Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play

Chapter 797 - 775 Scenic Beauty

Fang Chuning possessed an extraordinary foresight. After Han Ziqi toured Shuilan City accompanied by Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin, they returned to meet Fang Chuning and Xie Jue. Although on the surface, Han Ziqi was showing them around Shuilan City, in truth, the entire city was probing into the purpose of Xie Xun and Xie Jue’s mission to Sannan and what exactly this peace negotiation sought to achieve.

Following Beiman’s surrender, Sannan’s position became precarious. Around Beining, there were no powerful nations. The most formidable and threatening force was Beiman, and to the west lay a desolate minor kingdom. Beining seldom traded with it. After Beiman surrendered, many smaller surrounding nations became more willing to pay tribute to survive. If harassed by enemy forces, they even sought Beining’s protection.

Sannan’s situation, however, became quite awkward.

Sannan was a small country to the south of Beining, originally a territory that had broken away from Beining, and it was forever forbidden to claim imperial status. It was a vassal state, and reclaiming Sannan had always been the wish of successive Beining emperors. From the Yuwen Dynasty to the Xie family, every ruler had hoped for Sannan’s surrender and return to Beining.

Yet, the Sannan Royal Family, independent for decades, was unwilling. Originally, the Sannan Kingdom was prosperous and its people well-off, allowing them to play a tug-of-war with Beining. One generation passed after another, and gradually, they completely broke free from Beining’s influence, achieving genuine independence. However, they had deployed troops into twelve provinces and suffered defeats, causing their past advantages to vanish entirely. In this peace negotiation, Sannan was already at a disadvantage.

Han Ziqi was eager to gauge Xie Xun and Xie Jue’s stance. He speculated that Xie Xun was most likely aiming for a military conquest of Sannan, leaving Sannan with no means of resistance. If Beining sought Sannan’s surrender, what terms would Sannan propose? If the Sannan Royal Family resisted to the end, would Xie Xun ultimately wage war?

Leaning on a soft pillow, Xie Jue spoke mildly, "For the Princely Heir Han Ziqi to behave so anxiously shows that the Sannan Royal Court is deeply divided on this matter. They want to probe our bottom line. Sannan is not like Beiman. Beiman had powerful military forces that posed a real threat to our borders. Reclaiming Sannan has been the obsession of successive emperors, hoping for territorial integrity. Without Beiman’s military strength, of course, they’re desperate to know the extent of Beining’s concessions. Are they also trying to inquire about Prince Jingbei’s position and authority?"

"Precisely, Your Highness predicted correctly. They even asked whether Prince Jingbei was allocated a fiefdom," Lin Xiao reported truthfully. "Perhaps the King of Sannan is seeking a compromise. If Sannan must return to Beining, they might hope to be made a Vassal King, with Sannan becoming his vassal land."

"How wishful! What past prince has held such a large fiefdom? The Emperor is hardly mad enough to agree to such an outrageous demand. Pay no attention to them. Feel free to disclose the court’s situation—just tell them the Emperor intends to heavily utilize Prince Jingbei and Duke Wu’an. Troop reinforcements on the borders are inevitable, and if Sannan refuses to surrender, there will be war. Should they choose to die for their kingdom, I’d respect them as true men." Fang Chuning sneered, watching as Prince Jingbei and Dugu Jing gained favor in the court. Sannan, now greedy, wanted both benefits and concessions—how could such a thing exist?

"If we act so resolutely, won’t that..." Zhang Boxin hesitated, worried about provoking Sannan’s resentment. "Would the Emperor truly wage war?"

The borders had just calmed down, and with a newly established dynasty built on unsteady foundations, waging war at this moment didn’t seem like a viable option.

"If war truly breaks out, would our Ningzhou Iron Cavalry fear the Jiangnan Army?" Fang Chuning’s tone was flat. "We won once; we can win a second time!"

Indeed, they had already won Sannan’s poisonous war.

Xie Jue exchanged a brief glance with Fang Chuning. In truth, both knew that Lin Xiao and the others were unaware of Xie Xun’s true intentions. Just ascended to the throne, Xie Xun could not afford to initiate a campaign, lest he be labeled a warmongering ruler. At the very least, war would not happen within the next three years. But Sannan didn’t know this. All they knew was that following Beiman’s surrender, Beining’s national strength had surged, with even Beiman’s troops potentially serving Beining. If troops were stationed at the border, Sannan’s capital could be reached within seven days. This drove Han Ziqi to advocate for negotiations, hoping to leverage his blood ties to Xie Jue to secure greater power.

