After the favored concubine remarried, the aloof and powerful minister forcibly took her away.

Chapter 218 Return
The wind in Mohe carried fine sand, and the veins on the back of Pei Yanzhi's hand, which was gripping the reins, bulged.

He and General Lin had been lying in ambush in the alley for a long time.

This is the third day now. The people of Mohe have long been evacuated, and General Lin has disguised the empty city as a heavily guarded and inviolable fortress.

After a day of fighting the people of the North, the vanguard feigned defeat and revealed a weakness while being pursued.

Logically, they should have been lured here yesterday, but there's no sign of them now.

"grown ups!"

As General Lin cried out in alarm, arrowheads pierced the air.

Pei Yanzhi spun around to avoid the arrow, the tip grazing the jade pendant at his waist, dark red blood dripping down the gold ribbon.

On the distant sand dunes, the arrowheads gleamed coldly in the blazing sun.

Pei Yanzhi's eyes sharpened, but he did not move. That must have been a test by the Northerners; they were indeed cautious.

"Proceed according to plan!"

Pei Yanzhi's voice was deep yet powerful, carrying steadily through the wind in Mohe.

General Lin took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and waved to the ambush troops behind him.

Before long, people started going down the two hillsides.

Just then, Pei Yanzhi and General Lin finally saw the soldiers from the northern border.

In an instant, countless soldiers surged out from both sides of the once quiet alley, their shouts of battle shaking the sands of Mohe.

The Northern soldiers showed no fear; they let out sharp howls and charged forward without hesitation, like a pack of hungry wolves.

The sound of horses' hooves thundered, amidst the swirling yellow sand and the glint of swords.

Taking advantage of the terrain, Pei Yanzhi and his men gained the upper hand. The oil rolled down, and with the rocks, the northern soldiers were completely helpless.

After General Lin captured the leading general alive, Daqing won a complete victory in this battle.

To the surprise of Pei Yanzhi and General Lin, this general was quite famous in the northern border region.

Upon hearing this, the people in the North were surprisingly willing to negotiate a settlement.

Daqing had only one request: to hand over Lu Yongkang.

Three days later, Pei Yanzhi received an imperial decree to negotiate with General Aguda, who had come from the northern border.

On the day of the negotiations, the sun was blinding, shining on the sandy ground of Mohe with a dazzling white light.

Pei Yanzhi, dressed in court attire and with a long sword at his waist, stood in front of the tent with a stern expression, while General Lin, equally ready for battle, stood beside him.

General Aguda strode in with several guards. He was a burly man with a full beard, and his eyes revealed resentment and vigilance.

After both parties were seated, Aguda spoke first.

"You Daqing captured my general, and now you want me to hand over Lu Yongkang and cede cities. These conditions are far too harsh!"

Pei Yanzhi took his time, picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and then slowly spoke after putting it down.

“General Aguda, your northern borders have repeatedly violated our borders, causing untold suffering to our people. This outcome is entirely your own fault.” “Lu Yongkang colluded with foreign enemies and betrayed Daqing’s secrets. He is the root of this disaster. Handing him over is the first step in expressing your sincerity for reconciliation.”

Aguda frowned, his hands clenched into fists, as if he was trying his best to suppress his anger.

"Lu Yongkang has been missing for a long time. Who knows where he went?"

General Lin couldn't help but slam his fist on the table and stand up: "Aguda, don't be so stubborn! If it weren't for the benevolence of my Daqing and my desire to bring peace to the people, why would I be negotiating with you here!"

Aguda sneered: "Hmph, peace? You just want to gain benefits without losing a single soldier."

Pei Yanzhi raised his hand to signal General Lin to calm down, and looked directly at Aguda.

"We both know that war will only bring devastation. Daqing is not unprepared either. If the negotiations break down, the outcome of the next battle will be uncertain."

"But if a reconciliation is reached, and the two sides can trade and live in peace and prosperity, wouldn't that be a good thing for the North?"

Aguda remained silent for a moment, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes.

"I want Lu Yongkang alive."

Pei Yanzhi traced the map with his fingertips and then tapped heavily on the location of Liusha City.

“This is a sure-fire deal for you. I’ll give you time to consider it. If you don’t get a reply by tomorrow, I’ll assume that the North is about to go to war.”

"If we go to war, this time it will mean the destruction of our nation."

The man's words were unusually cold, carrying a warning tone. After he finished speaking, he raised his hand to signal his men to take the Northerners away.

Aguda wasn't stupid, nor were the people of the North. They knew that if Daqing really used the entire nation's army to wipe them out...

Even if Daqing is seriously injured, the Northern Territory will definitely not fare well.

Three days later, when the prison cart stopped at the gate of Liusha City, General Lin almost crushed the hilt of his sword.

The traitor who brought peace to Daqing is now huddled in an iron cage. The once revered Prince Qing has now become a pathetic figure, living in the same cage as pigs and dogs.

Aguda, representing the North, delivered the peace agreement, and the subsequent handover was naturally handled by designated officials.

The Northern Border ultimately accepted Pei Yanzhi's proposal, ceding the city and handing over Lu Yongkang in exchange for the general.

From then on, the two countries reached a brief peace treaty.

There was still much to be done to clean up the mess, but Pei Yanzhi was already eager to go back.

By then, it was already springtime in Daqing. He only exchanged a few words with General Lin before riding back to Ling'an.

About seven or eight days later, Xiang Ning saw Chun Xi rush over and say, "Miss, Miss, Lord Pei has returned."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Ning's heart seemed to skip a beat.

"A Ning."

A familiar voice came from behind her, and she turned around to meet a pair of smiling eyes.

The next instant, everything went black before his eyes, and he collapsed right in front of her.