Chapter 176 He is Reasonable

Zheng Boye hadn't expected his brother-in-law's reaction to be so quick and direct.

It was like an old madame in a red tent leading you in, seating you down, and before your butt warmed up, you were already out, and then you were out.

The matter,

was this kind of matter;

the process,

was also this kind of process;

but it just left people feeling a bit empty inside. Sometimes, being too straightforward could feel unsettling.

Currently,

Zheng Boye's three-pronged army had thrust into Panhe Prefecture. The vanguard quickly made contact with the Chu army's advance troops before Mount Liu Gong. Both sides immediately entered the skirmishing phase of scouting cavalry before the battle, a kind of warm-up.

Since embarking by ship into Chu, Zheng Boye had been troubled by the lack of cavalry. He hadn't realized how much he relied on cavalry until he actually had none.

Only then

did he feel the constraints and frustration.

Now,

with the Jingnan Army's iron cavalry in his hands, it was the perfect time to show his brother-in-law what true Great Yan iron cavalry was all about. But his brother-in-law had simply and directly,

knelt.

Kneeling naturally,

kneeling plainly and simply,

Zheng Boye felt like he had put all his strength into punching cotton.

"But it's fine. The war, at least, is finally coming to an end."

Zheng Boye propped his feet up on his command table while Si Niang stood behind him, massaging his head.

"Yes, it's finally coming to an end."

"Before the war, I felt that life was too bland and monotonous. After fighting, I realized that there were so many things in the past that I hadn't savored or enjoyed."

Zheng Boye thought of his own marquis's residence,

of his adopted son,

of the charming princess,

and of course,

of hearing Liu Ruqing call him uncle.

This kind of life was also pretty good. Occasionally coming out to fight, then returning home "unarmored," made one appreciate the comfort of home even more;

it was like a short separation being better than a honeymoon.

"Yes, there are still many wonderful places in this world. We've been busy fighting these past few years and haven't had time to see them."

"Yes, soon we will. If the final settlement goes well, we'll have Fengxin, Snow Sea Pass, and Zhennan Pass in our hands. With these three places as a base, more than half of Eastern Jin will be under our rule.

Next, development can get fully back on track, and we can even normalize relations with my brother-in-law and do some business together."

"My lord, the peace talks haven't been settled yet, and you're already thinking so far ahead?"

"We're all practical people. He will."

Zheng Boye stretched,

and said:

"Anyway, after that, we can develop along the lines of the Zhenbei Marquis's Estate, focusing on both military affairs and the people's livelihood. We ourselves can relax a bit.

Maybe we can even take some time to travel and see the sights."

After struggling all the way here,

wasn't this what

one sought?

Why did so many warlords in history want to establish separatist regimes? Ultimately, they wanted the feeling of controlling their own destiny.

Regional separatism was human nature and an inevitable part of a group's development.

Frankly,

if not for Li Liangting and Tian Wujing, Great Yan would have had two separatist regimes, completely able to listen to orders from the central court without obeying them.

Qian was actually the best at this, with civil officials watching like hawks day in and day out.

Once a local military leader showed signs of becoming a separatist, they would immediately take action to dismantle and eliminate the threat ahead of time.

That was why, after the disfigured Prime Minister died in prison from depression, Prime Minister Han rose to prominence. Did the officials of the court not know that the disfigured Prime Minister had been wrongly accused?

They knew, but they were more concerned about the stability of the imperial authority.

"By the way, the Chu emperor's envoy should be arriving soon, right?"

"Yes, everything has been prepared according to your instructions. But I feel that this seems to be giving the Chu people too much face."

"It's not about giving face or not. How much is face worth? The key is to settle things quickly. Blind Man sent a letter from Snow Sea Pass saying that the floods in Jin were getting worse and that there was a locust plague in Yan, along with a widespread drought.

If this war drags on, who knows who will collapse first.

The army must return home quickly to suppress the situation and maintain stability. It's not suitable to stay out here any longer.

Moreover,

rather than saying that this is a negotiation between Yan and Chu, it's more like a negotiation between me, Zheng Fan, and my brother-in-law.

This isn't about the interests of Yan and Chu, but about the interests between me and that brother-in-law of mine.

He didn't hesitate to destroy Yingdu to consolidate his power, and I, in order to end this war early and take back Zhennan Pass to establish my own command, don't want the war to drag on either.

