novelraw Chapter 805 - 783: Enticement with Benefits
Chapter 805 - 783: Enticement with Benefits
Xie Xun and Xie Jue did not agree on the attitude towards the Beiman surrender. Xie Xun hoped for peace and gave extensive respect to the Beiman Royal Family. He wished for border stability and hoped that red sand ore could become military ore for making armor, weapons, and war vehicles. He wanted Beiman jewelry and jade to be mined, hoped the people on the border could be free from war, and one day run and explore unrestrained under Sha Ling Tian Mountain. Therefore, he favored the Beiman greatly, pardoning the lives lost to wars over the years. He forced himself to focus on the bigger picture, forget grudges, and look forward as peace is most important.
If he did not favor the Beiman Royal Family, the admission of a million Beiman people into the territory would still spark war. The twelve states would inevitably be ablaze, and civilians would suffer once more. To maintain stability, he must let go of grudges, the hatred of his father’s and brother’s deaths. Moreover, the main enemy Yuwen Jing was dead, so Xie Xun compelled himself to forget everything.
Xie Jue was different, unwilling to favor the Beiman Royal Family, and even considered using force when Xie Xun desired peace talks. He knew Dugu Jing was at a dead end; the Beiman couldn’t withstand warfare. He understood the Beiman, as the weather got colder daily, making it unfit for habitation, lacking adequate food and clothing to sustain their war efforts.
However, driving a dog into a dead end would surely result in backlash; even if avoided, they would bite back. Xie Jue and Xie Xun argued over this and eventually compromised.
He agreed to peace talks and, as Xie Xun hoped, ardently promoted them, also tacitly permitting Xie Xun’s interaction with Dugu Jing. In fact, Xie Xun had few friends growing up, focused solely on the battlefield, indifferent to romance and social connections. Now, with high prominence, isolated by his position, true friends were scarce. He was willing to interact and befriend Dugu Jing for reasons known to him alone. For Xie Xun, Xie Jue forced himself to let go of hatred and forgive himself!
Xie Xun and Ruyi were his only blood relatives in the world, and for them, Xie Jue could compromise.
Regarding affairs in Sannan, the brothers were in agreement. Xie Xun reciprocated kindness and knew Xie Jue was of Sannan Royal Family bloodline, hence decisions in Sannan were Xie Jue’s to make. He held firm ground for reclamation, a thought shared by Xie Jue, with the arrangement left to Xie Jue’s discretion without dissent from Xie Xun.
"Let me be frank with you; our emperor’s reclamation of Sannan is imperative and unyielding. If Sannan refuses compliance, then only a blood battle remains. Since the Princely Heir cherishes his people and dreads unrest, perhaps consider how to persuade your father, the king, to accept surrender. If you are willing to negotiate terms within my power, I’ll do my utmost. After surrender, the Beiman live well. Your spies in the Capital City must have informed you that Prince Jingbei’s princesses are favored highly, Duke Wu’an befriends the emperor, who bestowed great favor, even considering matrimonial ties with the Fang Family, commanding the military in the future. Beiman citizens are gradually migrating into the twelve states, slowly settling. Now that surrender has occurred, we’re like family. The Xie family is not the Yuwen Dynasty; promises are kept, no broken treaties. I hope the Princely Heir sees the situation clearly." Xie Jue advised calmly.
Surrender was already predicted by Han Ziqi.
He was unwilling!
How could he be willing when Sannan nearly became truly independent? In this world, he was one step away from becoming Crown Prince of a nation, now to bow and acknowledge allegiance. They’ve been separated from Beining for decades, how could they willingly accept?
"Cousin, you’re the direct bloodline of the Sannan Royal Family, the only son of my aunt, and the Priest Court’s recognized heir. If father abdicates and you become King of Sannan, Xie Xun surely wouldn’t wage war against his own brother?"