On our wedding night, my wife acted strangely.

Sun Fu stepped forward and patted Nangong Xiong's back repeatedly, saying, "Your Majesty, please calm down! Take care of your health!"

"What's the use of calming down? Our grain has been stolen, and our tribute has been divided up by rebels. I am now at my wit's end! Is Heaven determined to destroy my Great Zhou?"

Nangong Xiong was the emperor, the supreme ruler, how could he have ever suffered such humiliation?

Since his ascension to the throne, he has worked tirelessly day and night, striving to govern the country and focusing on eliminating the vassal kings, strengthening central authority, and creating an unprecedented golden age.

But now he's been driven to the brink by the very fool he despises the most!

"Old Sun, how long can the food supply in the palace last?" After venting his anger, Nangong Xiong finally calmed down and began to plan what to do next.

Sun Fu said with difficulty, "Your Majesty, this old servant has just had someone take stock of the palace's food reserves. All the rice, flour, meat, and vegetables combined can only last for a month at most."

"One month?!" Nangong Xiong's face turned pale instantly. He grabbed Sun Fu's collar and said, "Why only one month? Did you embezzle funds?"

Sun Fu cursed the emperor's incompetence in his heart, but still forced a smile and explained, "Your Majesty is wise! If Your Majesty were to eat it all yourself, it could last three to five years without any problem! But there are thousands of eunuchs, maids, and guards in the palace alone, plus Your Majesty's concubines, princes, and princesses. It would be good if it could last a month!"

"Then what do you suggest we do! What are we going to eat a month from now? Do you expect me to go to the Golden Water Bridge with you bunch of slaves and starve?" Nangong Xiong roared angrily.

Cai Ming, who was standing nearby, reminded him, "Your Majesty, this is Chang'an. There is only a southeast wind, not a northwest wind."

"I..." Nangong Xiong choked, his face turning bright red. "Slap yourself!"

"Yes, yes, yes, this servant deserves to die! This servant was too talkative!" Cai Ming pretended to slap himself.

Sun Fu had no time for such nonsense and said bitterly, "Your Majesty, if Lin Yi doesn't lift the blockade within a month, we're afraid we'll really go hungry."

"Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! I will kill him, I will exterminate his entire family!!"

As the emperor, Nangong Xiong had been living a life of luxury since childhood. When had he ever gone hungry? He was so angry that he trembled all over and grabbed a decent inkstone and smashed it on the ground.

Sun Fu took a deep breath.

Lin Yi's move directly seized the lifeline of the royal family.

Either the emperor bows down, compromises with Lin Yi, acknowledges his status as regent, and lets him do whatever he wants.

Either wait until the palace runs out of food in a month, causing panic and the palace to collapse on its own.

This is a dead end.

Alas, if only I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have restricted the Ministry of Revenue and pawnshops in the first place.

Even if Lin Yi were allowed to pawn his things so easily, he wouldn't have done something so shameless.

It's no use saying anything now; things have already developed to this point.

There is no other way but to reach a settlement.

Just as Sun Fu was about to offer some advice, he heard Nangong Xiong sigh.

"Alas, Sun Fu."

"This old servant is here."

"How many years have you served me?"

"Your Majesty, I have been by your side since you were still the Crown Prince. It has been almost thirty years."

"Thirty years..." Nangong Xiong murmured to himself, his eyes becoming somewhat vacant. "Thirty years. I ask myself, if I haven't done anything meritorious for this country, I have certainly worked hard. I ask myself, I have done my utmost for the Lin family. When the old Regent was alive, I respected him like a father. When he died, I gave him the honors he deserved. When that brat Lin Yi was driven mad, I didn't take the opportunity to kick him while he was down; I even arranged a marriage for him..."

"But what about them? How did they treat me?"

"That old bastard Lin Aotian clung to military power until his death! His son Lin Tong was even worse, a complete waste, trying to kill himself over a woman! Lin Yi was no better; he was a madman, an ingrate!"

Nangong Xiong became more and more excited as he spoke, and in the end he almost roared.

"I have treated them well, yet they want to kill me! Why? Why is this happening?!"

Sun Fu sighed inwardly.

What a foolish ruler he is! At a time like this, what's the use of spouting such nonsense?

The Lin family has been treated well.

How could you say that!

