"You really can't help us?"
Shang Qian looked at Si Kongyao with red eyes and said, "Why not … Yao?"
Si Kongyao was very softhearted towards her best friend. She held Shang Qian's shoulder and said, "It's not that I can't help, but I still need to discuss with everyone. I don't have the final say in the Bai Ze Mercenary Group. It's easy to say, but it's related to the future of the one hundred and eighty thousand people in the Bai Ze Mercenary Group. I have to be cautious. Sister, don't worry. Give me some time, okay?"
"Okay."
Shang Qian slightly nodded.
However, Liu Buyi had already stood up. His face was full of determination. He said lightly, "No, no discussion!"
"Liu Buyi!"
King Lan Ji pounded the table and stood up, "Are you the one who has the final say in the Bai Ze Mercenary Group or Miss Si Kongyao? Don't be so aggressive. Don't forget, you are also a citizen of the West Mountain Province of the Tianji Empire! "
"Really?"
Liu Buyi smiled faintly, "But I don't remember the empire giving me any favor. Everyone wants to beat me and look down on me. Tell me, why should I work for such a country?"
"You!"
"You what?" Liu Buyi punched the table, making the tea set fly up. He said, "In the past six months, we have been expanding. We have eliminated and merged more than ninety percent of the mercenary groups in the Blackstone Empire. We have also trained and eliminated inferior soldiers. What is it for? Is it to work for a noble like you? "
As he spoke, the veins on Liu Buyi's face bulged. He laughed and said, "Dream on. I am not your subject, and you are not my master. When my fist is bigger than yours and I have more military power than yours, why would I not become the Emperor and kneel to a despicable person like you?"
King Lanji was so angry that her whole body was trembling, but she couldn't say anything.
Si Kongyao said faintly, "Liu Buyi, speak less. What if you make Her Highness King Lanji angry?"
Liu Buyi respectfully took a step back and knelt on one knee. His right fist naturally landed on the ground. He saluted and said, "Yes, I understand."
Shang Qian was stunned.
However, King Lanji's eyes shone brightly. He could see that Liu Buyi's salute wasn't the salute of the Celestial Pole Continent, but the standard military salute of the Shattered Cauldron Realm. Moreover, along the way, he also discovered that the etiquette followed by the Bai Ze Mercenaries was basically the same as the Qin Empire's army.
"You …"
King Lanji's face turned ashen as he said, "You are from the Shattered Cauldron Realm? Are you Lin Muyu's people? "
Liu Buyi smiled and nodded, "Yes, we are Qin Emperor Lin Muyu's people. We held it in for half a year and didn't say it out. Now, I suddenly feel so carefree!"
Si Kongyao raised the corner of her mouth, "Liu Buyi, you talk too much!"
King Lanji retreated several steps, his face a little pale, "Why … Why even Miss Si Kongyao betrayed the motherland? Why … Why?"
"Did I betray the motherland?"
Si Kongyao asked back with a smile, "Your Highness, did I kill an innocent citizen of the Tianji Empire? Did I invade an inch of the Tianji Empire's land? I just established an army in the Blackstone Empire with my own ability. How can you say that I betrayed the country? Just now, I was thinking about using my people to reinforce the Tianji Empire. How can you say that I, Si Kongyao, betrayed the country? "
"You … I …"
King Lanji was an influential figure in the imperial palace, but at this moment, he didn't know what he was talking about.
Si Kongyao pursed her red lips and said, "Actually, the Tianji Empire is my homeland. I can't not save it. However, not all of the 180,000 people under my command are from the Tianji Empire. I can't let them sacrifice their lives to fight in vain. So … for the sake of Sister Shang Qian's face, I agree to send troops …"
"Really?" Shang Qian was overjoyed.
King Lanji was also stunned, "Miss, are you serious?"
"Yes, but don't worry. I have conditions."
"What conditions? Please tell me."
Si Kongyao moved her red lips. Her pair of intelligent eyes were full of moving expression. She smiled and said, "First of all, if I send 180,000 Bai Ze Mercenaries to the north to reinforce the country, the Blackstone Empire will definitely make a move. They have long held a grudge against the Bai Ze Mercenaries. Once the Bai Ze Mercenaries leave the Northern Pass, they will definitely seal the door and won't let the Bai Ze Mercenaries come back. So, this also means … the Bai Ze Mercenaries are walking on a road of no return. The Bai Ze Mercenaries have seven big cities in the territory of the Blackstone Empire and collect taxes on their own. But once we go to the north, what will we get?"
King Lan Ji muttered to himself. His heart felt a bit cold. After not seeing her for three years, Si Kongyao was no longer that beautiful girl who only knew how to cultivate and fight. The current Si Kongyao not only had unfathomable strength, but her wisdom was also not the same as before. He frowned and said, "Before this King left, His Majesty had already given me some authority to make decisions. If Young Miss has anything to say, please speak frankly."
"Okay."
Si Kongyao smiled knowingly and said, "In fact, it's very simple. Once the Bai Ze Mercenaries enter the territory of the Tianji Empire, I need a place to stand. I don't want to become the target of public criticism after the war. As the saying goes, once the cunning hare is killed, the hound will be cooked. My meaning … King Lanji should understand very well."
"I understand." King Lanji pondered for a while and said, "Miss, the route of your army must be going out of the Northern Pass and passing through the West Mountain Province. Then, they will attack the army of the Celestial Empire in the East Peace Province. Then … I can decide on behalf of His Majesty to divide the seven states and counties in the south of the West Mountain Province to the Bai Ze Mercenaries. You can station in the cities. The local prefectures will also directly hand over the collected taxes to Miss, so as to supply the Bai Ze Mercenaries."
