0p0 Chapter 196 Negotiation
Chapter 196 Negotiation
He took a deep breath and shouted to the general in the distance, "Pass down the order to cease hostilities!"
Upon hearing the eldest prince's order, Gu Xuanchao's generals immediately turned and ran quickly towards the war drums, slamming their drumsticks down with a dull thud that signaled the end of the battle.
The shouts of battle gradually subsided, and everyone's attention was focused on this tense scene, as if the air itself had frozen.
Wu Bailie composed himself and shifted his gaze away from the sword.
He coldly addressed the two resolute-looking girls before him, saying, "Do you think you can threaten me like this? The Ling Kingdom is already at its last gasp; this is nothing but a desperate struggle."
Despite the blade at his neck, his words still revealed his innate arrogance.
Shui'er snorted coldly, exerted a little force with her hand, and the tip of the sword cut through Wu Bailie's skin, causing a trickle of blood to seep out.
"Enough nonsense! Your life is in our hands now. If you don't want to die, order your men to retreat, or my sword won't be so merciful."
Xiao He echoed firmly, "Your Highness, you should cooperate obediently. Your life is far more important than this temporary victory or defeat."
Wu Bailie frowned, silently weighing the pros and cons in his mind.
He knew the situation was critical, but as the eldest prince of the Gu Xuan Dynasty, how could he easily compromise with these two women from the Ling Kingdom?
But the cold tip of the sword pressed against his neck constantly reminded him that his life was hanging by a thread.
"Hmph, even if I, the prince, agree to withdraw your troops today, the Ling Kingdom will still be unable to escape the fate of being destroyed by my Gu Xuan Dynasty in the future."
Wu Bailie gritted his teeth and said, but still shouted to the soldiers in the distance, "Retreat for now!"
As his order was given, Gu Xuanchao's army began to slowly retreat.
But those hostile eyes remained fixed on Shui'er and Xiao He, as if waiting for the next opportunity to attack.
Shui'er and Xiao He exchanged a glance; they knew that this was only a temporary relief from the crisis.
As the soldiers of Ling Kingdom watched the departing figures of the soldiers of Gu Xuanchao, the tension and fear in their hearts gradually dissipated, replaced by the relief of surviving a disaster.
In this temporary tranquility, the standoff between Shui'er and the man continued.
"What? The army has already withdrawn, and you still don't plan to release our eldest prince?"
The man stared intently at Shui'er and Xiao He, his eyes flashing with resentment and wariness.
Shui'er snorted coldly, her sword still firmly resting against Wu Bailie's neck, her voice calm and resolute.
"Hmph, with so many of you still here, how can we easily release them? What if you change your mind and come back to kill us?"
At this moment, the generals from both sides rushed to the scene and stood facing each other in their respective ranks, creating a tense and suffocating atmosphere.
Daya came to Xiaoyue and quickly picked her up. She then had two nearby soldiers escort Xiaoyue back to the city.
Xiao He pushed Wu Bailie and shouted, "Let's go!"
But Wu Bailie stood still, looking intently at Shui'er and Xiao He.
“There’s no need for that.” Wu Bailie’s voice was calm yet firm.
"Now that I am in your hands, all you want is for me to withdraw my troops. Since you have already achieved your goal, why bother with all this trouble?"
Upon hearing this, General Zheng Xining, who was defending the city, curled up a cold smile.
"Now that you're in our hands, do you think you still have the right to negotiate? If you know what's good for you, just obey us, or don't blame us for being impolite."
Wu Bailie, however, was not afraid at all. He snorted coldly, his eyes flashing with a stubborn light.
"Hmph, do you really dare to kill me? If I die, believe me, my father will stop at nothing and send troops to destroy your Ling Kingdom. Then, none of you will survive!"
The soldiers of Ling Kingdom were so angry when they heard Wu Bailie's arrogant words that they gritted their teeth and wished they could rush up and tear him to pieces.
Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats broke the deadlock.
The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw an old general in armor, with white hair and beard, riding a horse at full speed.
He was none other than Yue Zhenfeng, a veteran general of the Ling Kingdom. Yue Zhenfeng's arrival boosted the morale of the Ling Kingdom's soldiers.
He pulled on the reins and brought the car to a steady stop in front of everyone.
His gaze swept over the crowd and finally landed on Wu Bailie.
“The eldest prince of Gu Xuanchao.” Yue Zhenfeng’s voice was steady and powerful.
"Our Ling Kingdom and the Gu Xuan Dynasty have no deep-seated hatred for each other. We only went to war because of some misunderstandings."
Our armies are currently locked in a stalemate, suffering heavy casualties. Continuing to fight like this will not benefit either of our countries.
Why don't we sit down and have a proper talk?
