Chapter 807: I just wanted to stay home and keep Mother company

Xiao Yuanhang sat upright on his horse, silently gazing at the tightly closed gate, saying nothing.

Occasionally, a few scattered clashes of swords and knives echoed from afar, then quickly fell silent.

Red Cloud's mane streamed like a flame in the wind as it galloped over.

Tuan Tuan spotted her father's back in the distance and shouted, "Father! Father!"

Xiao Yuanhang turned his head, saw his daughter rushing toward him, and his lips involuntarily curled upward.

"Xiao Er, protect her, but don't let her come near yet."

"Yes."

Lu Qi reined in his horse to a stop, Xiao Er pulled the reins, and rode up beside Red Cloud.

Lu Qi glanced at him, covered in mud spots and black grime on his face, and said, "Brother, you've worked hard."

Xiao Er smiled, his gaze falling on Tuan Tuan, and said softly, "Miss, let's wait here a moment."

Tuan Tuan looked at him: "Uncle Xiao Er, are you tired?"

Xiao Er felt warm inside: "Not tired, thanks to Miss, the fight went smoothly."

Tuan Tuan laughed happily: "Second Brother! Ninth Brother, Uncle Zhang, Chen Hao, Feng Zhou—are you hurt?"

Everyone shook their heads in unison: "We're fine!"

Having said that, Xiao Ningchen spurred his horse to block in front of Red Cloud, while Xiao Ningxun followed closely, standing side by side with him.

Xiao Ran and Chen Hao guarded the left and right flanks, while Zhang Wu'an stood at the front, gripping his broadsword.

Several people tacitly formed a circle around Tuan Tuan in the middle.

If a fight breaks out later, we must not hurt Tuan Tuan!

Feng Zhou stared at the soldiers' matchlocks for a while, then rode up to Xiao Yuanhang and said, "Your Highness, those are matchlock firearms, the most primitive type."

"Each shot requires reloading, which takes ages, and their power is extremely limited; even if a large army charges, just holding off the first wave is enough—there's nothing to worry about."

Xiao Yuanhang gave a slight nod: "If that general still has his wits, he wouldn't throw eggs at stones right now; we'll wait a bit longer."

No sooner had he spoken than the gate of the manor slowly opened.

The soldiers parted to either side, and Yi Tiao Jianliang walked out from inside.

He had taken off his regular court robes, wearing only a plain-colored straight garment, his grayish-white hair neatly combed, his expression calm.

He bowed slightly: "I am Yi Tiao Jianliang. The general awaits Your Highness Prince Ning in the judgment hall and has sent me to invite you in."

Xiao Yuanhang leapt down from his horse, and the officers, seeing this, also dismounted.

As soon as Tuan Tuan's feet touched the ground, she ran on her short legs to her father's side, arms outstretched: "Father!"

Xiao Yuanhang bent down, gathered his daughter into his arms, and said, "Be good, come inside with Father."

He raised his hand slightly toward Yi Tiao Jianliang: "Thank you for your trouble."

Yi Tiao Jianliang turned sideways to lead the way, passing through the front courtyard, around the corridor, and stopped before a paper door.

The attendant at the entrance pulled open the paper door, and everyone entered.

Yuan Guangyi sat upright behind the desk, brush in hand, writing urgently, while the officials sat on either side, hands on the ground, foreheads resting low on the backs of their hands.

Xiao Yuanhang stood in the center holding his daughter, with the officers lined up behind him.

Yuan Guangyi heard the footsteps but did not lift his head.

The judgment hall was utterly silent.

After a moment, Yuan Guangyi set down his brush, picked up a large seal from the desk, and pressed it slowly onto the paper.

He examined it for a moment, then lifted the paper and handed it to the attendant kneeling nearby.

The attendant took it, retreated a few steps on his knees, rose, walked up to Xiao Yuanhang, and held the paper aloft with both hands.

Xiao Yuanhang took it with one hand, unfolded it, and raised his eyebrows slightly: "A surrender memorial?"

