Wu Yunyin was filled with regret. Given her previous attitude towards Chen Zhennan, she knew he might not agree to help her now. But what other choice did she have besides him?

Wu Yunyin gritted her teeth. Fine, for the sake of the Great Wu's empire, I can only offer my utmost sincerity.

Wu Yunyin had previously made an agreement with Chen Zhennan: if Chen Zhennan helped her regain the throne, she would cede the thirteen states of the Customs to him.

This is no small territory. If I just hand it over to someone else, I will surely become the eternal sinner of the Great Wu. But now that things have come to this, this is the only way.

Slowly walking to the desk, Wu Yunyin picked up the pen that seemed to weigh a thousand pounds and spread out the paper.

Her hands trembled slightly. After hesitating for a moment, she finally began to write.

"I, Wu Yunyin, hereby issue this edict of self-reproach. I am aware of the mistakes I made in the past. I was stubborn and arrogant, and I harmed many loyal ministers and generals. I also made things difficult for Marshal Chen Zhennan on numerous occasions. This was truly my fault. Now, Great Wu is mired in a quagmire, as if standing on the edge of an abyss. I deeply regret my past actions. I am willing to hand over the thirteen prefectures of the customs to the Marshal, as previously agreed with him. I only ask that the Marshal remember our past relationship and negotiate with me. I implore the Marshal to release the 100,000 troops of Tianyang Pass. Great Wu desperately needs manpower at this moment. I hope that the Marshal will not hold my past mistakes against me and will save Great Wu from this dire situation."

After finishing writing, Wu Yunyin put down her pen and let out a long sigh of relief.

The Imperial Study was completely silent at this moment, with only the occasional crackling sound of the burning candles, as if telling of endless helplessness and sorrow.

The dim candlelight flickered, casting a shadow on Wu Yunyin's slightly haggard face, adding to her desolate appearance.

Wu Yunyin summoned the servants outside and said solemnly, "Take this edict and deliver it to the border troops of the Great Yan as fast as you can. Do not make any mistakes. Remember, this mission concerns the life and death of the Great Wu. You must personally deliver it to Chen Zhennan."

The attendant obeyed and left. Wu Yunyin watched the attendant's departing figure, silently praying that Chen Zhennan would accept her request for peace.

...

Back of Cuiming Mountain, Chen Zhennan strode back to the tunnel, each step seemingly carried by the wind, as if a thousand troops were chasing him.

The tunnel was dimly lit, illuminated only by a few dim oil lamps, but this did not dampen his eagerness in the slightest.

Chen Zhennan's gaze fell on the assembled firearms, his eyes filled with scrutiny and anticipation.

These bolt-action rifles were neatly arranged, a total of three hundred rifles. In this era dominated by cold weapons, they possessed a terrifying power capable of changing the course of battle and delivering a devastating blow.

Chen Zhennan examined it carefully, not missing a single detail, his expression like that of a meticulous craftsman carving a priceless treasure.

"Three hundred rifles, sixty thousand rounds of ammunition, and more than three thousand hand grenades," Chen Zhennan muttered to himself, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

"Someone, bring this batch of equipment and come with me to the Great Yan army camp."

At Chen Zhennan's command, everyone acted swiftly without hesitation.

Soon, they arrived at the Great Yan army camp.

The military camp was bustling with activity, with soldiers coming and going, and the sounds of training and shouts rising and falling.

Chen Zhennan didn't linger and went straight to the main tent to find Jiang Wenyu.

Upon entering the tent, Jiang Wenyu sat there. He looked to be in good spirits, plump and fair-skinned with a ruddy complexion.

"Chen Zhennan, you're back." Jiang Wenyu was somewhat surprised.

Chen Zhennan smiled slightly and instructed his men to set up a banquet. Before long, the table was filled with fine wines and delicacies. The wine exuded a mellow aroma, and the dishes were a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

"Chen Zhennan, what do you mean by this?" Jiang Wenyu asked, a hint of wariness in his eyes.

Chen Zhennan sneered and said, "Brother Jiang, the situation is changing rapidly. Song Xuan is dead, and Wu Yunyin has returned to the throne. The Great Wu is now beset by internal and external troubles."

Jiang Wenyu frowned slightly. "What do you mean by that?"

"What I mean is, there's no point in keeping you around. Consider this your last meal before you're executed."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wenyu's face turned pale, and he stood up abruptly, glaring angrily at Chen Zhennan.

"Chen Zhennan, how can you be so ungrateful? I treated you fairly well back then. If I hadn't spared your life, how would you be where you are today?"

Chen Zhennan remained unmoved, crossed his arms, and shook his head with a mocking smile.

"Jiang Wenyu, don't try to talk to me about sentimentality. The world is a dog-eat-dog world. The winner takes all, the loser is condemned. It's all fate."

A hint of resentment flashed in Jiang Wenyu's eyes. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "I thought you were a hero, but I never expected you to be such a despicable person!"

Chen Zhennan remained expressionless, slowly raised his wine glass, and gestured towards Jiang Wenyu.

"You don't need to complain here. From the moment you were captured, you were like a fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others."

The atmosphere inside the tent became unusually tense, as if the air itself had frozen.

Jiang Wenyu's body trembled slightly. He was both angry and fearful, and his heart was filled with mixed feelings.

He knew he was probably doomed today, but he was unwilling to die like this, having lost without even fighting a proper battle.

“Jiang Wenyu, you have two paths before you: either commit suicide or hang yourself. If you still dare to prolong your life, don’t blame me, Chen Zhennan, for disregarding all sentiments and personally giving you a ‘dignity’.”

These words struck Jiang Wenyu's heart like a heavy hammer. He felt like a lamb to the slaughter, his whole body trembling uncontrollably, and fear overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.

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