Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 482 The rain will wash away the blood (12,000 words, thanks to Yong Su for being the Alliance Leader)
The sky was overcast, and the sound of rain accompanied the rumble of thunder.

The streets of Chang'an Avenue were also muddier, making a slapping sound as you stepped on them. Looking into the distance, lanterns were already hanging under the eaves of some shops. Although the light wasn't particularly bright, it still brought a little warmth in the dim, rainy weather.

Especially those brothels.

A crack in the window in the attic reveals a glimpse of a graceful figure adorned with flowers, the misty atmosphere adding an extra layer of allure, making one yearn to go inside, sit down, and have a cup of tea.

Song Yan paused slightly.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued walking forward.

Princess Yongle.

The Empress's only child.

The eldest legitimate princess of Emperor Ninghe.

In Ningguo, this status is undoubtedly of high esteem.

However, there are very few rumors circulating about Princess Yongle. It is said that this princess was gentle, virtuous, obedient, and quiet, spending most of her time peacefully in the palace and rarely going out. The Empress also doted on her. Now at the age of twenty, she was well past the best age for marriage. Although many noble men sought to marry her, the Empress was not satisfied with any of them and did not want her daughter to suffer outside, so she kept her by her side.

However, Song Yan knew that Princess Yongle was actually Luo Yuheng's daughter.

Luo Tianshu and Luo Tianxuan are the Empress's children.

Actually, if we really calculate it, according to the royal rules, Luo Yuheng was the eldest princess when the late emperor was alive. With the ascension of Emperor Ninghe, Luo Yuheng should have become the Grand Princess.

During the Ninghe period, the true eldest princess was Princess Yongle.

However, people have gotten used to calling her that, and since there is very little news about Princess Yongle, Luo Yuheng has held the title of "eldest princess" until now.

But... Yongle?
I wonder if Emperor Chengzu of Ming... I mean, Emperor Taizong of Ming, Zhu Di, would have any objections to this title.

It's unlikely, since they're not in the same time and space.

Song Yan's mind was in turmoil. As a transmigrator, he generally looked down on the idea of ​​marriage alliances.

Moreover, she is his mother-in-law's daughter, so he can't just sit idly by.

Furthermore, the Xiongnu's eldest prince, Abalu, is already over thirty years old. How old is Suochuoluo? In his fifties? Sixty?

He's practically halfway to his grave, yet he still wants to marry the twenty-year-old Princess Ningguo?
Is this some kind of attempt to mate with a younger woman?

Zhao Gaizhi glanced at Song Yan, noticing his calm expression and wondering what he was thinking. After carefully considering his words, he cautiously reminded him, "In short, you are in a very dangerous situation right now. The Xiongnu and Jurchen are putting pressure on you together. Although I don't know their specific plans, I can roughly guess some of them."

"It's nothing more than asking for the princess's hand in marriage, a political alliance, and signing a peace treaty."

"But the treaty will probably stipulate a condition, which is that you, the culprit who ruined the diplomatic relations between the two sides, must be executed, so as to show Ningguo's sincerity."

"Most of the officials in the imperial court are cowards who are afraid of death."

“Especially those civil officials, they are the most filthy and shameless.”

"Such conditions are probably extremely satisfactory to them. They will definitely try their best to pressure and coerce His Majesty into executing you, and may even force you to die voluntarily in the name of righteousness... Don't doubt it, when those people are shameless, they are really capable of doing anything."

Song Yan smiled.

He seems to be resembling Yue Fei more and more.

I vaguely remember that when the Jin and Song dynasties signed a peace treaty, there seemed to be a clause about killing Yue Fei, right? In the end, they succeeded through Qin Hui's intervention.

However, as I said before, he was not Yue Fei, and Emperor Ninghe was not Zhao Gou.

Even if the hall is full of Qin Hui, what can he do to me?

"Let my men sneak in quietly." Song Yan pursed her lips, looked up at the sky, and raindrops fell into her eyes: "It's a rainy day, the rain will wash away the blood."

……

Daning Palace.

Yanying Palace!
The place where the emperor and his ministers discussed matters.

Normally bustling, the grand and spacious palace was deathly silent at this moment.

The atmosphere was depressing.

Like layers of dark clouds in the sky, they weighed heavily on everyone's heart.

Everyone lowered their heads slightly, remaining silent, each harboring their own secrets.

"Announce that the envoys of the Xiongnu and Jurchen tribes are here to pay their respects."

As Wei Zhong's distinctive, drawn-out voice echoed through the hall, the silence was finally broken.

The sound was clearly achieved using some special means; it was like waves, echoing between heaven and earth, and even the torrential rain outside could not drown out Wei Zhong's voice.

boom!
boom!
boom!
Soon, heavy footsteps came from outside the hall.

