Chapter 38: Striking First to Gain the Advantage

Qin Yin felt a sudden surge of irritation. She reached into her purse and pulled out a ten-tael silver ingot, handing it to Yang Zhan.

Yang Zhan took it, grinned, and said, "This ten taels is well spent. I’ll tell you this: within the next two days, someone may try to assassinate the Princess and her two companions."

Qin Yin frowned. "With General Yang here—one man guarding the pass, ten thousand unable to cross—what does this young woman have to worry about?"

"And what if I were to leave?"

Qin Yin’s gaze sharpened. "Are you serious?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I don't take your money for nothing."

Qin Yin’s pretty face turned solemn. "The negotiations have already begun, how could..."

"The negotiations have started, yes, but there are those who might hope for them to collapse!"

Qin Yin stared intensely at Yang Zhan. "You gave your word that the Princess and the others would be safe."

"I did, but that only applies if I’m actually here."

"Why would you speculate like that? Or have you received some information?"

Yang Zhan frowned. "It’s just a hunch. I’m warning you now—if I’m transferred away, it means my hunch was correct!"

Qin Yin retorted, "They wouldn't dare, would they?"

"Wouldn't dare?" Yang Zhan keenly captured the nuance in her words. Qin Yin paused, but said nothing more.

Yang Zhan spoke with composed confidence. "Guess what would happen if the Princess and the other two died?"

Qin Yin scoffed, "If they did that, my Fenglin Kingdom would definitely retaliate, perhaps even declare war. It would be a lose-lose situation!"

Yang Zhan admired her peerless beauty and smiled. "Since you sent people to negotiate, haven't you secured any bargaining chips during these days?"

"This..."

"Your Fenglin Kingdom has also captured important figures from our Great Xia Dynasty to use as leverage. Don't think I don't know!"

Qin Yin’s eyes flickered. "You already know?"

Seeing her reaction, Yang Zhan’s heart jumped. He hadn't expected to bluff such a massive piece of information out of her.

Yang Zhan maintained his calm demeanor. "You know, I am a Grand General of the Border Defense. Even though I’m currently guarding the Celestial Prison, I still have my connections!"

Qin Yin gritted her teeth. "That’s right. We orchestrated a trap and have captured the Grand General of the Tianwu Army along with three thousand iron cavalry. If the Princess and the others are not returned, those three thousand cavalrymen and the Grand General will be buried with them!"

This was something Yang Zhan had not anticipated. The Grand General of the Tianwu Army and three thousand elite cavalry... were they so incompetent? How could they have been completely surrounded? The key was that no military report had reached the capital yet, which meant this had likely just happened.

Information about the Tianwu Army flashed through Yang Zhan’s mind. For the past three years, while he hadn't cared for much else, he had kept a close eye on the troop movements of the various border armies. The Tianwu Army guarded the northeastern border between the Fenglin Kingdom and the Great Xia Dynasty. Their Grand General, Yu Jin, was the cousin of the Crown Princess, Yu Shu.

Yang Zhan took a deep breath. If this were true, the Third Prince was truly ruthless—willing to sacrifice a Grand General and three thousand cavalry for his own selfish interests, even risking the spread of war. It was absolutely vicious! He hoped his intuition was wrong.

"I said it was a possibility. Better safe than sorry."

"I understand. But why do you speculate this? Have you learned something?"

"It’s just a guess. Anyway, I have things to attend to."

Yang Zhan walked away, leaving Qin Yin with a much graver expression.

...

Not long after, Yang Zhan returned to the basement. He hadn't expected to have a quiet moment, but here it was. This time, he brought a feast of hearty dishes from a grand restaurant, intending to improve Bilian’s diet. After all, the time they had left together was growing short.

Bilian seemed to be having an episode; she didn't say a word, though she accepted the food without hesitation. For the next two days, she remained silent. Yang Zhan felt something was wrong, but no matter what he asked, she didn't respond. He didn't dare get too close; he was still poisoned, and while he could suppress it, he couldn't eradicate it. If she were to fly into a rage and attack him, he feared the poison might flare up and kill him.

On the third day, the Celestial Prison remained quiet, and the negotiations between Fenglin and Great Xia had yet to yield results. The Empress had still not come to hold him accountable for slapping the Fifth Princess, which was highly unusual; at the very least, she should have sent someone to reprimand him. Her silence suggested she was busy with something much larger. This only fueled Yang Zhan’s suspicions.

Just then, an entourage arrived at the prison escorting a carriage. Han Zhong stepped out, holding an imperial edict.

"General Yang, the Emperor has issued a decree!"

Han Zhong looked at Yang Zhan’s rigid, upright posture and sighed, deciding not to bother with the formalities. He handed the edict directly to Yang Zhan.

"General Yang, the Third Prince is unwell. However, he has petitioned the Emperor, stating that your talents are exceptional and that you should take his place in the negotiations with the Fenglin Kingdom. The Emperor has approved!"

It had finally happened. Yang Zhan opened the edict and read it, his eyes turning sharp. "Chief Eunuch Han, the Third Prince is unwell?"

"Indeed. Since that day, the Third Prince has been feeling indisposed. For the last two days, the negotiations have been handled by the deputy envoy. It hasn't gone well, and every detail required the Third Prince's approval. Now, General Yang, you are the chief envoy and have full authority over the negotiations!"

One had to admit, the Third Prince was cunning. This "killing two birds with one stone" strategy was quite effective. He was being transferred out of the prison and tasked with the negotiations; if things fell apart, it would have nothing to do with the Prince. In fact, this move might even earn the Third Prince a reputation for being magnanimous. It wasn't just two birds—it was three.

After delivering the decree, Han Zhong left. The deputy envoy in charge of the negotiations, Chen Bo, stepped forward. "General, I am Chen Bo, Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Reception. It is an honor to meet you."

"Hm."

"General, time is of the essence. Shall we discuss the matter? The Fenglin delegation is becoming quite insistent; they wait at my door every day. Sigh... the Third Prince previously provided no guidelines, leaving me at a loss for how to proceed."

"So, you’re saying there have been no results?"

"None at all. In these past two days, I haven't even seen the Third Prince."

"Minister Chen, do not worry. It is late today. I will report for duty tomorrow morning."

Chen Bo blinked, then forced a bitter smile. "Very well. I shall await you at the Court of Diplomatic Reception."

"Very well."

After Chen Bo and his men left, Yang Zhan frowned. His predictions had become reality. The Third Prince clearly felt he had no hope of becoming the Crown Prince and was resorting to desperate measures. The Third Prince had witnessed the strength of Yang Zhan’s subordinates. Removing Yang Zhan was the first step; the next would be to deal with his men. If they were transferred away and replaced with the Third Prince’s own people, it would be a perfect setup.

Yang Zhan narrowed his eyes. "Is the old Emperor blind to this, or is he allowing it? Does the Crown Prince, who is currently acting as regent, know nothing of this?"

Then, Yang Zhan’s eyes turned cold.

"Regardless, I will strike first!"