The Yanyang Kingdom quickly sent people to pick up Lin Si, and Lin Mu voluntarily stayed in the north.

When he saw the devastated land in the north, he felt sorry for the heavy burden on Xue Yu's shoulders and wanted to stay to help her fight the disaster.

Although he was filled with grief and anger when he learned of his elder brother's death, he still comforted Xue Yu tenderly and told her that everything would be fine.

Lin Mu likes to study and tame animals. He keeps many animals and insects in his mansion in Xiling City. He is not very popular, and even his family stays away from him.

Xue Yu, however, had no objection to his tinkering with insects. He simply felt that he was passionate and inquisitive, a truly responsible person with a heart full of love. Seeing him surrounded by ordinary people, earnestly explaining the habits of insects and their effects on crops to the simple folks... Xue Yu's eyes were filled with pink bubbles of admiration.

Fortunately, she had never seen Lin Mu killing people with insects.

However, thanks to Lin Mu's teaching of how to raise poultry, identify insects, and cultivate crops, the locust plague in the north seemed to be gradually brought under control and no longer spread.

The two quickly established a romantic relationship and were recognized by both families. However, due to misfortunes in both families, the two did not get married immediately, but instead exchanged tokens of love and made an engagement first.

Time flies and half a year has passed.

The north welcomed the first sweet rain of early spring. People say that spring rain is as precious as oil, but this rain has been drizzling in the north for more than half a month.

The rain smoothed the scars of the earth and brought new hope. The land that had been dry for two years finally saw lush green, small, tender, new green.

Regardless of the chill of the spring rain, the people of the north cheered and knelt in the muddy wasteland, thanking God and the regent, and thanking their eldest daughter and brother-in-law.

The royal cavalry was constantly replacing their weapons and finally captured Jiangling Prefecture. Yang Yihu, with his remaining troops and defeated generals, burned all his property and concubines and fled to Linzhou, where he was captured and escorted back to Beijing.

He was sentenced to immediate execution.

This made Yang Chonghu, who was trapped in Linzhou, completely unable to sit still. He immediately expressed his intention to surrender to the court, praying that he could save his life like Xue Yan.

But Pei Zhiyuan refused his surrender.

This made Yang Chonghu, who was at his wit's end, immediately surrender to the Beihai Kingdom and ask for help, and he was willing to cede the occupied Xieyang City to Beihai.

This move undoubtedly angered the entire court. If he surrendered obediently, he would still have a good death, but if he did such a thing as betraying the country and ceding land, the ashes of all nine generations of his family would be scattered into the North Sea.

Just as the royal cavalry was preparing to launch an air raid on Linzhou City with improved power compound crossbows and gliding wings.

The Beihai Kingdom sent another letter, claiming that they accepted Yang Chonghu's surrender and regarded Xieyang City in Linzhou Prefecture as the territory of the Beihai Kingdom. If the Haoyue Kingdom insisted on sending troops to attack, they would kill Xue Yan.

And we do not rule out the use of force to attack the north and Linzhou Prefecture and fight the Haoyue Imperial Court to the end.

"They are simply taking advantage of someone's misfortune. How arrogant!"

Pei Zhiyuan angrily threw the letter to the ground. The war between him and Erhu had lasted for half a year, from early autumn last year to early spring this year.

During this period, countless amounts of weapons, funds, resources, and food were invested.

Right now, the north has just begun to recover, and Jiangling has just been recovered. This is the time when the national strength is at its weakest. Any external force will cause the people's hearts that have been gathered with great difficulty to collapse.

At this time, the Beihai Kingdom, relying on the hostages in its hands, made exorbitant demands. Not only did it covet the Zhenyu City, it also shamelessly took over the Xieyang City and sheltered Yang Chonghu.

This made Pei Zhiyuan extremely angry. He paced back and forth in the room in frustration. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He slammed his palm heavily on the table and said, "Fuck you, hit me if you want!"

At this time, the guard came to report, "Miss Xue from the north is here to pay her respects to Your Highness. Would you like to see her?"

Pei Zhiyuan quickly invited Xue Yu into the hall. As soon as Xue Yu entered, he said, "Your Highness, the Regent, I am going on a diplomatic mission to the Beihai Kingdom to bring back my brother and capture the traitor Yang Chonghu to ensure the integrity of our Haoyue Kingdom!"

Pei Zhiyuan was slightly startled and refused, "The North Sea Kingdom is in danger. As the head of the Xue family, you are not suitable to be an envoy. The people in the north need you more."

"The North Sea Kingdom has now specifically declared that Xieyang City is theirs. How can we tolerate this?"

"But your brother is in their hands. We cannot ignore his life. Xieyang City has been occupied by Yang Chonghu since last year, and the court has not received their tribute. If all else fails, we can accept the conditions of the Beihai Kingdom and exchange Xue Yan back first."

Xue Yu frowned and said, "Let me go and talk to them and see if they accept other payment methods."

"Absolutely not!"

The Xue family only has two legitimate children. If both of them died in Beihai Kingdom, how would he explain to the military and civilians of the three northern prefectures!

"Then invite the envoy from the North Sea Kingdom to come and talk." At this time, a figure slowly walked in from outside the hall. She bent down, picked up the letter on the ground, and handed it to Pei Zhiyuan. "Pei Zhiyuan, let's go and bring Xue Yan back."

Pei Zhiyuan seemed to have seen the light, and his irritable mood disappeared in an instant. He made a gesture for someone to sit down, and his tone became gentler. "Miss Chen, you have lost a lot of weight during your time in the desert. Don't look for him anymore. Maybe he is still alive, but he just can't come to find you."

Shen Xu nodded slightly, "Let's first resolve the matter between Xue Yan and Beihai Kingdom."

"What's your plan?"

Chen Xu took out a letter, the wax seal on which was clearly printed the emblem of the Yanyang Kingdom. She placed the letter on the table and replied, "Have you replied to the Yanyang Kingdom regarding the letter you sent me last month?"

Pei Zhiyuan opened it and took a look. The content of the letter was about the Southern Border Chamber of Commerce wanting to open up the Haoyue Country market and negotiate the purchase of the North Star Port entry concession.

"Not yet. North Star is an important military port for our Haoyue Nation. If we allow commercial ships from other countries to come and go, I'm worried that our secrets will be stolen."

Shen Xu stroked his chin, thought deeply for a moment, and said: “We will build another port along the coast of Beilangfu.

How about selling them a charter to use North Star Port as a normal fishing port?"

Pei Zhiyuan frowned slightly, puzzled, "Why are you so determined to sell them the port entry permit?"

"Because we need money. Talking to the Southern Territory Chamber of Commerce about port investment is the fastest way to get some money."

Pei Zhiyuan nodded in understanding and continued, "I understand. We will use this money to research newer weapons and regain the lost territory."

Shen Xu smiled and shook his head, unfolding the letter from Yanyang Country. Pointing to the Southern Border Chamber of Commerce's emblem printed on the background of the letter, he said, "Your Highness, do you know the Kingdom of Clouds?"

Pei Zhiyuan didn't understand.

"War is not just about fighting and bloodshed."