The Hunnic Jurchen envoy seemed to be deliberately showing off his physique, each step he took was exceptionally heavy, sounding like a drumbeat.

They probably had some intention of making a preemptive statement to intimidate others.

Before long, figures appeared at the palace gate, divided into two rows, clearly separated.

The man on the left is more robust, with broad shoulders and a thick waist, covered in thick hair, resembling a wild beast more than a human. There are twelve of them in a row, almost all with wolf fang tattoos on their faces. These are Xiongnu people. Among the Xiongnu, wolf fang tattoos do not represent status or rank, but rather symbolize bravery and martial prowess. Only the most powerful warriors in the tribe are qualified to have them tattooed on their faces.

The leader had a dark blue wolf's head tattooed on his chest, seemingly roaring towards the sky; this was the symbol of the Xiongnu royal family.

When the Xiongnu delegation appeared in the court, it seemed as if what appeared to them was not a group of people, but a group of... wild beasts.

His savage nature was almost blatantly written on his face.

On the right, there were also twelve people; this was the Jurchen delegation.

The Jurchens were slightly thinner... Of course, this was in comparison to the Xiongnu. If they stood next to officials in the imperial court, they would still appear much more robust.

Compared to the barbarity of the Xiongnu, the Jurchens were more sinister and tyrannical.

But they share one thing in common: arrogance.

All twenty-four men held their heads high, their gazes sweeping arrogantly across the Ningguo court, utterly devoid of respect. Their eyes fell upon the court officials, perhaps looking down on the Han people's slender, well-proportioned figures, their eyes filled with undisguised contempt.

Even when looking at Emperor Ninghe on the dragon throne, his gaze remained unchanged. In fact, seeing Emperor Ninghe's sickly state only intensified his contempt.

The leaders of the two delegations exchanged a glance, then simultaneously and perfunctorily bowed.
"Huyan Tu, the Right Grand Commandant of the Xiongnu, a foreign official..."

"The Jurchen Mengantarkabu, the foreign minister..."

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor of Ningguo!"

This rude attitude instantly changed the expressions of many officials in the court.

Immediately, someone stepped forward and shouted sternly, "How dare you! How dare you be so disrespectful to His Majesty the Emperor, not kneeling and kowtowing?"

Huyan Tu glanced at the official, a disdainful smile playing on his lips, and clasped his hands in a fist salute to the north: "We, the warriors of the Xiongnu, kneel only before the Great Chanyu."

"Even our fierce Jurchen warriors kneel before the Great Khan."

Emperor Ninghe's face was grim. He slowly rose from his dragon throne, his eyes fixed on the two men before him. After all, he had been emperor for many years, and although he was seriously ill, the oppressive aura he had accumulated over the years remained. The moment Emperor Ninghe stood up, Huyan Tu and Talkabu felt a chill run through them. Their muscles tensed involuntarily, and an invisible pressure seemed to choke them, making even breathing extremely difficult.

A layer of cold sweat even appeared on his forehead.

My heart rate increased dramatically.

"Jurchen..."

"The Xiongnu..."

"Wanyan Guangzhi!"

"Socholo".

"That's great."

A somber voice, uttering each word slowly and deliberately, echoed from the dragon throne, and no one in the hall dared to offer any response.

"Speaking of which, Song Yan is still stationed in Pingyang... Why don't I simply issue an imperial edict appointing Song Yan as the Prefect of Pingyang, concurrently in charge of the military and political affairs of Anzhou Prefecture?" Emperor Ninghe was very intelligent; he knew what was truly terrifying to the Jurchens and Xiongnu at the moment. "What do you think would happen if I gave Song Yan the authority to freely send troops north?"

As soon as the words were spoken, Huyan Tu, Talkabu, and even the twenty-two members of the delegation behind them all changed their expressions, their wide eyes revealing an uncontrollable fear.

For both the Xiongnu and the Jurchens, Song Yan was a nightmare.

On the Xiongnu side, their 60,000-strong army was completely burned to the ground, and their heads were all cut off and used to build the largest mound of skulls.

Nearly 80,000 troops were swept away by Song Yan's breaching of the dikes, and the corpses nearly blocked the river. Although they hadn't witnessed the scene firsthand, the mere words they heard were enough to send chills down their spines. While the Xiongnu were known for their ferocity and brutality, such a thing had never happened before.

The tyranny of the Song dynasty was even greater than that of the Xiongnu.

Moreover, there's the situation in Xinhou County. Sochoro personally led an army of 150,000, leaving behind more than 20,000 corpses, but he couldn't even touch the city gate of Xinhou County. His only gain was probably the little prince's head.
These Xiongnu people had no idea how long it had been since they had suffered such a crushing defeat.

