With a million soldiers, the empress begged me not to rebel

Now Beixiang State is weak. If we rashly start a war, I'm afraid...

Then another minister came forward and advised:

"Your Majesty, Shannan is very powerful. We must act with caution!"

"shut up!"

The king shouted angrily, interrupting the minister.

"Are you expecting me to bow down to a young boy? When has my Beixiang Kingdom ever suffered such a humiliation?!"

There was silence in the hall. The ministers looked at each other and dared not speak anymore.

The king's anger frightened them and made them realize the seriousness of the situation.

After a while, the ministers began to whisper and discuss.

The war faction advocated sending troops immediately to attack Shannan in order to safeguard national dignity;

The peace advocates believe that peace should be valued, and strength should be preserved to avoid mutual losses.

"Your Majesty, I believe that Shannan's actions are a clear provocation to our Beixiang State. We must not tolerate this!"

A pro-war minister said passionately.

"Only by sending troops to teach them a lesson can we let them know the power of our Beixiang Kingdom!"

"I second the proposal!"

Another pro-war minister also came out to express his support.

"Shannan has gone too far. We must teach them a lesson!"

"No!" A peace-loving minister stood up and objected.

"Shannan is very powerful. We should not start a war with them now. Otherwise, the consequences will be disastrous!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, we should value peace, conserve our strength, and bide our time!"

Another minister who advocated peace also echoed this.

In the court, the pro-war and pro-peace factions each held their own views and argued endlessly.

The king sat on the dragon throne, listening to the opinions of his ministers and fell into deep thought.

At present, Beixiang Kingdom cannot withstand a major war, so preserving its strength is the best strategy.

But if we bow to Shannan, how will Beixiang Kingdom maintain its dignity?

The king knew that this was a difficult decision.

He has to choose between national dignity and national interests.

In the end, the king overruled all objections and ordered Chu Wen to negotiate peace with Shannan at all costs.

Even if it comes at a cost, we must avoid the outbreak of war.

Only by preserving our strength can we be invincible in future competition.

After Chu Wen received the king's instructions, waves of humiliation and anger surged in his chest, almost swallowing up his sanity.

Negotiate peace! They actually asked him to negotiate peace!

When had he, an envoy from the dignified Beixiang Kingdom, ever suffered such a humiliation?!

He could almost imagine Lu Yan's smug face, and he felt even more angry.

Damn it! He clenched his teeth so tightly that they almost broke.

He stopped suddenly and punched the palace wall, leaving a deep dent in the hard bricks and stones.

A piercing pain came from his finger bones, but it was not even one ten-thousandth of the pain in his heart.

Although he was unwilling to accept the king's decision, he understood that it was the best option at the moment.

Beixiang Kingdom cannot withstand a major war, so he must endure humiliation and fight for a chance of survival for the country.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm the surging emotions in his heart and put the thin edict back into his sleeve.

When he came to the Shannan government office again, his steps were as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

Every step seemed to trample on his dignity, making it difficult for him to breathe.

This time, he did not put on his previous arrogant attitude.

Because this time he represents not only himself, but also the fate of the entire Beixiang Kingdom.

"Lord Lu,"

Chu Wen took a deep breath and tried to maintain his calm appearance.

He had to be patient. For the future of Beixiang Kingdom, he had to force himself to swallow this bitter pill.

"I was confused for a moment and misunderstood what you meant."

He uttered these words with difficulty, and each word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Now I have figured it out,"

Chu Wen paused and tried hard to force a smile that was uglier than crying.

"Your Excellency's request is reasonable and I am willing to agree to all of it."

Every word was like a heavy burden, weighing him down and making it hard for him to breathe.

Lu Yan's gaze was as sharp as a knife, able to penetrate Chu Wen's disguised calmness and reach the surging waves deep in his heart.

He looked at Chu Wen with a half-smile, thinking to himself:

This old fox finally gave in.

"It would be great if Lord Chu could figure it out,"

Lu Yan's tone was calm.

"In that case, please prepare the compensation and the written acknowledgment of your mistake, Lord Chu."

"I will send someone to receive it in three days."

Chu Wen clenched his teeth so tightly that they almost broke.

But he still nodded and agreed with difficulty.

In this battle, Beixiang Kingdom was completely defeated.

Three days later, Chu Wen delivered one million taels of silver and a letter of apology to Shannan Prefecture as Lu Yan requested.

The heavy silver and the documents with wet ink were like a mountain, weighing him down so much that he could hardly raise his head.

Seeing that Chu Wen was sincere, Lu Yan decided to stop while he was ahead.

Agree to release Princess Mingyue and resume trade between the two countries.

At this point, the conflict between Shannan and Beixiang Kingdom came to a temporary end.

After Princess Mingyue returned to Beixiang Kingdom, her longing for Lu Yan became stronger and stronger.

She thought of the days in Shannan Prefecture, and of Lu Yan's every smile and every move.

Although he seemed cold to her on the surface, he always showed his care and concern for her inadvertently.

Princess Mingyue lost her appetite and felt absent-minded all day.

I often sit alone by the window, staring into the distance in a daze.

Lu Yan's figure was all in my mind.

The maids around her saw it and were worried.

"Princess, what's wrong with you? You've been in a bad mood since you came back from Shannan."

The maid asked with concern, her tone thick with worry.

Princess Mingyue sighed deeply and said quietly:

"I...I miss Master Lu."

Her voice was low and hoarse, filled with unspeakable sadness and longing.

The maid was shocked when she heard this.

She didn't expect that the princess actually fell in love with Lu Yan.

"Princess, please don't be stupid! Lu Yan is the governor of Shannan and our enemy!"

The maid spoke anxiously, fearing that the princess would do something stupid in the heat of the moment.

"I don't care who he is. I just know that I like him." She said firmly without any hesitation.

Seeing that her persuasion was futile, the maid could only sigh and say no more.

Once the princess makes a decision, no one can change it.

……

In March, Shannan Prefecture is already full of lush grass and chirping birds, presenting a thriving scene.

Chen Qingwan traveled north and arrived in Shannan Prefecture in just three days.

She came and went in a hurry last time and did not take a close look at the city.

Now when I savor it carefully, I find it has a unique flavor.

On both sides of the official road leading into the city, peach blossoms are blooming and willow branches are swaying.

On the inland river, merchant ships come and go, and all kinds of goods are continuously transported ashore.

The cranes at the dock made a creaking sound, singing the song of harvest.

This busy scene reminded Chen Qingwan of the moat in the capital.

It was once the largest cargo terminal in the Datong Dynasty.

Today, Shannan Prefecture has become as prosperous as it.