Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

The next morning before the court session, Ye Fan took the initiative to approach Zhao Huan.

"Your Majesty, I have something important to report."

"What does the Right Chancellor wish to report?"

These past few days, Zhao Huan has been restless. The joy of the whole city celebrating the expulsion of the Jurchens has brought the young emperor not even the slightest comfort.

Although the Jin army's offensive was repelled, Bianjing City remained under siege by the Jin people.

In other words, in Zhao Huan's mind, the crisis in Bianjing was not only not resolved, but might be even more serious than he had imagined.

He was terrified that the Jurchens would take even more brutal revenge, which made him live in constant fear.

Ye Fan smiled slightly and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, yesterday the Jin envoys secretly approached me, and they are willing to make peace with Your Majesty."

"What? The Jurchens have found you?"

In a moment of desperation, Zhao Huan grabbed Ye Fan's hand.

Just then, Gao Mingli came to report: "Your Majesty, the morning court session is about to begin. Please move to Bianliang Palace."

Zhao Huan replied impatiently, "I know, go and wait."

Then he looked at Ye Fan and said, "Since the Jin people want to make peace, why don't they send an envoy to see me directly, instead of contacting you, the Right Chancellor, first?"

Ye Fan: "I don't know either. Perhaps it's because I was once an envoy to the Jin camp that made the Jin people feel it was more appropriate for them to communicate with Your Majesty through me."

Zhao Huan found this reasonable and asked, "What did the Jurchen say to the Right Chancellor?"

Ye Fan replied, "The Jin people said that if they want to withdraw their troops, they must send court officials to the Jin army camp to negotiate."

Zhao Huan's eyes lit up: "Good, I'll send someone to discuss it right away. Right Chancellor, what about the person in charge this time..."

Ye Fan hurriedly replied, "The Jin people said that I should act as a mediator between the two sides in the city, and Your Majesty needs to send some other officials there."

Zhao Huan: "Very well, I will make the arrangements immediately. As long as the Jin people are willing to withdraw their troops, everything is negotiable, everything is negotiable!"

At this moment, Gao Mingli came to urge again: "Your Majesty, the court assembly has already begun, you..."

"Alright, you may leave now. I'll be there shortly."

Zhao Huan gave a perfunctory reply, then took Ye Fan's hand: "Brother, I've been in a bad mood these days, and I've wronged you."

After the Jurchens retreat, we will return to how things were before. I will definitely make it up to you, so please don't blame me.

Ye Fan was moved and said, "Your Majesty knows that you have been working tirelessly for the country these past few days, and I understand how difficult it has been for you. How can I blame Your Majesty?"

"Very well, it's best if Your Majesty doesn't blame me. Come, let's go to court together."

"Yes!"

The emperor and his minister walked one after the other toward the Bianliang Palace.

……

In the imperial court, Zhao Huan sat high on the dragon throne, listening to Zhou Xianwu, Li Gang and others talk about the detailed deployment of defenses within the city, but he was absent-minded.

Since the Jurchens were willing to negotiate, he no longer had the heart to pay attention to these trivial matters.

What needs to be done now is to start peace talks with the Jin people as soon as possible and strive to end this endless nightmare of torment.

After Li Gang and Zhou Xianwu finished speaking, Zhao Huan glanced at Ye Fan.

After Ye Fan gave him a piercing look, he finally spoke slowly.

"My beloved ministers, I have seen and deeply appreciate your tireless efforts day and night for the sake of our Great Song Dynasty."

However, as long as the Jin army does not retreat, our Great Song Dynasty will not have peace. Therefore, I have decided to take advantage of this great victory and proactively propose peace talks with the Jin people.

"End this war as soon as possible, and free the military and civilians from the terror of war."

When these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked.

Zhou Xianwu asked, puzzled, "Your Majesty, why negotiate with the Jin? In my judgment, the Jin have suffered this defeat, and with the weather getting hotter, their morale is already low."

