Chapter 389

"General Meng, if I go, I will be captured and killed by them; this is simply walking into a trap!" Feng Quji said hurriedly.

"Then who should be sent?" General Meng Tian's gaze turned to the others again.

The other nobles all lowered their heads, none of them wanting to carry out the negotiation mission.

"None of us are quite suitable; I think we should find someone who did not participate in the attack on Outside Xianyanggong to negotiate," Wei Pao offered an idea.

"Yes, I agree!" Young Master Jianglu added, "This person must be a noble, must be one of our side, and at the same time must not have made enemies with Facing Ying Su's people. Only then can he serve as an envoy to negotiate."

"Where can we find such a person?" someone raised a question.

"I know such a person; he is a distant relative of mine named Cheng Xionglin. He broke his leg falling from a horse some time ago and has been recovering at home, so he did not participate in our operation this time. Moreover, his relations with several minor officials in the court are quite good; sending him to negotiate is just right."

Feng Quji said.

"Since he is injured, how can he go to negotiate? Should we carry him there?" Wei Pao asked.

"I heard his son is quite sharp-witted; if he cannot go, his son going is the same. Or you can find a more suitable candidate," Feng Quji said.

After discussing for a long time, everyone felt that Feng Quji's distant relative was the more reliable choice.

So Feng Quji summoned his trusted attendant and ordered the attendant to depart immediately with his message.

At the Cheng residence, Cheng Xionglin was sunbathing in the garden when he saw the steward walking over hurriedly.

"Master, someone from the Feng residence has arrived," the steward said in a low voice as he approached.

"The Feng residence? Feng Quji sent someone?" Cheng Xionglin was startled and immediately sat up straight.

"Yes, I have seen that person; he is indeed from the Feng residence. He wants to see Master, saying he has brought a message from afar for Master," the steward said.

"At this time, what does he want by sending someone?" Cheng Xionglin frowned.

Some time ago, Feng Quji and the others gathered together to cause trouble.

They wanted to restore Ying Zheng to the throne, and they wanted to implement the feudal system.

The matter escalated further, and they even gathered nearly a million troops to march on Outside Xianyanggong!

Just now, news arrived that they ended in a disastrous defeat, and yet Feng Quji's person has arrived!

"Master, could it be that my lord wants us to send troops for support?" the steward asked.

"Impossible!" Cheng Xionglin waved his hand.

Previously, they indeed wanted him to lead people to force the palace, but he declined with an excuse.

Now that the nobles have just suffered a disastrous defeat, sending troops to support at this moment has no meaning.

Even if Feng Quji is foolish, he would not make such a meaningless move.

Besides, what can my small number of troops do?

Our Cheng family is just a minor noble family.

At most, we can barely gather two or three hundred people.

"Then, Master, will you see this person? If not, I will send him away!" the steward asked for instructions.

"No, bring him here," Cheng Xionglin said.

"Yes," the steward replied and left.

After a while, the steward brought in a man in his thirties.

"Greetings, Master Cheng," the man stepped forward and bowed.

"I remember you; you are a guest of Prime Minister Feng, named Ji Lin," Cheng Xionglin said with a smile.

"Master has a good memory, remembering even a small figure like me," Ji Lin said.

"Sit," Cheng Xionglin pointed to the chair beside him.

"How can I sit in front of Master? I will stand," Ji Lin said hurriedly.

"Speak; what business does Prime Minister Feng have sending you?" Cheng Xionglin stopped being polite and asked directly about the main matter.

"Prime Minister Feng wishes to discuss some matters with Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, but there are some misunderstandings between both sides, so direct discussion is inconvenient."

"Therefore, Prime Minister Feng wishes to invite you to negotiate."

Ji Lin said.

"Invite me to negotiate? I do not even have the qualification to meet Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, do I?" Cheng Xionglin said.

"Master is too modest; you absolutely have the qualification to discuss any matter with Prime Minister Zhuge Liang. Plus, since Prime Minister Feng is inviting you, Prime Minister Zhuge Liang would have even less reason not to see you," Ji Lin said.

He spoke very euphemistically.

The meaning was actually that anyone sent by Prime Minister Feng has the qualification to talk with Zhuge Liang.

Cheng Xionglin thought for a moment, then smiled: "My leg was broken when I fell from a horse, and it has not healed yet. Even if I wanted to go, I cannot go."

"You can take a sedan chair," Ji Lin said.

Cheng Xionglin frowned, thinking this Ji Lin was too ungrateful.

Were they planning to force him to go to negotiate?

Back when these people had not yet prepared to besiege Outside Xianyanggong, he had already sensed the matter would escalate.

So he pretended to break his leg in advance!

Some time ago, someone indeed came to pull him to force the palace together, and he had declined using the excuse that he could not walk or ride a horse.

But now this is not going to war; unable to walk or ride a horse, one can indeed take a sedan chair!

173. A Guest at the Cheng Residence

"My body is weak; I cannot endure even a sedan chair!" Cheng Xionglin said indifferently.

He was just short of writing the three words "do not want to go" on his face.

"Master, when I came, the Prime Minister said that if you cannot go, sending your eldest young master will also do!" Ji Lin said.

"What?" Cheng Xionglin's face showed anger.

"Very well, so they are determined to drag the Cheng family into this?"

"Sending his own son makes no difference from going himself."

"Doesn't this all show he stands with Feng Quji and the others?"

"But the problem is he wants to remain neutral."

"He neither wants to offend Prince Prince Fusu and General Meng Tian, nor offend Facing Ying Su!"

"Master, please listen to what Prime Minister Feng wishes to discuss with Facing Ying Su before making a decision," Ji Lin said.

"Speak and let us hear," Cheng Xionglin said coldly.

"Prime Minister Feng said... not only Prime Minister Feng says so, but several other young masters, General Meng, and various Masters share the same view..."

"They say they are prepared to fight Facing Ying Su to the death!"

"Although they were defeated last time, they still have nearly a million troops."

"If they cannot defeat Li Yuanba, does that mean they cannot defeat others?"

"When the time comes, a million troops can go anywhere and level that place!"

"If Li Yuanba comes, we will simply go elsewhere and avoid fighting him!"

"Over time, the subjects of Great Qin loyal to Facing Ying Su will eventually be killed off almost entirely."

"At that point, what meaning would there be for Facing Ying Su to remain Emperor?"

Ji Lin said.

Cheng Xionglin was startled upon hearing this, thinking what a vicious scheme!

"By doing this, are they not making enemies of the entire world?"

"If you do this, the end result will be mutual destruction; at that time, no one will gain anything!" Cheng Xionglin said.

"Yes, Prime Minister Feng shares your view! However, everyone else insists on doing this; Prime Minister Feng wishes to stop them but cannot."

"After much thought, it is best for you to step forward and speak with those on Facing Ying Su's side."

Ji Lin said.

Cheng Xionglin pondered for a moment, then nodded helplessly: "Very well, I will first go to sound out their stance and see if I can obtain an audience with Prime Minister Zhuge."

"This is what Prime Minister Feng entrusted me to bring you; if you show this item to Prime Minister Zhuge, he will surely grant you an audience!" Ji Lin, overjoyed, immediately took a large seal from his robe.

This was Feng Quji's private seal.

With the seal, it could be proven that Cheng Xionglin was a messenger invited by Feng Quji.

"My legs are not steady; I must send someone to the palace to contact Prime Minister Zhuge. You might as well stay at my residence; as soon as I have news, I will tell you," Cheng Xionglin said.

"I will not stay here; I must return to report to Prime Minister Feng," Ji Lin said.

"Then how shall we contact each other?" Cheng Xionglin said.