Beining’s true political landscape would never be disclosed to Han Ziqi. Han Ziqi could only perceive Beining’s surge in strength but not the internal dilemmas Xie Xun faced in maneuvering public opinion.

"He also invited us to drink tonight," Lin Xiao sought instructions. "Should we go?"

Xie Jue nodded. "Go ahead, bring your men along and let them unwind."

"Remember what can and cannot be said. Stay sharp. Don’t let your tongue slip after a few rounds of drinks." Fang Chuning also reminded them to be mindful of their words.

"Understood!" Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin responded in unison.

While in Shuilan City, the diplomatic mission would not be attacked; otherwise, Han Ziqi himself would not escape culpability.

Xie Jue’s pain had lessened and was now something he had grown accustomed to. After spending too much time confined indoors, he began to feel stifled. He wanted to step out, but Fang Chuning, worrying about him moving too much and tearing his wounds, devised an idea. He found a wheelchair, helped Xie Jue into it, and pushed him outside.

Xie Jue, "..."

Shuilan City, a seaside city, boasted a breathtaking sunset. The evening sky spread in fiery hues across the sea, where water and sky converged in a dazzling display of splendor. They had seen the desert’s twilight, the sun rising and setting over snowy peaks, and even sunrises and sunsets across the sea while sailing, but to witness the sun dip into the ocean from within the city offered a unique charm.

Not far from the shore, fishing boats swayed gently on the waves. Draped in the sunset, they appeared like small vessels floating in the vast sea. The faint melodies of fishermen’s songs reached their ears. The bustling port overflowed with the commerce of seafood, vibrant and brimming with life. The easy pace of life and its simple joys were sights rarely seen by Fang Chuning and Xie Jue.

"Jiangnan is truly a blessed land!" Xie Jue exclaimed uncontrollably. The climate was pleasant, the sunshine abundant, the scenery stunning, and it was an ideal place to live. Back when it was ceded, Sangnan had taken the finest portion of Beining’s territory.

"Such a wonderful land will soon belong to Beining once more," Fang Chuning declared. "When that day comes, wherever you’d like to see, we shall go."

"Anning, if Sannan doesn’t surrender, do you think Zhixu will truly wage war?"

"He will." Fang Chuning stood behind him, gazing into the distant horizon where the sun dipped below the sea, its warm remnants clinging to the sky. "The Emperor harbors grand ambitions. During his reign, he will surely reclaim Jiangnan. The coming years present the best opportunity. Though the north has only recently settled and the new dynasty is fragile, waging war a decade later—when the seas are calm and rivers serene, life peaceful and prosperous—what justification would the Emperor have to use force against Sannan? For so many years, Sannan has ruled by dividing its waters; their sense of belonging to Beining has diminished. Launching a campaign then would be unjustifiable. Only by capitalizing on Beiman’s surrender and reclaiming Jiangnan can we mitigate public resentment. And it must be swift—a lightning war. Otherwise, the Emperor might as well abandon the thought of Sannan altogether."

Xie Jue understood this clearly. Yet he also knew that in the event of war, it would be the common people who suffered the most, their peaceful lives shattered by violence. It would take years before such tranquil songs could be heard again.

"For every general achieving glory, countless bones are left to rot. And reclaiming lost land is no small feat," Xie Jue remarked. "No matter how difficult the path ahead, I will stand by Zhixu in achieving this goal. Therefore, Sannan must surrender. That is the paramount goal of my journey—to win without fighting."

"Sannan is not the same as Beiman; negotiations will not come easily. Moreover, your identity makes this particularly delicate," Fang Chuning said with a touch of concern. "But forget it, no more talk of political matters. With such a lovely evening and delightful scenery, it’s been ages since Ting Feng and I last enjoyed such moments. Let’s not spoil it with talk of unpleasant things. I’ll push you through the town. Shuilan City has no curfew, and its night market is lively. Let’s experience the prosperity of Sannan’s people."

"Alright!"