After Transmigration, I Snag a Stunning Bigwig as My Husband-Chapter 485 Persuasion

Although it’s all about releasing people,

the timing of the release is crucial.

The court values its reputation highly. Capturing the King Beimo alive was such a glorious event, significantly boosting the court’s prestige. But now, the Beimo Cheng King is using military force to pressure the court into releasing him.

If they really release him, the more glorious it was before, the more disgraceful it will be now.

The Emperor regretted not listening to Marquis Dongxiang and looked at him, asking, "What should we do now?"

"Wasn’t Duke Chong the most opposed to the Emperor releasing King Beimo?" Marquis Dongxiang replied.

"Now that the Beimo Cheng King’s army is at our doorstep, I think the Emperor should ask Duke Chong for his opinion. He might have a way to preserve the court’s dignity and make the Beimo Cheng King retreat."

The Emperor’s face stiffened.

Marquis Dongxiang was deliberately provoking him.

In the entire court, only Marquis Dongxiang dared to provoke him so blatantly.

Prince Zhenbei looked at Marquis Dongxiang and said, "Marquis, this is no laughing matter."

"I’m not joking," Marquis Dongxiang said.

Previously, Marquis Dongxiang wanted the Emperor to release King Beimo. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Duke Chong thought King Beimo couldn’t be released easily.

King Beimo must bow his head and submit.

Send his daughter to Daqi for a political marriage.

If King Beimo didn’t agree, he would be locked up until he did.

Marquis Dongxiang knew King Beimo’s character.

He would rather die than bow his head and submit.

As for sending his daughter, he would never agree to it.

Exchanging his daughter for his own life would be a disgrace to live with.

Although they captured King Beimo, Marquis Dongxiang respected him as a man.

The more so, releasing him would make him less likely to wage war against Daqi again.

King Beimo was being held in the Capital.

Beimo couldn’t be without a ruler for a day, and replacing him might not be better than King Beimo.

As the new King of Beimo, he’d definitely find ways to rescue King Beimo.

Although it might not be out of genuine intent.

But King Beimo being captured was also a disgrace to Beimo.

Only by rescuing him could they wash away the disgrace.

Marquis Dongxiang knew King Beimo’s nature, and knowing it was impossible, he wouldn’t force it.

For what reason would they want someone’s daughter to marry here?

If Beimo truly intended to wage war, would they be restrained by a daughter?

But the Emperor and the ministers wanted to maintain face.

If King Beimo didn’t agree, the court wouldn’t release him.

"To really persuade King Beimo to yield and write a political marriage agreement to release him, I, with a clumsy tongue and a fiery temper, couldn’t do the persuading. Better let Duke Chong do it," Marquis Dongxiang said.

"He has a persuasive tongue and can surely preserve the court’s dignity."

Marquis Dongxiang looked entirely as if he wouldn’t bother anymore.

The Emperor knew his temperament. When he said he wouldn’t, he absolutely wouldn’t.

He looked towards Prince Zhenbei.

The Prince said nothing, and for a moment, he couldn’t think of a good solution either.

Whenever the Emperor asked, Marquis Dongxiang would throw the problem back to Duke Chong, making the Emperor furious as if his chest was flooded with anger.

After Prince Zhenbei and Marquis Dongxiang left, the Emperor grew angrier the more he thought about it.

"Summon Duke Chong to the palace for me!" the Emperor shouted angrily.

Eunuch Fu looked at the Emperor and said, "Emperor, Duke Chong is still under house arrest...."

The Emperor’s eyes cast a sidelong glance.

Eunuch Fu quickly retreated. After leaving the Imperial Study, he ordered, "Tell Duke Chong to hurry into the palace."

A little eunuch quickly went to Duke Chong’s Mansion to deliver the message.

Meanwhile, Marquis Dongxiang and Prince Zhenbei left the palace.

With no one around, the Prince looked at Marquis Dongxiang, "Has the Marquis already thought of a solution?"

Marquis Dongxiang looked at the Prince and said, "I need your cooperation."

...

At Duke Chong’s Mansion, in the study.

