girl let me check

Chapter 482 How Can Blood Debts Be Repaid?

The imperial guards formed a neat and uniform formation. Outside the altar, Prince Pingyuan, Fang Xuanmei, and Grand Commandant, Tao Yan, stood side by side.

"Master Tao, the Northern Desert delegation will be arriving soon," Fang Xuanmei reminded him.

Even a general of Fang Xuanmei's caliber couldn't defer to Tao Yan based on seniority, and had to be extremely careful with his tone when speaking.

"Alright, alright, I know what you mean," Tao Yan said irritably. "But let me tell you, this is just a stopgap measure to save face, and it can't be shown too enthusiastically. Otherwise, the good men in your Imperial Guards could drown you with their spittle."

"Don't worry, Lord Tao, I am a citizen of the Great Zhou, and also a member of the Fang clan. If we were to discuss who hates these barbarians the most, I would certainly be at the top of the list." Fang Xuanmei smiled bitterly, "However, this is an order from the imperial court, and even if the brothers are unwilling, we can only do as they say."

"It's her business how that little girl from the Xie family wants to negotiate! I'll at most cooperate with her a bit, that's all!" Tao Yan brandished his long sword, his beard bristling and eyes bulging. "Don't think I can't deal with her now, but if I find out she's done anything treasonous, I'll go find someone who can handle her! That brat won't dare disobey me!"

"Haha." Fang Xuanmei gave a dry laugh, not daring to reply.

"They're here," Tao Yan said solemnly.

"be prepared."

"Yes, General!" the Imperial Guard soldier replied loudly.

The Eastern Palace Guards led the way with cavalry, and Fang Weihan and Tuoba Liang's group followed slowly behind. Fang Xuanmei stepped forward solemnly, about to speak, but keenly sensed something was amiss.

Why is the atmosphere in this group so heavy, especially among the accompanying alien soldiers, who look as if they've seen a ghost?

Tuoba Liang and Murong Hui also looked extremely unpleasant, their faces turning ashen, an expression completely unbecoming of a diplomatic occasion.

"...Grand Tutor, Your Excellency Chanyu, what is this?" Fang Xuanmei asked hesitantly.

"The alien delegation has arrived. I'll trouble you, General, to lead them in." Fang Weihan smiled. "As for me, there's no need for me to go."

"On the way here, I believe the Chanyu and the strategist have reached a certain consensus with me."

Fang Xuanmei looked at the two aliens, only to find that although they were extremely unwilling, they still managed to squeeze out two words through gritted teeth:
"...That's right."

"Thank you for your trouble, Uncle."

Fang Weihan patted his third uncle's arm, then turned and left with a group of Eastern Palace guards.

"Your Excellency, Chanyu, Military Advisor Murong, please."

Although Fang Xuanmei didn't quite understand what had happened, he chose to proceed according to the original plan, trusting Fang Weihan.

Tuoba Liang's expression softened, and he nodded slightly: "Please."

"Does Your Highness the Prince of Pingyuan know what level Your Highness the Prince of Guangling's cultivation is now?" Murong Wei suddenly asked. "Oh, don't misunderstand, I just sensed that Your Highness the Prince of Guangling's cultivation is unfathomable. I was just a little curious."

"If Your Highness finds this difficult, there is no need to answer. This matter is merely my personal request and has nothing to do with the content of the upcoming peace talks."

“It’s not that I can’t say it. My Imperial Grand Tutor is upright and honest, and his cultivation is not a secret.” Fang Xuanmei said with a smile. “Like the two of you, the Grand Tutor is also at the seventh level of the Mingwu realm, a person who stands at the pinnacle of martial arts in the world.”

"Seventh level of Mingwu?" Murong Hui cursed inwardly. "To hell with seventh level of Mingwu!" He himself was at the late stage of seventh level of Mingwu, and had even faintly touched the bottleneck of eighth level. Tuoba Liang's cultivation was even above his. If Fang Weihan were just an ordinary seventh level of Mingwu, how could he possibly suppress the two of them with just his aura!

Just then, Tuoba Liang asked, "It seems... that Grand Tutor is also proficient in the Mirror Heaven Secret Technique?"

Fang Xuanmei laughed again: "Haha, the Grand Tutor and Lin Yuan Yuchen have a very close relationship. Perhaps the Mirror Heaven Secret Technique that you two saw came from her."

It truly is Lin Yuan Pavilion!

Tuoba Liang is still troubled by the Lin Yuan Pavilion's situation. If the peace talks succeed, the war with the Great Zhou will temporarily come to an end. However, the Lin Yuan Pavilion has gone mad for some reason, choosing to wage war against the royal court in the northwest of the grasslands. Unless they agree to Tian Shan's proposal to destroy Yu Su City and flee thousands of miles away, the Lin Yuan Pavilion will not stop.

But how could Tuoba Liang possibly agree to destroy a vital northwestern town? He had thought Tianshan was just making a symbolic threat, but who knew they would actually go for it! The entire Lin Yuan sect mobilized, and five of the Eight Pavilion Masters arrived; Yu Su City was practically razed to the ground. By the time the people from Chulechuan arrived, Tianshan's forces had long since vanished.

