If the Jiao Kingdom voluntarily “surrendered” to New Xia, it wouldn’t violate the Wei-Xia Agreement. Feng Miaojun could even brazenly claim that New Xia had helped the Wei Kingdom eliminate the Jiao Kingdom.
Since Miao Fengxian mentioned “discussion,” it meant both parties needed to negotiate terms. Feng Miaojun enjoyed negotiating with intelligent people and didn’t need to say everything explicitly: “The Jiao royal court still exists. If you bypass them to merge the Jiao Kingdom with New Xia, the ministers will certainly be dissatisfied.”
Unlike typical cases of national destruction, Great Jiao’s entire administrative system remained intact, with its high officials and generals largely present. If they were to join New Xia like this, how could these people submit willingly?
Not to mention, what about official positions and titles? Just arranging this entire group of personnel would be a major problem. It was foreseeable that even if they held positions in New Xia, no one would feel satisfied. Could someone who had been a Chancellor in Jiao also be a Chancellor in New Xia?
Miao Fengxian said softly: “Even if there’s dissatisfaction, what’s done is done.” He couldn’t state it explicitly, but Feng Miaojun’s actions would save the lives of all people in Yinzi, including court officials and their families—effectively bestowing great kindness upon Jiao.
Feng Miaojun spoke seriously: “You must understand that if I accept Jiao Kingdom’s submission, I will thoroughly offend Xiao Yan.”
Miao Fengxian remained silent.
If he were the Queen of New Xia, he wouldn’t easily give up meat that had already reached his mouth. Besides, she was right—by indirectly helping Jiao Kingdom escape calamity, New Xia would surely anger Wei. New Xia had only recently been established; did it truly have the surplus strength to contend with the Wei Kingdom?
Though Jiao Kingdom was a delicious piece of meat, one had to consider whether New Xia had the teeth to swallow it. Moreover, because of the Wei-Xia Agreement, New Xia had already offended the Jin Kingdom. If it were to antagonize the Wei Kingdom as well, then this newly established state would have made enemies of two powerful neighbors to its east and west. What good outcomes could it expect in the future?
When additionally considering the problem of how to handle the former ministers of Jiao, it wasn’t surprising that the Queen of New Xia was reluctant to take on this hot potato.
Although Feng Miaojun had a good personal relationship with Princess Hanyue, as Queen, when considering such major matters, she naturally had to prioritize New Xia’s interests.
“Since Jiao Kingdom is merging with New Xia, its court officials also become subjects of New Xia and should obey royal commands,” Miao Fengxian said with resignation in his voice. From his standpoint, he naturally hoped that after overcoming the current crisis, the Jiao Kingdom could be reestablished. But integration between nations wasn’t child’s play. If Jiao joined New Xia today, could it simply break away and become independent tomorrow? Even if Changle agreed, the people of New Xia wouldn’t allow it. They weren’t running a charity; they couldn’t let the people of Jiao act so capriciously. “If anyone disobeys orders or commits insubordination, the Queen may handle them as she sees fit.”
Feng Miaojun looked at him deeply: “Your intentions are noble, but I hope other Jiao citizens will understand as well.”
“This calamity arose entirely from my mistake,” Miao Fengxian shook his head. “This is all I can do for them now.”
He clearly understood that Yinzi City couldn’t hold out any longer, even with reinforcements just a few hundred li away. Since Great Jiao was already beyond saving, was it so important whether they submitted to New Xia or were annexed by Wei? But though Great Jiao would perish, by offering Jiao to Feng Miaojun, all the people of Yinzi would immediately gain a chance at life, avoiding becoming ghosts under Wei blades.
Miao Fengxian was already dead; this was the last thing he could do for the people of Yinzi.
Princess Hanyue wept continuously, choked with emotion.
Miao Fengxian continued: “If Queen Changle is willing to accept, I offer the Golden City as gratitude.” This national treasure—with his son still young and unable to protect it anyway—might as well be generously offered.
Not to mention the Golden City’s various marvelous uses, just its ability to transport troops made all monarchs covet it. Thinking of the battle at Wufu Snow Mountain, thinking of how the old King of Wei died, the Golden City had accomplished first-rate merits.
Feng Miaojun was indeed tempted, but she shook her head: “No need. I don’t have the nerve to take something from a small child.” This little one had lost his grandfather and father within days, as well as his country. How could she have the heart to take his treasure?
Feng Miaojun didn’t consider herself a good person, but she still had some bottom line.
Miao Fengxian smiled bitterly and finally spoke the truth: “Even if not offered to you, Lin’er cannot keep it.”
The Golden City required the bloodline of Jiao’s royal family to operate. After the deaths of Miao Jing and Miao Fengxian, only the young prince could command it—provided he reached an age of understanding.
Of course, this problem wasn’t unsolvable. If others coveted the Golden City, they could simply kill the young prince, making it truly ownerless before finding ways to seize it.
The Golden City was a treasure that even the King of Yan envied greatly. What cultivator wouldn’t be tempted? Even if Feng Miaojun had lofty principles and didn’t covet them, others would still be stirred to action. In this way, mother and son would bear the misfortune of possessing a valuable treasure.
Calculating it all, only the Queen of New Xia could protect his son. Rather than risking that, he might as well be generous.
Feng Miaojun was slightly moved, surprised by his meticulous thinking, still able to see through everything at this moment. The disappearance of such a talent from the world was indeed too regrettable.
Time was precious; she didn’t hesitate further and nodded: “Very well, I accept Jiao Kingdom’s submission.”
At once, under her late husband’s guidance, Princess Hanyue wrote the edict of national surrender on his behalf. Then she brought her son, took a drop of fresh blood from his hand as ink, and solemnly affixed the imperial jade seal.
Then, she handed both the edict and the jade seal to Feng Miaojun. The Jiao royal court had relocated several times, and this precious seal had changed hands repeatedly until Princess Hanyue finally kept it hidden.
The child had been sound asleep but wailed loudly after his fingertip was pricked. His crying reddened Princess Hanyue’s eyes, and Miao Fengxian slowly closed his eyes, his heart filled with boundless sorrow. For the Jiao Kingdom, the imperial jade seal’s weight and significance far exceeded that of the Golden City. Apart from the King of Jiao, who ordinarily had the authority to look at it twice, let alone a palace woman? It was pitiful that father and son had lived heroically, only to die untimely deaths. With the royal family declining, this supreme treasure was ultimately managed by Princess Hanyue, a mere woman.
Feng Miaojun sighed inwardly and reached out to gently stroke the child’s head.
Strangely, the young prince had been crying energetically, but with her light touch, he blinked his eyes, yawned, then sobbed intermittently a couple more times, as if hesitating whether to continue crying or go to sleep. In the end, sleepiness prevailed, and he promptly fell into a deep slumber on his mother’s shoulder.
It was Feng Miaojun’s first time seeing another country’s jade seal, and she couldn’t help but look at it more carefully. The shape of Jiao’s jade seal was peculiar; the jade knob was actually in the form of a small tripod, with an ancient style, but different from ritual vessels. “What is this?”
“Legend has it that it was modeled after an ancient divine object…” Before Miao Fengxian could finish, the sound of armor scraping came from outside, approaching this place, followed by servants urgently trying to block: “General Zhao, the Crown Prince’s consort is indisposed, you… you cannot…”
Before the words were finished, Zhao Rushan had already strode in, saying: “The Wei villains have begun massacring the city. It won’t be long before they reach here. The Crown Prince’s consort should quickly take…” At this point, he looked up and saw a woman standing beside Princess Hanyue as if she were a guest, and was momentarily stunned. “Who is this?”