CHAPTER 669: CHAPTER 649: THE ARENA

Lin Helin obviously couldn’t fill the deficit; only Fengyu could. The Ministry of Revenue, led by Minister Gong, who is now a staunch ally of the Empress, has been crying poverty. During court discussions, the Beiman High Priest proposed that His Majesty marry into the Beiman Royal Family. Before anyone else could respond, Minister Gong jumped out and rebutted, stating that the Empress and Emperor had just been wed. He accused Beiman of deliberately targeting the Empress, adopting a posture of unwavering defense—as though anyone who troubled the Empress would be offending him. He nearly seemed ready to put Fengyu on a pedestal.

After all, Minister Gong, within the Yuwen Dynasty, was always lamenting that his budgets were insufficient and often suffered ridicule. When the Forbidden Army couldn’t get funding, they berated him; when the Jinyi Guard demanded allocations, they cursed him. When preparations for Jiangnan’s grain and fodder fell short, military generals sneered at him. Minister Gong had entertained thoughts of resignation countless times. But in recent days, he finally achieved a life of ease—money flowing in without restraint, free of insults. Now, anyone who disrupts his peace, he’ll fiercely oppose.

Zhang Boju said, "Your Majesty, this is the optimal plan for resettling Beiman’s citizens. The royal family will reside in the Capital City under our supervision. The ordinary populace will be relocated to twelve states, Zhongzhou, or Jiangnan. Without a leader, they won’t cause trouble. Decades later, the Beiman people will assimilate and grow familial bonds with us. If the Beiman royals settle in the Capital City, then the Princess must enter the palace. Both sides need a guarantee."

"Then why must it be me who weds her? Cousin, you haven’t taken a wife yet. How about I grant you the princesses instead?"

"Thank you for your gracious offer, Your Majesty, but I am already in talks for a marriage alliance."

"Who’s the lady in question?"

Lin Helin fell silent, meek as a quail. Xie Xun sighed in frustration, "Let’s discuss later. I don’t wish to marry a Beiman Princess. Even if I did, placing her in the harem would waste her prime years."

"But marrying the Princess could prevent a war, ensure the resettlement of Beiman’s citizens, and stabilize their royal family."

"The Xie Family’s grudge against the Beiman Royal Family runs as deep as the sea. My great-grandfather, grandfather, and uncle—all perished at the hands of the Beiman. I might be willing to forgive and forget, but to have a Beiman Princess marry into the Xie Family? I fear the ancestral graves would spew smoke at midnight, and the spirits of our forebears might visit me in displeasure." Xie Xun had no choice but to invoke the ancestors as a shield.

Zhang Boju, "..."

Lin Helin, "..."

Initially, when the Beiman asked Xie Xun to marry a princess, they hadn’t thoroughly considered whether the Empress would agree. Their concern was rooted in the Xie Family’s longstanding war with Beiman—how could Xie Xun or Xie Jue be willing to accept such an alliance?

"Then we’ll have to think of alternatives to properly resettle them," Lin Helin agreed that this situation was a deadlock and couldn’t fault Xie Xun; he also refrained from invoking moral high ground to pressure him further. "What does the Prince Yan suggest?"

With moral appeals unfeasible, they could only resort to Prince Yan as an alternative.

Even hiding in plain sight, Xie Jue had been silently listening. He hadn’t anticipated that Xie Xun would invoke the ancestors—and that Lin Helin and Zhang Boju had wholeheartedly believed it.

"I’ve already given my proposal," Xie Jue stated succinctly.

"But His Majesty rejected it," Lin Helin said, "pointing out that the relocation of citizens to twelve states..."

"I think Second Brother’s plan deserves a trial," Xie Xun interrupted Lin Helin. He regretted speaking too much earlier. The plan, though unfair to the citizens of the twelve states, offered a solution. Resettling them anywhere would inevitably be unfair, yet proper placement was necessary. "The Empress previously proposed a plan for settling Beiman citizens. We’ll issue a notice inviting cities willing to receive over ten thousand Beiman immigrants to apply. Taxes for such cities would be moderately reduced, and compensation from Beiman’s mined resources would be distributed per capita. What do you think? If cities volunteer to accept them, we prioritize their candidacy for resettlement—what say you?"

Zhang Boju and Lin Helin raised their brows. They hadn’t overlooked such a possibility, but this approach would require substantial state funding. In the end, it boiled down to a money problem.

Beining, having endured years of war, was only now experiencing peace. Reconstruction was paramount. Saving wherever feasible was critical. If the funds came from the Su Family’s Trading House, the ministers would certainly have no objections.

