Zhou Lin nodded, and said calmly, "Right now, only I can save your brother, and only I... can help Nanshaping get out of this predicament."
"General Song in the northern frontier is too far away. By the time his men have fled from the north to the south, your elder brother will have already starved to death..."
Su Tiyue asked, "What about Yong'an? Aren't there reserve troops and imperial guards in the capital?"
Zhou Lin chuckled: "Your Majesty knows quite a lot. Your Majesty might as well think about this: this matter is so big, why do so few people know about it? Also, the Emperor could have sent the Imperial Guards to rescue your elder brother, but he sent me instead?"
"Does Your Highness mean the Imperial Guards should not be moved?"
“Yes, we can’t move. If the Imperial Guards leave the capital now, I’m afraid Yong’an will no longer be peaceful, and Bei Liang will be plunged into chaos.” He asked Su Tiyue, “Your Majesty, who do you think is the one who would love to see the world in chaos?”
Who could it be?
Su Tiyue lowered her eyes and did not look at Zhou Lin.
Actually, the answer to this question was already in her heart.
Yes, just as the Emperor and the Prince of Huainan had predicted, once the Imperial Guards left the capital, Xiao Heye would become the most powerful and influential person in Yong'an City.
The Eastern Depot, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and his private army in Suzhou were enough to swallow up Yong'an.
She was aware of Xiao Heye and Han Zhou's ambitions.
The brothers have been plotting this for so long, all to turn this world into a living hell. Although Su Tiyue stands with Xiao Heye, how could she possibly bring about the destruction of the world?
Zhou Lin reached out and put away the secret letter and imperial edict, then poured her a cup of hot tea and handed it to her: "Your Majesty must keep this a secret. You must not let anyone else know, otherwise... there will be no peaceful days in this world."
Su Tiyue nodded. Even now, she still held onto a sliver of hope. If she went to Xiao Heye to plead for her brother, perhaps he could find a way to help him through this difficult time?
Thinking about this, she hesitated again.
I'm hesitating about whether or not I should tell Xiao Heye about this...
Zhou Lin seemed to read Su Tiyue's thoughts from her expression, so he tapped the table hard with his finger and reminded her, "Even if Your Majesty doesn't consider the Emperor, shouldn't you at least consider the people of Yong'an? If Yong'an is in chaos, the whole country will be in chaos. If Beiliang is in chaos, what if the Rouran tribe takes advantage of the situation? ... If it really comes to the point of national ruin and family destruction, tell me, who in this world can remain unscathed? At that time, the Su family, you, me... and all these millions of innocent people will not be able to survive."
Zhou Lin said all this simply to tell Su Tiyue that Xiao Heye absolutely must not know about this.
It concerns the fate of the nation and the very survival of Northern Liang.
How could she not know the pros and cons? Su Tiyue sighed. It seemed that... the only one who could save her elder brother and tens of thousands of people in the Southern Frontier was the Prince of Huainan.
But since the Emperor has issued a secret decree ordering the Prince of Huainan to relieve the siege, why is Zhou Lin now trying to negotiate with her?
Su Tiyue couldn't understand. She turned to Zhou Lin and asked, "What does Your Highness mean? Do you mean you want to negotiate with me?"
Zhou Lin coughed twice and explained, "Since I'm the only one who can save your elder brother, why can't I shamelessly negotiate a deal with the Empress?"
"What's the point? Even if I don't agree to your conditions, you're still going to rescue them... Does Your Highness intend to disobey the imperial decree?"
"No, that's not it. Disobeying an imperial decree is punishable by death." He waved his hand and said softly, "Of course I will go to rescue them. But it takes three or four days to get from Huainan to Nanshaping. If I'm delayed on the way and arrive a few days late, and I can't rescue them, the Emperor probably won't blame me, right?"
"After all, there's a lot of rain in the south, and the mountain roads are difficult to travel. What if we encounter a landslide and block the way? You can't blame me for this natural disaster, can you?"
He spoke casually and indifferently, yet his words were like a sharp knife, slowly piercing her heart.
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