Chapter 83 Mission
Prince Nanxun calmed down and said earnestly, "Father, I am unwilling to hand over my third brother, but the country is in crisis now. I should not consider my own safety but the overall situation first!"
He turned to look at Lu Yan and said sadly, "Third brother, you must be willing to go, right?"
Lu Yan nodded honestly: "Well, I don't want to."
King Nanxun: “…”
Lu Yan was a man without morals, so the King of Nanxun had no way to hold him hostage. Besides, if he was handed over, wouldn't that mean he had admitted defeat before the fight even started? Not to mention the Emperor, any minister with some integrity in the court would not agree to this.
Prince Fengling is a bit of a scoundrel, and it's worse to raise a stick than to raise him. But he is also a member of the fairy royal family and represents the face of a country. How can we just give him away?
The next morning at court, the ministers quarreled over this matter.
"A soldier can be killed but not humiliated! Wu Yun and Dong Li rebelled, so they can forget it. But they dared to humiliate us with such conditions. Your Majesty, I am willing to lead 300,000 troops to fight!"
He Jianshuang was the first to step out, his heroic face full of anger. The Minister of Revenue was calculating in his mind, and finally shook his head: "General He, last year's Weihe River flood caused countless casualties. The court allocated funds for relief, and the treasury is empty. We also have to prepare for this year's snow disaster. If we force a fight, I'm afraid we won't be able to afford the food and fodder for these 300,000 people."
He Jianshuang became even angrier and grabbed his collar, almost starting a fight: "My country is so big and mighty, can't we even provide enough food and fodder for just 300,000 people?!"
The old Minister of Finance was threatened by him by the collar, spitting and cursing: "Only 300,000 people! General He, do you know how much food and grass these 300,000 people eat in a month? There are tens of thousands of war horses consumed every year, not to mention the armor, weapons, and herbs! I wish I could spend every penny I have! The rebels have a total of one million soldiers and horses. General He, even if you are a martial arts master, how can 300,000 people fight against one million people?!"
He Jianshuang was so angry that his lips trembled. After trembling for a long time, he finally uttered one sentence: "Incompetent coward!"
The emperor sat at the top and watched his ministers arguing, his brows furrowed. Finally, he couldn't help but slapped the table with his palm, and said angrily: "Enough, I called you here to discuss countermeasures, not to watch you quarrel. Now the rebels have reached the border of Longxia Road, quickly come up with a plan!"
Seeing the emperor's anger, the ministers began to think hard. Finally, the right prime minister came out and said, "Now the country is short of strength, and we cannot go out to fight. Otherwise, the loss of labor and money is a small matter, but the loss of the country is a big matter. It is better to send envoys to negotiate peace and withdraw the troops. No matter what they want, cities, food, gold, silver and beauties, we should agree to it for the time being and make plans when the Xianling country recovers."
This method is shameless, but it has to be said to be the most effective.
The emperor asked without being able to hear the emotion: "In your opinion, who should be sent?"
The court was now in complete silence, no longer as lively as before. Being a lobbyist in another country requires not only good words but also a smart mind. If you mess up, it's a small matter, but losing your life is a big deal.
The Emperor asked again in a deep voice: "Who dares to go?!"
The ministers looked at each other and shook their heads secretly.
Just when the emperor was on the verge of a rage, he suddenly heard a solemn male voice: "Father, I am willing to go!"
Who is so desperate? !
Everyone was secretly surprised when they heard the words. They looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the person who spoke was none other than Fengling King Lu Yan. It was a rare occasion for him to attend the court today. He knelt down respectfully and said, "Father, I am willing to be an envoy and do my best to persuade the three kingdoms to withdraw their troops. Please grant me your approval!"
"No!" The Emperor refused without a second thought, "This matter is of great importance, how can you do it!"
Wu Yun and Dong Li had always regarded Lu Yan as a thorn in their side. Now sending Lu Yan on a diplomatic mission to another country would be a waste of time. He would probably be beheaded before he even reaches the battleground.