Settling this matter quickly will allow Eastern Jin to get back on track sooner. Sometimes, delaying for a few months can mean delaying for at least two years.

My brother-in-law should understand this as well, so if he wants to save a little face, I'll give him a hand. He'll also urge his Nian Yao to be quick about things at Zhennan Pass."

"My lord is truly farsighted. I admire you."

"Tch, there's no farsightedness here. It's just a meeting of minds between two people who don't like to consider the big picture."

………

The envoy sent by Mount Liu Gong, Left Secretary Ding Liang, arrived.

Accompanying him were several civil officials and a contingent of Imperial Guards.

Flying the fire phoenix banner, they didn't seem to have the uneasy feeling of a small court fleeing in disarray after the capital was breached. Instead, they still presented a sense of etiquette befitting a great nation.

Before Ding Liang and his party even entered the military camp, they happened to see a group of Yan soldiers returning with Chu women they had plundered from nearby.

Immediately,

regardless of the Yan soldiers' menacing armor, Ding Liang stood before the Yan army camp, single-handedly blocking hundreds of Yan soldiers, and loudly rebuked them, demanding that they immediately release these innocent Chu people.

Righteously, he warned the Yan soldiers that this was the territory of Great Chu, that they were the people of Great Chu, that he was the Secretary of Great Chu, that the Emperor of Great Chu was still alive, and that the people of Great Chu must not be bullied!

The Yan army knights found it amusing, but they still released the Chu women as they had been instructed.

The Chu women knelt around Ding Liang, crying and shouting, and then kowtowed to Ding Liang in gratitude.

"Liang stood forward, rebuked the Yan invaders, explained to them the greater principles, and appealed to their common humanity. Though weapons were upon him, he did not evade. The Yan invaders were greatly ashamed and released the people, secretly admiring him.

When the Yan Earl of Pingye heard of this, he said to those around him, 'Liang is truly a great man.'"

Next,

Ding Liang and his party entered the military camp.

Inside the Yan army camp, armored soldiers stood in rows, seemingly to deliberately put pressure on the Chu imperial delegation.

Ding Liang remained unperturbed, holding the imperial staff in his left hand and the imperial edict in his right, walking before the command tent.

"Liang entered the camp of the Yan invaders. Though the Yan invaders were mighty, Liang remained steadfast. The Yan invaders knew that the land of Chu still had brave men who could stand up for themselves and dared not underestimate them."

Then,

a Yan army adjutant came forward to humiliate Chu.

Ding Liang refuted him again.

Immediately afterward,

a commander laughed and said that the Chu army was useless and dared not engage in field battles;

Ding Liang refuted him again.

Then, there was a group of civilians crying and singing Chu folk songs. They had been captured to work in the Yan army camp.

How could one bring civilians on a long-distance raid? Fortunately, civilians were easy to find unless in remote areas.

A minister in Ding Liang's party stepped forward to rebuke them for working for the Yan invaders.

Ding Liang then angrily rebuked that minister, crying bitterly, saying: "It is because we, who eat the Emperor's food, have failed to share his burdens, that the people have been forced to wander and be captured by bandits!"

The minister was greatly ashamed upon hearing this.

All in all, several more things happened, and Ding Liang spoke several more times.

By the time Ding Liang was finally able to enter the command tent,

and saw the Earl of Pingye sitting there alone with no one else,

the Left Secretary under the Regent's Palace of Great Chu,

was a little embarrassed.

When he came, the Regent had actually said that his brother-in-law would be very cooperative.

But Ding Liang had never imagined that the Earl of Pingye would understand the routine so well.

Today, his visit to the Yan army camp would inevitably leave a mark in history, no, many marks.

It would also be passed down as a story, praised by the world for its integrity;

this was also his capital for standing in court in the future, a halo, political correctness, a great opportunity that every political figure would long for but rarely find. But this man was good, he had simply made a string of candied haws and eaten them all in one bite, so sweet that it was a bit cloying.

Therefore,

having come this far,

with only the two of them in the tent,

Ding Liang no longer put on any airs,

but proactively bowed,

"Greetings, Consort."

Zheng Boye nodded and pointed to the futon below, saying:

"Sit."

"Thank you, Consort."

Ding Liang knelt down.

