“Could it be that you fear Great Zhou and Great Yan… would mobilize armies for distant campaigns against Tianfeng?” Bai Qingyan picked up her teacup and spoke with a smile: “If we were to launch a distant campaign against Tianfeng, Great Zhou would need to borrow passage through Xiliang, traveling great distances… This deal wouldn’t be worthwhile. Moreover, since Tianfeng is allied with Xiliang, Xiliang presumably wouldn’t grant passage to Great Zhou and Yan either.”
Xiao Rongyan continued: “Setting aside distant campaigns and borrowing passage, Tianfeng is surrounded by vast sandy wasteland, and this desert devours Tianfeng’s territory daily. Great Zhou has no interest, and my Great Yan… also has no interest. Tianfeng’s sovereign can rest assured.”
Hearing these words, Sa’er Khan was secretly alarmed. He hadn’t expected Great Zhou to understand Tianfeng’s situation so thoroughly. He thought of… that Great Zhou merchant Cui Fengnian who had first arrived in Tianfeng. Could all this information have been gathered by Cui Fengnian?
If Cui Fengnian had gathered this intelligence, why did Great Yan also know? Had the Great Zhou Empress told Great Yan?
However, this wasn’t particularly sensitive secret information, so it wasn’t that important.
While they were speaking, Shen Jingzhong had already signed the alliance with Great Yan. Liu Rushi personally took it and placed it on the table before the Yan Emperor and Ninth Prince Murong Yan. Xiao Rongyan glanced at it and handed it to his envoy, having him seal and sign it.
Sa’er Khan didn’t want this alliance meeting to serve only as a wedding dress for Yan and the Great Zhou. His fists clenched as he chuckled softly: “Since Great Zhou and Yan already know Tianfeng’s current situation, I’ll speak plainly…”
“Tianfeng’s fertile land is gradually being devoured by the desert. If this continues, one day Tianfeng may face insufficient farmland, making it difficult for the people to have enough food and clothing. To prevent such a situation, Tianfeng is willing to pay high prices to lease land and cities from Great Yan, Great Zhou, and Xiliang, paying ten years’ rent in advance, and contributing twenty percent of the annual grain harvest to Great Zhou, Great Yan, and Xiliang.” Sa’er Khan smiled: “This is what Tianfeng seeks in this alliance meeting.”
What a clever strategy…
Bai Qingyan lifted her teacup and imperceptibly glanced at Murong Yan, her smile becoming more pronounced.
Tianfeng’s sovereign was using such grandiose rhetoric to gradually encroach upon the Great Zhou and the Great Yan!
“The lands and cities Tianfeng wishes to lease would center on the convergence point of Great Zhou, Great Yan, and Xiliang, occupying territories from all three nations, seeking only a foothold to cultivate sufficient grain to feed Tianfeng’s people.” Sa’er Khan stood and bowed to Bai Qingyan, Murong Yan, and Murong Li: “As Tianfeng’s sovereign, I only wish to secure a path of survival for my people. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare organize this four-nation alliance. Please review the alliance document… If the rental terms are unsatisfactory, we can negotiate further!”
The Great Yan ministers who had accompanied Xiao Rongyan and Murong Li to the alliance meeting discussed among themselves, while Great Zhou’s Minister Shen Jingzhong huddled with Liu Rushi and Shen Tianzhi for a brief exchange.
Seeing this, Sa’er Khan bowed again: “Xiliang has already agreed. I beseech the Zhou Emperor, Yan Emperor… and Ninth Prince to assist, so this four-nation alliance won’t become a meeting without alliance. Otherwise, I’ll have no face to meet Tianfeng’s subjects!”
“Does Tianfeng’s desire to lease land and cities require the Great Zhou and Yan to relocate their people?” Bai Qingyan asked.
“And will you station troops within these cities?” Xiao Rongyan followed up.
After sitting down, Sa’er Khan replied: “After leasing the cities, we’d need to relocate Tianfeng people to settle and cultivate the land! Naturally, if the rent could be lower, Tianfeng could also employ Great Zhou and Great Yan people for cultivation, which would be the same, then Great Zhou or Great Yan people wouldn’t need to relocate.”
“As for stationing troops, if we employ Great Zhou and Great Yan people for cultivation, we’d only need to leave some elephant troops to maintain order, provide supervision, and transport grain back to Tianfeng.” Sa’er Khan paused: “If we relocate Tianfeng citizens, Tianfeng would leave elephant troops to protect our people’s safety and our interests during the lease period, and also be responsible for grain transport.”
Fearing this might alarm Great Zhou and Yan, Sa’er Khan continued: “Naturally, though we’d lease the cities and lands, the territory would always belong to Great Zhou and Great Yan. The Great Zhou and Great Yan could completely station garrison troops. During the lease period… while Tianfeng’s forces manage the cities and lands, Great Zhou and Great Yan’s troops could serve a supervisory role to ensure Tianfeng has no other intentions.”
Wanting to take a mile before getting an inch, yet still maintaining an appearance of measured advance and retreat…
Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes to look at Tianfeng’s unopened alliance document before her. If her guess was correct, Tianfeng’s offered rent should be enough to move hearts.
Tianfeng’s situation of land being devoured by the desert was becoming increasingly serious. At this juncture… Tianfeng’s proposal to lease cities and land wasn’t unreasonable, especially with their willingness to pay high rent – it would indeed easily tempt people.
It seemed this Tianfeng sovereign had put considerable effort into winning over Great Zhou and Great Yan, and was willing to pay the price…
The more this was so, the more Bai Qingyan could see that Tianfeng’s sovereign harbored significant ambitions.
She raised her hand to unfold Tianfeng’s alliance document. Seeing this, Sa’er Khan’s face showed a smile as he picked up his teacup… He believed that even sovereigns as noble as the Zhou and Yan Emperors would be moved upon seeing the rental price.
“Paying ten years’ rent in advance – isn’t Tianfeng afraid there might be variables over these ten years?” A Great Yan envoy asked after gasping in amazement.
“This lord has hit the key point, which is why… Tianfeng would leave some elephant troops to prevent being driven out before the lease expires. I trust… the Zhou Emperor, Yan Emperor, and Yan’s Ninth Prince can understand this!” Sa’er Khan smiled: “Moreover, our Tianfeng is leasing cities and farmland of modest size on the Great Zhou, Great Yan, and Xiliang’s territories. If Tianfeng truly harbored ill intentions… Great Zhou and Great Yan have already signed an alliance, which also serves to deter Tianfeng.”
“As Tianfeng’s sovereign says, with Tianfeng on Yan and Great Zhou’s territories, aren’t you afraid that after we collect ten years’ rent, we’ll drive you out anyway?” Murong Yan’s voice came from behind his mask, low and tinged with mocking playfulness.
“Yan and the Great Zhou are great nations. As long as we can sign an alliance today, all of Tianfeng is willing to trust!” Sa’er Khan said.
“Why must Tianfeng’s sovereign make things so complicated! Isn’t this just about wanting grain?” Liu Rushi looked up toward Tianfeng’s sovereign: “If Tianfeng lacks grain, then simply buy grain! Convert this ten-year’ rent into a ten-year grain deposit. Our two nations will accept it, and within ten years, eighty percent of these regions’ harvests will be sent to Tianfeng. If Tianfeng is concerned, you can station four or five officials permanently for inspection!”