My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Everyone understood a cruel truth:

The reason Zhu Cilang is able to sit here today and negotiate with them in a "pleasant" manner is not because of the threat of the Mongol cavalry, nor because of the so-called "if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold" principle, but purely out of a superior's sense of "face" bestowed upon them.

The Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty could have easily ignored them like crushing an ant and marched eastward to deal with the so-called major threat, the Jurchens.

With those rifles and steel monsters, the Jurchens' so-called "Eight Banners elite troops" would probably not fare much better than their Khorchin cavalry.

Their previous calculations of waiting for the best price and playing both sides now seem so ridiculous and insignificant.

Silence filled the warm tent, broken only by the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire. Everyone knew the decisive moment had arrived, but no one dared to speak first.

The initiative has been firmly in the hands of the young prince in his bright yellow robes.

A moment later, Zhu Cilang picked up the warm milk tea in front of him, took a small sip, and set the teacup down. The porcelain made a crisp sound as it hit the wooden table, which was particularly clear in the quiet tent. Only then did he raise his eyes, his gaze calmly sweeping over Abunai and the others. His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable tone of conviction:
"Alright, you've seen everything you were supposed to see."

He paused, his gaze lingering for a moment on Abuna's face.

"I'm sure you all know what to do next."

His tone was calm, as if he were stating a perfectly natural fact, rather than having just used absolute force to exert naked intimidation.

"Let's settle this matter here. The Ming Dynasty and the Khorchin tribe will join forces to annihilate the Jurchens. After the war, the affairs of the grasslands will still be governed by your own autonomy. As long as your tribe behaves itself and obeys its duties as a subject, and does not invade the borders of the Ming Dynasty again, the calamity of war can be avoided, and the profits of trade can be made. This is the peace..."

He emphasized his words slightly.

"It will last forever."

This is a promise, but also a warning. The prerequisite for lasting peace is "no more offense." And whether or not there is the capacity to offend is now self-evident.

Abunai's Adam's apple bobbed, and his dry lips moved, but no sound came out. The Mongol leaders around him lowered their heads even further.

Zhu Cilang seemed unconcerned by their reactions, his gaze drifting slightly into the distance, his tone unusually tinged with a hint of longing. But behind this longing remained unwavering strength:
“Abunai, and everyone here, you may not believe it, but I have always had a grand vision in my heart.”

He spoke slowly, each word clear and forceful:
"What I desire is not merely the current alliance, nor a temporary peace. I hope that one day in the future, the Mongolian steppe and the Ming Dynasty can truly merge into one, becoming a unified nation bound by blood. At that time, there will be no more wars within and outside the Great Wall."

Upon hearing this, not only did Abunai and the others look up in astonishment, but even some Ming generals behind Zhu Cilang showed surprise. However, they quickly composed themselves and chose to unconditionally believe in the Crown Prince's foresight.

Zhu Cilang continued to outline the blueprint that seemed so distant, yet, thanks to the power displayed today, appeared almost within reach:

"The Great Wall will one day be completely demolished. Not because it is old and useless."

A meaningful smile curved at the corner of his lips.

"It's because it will become unnecessary. At that time, the horses, fat cattle and sheep, and precious furs of the grasslands will be able to enter the Central Plains without any hindrance; the tea, silk, porcelain, and grain of the Central Plains will also be able to come to the grasslands without any hindrance. Our people can travel freely, intermarry, and our merchants can trade freely and share prosperity. The south and north of the Gobi Desert will be no different from the prefectures and counties of the Ming Dynasty. You will no longer be 'outer vassals,' but truly one family, sharing the glory and protection of the Ming Dynasty."

Demolish the Great Wall?

In the eyes of previous Han dynasties, this was simply a pipe dream, a self-destructive act!
Abunai was shocked. If he had heard these words an hour earlier, he would have scoffed at them, thinking they were just a delaying tactic by the Han people or a naive fantasy.

The Great Wall has stood for millennia, its purpose being to defend against these nomadic riders from the grasslands. No matter how generous the Han emperors were, how could they possibly destroy this most formidable barrier?
But at this moment, looking into Zhu Cilang's calm and resolute eyes, feeling the still omnipresent intimidation emanating from the steel behemoth outside the tent, though silent, and recalling the torrent of rifle bullets...