When Chu people knelt, they emphasized an elegant posture, first squatting down, then straightening their backs, while lifting the long hair at their temples with both hands, combining aesthetic and physical beauty.

Zheng Boye took off his water pouch and tossed it over,

saying:

"Have a drink."

He must have spoken many righteous words outside, and his mouth must be dry.

Ding Liang didn't hesitate, pulled out the stopper, and took two big gulps, he was really thirsty.

"Thank you, Consort."

"You're welcome, we're all family."

The arrangements outside were all ordered by Zheng Boye.

The reason why he could be so considerate was because similar stories had appeared too many times in the history Zheng Boye was familiar with, he was just using them.

But,

integrity,

when one talks about it,

it's often when it's all that's left.

As the last fig leaf, if one doesn't talk about it, there's nothing else to talk about.

It was just some empty reputation. Besides, the Yan people wouldn't be interested in these "stories," but the Chu people would be moved to tears;

therefore, Zheng Boye didn't mind giving him a hand.

But this help wasn't free.

Next,

it would depend on the attitude of his brother-in-law.

"Let's get straight to the point. I don't want to fight anymore and want to return to my country, but this war must have an explanation for the country and the court."

This straightforward way of negotiating caught Ding Liang off guard. He had come with a delegation to engage in verbal warfare with the Yan people.

But now it seemed that the Earl of Pingye didn't want to waste that time.

This made things easier.

When the attitudes of the two people above were clear,

it was much easier for those below.

Of course, Ding Liang didn't dare to treat the Earl of Pingye as a fool and change the Regent's conditions on his own in order to reduce losses for Great Chu;

because Ding Liang knew that the Earl of Pingye sitting in front of him was only less of a fool than himself.

As the invading party,

being able to skillfully help him go through the motions, raise his reputation, and create stories at this time, this kind of skill and scheming proved that the other party not only knew how to fight, but would also inevitably rise to prominence in the court. He could not be treated as an ordinary soldier.

People who liked to gild the lily at critical moments were often not smart people, but people who thought they were smart.

Therefore,

Ding Liang directly stated the Regent's bottom line:

"Zhennan Pass can be transferred to... Your Highness, the Consort.

Shanggu Commandery will also be transferred to the Yan Kingdom. Our Chu army will withdraw south of the Wei River, and the Yan army must also ensure the safe passage of General Nian's troops across the Wei River."

In fact, although it was true that the supply line at Zhennan Pass had been cut off, there should have been a batch of supplies stored in the pass beforehand. It wouldn't last long, but if Nian Yao really used the ruthless methods that Qu Tiannan used to defend Yupan City, even capturing two-legged sheep to eat, he would be able to hold out there for a long time.

At the same time, the Regent would definitely mobilize Chu armies from all directions, at any cost, to reinforce Nian Yao at Zhennan Pass.

Because now it seemed that Nian Yao's force was the Regent's reliance on clearing up the country, and he would never accept the result of Nian Yao's army being defeated like this.

Furthermore, Nian Yao himself was an extremely talented commander. At the moment, the Jingnan Army's main force, that is, the most capable hundred thousand-plus iron cavalry, was divided into two parts. The larger part was here, and the other part was with Luo Ling in Huanggu County, still being used to run circles around Dugu Mu.

In addition, several capable troops, including Li Fusheng, had also crossed the Wei River and entered other areas of Chu to expand the battle.

Therefore, although there were many Yan troops left in Shanggu Commandery to monitor Zhennan Pass, if Nian Yao led hundreds of thousands of Chu troops eager to return home out of the city and ran home, it was hard to say whether the Yan troops there could successfully intercept them.

The best result would be for Nian Yao to sacrifice a part of his force to escape, sacrificing a part of the force to cover the main force's retreat.

The worst result would be for Nian Yao to launch a counterattack against the Yan army in Shanggu Commandery, and the Yan army would suffer a defeat.

In any case, once Nian Yao's force was freed up, the Yan and Chu armies would engage in nearly endless fighting and warfare in the vast northern territory of Chu.

The Yan army had no intention of occupying territory or managing it, so they were just making cavalry raids. The Chu people, taking advantage of being on their home ground, although their field battle ability was not as good as the Yan army, could completely use time and space to gain the initiative.

