Chapter 760 Negotiation

Seeing that he had lost his previous composure, Song Jinxiu chuckled, "How would the Prince Consort know that I had a request? What if I came here specifically to offer a benefit to you and Princess Chuyun?"

Ji Rongqing frowned slightly: "Sir Song, I don't have time to joke with you."

Song Jinxiu said, "Who is joking with the Prince Consort? Don't the Princess's Mansion and the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion have a long-standing feud?"

Ji Rongqing looked at him.

Song Jinxiu laughed: "You don't need to look at me like that. Since you guessed that I met you today because I betrayed the Imperial Master's Mansion, you should naturally understand that I have enough confidence in my hands."

"Yesterday, Xiahou Ling seized Sang Qina's command of the army. The princess and her husband must be very unhappy. If I can help the princess vent her anger and enable you to defeat the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, I believe the princess and her husband won't mind giving me a chance to rise to prominence."

Ji Rongqing said in a deep voice, "You were involved in Sang Qina's downfall, and Xiahou Ling's command of the troops is a foregone conclusion. What ability does Lord Song have to make the Khan change his mind?"

"Besides, you're originally from the Imperial Master's residence, and you've even fought for him, repeatedly making things difficult for the princess. How would I know if your sudden overtures of goodwill were a conspiracy with the Imperial Master to lure us into a trap?"

Song Jinxiu said, "I'm not stupid enough to use myself as bait that's destined to be discarded after use. Xiahou Ling doesn't trust me at all. Even if he really wants to plot against the Princess' Mansion, he would never use me."

Seeing Ji Rongqing's noncommittal look, he said directly:

"Prince Consort Ji, do you know that Xiahou Ling has secretly reached a cooperation agreement with Southern Qi, intending to help Southern Qi capture Munan Pass?"

Ji Rongqing suddenly raised his eyes: "What did you say?"

Song Jinxiu said, "He has always had ties with Southern Qi, and even before Beiling planned to move south, he had already secretly colluded with the Southern Qi emperor. When Beiling launched a large-scale attack on Luoyan Pass to attract Wei's troops, Southern Qi would seize the opportunity to attack Munan Pass."

"Xiahou Ling has never told anyone about this, not even the Khan. He's probably unaware of it. He secretly conspired with Southern Qi, using the Battle of Beiling to mobilize troops to fight against the Wei Dynasty, and practically handed over the southern border of Wei to the Southern Qi Emperor. What do you think would happen if the Khan knew about this?"

Ji Rongqing's expression changed. Although he had only been in Beiling Imperial City for a short time, he knew a little about the Khan. He was an extremely conceited and suspicious person who hated betrayal.

The cooperation between Xiahou Ling and Southern Qi was not a big deal. The simultaneous attack from both sides would not only make it difficult for Wei to cope with the situation, but would also ease the pressure from the northwest, giving Beiling a better chance to attack Luoyan Pass and erode Wei. But the premise of all this was.

He told the Khan about his plan in advance and got his approval.

Otherwise, the Khan would think that he had selfish motives. After all, Xiahou Ling has the blood of the Southern Qi people flowing in his veins!

Ji Rongqing said in a deep voice: "Your news is indeed surprising, but this alone is unlikely to shake the Imperial Master's Mansion."

Upon hearing this, Song Jinxiu said, "If it's just a secret collusion with Southern Qi, then of course it's not possible. Xiahou Ling has been in Beiling for many years. He only needs to explain that he is fighting for Beiling. The Khan may not react after knowing it. But his mistake is that he thinks he is smart, but he doesn't know that he has already fallen into the calculations of the Emperor of Wei."

Ji Rongqing: "What do you mean?"

Song Jinxiu: "I've heard that the Emperor of Wei is pretending to mobilize troops to the northwest, but he has secretly dispatched Yin Bao to Munan Pass. He is accompanied by the 100,000 private soldiers of the previous deposed emperor. If Beiling goes to war with Wei, Southern Qi will rashly attack Wei and will inevitably fall into the trap that Wei has already laid."

"Prince Consort Ji must also know about Southern Qi. The Southern Qi emperor is weak and incompetent, yet greedy. The people in the Southern Qi court are spineless fence-sitters. If they are defeated by the Wei and lose the Southern Pass, they will most likely bow to the Wei."

"With the Emperor of Wei's cunning and tactics, it wouldn't be difficult for him to control Southern Qi. By then, the entire Southern Qi would probably become the Wei Dynasty's granary. What's more, even Southern Qi's military might become a boost to the Wei Dynasty's Northern Expedition."

Song Jinxiu said, "No one knows the situation in Beiling better than the Prince Consort. If we can't take down Wei in one fell swoop, once the war drags on, Beiling will suffer from frequent droughts and lack of food and grass. Even if we slaughter all the cattle and sheep, we won't be able to hold out for long."

"The Khan wouldn't be angry at Xiahou Ling for secretly plotting a campaign for Beiling. But if this was a trap set from the start, and Beiling's southward advance was thwarted, hundreds of thousands of troops would die in the northwest battlefield, and Beiling would be severely weakened, leaving it unable to fight again. Do you think the Khan would still forgive him?"

After hearing this, Ji Rongqing felt his breathing quicken.

He knew that Song Jinxiu's words were a bit exaggerated, but they were not alarmist. The situation in Beiling was indeed more difficult than the outside world knew. They rushed south not because they were confident, but because they really couldn't wait.

This time, Beiling is almost mobilizing the entire country to try to take down Wei in one fell swoop. If it fails, Beiling will not only be seriously injured, but will probably be beaten by Wei and will never be able to recover.

Ji Rongqing put down the teacup: "Do you have any evidence for what you said?"

Song Jinxiu said, "Isn't the evidence in the princess's mansion?"

Ji Rongqing was stunned for a moment, his face suddenly darkening. "Sir Song, it was you who took the initiative to seek refuge in the Princess's residence, but now you want to take advantage of this little information and get something for nothing?"

Song Jinxiu sneered: "Isn't this information valuable enough?"

Ji Rongqing: "Who knows whether what you said is true or not!"

Song Jinxiu laughed. "That depends on whether the Prince Consort and the Princess dare to take the gamble. The Imperial Preceptor's Mansion is powerful, and Xiahou Ling is extremely ambitious. If the Princess wants to take power, she will definitely not be able to get past him. A life-and-death struggle between you and the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion is already a foregone conclusion."

"Of course I have other ways to prove this, but if I have to take all the risks and be the first to take the blame, then why would I go to all the trouble of having the Prince Consort come to see me? Could it be that I'm just doing this so you can reap the benefits?"

Seeing Ji Rongqing frowning and not saying anything.

Song Jinxiu said, "Xiahou Ling received news from the Wei Dynasty last night that Yin Bao had secretly traveled to Munan Pass. He will definitely do everything he can to cover it up and protect himself in front of the Khan."

"If you want to touch him, the best time is tonight."

He raised his eyes and looked directly at Ji Rongqing: "I will go to the palace to see the Khan in a moment. If the prince consort is willing to go with me, let the Princess Mansion bear the risks for me, and help me escape from the Imperial Master Mansion and gain the Khan's trust, then I will definitely help General Sang Qina regain the power of commander-in-chief and help you suppress the Imperial Master Mansion. I will also find a miracle medicine as soon as possible to relieve the prince consort's headache."

"Of course, if the Prince Consort doesn't want to take the risk, I can go alone. I won't force you."

Ji Rongqing stared at Song Jinxiu, constantly weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

He must suppress the Imperial Master's Mansion, otherwise Xiahou Ling would be an eyesore.

But Song Jinxiu...

He didn't believe him.