Chapter 324 Water Breaks, Labor Begins
With the two countries making peace and the war coming to an end, most of the northern refugees fled south, and the number of beggars on the streets of Sweet Potato Town increased.
On their way south, they encountered robbers and lost all their valuables. They eventually made their way to Panyu Town.
The contents of the peace agreement between the two countries also spread. Da Jing demanded a huge indemnity from the court: ten million ingots of gold, twenty million ingots of silver, and ten million bolts of silk. It also demanded the cession of three important northern towns, including Dingzhou. Ceding them would be tantamount to opening the gates wide.
The imperial court agreed; what could they do if they didn't?
The three important towns have been occupied by the Da Jing.
The land loss is acceptable, but the silver loss is more than the combined wealth of the entire capital. Moreover, the national treasury had been looted by thieves, and the country had only temporarily weathered the crisis by confiscating property. Taxes in the Jiangnan region had been collected for five years.
We can't afford to pay the compensation.
They sent another envoy to negotiate with the Da Jing, who proposed that women could be used as payment for silver.
Among them were several princesses, noblewomen, and county princesses who were renowned throughout the land for their beauty and talent.
Dozens of them are already married and have become mothers.
Yun Zhaoxue was among them, ranking third, and worth a thousand gold pieces.
In order to protect the capital and his throne, the dog emperor immediately agreed to the humiliating demands of the Great Jing Dynasty.
The princesses refused and hanged themselves at home, so they had their maids take their place.
He ordered people to search everywhere for women, capture them, and send them all there. He also sent a letter with urgent delivery to the south, instructing the magistrate of Panyu County to send Yun Zhaoxue to the capital.
Xiao Xuance received the news faster than the court officials. According to their spies, Yun Zhaoxue, whose name was specially added by Wanyan Zonglie, was worth a thousand taels of gold, while a princess was worth a thousand taels of silver—ten times the amount, equivalent to ten princesses. The court issued three orders in succession.
They ordered their men to travel south from the east, west, and central routes respectively, to take Yun Zhaoxue away.
Shamefully, the children in her womb were each worth a thousand taels of silver.
Wanyan Zonglie didn't want her child to become a father unintentionally, but rather to restrain the Xiao family army and prevent Xiao Xuance from regaining control of the army, thus stopping their cavalry from advancing south.
Upon learning the news, Zhuiying was so enraged that he wanted to kill someone and wished he could immediately ride north to kill Wanyan Zonglie.
He clenched his fist and slammed it into a tree beside him. "That damned beast must be trying to humiliate the young master and my Xiao family army."
He didn't know that Yun Zhaoxue and Wanyan Zonglie had any connection; he only knew that the other party had a grudge against the Xiao family.
The prince's death was inextricably linked to Wanyan Zonglie, and this debt will be settled sooner or later!
Before they could even settle accounts, the other party made such an humiliating request.
Zhu Feng and the others were also angry.
“Your Highness, the Great Jing is going too far, deliberately setting humiliating and harsh conditions. I request permission to go to Dingzhou and take Wanyan Zonglie’s head.”
"I'll go too!"
"I'll go too! Da Jing is bullying us too much! He's a eunuch and can't have children himself. He's dreaming if he tries to steal our young prince!"
Xiao Xuance clenched his fists, the veins on the back of his hands bulging, his arms trembling slightly. The bamboo tube and paper in his hand instantly turned into dust and slipped through his fingers. His eyes surged with intense hatred and murderous intent.
"Now is not the time. We should create some trouble for the people sent down by the imperial court on their journey, make them fall off their horses and break their legs or arms, or be imprisoned by mountain bandits."
Wanyan Zonglie made mistakes, but the biggest mistake was made by the man on the dragon throne. He listened to the slander of treacherous officials, which led to the death of his father, the disintegration of the Xiao family army, and gave the enemy army of the Great Jin an opportunity to take advantage of the situation, resulting in defeat and the loss of three important towns in the north.
