Within the Golden Palace Hall, the officials had already received the news and showed no surprise at the announcement. First Minister Qian Qingshu stepped forward without hesitation to express his view:

“Your Majesty, I fear this is merely a delaying tactic by the rebel forces. Please reconsider carefully.”

Before the Yongxing Emperor could speak, someone immediately stood up to refute:

“Since when did First Minister Qian become so aligned with Provincial Administrator Yang?”

The speaker was the Chief Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of War, one of the leading critics at the court.

Qian Qingshu frowned slightly as he examined the Chief Supervising Secretary, saying coolly:

“What insights does Official Yan have to share?”

The Chief Supervising Secretary spoke loudly:

“Your Majesty, since the autumn harvest, ten thousand troops were lost at Jingshan City under Wei Yuan’s command. After winter set in, nearly sixty thousand elite soldiers were lost in Qingzhou. If we continue fighting like this, the warriors of Great Feng will be completely depleted.

“With refugees causing disasters everywhere and troops in short supply, the Ministry of War can no longer dispatch reinforcements to Yongzhou. I believe that peace talks are the correct course of action and can resolve the court’s urgent crisis.”

The Minister of War seemed about to speak but held back, sighing and choosing silence instead.

“Resolve the urgent crisis?” Right Chief Censor Zhang Xingying snorted coldly:

“If we negotiate peace, the rebel forces will surely make outrageous demands. I fear afterward the court will have even less ability to resist them. Official Yan, don’t you understand the principle of death by a thousand cuts?”

At this point, the Minister of Revenue stepped forward and said gravely:

“Since Chief Censor Zhang is so astute at analyzing situations, perhaps you should take my position as Minister of Revenue instead.”

With a cold laugh, he bowed to the Yongxing Emperor and said loudly:

“Your Majesty, the national treasury is empty. If the court continues to wage war against the Yunzhou rebels, we will eventually be dragged down by the conflict. Spring Ceremony approaches and the earth will soon thaw – what we need now is time. Peace talks can buy us that time, allowing us to survive through this winter disaster.”

The war faction and peace faction immediately began arguing fiercely without ceasing.

Each time the situation seemed to spiral out of control, Zhao Xuanzhen would crack his whip and shout “Silence!”

The Yongxing Emperor silently observed the officials’ debates. Only after more and more people expressed their opinions and the peace faction gradually overwhelmed the war faction did he look toward Zhao Xuanzhen, signaling with his eyes.

Crack!

Zhao Xuanzhen cracked his whip again, the sharp sound echoing off the mirror-bright floor, bringing the arguments in the hall to silence.

The Yongxing Emperor looked around at everyone and spoke slowly:

“We care deeply for our soldiers and common people, and cannot bear to continue needless bloodshed. The matter of peace negotiations is hereby settled.”

…

In the capital’s Prince’s Mansion.

A luxurious carriage stopped outside the mansion. With servants supporting him, Qian Qingshu stepped down using a small stool. The guards outside the mansion knew his identity and did not stop him.

After entering, he waited briefly in the inner hall before the steward led him to the inner courtyard and the First Minister Wang’s bedchamber.

For someone as dignified as First Minister Wang to receive guests in his bedchamber rather than his study showed just how serious his illness had become.

Beast-gold charcoal burned brightly, radiating warmth. The bedroom doors and windows were tightly shut, with two maids standing in both the outer and inner rooms.

First Minister Wang sat propped up, his back cushioned by soft pillows.

He had grown so thin his bones showed prominently, his face unable to hide signs of aging, though his eyes remained bright and alert.

“Ah!” Qian Qingshu sighed: “Why isn’t your illness improving?”

As he spoke, he waved his hand, dismissing the maids.

“Perhaps my time is nearly up.” Wang Zhenwen smiled:

“When one reaches a certain age, illness strikes like a collapsing mountain – even immortals couldn’t save you. They say at fifty-one knows heaven’s mandate. Since it is heaven’s mandate, we must accept it naturally.”

Qian Qingshu pondered for a moment, then said:

“I shouldn’t have come to trouble you, letting you rest and recover should be the priority, but…”

Wang Zhenwen raised his hand to interrupt, pointing at the window:

“Help me open the window first.”

Qian Qingshu frowned:

“In this freezing weather, can your frail body handle an open window?”

Wang Zhenwen waved his hand:

“This room is full of deathly air making me uncomfortable – wouldn’t that make me more likely to fall ill? Stop arguing and quickly open the window.”

Qian Qingshu hesitated briefly, then walked to the window and opened it slightly, letting in cold but fresh air.

Returning to the bedside, he sat on a round stool and carefully chose his words:

“Qingzhou has fallen.”

