The peace talks were to take place at the border between a desert and a grassland.
The surrounding area was filled with yellow sand and withered grass, and strong winds swept through.
The Northern Khan was extremely worried about his son.
He and the Northern Di goddess were stationed here early in the morning.
They stayed there for the entire morning.
Si Jin slowly walked over only after the sun had climbed high overhead.
Behind him followed a dozen or so attendants.
Some people were holding parasols, while others were carrying fruit platters.
Some were carrying fine wine, while others were carrying tables and chairs.
As soon as Si Jin stood still, more than a dozen people immediately arranged all the tables, chairs, plates, and cups around him.
Finally, the parasol was put up.
It shielded the spirited young man from the scorching sun.
The carefree young Emperor Tianqi stood in stark contrast to the Northern Di Khan, who was covered in sand.
Si Jin slightly raised her beautiful peach blossom eyes and asked with a smile:
"Great Khan, yellow sand flies everywhere in the northern frontier every day. You stay here all year round, why don't you know to find a place to hide?"
"There's nothing to hide from. I'm not as carefree as Your Majesty."
The Northern Khan, his face grim, cut to the chase:
"In the letter, I have already stated that I have come today to ask Your Majesty for the release of the prisoners."
"If Your Majesty will spare my son, I, the Khan, am willing to give anything in exchange."
"So readily agreed?"
Si Jin tilted her head, her face bearing her ever-present kind smile:
"Then I'll just say it directly."
"I want to increase the annual tribute from the Northern Barbarians up to the Tianqi Emperor by another 50%."
Upon hearing this, the goddess of the Northern Barbarians immediately frowned.
Since the last defeat, the annual tribute demanded by Tianqi has been astronomical.
Now they want to increase it by another 50%.
Are we driving them to their doom?
She clenched her fists, her sharp nails digging deep into her flesh, and glared resentfully at the apocalyptic king who "talked without understanding the situation."
Just as he was about to refuse, he was stopped by the Khan of the Northern Barbarians.
The Northern Khan stared at Si Jin with a sinister look.
His dark eyes seemed to be looking at a dying man.
Gritting his teeth, he said:
"Okay, here you go."
"I also order the Northern Barbarians to withdraw 100 li beyond Jiayuguan. From now on, the Northern Barbarians shall not set foot in Tianqi territory unless absolutely necessary."
The killing intent in the eyes of the Northern Khan intensified.
"Can."
"I also want you to drag out Yun Munian, who has defected to you, and execute her by slow slicing in public."
Compared to the first two conditions, this one is the easiest to complete.
A two-faced person like Yun Munian would be disliked by everyone, regardless of which camp he's on.
The Khan of the Northern Barbarians quickly agreed and ordered the executioner to bring Yun Munian out of the Northern Barbarian Goddess's palace, tie her up, and place her in front of Si Jin.
In front of the envoys of both countries, he was publicly executed by slow slicing.
In order to speed up the execution by slow slicing and see his son sooner.
The Northern Khan ordered seven executioners to surround Yun Munian and strike him down together.
Pieces of raw flesh were sliced off his body.
Yun Mu Nian was in so much pain that she almost fainted.
The intense pain accelerated the flow of blood in his body.
The implanted worms were affected.
It began to break free from its original position and surge wildly through his veins.
Countless times, Yun Munian fainted, only to be tormented awake by immense pain.
He couldn't help but burst into a tirade of curses.
He cursed Si Jin, Gu Linyuan, and even the Northern Di goddess and the Northern Di Khan.
However, it was to no avail.
In return, he was punished by having his tongue cut out.
Si Jin watched the bloody scene for a while and found it rather uninteresting.
He raised his hand, lazily rubbed his temples, and said with dissatisfaction:
"I have heard that the highest record of someone who survived being slowly sliced to death in history is 3,357 cuts."
Alright then, I won't make things difficult for the Great Khan.
If you can ensure that Yun Mu Nian doesn't die when you make the 3358th cut.
I will withdraw the two conditions I previously proposed and return my son to you unharmed.
Consider it a magic trick that amused me, how about that?
They treat the ruler of a country as a plaything for their own amusement.
This is a blatant insult to the king and the country!
The Khan of the Northern Barbarians was furious, but given his weakened position and the fact that his son was still in the hands of the ignorant young emperor, he had no choice but to order the executioner to watch carefully before making the cut.
Even so.
When the 1769th cut was made, Yun Munian still breathed her last.
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