roads, but once you leave the roads, it becomes difficult to move forward.

After walking for seven days, the delegation finally arrived at its first stop, Yulou Mohe.

The Yulou Mohe tribe had more than 100,000 people, including 70,000 to 80,000 young and strong men, all of whom were capable of riding horses and fighting.

Its strength ranks firmly among the top three among the Mohe tribes!

Upon learning that the Feng State delegation had arrived, Chief Yu Lou did not dare to neglect them, but he was not overly enthusiastic either.

He simply politely invited the delegation in, arranged accommodation for them, and received them in the afternoon.

Zhang Fan didn't say much, he just asked Liu Dafeng to go with him and selected a translator who was proficient in Mohe language. He himself understood Korean, but not Mohe.

As the three of them walked through the tents, they saw pairs of eyes as fierce as tigers and wolves, most of which had bad intentions.

Zhang Fan and Liu Dafeng looked normal, and the translator's face was a little pale, but he forced himself to remain silent.

The moment he entered the big tent, Chief Yu Lou glanced at him coldly, and the guards around him held their scimitars in their hands, with cold eyes.

For a moment, the atmosphere was so tense that it was hard to breathe.

Zhang Fan sneered upon seeing this and walked forward with big strides.

Liu Dafeng and the other two followed closely behind.

Zhang Fan stopped only after he had walked ten steps in front of Chief Yu Lou.

The translator behind him had already had his back soaked with sweat, and he stared at Zhang Fan in front of him, waiting for him to say something.

However, Zhang Fan looked up and stared at Chief Yu Lou for a few seconds, then suddenly raised his hand and pointed at the chief.

He uttered a few words amidst the obvious astonishment of Chief Yu Lou.

"You, want to die or live?"