Chapter 2138

How could they possibly be willing to just let it go?

"Some friction, some clashes on the border—aren't those normal? Which clash didn't result in deaths? How many nations today can truly be on good terms with their neighbors?" Zhao Ke Duo didn't take it seriously, "Besides, the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor actually wants to discuss terms with you."

The Ya King was startled: "From where do you see…… oh!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he understood himself: "Ah, those two prisoners of war."

What the prisoners could see and hear in the holy land was decided by the enemy. Why would the enemy deliberately discuss destroying the holy land right in front of them?

So the Dragon God Army sending them back was like throwing over a fierce glance—both a threat and a veiled message:

If you don't agree to our terms, your holy land's spiritual springs won't be spared.

Since it's about "terms," Zhao Ke Duo was right to say so—the Nine Abyss wants to negotiate.

Since the lord has feelings…… bah, since the enemy also doesn't truly intend to beat them to death with blind fury, then there's plenty of room for maneuver here.

The Ya King immediately issued orders:

Simultaneously send signal arrows to the Holy Land Bai Qiu Yuan and the Northwestern Mou Army's main camp, requesting a ceasefire and the opening of negotiations!

From a geographical standpoint, the Ya Ducheng is closer to Bai Qiu Yuan, so naturally the Dragon God Army received the Ya people's signal arrow dispatch earlier than the Mou Army.

This is also the Ya people's third time launching signal arrows.

The previous two times were like mud oxen entering the sea—no response—but this time there finally was a reply, and it was personally written by the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor!

This reply consisted of only a light sheet of paper and a few lines of text; the Ya King held it in his hand and even instinctively flipped it over, wanting to see if there was also writing on the back.

There wasn't.

Besides a few polite phrases, the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor's demands filled half a sheet of paper, summarized as follows:

First, to prevent Does Does Bailie from suffering further plunder, the border region between Ya Guo and Does Does Bailie—namely A Fu Hai and Zi Lin—shall be ceded to Cang Yan. Thereafter, Ya Guo and Does Does Bailie will no longer share a border.

Second, Ya Guo shall immediately return the population plundered from Does Does Bailie, and at the same time make a one-time return of the wealth plundered from Does Does Bailie over the years, converting it into a sum.

Third, the belligerent parties shall mutually release prisoners of war.

That's it—just these three clauses, so brief that the Ya King suspected the Nine Abyss hadn't finished writing before sending the letter.

Logically speaking, with the Dragon God Great Army occupying Bai Qiu Yuan and pressing toward Ya Ducheng, while the Mou Army advances from the northwest, Ya Guo faces threats from east and west, putting the Nine Abyss in a very advantageous position.

If Ya Wang were in the Nine Abyss's position, he would now be gaping like a lion, inevitably needing to tear a large chunk of flesh from the opponent.

But the three conditions the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor put forward are too, too……

Too damn reasonable!

Ya Wang was so angry his hands trembled; if the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor had sent these conditions earlier, he would have agreed long ago—would they still need to wrangle over this for so long?

First, regarding the territorial cession: A Fu Hai and Zi Lin are adjacent; on the map they look like a wedge inserted between Ya Guo and Does Does Bailie. Once Cang Yan takes this wedge, Ya Guo will indeed no longer border Does Does Bailie.

These two tracts of land aren't large either; although they also have slopes, valleys, and grasslands, seventy percent are mountainous, making them advantageous for defense as a border—easy to defend, hard to attack—but their economic value is low.

Speaking of border defense, Ya Wang sighed while looking at the map: Ya Guo's eastern border with Cang Yan is quite long.

Regardless of whether these two places exist or not, Ya Guo's eastern border defense will not improve.

So, these two places aren't allowed.