Lu Yan seemed to have made up his mind, and knelt motionlessly: "Father, please listen to me. If the nest is overturned, no egg will be left unbroken. If Xianling City is breached, I am afraid that everyone will die. We might as well try our best. Envoys represent the face of a country, so they cannot be too low-ranking. However, the senior officials in the court are all old and cannot bear the hardship of traveling. As the crown prince of Xianling, I am the most suitable person to serve as an envoy. Please grant me your permission!"
The civil and military officials on both sides were all in tears. What a good man, Prince Fengling was truly a good man. He was able to stand up and die in the face of national crisis. Just for this reason, they would never call him a fool again.
The emperor didn't want to agree at first, but he didn't expect that all the ministers came out one after another and agreed with this matter, which made it impossible for him to get off the stage. Lu Yan even knelt on the ground and said, "If your father doesn't agree, I will kneel down forever!"
The emperor thought that even if Lu Yan died here on his knees, it would be better than being beheaded in the past, so he waved his sleeves coldly and said, "Kneel if you like, and leave the court! We will discuss this matter later!"
He was a father and there was no way he would watch his own son go to his death. Moreover, he did not think that Lu Yan could make the Three Kingdoms withdraw their troops.
The emperor was exhausted when he returned to his bedroom. The imperial physician gave him an injection and prescribed a detoxifying soup. He fell into a deep sleep without even having lunch. When he woke up, it was almost evening.
The Emperor was looking at the dusk outside the window, speechless for a moment. When Eunuch She came in holding his outer robe, he asked in a hoarse voice, "Has the third son gone home?"
Eunuch She stepped forward and said softly, "Yes, Prince Fengling left after kneeling for half an hour. It's cold today, and I'm afraid he can't stand kneeling on the ground for too long."
The Emperor seemed to sneer: "This is what he meant by kneeling for a long time and not getting up. I thought he was very courageous."
Eunuch She advised: "Prince Fengling is also filial and does not want to make you angry."
The emperor closed his eyes, as if recalling some past events, and said to himself: "I am both a king and a father. How can I watch my own flesh and blood die? I couldn't bear to kill the second son for treason, let alone him..."
Eunuch She didn't know how to respond to this and could only remain silent.
In the eyes of others, Lu Yan gave up too quickly. After all, he should have knelt for a day and a night. It would not be shameful even if he was rejected by the Emperor. However, who would have thought that he only knelt for half an hour and then patted his butt and walked away neatly. It was really shocking.
Did Lu Yan give up?
Of course not. He just changed his plan decisively after he was sure that the emperor would not give in. After all, kneeling down would do no good except to make his knees useless. It would be better to make plans early.
That night, when the guards on the city wall were changing shifts, they suddenly saw a group of people rushing towards them. The leading general immediately became alert and stepped forward to stop them. After all, ever since the hostage escaped, the guards at the city gates had become more strict than before.
"The time for locking the city gates has passed. No one is allowed to leave the capital without an imperial decree. Who is ahead? Get off your horse immediately!"
The leading man was dressed in black and riding a handsome white horse. He pulled the reins when he heard the words, raised his hand and took off the brim of his hat, revealing a handsome face that looked particularly familiar: "The king has to leave the capital for important matters, open the city gates quickly!"
"It turns out to be His Royal Highness King Fengling!"
The general saluted hastily, and glanced behind him hesitantly, only to see fifty Golden Crow Guards following behind on horseback, looking so majestic and majestic that he didn't know what they were going to do.
"May I ask, Your Majesty, is there something important that has you leaving the capital so late at night?"
The generals did not dare to stop him, because everyone knew that King Fengling was the most favored. When Lu Yan was stabbed in the suburbs and fell into a coma, the emperor had implicated countless people in order to track down the murderer. He still felt scared when he thought about it now.
Lu Yan took out a golden token from his waist, which was engraved with ancient patterns. "I have been ordered by the Emperor to leave the capital for an important matter. You should open the city gates quickly. Otherwise, none of you can afford to delay the opportunity!"
The general still didn't dare to let him go: "Your Majesty, His Majesty has ordered that you must have his handwritten order to leave the city. I'm afraid you can't leave with just your badge. How about..."
Before he finished speaking, a sharp sword suddenly appeared on his neck. An old man following Lu Yan said, "Even without His Majesty's order, don't you recognize the face of King Fengling? If you don't open the city gate, you will be the ones to suffer when a fight breaks out!"
