Chapter 539
However, if she were the one to carry out this task, it would be a good thing for both Dayan and the people of Nanzhao.
“It’s a pity that the Yue Army is still on the battlefield in Beili and can’t be withdrawn for the time being. Otherwise, having them march south with Lan Xuan’er to establish their merit would be an excellent choice.”
Yue Fuguang’s words amounted to an agreement to lend Lan Xuan’er troops. Not only that, she seemed quite optimistic about her prospects.
The eyes of the officials whose young descendants had yet to find an opportunity to enter the imperial court began to shift, and their minds grew active as well.
“Your Majesty, Princess Xinmin of Nanzhao has come to court bearing the Secret Insignia Gold Plaque and requests an audience with Your Majesty. She is waiting outside the hall. Shall Your Majesty summon her?”
Qian Gui, who had been standing behind Emperor Mingxi, had apparently slipped out at some point. Upon returning, he brought Emperor Mingxi the news of Lan Xuan’er’s request for an audience.
After a brief moment of consideration, Emperor Mingxi nodded slightly. “Since Princess Xinmin has come to see Us bearing the token of diplomatic relations between our two countries, she must have an important matter to discuss. Let Us meet with her.”
Yue Fuguang had not yet finished a piece of osmanthus cake when Qian Gui led Lan Xuan’er, her face streaked with tears, into the main court hall.
With reddened eyes, Lan Xuan’er looked past the crowd and saw Yue Fuguang, a bit of dried osmanthus still clinging to the corner of her mouth.
When she saw that Yue Fuguang was looking back at her, the tears she had managed to hold in suddenly burst forth, blurring her vision.
She mechanically followed Qian Gui to the front of the hall and stopped at the spot nearest to Emperor Mingxi and Yue Fuguang where a court official could stand.
Before she could say anything, she heard Yue Fuguang’s familiar, slightly childish voice.
“Eunuch Qian, bring Princess Xinmin a handkerchief.”
She was crying so hard that she had practically become a tearful mess. She must truly be heartbroken. If she knew that her eldest sister was gone too, perhaps she would fight even more fiercely once she reached the battlefield.
“Xuan’er thanks Grand Preceptor Yue and His Majesty the Emperor of Dayan!”
She wiped the tears from her face but said nothing. Instead, she stared at Yue Fuguang with those deer-like eyes, looking at her again and again.
“Little Zhu, what’s wrong with Lan Xuan’er? Didn’t she come to borrow troops? Why does she keep staring at me? It’s not as if I have any soldiers for her to borrow on my face!”
[Master, you don’t have any on your face, but you do have them in your hands!]
“Then if she doesn’t say anything, how am I supposed to know she’s here to borrow troops?” Asking for something too eagerly would only weaken one’s bargaining position. Although she did look rather pitiful crying like this, when it came to the interests of herself and Dayan, the terms still had to be negotiated.
“Your Majesty, Grand Preceptor Yue, I have come to ask for your help.” Having heard Yue Fuguang’s thoughts, Lan Xuan’er understood that there was hope and finally explained why she had come.
“If Princess Xinmin has something to ask, you may as well tell Us. Although our kingdom is burdened with affairs of state and is currently at war with Nanyue and Beili, your mother and I have been friends for many years. Whatever We can do to help, We will do our best.”
As for what We could not do, that would be another matter entirely!
Lan Xuan’er naturally understood the implication behind his words. At present, aside from the emperor, the only other person in Dayan with the authority to make decisions was the Goddess Yue. If she agreed to something, Emperor Mingxi would not truly oppose it.
So long as she offered a sufficient price, borrowing troops should be assured.
She bowed deeply and said sorrowfully, “Your Majesty, I have received definite word that my two elder brothers and one elder sister have all been killed by the new emperor.”
Her tears began to fall again. “I have come to ask Your Majesty to lend me troops so that I may punish the Emperor of Nanzhao, Lan Xuancheng, and rescue my eldest sister!”
[It’s too late. Your two elder brothers, two elder sisters, and all of their children have already died at Lan Xuancheng’s hands.
[Members of the Lan imperial clan and relatives from the families of their husbands and wives were involved as well. Otherwise, Lan Xuancheng, who had only just secured the throne, could never have carried out the massacre so cleanly. Not one survivor was left behind.]
Two elder brothers, two elder sisters? Not one survivor?
Lan Xuan’er’s vision darkened. Her mind went completely blank, and an icy shiver ran through her entire body. If not for her formidable willpower, she would have collapsed unconscious in the middle of the hall.
She dug her fingers into her arm to force herself to remain calm. She could not fall. With her eldest sister gone, she had to lead the troops into Nanzhao even more.
Lan Xuancheng and the Lan imperial clan had to pay the price. Blood debts must be repaid in blood!
With her mother and brothers and sisters gone, what meaning did Nanzhao have anymore?
“Borrow troops to attack Nanzhao?” Emperor Mingxi wore an expression of difficulty. “Princess Xinmin knows that our dynasty is fighting on two fronts. We truly have no troops to spare for another war against Nanzhao.”
Hearing this, Lan Xuan’er knew it was time to raise her offer.
She bowed and said, “Your Majesty, I ask Dayan for only thirty thousand troops to help me seize Fen City. Once that is done, I will be able to recruit Nanzhao citizens into the army and continue the advance south myself.”
Seeing that Emperor Mingxi was still hesitating, she continued to increase the stakes.
“I guarantee that I will lead the combined armies of Dayan and Nanzhao all the way to Nanzhao’s capital, Phoenix City!
“All the land, and all the people living upon it, will belong to the Great Yan Dynasty.”
Emperor Mingxi regarded her solemnly. “And what do you want in return?”
“I want only Lan Xuancheng’s head, to offer it in sacrifice to my brothers and sisters.” She paused, then turned her gaze toward Yue Fuguang. “In addition, I hope that the people of Nanzhao can receive the same treatment as the people of Dayan and enjoy the protection of the Goddess.”
“Why is this my concern too?”
[Master, with you here, being a citizen of Dayan is far better than being a citizen of Nanzhao. If Lan Xuan’er can secure this guarantee, recruiting troops and raising an army in Nanzhao will become much easier.]
Under the expectant gazes of the officials of Dayan and Lan Xuan’er, Yue Fuguang nodded slightly and said calmly, “As long as it is Dayan’s land, its people will naturally be treated equally. Whatever the people of Dayan possess, the people of these new lands will possess as well.”
“Did the Goddess really say that? Princess Sixth didn’t deceive us, did she?” a young man from Nanzhao asked a scholar dressed in a student’s robe.
The scholar pointed amiably at the notice posted on the city wall. “It’s written there in black and white. It even bears the private seal of the Sixth Princess and the official seal of the Fen City government office.”
“Scholar, is it really true that we can live just like the people of Dayan?” someone asked, still unable to believe it.
They lived closest to Dayan, with only a great river separating the two countries. They knew better than anyone what kind of life the people of Dayan enjoyed now.
“The Goddess’s exact words were: ‘As long as it is Dayan’s land, all its people will be treated equally.’”