Prince Xi of Yan knew that Er Niu's words were true; if this matter was not resolved immediately, Ji City would face annihilation. He hurriedly said, "General, you misunderstand. This matter still needs to be thoroughly investigated. If it was indeed the work of Crown Prince Dan, I will show no mercy!"
These words immediately caused an uproar on the city wall. The court officials who had come with Prince Xi of Yan seemed to be whispering among themselves, but in reality, they were reminding Prince Xi to prioritize the country and its people.
"Lingshou and Raocheng have fallen, and the Qin army can advance unimpeded and take our Yan capital at any time. In this regard, whether Prince Dan is the mastermind or not is no longer important."
"Although this method is somewhat cruel, sacrificing Crown Prince Dan... it is indeed the best method at present. The survival of the country is more important than anything else. Otherwise, under the iron hooves of the Qin army, there will only be death."
King Xi of Yan frowned, his heart churning with turbulent emotions and countless thoughts. Gazing at the black-armored army outside the city, their faces contorted with arrogance, he seemed to see the approaching Qin army, and the inner conflict and struggle intensified.
"Family and country...father and son, how can I choose?" Prince Xi of Yan murmured to himself, his gaze falling on the face of Crown Prince Dan beside him, as if searching for an answer.
Prince Dan was his blood relative, but he was not only a father, but also the ruler of a country, bearing the lives of millions of Yan people on his shoulders. In the traditional sense, the ruler comes first and the father comes second.
Just then, Crown Prince Dan slowly spoke, his gaze firm and his voice resounding and deep: "Father, the affairs of the nation and the world are of utmost importance. Then let me go out of the city to face him. In exchange for the peace of my Yan Kingdom, it will not be a loss."
Upon hearing this, a flicker of wild joy flashed in Prince Xi's eyes, followed by an expression of extreme pain and inner conflict on his face. "My son...you...alas...it's all my fault..." Prince Xi's voice choked with emotion, tears welling in his eyes.
Crown Prince Dan smiled calmly and walked steadily toward the edge of the city wall, saying slowly, "Father, there is no need to blame yourself. It is worth it no matter how you look at it, to save the safety of the Yan Kingdom with my life."
"However, Father! We must be wary of the Qin state's wolfish ambitions. We must never forget the humiliation of today. We should strive to strengthen our nation and govern diligently so that we may avenge our son in the future."
He remained calm and composed. It was indeed he who had carried out the assassination. He had planned this whole thing only to eliminate the wicked man, the vicious tiger of Qin.
He knew that the wicked husband was incredibly powerful. If he could kill him, all the better. If not, he would kill the queen to sow discord between Ying Zheng and one of the wicked husband's ministers. At that time, the Qin state's fierce and vigorous advance would inevitably be thwarted.
Who would have thought that the wicked husband and the Black Dragon Armored Army were even more terrifying than rumored, actually managing to kill all the elite assassins they sent out. It's only natural that they're now being retaliated against.
Now, he can only pin his hopes on his own life, hoping it can awaken King Xi of Yan's vigilance and ignite the fighting spirit of the people of Yan, thus ensuring peace in the future.
Prince Xi of Yan took a deep breath, nodded emphatically, and said solemnly, "My son... I will remember what happened today."
Just as Crown Prince Dan turned to walk down the city wall and out of the city, Prince Xi of Yan quickly stepped forward, grasped his shoulder, and said with complex emotions in his eyes: "My son, if there is an afterlife, you and I... shall be father and son."
The sight of that deep father-son bond broke many hearts and moved many deeply.
Crown Prince Dan smiled warmly and looked deeply at Prince Xi of Yan. A strange look flashed in his eyes, as if he wanted to etch the face into his heart, or as if he had misread something. But he said nothing, turned around, and stepped over the city wall towards the outside of the city.
Prince Xi of Yan clearly saw that inexplicable look. He forced himself to remain calm and watched Prince Dan leave, his heart filled with mixed feelings that were difficult to describe.
Among the civil and military officials present, some were burning with anger, some wore relaxed smiles, and some... even showed a hint of respect.
"Squeak..."
The city gate slowly opened a crack, and Prince Dan strode out with his head held high, as composed as a brave warrior going to his execution. This drew admiration from the soldiers inside the city, while some gritted their teeth, wishing they could tear Erniu and the others apart.
"Gentlemen, I'm going now..." Prince Dan paused, turned around and laughed, then strode confidently toward Erniu.
Erniu's eyes were full of mockery and ridicule as he watched Prince Dan slowly walk up to him and stop. His gaze was full of threat and disdain. He didn't say anything and just stared at him.
Prince Dan was not afraid at all. He looked up to meet Er Niu's gaze, appearing equally calm and fearless.
After staring at each other in silence for several breaths, Erniu finally spoke.
“Prince Dan, everything that has happened is your doing. Let me tell you, Lingshou City has been burned down by our Qin army, and there is no survivor in the city…” Erniu’s tone was calm, but his words contained an undisguised ruthlessness as he clearly described the situation at the front.
Crown Prince Dan's expression suddenly changed drastically, his eyes trembling as if in an earthquake. "You...you...you are so ruthless...how dare you use such outrageous methods, aren't you afraid of incurring divine retribution?!"
Chun Ning sneered and said mockingly, "Divine retribution? That's nothing more than the incompetence of the weak. You don't naively think that your life is so worthless that it can buy the withdrawal of my Qin army, leaving behind vast tracts of land?"
This trip was to vent my anger, to kill him and destroy his spirit. Now that Prince Dan is like a fish on a chopping board, it's time to attack his mind.
Crown Prince Dan's expression changed several times before he finally came to his senses. He took a deep breath and roared, "You...you are untrustworthy, untrustworthy, despicable...despicable..." His curses were particularly shrill and carried far, causing Prince Xi of Yan and the others to crane their necks in surprise.
Unfortunately, due to the great distance, Prince Xi of Yan and others on the city wall could only see them talking, but did not know why they had attracted Prince Dan's attention.
Erniu snorted coldly and gestured for his soldiers to step forward: "The strong prey on the weak. Blame it on your Yan Kingdom's weakness." Before he finished speaking, the soldiers of the Black Dragon Armor Army quickly surrounded Prince Dan, intending to torture him.
Crown Prince Dan showed no fear, still stubbornly rebuking and cursing: "The morale of Yan will not be shaken by my death, and Qin's atrocities will only inspire more resistance."
A flicker of pain crossed Prince Xi of Yan's eyes as he whispered, "My son... my son..."
Seeing that the Black Dragon Armored Army soldiers had surrounded Prince Dan, Prince Xi of Yan could no longer hold back his tears. He raised his fist and pounded the city wall hard to vent his anger and pain.
Even though there is some estrangement between father and son due to their differing political views, their blood ties are still there. How could they not feel heartbroken?
Behind them, among the civil and military officials, some couldn't bear to look, some remained indifferent, and others had bloodshot eyes. The soldiers on the city wall all stared intently at the Black Dragon Armored Army, panting heavily.
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