Abunai suddenly understood. Zhu Cilang dared to say that not because he was naive, but precisely because he possessed absolute self-confidence!

Confident that even without the Great Wall, the Ming Dynasty's modern army would be enough to crush any threat from the grasslands! Walls are inanimate, but that terrifying military force is alive and can be launched proactively! Dismantling the Great Wall is not self-destruction, but rather a more sophisticated gesture, a declaration of the unification of the world!
I no longer need this wall to defend against you, because you can no longer, and dare not, be my enemies.

Thinking of this, a complex mix of despair, bitterness, dejection, and an indescribable emotion welled up in Abuna's heart.

He knew he had lost, the Horqin region had lost, and perhaps the entire traditional way of life on the grasslands had been defeated today by that steel age spewing steam and flames. He had lost without a doubt, lost convincingly, and lost... utterly without the right to bargain.

The “autonomy” and “peace” granted by the other side are more like an arrangement by the victor to the loser than an equal alliance.

Abna let out a deep, long sigh, a sigh filled with the desolation of a hero's end and a resigned compromise.

He raised his head and looked at Zhu Cilang, the last glimmer of struggle in his eyes extinguished, leaving only exhaustion and submission:
“Your Highness the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty, I have seen your words and your power, and I understand them.”

His voice was a little hoarse.

"Our Khorchin tribe is willing to obey Your Highness's orders to cooperate in annihilating the Jurchens."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly; this was within his expectations.

However, Abnai changed his tone and became serious:

"However, before we swear an oath of blood, I, Abunai, as the leader of the Khorchin tribe, humbly request Your Highness to grant me one request as well."

Zhu Cilang raised an eyebrow slightly, but he wasn't too surprised. In his view, what Abunai was proposing at this moment was nothing more than the distribution of post-war benefits, such as spoils of war, territory, pre-war military supplies, or some promises to guarantee the post-war status of the Khorchin tribe.

All of this was in his plan. He had even ordered people to prepare a batch of grain and supplies, intending to provide them to Khorchin as a token of his "sincerity" in the cooperation.

He nodded calmly.

"Speak freely. As long as it is reasonable and beneficial to both parties, I will consider and agree."

His tone was confident and exuded the composure befitting a victor.

All eyes in the tent were on Abunai, waiting for him to state his terms.

Abunai didn't speak immediately. Instead, he turned slightly to the side and glanced at his sister, Qiqige, who had been standing quietly behind him. His eyes held guilt, determination, and a heavy sense of entrustment.

Qiqige seemed to sense something, her delicate body trembled slightly, and she lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow on her fair cheeks.

Then, Abunai turned back, looked firmly at Zhu Cilang, and said clearly, word by word:
“My condition is—I ask that you, Your Highness the Crown Prince of the Great Ming Dynasty, marry my younger sister, Qiqige.”

"what?!"

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake! Zhu Cilang's composure froze instantly, replaced by extreme astonishment and disbelief.

He first looked sharply at Abunai to make sure the other person wasn't joking, then subconsciously looked at Qiqige beside him.

At that moment, as her brother finished speaking, Qiqige's originally pale cheeks quickly turned into a captivating, vibrant blush, like a crabapple suddenly blooming on a snowfield, spreading all the way to her ears and neck.

She seemed to want to look up, but lacked the courage, so she could only lower her head even further, her delicate hands unconsciously gripping the hem of her clothes tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

That shy, nervous, and slightly apprehensive look was absolutely genuine.

Zhu Cilang was completely stunned.

Allied forces, the suppression of slaves, matters of state and military affairs... how did it suddenly jump to marriage and having children? And the object of his affections is a Mongolian princess with a special status? This turn of events was too abrupt, completely out of place, and far beyond all his prior expectations and negotiation preparations.

His mind raced, trying to understand the intentions and logic hidden behind Abunai's seemingly absurd request.

Is it a closer political bond? A search for more secure guarantees? Or some kind of test?

Before he could think it through or respond, the Ming generals behind him, who had been unable to contain themselves, had already started to make a ruckus.

"presumptuous!"

