novelraw Chapter 821 - 799: True Feelings
Chapter 821 - 799: True Feelings
The Imperial Palace is not far from the guest house; Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin led their men back first, while Xie Jue and Fang Chuning took a slow walk home under the moonlight, taking in the night beauty of Sannan.
Fang Chuning asked, "Did you notice the Third Prince at the banquet? He’s silent and aloof, secretly observing everyone in the delegation. He hasn’t tried to get close to you or interacted much with the Great King and Han Ziqi."
"I noticed him too. The Princes of Sannan each have their own factions. Han Ziqi cannot suppress his older brothers like the Great King of Beiman did back in the day, who was able to keep his younger siblings in line and had the favor of the Beiman King. It took us over a year to subtly drive a wedge between them. The Princes of Sannan are like scattered sand; regardless of how cunning and resourceful the Third Prince might be as rumored, he cannot stir up any great trouble. The Princes of Sannan are vying for no more than just a bit of land and power. We shouldn’t concern ourselves with their internal conflicts." Xie Jue dismisses the Princes of Sannan, considering them insignificant, noting that Sannan’s hard power is far inferior to Beiman. What he worries about is whether the King of Sannan would go all out, refusing to compromise and make concessions. Would the King of Sannan, in pursuit of his territorial integrity, drag all of Sannan into chaos and destruction? After all, he has only brought a few thousand men, and being trapped in Sannan is not ideal.
"Han Ziqi seems intent on preventing the King of Sannan from causing turmoil among the people!"
"Zhixu once said, Han Ziqi is crafty and smooth; his words should only be trusted a fraction. So, I don’t take the poisoning incident to heart; I don’t care who did it. After all, it’s part of their internal strife. Han Ziqi might even have the idea of killing with a borrowed knife, but I won’t be his tool. He wishes!" Never has he been anyone’s sword; others dreaming to make him one is sheer folly.
"Ting Feng, I have a bad premonition." Fang Chuning’s foreboding is particularly strong, especially after meeting the King of Sannan. "Their bottom line is too low, willing to do anything to achieve their goals. I’m really worried about an unexpected incident. The poisoning seemed like a warning, perhaps they’re telling us they could silently kill us if they wanted. The poison that seals the throat with a drop—one touch and death follows. We eat three meals a day, there are bound to be moments of oversight. It feels more like a warning!"
Ever since they entered Sannan, they have stepped into a trap.
"You have to enter the tiger’s lair to gain a tiger cub; don’t worry, tomorrow’s negotiations will reveal the truth. We’ll soon find out what other cards Sannan holds." Xie Jue gently touched Fang Chuning’s cool hand, "Don’t worry, we will surely return home safe and sound."
Since he insisted on leading the mission to Sannan, he had preparations to retreat safely, not intending to have Fang Chuning buried in Sannan with him.
"Honestly, Ting Feng, weren’t you a bit tempted at all?" Fang Chuning asked tentatively, "In Sannan, we really don’t need to care about gossip or rumors; we can live the life we want."
Xie Jue slightly raised an eyebrow, whether probing or genuine, even such rebellious assertions can be discussed calmly among adults, "Were you tempted?"
"For just a fleeting moment..." Fang Chuning laughed, "Only for a moment."
"I was too!" Xie Jue’s heart was passionately kindled by Fang Chuning’s words; for just that fleeting moment, they weighed more in each other’s hearts than their careers and homeland.
Yet, that was only when their rational minds wandered... and in that fleeting moment of daze.