"Only seven states and counties?"
Si Kongyao couldn't help but laugh, "Your Highness, with all due respect, the Bai Ze Mercenaries have a total of one hundred and eighty thousand people. Half of them are cavalrymen. If each person is equipped with two blades, there will be a total of three hundred and sixty thousand weapons and three hundred and sixty thousand sets of armor. Even if there are at least one hundred thousand grooms, I'm afraid that a trifling seven states and counties can't support such a huge army. Your Highness, don't forget that we are mercenaries. The reason why we could survive in the Blackstone Empire was because we plundered everywhere. Does Your Highness want us to plunder everywhere in the Tianji Empire?"
"Even seven states and counties can't do it? Then … how much does Eldest Miss want? "King Lan Ji's eyes sparkled.
Si Kongyao nodded and smiled shyly, "Actually … Xiping City, the capital of the Xishan Province, is also one of the famous cities in the continent. It has abundant taxes and a strong city. If Your Highness doesn't mind, Yao is willing to guard Xiping City for the Empire."
"What?" King Lan Ji was shocked, "The Bai Ze Mercenaries want Xiping City?"
"Why? Can't we?" Liu Buyi raised his eyebrows and said.
The eighteen Captaincy held a meeting and stood up together, "What? You can't even do it, yet you still want us to send troops and sell our lives for you?!"
Under the great power, King Lan Ji's imposing manner suddenly weakened. He gradually understood that ever since he and Shang Qian had stepped into the General's Mansion, they had fallen into a trap. Liu Buyi and Si Kongyao were obviously performing a two-man show. And he only realized it now, but it was too late!
Si Kongyao's smile was very sweet. She said, "Your Highness, you can decide on your own. However, Yao wants to remind you that if you grant me Xiping City, the Tianji Empire might get peace. But if you don't grant me Xiping City, the Tianji Empire won't just lose Xiping City. Perhaps Dongning City, Huoyuan City, Tianji City … will soon become Chen Yu's temporary imperial residence."
King Lan Ji took a deep breath and said with a deathly pale face, "Let me think about it … After all, Xiping City is a provincial capital. It's not something that I, a small Left Prince, can decide. Maybe I need to report to His Majesty and get His Majesty's approval."
Si Kongyao smiled faintly and said, "That's good … We will wait for Your Highness's reply at the Devil's Palm Peaks. But … I don't know if Dongning City can withstand the attack of Chen Yu's army. Even if they spur their horses at full speed, it will take more than ten days for Your Highness to come and go from Tianji City. Please think twice."
King Lan Ji became silent and sat there dejectedly.
After a long while, he raised his head and said, "I have the royal order given by His Majesty. I can decide on my own. If Miss Si Kongyao wants it, I will grant you Xiping City and the seven southern prefectures and counties of Xishan Province as your fief!"
"That won't do."
Si Kongyao stretched her arms lazily and said, "There are seven southern prefectures and counties of Xiping City and seven northern prefectures and counties. My soldiers are used to plundering. Once I can't control my hands and feet and attack the seven northern prefectures and counties, won't it be like my own people attacking my own people? In my opinion, Your Highness might as well reward me with the seven northern prefectures and counties. "
King Lan Ji trembled all over and said, "You … you want the entire territory of Xishan Province?"
"Is there a problem?"
Si Kongyao's beautiful eyes turned cold. Suddenly, her momentum surged and she had the feeling of a monarch descending to the world.
King Lan Ji's voice trembled. "No, if I give you all the fief, I'm afraid His Majesty will punish me."
"If you don't agree, then forget it."
Si Kongyao crossed her arms and put her slender legs on the table. She said, "Anyway, it's not bad for a mercenary like Bai Ze to be a mercenary king here. I can eat and drink well and loot the treasuries of government offices everywhere. Even the dog emperor of the Blackstone Empire won't dare to provoke me."
Shang Qian saw that the situation was a little stiff and said, "Your Highness, in my opinion … Yao wants Xishan Province as her fief. Then, you should reward it to her. At the same time, you can also confer the title of Xishan Princess to Yao. Anyway, Yao is a citizen of the empire. Why can't she rule Xishan Province? In this way, you can also justify yourself in front of His Majesty. "
King Lan Ji's heart brightened. He said, "That's right … I don't know if Miss Si Kongyao is willing to accept the title of Xishan Princess?"
"I don't care."
Si Kongyao smiled lazily and said, "But I have a condition. Although Tianji Empire will give me the title of Xishan Princess, I won't serve the emperor. My army will still be controlled by me. In addition, I won't pay money and grain to the imperial capital for my fief. All the officials will be enfeoffed by me."
"You are …"
King Lan Ji felt a chill in the bottom of his heart. "Miss Si Kongyao, are you going to divide your territory and confer the title of King?"
"Yes, that's right."
Si Kongyao admitted frankly, "I just want to have my own territory, and I will no longer obey the rule of any emperor. However … if you make me the Commandery Princess of Xiping, then I will still be nominally a citizen of the Tianji Empire. At least King Lanji will be able to convince Beiming Yuan. Deceiving the superiors and the subordinates is what you people are good at, isn't it? In short, whether you want Xishan Province or the whole Tianji Empire, it's up to you. I won't interfere with your decision. "
…
Everyone was silent.
After the time it took for half an incense stick to burn, King Lan Ji said faintly, "I will send a letter back to Tianji City to ask for a decree. The wolf falcon flies fast. It will only take three days to go back and forth. Miss Si Kongyao, please wait for the conferment."
"Good."
Si Kongyao was complacent. She smiled knowingly with Liu Buyi and others.
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