Chapter 391: Conditions

Western Liang, Wuwei.

Dou Zheng had been waiting before the palace gate for an hour.

This time, the Third Prince had been captured, and he had been dispatched to Western Liang.

Regarding such an important matter, Dou Wei did not trust anyone; only when a Dou Family official served as the envoy personally could he feel at ease.

Since no other officials were willing to come to Western Liang, this task naturally fell upon him.

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves.

Turning his head, he saw a person wearing a Yellow Dragon Robe riding a horse and approaching slowly.

And walking under the horse, holding the reins, was a young man—the Third Prince, Zhao Mu.

Seeing Dou Zheng, the Third Prince's face lit up with joy, and just as he was about to speak, he heard a cough and could not help but lower his head.

Tuoba Hao looked at the Da Song envoy, Dou Zheng, with a face full of mockery.

He said, "I just tested the new groom; not bad, the Da Song Imperial Prince's skill at leading a horse is also top-notch."

Upon hearing this, the Third Prince was both ashamed and angry, but fearing that he would anger Tuoba Hao and be prevented from returning to Da Song, he remained silent.

Dou Zheng and the other officials felt their faces burning.

This was a naked humiliation to them.

Seeing that the Da Song officials were all mortified, Tuoba Hao finally vented his pent-up anger.

His brother's head was still hanging at the city gate of Jincheng.

If Da Song did not agree to his conditions this time,

he would likewise cut off the head of this Da Song Third Prince and hang it on the city wall gate of Wuwei.

Without paying any more attention to Dou Zheng and his party, he walked straight into the Imperial Palace.

Led by the Imperial Guards, Dou Zheng went to the main hall.

At this moment, the main hall was filled with Western Liang officials and generals.

They all looked at Dou Zheng and his party with mockery.

Before long, Tuoba Hao entered the main hall.

Glancing at Dou Zheng,

he said impatiently, "What does your Emperor intend to use to trade for his son?"

"His Majesty says he is willing to offer three million taels of Silver to ransom our Imperial Prince," Dou Zheng said.

"Three million taels of Silver? Are you trying to dismiss a beggar? It seems the life of a Da Song Imperial Prince is truly worthless; it would be better to kill him to vent my anger," Tuoba Hao said, looking toward the Western Liang officials and generals.

"The Emperor is right; it is better to kill him to avenge the great hatred of Chief Wuji."

"Although we in Western Liang are not as wealthy as Da Song, we are not lacking this bit of Silver."

"Truly no sincerity."

"..."

The crowd grew noisy, one after another pointing their fingers at Dou Zheng and the others.

Dou Zheng's palms immediately broke out in sweat; being berated by fierce, hostile foreign officials and generals in a foreign court, he could not maintain his composure.

"Eight million taels is also possible," Dou Zheng said, stating the bottom-line price.

In recent years, the Da Song national treasury had become emptier year by year.

The treasury was not wealthy, and being able to produce eight million taels in cash was already truly difficult; any more would have to be supplemented with physical goods.

Tuoba Hao sneered; the Emperor of Great Song seemed to only want to use Silver to trade for the Third Prince.

But he was not interested in this Silver at all.

To compensate for Western Liang's losses in the Jinzhuzhizhan, he could only trade for things that could make Western Liang strong.

Otherwise, if the national strength remained weak, no amount of Silver would be anything more than savings for others.

So he said, "We in Western Liang do not want Silver. Go back and tell your Emperor: if you want your Third Prince to return, you only need to agree to one of these three conditions. First, return Jinzhou to Western Liang. Second, provide Western Liang with one thousand Artillery pieces and hand over the Casting Cannon Technique. Third, have your Yan Wang come to Wuwei to lead my horse, and trade him for the Third Prince."

"What!" Upon hearing this, Dou Zheng's face turned deathly pale.

An official behind Dou Zheng was filled with rage.

Seeing that Dou Zheng had been timid ever since arriving in Western Liang, he could no longer stand it.

Stepping forward, he said angrily, "Our Da Song will not agree to a single one of these three conditions! If Western Liang insists on not returning the Third Prince, our Da Song will mobilize the entire nation's army to raze your Western Liang to the ground!"

"Arrogant!" The Western Liang generals and officials immediately exploded.

Gule said angrily, "You are truly at death's door and still don't know it! Before your Da Song can send troops, we in Western Liang and the Northern Di will conquer and destroy your Da Song!"

"Fight then! We in Western Liang lost once in Jinzhou, but we will not lose a second time!" other generals clamored as well.

Tuoba Hao's expression was gloomy; he pointed at the Da Song official who had denounced him, "Men, cut off his head and let them take it back to Da Song."

The official who stepped out showed no fear and said, "Emperor of Western Liang, our Da Song still has men of iron integrity; there will be someone to avenge me..."

Before he could finish, the Western Liang Imperial Guards dragged him out.

The official kept cursing all the way, and then the sound suddenly ceased.

Dou Zheng and the other officials were trembling with fear.

He said, "Your Majesty, this person has always been insane; I hope you will forgive him. This subordinate will present Your Majesty's words to my Emperor."

Serving as an envoy to Western Liang was not a good job, so most of those who came with him were low-ranking officials from humble backgrounds.

He did not expect this official named Sha Yang to suddenly act like this.

Although this was originally the message Zhao Heng had told him to convey to the Emperor of Western Liang.

Tuoba Hao was still not satisfied, "My boots are a bit dirty; bring my groom into the hall to wipe them for me."

Then he said to Dou Zheng, "Get out! Go back and tell your Emperor, these three points are the bottom line of our Western Liang; there is nothing to discuss. Otherwise, just wait for his son's head to be hung on the Wuwei city gate."

Dou Zheng was drenched in cold sweat; he nodded hurriedly and led the officials out of the main hall.

As they walked outward, they met the Third Prince who was being escorted in.

"Save me..." The Third Prince showed a look of pleading toward Dou Zheng, and was immediately driven into the great hall by the imperial guards.

After going up the steps, he began to wipe Tuoba Hao's boots as ordered.

Tuoba Hao looked at this Great Song Third Prince with contempt, suddenly thinking of his own eldest son in Beidi.

Would his eldest son be wiping Mule Hongzhen's boots at this moment as well?

A surge of anger suddenly welled up in his heart; he kicked Zhao Mu fiercely and asked, "Which of these three conditions do you think your imperial father will agree to?"

The eunuch beside Tuoba Hao immediately told Zhao Mu the three conditions.

"The second one, or perhaps the third one." Zhao Mu revealed a fawning smile.

"Oh? You think you are more important than Yan Wang?" Tuoba Hao mocked.

"He is just a lowly spawn, not worthy of being an Imperial Prince alongside me at all. Your Majesty, I hate him; I wish I could eat his flesh." At this moment, Zhao Mu finally tore off his mask of a modest gentleman.

Yes, he had previously refused to bully Zhao Xu along with the Sixth Prince and the others.

But he had only been disdainful, just as one would not want to crush a fly.

"Hahaha..." Tuoba Hao laughed, "Then let us wait and see."

Just as he was laughing, an imperial guard suddenly hurried over.

"Your Majesty, Tiemuta, son of the Beidi Khan, has arrived outside the city."

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Hao frowned, his heart suddenly skipping a beat.

Xiliang had only just captured the Great Song Imperial Prince, and Tiemuta had arrived; he feared his intentions were not pure.

Yet, as he and the Great Song had already become mortal enemies, it was even more impossible to defy the will of Beidi.

Otherwise, by provoking both the Great Song and Beidi at the same time, Xiliang would truly be on the verge of destruction.

Thus he said, "Invite him to the hall."