Su Xuening was amused by Bai Fuya: "I knew you loved me the most."
Seeing how good the relationship was between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Duanmu Junyu was envious: "I feel like Ning'er has a better relationship with you, her mother-in-law, than with me, her own mother!"
Hearing Duanmu Junyu's sour words, Bai Fuya immediately hugged Su Xuening tightly and said proudly, "That's right! Who told you to disappear one minute and have amnesia the next? That's how I took advantage of your vulnerability!"
Bai Fuya made everyone in the room laugh instantly.
When Xuanyuan Zhan arrived, he saw that everyone in the hall had a smile on their face and seemed to be very happy: "What's making you so happy!"
Su Xuening smiled and looked at him: "We were just joking with Mother. Have you finished dealing with all the documents?"
Xuan Yuanzhan sat down next to Su Xuening and explained, "Ling Lang and the others are going back to the North. I'll be seeing them off in a bit, so this is an early end to the meeting."
Su Xuening was surprised: "You're going back so soon?"
"Although the Northern Rong were defeated, the northern border cannot be left undefended." Although Xuan Yuanzhan was also reluctant to part with Ling Lang and Bai Ying, it was indeed time for them to leave.
Although they had only been in the capital for a few days, they had actually been away from the north for a long time, having fought their way here for several months.
If the leaders of those Northern Rong tribes hadn't been imprisoned in the northern dungeons, he probably wouldn't have felt comfortable letting Ling Lang lead the Zhenbei Army to fight alongside him!
Su Xuening nodded in understanding, then frowned as she thought of something and asked, "If they go back to the North, does the Su family army also have to return to their camp?"
Xuanyuan Zhan raised an eyebrow: "They haven't come to report yet, but they should be here soon."
The three members of the Su family army had indeed not yet come to say goodbye to him.
However, once Ling Lang and Bai Ying leave, the Su family army will definitely leave as well.
Xuanyuan Zhan knew what she was thinking, and said, "Yun'an has been missing since early this morning. He must have gone to the Huangli military camp."
Su Xuening and Duanmu Junyu exchanged a glance, both feeling somewhat worried about Su Yun'an.
Seeing what the two were thinking, Xuan Yuanzhan comforted them, "Don't worry, Yun An said last time that he had a way, I believe he can definitely do it."
They both nodded silently.
Hopefully, Yun'an will be able to get some answers this time.
Before seeing Ling Lang and Bai Ying off, Xuan Yuanzhan went to the Heavenly Prison first.
Tuoba Xiong had been in this prison for more than half a month and was almost numb to it.
When Xuan Yuanzhan approached, Tuoba Xiong's face remained expressionless.
Xuanyuan Zhan glanced at Tuoba Xiong's numb face and gestured for the jailer to open the door.
The jailer immediately stepped forward and opened the door, and Xuan Yuanzhan went straight into the cell.
Upon seeing this, the jailers immediately placed a tea set on the broken wooden table in the cell.
Xuanyuan Zhan waved to them.
After the jailers had all left, Xuanyuan Zhan poured a cup of tea and handed it to Tuoba Xiong: "Does the Chanyu wish to return to the Northern Rong?"
Tuoba Xiong originally didn't want to pay attention to Xuanyuan Zhan, but upon hearing this, he immediately perked up, finally raising his eyes and looking at Xuanyuan Zhan suspiciously: "You're willing to let me go?"
Xuanyuan Zhan raised an eyebrow noncommittally: "A few days ago, your Tianqiong tribe sent a letter of peace. They are willing to submit to Dongchu and pay tribute every year in exchange for your freedom!"
Upon hearing this, Tuoba Xiong's eyes immediately dimmed, filled with deep self-reproach.
It was all his fault; his eagerness for quick success and instant benefits led to their tribe becoming slaves of Eastern Chu.
Seeing Tuoba Xiong's expression, Xuanyuan Zhan frowned and said, "We, the Eastern Chu, value peace. If it weren't for your Northern Rong repeatedly invading our northern border, we would never have provoked you. As for making you a colony or vassal state, that is not what we, the Eastern Chu, desire."
As he spoke, Xuanyuan Zhan pushed the letter of peace from the Tianqiong tribe in front of Tuoba Xiong: "From now on, you are free. You do not need to submit or pay tribute. All we in Dongchu want is peace."
"You..." Tuoba Xiong looked at Xuan Yuanzhan in shock, somewhat unable to believe what he was saying: "Are you serious? You really want to release me?"
Xuanyuan Zhan raised an eyebrow: "I always keep my word, especially now that I am the Emperor of Eastern Chu, my words are law!"
Even with Xuan Yuanzhan's words, Tuoba Xiong still didn't quite believe it: "You not only want to release me, but you also don't want the tribute from our Tianqiong tribe?"
Is he an idiot?
Their Sky Dome tribe has already written a peace treaty, agreeing to submit to him and pay him tribute every year, so why shouldn't he accept it!
Xuanyuan Zhan remained calm and pondered, "Taking advantage of someone's misfortune is not the act of a gentleman. However, the cattle, sheep, and warhorses of the Northern Rong are indeed quite good. I will instruct our officials in the North to not only pay tribute but also exchange goods. Your cattle, sheep, and warhorses of the Northern Rong are indeed good, but our tea, silk, and porcelain of the Eastern Chu are also quite good. As long as you are willing, the Eastern Chu and the Northern Rong can also trade."
Tuoba Xiong stared blankly at Xuan Yuanzhan again, seemingly unable to comprehend his thoughts at all.
He could have obtained the cattle, sheep, and warhorses of the Northern Rong without paying any price, yet he insisted on exchanging them. The tea, silk, and porcelain of the Eastern Chu—these were among the reasons they attacked Eastern Chu in the first place!
They were actually willing to trade these things for cattle, sheep, and warhorses. What was he thinking?
Seemingly sensing Tuoba Xiong's lack of understanding, Xuanyuan Zhan shrugged: "It's simple. If we can resolve things through negotiation, we shouldn't resort to force. No matter what kind of war it is, whether we win or lose in the end, it's always the people on both sides who suffer."
Upon hearing this, Tuoba Xiong fell silent. He thought of the 100,000 troops that his Tianqiong tribe had lost, and his heart ached as if it were bleeding.
He's right. Even if they had succeeded, let alone failed and lost so many soldiers, who knows how many more soldiers would have died to achieve his so-called great cause.
"Rather than forcing you to submit to Eastern Chu unwillingly, becoming our subordinate tribes, only to have another war every few decades, it would be better for us to cooperate, achieve mutual benefit, and coexist peacefully. Of course, if even so, you still insist on waging war, then Eastern Chu is ready to fight at any time!"
Xuanyuan Zhan's willingness to release Tuoba Xiong was not an admission of weakness. If they were to continue to be troublemakers in the future, he and his Eastern Chu soldiers would show no mercy!
Tuoba Xiong stared at Xuanyuan Zhan for a long while before sighing with admiration, "You... are truly different from ordinary emperors. I finally understand why I lost to you. I am no match for you!"
Xuanyuan Zhan's impression of Tuoba Xiong was not actually that bad: "The Chanyu is just blinded by pragmatism. He is still very capable. Otherwise, your people would not have been willing to submit to Eastern Chu and ransom you."
If he were an incompetent Chanyu, perhaps the ministers and people of his tribe would have already abandoned him.
"Thank you!" Tuoba Xiong didn't know what else to say to Xuanyuan Zhan, and in the end, all his words were summed up in this one sentence.
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