Duke Chong sat on the chair.

His hand tapping on the desk showed he was in a good mood.

The news that the Beimo Cheng King’s army was at the city gates, forcing the court to release people, had already reached him.

He wondered how Marquis Dongxiang and others would handle it since it wouldn’t be easy to get through this hurdle.

Raising the teacup, Duke Chong gently fiddled with it using the lid.

Knock, knock!

The door was knocked.

"Your Grace," a servant called out.

"Come in."

The servant pushed the door open and entered, "Your Grace, the Emperor summons you to the palace."

Duke Chong’s brows tightened.

Why would the Emperor summon him now?

He was still under house arrest.

But the Emperor’s summons couldn’t be ignored.

Quickly changing into his court attire, Duke Chong left the mansion and headed straight to the Imperial Study.

As soon as he entered, he received a cold stare from the Emperor, with suppressed anger in his eyes.

Duke Chong’s heart skipped a beat, understanding that nothing good would come of this.

Duke Chong stepped forward, saluted the Emperor, and said, "May I know what instructions the Emperor has for summoning this guilty minister to the palace?"

"Do you know about the border situation?" the Emperor asked.

Duke Chong hesitated for a moment and nodded.

As Duke Chong, higher than most on the court,

he couldn’t truthfully claim ignorance of such significant matters at the border, or he’d be unworthy of the title Duke Chong.

The Emperor was obviously in a foul mood, and tricking him at this moment would only invite scolding.

The Emperor heavily threw the memorial in his hand onto the Dragon Desk and said, "I don’t care what method you use, persuade King Beimo to bow and submit, marry his daughter to Daqi."

Duke Chong’s face changed.

He looked at the Emperor and said, "Emperor, I can’t persuade King Beimo."

"If I could persuade him, why would I have waited until today?" Duke Chong refused to accept this hot potato.

But the Emperor forcibly gave him this task, leaving him no choice but to accept it.

"In the court, didn’t you speak so assuredly?!" the Emperor shouted angrily.

"And now you’re telling me you can’t persuade King Beimo?!"

Duke Chong’s throat tightened.

It wasn’t just Duke Chong; other ministers opposing Marquis Dongxiang the most on the court had not been spared either, all being tasked with persuading King Beimo.

Upon leaving the Imperial Study, Duke Chong’s brows were furrowed tightly.

With the Beimo Cheng King’s army at the gate, the Emperor wasn’t in a hurry to send Marquis Dongxiang and Prince Zhenbei to the border to prevent Beimo’s attack, but instead sent him to persuade King Beimo.

He might as well remain under house arrest in the mansion.

Duke Chong went to the palace where King Beimo was held.

Despite being held in the palace, King Beimo didn’t have much freedom, confined to a single iron cage.

It was with the assistance of the Flying Tiger Army that Prince captured King Beimo alive, attesting to King Beimo’s high martial arts skills, which simple cages couldn’t contain.

Inside the iron cage, King Beimo sat with his arms crossed, eyes closed, resting.

Duke Chong walked up to the iron cage and said, "King Beimo, though fallen to a prisoner, seems you eat and sleep well enough."

"Noisy," King Beimo replied with just two words.

Duke Chong’s face turned blue.

King Beimo didn’t even lift an eyelid, let alone being persuaded by Duke Chong.

Duke Chong earnestly tried persuading for a long time, to which King Beimo simply replied, "Are you done?"

"If you’re done, then get lost and don’t disturb my sleep."

Duke Chong wanted to whip him dozens of times, never having seen a prisoner so arrogant.

King Beimo glanced at Duke Chong and said, "You’re far from your elder brother, the Heir of Duke Xian."

One sentence successfully provoked Duke Chong’s anger to an unprecedented degree.

Alive, he was suppressed by him until he couldn’t breathe.

Dead, he still lived under his shadow.

This was Duke Chong’s pain, and no one was allowed to mention it.

"Looks like you’ve tired of living!" Duke Chong’s face turned as cold as frost.

King Beimo laughed coldly, "Being captured by you, I never intended to leave alive, give me a clean death if you have the guts!"