Chapter 690

First Volume, Chapter 690: Urgent as Ten Thousand Fires

After one incense stick time, two mounted messengers burst out of the County City's door and galloped northward in haste.

Each carried a red flag with a large yellow character: "Urgent."

From afar, one could identify them as Imperial Urgent Report messengers—everyone else must clear the way.

Moreover, these flags were nearly identical to the Ministry of War's signal flags.

It was impossible to tell whether they were urgent reports from Beixi County or from the Ministry of War.

Thus, they could blend in like fish among pearls, confusing those who sought to intercept the Beixi County urgent reports.

The reason for dispatching two messengers at once was:

First, they could watch out for each other on the road; second, they served as backups—if one encountered trouble, the other could continue delivering the message to Jingdu.

At every Yizhan, the messengers exchanged their travel permits.

The next Yizhan must, within one Envoy, relay the message that the messenger had passed through to the previous Yizhan.

Thus, if both messengers were compromised, the Yizhan could immediately know and report upward.

Precisely because of this meticulously planned system, communication between Beixi County and Jingdu had always been stable.

Moreover, the communication time had been directly shortened to two days and two nights.

This speed was beyond the reach of even the Ministry of War's Yizhan.

The two mounted messengers rode nonstop, day and night, heading toward Jingdu.

Meanwhile, the State Peace Talks at the Imperial Palace's Grand Hall continued.

Compared to the first day's chaos, today's negotiation scene was noticeably calmer.

But for the Northern Di Envoy Group, their advantage had vanished.

Because Qin Feng had joined today's talks.

Although Qin Feng, as a mere Anle Marquis, sat at the far end of the Negotiation Table and remained silent throughout, wearing a faint, ambiguous smile.

Yet for the Northern Di Envoy, the pressure had become unprecedented.

Lü Li lifted his Tea Cup, sipped, moistened his throat, paused briefly, then spoke in a low tone: "We've shouted enough, caused enough commotion—today, let's begin the real negotiations."

"This war, our Great Di has indeed lost—that is an undeniable fact."

"As a Defeated Nation, paying a certain amount of War Reparations is unavoidable."

"Before coming, our Civil and Military Ministers have already discussed this and reached consensus."

"Regarding War Reparations, our Great Di's bottom line is ten million Tael of Silver, two hundred head each of Cattle and Sheep."

"This includes all repairs to your Liang Kingdom's border Cities and losses of weapons."

If this had been said two days ago, without Qin Tianhu even speaking, the Peace Negotiation Ministers present would have already erupted in protest.

But today, the ministers remained unusually quiet, all waiting to see Qin Feng's reaction.

Instantly, every gaze in the room converged on Qin Feng.

Seeing Qin Feng still maintain his indifferent, "not my problem" expression, Qin Tianhu could no longer contain his rage.

He glared, snatched up his Tea Cup, and raised it as if to throw it.

"You brat, if you're not awake, go home and stop embarrassing yourself here!"

Facing Qin Tianhu's rebuke and the raised Tea Cup, Qin Feng finally softened, pouted, and looked wounded.

"Why so upset?"

"I'm just a lowly Anle Marquis—where's my place to speak here?"

"They've already offered a payment figure—now it's just bargaining, isn't that normal?"

Saying this, Qin Feng grinned at the Vice Minister of Revenue.

"Minister Li, all Liang Kingdom's financial matters pass through your hands—you must be especially sensitive to 'Silver.'"

"This matter is best handled by you, Minister Li."

At these words, Minister of Revenue Li Xu immediately averted his gaze and lifted his Tea Cup, pretending to sip.

Pretended not to hear Qin Feng.

Internally, he cursed: This fellow can't go a day without causing trouble.

This is Two Nations' Peace Talks, not a marketplace—what's this talk of bargaining? Qin Feng doesn't care about shame, but Li Xu still has dignity.

Seeing Li Xu refuse to respond, Qin Feng didn't press, turning instead to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices' minister.

Before he could speak, the Dali Temple's minister turned his head away.

The other ministers were no better—either ignoring Qin Feng outright, or claiming their throats were hoarse to dodge responsibility.

These past two days, the ministers had screamed, rolled up their sleeves, and charged forward—where was the dignity of National Pillars? They were nothing but thugs.

The talks had already reached the third day—it was time for Qin Feng to step up.

With no choice, Qin Feng lazily sat up.

"Lü Zhu Guo, seeing as the talks have reached the third day, if you still refuse to show sincerity,"

"either we continue this endless debate, or we break off entirely."

"Either outcome is not what we wish to see."

Compared to his initial decisive demeanor, Qin Feng now seemed unusually mild.

Even Lü Li, seasoned and worldly, was momentarily thrown off guard.

He had assumed this boy was a Hawk Faction representative of Liang.

Yet today, he'd turned into a Dove Faction member.

For a moment, he couldn't fathom Qin Feng's cultivation channel.

Lü Li secretly marveled inwardly, yet kept his face calm.

As the saying goes, don't strike someone who smiles at you; since Qin Feng is so amiable, Lü Li naturally wouldn't resort to force.

"Qin Feng, you claim my Great Di lacks sincerity—that is unreasonable."

"If we lacked sincerity, we wouldn't have crossed thousands of mountains and rivers to come to your Liang Kingdom's Jingji for State Peace Talks, nor would our Pillar of the State personally oversee this negotiation."

"This alone shows that every level of Great Di places great importance on these State Peace Talks."

Qin Feng did not doubt Great Di's "sincerity."

But sincerity does not mean concessions at the Negotiation Table; one thing is one thing, and they must not be confused.

Qin Feng shrugged, speaking with casual ease: "Two Hundred Cattle and Sheep? Don't even mention them—they're not even pocket change."

"Let's talk about the Ten Million in War Reparations."

"Put nicely, your Great Di has limited capacity and cannot pay more; put crudely, it's like tossing coins to a beggar."

"We've argued enough; let's now calmly calculate this debt."

"If my Great Liang defeats your Great Di yet cannot even recover the bare minimum of losses, what's the point of fighting?"

"Is it merely to repel invaders and defend the border?"

"Then you vastly underestimate Great Liang."

Lü Li's face showed no expression, but his mind stirred.

Undeniably, Qin Feng's words hit the mark.

Great Di's arrogance stems from its certainty that Liang lacks the strength to resume war, hence its repeated reductions of War Reparations.