The Great Chanyu flew into a rage. No one could have imagined that at his advanced age, he could still harbor such intense fury. He stood up, raised both hands high, as if summoning the gods to descend or challenging all enemies in the world, roaring, cursing, and denouncing… words poured out like a flood.
All the Xiongnu in the tent fell silent as cicadas in winter, kneeling on the ground and not daring to move. The Right Wise King, who had been tyrannical and brutal before the Chu people, now lay obediently on the ground, more docile than a hunting dog receiving its master’s commands.
Han Ruzi was not afraid, because he could not understand a single word.
Feng Shili and the others also could not understand, but they had lost most of their courage since being captured and could not maintain the sa composure as the Emperor.
Han Ruzi was not afraid also because he knew that the Great Chanyu’s anger had nothing to do with anyone in this tent – it must be because the Chu army beyond the frontier was making good progress.
The Great Chanyu’s fury finally burned out. He stared at the Emperor for a while, then slowly sat down, showing complete exhaustion.
The great tent fell silent. The interpreter, having received no orders, dared not translate a single word.
The Great Chanyu waved his hand, and the interpreter said in a trembling voice: “Your Majesty… please retire and rest.”
The Emperor was not mistreated – he had wine and at, but could not move about freely and received not a single word of news.
Han Ruzi sat on his bed. Shortly after noon, he began to feel a headache that gradually intensified. By evening, the pain was so severe he could barely think.
“Is a headache also a symptom?” he asked, rembering clearly that the last ti he was poisoned, he had only felt physical weakness without any headache.
There were only two people in the tent. ng E walked over, pressed her hand against the Emperor’s forehead for a while, then took his wrist and felt his pulse for a mont. “Your Majesty is too anxious.”
Han Ruzi smiled slightly. He could not maintain a facade at all tis – there were always monts when his true state showed through.
“Walking on thin ice, ng E. Now I truly understand what it ans to walk on thin ice.”
ng E humd in acknowledgnt and returned to her original position.
Han Ruzi forced himself to think, fighting against the headache. After a while, he asked again: “If the poison takes effect tonight, how long will it last?”
“About ten days or so. I used a fairly large dose.”
“Ha, if the Xiongnu ultimately surrender but we die here instead, that would be… interesting.” Han Ruzi bore no resentnt – it had been his idea originally, and ng E had rely carried it out. He genuinely found it amusing and could not help but laugh aloud.
There was so confusion in ng E’s gaze. “I don’t understand…”
“Is the Emperor important?”
“Of course. The Emperor is the master of all under heaven. The state cannot go a single day without a ruler.”
“Is the person who serves as Emperor important?” Han Ruzi rephrased his question.
ng E was startled, finally understanding Han Ruzi’s aning. She slowly walked to the Emperor’s side and said in an unprecedentedly gentle voice: “No one is more suited to be Emperor than Your Majesty.”
Han Ruzi looked up at ng E.
“The Emperor is important, and the person who serves as Emperor is also very important. In the eyes of ministers, they may be the sa, but for Great Chu, for the army and the people of Jincheng City… for , who serves as Emperor makes a trendous difference. If it were not you, Jincheng City would have already fallen. We would either be killed or enslaved, and Great Chu would have submitted. Great Chu might eventually drive out the Xiongnu, but before that expulsion? Countless people would lose their lives.”
“I haven’t been able to drive away the Xiongnu either.”
ng E showed a slight smile. “But Your Majesty persists. It is precisely because of this that the Chu army beyond the frontier continues its eastern campaign, and the court in the Capital dares to prepare a new ruler. If Your Majesty had given up early, for whom would the Chu army fight? And how would the court dare maintain a hard line against the Xiongnu?”
Han Ruzi remained silent for a long ti. “Thank you.”
ng E returned to her original position. A door in her heart had been opened, and many words wanted to rush out, but she forcibly held them back at the threshold. Just as she was hesitating, a guard from outside entered, inadvertently helping her close that door again. “The Xiongnu request an audience with Your Majesty.”
