The Empress has abandoned me? I'll support a new emperor and destroy your kingdom!

But there was no turning back now. Princess Yun Jin took a deep breath, put down her teacup, and decided to probe first. She deliberately adjusted her posture to appear more composed and began, "Mr. Su, you have traveled far and wide and have extensive knowledge. Listening to your conversation just now, you seemed to have unique insights into the current situation. To be honest, my family has been quite unsettled lately, and I've heard that the situation in the Northern Frontier is becoming increasingly tense. I am truly apprehensive. I wonder what your views are on the current state of affairs, especially the marriage alliance between Jiang Qiong and the Northern Di?"

Her question was subtle, but the focus was clear. This was her most pressing and fatal crisis at the moment.

Su Che put down his teacup, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rough rim. He looked out at the misty rain outside the window, as if gathering his thoughts. After a moment, he slowly said:

"Since you have asked, young friend, I will speak frankly. The world, after a long period of division, will unite; after a long period of unity, will divide again—this is the natural order. However, specifically regarding Jiangqiong and the Northern Di…" He paused, his tone calm yet each word clear, "The Northern Di king, Luandi Modu, is a cunning and ruthless man, brimming with ambition. In recent years, he has annexed various tribes of the grasslands, his military might growing ever stronger. What he lacks is only a stable and prosperous rear and an excuse to advance south. For him, the so-called marriage alliance is nothing more than a fig leaf to conceal his ambition, a numbing potion to lull his opponents into a false sense of security. Once a daughter is sent there through marriage, it will not only fail to bring peace but will also embolden him and expose Jiangqiong's weakness and cowardice. At that time, his demands will become insatiable, he will push his luck, and even his army will be at the gates of the city—all of this will be inevitable."

Yun Jin's heart trembled violently. This analysis coincided with her deepest fears and guesses, and was even more thorough and sharp! Those ministers in the court who supported the marriage alliance were either truly confused or had ulterior motives. Who had ever so incisively pointed out the true face of the Northern Di King and the potential evil consequences of the marriage alliance?

"But...but why is the court..." she couldn't help but ask, her voice becoming somewhat anxious.

"The court?" Su Che's lips curled into a faint, almost mocking smile. "The First Prince strongly advocates for a marriage alliance to use the power of the Northern Barbarians to suppress the Third Prince and solidify his position as heir apparent, even if it means inviting a wolf into the house. The Third Prince acquiesces because he doesn't want a direct conflict with the First Prince at this time, and perhaps he harbors the ambition of profiting from the conflict between the two. As for the others who echo him, they are either driven by self-interest, a desire for peace, or a desire to curry favor with the emperor. Those who truly care for the country and its people and have foresight are either too lowly to speak out or have already been marginalized from the core of the court. This is not a problem unique to Jiang Qiong; throughout history, many officials in the imperial court have been short-sighted and prone to forming cliques and suppressing dissent."

These words were utterly treasonous and incredibly sharp. Yun Jin's palms sweated as she listened, yet she felt a surge of exhilaration, as if her long-blocked mind had been suddenly opened. This Mr. Su before her possessed a depth of insight into the political situation and a boldness of speech that far exceeded her expectations! Just who was he? How could a traveling scholar grasp the power struggles of the court and the thoughts of the officials with such precision?

Suppressing her shock, she continued to probe, "Then... in your opinion, is this marriage alliance truly unsolvable? If a woman were unfortunately caught in this situation, treated as a pawn by her family, how would she cope?"

Finally, the crucial question was asked. Su Che raised his eyes, his gaze calm as he looked at Yun Jin, as if he could see through her rough men's clothing and deliberate disguise to her inner fear, resentment, and struggle.

"If you are in a situation and you are powerless to break it, you need to borrow strength." Su Che's voice was calm, as if he were stating a simple fact. "There are three ways to borrow strength, which can be divided into upper, middle and lower levels."

"Please enlighten me, sir!" Yun Jin leaned forward slightly and held her breath.

"The worst option is to flee," Su Che said bluntly. "To hide one's identity and flee to a distant land. However, this strategy is extremely risky. It requires severing all ties with the past, and although the world is vast, it is all the king's land. One may escape for a while, but not forever, and it will also implicate one's family. It should only be considered as a last resort."

Yun Jin remained silent. This was precisely why she had rejected Qingdai's proposal earlier. If she escaped, what would happen to Qingdai's family? What about the older members of the palace who might still harbor feelings for her?

"The middle strategy is to delay," Su Che continued. "Find an excuse, create trouble, and try to postpone the wedding. You could feign illness, pray for blessings, or say that you need to prepare complicated rituals. Delay it for as long as possible, and in the meantime, you can wait for changes, such as internal strife in the Northern Barbarians or a change in the political situation in the court. However, this strategy is passive and easily exposed, so it is not a long-term solution."

That's one idea, but given the Crown Prince's eagerness to force a marriage, it's unlikely to be delayed for long.

"Then what's the best course of action?" Yun Jin asked eagerly, a glimmer of hope burning in her eyes.

Su Che gazed at her and slowly said, "The best strategy is to find a strong ally and break the deadlock with 'momentum'."

"Strong reinforcements?" Yun Jin asked blankly. "I... that woman has no family to rely on, and no one in the court speaks up for her. What kind of strong reinforcements could she have?"

"Strong allies are not necessarily high-ranking officials or nobles, nor are they necessarily thousands of troops." Su Che's voice carried a strange, seductive power. "It can be a 'power' that makes the Crown Prince wary and the Northern Di envoys reconsider. This 'power' can come from popular prestige, from an undeniable exchange of benefits, or from... a force that can cause the other side pain and trouble."

He looked at the gradually brightening yet confused light in Yun Jin's eyes and explained further: "For example, if there is a way to make the Crown Prince realize that forcing this woman to marry might lead to some consequences he cannot bear, such as public opinion boiling over, his political enemies using this as an opportunity to attack, or a more 'suitable' or more 'valuable' marriage partner appearing in the Northern Di... Or, to make the Northern Di envoys feel that this woman is not the best choice, and that forcibly demanding marriage might be counterproductive, or even cause unnecessary conflict."

Yun Jin's heart trembled as she listened. To make the Crown Prince wary? To make the Northern Di envoy reconsider? How easy was that! But Su Che's tone was so certain, as if it were not a pipe dream.

"But... how can there be such 'momentum'?" she murmured, as if asking Su Che, or perhaps asking herself.

"This requires planning, resources, and even more so, an opportunity, and..." Su Che looked at her meaningfully, "a worthwhile investment target. After all, it's easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow. But it is precisely because it is in dire straits that a glimmer of light is so precious, and once it escapes its predicament, the return will be beyond imagination."

return on investment?

Yun Jin keenly caught those two words. She finally realized that the person before her was no ordinary chivalrous stranger. He had ulterior motives! But what did he want? What was there to "invest" in about her, a fallen princess about to be sent to the Northern Barbarians?

Unless... he's not after his current self, but after he's "escaped"? Is it the future value that the princess identity might bring?

This realization, far from filling her with anger at being used, instead gave her a strange sense of security. Having an ulterior motive implies a possibility of cooperation. Pure goodwill, in this world, is far less trustworthy.

The scales in her heart tipped completely. She'd take the gamble!