In the past, as Ya Guo grew stronger day by day, it also absorbed many tribes and annexed several small states. The region near the Jin Jin Plain is like this—land often changes hands. For Ya Guo, land has always been a bargaining chip, naturally able to be brought to the negotiation table. In the previous Western Jin Jin War, the Dragon God Army insisted on "not yielding an inch of land," which surprised them greatly.

Now, regarding the second condition.

For Ya Guo, what's so great about returning the plundered wealth and population?

Even the wealth and goods that Cang Yan is demanding on behalf of Does Does Bailie amount only to a reasonable sum after conversion—it's clear they checked Does Does Bailie's accounts, and there's no sky-high demand.

Cang Yan also hasn't used Ya Guo's holy land as leverage to demand war reparations. Ya Wang had already prepared himself for heavy losses, but seeing this, he instead felt pleased.

"Why is Cang Yan helping Does Does Bailie like this?" he pointed at the words on the letter, "Could it really be that this sentence in their letter is true: 'Cang Yan founded the state, with sincerity as the foundation'?"

The Nine Abyssal Great Emperor's personal letter indeed uses this phrase to reaffirm Cang Yan's worldly stance. Ya Wang's first reaction upon seeing it was disbelief.

Zhao Ke Duo speculated: "Perhaps Does Does Bailie has also pledged allegiance to them, granting them many benefits."

A minor power can simultaneously rely on two major powers without conflict.

Only in this way can one explain why Cang Yan insists on inserting itself between Ya Guo and Does Does Bailie. For a territory as vast as Cang Yan's, what significance could the A Fu Hai and Zi Lin regions possibly have?

At this moment, military intelligence flew in from Bai Qiu Yuan:

The frontline fighting has intensified further; at dawn, the two armies finally fought a proper battle, each suffering casualties.

Clearly, the Dragon God Army did not accept Ya Wang's ceasefire request, but instead fought even more fiercely.

The other side didn't fall for his delaying tactic.

Zhao Ke Duo observed Ya Wang scratching the back of his head and asked: "Your Majesty, do you have any concerns?"

"Is there some trap in this agreement?" The Nine Abyssal Great Emperor's conditions are too reasonable, which instead makes him suspect there's a scheme here, fearing he might not see through it and fall into a chain of traps.

Having heard that this Nine Abyssal Great Emperor is extraordinarily scheming, skilled in military planning—even the Heavenly Palace's cloud envoy Bai Ziqi and the former national preceptor of the Bei Jia State, Qing Yang, are his defeated subordinates.

Zhao Ke Duo also considered this question: "Your Majesty, the significance of the Nine Abyss capturing Bai Qiu Yuan itself outweighs any gain from us."

"Oh? How so?"

"The Nine Abyss founded the state not long ago, their credentials are shallow, and their relations with Mou Guo are poor. This time, volunteering to speak up for Does Does Bailie, they likely intend to establish themselves through martial might, letting surrounding powers—especially Mou Guo—witness their valor." Zhao Ke Duo said this much, then had to weigh his words, "This time they fortuitously captured Bai Qiu Yuan, which counts as an explanation both outwardly and inwardly, and they can withdraw."

The Dragon God Army didn't choose other locations but marched straight for Bai Qiu Yuan, with a very clear objective:

Capturing the Ke Lin tribe's holy land is to display military might and humiliate Ya Guo.

Speaking plainly, the Nine Abyssal Great Emperor's strategic intent has already been achieved; they can triumphantly return.

"If he insists on staying, the Dragon God Army's losses would also be great. Moreover, staying would be meaningless—does he really think he could destroy our capital?" Everyone knows, capturing Bai Qiu Yuan and invading Ya Ducheng are two different concepts, two different levels of difficulty!

Ya Wang sneered: "Want to destroy my capital? Hah, even if he fights until vomiting blood, he still can't take it down."

Ya Guo's warriors—how could they be compared to the dwarves of Jin Jin?

Thinking of this, he momentarily dazed, wondering how those powerful weapons in the Dragon God Army's hands came to be.

(End of Chapter)