Jiuxi

Chapter 1035 [Forget Each Other in the Human World]

Outside the big tent, Qin Zilong looked up at the setting sun in the sky and rubbed his sore neck with his hand.

From morning to afternoon, the Queen of Jing Kingdom had been in the tent for nearly three hours.

Qin Zilong knew that the two people inside were discussing a very important topic that would directly affect the fate of the two countries, but it took too long, so long that it made him a little worried.

If Lu Chen himself was not one of the top masters in the world and had not been fully prepared for this meeting, Qin Zilong would have gone in to take a look even if he was punished.

He glanced at the twenty or so Jinglian people who were staying obediently in the valley, then walked towards Yuchi Gui who was standing with his hands behind his back and looking at the mountains and rivers not far away, and said respectfully, "Senior."

Yuchi Gui said calmly: "What's the matter?"

"Is there any danger in there?"

Qin Zilong hesitated.

Yuchi Gui turned his head and looked at him, smiling: "If you want to know, just go and take a look, what are you afraid of?"

Qin Zilong said he didn't dare, but seeing Yuchi Gui so calm, he gradually felt relieved.

Naturally, the situation that Qin Zilong was worried about did not happen in the tent. Although the atmosphere was not particularly harmonious, both sides were still able to discuss in a relatively peaceful manner.

"time is too short."

Qing Yu Huaijin raised his hand to gather the black hair beside his temples, frowning and saying, "Is a year okay?"

More than two hours ago, she put forward a bunch of conditions. The first and most important one was that she hoped Lu Chen could temporarily suspend his offensive and give her two to three years to prepare for the journey to the west. The other conditions were also related to the journey to the west, which was enough to prove that she was indeed seriously considering Lu Chen's proposal.

The problem is that her demands are beyond Lu Chen's acceptable bottom line. If he follows her ideas, it won't just be the remnants of the Jinglian tribe fleeing in panic, but the entire Jinglian clan will relocate. Wouldn't Lu Chen's Northern Expedition become a joke?
"I've just told you that I can only give you four months at most."

Lu Chen seemed not to notice the sadness in her eyes, and said calmly: "And I will not do nothing in these four months. My army will continue to advance northward. At most, I will give you a little breathing space so that you can identify those tribesmen who are loyal enough and take them away from this homeland."

Hearing these extremely cold and harsh words, Qing Yu Huaijin could not help but look at Lu Chen coldly, thinking that this man was indeed heartless.

Seeing this, Lu Chen shook his head slightly and explained: "Admittedly, I have my considerations. The Jinglian people must pay the price for the blood debt of the past sixty years, but this is not all bad for you. You think the longer the preparation time, the better, and the more people you take away, the better, right?"

Qing Yu Huaijin snorted and said, "Isn't it?"

"Of course not. This idea may seem good, but it is actually stupid."

Lu Chen refuted directly, and then said: "If you want to gain a foothold in a completely unfamiliar place, you do need a certain number of clansmen as a foundation, but the more the better, especially those nobles with connections and prestige. There is no need to say more about the human heart and the devil. When you lose the title of Regent of Jing State and only have the identity of the head of Qingyu Clan, you may not be able to calm everyone down. By then, the civil strife for power and profit alone will drain your energy."

After a brief silence, Qing Yu Huaijin asked curiously, "Are you concerned about me?"

Lu Chen couldn't help but roll his eyes. It was hard for him to understand the train of thought of this noble lady from a foreign race, just like what happened before.

Qing Yu Huaijin put away his joking thoughts and said slowly: "So many Jinglian people will still die in your hands."

Lu Chen did not answer, his silence showed his attitude.

After a long while, Qing Yu Huaijin said softly: "I accept your proposal, but you can't reveal this secret before I lead the remaining troops west."

"It's natural."

Lu Chen stared into her eyes and said calmly: "I also have a condition."

"You said."

"Let Qing Yu Zhong Wang stay."

The atmosphere in the tent dropped to freezing point in an instant.

This was the first time that genuine murderous intent appeared on Qing Yu Huaijin's face since they met today.

Lu Chen said calmly: "I will give you four months so that you can calmly select the available talents, and then I will let the western army turn a blind eye and let your troops go to the west. Under the current situation, I have tried my best to make it convenient for you. At least the Jinglian clan will not die directly in your hands. If you can make a name for yourself in the far west in the future, it is not impossible to rebuild the Jing Kingdom. Therefore, I think my condition is not excessive at all."

"But……"

Qing Yu Huaijin wanted to say something but stopped himself.

She really wanted to say, "Haven't you gotten enough benefits?"
She migrated westward with a part of her tribe, which meant that Lu Chen could pacify the vast north at the lowest cost. What a magnificent achievement!
However, Qing Yu Huaijin knew in his heart that even if she did not accept his proposal, he was capable of doing it, it just would take some time.

At this negotiating table, she had very little capital to begin with.

However, he was one of her few relatives now, a brother who had loved her immensely since she was a child, and a family member who was now willing to stand behind the scenes and serve her. How could she be so cruel as to leave him behind as a hostage?

Seeing the sorrow on the woman's face, Lu Chen explained, "Do you think it's easy to travel thousands of miles? Qing Yu Zhongwang's health is so poor. If he follows you west, he will definitely die on the way. Do you believe it?"

Qing Yu Huaijin was stunned and asked, "How do you know so much?"

"I just said that the more people you take away, the better."