Who was it that, after the old regent's death, was so eager to reduce the power of the princes and reclaim their military power? They even plotted to have the Luo family commit marriage fraud, hoping to manipulate Lin Yi at will.

Of course, Sun Fu wouldn't dare say these things.

He could only lower his head and say in a compassionate tone, "Your Majesty, the Lin family is powerful and its problems are deeply entrenched, not something that arose overnight. The old Regent Prince has too much prestige in the army, and those arrogant and fierce soldiers of the Shenji Battalion only recognize the Lin family, not the court. Now that Lin Yi has returned in force, they will naturally follow his lead."

"Then, in your opinion, what should I do now?"

After a moment of contemplation, Sun Fu finally uttered the words he had long wanted to say.

"Your Majesty, this old servant believes that there is only one way to deal with this now."

"What method?"

"Reconcile." Sun Fu raised his head, looking directly into his eyes. "Send someone to reconcile with the Regent. As long as he lifts the blockade, we'll agree to any conditions."

"What?!" Nangong Xiong jumped up from the dragon throne as if his tail had been stepped on. "You want me to reconcile with a traitor? You want me to bow down to him?!"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! I am the Emperor! I would rather starve to death than suffer such a humiliation!"

"Your Majesty! You must not act rashly!" Upon hearing this, Sun Fu immediately kowtowed and advised.

"As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood! Lin Yi is currently very powerful, so it's only a temporary measure for us to avoid his sharp edge and make peace with him! As long as we can hold out until the troops from all over the country come to the capital, we will have the resources to fight him! At that time, whether we fight or make peace, the initiative will be in our hands!"

Nangong Xiong certainly knew that Sun Fu's words made sense.

A man can bend and stretch.

When Emperor Gaozu was besieged by enemy forces, he still pretended to be a coward and survived, and eventually won the throne.

The principle is sound, but putting it into practice is incredibly difficult.

I am the emperor!

He is the ruler of the world!

How can one bow down to a traitor?

"How can we reconcile?" Nangong Xiong gritted his teeth. "Do I have to issue an edict of self-reproach, admit my mistakes, and then hand over the throne to him?!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down. That's not what I meant," Sun Fu quickly explained. "Reconciliation is not a complete compromise. We can send someone to show goodwill to Lin Yi. We can lower our stance and say... say that it was all a misunderstanding before, that we are all family, and there's no need to make things so tense."

"Then, we can offer him some benefits. For example, formally recognize his status as regent, and consult with him on all important matters of the court. Or, we can bestow titles and rewards upon him, gold, silver, and beautiful women—whatever he wants, we will give him. As long as we can satisfy him temporarily and lift the blockade of the palace, our goal will be achieved."

Sun Fu observed the emperor's expression and continued, "Your Majesty, this is called 'retreating to advance.' We are taking a step back now so that we can advance ten steps in the future. As long as we can hold out until reinforcements arrive, we can get back a hundredfold or a thousandfold for the humiliation we suffer today!"

Nangong Xiong fell silent.

It must be admitted that Sun Fu's suggestion is the only feasible and safest solution at present.

But the thought of having to grovel and beg that madman... how could anyone accept that? Giving him money and beautiful women too.

That's his money!

His woman!

Why should we give it to that beast!

"How are the preparations for the army outside going?" Nangong Xiong did not answer Sun Fu directly, but changed the subject.

Sun Fu sighed inwardly, knowing that the emperor still couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Your Majesty, this old servant has already discussed this with several trusted ministers, and the secret edict has been sent out through secret channels. However... it will take a long time for the garrison troops in various places to assemble, for supplies to be sent ahead, and for them to march to the capital."

"How long will it take at the fastest?"

"It will take at least a month and a half, and if things don't go smoothly, it could take three months."

"But the palace's food supplies can only last for a month. What will we do for the other half of the month? Am I really supposed to be like those stinking beggars, gnawing on tree bark and eating clay?"

Sun Fu became even more anxious, "That's why reconciliation is the best solution now!"

"No!" Nangong Xiong stood up. "I will never bow to that traitor! Issue an edict: starting today, everyone in the palace, without exception, must reduce their expenses! They must hold out for two months!"

"this……"

Sun Fuxin said, "Are you fucking sick? A real man can bend and stretch, why are you making things difficult for yourself?"

"His Majesty……"

"Enough! My mind is made up. There's no need to persuade me further. Issue the decree immediately!"

"Yes……"