In short,

if they continued to fight,

unless Zheng Boye could have the confidence to replace the Jingnan King and forcefully bring together the various Yan armies to achieve several great victories like the one that defeated the main force of the Wild Man King on the Wangjiang River, and completely crush all the Chu forces in northern Chu that could threaten them, otherwise, this war was destined to be a muddled mess.

Moreover, the Chu people weren't stupid. With so many examples in the past, how could they stupidly gather their main force to fight a few decisive battles with the Yan people?

Therefore, the smooth handover of Zhennan Pass was a compromise based on the current situation. There was no question of who was simply giving and who wasn't.

This was completely different from Qu Tiannan's surrender under Yupan City.

The Yan people wanted to withdraw, and the Chu people wanted to end this war as soon as possible. Everyone's needs were the same.

But,

in a negotiation,

as the nominal and actual victor,

Zheng Boye wouldn't be so easily satisfied. He would be a fool to not take advantage of the situation.

"I think it's still too simple."

"Your Highness, the Consort, don't worry. We will send an envoy to Yanjing to submit a letter of request for peace to His Majesty the Emperor of Yan. At the same time, we will pay tribute and address ourselves as vassals. Our Regent has agreed to all of these matters."

The meaning was that they would take care of the official matters, and it was just a matter of face.

Zheng Fan shook his head and said:

"It's still not enough. The Chu people violated morality first by sending assassins to assassinate my Great Yan Emperor. Heaven and earth are angered by this. How can this be concluded so easily?"

"Your Highness, the Consort, don't you know what really happened with that assassination?"

"Are you saying that I'm being unreasonable?"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."

"I'm just being unreasonable, so what?"

"Throughout history, relations between two countries, to put it bluntly, are just a matter of whoever has the bigger fist has the greater right."

"This humble servant doesn't know if Your Highness knows that the floods in Jin are getting worse and the drought in Yan has become a disaster."

"I know."

"Great Yan should withdraw its troops."

"Hehe, no hurry, no hurry. We will withdraw our troops, but we have to get enough benefits. This time we attacked Chu, my Great Yan tightened its belt to fight. We have to see some return on our investment.

Don't talk to me about the domestic disasters. If it really comes down to it, I'll just lead my troops to live in your land of Chu. Anyway, we might be short of food at home, so why not ask you Chu people to be the hosts?"

Ding Liang knew that the Earl of Pingye was joking,

but he also knew that

if he didn't offer another benefit to the Yan Kingdom, or rather, to the Earl of Pingye, the other party wouldn't be satisfied.

"Your Highness, the Consort, this humble servant has a letter from my lord to you, but my lord instructed me to give this letter to his brother-in-law, not to the Earl of Pingye of Great Yan."

"You're being too formal."

Zheng Boye didn't hesitate at all and reached out to take the letter directly.

The words in the letter

were very straightforward,

without any classical references, all plain speech.

At the beginning,

he listed a string of names of aristocratic families, whose fiefs were mostly located in northern Chu.

In fact, because southern Chu was pacified later, not many nobles had fiefs there.

Next,

was the opening statement:

Brother-in-law, if you're short on silver or food, take it from these families.

With you guarding the home in the north, I can feel at ease.

"Heh, is this giving it to me? Wouldn't I take it myself?"

"Your Highness, please look at the second page."

Zheng Boye took out the second page of the letter.

This letter was very detailed.

It was a record from the Phoenix Nest Inner Guard of the secret locations where these nobles hid grain and treasure in their fiefs.

Um,

to be honest,

even if Zheng Boye led his troops into their fiefs, he definitely wouldn't be able to find them in a short time. Nobles were extremely skilled at hiding treasures and food, because that was the foundation for their comeback. For example, the treasure house of the Helian family was something that ordinary clansmen didn't even know existed.

"Huff..."

Zheng Boye took a deep breath,

nodded,

and said:

"Go back and tell my brother-in-law that the princess misses him very much."

"Yes, Your Highness, the Consort."

"My lord also said that he hopes Your Highness will cherish the princess and is also waiting to become an uncle."

Zheng Fan nodded slightly,

and said:

"I understand."

…………

The *ya* in opening the *fu* and establishing the *ya* means that most are more than half. (TL note: *Fu* refers to a noble's official residence, *ya* is the official command flag/banner)

Also, there's more tonight, don't panic!