He doesn't want the overall situation.
Dragon Vein of Southern Xinjiang.
Lu Shian pulled out an ancient scroll from his sleeve, and the red gold thread shone in the dim light.
Ren Xuan's eyes swept over the complicated formation diagram spread out on the ground, and his scalp went numb for a moment.
He watched as the entire earth vein suddenly woke up, with layers of golden threads, silver light, blood patterns, and seal patterns.
Ren Xuan couldn't help but curse under his breath. Fang Cun had come up with such a weird set of talismans that Shi An was the only one who could take on this hot potato.
The center of the formation has risen, and the surrounding earth energy begins to swirl, like the breath of a mountain.
A bell rang like muffled thunder in the distant mountains.
Lu Shian's face turned pale, he trembled violently, and a trickle of blood flowed out of his throat.
The young man swallowed the blood calmly. He whispered, "Ren Xuan, concentrate."
In the center of the magic circle, the blazing light was like waves, flickering.
Ren Xuan's heart suddenly tightened, and the depths of his sea of consciousness were pulled half an inch by some unknown force.
He felt a ringing in his ears, the sky and the earth sank, and all sounds seemed to disappear in an instant, leaving only a very low bell ringing, exploding in his mind.
Ren Xuan only felt a chaos in front of his eyes, and the next moment, the sky and the earth were upside down, and his sea of consciousness was as black as ink.
He seemed to be pulled from an endless abyss into another crack of light, until his feet touched the ground again.
He was startled - he opened his eyes and heard the sound of horns and gunpowder smoke.
Ren Xuan suddenly looked up and saw a black gold-woven silk silk with a commander's seal hanging behind the tent. It had a seal on it:
"Qin".
His breathing stopped for a moment.
The person in the main seat cast a glance at him: "Xiu Yuan."
Ren Xuan's heart suddenly shook, his head buzzed, and he almost lost his voice on the spot.
He had seen this face before.
In the Taimiao, in history books, and in countless portraits and scrolls.
His gaze was sharp as a sword, yet his expression was extremely calm and deep. His brows were steep, and although he was not wearing any armor, he had the aura of a king.
The founding emperor of the Dagan Dynasty, Qin Chengxu, was a man of great military power.
Ren Xuan was a little dazed at the moment. Oh my god... I wouldn't have ended up right under the nose of Great Ancestor, right?
In line with his high workmanship, Ren Xuan subconsciously clasped his fists and knelt down: "I am here."
That voice wasn't his at all. He wasn't just observing history.
He has become a part of this history.
Qin Chengxu was stunned by his reaction, but he finally said with a suppressed look, "You don't have to be like this. It's because I didn't listen to your advice that this disaster happened."
Ren Xuan: “…”
"Huh? Me?" Ren Xuan was stunned.
He had no idea about the "deep self-blame" of the founding emperor in front of him.
He had only flipped through the "Records of Taizu" once, and he was not that familiar with the history book.
Ren Xuan maintained his kneeling posture respectfully, but was sweating profusely: I can't handle your sudden self-criticism.
Deep in my mind, a strange yet inexplicably familiar memory flooded in like a tide.
The beacon fire of the north, the cold armor covered with frost, the peak talent, invincible.
These experiences were not his.
But at this moment, the memories of Han Xiuyuan, the Lord of the North, were all imprinted into his sea of consciousness, as deep as a knife mark.
Not long ago, Qin Chengxu invited Fang Weian to negotiate with Yu Shuyang.
Unexpectedly, Fang Weian actually laid an ambush on the way back, and the envoy Lu Hengyu sent by Qin Chengxu was seriously injured and captured.
Qin Chengxiu, who was originally sincere about the peace talks, unprecedentedly executed the envoy sent by Fang Weian to explain, and began to consider the advice of Han Xiuyuan, the pro-war faction.
In order to deal with this matter, at this moment, in the central army tent, the Northern King Han Xiuyuan, the Western King Lu Bingzhao, and the future Xin Dynasty Left Prime Minister Lu Hengyan, the three most important ministers who were the backbone of the founding period of the country, gathered here for a rare occasion.
Ren Xuan realized the seriousness of the matter and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: Fang Weian, you are worthy of being like this. Your performance is really stable without any human behavior.
No matter what, since it’s related to the Fang family, the first thing to do is to get close to Fang Weian.
Ren Xuan lowered his head, thinking about Han Xiuyuan's pro-war personality, and first asked for military power: "A villain like Fang Weian is not worthy of talking about peace. I beg to kill him and offer him as a sacrifice to the king's flag. I beg to fight--"
He was halfway through his sentence when a young man beside him interrupted him harshly. Lu Bingzhao's face was grim, his teeth gnashed, and he pointed at him in fury, cursing, "Han Xiuyuan, you did this on purpose, didn't you?!"