If we can hold out for another month or so, the Jurchens will surely return north. If we propose peace with them at that point, wouldn't all our previous efforts be in vain?

Li Gang also said, "Lord Zhou is right, Your Majesty, the Jurchens have suffered heavy casualties."

Their supplies were running out, and they would inevitably withdraw their troops without even needing to negotiate peace.

If Bianjing can hold out for another month or so, I dare guarantee that the Jurchens will surely return north!

However, Zhao Huan was no longer listening to anything: "My beloved ministers, there is no need to persuade me any further. My mind is made up, and it is imperative to negotiate peace with the Jin!"

Upon hearing this, Li Gang immediately knelt down in the hall: "Your Majesty, please reconsider. We absolutely cannot negotiate with the Jin."

He knew that the people and soldiers of Bianjing were united in their hatred of the Jin people under their threat. The poor contributed their labor, the rich contributed their money, and even the prostitutes in the brothels were willing to give their savings to the garrison as military pay to support the resistance against the Jin.

However, once news of the court's peace talks spreads, this hard-won force will develop a crack and then completely collapse.

Therefore, Li Gang had to prevent Zhao Huan from making peace talks with the Jin no matter what.

However, Zhao Huan, who had been living in fear for months, was no longer willing to endure such torment.

"My dear ministers, there is no need to persuade me any further. My mind is made up, and the matter of peace negotiations cannot be delayed."

Zhou Xianwu's face was extremely tense: "Your Majesty, you mustn't..."

"His Majesty is the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty. As his subjects, are you unwilling to even listen to His Majesty's words?"

Ye Fan suddenly strode out of the ranks of officials and looked directly at Li Gang and Zhou Xianwu.

"Do you think you're so arrogant because you repelled the Jurchens that you want to use them to command the Emperor in the main hall?"

"you……"

These words left Zhou Xianwu and Li Gang speechless.

Li Gang hurriedly replied, "Your subject has absolutely no such intention!"

Ye Fan: "Since you have no such intention, why do you still disobey His Majesty? His Majesty's peace talks with the Jin are for the early restoration of peace for the Song Dynasty."

And you, do you intend to let the people of Bianjing live under the shadow of war every day? Hmm!

Zhou Xianwu and Li Gang immediately dared not argue any further.

They could only say in unison, "Your Majesty, we have no such intention."

Ye Fan gave a light snort, turned around and bowed to Zhao Huan: "Your Majesty, since the two gentlemen have no such intention, then everything shall be done as Your Majesty says."

"Your Majesty, please dispatch envoys to the Jin camp immediately. The sooner an agreement is reached, the sooner Bianjing will be restored to peace."

Zhao Huan was very satisfied with Ye Fan's attitude and said, "What the Right Chancellor said is very true, thanks to Minister Lai and Xue Congli."

"The minister is here."

The two were called upon and immediately walked cautiously to the front of the hall.

"I hereby order the two of you to depart immediately for the Jin camp and personally meet with the Jin army commander-in-chief to express the sincerity of our Great Song Dynasty in its willingness to make peace."

Remember to be courteous and try your best to make the Jin commander feel the sincere goodwill of our Great Song Dynasty.

Lai Ba looked up, about to suggest that Ye Fan go, but was interrupted by Zhao Huan's next words: "I await your good news. Court adjourned."

Without giving the two a chance to refuse, Zhao Huan got up and left.

Ye Fan glanced at the two men with a mocking expression, then looked at Zhou and Li, who were standing silently not far away, and followed Zhao Huan to the back garden without any expression.

After everyone left, Zhou Xianwu and Li Gang, who were still kneeling in the main hall, both saw worry in each other's eyes.

Li Gang spoke first: "Imperial Censor Zhou, please go and inform General Guo immediately, and tell him to speed up the fortifications. I will go and discuss countermeasures with General Zhong."

"it is good."

Zhou Xianwu did not hesitate. The situation had changed subtly because of this sudden turn of events, and they had to take action.