"Your Majesty!" After a brief moment of confusion, Wu Li hurriedly chased after him outside.

Qin Ze was descending the steps when he said without turning his head, "I heard you brought quite a few clansmen with you this time."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wu Li was both flustered and anxious. "Your Majesty, our barbarian tribe has come here with the sincere intention of submitting to you. We have absolutely no ulterior motives!"

"Your Majesty, you have already unified the world. Now that the strife has ended, how can you start another war? Your Majesty!"

Qin Ze quickly descended the steps and continued:

"They said that most of the people you brought were the elderly, women, and children. Did you bring them here hoping that I would not send troops against the barbarians for the sake of these elderly, women, and children?"

Qin Ze stopped and turned to look at Wu Li, who was jogging after him.

Looking into those expressionless but sharp eyes, Wu Li's face stiffened, knowing that his plan had been completely seen through.

But now that things have come to this point, there's no need to make up any excuses anymore.

He could only answer frankly, "Yes, Your Majesty." Wu Li lowered his eyes and pursed his lips.

Qin Ze said in a deep voice:

"Are they the widows and offspring of the barbarian soldiers who died at Yanluo Mountain last year?"

Wu Li took a deep breath, calming his suppressed emotions, and whispered:

"Yes, Your Majesty."

After speaking, Qin Ze crossed his arms and stared at Wu Li, who had his head bowed. He did not say anything more.

"Your Majesty, I..." Wu Li raised his face, but before he could speak, Qin Ze gestured for him to remain silent.

Wu Li had no choice but to swallow his words. Under that piercing gaze, he felt awkward and fearful, but he understood that Qin Ze was considering things, which meant that there might be a turning point in the situation.

"How did you convince them?" Qin Ze suddenly asked.

“Our people truly wish to become His Majesty’s subjects; this is the original aspiration of our barbarian tribe,” Wu Li immediately said.

Qin Ze stroked his chin, his eyes sharpening:

"Hundreds of thousands of people died last year. These people were their husbands, sons, and fathers—their closest relatives."

"I am their enemy. Do you think they can forget about me with just a few words?"

Wu Li immediately said, "Your Majesty, this..."

"Think carefully before you speak. What you say doesn't have to be something I believe, but at least you have to believe it yourself," Qin Ze said expressionlessly.

Wu Li stared, his mouth agape, his mind in turmoil.

'Of course that works!' Can we say that? No, that's just too absurd and untrue.

Can the lives of hundreds of thousands of people be covered up with a simple "I forgot"? This is not a child's quarrel, where I kicked you, turned around and apologized, and we made up.

This cruel reality is a mountain, not only weighing down on those hundreds of thousands of families, but also on the entire barbarian tribe.

It can never be forgotten; this thorn stuck in my heart will only grow deeper and deeper.

He immediately understood Qin Ze's meaning. —Are you barbarians truly submitting?

At this moment, Wu Li was filled with countless thoughts and words, but he couldn't find a single compelling reason to express them.

Seeing that he had no answer, Qin Ze said again:

"This is the first time I've met you, but you, the chieftain of this barbarian tribe, are really not like the barbarians I've come to know."

"you say--"

"If you were me, how would you handle this?"

“I have killed hundreds of thousands of barbarians, and they hate me to the bone. Today I command a large army, and they are afraid of me, so they have come to surrender.”

“Even though I am magnanimous, I must always be on guard under the same roof to prevent any treacherous person from plotting rebellion behind my back.”

"They may not be able to do great things, but poisonous snakes are right under your feet, and they may bite you if you are not careful."

"What should we do?" Qin Ze questioned Wu Li.

The question was sharp and hit the nail on the head, but Wu Li did not forget his identity. No matter when or where, he should consider the entire nation. So how should he deal with this problem?

After a moment's thought, Wu Li had the answer in his heart.

He began, “As Your Majesty said, our barbarian tribe has always been perceived as brave and fierce, and that is indeed the case.”

"Most people in the tribe are quite warlike and unwilling to be subservient to others."

Qin Ze raised an eyebrow slightly, simply looking at him.

"Last year, the Jin family promised us great benefits to send troops to Beiliang. His Majesty also knows what happened afterward. We sent hundreds of thousands of troops, all of whom were the elite of the clan, and they all died at Yanluo Mountain."

"They are the most steadfast advocates of war within the tribe."

Hearing this, Qin Ze frowned and said coldly:

"Are you saying that most of the warlike members of your barbarian tribe are dead, and the remaining members are all law-abiding citizens?"

Unexpectedly, Wu Li shook his head:

"no."

"There are still some warlike people in the tribe, but they are few in number."

"Oh? What are you trying to say?" Qin Ze scrutinized Wu Li.

Wu Li said, "Nowadays, the vast majority of the clansmen just want to live peacefully and obediently. What are those few? They can't do anything."

"Your Majesty may think this is too absolute, but my people have always been united. No matter when or where they are, they always put the 'barbarian' first, and only consider personal gains and losses after that."

Qin Ze nodded slightly, without denying it.

"That is why they will not betray the barbarians, which means they will never put their personal honor or disgrace above the entire tribe."

"My coming to Nanze with my people this time is the wish of my entire barbarian tribe."

"The things Your Majesty worries about in the future are things I should worry about in the future, not Your Majesty's." These words were somewhat profound, but Qin Ze understood them. He slowly replied:

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