The legendary ancestor of the Xifu Lu family, the renowned Wuzong Yuankui in history books, was like a powder keg at this moment: "Heng Yu is still in Fang's hands! How can we start a war?! What kind of war?!!"
Qin Chengxiu suddenly raised his hand and pressed it down, his voice cold and calm: "Bingzhao, calm down. If Fang Weian sees that we are being cautious, it will be even harder for Hengyu to come back."
Qin Chengxiu spoke slowly, his eyes deep and unmoved: "Now, we can only continue to mobilize troops and apply pressure."
To show his tough attitude, Qin Chengxu executed the first batch of envoys sent by Fang Weian.
Fang Weian sent two groups of envoys to negotiate peace, but they were both directly detained by Qin Chengxu.
Qin Chengxiu's eyes were calm. "Fang Weian is still sending people here. He's afraid. Placing troops at the gates of the city is more effective than actively negotiating peace."
This is how war is always. You have to scare him first before you can subdue him.
However, Lu Bingzhao had no regard for the emperor. His anger flared up, and he cursed Qin Chengxiu directly: "If I wanted to beat you, why would I have done it earlier?! If you hadn't insisted on negotiating, would this have happened?!! I told you straight away, Xiuyuan and I would each bring 50,000 soldiers and bring you the heads of Fang Weian and Xiao Dingyuan! You insisted on talking!"
Lu Bingzhao's chest heaved violently, his eyes bloodshot. He angrily said, "If Fang Weian was really scared, why didn't he send the people back immediately?! Last night, I went to rob the camp, and Fang Weian actually dared to stop me, and even pretended to be ignorant?! He is the lord of the Southland, and he didn't know?!"
Qin Chengxu didn't show any temper at all even though he was pointed at and scolded by his trusted general.
Qin Chengxiu knew Lu Bingzhao's temper too well. This guy didn't mean any disrespect, he was just angry.
Qin Chengxiu walked around the case and came to Lu Bingzhao, saying sincerely, "Bingzhao, I know you're anxious, and Heng Yan is even more anxious than us. Let's get him back first. I was wrong to trust Fang Weian in this matter. Once this matter is resolved, I'll accept whatever you want."
He lowered his voice to a very low level, but every word was heartfelt: "Bingzhao, I really need you right now. You need to calm down."
Ren Xuan, who was standing on the side, sighed and said with true emotion in his heart: With such a broad mind and such magnanimity, it's no wonder that he was able to change dynasties.
Lu Bingzhao's anger came from anxiety, not from Qin Chengxu.
The young man was very anxious: "Just tell me what to do. Xiuyuan and I will do it right away!"
There was no need for much explanation between them. These people had come this far side by side, fighting battles, blocking swords, and exchanging lives for each other.
They trusted Qin Chengxu unconditionally and had long since entrusted their decisions to Qin Chengxu's judgment.
Qin Chengxiu was silent for a moment, as if he was replaying and thinking the situation over and over again.
After a long while, he finally raised his eyes and said, "Heng Yan, I need you to go to Fangying privately now."
He paused, his eyes falling steadily on Lu Bingzhao: "Bingzhao will accompany you personally."
Qin Chengxiu's tone was as calm as water, yet as resounding as cast iron. "Two points. First, Fang Weian wins this time. It's me, Qin Chengxiu, who misjudged him. Let him return the people to us. All the Xiao royal family members in my possession will be given to him."
Qin Chengxiu continued, "Secondly, I don't want to discuss the Xiao family he's determined to protect with any more clarity or guile. If he truly wants to divide the country and rule it separately, I'll give him six months. Release Heng Yu, and I'll withdraw my troops immediately."
His voice dropped three degrees, becoming deep and cold. "Within six months, the Xiao family will kill him themselves. After six months, I will personally cross the river, offer him a toast, and ask him to take care of himself."
Before Qin Chengxiu finished speaking, he turned to look at Ren Xuan, who was sitting at the main seat. "Xiuyuan, your seven battalions, cross the river immediately. Before sunset, I want to see the Baililian camp set up right under Fang Weian's sight."
Ren Xuan lowered his head in response, but he was already beginning to sigh in his heart. He said he was surrendering, but he turned around and set up a military camp hundreds of miles in front of the other party's door.
Granting gifts while showing strength, using both soft and hard tactics, and using both kindness and force - the emperor's mindset.
