Chapter 65 The Conflict in the Northern Kingdom's Court
In the northern kingdom, at the Golden Horde royal court, for several days, the officials responsible for liaising with the delegation received no news from the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Neither official reports nor secret letters seemed to have reached their destination. At first, they thought it was due to delays, but as the days passed, their sense of foreboding grew stronger.
The liaison officer steeled himself and stepped back into the golden tent, collapsing to his knees with a thud, his voice trembling uncontrollably:
"Your Majesty! We still... we still can't reach the princess and Lord Wuzhu! We've tried every channel, but there's been no response at all!"
The ministers who had been discussing tribal affairs inside the royal tent fell silent instantly, and all eyes were focused on Helian Bobo, who was sitting on the wolf-skin throne.
Helian Bobo frowned deeply, his rugged face so gloomy it could drip water: "Not a single piece of news?"
“Yes…yes, Your Majesty. It’s like…it’s like they vanished into thin air…” The liaison officer’s voice trailed off.
A hot-tempered general slapped his thigh: "It must be that brat Yuwen Che's doing! He detained the princess and the envoy!"
Another more cautious senior official said worriedly, "Your Majesty, the princess mentioned in her previous secret letter that Yuwen Che seemed to have discovered our intentions and had purged the spies in the capital. Now, with this sudden and complete loss of contact, I'm afraid... I'm afraid Yuwen Che has already taken action! Does he... know about our subsequent plans?"
These words were like a thunderclap, exploding within the golden tent.
Helian Bobo abruptly stood up, his eyes flashing with suspicion and uncertainty. He knew that although his younger sister was proud, she was by no means reckless or incompetent, and Wuzhu was even more mature and prudent. Now that the two of them, along with the entire delegation, had disappeared without a trace, the only explanation was that they had completely fallen into Yuwen Che's control, and perhaps even...
He dared not think any further.
"Could it be... that within our royal court..." His sharp gaze swept across the faces of every minister in the tent, his voice icy, "that there truly are eyes of Yuwen Che?"
These words sent a chill down the spines of all the ministers. If even the royal court itself was no longer safe, then the Northern Kingdom was practically transparent to Yuwen Che!
"Your Majesty, what do we do now?" a prince asked anxiously. "The princess and the envoy are still in their hands! What if Yuwen Che uses them to blackmail us..."
Helian Bo paced restlessly before the throne. He had originally planned to use spies to disturb the unborn child of Consort Chen. If successful, this would not only strike at Yuwen Che but also create internal strife within the Great Zhou Dynasty. He could then deploy troops to the border to exert pressure and perhaps seize even greater benefits. But now, before the plan even began, it seemed to have been completely exposed, and even those who were carrying it out had been caught in the crossfire!
"Pass down the order!" Helian Bobo abruptly stopped, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "All border units, immediately enter a state of combat readiness! Keep a close eye on the movements of the surrounding armies!"
He had to prepare for the worst. Yuwen Che had detained the delegation and eliminated his spies; the next step was very likely a massive military invasion!
"Then... what about Her Highness the Princess..." the liaison officer asked cautiously.
Helian Bobo's eyes were filled with complex emotions. After a moment of silence, he gritted his teeth and said, "Keep trying to contact them! We need to see them alive or dead!"
The atmosphere inside the golden tent was extremely tense. An unprecedented sense of panic began to spread throughout the Northern Kingdom's court. For the first time, they realized with such clarity that the young Emperor of Great Zhou was far more powerful and unpredictable than they had imagined. In this game, the initiative had completely fallen into Yuwen Che's hands.
The atmosphere inside the golden tent was so heavy it was almost frozen. Helian Bobo's face was ashen as he surveyed the silent, trembling ministers below.
"Are they all mute?" His voice was low and laced with suppressed anger. "Speak! How are we supposed to deal with this situation?"
