As Zhu Shoutao walked away, Liu Kai found himself gaining clarity. Last night he had been racking his brain, wondering whose path the old Marquis had blocked, but now he understood. The Crown Prince’s ascension to the throne required popular support.
With this realization, Liu Kai felt much more at ease. He turned to Liu Ce, Liu Tie, and the others, saying, "I don't think the Marquis will face any major trouble recently. What we need to do next is find a way to meet the Young Master and Miss."
Liu Kai had foreseen the Emperor and Crown Prince's intentions and put his mind at ease. Meanwhile, in the Crown Prince's palace, Xiao Jingyun was locked in a fierce discussion with his civil and military officials.
Xiao Jingyun's initial idea was to force the Peerless Daoist to write a letter demanding that the Great Lin Kingdom hand over Zhu Meng. However, this proposal was met with strong opposition from the officials.
Tian Wenhao, the Commander of the Ministry of War, was the first to voice his dissent. Although the Ministry of War held little actual power in the Great Cang Kingdom beyond conscription and coordinating provisions, its officials still held considerable rank and titles.
"Your Highness, when we captured the Peerless Daoist, a single letter from him was enough to make both nations withdraw their troops. Now, if we demand Zhu Meng, the other side will undoubtedly demand the Peerless Daoist in exchange."
"If we exchange the Peerless Daoist, we will lose our hostage. If Qiao Sen of the Great Lin Kingdom leads troops from both nations to return, we will be in a very passive position."
Xiao Jingyun glanced at Tian Wenhao and asked, "Then what do you suggest we do?"
"Your Highness, Zhu Meng still commands tens of thousands of elite soldiers, and the Great Lin Kingdom will certainly not hand him over so readily."
"In my opinion, we should prepare for war, mobilize our troops, and march our armies towards them to force the Great Lin Kingdom to comply. That would be the best course of action."
Upon hearing Tian Wenhao's words, several others chimed in with their agreement.
"Indeed, indeed. To rely on a letter from a Daoist for the diplomatic affairs between two nations seems rather absurd."
Just then, someone rushed in, kneeling on one knee. "Reporting to Your Highness, an envoy from the Great Lin Kingdom requests an audience outside the palace."
Hearing this, Xiao Jingyun's brows shot up. "Did he state the purpose of his visit to me?"
"He claims to be acting under the orders of Crown Prince Qiao Sen of the Great Lin Kingdom and wishes to deliver a letter to you."
Xiao Jingyun couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this.
"My esteemed ministers, isn't this a curious coincidence? I was only ordered to oversee the regency yesterday, and today an envoy from Crown Prince Qiao Sen appears at our gates."
The assembled officials displayed a variety of expressions.
"Ah, what a timely arrival! Your Highness is truly blessed."
"Who would have thought? They come to us when we wish to negotiate."
"Your Highness is blessed by heaven and will safeguard our Great Cang Kingdom for eternity."
Amidst the effusive praise, only Tian Wenhao detected a subtle, peculiar undertone in the Crown Prince's words.
Soon, the envoy from Crown Prince Qiao Sen of the Great Lin Kingdom was brought in.
He was a man clad in sheepskin, wearing a tall hat, with a red beard covering his face. Seeing such a figure at this time, the ministers stared at him as if he were a circus performer.
The man, however, appeared quite composed. He placed his right hand over his chest and bowed slightly towards Xiao Jingyun.
"I am Bel, envoy of Crown Prince Qiao Sen of the Great Lin Kingdom. I pay my respects to the noble Crown Prince of the Great Cang Kingdom."
Xiao Jingyun raised his hand. "Enough, there's no need for excessive formality. You've come to see me, what is it about?"
Bel smiled slightly and produced a letter from his embrace. "My Crown Prince wishes to exchange Zhu Meng for his esteemed teacher. This is a personal letter from Crown Prince Qiao Sen to you."
Xiao Jingyun raised his hand again. Zhou Quan stepped forward, took the letter from Bel, and then handed it to Xiao Jingyun.
Xiao Jingyun did not open it to read. Instead, he beckoned to Zhu Ziming, the Commander of the Ministry of Rites. "Commander Zhu, come here and read this letter aloud to everyone."
Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials present were first stunned, then secretly gave Xiao Jingyun a thumbs-up. The exchange of letters between nations was a matter of state, and Xiao Jingyun's decision to make it public, without any secrecy, ensured that no one would suspect him of any clandestine dealings with the Great Lin Kingdom. He brought everything out into the open.
Zhu Ziming stepped forward, took the letter, and read it aloud in a clear voice. The letter was short and concise, conveying a clear message: they were willing to exchange Zhu Meng and his fifty thousand troops for their esteemed teacher, the Peerless Daoist.
After reading the letter, Zhu Ziming respectfully placed it on the table before the Crown Prince and then stepped back a few paces, rejoining his formation.
Bel, having heard the letter read, wore an expression of undisguised arrogance, casting a sidelong glance at Xiao Jingyun.
In his eyes, exchanging the Peerless Daoist for the rebel Zhu Meng and his fifty thousand troops was a deal anyone would readily accept, with no room for negotiation.
To his surprise, Xiao Jingyun remained silent after hearing the letter. Instead, he said coldly, "Alright, I have received the letter, and your mission is complete. You may withdraw for now."
Bel was taken aback by these words, as were the assembled officials. Some started to speak, but the chilling gaze of Xiao Jingyun silenced them. After all, speaking too much in front of Bel might be construed as treason.
Bel was clearly bewildered. He hadn't expected such a generous offer to be met with immediate refusal. He pressed on, "Esteemed Crown Prince, please reconsider. An exchange of the Peerless Daoist for fifty thousand troops, plus the leader of your rebellion, Zhu Meng – this is a very profitable deal."
Xiao Jingyun let out two cold laughs. "I am perfectly capable of calculating this matter. However, I am merely overseeing the regency. All state affairs must be reported to my father, the Emperor. Therefore, I cannot give you an answer now. Please return and find accommodations. Once a decision is reached, I will send word to you."
As he spoke, he looked at Bel with a sense of regret. Bel's previous arrogance and confidence vanished instantly, his face flushing red with frustration. With no other recourse, he clasped his hands in greeting to Xiao Jingyun and said, "I will be staying at the Binlai Inn. Please send someone to notify me if there is any news."
With that, he turned and left, visibly disgruntled.
Only after he had disappeared did Zhu Ziming, the Commander of the Ministry of Rites, eagerly step forward.
"Your Highness, exchanging the Peerless Daoist for Zhu Meng and fifty thousand troops – that is certainly worthwhile."
"Yes, yes, Your Highness, this is a very advantageous deal. If we retrieve Zhu Meng, the pressure from outside will disappear."
Xiao Jingyun looked at the assembled officials and smiled calmly.
"You are all correct, everyone. This is indeed a beneficial exchange."
"The Peerless Daoist is useless in our hands. But Zhu Meng, in the Great Lin Kingdom, commands over a dozen generals and fifty thousand elite soldiers. These are tangible assets."
"But consider this: if you were Qiao Sen, even if the Peerless Daoist was immensely important to you, would you trade fifty thousand men for one person?"
At this point, someone stepped forward and clasped his hands. "Your Highness, didn't the Great Lin Kingdom withdraw their troops last time simply because of a letter from the Peerless Daoist?"