The next moment, there was a sudden sound of armor breaking outside the tent.
The sound of footsteps came hurriedly, and the interrogator had already opened the curtain and entered, kneeling on one knee, his voice filled with undisguised panic:
"Your Majesty—Fang Weian has come in person!"
"He was kneeling outside the camp, without his troops, and with a... white belt tied around his waist."
Qin Chengxiu suddenly raised his eyes, his gaze was extremely deep and cold, but at that moment, it seemed as if they were cut by something extremely sharp and blunt.
This emperor, who had not appeared in a hundred years, seemed to understand all the meanings behind the words in just one breath.
His throat moved slightly, and his voice became noticeably hoarse than before: "Who is he... mourning for?"
···
Fang Weian only brought five guards with him this time.
He knelt at the foot of the tent.
Qin Chengxiu didn't ask him to get up, and Fang Weian didn't get up either.
Only five steps separated them. For the first hundred years since the founding of the nation, the two men who had reached the pinnacle of the martial realm were now within arm's reach.
Qin Chengxiu never concealed his admiration for Fang Wei'an.
In order to recruit this person, he made concessions to the royal family of the previous dynasty again and again, and even did not hesitate to break many old systems and court rules.
He recognized his talent, admired his power, and cherished his edge, hoping to use this person to consolidate the country and maintain peace in the southern border.
But today, Qin Chengxu was destined to fail in taking these last five steps.
He heard the other party speak, the voice was not loud, but it was terrifyingly clear: "Wei An has broken his promise to Your Majesty. I am willing to sacrifice my life in exchange for Lord Lu's life."
The entire tent was eerily quiet at this moment.
Qin Chengxiu's throat moved slightly, and he spoke in a hoarse voice: "...Where are the others?"
Fang Weian was still kneeling there, gritting his teeth. His voice was not loud, but it was like a stone sinking into water: "The corpse... is outside the tent."
There are no people, only corpses.
Before he finished speaking, Lu Bingzhao suddenly lifted the curtain and walked out.
Lu Hengyan was about to move, but Qin Chengxiu stopped him: "You stay."
Lu Hengyan, who had been called out, began to tremble. At this moment, the young man still lacked the image of the pillar of the new dynasty who would later be recorded in history as "a master who could overturn thousands of volumes and establish the principles of the country."
Qin Chengxu knew Lu Hengyan's temperament clearly, and he knew even better that he could not let his people lose their composure in front of Fang Weian.
Qin Chengxiu's expression did not change, and his emotions remained calm, as if the sentence "The corpse is left outside the tent" was just one of the thousands of songs he had heard in front of the emperor.
He looked quietly at the kneeling Fang Weian. This man was alone, entering the enemy camp, and asking for death alone.
Fang Weian came here with the intention of dying.
Qin Chengxiu put his hands behind his back, his eyes as deep as an ancient well, and his voice was also deep: "Fang Weian, since you dare to come, I will give you a chance. What do you want to say?"
Fang Weian raised his head, his eyes filled with a suppressed clarity. He still said, "Weian has broken his promise to Your Majesty. I will sacrifice my life in exchange for Lord Lu's."
No excuses, no pleas for forgiveness—he came to pay with his life.
Lu Bingzhao came in again. After just a few steps, the Qi sea of this Wuzong, who was recognized as one of the top three in the world at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Qianlong period, was in chaos.
He seemed to be completely unable to accept this kind of thing. The next moment, Lu Bingzhao kicked Fang Weian to the ground.
Lu Bingzhao was furious: "You son of a bitch!! How dare you, a beast, kneel here hypocritically?! What the hell is your life worth?!!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already drawn his sword.
In just a moment, Qin Chengxiu grabbed Lu Bingzhao's wrist.
Qin Chengxiu didn't yell at him, nor did he scold him. Instead, he spoke soothingly, his tone terrifyingly calm: "He came here to die. What's the point of killing him?"
Lu Bingzhao's voice was almost broken, and his whole body seemed to be stretched to the limit: "Chengxu - Hengyu has stitches on his neck -"
The iron-blooded veteran who had conquered the eleven states of Jingxi with a single halberd seemed on the verge of tears: "It's the edge of the knife..."
Lu Bingzhao grabbed Qin Chengxiu's sleeve with his backhand: "They cut off Hengyu's head, and they dared to send the body back openly."
"Cheng Xu—kill him—"
The young man's eyes turned red: "Kill them all—"
Lu Bingzhao did not call him "Your Majesty", he called him "Cheng Xu". He did not care about the overall situation, he wanted blood debt to be repaid with blood.
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