Chapter 812: First Volume, Chapter 812: Not an Inch Given

First Volume, Chapter 812: Not an Inch Given

Li Yu had long ordered false rumors spread among the Folk; the people of Sangzhou suffered unbearably, and reclaiming Sangzhou was imperative, stoking hatred across Heaven and Earth toward Liang and Qin Feng.

But at this moment, Qin Feng's words nearly shattered Li Yu's composure.

He dared not dwell further on this topic and quickly changed the subject: "I hear the late Emperor's Princess is about to return to the Imperial House. Why not send emissaries immediately to welcome her back?"

Qin Feng didn't hesitate—he refused outright: "No need for you to trouble yourself, Lord Li."

At these words, Li Yu's face darkened: "Lord Qin, you're wrong. My Great Di's Princess is our affair alone. As an outsider, your hand reaches too far—you'll invite condemnation from Heaven and Earth."

Qin Feng shrugged: "Lord Li, rest assured—the late Emperor's Princess is perfectly well. Once I've settled in the Royal Capital, I'll send men to bring her to Beijing."

Seeing Qin Feng refuse to budge, Li Yu signaled Zhang Bingguo with his eyes; Zhang Bingguo immediately barked: "Qin Feng! Don't push too far!"

"Everything can be negotiated—except welcoming the Princess back to Beijing! No compromise!"

"If my Great Di cannot even retrieve its own Princess, won't that shame our national dignity?!"

"Yes, my Great Di was defeated—but even in defeat, we will never allow ourselves to be trampled. This baseline of national dignity? We will fight to the last soldier before yielding."

Sounds better than a song!

Facing Li Yu and Zhang Bingguo's act, Qin Feng remained unmoved.

He knew: Jing Qianying's existence directly threatened the legitimacy of the Di Royal King. To consolidate imperial power, they would kill Jing Qianying without hesitation the moment she appeared.

Even if Qin Feng sought revenge, could he possibly destroy the entire Bei Di Wang Du by force?

Even Qin Feng, however bold, would never entertain such a foolish notion.

Winning a battle is easy; conquering a nation is harder than climbing to heaven. When dragged into the ocean of popular warfare, who would be worn down—Bei Di or Qin Feng? No one could say.

Qin Feng would neither yield nor easily reignite war with Bei Di. If he simply stalled, he would hold firm advantage.

Qin Feng held his Wine Cup, lips slightly curled, studying Zhang Bingguo with keen interest.

For some reason, being watched by this "young man" made Zhang Bingguo feel uneasy.

Zhang Bingguo took a breath, steadied himself, and reminded himself: this was the Di Royal Capital. Even if Qin Feng was fierce, there was nothing to fear.

Sensing the growing tension in the room, Jing Ci's heart tightened.

She didn't understand how these people could turn hostile faster than flipping a page.

One moment they laughed and joked like Comrades; the next, swords were drawn, life or death.

Under everyone's gaze, Qin Feng drained his Wine Cup, set it down, and said casually: "Minister Zhang, save your breath."

"Throughout Heaven and Earth, many have threatened me, Qin Feng."

"Not even your few words—much less when the Di army once pressed against my Liang Kingdom's Bianchui, when my borders teetered on collapse—did I ever flinch."

"If your country wants to retake Sangzhou, use every means possible. No need to waste words on me. After all, Sangzhou is your land—why should you explain yourself to an outsider?"

"As for the late Emperor's Princess, I urge you to abandon this idea entirely. If you find it unbearable that I hold her, then here's a reason you must accept."

"I have consummated marriage with the late Emperor's Princess. She will be my Jiefa Wife. Is that relationship sufficient?"

At these words, the room fell utterly silent.

Aside from Jing Ci, who had heard Qin Feng mention this before, even Li Yu knew nothing of it.

Li Yu stared at Qin Feng in disbelief: "What?! You and the late Emperor's Princess have already..."

"Unthinkable! What an outrage!"

Qin Feng's face hardened: "For years, the late Emperor's Princess wandered among the Folk, and you never asked after her. Now you care? Too late! Whether Jing Yushu or Jing Qianying—she is the late Emperor's Princess, my future wife, and my Qin Family's Fourth Miss."

"Her bloodline, you cannot overturn. Her reputation, you cannot touch."

"With my Qin Family protecting her, Jing Qianying's return to the Di Royal House is merely a matter of time."

Qin Feng laid it all bare: Jing Qianying's return to the Royal House was not a conspiracy—it was an open, undeniable strategy, so no concealment was needed.

Moreover, the louder the uproar, the more momentum it would build for Jing Qianying—and the more Imperial Party support he could gather from the Folk.

Li Yu trembled with rage, yet had no recourse.

He slumped back into his chair, thinking inwardly: "Trouble—serious trouble! With Qin Feng's bond to the late Emperor's Princess, seizing her under legal pretext is impossible. Add Qin Feng's full backing... No, I must inform His Majesty at once."

As Li Yu rose to leave, he felt a hand press down on his thigh.

He turned—Chen Si, who had remained silent, calmly shook his head, signaling him to wait.

Chen Si had witnessed the entire exchange. He had seen Li Yu and Zhang Bingguo, two veteran ministers, crushed before Qin Feng.

Chen Si knew his own political skill—he was no match for Qin Feng.

So he did the opposite: he avoided all deeper conflicts and asked thoughtfully: "Qin Feng, I don't blame you for Chen Mou's death."

"But I still can't understand—why did the Snow Wolf Brigade... perish entirely?"

"Your troops in Sangzhou may have outnumbered them, but you had to hold Xiongying Ridge and defend deep into the terrain—you could deploy few forces."

"Yet the Snow Wolf Brigade was one of my Great Di's elite troops, equal to the Xiongying Brigade. Even at their worst, they shouldn't have been crushed so utterly."

"Are your troops truly that strong?"

Feeling Chen Si's sincerity, Qin Feng sighed inwardly. Compared to Li Yu and Zhang Bingguo, Chen Si was the most pragmatic—he was probing Qin Feng's strength, preparing military moves.

Knowing this, Qin Feng still answered without hesitation: he meant to use his absolute confidence to force the Hawk Faction into absolute doubt.

"In the end, it's just two words: Time."

"Time's role in war is immense—it often decides victory or defeat."

"The Snow Wolf Brigade was all Elite Troops on Warhorses. Their soldiers recovered strength faster than their mounts. So by precisely calculating the Warhorses' stamina consumption, we turned weakness into strength—accumulating small advantages into decisive ones."