Xie Xun’s eyes were extremely cold, his fingers pressed against his sword hilt, cold light flashing.

Xiao Rongyan stepped on the helmet that the Yan Nation general had smashed on the ground, lazily tilting his head to look at that Yan Nation general: “Just one point… if I had you lead the Yan army back to the Yan capital now, could you… Break through the Great Zhou’s army and leave Yunjing with the Yan army? Another point… You must understand that as long as the Yan Nation generals here in Yunjing show any intention of leading the Yan army back to the Yan capital, they will be intercepted. Once the Yan army is intercepted, do you think… the Great Zhou army stationed at Yan Nation’s border won’t receive news and won’t directly march on the Yan capital?”

“Or do you think that after the Great Zhou receives news, they’ll foolishly wait in place for our Yan army to return for reinforcement before attacking the Yan capital?” Xiao Rongyan’s gaze swept over all the seated Yan Nation generals, asking: “Which of you has the confidence to lead the Yan army back to the Yan capital for rescue without Great Zhou noticing? Who?!”

The Yan Nation generals all remained silent.

They all knew that Great Zhou currently had more troops than their Yan Nation, and Great Zhou’s generals were all from the Bai family. Not to mention Bai Qingqi and Bai Jinxiu, who had already made their names on battlefields years ago – just speaking of Bai Qingyu… who in Yan Nation now didn’t know that Bai Qingyu was the greatest contributor to destroying the Rongdi?

There was also the Great Zhou’s Gao Yi Jun Bai Jinzhi, who fought in the war to destroy Liang. Even though she was a woman, she was still Great Zhou’s extremely formidable, fierce general. How many of Great Liang’s fierce generals were no match for Gao Yi Jun, suffering crushing defeats at her hands?

There was also Bai Qingjue, who had also emerged prominently in this great war. The Bai family’s Fifth Miss was also extraordinarily brave, worthy of being called the next Great Zhou Gao Yi Jun Bai Jinzhi.

Moreover, there were the already famous generals of the Bai Family Army: Shen Kunyang, Wei Zhaonian, Cheng Yuanzhi, and Huying Army’s Shen Liangyu. Not to mention Great Zhou’s Zhao family army’s Zhao Sheng and Yang Wuce, whom they had won over in Great Liang – these… were all previously renowned, famous generals.

Who did their Yan Nation have that was usable?

One… needless to say, was the Ninth Prince.

Another was Second Prince Murong Ping, and then there was General Xie Xun. Even if there were young generals beginning to emerge, they ultimately weren’t like the Bai family members who had been trained on battlefields from a young age, accumulating vast experience.

“Which of you… Does this have this ability? Today, our Yan Nation could also show some backbone against the Great Zhou!” Xiao Rongyan’s voice carried a few notes of mocking laughter.

Xie Xun looked around and saw that all of Great Yan’s generals remained silent. The force of his thumb pressing against his waist sword finally withdrew.

“In the current situation, do you think our Yan Nation still has room for choice?” Xiao Rongyan kicked the helmet under his foot, sending it crashing into the kneecap of the general who had thrown it. That general immediately knelt on the ground in pain.

“Speaking of righteousness, when Great Zhou’s army knew that our Yan army had few troops… and lacked food, they remembered that we Yan Nation was their ally. They sent more troops than our Yan Nation, yet when dividing war spoils, they gave the majority to our Yan Nation. Ask yourselves honestly – isn’t this so?” Xiao Rongyan stood up, hands behind his back, pacing with measured steps. “And what about our Yan Nation? Because we worried about the two nations standing in opposition after destroying Xiliang, while the alliance between our two nations still existed, we betrayed the Great Zhou, causing the Great Zhou heavy losses. Even so… Great Zhou’s captured Fifth Young Master still had the Bai Family Army open city gates for our Yan Nation!”

“That’s because their Great Zhou also wanted our Yan Nation to fight Xiliang for them!” a Yan Nation general muttered quietly.

“General, I’m embarrassed for you with those words! When has our Yan Nation become so shameless?” Murong Ping looked at that Yan Nation general with a face full of regret. “No wonder the soldiers below are now saying things like the Bai Family Army opening city gates for us and dying so many people was their own choice. When the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam follows suit. General, if you take these words before all the people under heaven… do you think you can stand firm? What will people under heaven say? They’ll say… Great Zhou, disregarding past grievances, was still willing to use whoever entered Yunjing’s imperial palace as the wager, standing from an ally’s perspective and repaying resentment with virtue by opening city gates for us, and this is the kind of speculation it brings?”

“Second Prince and Ninth Prince both speak in favor of Great Zhou. This subordinate refuses to accept it!” Great Yan’s generals still had much dissatisfaction, after all, Yunjing City was also won with their Yan Nation soldiers’ blood and lives.

“Those who break faith with the world cannot gain the world! Great Zhou’s Emperor… starting from when she was still the Jin Dynasty’s Princess Zhenguo, won the hearts of all people, which is why establishing Great Zhou went so smoothly!” Xie Xun had considerable prestige among the generals; his voice measured: “In terms of righteousness, Great Zhou has been completely benevolent and righteous toward our Yan Nation. It’s not something that can be understood by all under heaven with our simple words of refusal. War inevitably involves bloodshed and sacrifice – not only does our Yan Nation have sacrifices, Great Zhou does too!”

“But… it was our Ninth Prince who entered Yunjing’s imperial palace first!”

“If this Prince had entered Yunjing before the battle began, that could count. Could Great Zhou say… that the Bai family’s Fifth Young Master entered Yunjing’s imperial palace a step before this Prince?” Xiao Rongyan’s voice was slow. “Don’t say the Fifth Young Master feigned capture – even if he was truly captured and brought into Yunjing, yet could accomplish so much within Yunjing City and assist both nations in taking Yunjing, this merit… how do you think people under heaven would view it?”

“When we now say this, Yunjing should be given to Great Zhou, we’re apologizing to Great Zhou and making a gesture to all people under heaven. Someone among our Yan army betrayed Great Zhou, so… we’ll give the Yunjing we conquered to Great Zhou!” Xiao Rongyan stopped pacing and looked at his generals. “We family members can say whatever we want behind closed doors, but… before going out to speak, think about whether your sophistry can stand firm before all people under heaven! Switch positions… if you were Great Zhou generals, who do you think should get this Yunjing?”

“Whether Yan Nation or Great Zhou, both want to gain this world! But as General Xie said… those who break faith with the world cannot gain the world!” Seeing his generals seemed to be quietly contemplating, Xiao Rongyan continued: “Think it over carefully yourselves! After the Great Zhou and we complete the handover of Old General Cui Shanzhong’s trusted subordinates, Murong Ping will accompany this Prince back to the Yan capital with a team of guards! All matters here will be handled by General Xie Xun – no violations permitted! One more point… whoever dares to move troops without authorization, causing difficulty for the Yan capital… causing difficulty for Yan Nation, don’t blame this Prince for executing their entire clan!”

“Your Highness!” The Yan Nation generals stared wide-eyed at Xiao Rongyan.

What Xiao Rongyan said – these few Great Yan generals weren’t unable to understand it.

If they truly switched positions and were Great Zhou generals, they would naturally also feel that this Yunjing absolutely couldn’t be handed over, otherwise they’d be letting down the Bai family’s Fifth Young Master.

If they didn’t count the Bai family’s Fifth Young Master’s feigned surrender into Yunjing, then the Ninth Prince secretly leading people to infiltrate Yujing’s imperial palace probably couldn’t count as being first to storm the palace either.