Chapter 79: The Choice of the Tribute Ceremony

He Lingchuan asked, surprised, "What does this have to do with Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu? Why did they come to seize the Dafang Pot?"

He Chunhua interjected, "Sun Fuping conspired with the Grand Marshal in rebellion. Afterward, the King personally stripped him of his position as National Teacher, which is why he never used the Sheji Order in Panlong Desert. As for the Prefect of Xunzhou, he was originally part of the Grand Marshal's faction and they had a deep private connection. However, he has remained inactive and has not openly rebelled yet. My guess is that if Nian Songyu could retrieve the Dafang Pot for him, it would be a formidable bargaining chip, allowing him to side with whomever he pleased."

Sun Fuping, shrewd as he was, chose the wrong side this time, a mistake that cost him his life in Panlong City.

In struggles for power, one step wrong can be fatal.

He Yue calmly stated, "The grand main battlefields are in the north and central regions. Blackwater City and Panlong Desert are merely small ripples caught up in it."

He Chunhua and his eldest son exchanged glances.

Their thrilling, near-death adventure seemed insignificant in the eyes of those who planned grand strategies.

He Lingchuan searched his memory for a moment, then gave up. His original self had only cared for eating, drinking, and entertainment, with absolutely no concept of national affairs. He barely remembered the influential figures his second brother mentioned.

Lady Ying, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke, "So, there was no gain from the trip to Panlong City? And many lives were lost besides."

She rarely participated in discussions about state affairs among the men, but He Chunhua and his son had barely escaped with their lives, taking two hundred men and returning with only dozens.

They had returned empty-handed, and the deceased still required compensation. Was her husband's adventure truly not worthwhile?

He Chunhua laughed heartily upon hearing this. "My dear, that's not how you tally the accounts!"

"Although we didn't get the Dafang Pot, we eliminated Nian Songyu and Sun Fuping. That's the greatest achievement of this trip!" He grabbed a full cup of wine and downed it in one gulp. "Sun Fuping was one of the primary instigators of this rebellion, regarded by the royal court as a grave threat. By killing him, I have resolved a great worry for the King and boosted military morale. This is a significant merit."

He Yue added, "Sun Fuping served as National Teacher for many years, knew countless secrets, and was deeply cunning and powerful in his cultivation. His attempt to seize the Dafang Pot in Panlong City, whether to aid the Grand Marshal or defect to someone else, made him deeply feared by the royal court. By eliminating this future trouble for Great Yuan, we have effectively joined the great war against the rebellion, and we might even be rewarded for our contributions afterward."

He Lingchuan chuckled, "Killing Sun Fuping was for the country's sake, and killing Nian Songyu was to remove a potential threat for our second brother. If we had died in the desert, he would surely have come after you."

Lady Ying asked curiously, "What business would he have with Yue'er?"

He Yue's face paled, displeased. "Don't listen to my elder brother's nonsense. However, since the Prefect of Xunzhou didn't get the Dafang Pot and lost a son, I wonder what his next move will be."

He Chunhua sneered, "I've been thinking on the road how to explain the deaths of Sun and Nian to the royal court, but it turns out I worried needlessly. Tomorrow, I will submit the news that the Prefect of Xunzhou and Sun Fuping conspired for the Dafang Pot to the royal court. From now on, he'll be too busy to bother me."

He Lingchuan recalled his father's worried expression during the past ten-plus days of desert travel, and now seeing his animated face with a hint of grim satisfaction, he knew his father had finally let go of the regret of missing out on the Dafang Pot.

He Chunhua asked He Yue, "Let me test you: if news of Nian Songyu's and Sun Fuping's deaths reaches Xunzhou, how will General Nian Zanli of the North-Suppressing Army act?"

He Lingchuan protested, "Father, why don't you ask for my opinion?"

"Then you tell me."

"Rebel," He Lingchuan smiled. "Pleading his case won't help. Besides rebelling, he has no other choice."

Prefect Nian Zanli of Xunzhou was already in cahoots with the Grand Marshal, but he wasn't present when the Grand Marshal rebelled, and afterward, he kept his troops hidden. While others didn't know his intentions, the royal court was certainly dissatisfied: not deploying troops against the Grand Marshal showed disloyalty.

Now that news of Nian Songyu and Sun Fuping conspiring for the Dafang Pot was out, the Prefect of Xunzhou was truly in a helpless situation; no matter how he pleaded, the royal court wouldn't believe him. Moreover, he had already harbored ill intentions.

Wasn't this just forcing him to rebel?

"Not necessarily. Nian Zanli still has other options," He Yue countered. "Besides rebelling with the Grand Marshal, he could also defect to the northern demon kingdom!"

He Lingchuan was stunned. "He's called the General of the North-Suppressing Army, hasn't he fought many battles against the demon kingdom?"

It seemed he really should find an opportunity to catch up on this knowledge.

"Actually, the Nian family has managed the northern territories quite well," He Yue said. "After Father came to Qiansong Commandery, he also fought against foreign enemies every few days, for ten years straight. But look, now our border trade is very prosperous, and we have good relations with many countries."

"That's because there's a Panlong Desert between us and the foreign enemies. As long as we hold Blackwater City, they can't get in..." He Lingchuan chuckled, "Alright, alright, I know what you're trying to say: Nian Zanli might surrender to the northern demon kingdom."

"Then his act of submission to the northern demon kingdom would be Xunzhou, which is under his jurisdiction," He Yue said to He Chunhua, serious. "In the end, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage, because the northern demon kingdom would still appoint him to continue as governor of the province. Using surrendered generals in surrendered provinces is an ancient practice."

"So, he only has these two choices now: follow the Grand Marshal, or defect to the northern demon kingdom," He Chunhua mused. "Although the Grand Marshal has suffered recent defeats, his foundation is strong. With the added support of the Prefect of Xunzhou, the domestic chaos might never end. If he defects north, the northern demon kingdom would certainly be pleased. They'd gain another province without shedding a drop of blood, and Xunzhou is strategically vital. Once occupied by the demon kingdom, vast plains and fertile lands lie beyond, easy to attack and difficult to defend."

"In other words, no matter what the Prefect of Xunzhou does next, it will be a severe, bloody cut for Great Yuan," He Lingchuan stretched. "If I were the King, I'd rather maintain the status quo."

He Chunhua frowned upon hearing this.

He Lingchuan wiped his mouth, about to leave his seat, when he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, by the way, Father, Sun Fuping's staff isn't responding. Do you have a user manual for it?"

After losing its master, the beast-head staff had reverted to the form of a vajra, remaining silent no matter how he tried to activate it with true energy.

"That staff isn't really suited for you. Why not sell it?"

Lady Ying also spoke, "After this adventure, there are many more expenses. Not to mention anything else, think how much silver it will cost just to pay out compensations! It's better to sell it for money to make up the deficit."

He Lingchuan crossed his arms over his chest. "This was my reward for saving dozens of lives, given to me personally by Father. How could you ask for it back?"

Were they trying to trick him? Family compensations were paid from public funds, not from the He residence's pockets.

He Chunhua thoughtfully pulled a booklet from his robe, flipped through it, and tore off a page for him. "Here, the instructions for using that staff are all written on it."