To this day, Lin Yuan Pavilion has still not made any statement regarding its actions.

I had long heard of the close relationship between Lin Yuan Yu Chen and Fang Wei Han, and now Fang Xuan Mei has personally confirmed it. Perhaps after making peace with the Great Zhou, Lin Yuan Pavilion in the Northwest will no longer invade the grasslands.

Once Tuoba Liang had calmed down, he saw Fang Xuanmei stop in his tracks.

"Your Excellency, we have arrived. Prime Minister Xie has been waiting here for quite some time."

Among the assembled officials, Tuoba Liang's gaze instantly fell upon the woman he had once seen from afar beneath the walls of Hefei.

That cold-blooded butcher with a handsome appearance.

Even though he had prepared himself mentally, the moment he saw that face, an endless surge of violent emotions flooded the mind of this steppe chieftain.

"Xie Lingwan." He uttered these three words almost as if he were chewing raw meat.

Compared to Fang Weihan, who had been fighting on the western front and had never personally clashed with him, Xie Lingwan, who had decisively defeated the steppe cavalry on the eastern front, was the target of Tuoba Liang and the other steppe people's deepest hatred. He would never forget the eight thousand guards buried beneath the walls of Shouchun, nor would he forget his fellow steppe people who had turned into water ghosts in the Fei River.

Losing the war is acceptable. The people of the grasslands are never afraid of defeat. When the Central Plains are in turmoil and the water and grass are plentiful, they will have plenty of opportunities to make a comeback.

Tuoba Liang only regretted that he had not been able to kill this cold-blooded and vicious woman.

"Chanyu." Murong Hui calmly pressed down on his arm, signaling him not to get too excited.

"Zhou Xiang Xie Lingwan greets the Northern Desert Chanyu and the Murong family head." Xie Lingwan stood up and bowed gracefully to the two of them.

The ministers present all followed the example of the prime minister and rose to pay their respects.

Murong Hui, observing this, was once again taken aback. He had not yet met the Empress of Great Zhou, but based on what he had heard of her deeds, she was no ordinary person. How could she allow such a powerful and influential figure to exist right under her nose? With all the ministers obeying her commands, hadn't she considered whether her Fang family's empire could be preserved?

"Murong Hui, and my lord, Tuoba Liang, the chieftain of the grasslands, pay respects to Prime Minister Xie and all the officials of the Zhou Dynasty."

"Please take a seat, everyone." Xie Lingwan nodded slightly.

After the two men and their entourage had all sat down, Xie Lingwan clapped her hands lightly:

"I'm sure you've all had a long and tiring journey and are eager to get started. So let's get straight to the point?"

Murong Hui felt a chill run down his spine.

Having suffered defeat, with Jicheng lost and Changming unconquered, his main army was trapped in southern Hebei and northern Henan. He had initially assumed that under these circumstances, the Zhou forces would not be so easily persuaded. The people of the Central Plains were known for their elaborate rhetoric and lengthy ceremonies, and he assumed Xie Lingwan would use these very tools to test their sincerity and force them to agree to certain harsh conditions.

But she's making such a statement right off the bat. What's she up to?
"Thank you for your generosity, Prime Minister Xie." Murong Hui composed himself and said in a deep voice, "Then may I ask Prime Minister Xie to listen to our demands?"

Xie Lingwan nodded: "Please go ahead."

"First, open the Jizhou pass and allow our army to retreat back to the north of Yanshan. All agreements previously signed between the Shangyuan Wang clan and our clan are null and void. When our army retreats north, we will immediately return all Wang clan hostages and Zhou army prisoners to the Zhou side."

"Secondly, the five border markets, including Shanggu County, will be restored to their pre-war levels, and our clan is willing to concede 10% of the profits. In addition, our clan is willing to offer the Great Zhou 10,000 cattle and sheep and more than 1,000 fine horses every year."

"Third, our clan hereby agrees to form a brotherly alliance with the Great Zhou, with Zhou as the elder brother and our clan as the younger brother. All territories invaded during wartime will be returned in their original state. At the same time, we will establish a blood pact to guarantee that we will never invade the south for a hundred years."

What does Prime Minister Xie think?

As previously stated, Murong Hui presented a plan that was relatively acceptable to the Northern Desert. Even though this plan was beneficial to the Great Zhou, he guessed that it still didn't meet Xie Lingwan's expectations, who currently held the upper hand. However, it didn't matter; they had left plenty of room for further negotiation.

After Murong Hui finished speaking, the surrounding officials of the Great Zhou began to whisper among themselves, seemingly discussing the rationale behind the plan.

Xie Lingwan knelt gracefully at the head of the assembled officials, remaining silent. She lowered her curled eyelashes, her eyes, brimming with tears, flickered slightly, and sunlight cast dappled patterns on her flowing hair. From afar, she appeared as elegant as an orchid, refined and ethereal, completely out of place amidst the tense discussions of the surrounding officials.

"Tuk!"