His voice was hoarse and sounded soft, as if he was a eunuch. He immediately ordered the Jinwu Guards behind him to open the city gate. The guards wanted to stop them but did not dare to. They could only watch as a group of people rode out of the city.
In the midsummer countryside, there is a vast expanse of green.
Lu Yan led his men to ride along the path, avoiding the Dragon Gorge Road where the battle was taking place, and headed straight for Tianshui. The cold wind of the night blew across his face, but he did not even feel the pain. His mind was full of thoughts of going faster and faster. Not only was the Emperor waiting for medicine to save his life, but the immortals were also waiting for it.
The letter sent by the Three Kingdoms stated that if Xianling did not surrender, war would begin in ten days. Lu Yan had very little time left, so he chose Tianshui, which was closest to Xianling, as his first target.
Whoever makes Gongsun Wuyou soft-hearted will be the first to be dealt with.
Eunuch He rode his horse behind Lu Yan, his voice a little blurred by the wind, and he could hardly hide his worry: "Your Highness, we are now deep in the tiger's den. Isn't it too risky for us to bring only so many people with us?"
Lu Yan lashed out with his whip fiercely and said, "This matter should not be publicized. When we get to the post station, we should disguise ourselves as passing merchants and wait until we enter the Tianshui Imperial City. Otherwise, if Wu Yun and Dong Li find out, we will be in trouble!"
Although the path that Lu Yan took was a bit rugged, it saved a lot of time. They traveled day and night, traveling by land and water, and finally arrived at Wuyou City, the capital of Tianshui Kingdom, on the eighth day.
Although Lu Yan and his party were covered in dust, they still looked noble. When they entered the city, they were stared at by many people. The guard at the city gate looked at the fake identity document for a long time and asked suspiciously, "Where are you from? Why don't you look like people from Tianshui?"
The people of Tianshui were simple and honest, and most of them were good at farming and weaving. Only the nobles could practice swordsmanship, and their customs were completely different from those of the immortals. Although Lu Yan and his people were dressed in ordinary clothes, they all wore swords and looked very imposing, so they were particularly eye-catching.
Lu Yan smiled and stopped Eunuch He who was about to speak: "I am from an unknown sect in the Jianghu. I have no fixed place to live, so I can't tell where I came from. It happened to be a time of turmoil, so I was ordered by my master to lead my fellow disciples down the mountain to travel. I heard that the land is vast and the people are simple and honest, so I came here to see the local customs and habits. I hope that Master Jun will help me."
They all came from the palace, with fair skin without any shadows from wind or sun. It is not likely that they would pretend to be farmers or merchants. Besides, they cannot let go of their long swords, so the only identity that suits them is that of a martial arts sect.
It is said that the people of Tianshui are simple and honest. The city gate guards not only did not doubt what they said, but also looked at the long swords on their waists with envy. After all, there are not many swordsmen in Tianshui, and their status is very high: "Is that so? Seeing that you have good martial arts skills, why do you have to stay in the mountains? If you serve the court, you may be able to be appointed as a high official."
Lu Yan took the disc that was returned to him, secretly slipped a silver ingot into it, and said, "Thank you for your advice, Mr. Jun."
When they entered the Worry-Free City, they found it very different from the scene outside the city. The street stalls were full of stalls selling seasonal flowers, silk fabrics, various gemstones, and rare medicinal herbs. There was an endless stream of pedestrians, women wearing flowers in their hair and men waving fans, all in a happy and harmonious atmosphere.
Eunuch He picked up a piece of raw jade from the stall and couldn't help but sigh: "It is said that Tianshui is rich and has a mountain of treasures. It is true. The quality of this piece of jade is good enough to be sent to the palace. I didn't expect to see it everywhere on the street."
Lu Yan took off the water bag from his waist and took a sip: "Everyone has their own fate, don't be jealous of others. Fairies are good at martial arts, and there are treasures in the water. How can one person have all the good things?"
Eunuch He nodded and put the stone back. "My lord, you are right. It is me who is stupid. Now that we are in Wuyou City, shall we..."
His intention was to go to the palace to meet the emperor as soon as possible and persuade him to withdraw the troops.