Yuan Guangyi slowly lifted his gaze, his eyes falling on Xiao Yuanhang's face.

"Your Highness Prince Ning," he said calmly, "Kamakura Castle has fallen; I do not wish to cause further needless casualties."

He paused: "For the hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians inside Kamakura, I am willing to surrender to Your Highness Prince Ning."

He raised his hand slightly; the attendant placed the heavy gold seal from the desk into a box and presented it with both hands to Xiao Yuanhang.

"This is the seal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Expedition Against Barbarians," Yuan Guangyi said, his face grim but his voice steady, "I now present it to you, Your Highness."

Xiao Yuanhang tucked the surrender memorial into his bosom, reached out to take the gold seal, and felt its substantial weight.

Tuan Tuan stretched out her little hand and lifted the box lid.

On the seal's knob was carved a lifelike eagle with head raised and wings spread.

Xiao Yuanhang lowered his head to look at his daughter in his arms and asked, "Tuan Tuan, what do you think of this eagle?"

Tuan Tuan glanced at it, pursed her lips, and said, "It's not as nice as the snow clothes."

Xiao Yuanhang laughed, then passed the gold seal to Xiao Ningxun behind him.

Yuan Guangyi fixed his gaze on Tuan Tuan, eyes flickering, and said, "Are you the Immortal Envoy of Lie Kingdom?"

"Yes!" Tuan Tuan nodded, "That's me!"

Yuan Guangyi withdrew his gaze, gave a wry smile, and said, "I never imagined the general would be defeated by a little child like you."

Tuan Tuan pursed her lips: "No way! It was my father and brothers, plus those uncles outside, who defeated you."

"If you weren't doing evil, bullying those Goryeo people, who would bother coming all this way to fight you?"

"My father and brothers are all seasick, and it's awful!"

"I just wanted to stay home and keep Mother company!"

"It's all your fault! You won't stay put, insist on running to others' homes to kill and burn, so of course Father had to attack you!"

With a solemn expression, she said, "From now on, be honest and stop doing evil everywhere, got it?"

Yuan Guangyi: "……"

The Japanese ministers, hearing the words, wore embarrassed faces and bowed their heads even lower.

The generals of the Fiery Kingdom all lowered their heads, forcing themselves not to laugh out loud.

Xiao Yuanhang smiled and looked at Yuan Guangyi: "General, you understand the great righteousness; I, this king, will present the surrender petition and the golden seal together to our nation's Emperor His Majesty."

He paused: "But I, this king, still need you to write a confession letter with your own hand."

Yuan Guangyi's face darkened, and the Japanese ministers all felt a shiver in their hearts.

Xiao Yuanhang's expression remained unchanged: "In the Goryeo War, although the commander is Teng Yuan Liangxin, without your approval, how could he lead the great army forward? Your responsibility is inescapable."

Yuan Guangyi gritted his teeth: "Yes."

Xiao Yuanhang lifted his chin: "Grind ink for him, and have him write it immediately."

The attendant dared not delay, and hurried to comply.

Yuan Guangyi let out a long sigh, bent over the desk to write, his hand holding the pen trembling slightly.

After a moment, the confession letter was presented before Xiao Yuanhang.

Xiao Yuanhang did not reach out to take it: "Xun Er, seal the Grand General's seal."

"Yes."

Xiao Ningxun took the confession letter, walked to Yuan Guangyi's desk, took out the golden seal, and stamped it neatly.

Xiao Yuanhang said: "From today onward, the Fiery Kingdom's army will enter the city to garrison, but the order within the city shall still be maintained by your shogunate."

"When His Majesty's decree arrives, we will decide further."

Yuan Guangyi placed both hands on the ground, his forehead slowly touching the back of his hand: "Thank you, Prince Ning."

Xiao Yuanhang scanned the surroundings and asked in a deep voice: "Where is Teng Yuan Liangxin?"