Wu Bailie looked at Yue Zhenfeng and said coldly, "What are we talking about? I have already agreed to your withdrawal. What, are my words so untrustworthy?"
Yue Zhenfeng smiled slightly and shook his head: "Your Highness, you flatter me."
We are not asking you to acknowledge anything, but simply hoping that both sides can turn hostility into friendship and jointly safeguard the peace and tranquility of this land.
Of course, if His Highness insists on resolving the issue by force, then our Ling Kingdom will never back down an inch.
But Your Highness, please consider the immense damage this war has already inflicted on both nations. Must it continue?
Wu Bailie stood tall and shouted, "The warriors of my Gu Xuan Dynasty are all of iron will. From the moment they fought bloody battles on the battlefield, they have never known how to write the word 'fear'!"
The old general's face darkened, and his eyes were fixed on Wu Bailie.
He said coldly, "Hmph! Don't be arrogant. Now that you are in our hands, do you really think I wouldn't dare to detain you here and leave you on this land of Ling Kingdom forever?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Bailie burst into laughter, his laughter filled with untamed arrogance.
"Very well! If you dare to detain me, my Gu Xuan Dynasty's thousands of troops will surely surge forth and march straight to the border of the Ling Kingdom."
"Then I will see just how many innocent people in the Spirit Kingdom will suffer the ravages of war because of your foolish decision!"
Yue Zhenfeng's expression was solemn as he said, "Your Highness, a fight based on personal feelings will only cause more innocent people to suffer. If a large army were to invade, and war were to break out, leaving people displaced, is this truly the situation you wish to see?"
Wu Bailie's eyes flickered slightly, but he still said firmly, "Hmph, so what? This prince only knows that on the battlefield, the victor is king!"
Shui'er couldn't help but interject, "How can you, Prince, be so stubborn! Don't you care about the lives of your people?"
Wu Bailie sneered: "My people will fight for honor, what do they have to fear in life and death!"
Xiao He glared at him angrily: "Glory? Is this what you call glory, bought with countless blood and lives?"
After a moment of silence, Wu Bailie said, "As a descendant of the Gu Xuan Dynasty, how can I easily bow my head?"
Yue Zhenfeng sighed: "Your Highness, we understand your pride, but war only brings destruction."
If we can coexist peacefully, the people of both countries can live and work in peace and contentment. Isn't that better than war?
Wu Bailie was slightly moved, but he still refused to back down: "Hmph...Easy for you to say."
General Zheng Xining said, "Your Highness, given your current situation, do you have any other choice? Why not trust us this once and give peace between our two countries a chance?"
Wu Bailie fell into deep thought, and after a long while said, "If you want this prince to withdraw his troops, you must first show sincerity."
Yue Zhenfeng hurriedly asked, "What kind of sincerity does the eldest prince mean?"
Wu Bailie said, "For example, ceding cities and paying compensation."
Upon hearing Wu Bailie's words, the people of Ling Kingdom angrily exclaimed, "You're asking for an exorbitant price!"
Yue Zhenfeng waved his hand, signaling everyone to calm down, and said, "Your Highness, this matter needs further consideration. But first, we must resolve this military crisis."
Just when everyone thought the problem could be resolved through negotiations.
Shui'er grabbed Wu Bailie's back and shouted, "You're in my hands now, and you still want the Ling Kingdom to cede territory and pay reparations? Do you really think I wouldn't dare kill you!"
With a slight flick of her wrist, Shui'er's long sword, gleaming with cold light, gently sliced across Wu Bailie's slender neck, leaving a thin, hair-like bloodstain.
At that moment, the sound of rapid and powerful hooves approached from afar, breaking the deathly silence.
A magnificent warhorse, like a black lightning bolt, pierced through the snow and came to a steady stop in front of everyone.
The man on horseback, clad in a black cloak, had a composed expression and eyes that gleamed with wisdom. He was none other than Wu Sha, Gu Xuanchao's strategist of profound wisdom.
Wu Sha dismounted swiftly and quickly stepped forward, bowing deeply to Shui'er with a tone of sincerity and urgency.
"Young lady, please spare my life."
Shui'er's gaze was icy as she coldly surveyed the uninvited guest before her.
"Who are you?"
Usa smiled slightly upon hearing this, then slowly straightened up and introduced himself.
“Please forgive me, young lady. I am Wu Sha, the military advisor of Gu Xuanchao. I have come here for the sake of peace and tranquility between our two countries. I hope you will be kind enough to give me a chance to talk.”
Shui'er hesitated for a moment as she listened to Wu Sha's words, but the sword in her hand remained firmly against Wu Bailie's neck.
Every decision she makes at this moment could affect the fate of both countries and the safety of countless people.
But faced with Usa's request, she had to re-examine the current situation and consider whether there was a more peaceful solution.