Lu Yan said, "No hurry, let's find an inn to rest for a night and get some rest first."
They hadn't slept for several days, relying entirely on their inner strength to hold on. Even a strong man couldn't endure it. Besides, it was already afternoon, so it wasn't appropriate to enter the palace.
This time, Lu Yan brought enough money with him and went straight to the largest inn in the city. He asked for thirty upper rooms and also ordered fifteen tables of food and wine in the lobby on the first floor. It can be said that he was extravagant.
They sat on the first floor to eat, the four of them sitting around a table, ignoring the stares and glances from the people around them. Lu Yan saw the vigilance of Eunuch He and said with a smile: "It's okay, we have already sneaked into the city, even if we are discovered, it's no big deal, just eat and drink well."
When Eunuch He heard this, he was about to agree when he suddenly heard a fight outside. Passersby gathered together to watch the excitement and asked the waiter, "What happened outside? It sounds like someone is fighting?"
The waiter said, "Hey, it's probably the Prince of Jia and the young master of the Duke of Huai who are fighting. They can't stand each other, so they fight on the street every few days. If you have nothing to do, you can go and see the excitement."
He is quite funny.
Lu Yan smiled and said, "The fight was so fierce, won't the city patrol officer care?"
The waiter said, "The government wants to intervene, but unfortunately no one dares. Prince Jia is the cousin of the current crown prince, and Duke Huai is a senior official who has served three dynasties. Who would dare to make things difficult for them?"
Lu Yan paused for a moment when he heard this: "Crown Prince? Who?"
The waiter said as a matter of course: "You are probably from another place. There is only one crown prince in this dynasty. Who else could it be? It must be Crown Prince Wuyou."
Lu Yan was quite puzzled: "I heard last year that your emperor was seriously ill, why hasn't the crown prince ascended the throne yet?"
This was a bit taboo, so the waiter looked around and saw that no one was paying attention, so he said, "Hey, the king is seriously ill, but it's a mental illness. With the return of Prince Wuyou, he will be almost well. Plus, with the help of the medical supplies, I'm afraid he still has a few more decades to live."
Lu Yan choked for a moment: "So that's how it is."
Now that’s great, everyone else’s father can be saved, but his father is still poisoned.
Lu Yan pondered over what Xiao Er had just said. He suddenly remembered something and winked at Eunuch He: "Let's go out and take a look."
Two groups of people were confronting each other on the street. On one side was a handsome young man with a yellow belt around his waist, most likely Gongsun Wuyou's cousin, Prince Jia. On the other side was a sturdy young man with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, he was the eldest son of the Huaiguo family.
The two of them each brought a few servants with them, and the atmosphere was tense, but it seemed that Prince Jia was more angry: "Xu Wenda! How dare you pry away the master that I worked so hard to find? If you don't hand him over today, I will demolish the gate of your Huaiguo Mansion!"
Prince Xu, however, did not take it seriously, and his words were full of sarcasm: "Gongsun Jia, I know that you are on good terms with the crown prince, but he has not yet ascended the throne. My father is a veteran of three dynasties. Who gave you the courage to demolish my family's gate? You can't keep your master because you are mediocre. Look for the reasons in yourself and don't blame others!"
King Jiajun was even more angry: "You are looking for death!"
They started fighting as soon as they had a disagreement, causing the stalls around them to fall to the ground. In the end, it was the servants on Master Xu's side who were more skilled. One of them hit Prince Jia in the chest, and the latter immediately flew out like a kite with a cut string, causing a burst of shouts of surprise.
Just when everyone thought that Prince Jia was going to fall flat on his face, a black figure suddenly flew into the air, quickly grabbed Prince Jia's waist, and floated back to the ground, as nimble and agile as a swallow.
"Harmony is the most precious virtue among men. Why do you have to be so angry? It would be bad if it hurts lives."
The man in black who was speaking was one of the most handsome men in the world. His voice was neither fast nor slow, and he was exceptionally calm. He held a snow-blue long sword, with a divine beast Jiaozi carved on the scabbard. He had a dragon eye-sized devil-made ball tied around his waist, but nothing else. It was hard to tell whether he was rich or poor.
Prince Xu narrowed his eyes and said, "Are you the helper invited by Gongsun Jia?!"
