CHAPTER 665: CHAPTER 645: AGREEMENT

The pot was enveloped in misty steam, boiling broth filled with the mushrooms and fresh green vegetables that Fengyu loved. Qiuxiang and Chunlu, who originally stood beside her in service, lowered their heads upon hearing Fengyu’s words, not daring to look at their masters. Fengyu knew this would happen as soon as she learned the Beiman Princess was coming to Shangjing. Lin Helin’s straightforward nature wouldn’t usually involve such lengthy discussions with the High Priest; clearly, there were issues they couldn’t resolve. The surrender of Beiman was, after all, a significant matter.

Everyone’s joys and sorrows must yield to this, including Xie Xun.

Even though Xie Xun was undefeated in battle and wielded military strategy as if by divine hand, he could not stubbornly refuse the Beiman Princess and disrupt the surrender process.

If a marriage alliance with the Princess were formed and Beiman surrendered, it would be a great joy for all of Beining. If the Emperor claimed to deeply love the Empress and refused the marriage alliance, then he would be deemed irrational at best. If the Empress, driven by jealousy, disallowed Beiman women into the palace, she would be seen as unworthy of the title of Mother of the Nation, destined to face relentless criticism from scholars and society alike.

The surrender of Beiman meant countless soldiers could return home, the border would be free of war, and peace could be achieved without the sacrifice of a single soldier’s life. As Beining’s ruler, if the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry could lose even one less soldier to conflict, what objection could there be to marrying a foreign woman? It would merely mean keeping her within the palace, without necessarily bestowing favor upon her.

This brings nothing but benefit to Beining.

The Beiman King sent the Princess to Shangjing with this exact intention. If surrender becomes a foregone conclusion, then a marriage alliance must solidify it so Beiman might find reassurance. Should a Beiman woman bear Xie Xun’s children, it would make the alliance all the more steadfast. After their surrender, as they move beyond Ningzhou to settle and live, Beiman would seek stability and confidence. The royal family likewise desires stability and peace, which necessitates mutual restraints upon one another.

A marriage alliance is the most effective shortcut.

Xie Xun himself was deeply contemplating this issue. Lin Helin had already synced the terms from Beiman, one of which was for Xie Xun to take two Beiman Princesses into his harem.

The current discussions centered around the surrender of Beiman, not merely a peace treaty.

As long as they entered the palace, the High Priest would persuade Dugu Jing. The surrender of Beiman would encompass the entirety of Beiman; from that moment onward, Ningzhou would see no more war—a dream cherished across generations.

The surrender of Beiman was the lifelong wish of the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion. For successive generations, the youth and blood of their family had been poured onto the Ningzhou Battlefield.

Now, standing on the threshold of Beiman’s surrender, it was unreasonable to let personal emotions and relationships override this historic opportunity. As ruler, Xie Xun had his own obligations; he must protect the border soldiers.

"Ayu, the High Priest indeed hopes the two Princesses will enter the palace as consorts. The surrender of Beiman is the collective wish of all soldiers. I... I don’t want to deceive you." Xie Xun had been pondering how to broach this matter with Fengyu ever since his return to Changshou Palace. They’d only just been newly wedded when this issue of the Beiman Princesses entering the palace arose. He knew Fengyu would never accept this; nor did he wish to betray Fengyu. At this moment, he could only propose a solution that sought to balance both sides. "If the terms for Beiman’s surrender mandate the Princesses’ entrance into the palace, I might consider it. Ayu, I promise you, I would have them reside in the West Palace. I’d ensure never to meet them—not even once. Regard them as palace maids, nothing more. Nothing else would change. If I don’t agree, Beiman and Beining might indeed maintain temporary peace, but after a few years of recuperation, we would gain the strength to defeat Beiman. Yet, at that time, countless soldiers would perish. War is inherently cruel; I cannot achieve the bloodless victory of winning a battle without sacrifice. I hope to quell the border upheaval as swiftly as possible and restore peace and stability to the borders. We and Beiman cannot live forever like two discrete and disconnected worlds. Beiman’s harsh living conditions will inevitably lead them to encroach upon our territory. The moment war erupts, lives are sacrificed. It’s better to forge an early reconciliation with Beiman and allow them to pledge allegiance to us. Currently, my cousin and others are negotiating for favorable conditions from Beiman. I will try my utmost to refuse the Princesses’ entry or propose a marriage alliance with clansmen instead. If Beiman requires reassurance, I will strive to meet their conditions as long as my bottom line is not breached. But if..."

"I understand!" Fengyu had been to the Ningzhou Battlefield and had led troops to fend off Sannan’s assaults. She was not some pampered woman from deep in the palace. From the moment she first stood in Xie Xun’s place on the battlefield, she understood its brutal reality. "I agree."