Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress-Chapter 1589 - 1584: Monarch of a Fallen Nation

Xiao Rongyan’s gaze once again fell upon Ren Shijie, who stood inconspicuously below, and he spoke, "Mr. Ren, I must trouble you to make a trip. After all... you could be considered an old acquaintance of the Emperor of Zhou."

Ren Shijie knew that if the Regent Prince did not go, he would be the one sent. He stepped forward and responded, "Yes..."

"It’s a matter that shouldn’t trouble two masters, so I must trouble Mr. Ren to draft the letter of surrender," said Murong Li, addressing Ren Shijie.

"With the Emperor’s orders, I shall surely comply! It’s just that..." Ren Shijie glanced at Xiao Rongyan, then continued, "I... have some things to say privately to the Emperor and the Regent Prince."

Murong Yan nodded.

The court officials, seeing the emperor’s decision was firm and unable to offer a better solution, remained silent.

Moreover, this time Murong Li proposed first to cede land for peace, and if that didn’t work... then to pay tribute and submit.

Perhaps, the Emperor of Zhou would be magnanimous, considering that the ambush of the Emperor of Zhou was orchestrated by the King of Xiping, not ordered by the Emperor of Yan. Perhaps receiving Yan’s territory would quell his anger.

Yet... the court officials also understood that the King of Xiping was a Vassal King of Yan, and even if it was not the emperor’s order, it was still Yan that ambushed the Emperor of Zhou.

If they were to switch places, and their Emperor of Yan were ambushed by the Emperor of Zhou, they would not be able to be magnanimous.

Ren Shijie said he had things to say privately to Murong Li and Xiao Rongyan; in truth, he was going to ask them for power, as Xiao Rongyan had already discussed with Murong Li before Wang Jiuzhou brought Ren Shijie in.

Therefore, when Ren Shijie asked Murong Li to what extent he could be granted power, Murong Li was not surprised.

"Why do you ask such a thing?" Murong Li gestured to Wang Jiuzhou to offer Ren Shijie a seat.

After taking his seat, Ren Shijie saluted Murong Li and Xiao Rongyan, "Your Majesty once lived in Dadu City for a time, and you should be aware of the Bai family’s reputation. If those governing in distant Dadu—the King of Zhen, the Guardian King, and the Auxiliary King—learn of the Zhou Emperor’s attack in Yan, what would happen?"

Murong Li clenched his palm; he hadn’t considered that others, not to mention... Qin Lang’s wife, Auxiliary King Bai Jinxiu. If she knew her sister from the Bai family nearly lost her life in Yan, she’d certainly lead troops to attack Yan. As for the King of Zhen, Bai Qingyu, being Bai family’s sister’s brother, it’s even more definite.

"Based on my knowledge of the Bai family, the few vassal kings of Zhou will surely lead their troops to the border personally!" Ren Shijie looked at Xiao Rongyan, "The Prince just mentioned before the court officials that maybe, at this moment... Zhou’s heavy troops have already pressured the border. I fully agree!"

Murong Li looked earnestly at Ren Shijie, unclear about his intent, yet without hearing Ren Shijie’s further explanation, he asked, "So?"

"Ren Shijie’s meaning is if Zhou has indeed massed heavy troops at the border, they might not simply accept Yan submitting," Xiao Rongyan rotated the thumb ring on his finger.

Ren Shijie nodded repeatedly, "Exactly so, therefore... I would like to know, if Zhou demands Yan’s complete surrender, as per the earlier wagered agreement, with Yan forfeiting land and populace entirely to Zhou, can Your Majesty accept this?"

Ren Shijie knew that the Emperor of Zhou was an ambitious person. If he desired unification, he wouldn’t merely want Yan’s submission with tribute but would ask for Yan to be integrated into Zhou, just as agreed in the nation wager.

"I can accept it..." Murong Li didn’t hesitate in the slightest.

Murong Li’s prompt reply took Ren Shijie by surprise. He glanced at Xiao Rongyan, realizing that the persuasive words he had prepared for Murong Li were entirely unnecessary.

"In fact, from the beginning, when Yan, despite the alliance, backstabbed Zhou, it was doomed to lose the chance of competing for control of the world! It was also my inability to manage Yan properly that led to such errors!" Murong Li tightly grasped his imperial robe, "My father and Ninth Uncle... and my second brother and I, we all hope to witness the day of complete unification. If Zhou’s heavy troops indeed press forward to conquer Yan militarily, rather than a doomed struggle leading to soldiers’ pointless deaths and the suffering of the populace, it might be better to... surrender! As long as it can alleviate the populace’s suffering, I willingly reign as the ruler of a fallen nation!"

Murong Li thought of the King of Liang who surrendered to the Jin Kingdom for the sake of Liang... and how the Liang Prince Wei Ruxing later died in battle defending the coastal fishermen. The third prince of Liang, without fear of public reproach and eternal infamy, put the protection of the people first. As the Yan Emperor, what does reputation matter, if it means protecting the people?

Moreover, initially, the treaty between Yan and Zhou was also for the people’s sake.

Hearing Murong Li’s words, Ren Shijie was quite shaken. He didn’t expect the young emperor to have such magnanimity and rose to bow respectfully to Murong Li, "Your Majesty’s magnanimity puts me to shame! With my journey... I shall not fail Your Majesty’s trust! I will strive to secure some terms for Your Majesty!"

"Thank you, Mr. Ren, and please do set off immediately without delay! Mr. Ren currently holds no official post, merely a guest of Yan. Once you return..." Murong Li paused in what he intended to promise.

As by the time Ren Shijie returned, who knew if Yan would still exist, how could he promise an official position?

"After you return, the Emperor and I will hold a banquet to thank you," Xiao Rongyan timely interjected.

Once Ren Shijie had departed, Xiao Rongyan instructed Wang Jiuzhou to fetch fresh clothes for Murong Li. Approaching his side, he raised his hand to gently tousle Murong Li’s hair, "You’ve done well enough already, with Yan’s numerous hidden threats, maintaining the current situation is quite an achievement!"

"Ninth Uncle..." Murong Li’s tears began to fall, his heart filled with mixed emotions, feeling wronged and helpless, "If only I had heeded your words earlier, and not softened at my mother’s plea to promote my uncle, my uncle wouldn’t have sown discord and sought gain at my mother’s side. My mother wouldn’t have started suspecting you and making mistakes. Perhaps... Yan wouldn’t have met this fate!"

"If you must say that, you might as well say... if I hadn’t married the Emperor of Zhou as Xiao Rongyan, your mother wouldn’t have suspected me." Murong Yan gently caressed Murong Li’s head, his voice unusually soft, "Alright, what’s done is done; dwelling on it is futile. Gather your spirits! There are still many matters in Yan awaiting you to handle!"

Just three days after Ren Shijie left, the news that the King of Zhen Bai Qingyu, and Auxiliary King Bai Jinxiu of Zhou led troops to break through Jinyang in two days reached Yandu, along with the news of Guardian King Bai Qingqi, Marquis Yongyi Bai Jinzhao, Marquis of Loyalty and Virtue Bai Jinhua, Lord Yinghui Bai Jinse, and General Zhao Sheng taking Huyi.

The Yan Court was in an uproar upon seeing the time logged on the battle report, realizing Zhou had mobilized troops day and night to attack Yan upon receiving news of the Zhou Emperor’s ambush!

What they had not expected was that upon the Zhou Emperor’s attack, the few vassal kings of Zhou would move out entirely.