Lu Chen did not keep the secret any longer and said frankly, "It is not twenty years ago now. The era when Jingguo looked down on the world and no one dared to confront it has long passed. You overestimated the character and integrity of some Jinglian nobles, and underestimated the pressure I put on them. Do you want to know, from the time I recovered Qingzhou and other places three years ago to now, how many Jinglian nobles have secretly expressed their intention to submit to me? And how many Jingguo civil officials want to follow the example of Zhai Lin Wangshi and abandon the dark and join the light?"

Qing Yu Huaijin couldn't help but remain silent. Looking at the pile of letters that Lu Chen took out, her face turned ugly.

"So you don't have to feel sorry for those people."

Lu Chen calmly delivered the final blow: "Let Qing Yu Zhongwang stay. He will definitely live longer than if he follows you to the west. Besides, I won't hide it from you. I need a hostage of some importance to ensure that you won't change your mind at the last minute."

At this point, Qing Yu Huaijin could only say sadly: "I need to go back and ask my brother for his opinion, including the matter we discussed."

"He will definitely agree. He will even take the initiative to come to my military camp and stay there, because he knows very well that the path I give you is the only way for you Jinglian people to survive. Otherwise, you will definitely perish." Lu Chen said solemnly, "This is the blood debt left by your ancestors. You can't blame others."

"I see."

Qing Yu Huaijin sighed, then looked at Lu Chen and said, "I have one last condition."

Lu Chen nodded directly and said: "I promise you."

"You know what I want to say?"

"I won't comment on your other aspects for now, but at least I can't fault you for your filial piety. I have sent someone to get your father's bones from outside Jinsha City, as well as Emperor Jing's bones, and will give them to you as well."

Lu Chen's words left Qing Yu Huaijin silent for a long time.

She asked softly, "Why didn't you say it before?"

Qing Yugong died on the battlefield and his body was buried in the south. Now she has to take some of her clansmen thousands of miles away. It is foreseeable that she will never have the chance to let her father return to his roots in this lifetime. If Lu Chen had used this as a condition for negotiation before, she would definitely be more passive.

Lu Chen said, "In fact, your father and Emperor Jing were not defeated by me. In other words, I was just a knife in their calculations. If they could be united from beginning to end, I would definitely not have achieved such a result. Having said that, there are no monarchs and ministers who are so loyal to each other in this world. The history is full of bloodstains. It is not surprising that many heroes died because of that chair. For me, they are first of all enemies that I must deal with, but it does not prevent me from standing on the opponent's side and paying them the most basic respect."

"Thank you."

Qing Yu Huaijin only said these two words in the end.

She stood up slowly.

"correct--"

"correct--"

The two said in unison.

Lu Chen humbly said, "You speak first."

Qing Yu Huai Jin lowered his eyes and whispered, "If necessary, I hope to see you again before I travel west."

Lu Chen shook his head slightly and said, "Why does it have to be me?"

Qing Yu Huaijin seemed extremely calm at this moment, and explained: "My brother's body is no longer able to leave offspring. Although I have made up my mind not to marry in this lifetime, if the Qing Yu family is extinct, how can I face my father in the future? Even if you have many unpleasant traits, at least you are better than others, which is enough, so this will be one of my conditions."

Lu Chen remained silent.

Qing Yu Huaijin asked, "What do you want to say?"

Lu Chen raised his hand and pointed at her neck and said, "Button."

Qing Yu Huaijin then realized that the buttons on his collar were in the wrong place and quickly adjusted them.

Before leaving, she looked at Lu Chen quietly for a long time and asked, "If we were on the official road outside Ruyin City..."

Lu Chen stood up and replied, "There are no ifs in this world."

"Right."

Qing Yu Huaijin smiled and did not ask the last question.

As he said, there is no need for this.

"I have to go now. No need to see me off. I will abide by the agreement we reached today, and I hope you will too."

After she said the last sentence, she turned and left.

Lu Chen picked up the wine cup and drank the half remaining wine.

……

In the sixth year of Yongning in the Great Qi Dynasty, early April.

After more than three months of fierce offensive, Lu Chen personally commanded the army to break through the capital of Jing State and captured a large number of Jinglian nobles whose hands were stained with the blood of Qi people. At the same time, Zhang Xu, Marquis of Yongding, coordinated several armies to directly capture Xijing of Jing State.

In desperation, the regent of Jing State, Qing Yu Huaijin, led more than 20,000 elite Xiashan soldiers and tens of thousands of trusted tribesmen who had escaped by chance, and headed westward along the southern end of the Wuleng grassland to join up with more than 20,000 troops and horses that had been deployed in advance on the northwest border. They directly crossed the dying Dai State, and, carrying with them the remaining forces of the Gaoyang tribe, headed straight for the distant and desolate far west.

At this point, the once prosperous Jing Kingdom collapsed.

On the desolate Gobi Desert in the northwest, a team that seemed endless was moving slowly forward.

Riding on a tall horse, Qing Yu Huaijin, wearing light armor, subconsciously stroked his belly and quietly looked back to the east.

The look in her eyes was so complex that it was hard to describe in words. There was no ambiguity or charm in it, only hatred, melancholy and admiration.

There is also a sense of relief that cannot be told to outsiders.

All the grudges and hatreds in this life will eventually become a thing of the past.

"drive!"

She withdrew her gaze, whipped her horse, and led her people resolutely westward.

(End of this chapter)