Ma Xianglin was the first to lose his temper. He stepped forward abruptly, his hand on the hilt of his sword, his thick eyebrows raised, and he roared in a booming voice:
"Abunai! What do you mean by this?! How dare you use marriage as leverage at such a crucial time for national affairs? Are you trying to force His Highness the Crown Prince?!"

He was hot-tempered, and when he saw the other party making such an "unreasonable" and "irregular" request, he immediately flew into a rage.

"Indeed! This is a major event of the alliance; how can it be allowed to be interfered with by personal feelings!"

"His Highness the Crown Prince's marriage is a matter for the Emperor and the Ministry of Rites to decide; how dare you presume to comment on it?!"

The other generals also glared angrily and rebuked them. The atmosphere in the tent instantly shifted from the previous oppressive and submissive tone to one of tense confrontation. In their eyes, this was not only disrespectful, but downright an offense against the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Cilang raised his hand and gently pressed it back. Although he was also full of doubts and even a little displeased, he was, after all, the crown prince of a country, and his shrewdness was even deeper.

He silenced the generals' commotion, his gaze returning to Abuna's face, his brow furrowed slightly, revealing clear confusion and scrutiny:

“Abuna”.

His voice returned to calm, but with a hint of something strange that was barely perceptible.

"What we are discussing today concerns the future of our two nations and is a matter of great importance to both military and national affairs. The matter of a marriage alliance is not trivial, nor is it of utmost urgency. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to discuss this matter later?"

As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously drifted towards Qiqige again.

Upon hearing his words, the Mongolian princess's previously flushed cheeks seemed to turn pale for a moment, and her fingers, which were tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, tightened even more, even trembling slightly.

With just that one glance, Zhu Cilang's heart stirred slightly. Judging from Qiqige's reaction, this was definitely not a spur-of-the-moment decision by Abunai. It was likely that the two siblings had discussed it beforehand, and perhaps... Qiqige herself was not entirely passive.

This intensified his sense of unease. It wasn't that he harbored any ill will towards Qiqige herself, but at this crucial juncture—just as he had intimidated her with overwhelming force and was about to forge an important political and military alliance—the sudden insertion of a marriage seemed too abrupt and suspicious in terms of timing, occasion, and manner.

What considerations and plans did the Khorchin tribe, or Abunai himself, have behind this?
The atmosphere inside the tent became unusually delicate after Abunai proposed that outrageous condition.
Zhu Cilang stopped the commotion among the generals behind him and calmly looked at Abunai, who had stood up opposite him and appeared unusually agitated and even somewhat stubborn.

He needed to understand why Abunai was clinging to the idea of ​​a "marriage alliance" at such a crucial moment when the military-state alliance was about to be concluded.

Behind this is far more than just finding a good home for his younger sister.

Abna took a deep breath, his chest heaving, as if trying to calm his slightly disordered breathing caused by excitement.

He looked at Zhu Cilang with a complex expression, a mixture of an elder brother's earnestness, a tribal leader's scheming, and a stubborn determination to achieve his goal.

He then spoke again, his voice no longer carrying the desperate force of before, but instead a deeper, more direct and persuasive tone:

"Your Highness, Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty, let me tell you the truth."

He spoke slowly, each word sounding as if he had thought it through carefully.

"The idea of ​​marrying my sister Qiqige to you as a concubine is not something I have just decided on a whim. More than two years ago, when she visited your capital as... uh, as a guest, I had this thought. And then, after you demonstrated such earth-shattering power, I became even more convinced that this is the best choice for Khorchin and for her."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the various expressions on the faces of the people in the tent, before finally settling on Zhu Cilang's face, his tone becoming extremely solemn:

"What you just said about peace and a future of one family, I, Abunai, believe! Because I dare not disbelieve, and I cannot disbelieve!"

He pointed outside the tent, as if the shadow of that steel behemoth still loomed over it.

"But it's not enough for me to just believe!"

His voice suddenly rose, carrying a clear understanding of reality:
"You want peace, and so do the thousands of people of the Khorchin grasslands! Who would willingly give up a life of plenty, peaceful herding, and trade with the south, to risk their lives on the edge of a knife? But peace is never something that can fall from the sky or last for eternity with just a few nice promises or a stamped document!" (End of Chapter)