Chapter 692

First Volume, Chapter 692: The Chips Are Here

The remaining Northern Di envoys present also had faces as dark as storm clouds.

Qin Feng's terms were not merely a surrender of sovereignty and humiliation—they were clearly an attempt to annihilate the Northern Di nation and exterminate its people!

This Qin Feng is as ruthless as ever.

The envoys had assumed that Qin Feng's unusually amiable demeanor today was a gesture of goodwill toward the Northern Di.

Who could have expected this was merely a predator's trick to lull its prey into false security—just as the prey lowered its guard, Qin Feng revealed his deadly fangs.

And…

Compared to the other Liang peace negotiation ministers, Qin Feng's iron-fisted tactics were not merely "hawkish"—he was a demon incarnate!

Even Chen Si could no longer bear it; his brows were tightly knitted.

"Qin Feng, do you know what you just said?"

"Two hundred million taels of white silver? Even if my Great Di King were here, he could not authorize such a sum!"

"To cede three full years of my Great Di's tax revenue—this is utterly impossible."

"It seems this peace talk will end in failure."

Upon hearing this, not a single Northern Di envoy hesitated—they all rose to leave immediately.

What's the point of negotiating over such an unreasonable demand? Talk nonsense!

Qin Tianhu could not help but sigh and shake his head; though he understood Qin Feng's painstaking efforts to secure Liang's interests.

But the party he faced was none other than the Northern Di—a power equal to Liang.

Such an outrageous demand would only backfire.

Just as everyone believed today's peace talk had ended with no progress whatsoever…

Qin Feng's laughter suddenly rang out.

"What, my lords, are you so impatient?"

"You offered a bottom line of ten million taels of silver; I countered with two hundred million."

"If you're unsatisfied, you may negotiate further."

"To storm out in a rage like this—this is not the conduct befitting peace talks."

The moment he finished speaking, Lü Li grew even angrier.

He turned on his heel and roared at Qin Feng.

"The basis for negotiation lies in your offer being within acceptable limits."

"You clearly know you're making an outrageous demand—why waste breath?"

"Two hundred million taels? That's the greatest joke in the world!"

"What 'hypothetical stance'? I think you haven't woken up yet! If your Liang truly had such power, why bother negotiating with us? Just march straight into our Da Di Wang Du!"

The other Northern Di envoys sneered and mocked, convinced Qin Feng's head must have been kicked by a donkey—how else could he utter such foolishness?

"Hypothetical stance? Hahaha, this is hilarious!"

"Your Liang can only deceive yourselves again."

"Exactly! Your Liang only knows how to talk—true power? Attack our Great Di!"

"Hmph, you dare not!"

As the Northern Di envoys sneered and mocked, an imperial eunuch suddenly rushed into the Grand Hall.

"Lord Qin, Young Master Qin—an urgent report has arrived from Beixi County."

At these words, every person present froze in place.

An urgent report from Beixi County?

Who in this hall did not know Beixi County was Qin Feng's domain?

At the deadline of the two nations' peace talks, any urgent report from Beixi County—regardless of its content—was precisely what neither side wished to hear.

Had the Northern Di attacked Liang? Or had Liang retaliated against the Northern Di?

In an instant, every heart in the hall rose to their throats.

Under the gaze of all present, Qin Feng called the imperial eunuch forward and asked softly: "What urgent report? Who signed it?"

The imperial eunuch dared not hesitate a moment: "In reply to Lord Anle's inquiry, the military intelligence report was signed by County Commander Xu Mo of Beixi County."

The Northern Di envoys, already tense, felt their hearts sink halfway to their feet upon hearing Xu Mo's name.

Qin Feng waved his hand with a smile: "Go, bring the report."

The imperial eunuch bowed and scurried off.

Before the urgent report arrived, Qin Feng stood with his hands behind his back, his expression utterly relaxed.

"Lü Zhu Guo, and all you Northern Di ministers."

"Didn't you just tell me that if Liang had the guts, it should just attack?"

"Hehehe—I'll oblige you."

Qin Feng did not need to read the report's contents—he already knew the Front Line had made progress.

After all, this sudden war had been launched by Liang's Northern Border Troops in offensive action, and all news had been completely sealed off.

Added to that, the Northern Di were critically short of grain and military supplies, desperately needing rest.

Even if Qin Feng racked his brains, he could not conceive a single reason why the Northern Border would lose.

The Northern Di envoys, who had moments ago worn expressions of utter disdain, now turned ashen.

Lü Li clenched his fists, staring fixedly at Qin Feng.

Almost through gritted teeth, he spoke each word slowly: "Qin Feng… you truly launched troops against my Great Di during these peace talks?!"

In response to Lü Li's accusation, Qin Feng shrugged, utterly unconcerned.

"Didn't I already tell you when you entered the city that I would launch troops against your country?"

"What, did you take my words as wind passing through your ears?"

Lü Li closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and at this moment he finally understood.

From the very beginning, Qin Feng had no intention of sitting down peacefully to negotiate; instead, he was delaying at the negotiation table, waiting for the front-line warfare to create bargaining chips.

That was also why, during the first two days of negotiations, Qin Feng never showed his face.

Because Qin Feng knew that attending negotiations before securing his chips was utterly meaningless.

And now, clearly, Qin Feng had obtained the chips he had been waiting for!

At that moment, the Imperial Eunuch returned to the Grand Hall.

In his left hand he clutched an urgent Beixi County War Report; in his right he carried an ice box.

The ministers present immediately recognized the ice box's purpose—it was meant to hold a head…

But whose head it was, no one had any idea.

Qin Feng took the war report, opened it, scanned a few lines, confirmed the basic content, then began pretending to read it aloud.

"No wonder my Northern Border Troops are so mighty—they've already conquered an entire province in such a short time."

Upon hearing this, all the diplomatic envoys—including Lü Li and Chen Si—turned ashen-faced.

But Qin Tianhu and Li Xu and others stared in stunned silence.

Qin Tianhu could not help but demand in a low voice: "Qin Feng, what is going on here?"

"Why was I completely unaware of the attack against the Northern Di?"

Qin Feng wore an amused expression: "Father, this campaign concerns the success or failure of the negotiations—it's best if as few people as possible know."

"But rest assured, the decision to launch troops against the Northern Di has received the Emperor's approval."

Upon hearing this, Qin Tianhu finally exhaled in relief.

His greatest fear had been that Qin Feng would launch a war against a Foreign Country without authorization—whether he won or lost, it would be an unforgivable crime.

Li Xu could not help but turn his old face bright red with excitement: "They've already conquered an entire province?!"

"Qin Feng, when did this war begin?"

Qin Feng didn't even think—he blurted out: "The day the Northern Di Envoy Group entered Beijing."