“Our Yan’s Empress Dowager was deceived by treacherous people into betraying Great Zhou. Since that’s the case… our Yan will offer all the territory gained when Great Zhou and Yan allied to jointly attack Xiliang entirely to Great Zhou, not keeping an inch! Let Great Zhou alone occupy all of Xiliang territory to atone for our sins!” Wang Hanbing looked toward Grand Marshal Lu, his eyes smiling. “I imagine… nothing could better demonstrate our Yan’s… sincerity in seeking atonement for betraying Great Zhou this time!”

Wang Hanbing’s voice remained unhurried as before: “We fought together, originally agreeing to divide Xiliang together. Betraying the Great Zhou was not originally our Majesty’s and Regent Prince’s intention – this was also beyond our Yan’s expectations. So… although our Yan also sent troops to fight against Tianfeng and Xiliang forces this time, we acknowledge our guilt toward the Great Zhou and offer Xiliang with both hands!”

Lu Fenglang’s eyes suddenly tightened, knowing he had fallen into Wang Hanbing’s trap.

This Wang Hanbing, who had remained mostly silent in the Yan embassy delegation, was indeed as His Majesty had predicted – previously observing each person in their Great Zhou delegation. Now he had figured out everyone’s temperament and was probably waiting here, deliberately wanting to separate the two matters for discussion.

Fortunately, the Great Zhou was currently strong, and Yan had indeed broken faith first. How this matter would be decided was still up to the Great Zhou.

Thinking this, Lu Fenglang steadied his heart. Before he could speak, he heard Liu Rushi’s voice from outside…

“If two nations establish a national gambling pact, the winning nation will naturally gain all the territory of the other nation. So now, whether it’s our Great Zhou or your Yan, offering territory is the least valuable thing!” Liu Rushi lifted the hem of his official robes as he stepped over the threshold, his features clear and bright, his lips also bearing a slight smile. “If this is called Yan’s sincerity… I fear Yan only has the sincerity to offer land to delay time and transfer Xiliang’s main forces back to the Yan capital, but no sincerity for national gambling!”

Liu Rushi, who had been stabbed by Yan’s National Uncle Zhong Xingxiao’s guard and remained unconscious, awakened on the sixteenth of June and suddenly appeared at Honglu Si to face Wang Hanbing.

Among the Yan delegation, Wang Hanbing had mostly figured out the personalities and negotiation tactics of everyone except this somewhat taciturn Grand Marshal Lu. Only regarding this Great Zhou Minister of Rites Liu Rushi did he know nothing.

“Minister Liu…” Grand Marshal Lu led the officials in standing up and going to greet Liu Rushi. “Why has Minister Liu come? Didn’t they say you just awakened not long ago? Why aren’t you resting well at home?”

Grand Marshal Lu’s action made the Yan envoys hurriedly stand up as well, looking toward the doorway.

Lu Fenglang and Fan Yugan also bowed to Liu Rushi.

“Indeed, Minister Liu, you suffered such severe injuries and nearly lost your life. Having just awakened, you should rest well. Why did you hurry to Honglu Si?” Fan Yugan was genuinely concerned about Liu Rushi’s health.

He didn’t know the inside story of Liu Rushi’s stabbing. Now seeing that Liu Rushi seemed much thinner, his already fair face appearing even paler, Fan Yugan was naturally worried.

“Grand Marshal Lu…” After Liu Rushi respectfully bowed to Grand Marshal Lu, he looked toward Fan Yugan with an expression of frustration at his failure to meet expectations. “If I didn’t come, our Great Zhou’s face would be completely lost by you incompetent fools! Now our Great Zhou is strong, having trapped their Yan main forces, and with our great army pressing at their Yan borders. With just one command, we could take the Yan capital and destroy Yan! What are you doing here, wasting energy arguing with them? Lay out the conditions… if negotiations work, negotiate! If not… then fight!”

“Minister Liu, please calm your anger. This is our fault!” Lu Fenglang quickly bowed in apology, lowering his eyes to suppress a smile.

Fan Yugan’s eyes rolled, knowing what play this was. He put on a wronged appearance, like a child seeking justice from family elders after a fight, turning to point at the Yan delegation: “But they keep talking about soldiers’ lives and common people. Our Majesty loves the people and soldiers’ lives most – you know this, Minister Liu. We can’t help but have some concerns here!”

“Stop using soldiers’ lives and people’s livelihoods as talking points!” Liu Rushi’s sharp gaze precisely captured Wang Hanbing, who had a composed expression among the Great Yan delegation, and sneered coldly. “What do soldiers fight and shed blood for? They die for the nation’s benefit! From His Majesty down to the common soldiers in our Great Zhou, not one soldier is a coward! As long as it’s fighting for the nation… each one dares to die!”

“Speaking of the people, we naturally must protect Great Zhou’s people! But right now, Yan’s people are not yet our Great Zhou’s people. Our Majesty has compassion for all people under heaven, but must prioritize our people! This is His Majesty’s responsibility as the Great Zhou’s Emperor!” Liu Rushi naturally carried the bearing of a loyal, upright minister in his every gesture. “Caring for other nations’ people – that can wait until after the world is unified!”

Hearing Liu Rushi’s words, Wang Hanbing knew Liu Rushi had come prepared. He had not yet engaged with Liu Rushi, but Liu Rushi had probably already figured out his negotiation tactics through Fan Yugan’s several probing attempts.

However, just as Liu Rushi said, the Great Zhou was currently strong, and their Yan could only bow their heads to seek survival and have a chance to gamble on the nation. But if they truly sent their war generals as hostages to Great Zhou, in the future, if Yan won, it would be fine, but if they lost… then Yan would be finished.

Fortunately, when Murong Li decided on national gambling, he said it was for the people and to give Yan a chance at survival. Even if they lost in the future, the historical records of this young Yan ruler wouldn’t be too bad.

Wang Hanbing clenched his palms, still having confidence in his own Regent Prince and Emperor. He had never met that Great Zhou Emperor, but he believed that the Great Zhou’s Emperor, originally from a military family background, had taken steps that were too large in implementing new policies. Perhaps because his war tactics had always been swift and decisive, very aggressive, he also didn’t know how to proceed gradually in state governance, pursuing only relentless advance!

Previously, the Great Zhou Emperor’s smooth implementation of new policies was only because the Great Zhou had just established the Jin Dynasty, and the Great Liang had just been recovered. Xiliang had not yet shown results, and just the eight great families of Xiliang would probably give this Emperor headaches in dealing with them.

The eight great families of Xiliang had influence penetrating all of Xiliang. If the Great Zhou Emperor wanted to control Xiliang, he couldn’t bypass these eight great families. And these eight great families would absolutely never agree to the Great Zhou Emperor’s new policies – these new policies were harmful and not beneficial to aristocratic families!

Although the Regent Prince hadn’t said it explicitly, Wang Hanbing understood… this was precisely why the Regent Prince had handed over all of Xiliang to Great Zhou.

“Yan envoys are so fond of talking about the world’s people and soldiers’ lives…” Liu Rushi’s voice grew colder. “Why didn’t you speak up when Yan’s Empress Dowager betrayed Great Zhou?”