Even in previous battles with the State of Chu, the outcome was evenly matched, and even in defeat, the losses would not have been this exaggerated.

It is no exaggeration to say that the damage caused to the Xiongnu by Song Yan's fire and flood will take many years to recover.

As for the Jurchens, the situation was even worse.

Song Yan's strategy was tantamount to a ruthless extinction plan. Over the course of winter, the entire Jurchen population was halved, and wherever they went, they could see rows of white bones.

And this happened while Song Yan was still bound by shackles. If the Ningguo Emperor had really given Song Yan the power to advance north, who knows what the northern grasslands and the western grasslands would have become.

Song Yan must die.

They exchanged a glance, and both Huyan Tu and Talkabu could see the ferocity in each other's eyes.

They both took a deep breath and bent down at the same time, kneeling on one knee. Although they didn't kowtow, their posture was much more respectful than before.

Emperor Ninghe slowly withdrew his imposing aura, sat back on the dragon throne, and resumed his original sickly appearance, speaking in a slightly languid tone: "Get up."

After exhaling, the two delegations of twenty-four people slowly stood up.

"I wonder what brings Suochuoluo and Wanyan Guangzhi to Ningguo? Is it perhaps to apologize for the invasion of Ningguo some time ago?" Emperor Ninghe rubbed his forehead and said slowly.

Huyan Tu and Talkabu's faces twitched. They were joking; they had come here to cause trouble, not to apologize.

Furthermore, both the northern deserts and the western seas are impoverished, and even if it were an apology, would the dignified Ningguo accept it?
With this thought swirling in his mind, Huyan Tu said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, Emperor of Ningguo, I have come with the goodwill of the Great Chanyu... The supreme King of the grasslands, Socholo Great Chanyu, is willing to establish a hundred-year friendship with Ningguo."

These words immediately caused a rustling sound in the court, but some old foxes secretly narrowed their eyes.

Even a dog wouldn't believe what a barbarian says.

The idea of ​​cultivating a lasting friendship is utter nonsense.

"His Majesty Wanyan Guangzhi, the Great Khan of the Haixi Grasslands, is also willing to form an alliance with Ningguo. Within a hundred years, neither side shall provoke war, and the warriors of the Haixi Grasslands will never set foot in Ningguo." Talkabu then spoke up.

It was as if Emperor Ninghe scoffed faintly.

The mockery at the corner of his mouth was unusually obvious.

He's not that kind of fool; how could he be easily fooled by a few words from a barbarian?

A hint of mockery flickered in his eyes: "Oh, really? And then?"

Huyan Tu and Talkabu exchanged a glance and could see the surprise in each other's eyes. Clearly, Emperor Ninghe's attitude surprised them. This was different from what they had expected. Shouldn't the emperor of Ning be overjoyed to hear about the century-long contract?

Why is it so calm?
Huyan Tu frowned, cleared his throat, and said loudly, "Great Chanyu Suochuoluo, to show his sincerity, wishes to marry Princess Yongle of Ningguo. He has prepared 10,000 warhorses as a betrothal gift, and hopes that His Majesty the Emperor of Ningguo will grant his request."

"His Majesty the Great Khan Wanyan Guangzhi also wishes to marry Princess Yongning of Ningguo." Talkabu then spoke up: "He has prepared six thousand warhorses as a betrothal gift, and hopes that His Majesty the Emperor of Ningguo will grant his request."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Ninghe's face instantly darkened.

Whether it was Yongle or Yongning, they were both his precious children.

These mere barbarians actually dare to ask for the marriage of two princesses from Ning Kingdom?
What are you dreaming about in Spring and Autumn Period?

Not to mention, the tone of these two men made it seem as if it were a great honor for Ningguo that Wanyan Guangzhi and Suochuoluo could marry two princesses of Ningguo.

Emperor Ninghe's body trembled slightly. He glanced sideways at Wei Zhong, who nodded almost imperceptibly. Emperor Ninghe's lips curled into a slightly sinister smile... Daring to set his sights on his daughter, then be prepared to rest in peace here forever.

Huyan Tu and Talkabu were unaware that Emperor Ninghe's blade was already at their necks. The fear instilled by Emperor Ninghe's oppressive aura was gradually fading, and the barbarian's arrogance once again prevailed. They held their heads high, declaring with an air of disdain:

"Furthermore, Song Yan has wantonly slaughtered the Jurchen and Xiongnu people, committing heinous crimes that have seriously affected the friendly relations between Ningguo and the Jurchen and Xiongnu."

"We implore Your Majesty the Emperor of Ningguo, for the sake of lasting peace among the three kingdoms and for the benefit of all the people, to execute Song Yan."