The interpreter entered, wearing a much more courteous expression. He bowed respectfully and said with a smile: “The Great Chanyu says that he and Your Majesty t at Shattered Iron City last year and felt an imdiate kinship, with affection like that between grandfather and grandson. Regardless of whatever misunderstandings and conflicts have occurred in between, this bond will not change. Strong enemies from the west are pressing closer step by step – a threat that both the Xiongnu and Great Chu must guard against. Everything the Xiongnu have done thus far has been for the sake of forming an alliance.”
Han Ruzi stood up, his face expressionless, his headache gone, like a sick lion that normally swayed when walking but beca instantly vigorous upon spotting prey – stalking, approaching, pouncing, every movent as perfect as when healthy.
The interpreter’s smile grew sowhat stiff. After waiting a mont, he continued: “Your Majesty may return to Jincheng City, and even – may leave Jincheng City.”
“What are the conditions?” Han Ruzi beca increasingly calm. If he had agreed earlier to the various humiliating conditions proposed by the Great Chanyu, perhaps he would already be in the Capital by now.
“The Great Chanyu says there is no rush. Great Chu has many envoys here. After we reach an agreent, we will have the envoys notify Your Majesty.”
“Very well.” Han Ruzi pretended to consider for a mont, then said to ng E: “Prepare the horses. We return to the city.”
For a full day and night, there had been no word from the Emperor. The soldiers and civilians of Jincheng City had long been anxiously waiting. When they spotted torches approaching from afar, a contingent imdiately left the city to investigate. Discovering it was the Emperor returning, they were overjoyed, turned around to escort him, while so rode ahead at full gallop to report the good news.
Above the ruins inside the city gates, more people gathered to welco the Emperor than had seen him off, including many wounded who had co to stand solemnly on both sides.
Han Ruzi slowed his pace and returned to the half-destroyed prince’s mansion. He imdiately summoned the generals to hear their reports. The commanders had arranged everything well without becoming lax, which pleased him greatly. After offering words of encouragent, he had the eunuchs escort them away, followed by the few remaining civil officials. They had little to report, kowtowing in greeting and congratulating His Majesty on his safe return.
Cui Teng limped in with Prince Donghai. When the Emperor had a mont, he smiled and said: “I thought I’d never see Your Majesty again and was worrying about how to explain to my sister. Then Your Majesty returned – hehe, truly wonderful.”
Cui Teng was not good with words, but at this mont no one blad him. Even Prince Donghai only smiled and shook his head without saying much. Though danger had not yet passed, everyone was imrsed in joy at the Emperor’s return.
“The Great Chanyu wants to negotiate,” Han Ruzi said.
“What’s there to negotiate? Didn’t we already refuse?” Cui Teng frowned slightly, not understanding why the Xiongnu kept alternating between fighting and talking.
“Has the Great Chanyu proposed new conditions?” Prince Donghai understood clearly that while Great Chu might drive out the Xiongnu without negotiation, lifting the siege of Jincheng City and preserving the Emperor’s life could only be achieved through negotiation.
“Soone will probably co tomorrow. The military situation beyond the frontier must be very unfavorable to the Xiongnu.” Han Ruzi thought for a mont, then said to Cai Xinghai, who had not yet left: “Starting tomorrow, closely monitor Xiongnu movents. If there are any signs of troop movents, report imdiately.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Han Ruzi then said to Prince Donghai: “You should discuss a negotiation plan with the city officials. From now on, you will replace Us in negotiations with the Xiongnu.”
Prince Donghai was quite surprised. Unless the Great Chanyu appeared in person, the Emperor should not participate in negotiations directly, but he had never expected to be entrusted with such an important responsibility. After a mont of stunned silence, he said solemnly: “I obey Your Majesty’s decree.”
