In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

But goodwill is a personal relationship, and now that everyone is acting independently, he cannot confuse the two. He also cannot entrust the fate of tens of thousands of soldiers and countless innocent people to a court that is not trustworthy, just because of his personal friendship with Fang Xuanling.

"Lord Fang, what kind of face-saving gesture does His Majesty want us to offer?"

Fang Xuanling said, "His Majesty means that he hopes Your Highness can order the army to return to camp and then return to Chang'an with us."

"If Your Highness can do this, His Majesty promises to issue an edict pardoning all those involved, and even Kim Min-da may not be killed."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang smiled.

"Your Highness, I know you don't trust the court, but rest assured, both I and Zhijie can guarantee your safety!"

"Your Highness, Brother Fang is right. We can vouch for that. His Majesty swore an oath in the direction of the Liao River before he left, saying that as long as the three armies can peacefully confess their crimes, everything will be fine," Cheng Yaojin added.

Li Yuanchang laughed again: "Hahaha!"

"Do you two believe it?"

"Your Highness, it is true. We are not only his subjects but also sworn brothers. We have made our own mistakes over the years, but His Majesty has always been forgiving."

"His Majesty never kills meritorious officials."

"Even though Xue Wanche and the others rebelled against His Majesty back then, didn't His Majesty still give them important positions?"

"His Majesty swore an oath pointing in the direction of the Liao River, and many people were present; there's no denying it!"

Li Yuanchang shook his head: "Sima Yi also swore by the Luo River that he would not rebel and would wholeheartedly assist the Cao family, but what happened later?"

"Maybe I was serious back then, but human nature is too fickle, isn't it? Who can say for sure what will happen two years from now?"

"Furthermore, once I return, can my large group of men truly live in peace?"

Fang Xuanling and Cheng Yaojin became anxious when they saw that he did not believe them, and continued to persuade him.

"Your Highness, no, that won't happen."

"His Majesty said he will issue an edict, but Your Highness must first return to Chang'an to admit your mistake."

"After all, you've mobilized troops this time. If you don't return and His Majesty keeps backing down, where will His Majesty's authority be?"

"It has come to this point. If Your Highness takes another step forward, it will be an abyss!"

"Does it have to be a lose-lose situation before you're satisfied?"

Li Yuanchang could tell that they were genuinely worried about him and truly believed in Li Shimin's promise.

But he absolutely did not believe Li Shimin's nonsense.

Li Shimin's willingness to speak politely indicates that he is wary of the threat I could pose; if I were to return, there would be plenty of ways to deal with him.

To put it bluntly, once Li Yuanchang returns to Chang'an, he will never be able to gather an army to rebel again. Even if he is not killed, he will be nothing more than a walking corpse.

"Very well, I agree to this condition."

Upon hearing this, the two were overjoyed, feeling that hope had arrived and that they would no longer have to fight a civil war.

But then, Li Yuanchang changed the subject.

"However, I have one condition!"

"What are the conditions?" Fang Xuanling's joy gradually faded.

"Your Majesty should execute the treacherous minister Changsun Wuji. Over the years, he has been suppressing dissidents and settling personal scores, which has led to the discontent of the border troops today."

"If he doesn't die, I won't be able to convince my men."

Li Yuanchang did not refuse directly because that would not be conducive to negotiation. If the other party gives you an unacceptable condition, the best way is to offer an unacceptable condition in return, so that the negotiation can continue.

From a psychological perspective, this is justified.

Fang Xuanling and Cheng Yaojin's faces froze on the spot, their expressions bitter.

"Your Highness, if I may be so bold, this is impossible!" Cheng Yaojin said directly.

Fang Xuanling frowned and continued, "Your Highness, although Lord Changsun may be a bit forceful at times, that is his duty, and what he has done cannot be considered any great evil."

"Moreover, he is the head of all officials, the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, and His Majesty's most trusted and relied-upon partner."

"Isn't what you're doing tantamount to a disguised rebellion, a purge of the court of corrupt officials? Your Highness, you absolutely mustn't!"

Li Yuanchang knew it was impossible, of course; he hadn't expected it to work out by making such demands.

He feigned insistence: "This is our bottom line. If the court turns a blind eye, then I have no power to persuade my subordinates!"

"Look outside, all those generals, whether they're from Lantian County or Liangzhou, which one hasn't been suppressed by Changsun Wuji?"

"The arrival of this imperial envoy in Goguryeo has further enraged the people. If I am not mistaken, this is once again the work of Changsun Wuji, isn't it?"

"I've had enough!"

The two felt a headache coming on.

"Your Highness..."

"Gentlemen, there's no need for further discussion. If you want me to return to Chang'an and lead my troops back to camp, then you must first execute Changsun Wuji," Li Yuanchang said, sitting down to drink tea.

The two men exchanged a glance, their faces showing reluctance, and could only sit down and continue their persuasion.

But no matter how the two tried to persuade him, Li Yuanchang wouldn't budge.

The negotiations lasted for about an hour, and the situation reached a complete stalemate, with almost all the conditions proposed by each side being unacceptable to the other.

Outside the camp, tens of thousands of eyes waited and watched.

Sweat trickled silently down everyone's foreheads; the atmosphere was low-pressure, tense, and slow.

At this moment, the three men came out of the camp.

"Your Highness!"

"Fang Gong!"

Both sides' confidants gathered around, their eyes scanning the scene.

"Your Highness, then it's settled. Before receiving further information, the three armies must not cross west of the Liao River."

"Furthermore, the armies from the East China Sea and the northern desert must not cross the border and harm a single soldier, otherwise..." Fang Xuanling frowned, extremely serious.

Li Yuanchang said, "I can promise you that."

Fang Xuanling and Cheng Yaojin gave him a deep look.

Even they hadn't expected that Li Yuanchang, thousands of miles away, could command the northern desert tribes and Japanese pirates. It's no wonder that the higher-ups were wary of such abilities.

Perhaps the King of Han foresaw this day long ago and was making plans accordingly?

"Your Highness, farewell." Cheng Yaojin patted his hand.

Li Yuanchang's eyes flashed slightly, as if he had quietly grasped something, and then he quickly and calmly said, "Gentlemen, farewell."

"Goodbye."

"..."

Soon after, Li Yuanchang personally escorted the two out of the military camp to ensure their safety.

Watching the imperial entourage gradually depart and retreat back to Yingzhou, Li Yuanchang quickly opened his palm, where a note was clearly visible.

It was Cheng Yaojin who secretly slipped it to him when he was patting him.

Upon seeing the handwriting inside, Li Yuanchang's heart quickly became unsettled. It was a letter from Situ Lan. Although it was short and contained only a few words, one could clearly sense that she had been very restrained while writing it, fearing that the person she was forwarding it to might refuse it.

But between the lines lies an endless longing and boundless worry.

His eyes quickly turned to guilt and worry. They must be living in constant fear now.

At that moment, he even had an urge to go back immediately.

But in just a moment, he quickly suppressed this impulse.

Going back now would be incredibly foolish, sending his entire family to the guillotine. Only by establishing a foothold outside can he protect everyone and negotiate!