Xie Lingwan's fair fingers tapped lightly on the table. The sound was not loud, but it was clear enough to reach the ears of everyone present.

The ministers' voices seemed to be paused; they all stopped whispering and turned their inquiring gazes toward the man in blue.

Seeing that Xie Lingwan did not speak, Murong Hui continued, "Does Prime Minister Xie have any dissatisfaction with this plan? Prime Minister Xie may express his objections, but this matter is of great importance and I cannot give an immediate answer, as the clan needs to discuss it further before making a decision."

“Heh…” Xie Lingwan raised her head, smiled and pursed her lips, “I’m not dissatisfied.”

“Then…” Murong Hui’s heart skipped a beat, and he was pleasantly surprised.

Xie Lingwan said, word by word, "I think this plan is ridiculous."

Murong Hui was stunned. He asked somewhat slowly, "...What does Prime Minister Xie mean?"

"I never expected that alien races could be so shameless," Xie Lingwan said casually.

Murong Hui's face suddenly stiffened, then turned purplish-red.

This is an open insult to the people of the grasslands, this woman...

"I'll make some corrections to the three points you just mentioned."

"First, the Jizhou pass can be opened, but only half of the foreign troops can leave; the other half must commit suicide on the spot. All prisoners will be released. As for your agreement with the royal family, I don't care."

"Second, the five border markets shall remain open as usual, with concessions not less than 50%. Each year, 50,000 cattle and sheep and 5,000 horses shall be paid as tribute."

"Third, we are father and son, not brothers. I, Zhou, am the father, and you are the sons. Return the seven counties of the Hetao region that we have seized, and the grassland forces shall withdraw from the Changhe River basin. No military force shall appear within a thousand miles north of the Helan Mountains."

"In addition, you must pay me, Zhou, a ransom of five million taels of silver or equivalent, and submit a petition to surrender, which will be announced to the world."

The clear, elegant voice echoed in his ears, and Murong Hui's mind went blank. He gazed at the girl's beautiful and delicate face, and his heart sank to the bottom.

Only one thought remained in his mind:
This person intends to completely destroy their grassland.

……

……

Leaving the Eastern Palace Guard and other generals to guard the area, Fang Weihan was currently on his way to the Imperial Mausoleum in the Western Hills of Luoyang.

He glanced at the Bright Moon Reed Catkins chat log, but Fang Tang still hadn't replied. The most recent message in their chat history was from seven days ago, sent after Fang Tang went missing: "What happened?"

The Zhaoyuan Sword continued to send a safe signal, but Fang Weihan couldn't wait any longer. He had to go into the Chengling Underground Palace to see what was going on below.

"stop."

Fang Weihan gave a low shout, pulled hard on the reins, and stopped in place.

He stared at the bumpy dirt road before him, remaining silent.

As winter deepened, the mountains and fields along the official road to Luoyang were barren and sparsely populated. But this did not hinder his keen attention as a Mingwu (a high-ranking military officer).

He had already crossed this fork in the road once.

He never goes back on his path.

Fang Weihan said loudly, "Who are you? Would you please show yourself and let's talk?"

"Good eye," a hoarse voice said.

Time and space seemed to shatter before his eyes, and a feeling of weightlessness washed over him. When his feet touched solid ground, he found himself in a mountaintop pavilion.

The wind whistled past my ears, and a sea of ​​clouds swept over my heels. In the pavilion before me, an old man sat with his back to me, a magnificent eagle perched on his shoulder.

"Chief Priest Tuoba Liu".

Fang Weihan slowly drew Zhaoyuan, surrounded by stars and blood energy.

"Why are you looking for me?"

"Your Highness, Prince Guangling."

The old man in black robes turned around. He should have been tall, but now he was hunched over. His face was aged and covered with wrinkles, and Fang Weihan inexplicably thought of a dried-up riverbed on the grassland.

"I'm no match for you."

"Oh? That's not necessarily true," Fang Weihan sneered. "Who doesn't know that Tuoba Liu, the High Priest of the Chule River, is proficient in the power of soul time and possesses a peak seventh-level cultivation that makes him a formidable opponent in the world? How could he not be my match?"

"Is the old man being so modest?"

The eagle cried out, but Tuoba Liu remained silent, only slowly pulling open his wide black robe.

Compared to the wide black robe, the body beneath it was terribly emaciated, with ribs bulging and veins showing. Strange runes on his chest flashed with a bloody light, but the light was dim and seemed to be about to go out at any moment.

Tuoba Liu released the restriction, and Fang Weihan belatedly realized that the old man's life force was as fragile as a candle flickering in the wind.

Fang Weihan was silent for a moment: "What exactly do you want from me?"

I know... everything about you.

Tuoba Liu coughed, his back becoming even more hunched.

Fang Weihan asked, "For example?"

"For example, your celestial soul and terrestrial soul were once missing."

"For example, you may have a similar memory from another world in your mind."

"For example... Princess Chengping, you brought her back."

Eagles soared and circled, their sharp cries echoing through the sea of ​​clouds, accompanied by the rumble of winter thunder.

A heavy snow is coming.

(End of this chapter)