Cui Teng asked impatiently: “What about ? What about ?”
“You… reorganize the ceremonial guard.”
“Rest assured, Your Majesty. Not one bit of proper ceremony will be lacking.” Cui Teng was delighted, feeling his duty was more important than anyone else’s.
Han Ruzi went to the northern part of the city, where many soldiers were too severely wounded to co greet him. Fan Zhuangshan could not speak and could only nod to the Emperor. The guard captain could barely sit up. The Emperor waived all formalities, offered words of comfort, then returned to the prince’s mansion to rest.
Past midnight, Han Ruzi already felt weak and powerless, but still normally accepted the ministrations of Zhang Youcai and other eunuchs. When the lamps were extinguished and the eunuchs withdrew, ng E remained, which no one found unusual.
Sothing touched his lips. Han Ruzi opened his mouth and swallowed, then after a while said: “Don’t tell outsiders about this.”
“Mm.” ng E’s voice ca from the corner.
“We still need to find a way to cut off this poison.”
“I’ve prepared so antidotes that can be used at any ti, but this doesn’t solve the fundantal problem.”
“The solution to that lies in Cloud Dream Marsh.” Han Ruzi closed his eyes and went to sleep. That was a problem he would have to solve sooner or later, but not now.
The next afternoon, Qiao Wanfu arrived.
There were several waves of Great Chu envoys, all with much higher official ranks than Qiao Wanfu, yet the Great Chanyu had specifically chosen him to deliver the ssage.
The Great Chanyu had lowered his demands: the Xiongnu only wanted the Liaodong region, the rebel army only wanted the state of Qi, other conditions remained unchanged—mutual trade at border markets, annual exchange of gifts—though the Xiongnu gifts were rely symbolic, while Great Chu would have to pay substantial amounts of real wealth.
There was also the matter of marriage alliance. Great Chu must hand over the abducted concubine of the Right Wise King and “compensate” with a princess as a continuation of the original peace talks. The Great Chanyu would also marry several of his daughters and granddaughters to the Emperor, with one of them to beco Empress, or at least rank equal to the Empress.
There were many other conditions besides these—the Xiongnu truly seed prepared to negotiate.
Prince Donghai understood the Emperor’s bottom line and refuted and modified each condition one by one. The paper that was already densely covered with writing was filled with even more tiny characters.
The Emperor would absolutely not cede an inch of territory—this was his bottom line. As for other conditions, Prince Donghai raised objections rely for the sake of bargaining.
Qiao Wanfu was to take Great Chu’s reply back to the Great Chanyu. Before departing, he received an audience with the Emperor.
Qiao Wanfu had earned the Great Chanyu’s appreciation because he had calculated in detail the Xiongnu’s annual expenses—how much the steppes could provide and how much they needed to obtain from Great Chu, calculating each item clearly, understanding it better than the Xiongnu themselves.
He said to the Emperor: “The Xiongnu are ultimately driven by profit. The clause about exchanging gifts is actually the Great Chanyu’s bottom line—everything else is negotiable.”
“Can Great Chu afford it?”
Qiao Wanfu was not an official of the Ministry of Revenue, but having long served at Ao Granary, he could roughly estimate the entire output of Great Chu. “The current amount is too large. If reduced by thirty to fifty percent, Great Chu could afford it, but we would need several consecutive years of favorable weather.”
“Gather more intelligence while you’re there. We need to understand exactly what happened outside that made the Great Chanyu suddenly abandon the siege.”
The four words “Deng Cui’s eastern campaign” were simply too brief. Han Ruzi urgently needed more detailed information to decide how far he could compromise in these negotiations.
“Master Qu understands so Xiongnu language and has been secretly gathering intelligence. Tomorrow this humble subject should be able to bring detailed information.”
Han Ruzi had soone escort Qiao Wanfu away.
The battle between warriors had temporarily ended, but another battle was just beginning.
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