“Minister Song, everything is prepared. Shall we depart?”

Song Lan’an turned to look at the hundreds of crudely crafted yet distinctive wooden boxes, ordering them all sent to the front of the procession. He himself stood in place, gazing at the capital’s city gates for a long while before finally turning to board his carriage.

The group rushed forward at full speed, yet even so, by the time they reached the Su River, spring had already brought warm weather and blooming flowers.

The two nations’ war had caused countless deaths and injuries. The Su River itself was stained with blood and white bones, tinged with rusty red. Now during the ceasefire, the sky everywhere was obscured by black smoke from burning, showing not a trace of azure blue.

Song Lan’an helped Shang Chong, who had fallen gravely ill from days of rushing travel and was already emaciated and haggard, down from the carriage.

“Can Old Sir still hold on?”

Shang Chong waved his hand but could no longer speak a single word.

“Honored Ministers, please come inside.”

An armored commander led the ministers into the central military tent. When Shen Qianyu saw them, his eyes were bloodshot as he struggled to stand.

“Your Highness has worked hard.”

Song Lan’an looked at Shen Qianyu—covered in wounds, cheeks sunken, only a pair of eyes shining brightly—and let out a soft laugh.

“In this war between two nations, both suffered greatly. It’s just that we had been exhausted for many years beforehand and couldn’t hold out as long as Nanqing.”

“It is not Your Highness’s fault.”

Shang Chong also nodded, opening his mouth with difficulty: “Your Highness has already done extremely well, possessing the style of the founding Emperor.”

Several court officials all praised and agreed. Shen Qianyu walked before everyone and prostrated himself in obeisance. Song Lan’an stepped forward to help him up, but Shen Qianyu remained kneeling on the ground, wailing in grief.

Zuo Zhengyan smiled: “His Highness is truly a man of genuine feeling.”

Signaling Wan Xiao to help the Crown Prince up, Shang Chong said, “Since we’ve already reached the Su River, let’s attend to official business today.”

He was advanced in years. The long journey had already consumed much of his strength. Any further delay might ruin everything.

Handing the Emperor’s seal to Shen Qianyu, everyone changed into official robes, held the documents of submission and imperial edict, and crossed the Su River to reach Nanqing’s encampment. Shen Qianyu stood to the east of the Su River, gazing across at the hundred-person procession from across the water, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably. Wan Xiao bit his teeth hard, looking at the crude wooden boxes at the end of the procession, weeping with his head in his hands.

Song Lan’an supported Shang Chong and, after passing through multiple inspections, entered Prince Ning’s tent.

Prince Ning stood upon the high seat. Seeing them, he quickly rose and descended.

“Greetings, Minister Shang.”

“Minister Shang’s students are found throughout the world. Our Nanqing people have likewise benefited immensely. You deserve this courtesy, Old Sir.”

Nanqing’s new sovereign, the former Prince Ning, bowed in courtesy to Shang Chong. Shang Chong waved his hand silently, his entire person seeming drained of strength as he casually found a seat and sat down. Song Lan’an’s heart filled with worry as he stepped forward to inquire carefully.

Prince Ning said, “Summon the military physician.”

Song Lan’an cupped his hands gratefully. Prince Ning smiled: “Twenty years ago, I had the fortune to see Minister Song once. Does Minister Song still remember?”

“Naturally.”

Prince Ning didn’t mind his attitude. If he were the defeated party, he probably wouldn’t have a pleasant expression either.

Sitting on the high seat with a face full of smiles, Prince Ning’s eyes were full of the victor’s triumphant satisfaction.

He had never imagined that this battle with Dongning would drag on so long. Had he known, he probably wouldn’t have led the campaign personally.

But now he had achieved complete victory—not only gaining eleven cities from Dongning but also countless gold and silver. Thinking of this, Prince Ning smiled: “Although you honored ministers have traveled thousands of miles from afar, and we of Nanqing should naturally fulfill our duty as hosts, but seeing Minister Shang’s condition… why don’t we settle official business first, then discuss other matters?”

Song Lan’an smiled faintly: “Naturally.”

Zuo Zhengyan placed the bright yellow brocade box he held before Prince Ning’s desk. A commander beside Prince Ning stepped forward to receive it and opened them one by one.

“The delivered items match the list. This subordinate has inspected everything—there are no errors or omissions.”

“Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom are Dongning’s soul. They would not stoop to deception.”

Prince Ning smiled, yet with great self-importance opened the inventory list.

“Not only gold and silver valuables are listed here, but even furs, porcelain, and medicines?”

Prince Ning laughed heartily: “They even scraped together such things—it seems Dongning suffered considerable losses in this battle.”

None of the Dongning delegation spoke. Their silent appearance truly pleased Prince Ning.

“Rice, flour, tung oil, and such base goods—to think you honored ministers had to painstakingly transport them to the Su River. You ministers have truly worked hard.”

After casually checking the quantities, Prince Ning folded it with satisfaction and began signing the agreement of a hundred years’ non-aggression between the two nations with Song Lan’an.

Just as Prince Ning was about to put brush to paper, the Nanqing military physician suddenly said, “This honored minister…”

Everyone turned around, only to see Old Master Shang Chong sitting in place, already having drawn his last breath. Song Lan’an froze, hurriedly stepping forward to half-kneel before him, his eyes showing regret.

“Minister Song.”

Zuo Zhengyan stepped forward, calling Song Lan’an’s name quietly. Song Lan’an nodded faintly: “It is time.”

Shen Qianyu still stood dazedly before the Su River, gazing at the Nanqing military camp. He, Wan Xiao, and the commanders who had struggled to support this campaign for so long all bore hot tears on their faces. It wasn’t until a thunderous boom sounded that Shen Qianyu helplessly fell to his knees, bowing from afar toward the direction of the Nanqing military camp.

That thunderous sound seemed only a beginning. After it, explosions rang out continuously in succession. The surrounding ground shook, the mountains trembled, and dust filled the sky. Black smoke seemed to stretch for thousands of miles with no end in sight.

Shen Qianyu felt only a ringing in his ears, shaking him until he couldn’t help but vomit a mouthful of fresh blood.

Wan Xiao’s tears also mixed with blood as he lay on the ground, unable to rise.

His heart ached…

In this battle with Nanqing, what Dongning lost was far more than those military commanders and the silver in the national treasury.

What Dongning lost were the very pillars and backbone that had supported them for a hundred years.

For a very long while, the black smoke filling the sky gradually dispersed, yet to the east of the Su River, ear-splitting cries of grief pervaded.

Shen Qianyu struggled to stand from the ground, raised his hand pointing toward Nanqing: “Follow this Prince in attacking Nanqing. Accept those who surrender without killing, do not kill the common people, do not kill women and children…”

As his words fell, the great army crossed the Su River, cleared obstacles, and advanced forward.

Wan Xiao led the logistics battalion members to the site of the crater, silently searching for those gold and silver objects collected through the entire nation’s efforts.

There was a youth of about seventeen or eighteen who found from the dirt a palm-sized fragment of cloth embroidered with gold and silver immortal cranes. He looked down at it for a long while before clutching it in his palm, silently shedding tears.

Wan Xiao also sat in the crater, holding a half-broken waist token from the Court of State Ceremonial that had already been deformed, grief-stricken to the point of despair…