"Prince Yan, take a good look at these two heads. Do you recognize them?!" Chun Ning gestured to her subordinates to raise the two heads high.

Yan Wang Xi's face turned deathly pale instantly. His gaze lingered on the two severed heads for a moment before slowly turning to Chun Ning, his voice filled with shock and anger: "This... is it really... the heads of Lord Changguo and the Prime Minister?!"

Chun Ning nodded coldly, her voice devoid of any emotion: "Yes, now that Rao City and Ling Shou City have been captured by the Qin State's Grand Commandant's troops, these two people will naturally not survive."

King Xi of Yan's eyes blazed with fury, his face turning ashen: "How dare you act in such a way, trying to kill my Yan state without cause! Are you Qin people truly so fond of killing and cruelty?"

"King of Yan, Qin and Yan used to live in peace." Er Niu walked slowly forward with a gloomy face and a booming voice: "Who would have thought that your Yan Kingdom, knowing that my King of Qin was going to marry into the Chu Kingdom, would still send people to assassinate the wedding procession."

"Do you know that the wedding envoy is the wicked husband of the Grand Commandant of Qin? If it weren't for the Grand Commandant, how could the Queen have survived?"

"Tell me, how should this be accounted for? What's wrong with attacking Yan?"

King Xi of Yan gasped, his heart filled with panic. "You... you're making baseless accusations, claiming that my Yan state attempted assassination without any evidence. This is truly unreasonable."

"Alright, stop pretending!" Erniu was too lazy to waste words with him and sneered, "According to you, why not blame it on Zhao? Zhao has a deeper grudge against Qin. Why use that as an excuse to attack you even if it means destroying Qi?"

King Xi of Yan frowned, pondering Erniu's words, and a hint of doubt arose in his mind.

As Erniu said, if this matter is analyzed carefully, Qin really had no reason to ignore the deeply resentful Zhao. Instead, it went so far as to mobilize a large army and risk losing troops to destroy Qi in order to ensure the safety of the passage and then attack Yan.

"Could it be... that someone from my Yan state stabbed me in the back?" King Xi of Yan muttered to himself, his voice filled with doubt and confusion.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down: "Could someone be manipulating all of this in the dark? Within the Yan Kingdom, there are only a handful of people who have the ability to do this."

King Xi of Yan recalled the recent situation and indeed noticed some anomalies, but it always seemed as if a veil was shrouded in mystery, and he was unable to unravel the enigma in his heart.

However, this cannot be a reason for Qin to take direct action. War between two countries is no small matter. They cannot simply declare war without asking questions or investigating.

"If Yan really attacked the Qin Grand Commandant and the wedding procession as you say, why didn't Qin come to Yan to verify this, instead of launching a large-scale attack?" King Xi of Yan questioned.

Chun Ning sneered, her gaze resolute: "Prince Yan, even the most meticulous assassins can make a mistake. We have uncovered clues that confirm you are indeed from the Yan Kingdom. What further verification do you require?"

"Furthermore, after the capture of Rao City, I unexpectedly learned from your Prime Minister's personal guards that the person behind the assassination was none other than your Crown Prince Dan of Yan."

These words were like a thunderclap piercing the sky, instantly dispelling the confusion in King Xi of Yan's mind, and connecting all the dots.

From the initial mission of the State of Chu to seek an alliance, to Crown Prince Dan's willingness to confront his own father in order to facilitate the alliance, and then to his frequent contact with several important ministers in those few days, everything became clear.

Prince Xi of Yan remained silent for a moment, then his tone softened: "Crown Prince Dan... what brings you two here? Please speak frankly."

Erniu smiled slightly: "King Yan, all of this started because of him. After my Grand Commandant destroyed the two cities, his anger subsided, and he felt that there was no need to go to war and cause trouble for both countries."

"Therefore, we two have been sent here in the hope that Your Majesty will severely punish the mastermind behind this and ensure that our two countries do not invade each other."

King Xi of Yan felt a surge of emotion, knowing that the situation was beyond repair. He looked towards the distance outside the city, where the faint sound of war drums seemed to still linger, as if reminding him to think carefully.

After a long silence.

"Your proposal... may I have some time to consider it?" King Xi of Yan finally spoke, his tone tinged with helplessness and weariness.

Erniu nodded: "Of course, please consider this carefully, Your Majesty. Our Qin state also does not wish for war to break out and for our soldiers to die far from home."

Prince Xi of Yan frowned, caught in a deep dilemma. He naturally understood the meaning behind Erniu and Chun Ning's words, but Crown Prince Dan was his own flesh and blood. Even tigers don't eat their cubs, so how could he bring himself to do it?

But if they don't kill them, Rao City and Lingshou City will fall, and almost all of Yan's elite troops and most of its food supplies will be lost there. What will they have left to resist the Qin army's fierce and powerful forces?

Erniu gave a cold laugh, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes: "Whatever decision the King of Yan makes, my Qin state will respect it. But please remember, time is running out."

"The State of Yan cannot perish in my hands!" King Xi of Yan murmured to himself, trying to suppress his guilt towards his son with the spirit of righteousness.

Just then, a series of greetings came from behind, "We pay our respects to the Crown Prince!"

Prince Xi of Yan suddenly turned around and saw his own son, Crown Prince Dan, walking quickly towards him. Instead of showing any fear, his face was adorned with a warm smile.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty!" Crown Prince Dan bowed gracefully, his steps steady, a hint of determination in his eyes.

Prince Xi of Yan was filled with mixed emotions as he stared intently at Crown Prince Dan. He suppressed his inner turmoil and tried his best to remain calm: "Crown Prince Dan, what brings you here?"

Crown Prince Dan smiled slightly and said slowly, "Father, I have come here to relieve your urgent needs and those of our Yan Kingdom."

Seeing this, Erniu raised an eyebrow and snorted coldly: "So you are Prince Dan. You actually dare to show your face. You have quite the courage."

Chun Ning then spoke up, her voice laced with sarcasm: "Prince Yan, have you thought it through? Will you kill me or not?"

Crown Prince Dan remained fearless, his gaze resolute: "General Erniu, the Yan Kingdom has upheld propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame since ancient times. How can we tolerate such slander? If what you say is true, and the assassin was ordered by me, I am willing to accept the investigation and prove my innocence."

Prince Xi of Yan took a deep breath, his inner conflict intensifying, especially after Prince Dan's words, which shook his original beliefs.

After a moment of contemplation, Prince Xi of Yan slowly said, "Gentlemen, this matter is of great importance. We should investigate it thoroughly to find out the whole story and avoid any further misunderstandings." His tone carried a hint of negotiation and pleading.

In the end, he chose to believe Prince Dan and spare his son's life.

Erniu sneered, a hint of contempt and murderous intent flashing in his eyes, "You're asking for it, Prince Xi of Yan. Our Grand Commandant is giving you face, but you don't want it. Then let the Yan Kingdom be buried with your good son!"

"You have been given a chance, but you did not cherish it. When my Qin army's iron cavalry breaks through the city, your city will be filled with blood, and not a single person will survive."