Seeing Wang Zhenwen remain silent, he too fell quiet. After a while, Wang Zhenwen spoke in a low voice:

“Continue…”

“The Supervisor died in Qingzhou. The rebel forces now occupy Qingzhou and are in a standoff with Yang Gong at the Yongzhou border… Yesterday, Yongzhou Provincial Administrator Yao Hong submitted a memorial saying Yunzhou wishes to send a diplomatic mission to discuss peace…”

Wang Zhenwen listened silently without moving, his gaze seemingly frozen.

After Qian Qingshu finished speaking, life returned to his eyes:

“His Majesty agreed?”

His tone carried deep disappointment.

Qian Qingshu nodded slightly:

“There was no choice. Great Feng has lost the Supervisor, creating a void in our supernatural forces. Like sheep without a leader, morale will eventually crumble. What use is there in continuing to fight?

“If I were in his position, I would likely do the same…”

Suddenly realizing his words were highly disrespectful, he sighed and corrected himself:

“Any other prince would do the same.”

Hearing this, Wang Zhenwen slowly nodded and said:

“They’re counting on exactly this, which is why they’re initiating peace talks when victory is within their grasp.”

Qian Qingshu gave a bitter laugh:

“There are many clever people, but they’re all playing dumb. Everyone understands this reasoning, but what can be done? Recently, the capital has been in panic. The officials maintain a facade of calm but are terrified, even believing Great Feng’s destruction is just a matter of time.

“Those who haven’t sought other options can already be considered admirably loyal.

“His Majesty himself knows peace talks are like death by a thousand cuts, but what can he do? Peace talks are his only hope, and he’ll grasp at it desperately, telling himself it’s all to buy time until the winter disaster passes.”

Wang Zhenwen was silent for a long while before saying:

“Let’s not discuss this. Find a way to have Xu Qi’an come see me.”

“Him?”

Qian Qingshu smiled bitterly and shook his head:

“Who can keep track of that fellow? I don’t even know where he is.”

“He’s in the capital, he must be in the capital now.” Wang Zhenwen covered his mouth as he coughed violently. “The Supervisor is dead, he will certainly return. Heh, whether the Yunzhou rebels can negotiate peace depends on if he agrees.”

Qian Qingshu stood up, strode to the window, closed it, and turned back saying:

“You think Inspector Xu can resolve this crisis?”

Wang Zhenwen remained silent. After a long while, he said quietly:

“Even if Wei Yuan were resurrected, he couldn’t salvage this dead game.”

…

At the Imperial Observatory.

In the seventh-floor alchemy room, Xu Qi’an came straight to find Song Qing without even going home.

“I’ve gathered all the materials for the Soul-Summoning Banner, but there’s still one auxiliary material needed.”

Xu Qi’an took out the Earth Book fragment and laid out two jade bottles emanating chilly yin energy, a stone riddled with honeycomb-like holes, and a bundle of silk threads as black as ink that gave off deadly poison.

Song Qing quickly took an antidote pill and covered his nose and mouth with a drug-soaked silk cloth before pulling out the ceramic bottle’s wooden stopper to verify the materials.

The ceramic bottles contained ancient corpse fingernails and black corpse water extracted from the neck arteries.

After confirming the Resonating Stone and the poisonous silk threads, Song Qing said:

“The final material needed is flesh, skin, or hair from Wei Yuan’s original body for positioning. But Wei Yuan’s body was destroyed in Jingshan City, though it must have been recovered.”

Wei Yuan’s body had been devoured by Jeanne, though Song Qing didn’t know these details.

“So?” Xu Qi’an asked.

“Blood from his descendants can substitute.” Song Qing said slowly.

Lord Wei had no descendants… Xu Qi’an sighed inwardly and said in a low voice:

“There must be other methods to substitute, otherwise the Supervisor wouldn’t have had me seek materials to forge the Soul-Summoning Banner.”

Song Qing stared at him:

“Wei Yuan may have no descendants, but you achieved the third rank using his blood pill. In a sense, you could be considered his descendant.

“So next, you need to refine a blood pill – it doesn’t need to be large, just the size of a fingernail will do. This won’t affect your cultivation.

“Then, you’ll need to help me remove the toxicity from the Netherworld Silk – I have no way to neutralize poison from descendants of gods and demons.”

Xu Qi’an’s gaze swept over the Netherworld Silk:

“Refining a blood pill and removing the toxicity will take at least three days.

“These aren’t the real problems though. The real issue is, can you handle crafting such a powerful artifact as the Soul-Summoning Banner?”

With the Supervisor gone, Sun Xuanji recovering from injuries, and Yang Qianhuan not in the capital, Song Qing held the highest position in the Imperial Observatory.

But Song Qing was only a sixth-rank alchemist.

As a senior figure in the field of alchemy, Song Qing had a deep understanding of himself and held profound respect for alchemy. He would not act rashly, and firmly shook his head:

“I cannot!

