Isolated town in northern border region

Zhou Xun lay in his tent for eight whole days.

Yan Ji and Yang Wei visited him once on the first day. They saw that his calves were wrapped in bandages, his feet were covered with dark brown ointment, he was leaning against the couch, and his face still had redness and swelling from the burns.

When Zhou Xun saw them come in, he tried to sit up, but his knees buckled and he fell back onto the couch, his face showing both pain and embarrassment.

"Please forgive me, gentlemen... My appearance is truly unbecoming of a national figure. It would be better to discuss peace talks after my injuries have healed."

Yan Ji frowned and looked at him for a while, then glanced at his charred skin exposed outside the bandage. In the end, he only said, "Envoy of Chu, rest assured and recover from your injury. There's no rush," before leaving with Yang Wei.

On the third, fifth, and seventh days, Yan Ji and Yang Wei came several more times, and each time Zhou Xun could find a new reason.

Today, the pain from changing the dressing was so intense that I couldn't get out of bed. Tomorrow, the wound will itch, which might affect my judgment. The day after tomorrow, the medication will take effect, and I'll need to rest.

Tie Muyun would always squat by the bed to change his dressings, his movements very gentle, but he never looked up at the two men.

Yanji couldn't help but ask her one day.

"When will your envoy's injuries finally heal?"

Tie Muyun looked up at him.

"The army doctor said he needs to rest for a month. If you have an emergency, I can carry him for you."

Yan Ji glanced at the half-dead figure on the bed, choked for a moment, and turned to leave.

Yang Wei followed him out of the tent, glanced back at the hanging curtain, and muttered something under his breath.

Why was this week's tour deliberately delayed?

"Are you trying to use this to force the states of Yan and Shu to lower their demands?"

Yan Ji paused for a moment.

"snort!"

"Let him drag it out if he wants; we're not losing anything anyway."

On the eighth night, Yan Ji received an urgent military report.

Xiao Lie has already captured Jingzhou, and the 30,000 Chen troops have been almost completely wiped out. Their commander, Yuan Jia, was beheaded at the Huxiao River, and the remaining Chen troops retreated to the opposite bank of the river.

Yan Ji read the military report three times, then handed it to Yang Wei.

After reading it, Yang Wei remained silent for a long time, put down the military report, and calculated the days.

"The day Zhou Xun arrived, Xiao Lie had already recaptured Jingzhou!"

"One day? He only took one day?"

"Was the Chen army made of paper?"

"Wasn't Yuan Jia a seasoned general on the battlefield? Wasn't he skilled at defending cities?"

"Is this how you obey the law?"

Yan Ji's face was as dark as a piece of wood soaked in water.

"What a fine Zhou Xun was!"

"He's buying time for Xiao Lie!"

"By keeping us here, Xiao Lie can free up his hands to deal with us one by one."

"If Chen Guo backs down, you and I will be next!"

Yang Wei frowned.

"Your Highness, we must get Zhou Xun to sign the treaty tomorrow!"

Prince Yong nodded.

"Yes! We can't afford to delay any longer!"

Early on the ninth day, Yan Ji and Yang Wei led their men into Zhou Xun's tent.

When the bed curtain was lifted, Zhou Xun was leaning against the headboard drinking a bowl of medicinal soup. Hearing the noise, he looked up at them, put down the bowl, and smiled.

"Gentlemen, I am not feeling well today, I'm afraid it's..."

Yan Ji interrupted him before he could finish speaking.

"Envoy of Chu, you have been unwell for eight days; it's time for you to recover."

He walked to the bedside.

"My patience is limited..."

"If we can't reach a conclusion today, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Zhou Xun leaned back on the couch, looking at his face, which was already on the verge of collapse, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

He put down the bowl of medicine.

"Since you two can't wait any longer, let's talk."

Yan Ji pulled a scroll of official documents from his sleeve and spread it out on the low table in front of the couch.

"Cession of territory, payment of indemnities, opening of trade, exemption of tariffs..."

"The conditions are all written out clearly; you just need to sign and put your fingerprint on them."

Zhou Xun glanced down at the scroll of official documents, then reached out and picked it up, his movements unhurried and deliberate...

Then he released his grip, and the scroll of official documents fell to the ground, rolled twice, and stopped at Yan Ji's feet.

There was a moment of silence in the tent.

Yanji's face turned from white to red and then to green, as if he had been slapped in the face.

Yang Wei pressed his hand on the table, his knuckles turning white.

The soldiers on both sides gripped their sword hilts tightly, and Tie Muyun's hand had already reached for the hilt of the sword behind his waist.

Zhou Xun didn't look at the knives or the faces of the people. He simply sat up slowly, the wounds on his legs twitching as he moved.

"Gentlemen, you surely understand why I've been delaying..."