"The Su Family’s Trading House can cover these costs, but the mining rights to Beiman’s resources must go to the Su Family as well," Xie Xun schemed to win benefits for Fengyu.

Zhang Boju and Lin Helin’s eyebrows twitched. Lin Helin subtly reminded Xie Xun, "Your Majesty, to my knowledge, both the Capital City and Jiangnan’s trading industries are dominated by the Su Family. The Empress already commands most of the nation’s commercial power. If Beiman’s mining rights are handed over to the Su Family, it may not be appropriate. Let the Ministry of Revenue oversee them instead."

With the Ministry in charge, these assets would remain under imperial control.

In Lin Helin and Zhang Boju’s view, the Empress wielded excessive power, which might not bode well for the Emperor.

"The Empress and I are one; there’s no division between us. Let’s use this proposal to negotiate with Beiman," Xie Xun decisively concluded. Lin Helin and Zhang Boju had no rebuttal; Xie Xun’s resolute and swift decision-making, though beneficial for a monarch, posed challenges for ministers accustomed to advising kings and influencing policy.

After Xie Xun departed, Zhang Boju was so weary he could barely keep his eyes open and left for Jinhua Palace to rest. Lin Helin said to Xie Jue, "Ting Feng, the hearts of the people vary. Though you have faith in the Empress’s character, others may not. If the harem wields excessive power, it will inevitably lead to trouble for her. Rumors are like tigers or molten gold—we’ve seen countless cases of slander ruining reputations. If Beiman’s mining rights are given to the Su Family’s Trading House, chaos will follow. Merchants’ interests are deeply intertwined, and while they may currently rally behind the Empress, uneven benefits could turn them into sharp blades. Persuade Zhixu to moderate his trust in the Empress and avoid unnecessary controversy."

A city’s master and a nation’s matriarch are not the same.

In the hearts of the people, a true Empress must be dignified, cultured, and an exemplar to all—not someone overstepping their role to dominate state affairs.

"Rest assured, that was merely Zhixu’s suggestion—Ayu would’ve refused. Cousin, don’t worry. Ayu perceives these dynamics even more clearly than we do. She will only pursue what she truly desires. I trust her because her intentions are wholly for Zhixu. Cousin, let me be honest with you—Ayu has already agreed to the Princess entering the palace. It’s Zhixu who’s unwilling to disappoint her. We brothers dislike seeing her sorrow—not due to the Su Family’s Trading House but because we genuinely regard her as family. As Zhixu said, even if the Beiman Princess enters the palace, it would only waste her prime years. Our family has an irreconcilable grudge with the Beiman Royal Family—they are indeed ill-suited to live in the harem. Make this clear to the Beiman negotiators: should they insist, let them prepare for the consequences. Let them understand Zhixu will not change his stance; the path forward is theirs to choose. Convey these points explicitly to Dugu Jing. He is deeply sentimental, cherishes the Princesses, and will not let them become mere sacrificial pieces."

Lin Helin had not anticipated the Beiman agreeing to have their royal family reside in the Capital City while dispersing the rest of their populace across twelve states, Zhongzhou, or Jiangnan. Yet they persisted on the matter of the Princess’s marriage into the palace.

The Princesses sought an audience with Fengyu, who hesitated but eventually agreed to meet them.

Xie Xun, though now Emperor, still found life unbearably constraining. Anger brewed within him, and he spent time at the martial arts arena practicing spear techniques. Learning that the Beiman Princesses had sought out Fengyu only worsened his temper.

In the snow-battered arena, Dugu Jing silently observed Xie Xun training. Amid the storm, Xie Xun moved like a majestic crane and agile dragon, his spear techniques seamless and devastating, as if splitting the snowstorm in two with his unstoppable momentum.

Dugu Jing recognized Xie Xun’s unparalleled mastery of spear and swordsmanship. They had never properly dueled, and while fate had saved them from a fatal showdown, they had long regarded one another as the greatest rival of their lives. Both had yearned to fight to their fullest, with no regard for borders or titles.

Dugu Jing’s fighting spirit surged as he stood on the arena floor and issued a challenge to Xie Xun, "Xie Xun, do you dare to face me in a true battle? If I die without this fight, I won’t rest in peace."

"Come then. I’ll make you accept defeat willingly!" Xie Xun sneered coldly, full of arrogance and confidence, projecting a dominance that seemed unassailable, coupled with the youthful fearlessness of one who dares everything.

Dugu Jing swept up a spear, moving like an eagle spreading its wings, launching an aggressive attack. "How presumptuous!"