Lu Yan smiled and said, "Since I saved him, it counts as such."
Xu Shizi sneered: "Good boy, how dare you meddle in my business without knowing whether you will live or die? Come on, teach him a lesson!"
As soon as he finished speaking, five servants attacked. Lu Yan pushed Prince Jia out of the battle circle with a palm and flew directly to meet them. He didn't even draw his sword, his movements were as fast as lightning. In less than twenty moves, all the servants were knocked to the ground, and they lay on the ground crying out in pain.
Prince Xu was suddenly shocked. He had no idea that such a powerful person had appeared in Wuyou City. His expression changed several times, and finally he bowed to Lu Yan and said, "I don't know your name. I am sorry for offending you today."
According to Lu Yan, these servants only learned three-legged cat kung fu, which was far inferior to the fighting between masters before the International Banquet. He turned his hand and hid the long sword behind him, without any anger: "People from the mountains and fields, their names are not worth mentioning, but you two fighting in the street will not only affect the livelihood of the people, but also hurt yourselves. How about giving me a face and going my separate ways?"
Prince Xu thought that this person had good kung fu skills. Since he was unwilling to give his name, he could not force him to ask. It seemed that he could only ask in private. He forced a smile and said, "Since you said so, I will give you a favor and leave now."
Prince Xu was also a man of action. He waved his hand after he finished speaking and left with his servants. The people who were watching all around also left in twos and threes when they saw that there was nothing exciting to watch. Lu Yan was about to return to the inn when he heard a voice suddenly shouting from behind him: "Benefactor!"
Prince Jia finally came back to his senses from the life-and-death situation. He covered his chest and walked quickly forward, looking at Lu Yan with eyes full of sparkling light: "My benefactor, thank you for your help just now, otherwise I would have been disabled if not dead! I wonder if I can prepare a banquet at home to thank you for saving my life?"
Lu Yan said: "It's just a small effort, no need to worry, I have friends waiting for me, I'm afraid it's not very convenient."
Prince Jia subconsciously glanced at the inn and found that there were dozens of men with swords sitting inside. He was slightly shocked: "Where did you come from, benefactor? You don't look like a native of Tianshui."
Lu Yan smiled slightly and said, "I came from the south, and I am here to take you down the mountain to travel on the orders of my master."
Prince Jia was even more delighted: "So you are a martial arts hero. I love to hear martial arts stories the most in my life. This inn is so shabby, isn't it unfair to you all? You must come with me to my house for a meal."
His tone was earnest, as if he would not leave unless Lu Yan agreed. In addition, Lu Yan intended to enter the palace through him, so after pretending to refuse several times, he finally agreed.
"Your swordsmanship is so impressive. If you were to go out into the martial arts world, you would be buried. I would rather introduce you to the crown prince. It will be no problem for you to be made a marquis or a prime minister in the future."
Prince Jia is Gongsun Wuyou's cousin, and gets along very well with the Crown Prince both openly and secretly. Now that he has seen such a talented person, there is no reason not to recommend him.
Lu Yan couldn't resist Prince Jia's pleading to stay today, and moved into the Prince's Mansion with Eunuch He. As the night deepened, the other party didn't seem sleepy at all and kept talking to him about this and that.
Lu Yan sat at the table, polishing his sword with his head down. The blade shone with cold light, and it was obvious that it was not an ordinary weapon. "Your Highness is polite, but I am used to traveling in the mountains and will leave Tianshui the day after tomorrow. I really have no interest in the affairs of the court."
Prince Jia was anxious: "The day after tomorrow? So soon?"
He advised earnestly, "My benefactor, the four nations are at war now, and the world is in turmoil. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is wise and will not let you go to waste. How about this? I will bring you to the palace tomorrow to introduce you to the Crown Prince, and you will understand when you meet him."
Lu Yan seemed a little embarrassed when he heard this. He lowered his head and fell into deep thought. For a while, only the crackling sound of the candlelight could be heard in the room. After a while, he said, "Okay, let's meet."
Prince Jia finally smiled and said, "I haven't had time to ask you your name, benefactor?"
Lu Yan sheathed his sword and slowly uttered three words: "Chen Yingqi."
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