"Very well, I won't beat around the bush."

"The State of Chu will not agree to ceding territory!"

"How can we give away our ancestral land to others?"

"Compensation... is not a problem. The Northern Frontier is not short of money. My prince can earn back what you stole in three months."

He looked up at the two of them.

"However, even if I sign this letter of credence on your behalf, ceding Xuzhou and Liangzhou to you... can you hold onto them?"

"Jingzhou fell to the Chen Kingdom after only one day of defense."

"After the elite troops of the Northern Frontier turned their blades around, do you think you can hold out for a few more days than Chen Guo?"

"Three days? Five days? Or ten days?"

Yan Ji did not answer immediately.

Yang Wei's expression changed, and he retorted.

"Although Chu is strong, at worst we can destroy Chen. Our states of Yan and Shu can simply join forces with Jing. We will never stand idly by and watch Chu become the sole superpower!"

Zhou Xun chuckled, as if he had heard a very funny joke.

"Before the Yan and Shu states launched their military campaigns, they must have contacted the Jing state, right?"

Has the Emperor of Jing responded?

Yan Ji and Yang Wei's expressions froze simultaneously.

Zhou Xun observed this and continued speaking.

"The Princess of the Northern Frontier is a princess of the Jing Kingdom, and the technology of the Northern Frontier was given to the Jing Kingdom as a betrothal gift long ago."

"In terms of personal relationships, Chu and Jing are natural allies. Why would the Emperor of Jing help you fight his brother-in-law?"

He leaned against the headboard, his voice low but clear.

"Although the State of Chu is currently besieged on three sides, it is a vast and resource-rich country. Within three years, it will be able to suppress the three of you again."

"At that time... do you think the State of Jing will be on your side, or on the side of the State of Chu?"

"Who would pass up an opportunity to expand their territory?"

"In the end, it will simply be a matter of the Jing Kingdom joining forces with our Great Chu to annihilate all the other kingdoms!"

The tent remained quiet for a long time.

Yanji's expression shifted from anger to silence, and then from silence to stiffness.

Yang Wei lowered his head, not daring to look into Zhou Xun's eyes again.

Zhou Xun observed their changes and softened his tone.

"Gentlemen, I will show you the way today."

"If you withdraw your troops, the State of Chu will form a permanent alliance with the States of Yan and Shu, sharing technology and engaging in trade between the two countries."

"Within five years, both Yan and Shu will be prosperous and militarily strong. As a token of our sincerity..."

He took two rolls of paper from under his pillow, unfolded them, and placed them on the table.

"These are the blueprints for a steam engine, a small gift from the State of Chu to you both."

Yan Ji's gaze fell on those blueprints.

He couldn't understand the lines and markings, but he knew what they were!

That's something that can transform a country!

He and Yang Wei exchanged a glance and remained silent for a moment.

Yanji reached out and picked up the blueprints, then rolled them up.

"This matter is of great importance, and I need to send it back to the country for discussion."

Zhou Xun nodded.

"No rush, I can wait."

Yan Ji and Yang Wei walked out of the tent with the blueprints in their hands.

As the curtain fell, Zhou Xun leaned back on the couch and let out a long sigh. Tie Muyun sat in the corner wiping his knife, and only spoke after the sound of their footsteps had completely faded into the distance.

"Are those blueprints genuine?"

Zhou Xun closed his eyes.

"real."

"If you follow the blueprints exactly, you can make perfect progress."

Tie Muyun paused for a moment.

"Then you can change the dressing yourself tonight."

Zhou Xun opened his eyes and glanced at her.

"What do you mean?"

Tie Muyun opened the bundle and took out his leather armor and longbow.

"The steam engine is a national treasure; it must never be allowed to leave the country!"

"I'll sneak out as soon as it gets dark and ambush the scouts who brought the message!"

Zhou Xun was taken aback and looked at Tie Muyun with the same gaze he gave Luo Daniu.

No? Are all your friends' kids this slow-witted?

This is someone else's home base!

You're going to intercept and kill someone else's scouts?!

Tie Muyun glanced at Zhou Xun and frowned.

"What kind of look is that?"

Zhou Xun immediately laughed.

"Don't worry, Iron Girl! They'll just make scrap anyway!"

"That flywheel is made of ironwood from northern Xinjiang, with a steel outer casing."

"The states of Yan and Shu lack smelting technology and that kind of wood. Even if they could make a replica based on the blueprints, it would fall apart in less than ten days."

"At that time, they'll have to come back to us for repairs."

He closed his eyes again.

"Giving them this blueprint is like putting a dog leash around their necks."

"We have the rope!"

Tie Muyun looked at him, remained silent for a while, and then put the leather armor and longbow back.

"Scholars have truly filthy hearts."

Zhou Xun chuckled but did not refute.