“Metals like the Resonating Stone cannot be melted by ordinary fire – it requires a Fire Element Array to concentrate fire spirits to melt it.

“Well, I could use some combustion-aiding materials to raise the flame temperature, but that would require building a new furnace, and the combustion materials are my invention – the Imperial Observatory has no stock of them.

“Just this aspect alone would take half a month.”

Song Qing had been stuck at his current rank for many years but had immersed himself in alchemy, discovering many methods to replace arrays. However, these methods were certainly not as convenient as direct array deployment.

“So we need you to use your energy to substitute for the combustion materials, melt the Resonating Stone, and forge the banner pole. As for the banner cloth itself, we can only wait for Senior Brother Sun to recover from his injuries, because the weaving process requires constant integration of arrays.”

Xu Qi’an listened patiently before asking:

“Once the Soul-Summoning Banner is complete, we can awaken Lord Wei?”

Song Qing still shook his head:

“After that comes carving the Yin-Gathering Grand Array. We must wait for one of the three times in the year when yin energy is strongest, and you will summon Wei Yuan’s soul.”

Xu Qi’an frowned:

“When is the next occurrence?”

Song Qing answered without hesitation:

“The Spring Ceremony!”

About a month… Xu Qi’an let out a breath, considering this acceptable.

…

That day, a long boat riding clouds and mist broke through the sea of clouds, slowly descending into the capital’s territory.

The Wind-Riding Boat was originally Eastern Wanrong’s artifact but fell into Ji Xuan’s hands during the Sword Province battle. The boat could travel a thousand li per day and was an extremely rare large-scale transport tool.

Three people stood at the boat’s prow. In the center was a young man in fine clothes with handsome features and a refined, scholarly bearing, holding a small fan made of silver bone.

His appearance was four or five parts similar to Ji Xuan’s, though their temperaments were completely different. Ji Xuan tended toward masculinity with hidden sharpness.

This young man carried a scholar’s spirit and the pride of one filled with knowledge.

To his left and right were the black-robed youth Xu Yuanhuai and the cool-mannered girl Xu Yuanshuang.

These three were the core members of the diplomatic mission. Besides them, there was a negotiating team composed of sixteen seasoned scholars.

As well as one hundred elite guards of considerable cultivation.

“Ah, the capital…”

Ji Yuan twirled the silver bone fan in his hand several times and smiled:

“Long have I heard of it, long have I admired it. Yuanhuai, Yuanshuang, aren’t you happy?”

Xu Yuanhuai and Xu Yuanshuang both had unapproachable personalities – one cold, one aloof – which related to their childhood environment.

But they truly couldn’t be happy. Anyone could see that their father sending them to negotiate in the capital was targeting someone specific.

“I heard outside Yongzhou City, that Xu Qi’an showed mercy to you two and didn’t strike to kill. Once we enter the capital, you two must protect me well.” Ji Yuan said with a smile:

“That fellow may be unwilling to kill his brother and sister, but killing me, his cousin – he probably wouldn’t even blink.”

Seeing his cousins’ expressionless faces, he found it uninteresting and sighed:

“This trip to the capital has three purposes. The first is to seize greater benefits for Dragon’s Lair City. The second is to achieve merit – Seventh Brother is already a supernatural expert, but I have no achievements yet. If we can handle this matter beautifully, the father will pay more attention to us brothers. Seventh Brother’s position will be more secure.

“As for the third… it’s to probe Great Feng’s current resolve. That brother of yours is my primary target for probing. Tsk tsk, what do you think – has he considered peace talks?”

Xu Yuanshuang said coolly:

“He won’t!

“That man would rather break than bend.”

Ji Yuan nodded, then said:

“A fierce temperament doesn’t mean inflexibility. If he agrees to peace talks, then it’s surely a delaying tactic, showing that Great Feng still has cards to play.”

As they spoke, the Wind-Riding Boat slowly docked outside the capital.

The offices responsible for receiving the Yunzhou diplomatic mission were the Court of State Ceremonial and the Office of Reception. The leader was the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, a third-rank official – truly giving Yunzhou great face.

The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial was a thin-faced middle-aged man with a goatee and deep laugh lines from years of smiling.

He was worldly-wise and handled matters smoothly.

He led his subordinates to welcome the Wind-Riding Boat, waiting for the Yunzhou delegation to descend.

But they waited and waited, waited and waited. The Wind-Riding Boat remained silent, with no figures visible and no gangplank being lowered.

After a quarter hour, a guard poked his head over the ship’s rail and called out loudly:

“May I ask who you are, sir?”

The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial put on his professional smile and bowed, saying:

“This official is the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial.”

That guard made an “oh” sound and withdrew his head. After about ten breaths, he poked his head out again and said coolly:

“Our young lord says your rank is insufficient. Please leave.”