After all, they've already come to our doorstep, yet they still harbor delusions, attempting to negotiate peace with the other side and feed those wolves in sheep's clothing and women.
Just then, a clear and melodious voice rang out.
"What happened?"
Yun Zhaoxue was half asleep when she noticed the person beside her getting up and leaving the house. She heard several angry roars coming from outside the courtyard, as if they were saying they had killed someone.
Curious about what had happened, she walked out, supporting her nine-month-old pregnant belly.
What are the conditions for peace negotiations?
"Chasing Shadow, you speak."
In a fit of anger, Zhuiying blurted everything out, "They're demanding a thousand taels of gold and two thousand taels of silver. If the silver isn't enough, they'll offer women as payment. The princess is on the list, as are two princes..."
"Shut up! You all step back!"
"Wanyan Zonglie, that despicable and shameless scoundrel!"
Far away in the courtyard of the prefect of Dingzhou.
Wanyan Zhonglie, who was sitting at the main table, was drinking wine with a beautiful woman in his arms when he suddenly sneezed, and the wine he had just drunk came out of his nostrils.
"Cough cough..." He coughed repeatedly, and his subordinates all looked at him.
One of his subordinates chuckled and joked, "Haha, is the Fourth Prince drunk?"
A nearly bald general slammed down his wine cup, glared at the man, and retorted, "Nonsense! The Fourth Prince is a master of drinking; I've never seen him drunk. He must have caught a cold."
"You're talking nonsense! The Fourth Prince is strong and powerful; he could kill a bear with one punch. How could he possibly catch a cold?"
The beauty in Wanyan Zonglie's arms used a handkerchief to wipe the wine stains from his chin.
He irritably pushed her away, snatched her handkerchief, wiped his face forcefully, and then casually threw it back at her. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that a beauty misses this prince."
Other family members came forward, removed the food from his table, and replaced it with a new batch.
"Bang!" Wanyan Zonglie slammed his fist on the table in anger. "What are you doing?"
He hadn't finished eating, and without his order, they took away his food. Were they planning a rebellion?
The servants were all Han Chinese by custom.
One of his men, a Han Chinese, was dressed in the grassland attire of Dajing, which looked rather out of place.
He said, "Marshal, you've misunderstood them. They think that the food is dirty when someone sneezes and they want to replace it with clean food. The nobles and officials of the Great Zhou are very picky about their food. They absolutely won't eat food that has been spilled with wine after someone sneezes. They want it taken away and thrown away, and replaced with a fresh and clean table of food."
"Bang! I've long heard that the Great Zhou is rich and extravagant, and it turns out it's all true. Isn't a thousand taels of gold and silver too little? Let's see if they dare to waste food like this again."
Resources are scarce on the grasslands; they are lucky if they have anything to eat. If something falls on the ground, they have to pick it up and eat it with their hands.
Meanwhile, after hearing from Zhuiying that Yan Zonglie had specifically asked for the two children in her womb, Yun Zhaoxue suddenly experienced severe contractions, her water broke, and she was about to give birth prematurely.
"Go quickly and bring the midwife and the miracle doctor over."
"yes!"
The midwives that Pei Huaiji brought were settled in the next village.
These days, those midwives haven't been idle either, helping women in the neighboring village or a nearby village give birth, practicing their skills.
Xiao Xuance carried the person into the house and then had Yang and the others call for hot water to be boiled.
Having given birth before, they had some experience and methodically boiled water, prepared hot towels and scissors.
There are also medicinal materials needed for production.
He reassured his wife, who was sweating profusely from the pain, "Xue'er, don't be nervous, the doctor and the midwife will be here soon..."
Yun Zhaoxue's delicate brows furrowed, sweat soaking her cheeks and temples. She looked pained and shook her head, saying, "It's alright, I can handle it, ouch..."
"If you're in pain, just yell it out, don't hold it in."
She gripped his hand tightly, arching her back, the veins on her pale neck gleaming faintly. "Ah..."
"Your Highness, the midwife has arrived."
"Let them in."
That night, the Xiao family's house was brightly lit day and night.
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