Chapter 678: Negotiation

Pan Yun had never seen him.

He wasn't worth the trouble of interrupting her healing; Xue Shao refused him: "Since Lord Yamana has no intention of continuing the attack, we shall return. Many of our people are wounded and need treatment."

Takenaga Kuninaga hurriedly blocked him: "If you return now, you'll lose your chance for revenge."

Xue Shao's face was grim: "A gentleman seeking revenge need not hurry; we cannot sacrifice the lives of our warriors for vengeance."

The great heroes stood with swords in hand, watching coldly.

Takenaga Kuninaga realized he could not sway them—he needed the lord himself to intervene; Pan Yun might agree;

Only if Pan Yun agreed would these warriors move.

He said no more, withdrew, ordered the troops to camp in place, then seized a horse and urgently departed with his retainer to persuade Yamana Motofusa.

Xue Shao watched him leave coldly, not leaving with the heroes as he had pretended.

Chen Liutao and Qu Zhixing stood silently on either side of him, also watching Takenaga Kuninaga depart.

Xue Shao turned and said: "Have Tao Yanbai distribute all the Wu Lin Alliance's healing herbs for everyone's treatment—we must remain here at least two more days."

Chen Liutao and Qu Zhixing exchanged glances and agreed.

Xue Shao guessed correctly—they indeed stayed two days.

That evening, Yamana Motofusa and Takenaga Kuninaga slipped over quietly, requesting Pan Yun to strike against Shankou Castle.

Pan Yun's face was flushed, showing no sign of injury.

Facing Yamana Motofusa's invitation, Pan Yun smiled faintly and asked: "I need five thousand troops—will you give them to me, Lord Yamana?"

Yamana Motofusa stiffened, forcing a laugh: "I've heard everything from Takenaga. Young Lady Pan can summon heavenly thunder. With your ability, even five hundred troops could seize Shankou Castle as easily as turning your hand."

"Communicating with heaven and making deals with the gods is never easy—each time demands a great price," Pan Yun countered: "If it's only revenge, I could take my time. One of the culprits, Dainai Yazi, is already dead; only Dainai Jiaohong remains. I have ample time to assassinate him—why waste my lifespan summoning heavenly thunder?"

Yamana Motofusa grew displeased: "Young Lady Pan promised cooperation…"

Pan Yun's expression darkened: "I promised cooperation—and I delivered. But Lord Yamana has not shown even basic loyalty to your ally. Why should we risk our lives for you?"

Yamana Motofusa suddenly snapped to awareness—he had concealed the true strength of the Uesugi clan.

He swallowed hard, speaking nervously: "I—I thought Takenaga had told Young Lady Pan. I never imagined he'd be so bold…"

Pan Yun sneered: "Due to your miscalculation, my people fell into the Uesugi trap, countless wounded, one critically injured—still unconscious. Do you know who that critically injured man is?"

Pan Yun's face filled with sorrow: "His surname is Zhang—he is the nephew of the Great Ming's Celestial Master, an outstanding disciple of Long Hushan Academy. Before he left, our master and elders repeatedly warned me: 'Care for him well.' Now he lies critically wounded."

Yamana Motofusa had not realized Zhang Weiliang's importance; he hurriedly said: "I'll send physicians immediately—name any medicine you need."

He claimed it was all an accident, yet Pan Yun could not afford to abandon this golden opportunity.

Pan Yun remained unmoved: "If you want me to act, Lord Yamana must give me five thousand troops."

Her gaze sharpened, fixed on him: "Lord Yamana—if you cannot spare five thousand troops, even if I take Shankou Castle, can you hold it?"

"Beyond Shankou Castle, the Uesugi still hold half their territory. Mao Li and Yoshikawa will not stand idle—can you outmaneuver them? Can you hold it after taking it?"

Pan Yun sneered: "What use is seizing land you cannot hold?"

Yamana Motofusa fell silent for a long while, then straightened, bowing low: "According to Young Lady Pan, what are the odds of success if I provide five thousand troops to take Shankou Castle? And the odds of holding it?"

After a brief pause, Pan Yun said: "Sixty percent. I don't know how close the Uesugi are to the Izumo Shrine. Shankou Castle is easy to defend but hard to take. Once captured, the odds of holding it are eighty percent."

A dark gleam flashed in Pan Yun's eyes: "But after Shankou Castle, Lord Yamana cannot possibly seize all the land. As I understand, Mao Li has good relations with the Izumo Shrine and is closely tied to Ichinomiya Temple. Their lord has long been ill at Ichinomiya Temple, but recently his health has improved."

Pan Yun hinted: "If he calls upon the Izumo Shrine and Ichinomiya Temple, this outsider Daoist Priest will find it difficult to trouble the local mountain spirits too much."

The small flame of hope in Yamana Motofusa's heart snuffed out with a puff.

He had never wanted to give so many troops to Pan Yun—only a sixty percent chance, unlikely to destroy the Uesugi, and risking retaliation from Izumo Shrine and the powerful Mao Li…

Yamana Motofusa's balance tipped decisively toward peace. After hesitation, he asked: "If we make peace, how much land can we keep?"

Pan Yun smiled: "How much do you wish to keep?"

Yamana Motofusa: "I want to keep it all—it was all won by our blood and sweat. Why give it up?"

Pan Yun smiled: "Noble ambition. Lord Yamana may try."

Yamana Motofusa tried—and nearly broke off the talks.

Negotiation is also a battlefield: first strike, then decline, then exhaustion. Yamana Motofusa was crushed; his intellect could not reverse his position.

But prolonged stalemate was no solution. Though Yamana Motofusa was foolish, his army still camped outside Shankou Castle—and Odaigaki Iekage was no fool.

He seemed to sense the Uesugi's hesitation, thought briefly, and realized they feared Pan Yun—so Odaigaki Iekage came himself to request her presence.

Pan Yun smiled at Xue Shao: "Finally—he came. If he hadn't, I'd have gone straight to Dainai Jiaohong to collect what I'm owed and left."

Xue Shao smiled and went to meet Odaigaki Iekage on her behalf.

Two quarters later, Xue Shao entered with a stack of documents.

Pan Yun reached out, took them, and glanced over. Besides two medicine lists, they listed gifts from the Yamana clan to the great heroes: silver, gold, pearls, fine iron, and weapons.

Pan Yun's name appeared last—she even had a household of artisans.

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow, glancing at Xue Shao.

Xue Shao said: "I told him you wished to forge your own sword but lack craftsmanship—he selected a master craftsman from the Yamana clan to give you. To ensure he'd follow you willingly, Odaigaki Iekage sent his entire family."

Pan Yun closed the list with satisfaction: "See—there are still wise people in this world."

Odaigaki Iekage was wise; the Uesugi were no less so.

Naito Hiromitsu, the moment he saw Pan Yun appear behind Yamana Motofusa, knew the delay was over—the lord's hope of merely returning occupied lands would fail.

He coldly glanced at Odaigaki Iekage beside Pan Yun, knowing this was his scheme.