"The Great Chanyu Suochuoluo and the Great Jilie Khan Wanyan Guangzhi have already formed an alliance." Thinking of Suochuoluo and Wanyan Guangzhi, and the allied forces of the Jurchen and Xiongnu, Huyan Tu seemed to have regained his confidence, and his voice became even more unrestrained: "If His Majesty the Emperor of Ningguo is unwilling to show sincerity and kill Song Yan, the 400,000-strong allied army of the Xiongnu and Jurchen will soon march south."

"Within three months, we will surely raze Ningguo to the ground."

"I urge Your Majesty the Emperor of Ningguo to carefully consider whether it is worthwhile to offend the Xiongnu and Jurchens for the sake of Song Yan."

hum.

As soon as Huyan Tu finished speaking, the court was thrown into chaos.

Many officials were ashen-faced, partly from anger at being humiliated by the Hunnic and Jurchen envoys, and partly from fear of the 400,000 Hunnic cavalry.

Only Yang Hetong, Gao Hong, and Chu Licheng showed a slight hint of smugness on their faces.

That's right, that's exactly the scene they wanted to see.

An army of 400,000.

Can Emperor Ninghe withstand this pressure?
He subtly gave a wink to his men, and all the officials who had been kneeling in the court pleading for Song Yan's execution stood up again.

Led by Lu Yuanzheng, they knelt once again in the imperial court:
"Your Majesty, I request that Song Yan be executed."

Dozens of voices mingled together, creating a buzzing sound throughout the entire hall.

"Your Majesty, Song Yan is a man with a serious criminal record. Killing Song Yan in exchange for a hundred years of peace in Ning Kingdom? What are you still hesitating for?" Lu Yuanzheng's voice was somewhat rough, and there was even some resentment on his face. It was as if Emperor Ninghe would be a tyrant who would be infamous for ten thousand years if he did not kill Song Yan today.

“Indeed, even if Song Yan is innocent, let alone guilty, sacrificing him would ensure that the people of Ningguo would not suffer from foreign invasions for a hundred years. I think Song Yan would definitely not refuse. What a great deed that would be!”

"Although I know that Your Majesty favors Princesses Yongle and Yongning, as members of the royal family, it is their duty to share the burdens of Da Ning."

"Your Majesty, do not let personal feelings for your children interfere with matters of state and military affairs."

"If Your Majesty does not kill Song Yan today, this old minister will kill himself by crashing into this golden palace."

The chaotic sounds reached Emperor Ninghe's ears, and the murderous intent in his eyes grew stronger as his fingers touched the teacup on the imperial desk.

Even Chu Licheng couldn't help but step forward: "Your Majesty, this old minister does not believe that Song Yan would plot a rebellion. In my heart, young friend Song is a man of great loyalty and righteousness, devoted to the emperor and patriotic. In the past year, Your Majesty has shown him immense kindness, and in just a few months, he has risen from a mere illegitimate son to the Marquis of Champion. Such favor will surely be remembered by Song Yan. If Song Yan knew that his life could be exchanged for a hundred years of peace in Ningguo, he would surely be willing to die and would never put Your Majesty in a difficult position."

“Indeed.” Gao Hong also spoke slowly: “On one side is the Marquis of Champion, and on the other side are the millions of people of Ningguo. I hope Your Majesty can know which is more important. Are you going to disregard the people of the world for the sake of a mere prince consort?”

"Your Majesty, what would the people of Ningguo think if they knew that you had pushed them into the flames of war for the sake of a mere prince consort?" Yang Hetong also stepped forward.

With the arrival of Chu Licheng and Gao Hong, the atmosphere in the court became increasingly tense. Fang De knew that the pressure Ninghe Emperor was under at this moment was probably as heavy as a mountain. He gritted his teeth and was just about to step forward to share some of the burden with Ninghe Emperor.

Huyan Tu'er Talkabu reacted swiftly: "Your Majesty the Emperor of Ning, do you really intend to face an army of 400,000 Xiongnu and Jurchen?"

Everyone is pressuring us.

They didn't give Emperor Ning and the Emperor even the slightest chance to speak.

At some point, the sounds converged and transformed into a furious roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down:

"Kill Song Yan!"

"Kill Song Yan!"

"Kill Song Yan!"

Emperor Ninghe's eyes narrowed to slits, his teacup already raised, about to be dropped, when a voice, tinged with mockery, ridicule, and a touch of languor, suddenly came from outside the hall:

"what?"

"I didn't expect that so many people would want to kill me after I've only been away from Dongling for a few months?"

"Tsk, his interpersonal relationships are really bad."

Swish.

Not loud.

But the moment that sound rang out, the vast court fell into a deathly silence.

Almost everyone's gaze instinctively turned towards the entrance of the main hall.

Through the rain, a figure slowly appeared before everyone.

It is Song Yan.

He's finally here.

At the height of the chaos in the imperial court.

(End of this chapter)