An elderly prince with white hair and beard stepped forward tremblingly: "Your Majesty, Yuwen Che's actions are by no means impulsive. He has eliminated our spies and detained the princess and envoys. This... this is a sign that he is about to completely break ties with us!"
Another minister in charge of intelligence added with a grim expression, "According to sporadic reports, there has been frequent troop movements on the Great Zhou border recently, and supplies are also being secretly gathered. Yuwen Che... is probably not bluffing."
A young, pro-war general immediately retorted: "Are we just going to admit defeat? The princess is still in their hands! To beg for peace now is no different from kneeling and begging for mercy! Our Northern cavalry has roamed the grasslands, and we have never been afraid of the Great Zhou! If they want war, then let them fight!"
"War? With what can we fight?" The old prince suddenly looked at him, his tone agitated. "Our spies have been eliminated, and we've lost all our eyes and ears! Even the royal court itself might be... might be in turmoil! The enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, how can we fight? Besides, the princess is still in their hands, we're afraid to act rashly!"
The pro-war general retorted, "Just because the princess is in their hands, are we just going to let Yuwen Che manipulate us? If we back down now, where is the dignity of our Northern Kingdom? How will we stand before the other tribes in the future?"
"Prestige? Establishment?" The old prince lamented, "If the country is gone, what use is prestige! Yuwen Che is so young, yet he can sit firmly on the throne of the Great Zhou and govern the country with an iron fist. His methods and his character are not those of a reckless person. Since he dared to do this, he must have made thorough preparations! What are our chances of winning if we hastily engage in battle?"
Another civil official stepped forward, speaking cautiously: "Your Majesty, perhaps... we could try to proactively extend goodwill? For example, publicly condemn some of the agents who acted without authorization, claiming that their actions were not Your Majesty's intention, in an attempt to ease the situation? At least... let's ensure the safety of Her Highness the Princess first?"
"De-escalation? I'm afraid Yuwen Che won't give us that chance!" The pro-war general sneered. "Since he's made his move, he's bound to take a piece of our flesh! Showing weakness now will only embolden him!"
"Then what do you suggest we do? We can't win in a fight, and we're unwilling to accept defeat. Are we just going to wait here to die?" The old prince was so angry that his beard trembled.
The two sides argued back and forth, and the golden tent was filled with noise.
"Enough!" Helian Bobo slammed his hand on the armrest of the throne and roared.
The tent fell silent instantly.
Helian Bobo's chest heaved, his eyes darting back and forth between the pro-war and pro-peace factions, his heart torn. He desperately wanted to avenge his humiliation in battle. But the old prince's words were all reasonable; Yuwen Che's preparations were clearly far more thorough than theirs. More importantly, Mingzhu was still in the enemy's hands…
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes were filled with a cold, resolute determination:
"Order all departments to intensify preparations for war. Without my order, they are strictly prohibited from crossing the border to provoke any conflict!"
This is a response to the pro-war faction.
He paused, his voice lowering, tinged with humiliation:
"At the same time... we secretly dispatched an envoy with generous gifts to the Great Zhou... to test Yuwen Che's intentions. We told him that everything before was a misunderstanding, and that the Northern Kingdom was willing to form an eternal alliance with the Great Zhou... as long as he was willing to release Mingzhu and the delegation, the conditions... could be discussed."
This is a compromise with reality.
"Your Majesty!" the pro-war general cried out unwillingly.
"No need for further words!" Helian Bobo interrupted him, his eyes fierce. "Before we figure out Yuwen Che's true strength and intentions, anyone who dares to lightly call for war and shake the morale of the army will be executed without mercy!"
He knew this was frustrating, but as the ruler of a nation, he had to consider the entire Northern Kingdom. Now, the initiative was entirely in Yuwen Che's hands, and all they could do was sharpen their claws while... praying that the other side wouldn't immediately strike a fatal blow.
In this game, the Northern Kingdom has fallen into an unprecedented passive position. Yuwen Che's next move will determine the future fate of the entire grassland.
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