Gorge Gate Pass.
Jing Rong had been here for three days, but he still hadn't sent an envoy to 'negotiate' with Hou Liao.
Chu Chengyu was anxious and personally went to look for him.
"Your Highness, shouldn't we send someone to Houliao to have a talk with their leader? We can't keep waiting like this. There has to be a result. "
In Chu Chengyu's opinion, Jing Rong was deliberately stalling for time in order to find a way to resolve the current situation. However, the matter was already set in stone. No matter how long Jing Rong delayed, there was nothing he could do.
He didn't expect Jing Rong to reply, "This Prince will go personally."
"Personally?" Chu Chengyu was shocked and immediately tried to dissuade him. "Although envoys are not to be executed in a war, you are a prince. If something happens, the consequences will be unimaginable."
"This Prince has decided to go personally. After all, there are some things that can't be explained by an envoy. This Prince must see Muzar personally." He then instructed Chu Chengyu, "Go and tell General Ji that this Prince will be bringing him along. We will depart shortly."
"Together?"
"That's right."
Chu Chengyu's brows trembled and his eyes flickered. He lowered his head and replied, "Yes, this general will go and inform General Ji."
About two hours later, the horses were ready.
Before leaving, Jing Rong reminded Chu Chengyu, "I don't know if this Prince will be able to negotiate with Muzar, but you must guard the Gorge Gate Pass with your life."
"What if …"
"There is no 'what if'. Without this Prince's order, you must not send a single soldier."
"Isn't this too risky?" Chu Chengyu was worried.
Jing Rong furrowed his brows and looked into the distance. "Then let's take the risk."
Chu Chengyu fell silent.
When they left the city, Ji Yunshu personally sent him off and tidied up his cold armor.
"Be careful."
"I know."
She glanced at Ji Huan in the distance. "Why are you bringing him?"
Jing Rong replied, "I don't feel at ease leaving him here."
The word 'don't feel at ease' was mixed with many meanings.
In the end, he didn't trust Ji Huan.
He didn't believe that Ji Huan would suddenly help him out of kindness.
Therefore, if he were to go to Houliao, he definitely wouldn't feel at ease leaving the entire Gorge Gate Pass in Ji Huan's hands. Only by trapping Ji Huan by his side would he feel at ease.
He grasped her hand and pulled her into his embrace, hugging her tightly.
He whispered in her ear, "Yunshu, promise me that you will wait here for me to come back."
She rested her head on his sturdy chest, as if she could feel his burning heart beating under his cold scales.
"Alright, I'll wait for you here. I won't go anywhere."
She adjusted his armor for him one last time and watched him mount his horse and leave.
That tall figure stood tall and straight.
He gradually disappeared from her sight …
Her eyes flickered. She turned around and ran up the city gate tower, hoping to see Jing Rong one more time.
However, the distance was already shrouded by the white fog, making it difficult to see through it.
She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails turned white.
He stood on the tower for a long time.
…
In November, the wind on the grassland was as sharp as a knife.
Jing Rong and Ji Huan rode together on horseback. In front of them, there were soldiers raising flags to open a path. Lang Po and a few dozen soldiers followed behind them.
They were not going to war, but to negotiate. Thus, they brought very few people.
When they arrived at Hou Liao, Muzar hosted them with a feast.
No one understood the etiquette. Logically speaking, with the current relationship between the Great Lin and Hou Liao, Muzar should have skinned Jing Rong alive. Yet, he didn't. Instead, he treated him with the grandest etiquette in the grassland.
The banquet lasted for two days and two nights.
During these two days, no one talked about surrendering to the Great Lin.
On the last day, Jing Rong drank the last cup of wine in his hand.
Muzar sent his people away, leaving only Third Master.
Jing Rong also let Ji Huan and Lang Po leave.
The three of them closed their tent and talked.
The atmosphere was heavy.
"You helped us destroy Yue Dan. These two days of banquet are to thank you." Muzar raised his cup.
So, this was a thank-you banquet!
Jing Rong said, "I helped you for personal reasons."
"No matter what, we still have to thank you. Now that we have thanked you, we should get straight to the point." Muzar finally got to the point.
The previous relaxed atmosphere of the banquet was swept away.
Jing Rong frowned slightly. He turned the empty cup in his hand and said seriously, "Muzar, I didn't come here to fight with you."
"You want us to surrender? That's impossible!"
"There's a second option."
"Retreat three hundred li to the west?" Muzar clearly felt that the second option was more ridiculous. He sighed and said very clearly, "Neither option is feasible!"
This answer was within Jing Rong's expectations.
He didn't expect Muzar to agree immediately. After all, this was a difficult matter for a tribe leader. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come personally.
He calmly said, "I came to find you personally to avoid an unnecessary war."
Third Master, who had been silent all this time, continued his sentence. "What you mean by unnecessary is to persuade us to surrender?"
Jing Rong didn't speak.
It was a tacit agreement.
Third Master's expression froze. A trace of ruthlessness flashed through his eyes. "You only brought a few dozen people this time. Aren't you afraid that we will kill you?"
"If I was afraid, I wouldn't have come." Jing Rong was fearless. "Actually, the Great Lin Emperor was right about one thing. If you are willing to surrender, the Great Lin will not have any misgivings in the future. If you are in trouble in the future, we will do our best to help."
Muzar and Third Master looked at each other.
Their expressions turned ugly.
Muzar's eyes narrowed. "Our Houliao people can lose, we can die, but we cannot bow down to your Great Lin." "Then do you remember the day when blood flowed like rivers on the Sisai Plains?" Jing Rong's expression was solemn. He frowned and told them, "The so-called surrender is just a piece of paper, a chapter! Your territory will not decrease, nor will your population. You will remain the same as you were in the past, and you will remain the same in the future.
The Great Lin will not interfere with you. You can still dominate the grasslands. "
"…"
Jing Rong went straight to the point. "You should know that everyone believes that strength equals ambition!"
Strength equals ambition!
There was nothing wrong with this statement.
It was also because of this statement that the 'negotiation' had sunk into a giant icehouse.
Jing Rong observed the changes in Muzar and Third Master's expressions. He seemed to see the hesitation in their eyes.
The three of them were silent.
No one said a word.
At this moment …
There was a sudden noise from outside.
Before the people in the tent could react, a group of Hou Liao people rushed in with sabers.
The leader was Geta!
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