Fengyu sat by the river waiting for the sunrise, but her thoughts were elsewhere. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that there was something strange between Xie Jue and Fang Chuning. Fengyu had seen Fang Chuning’s overt affection, but she had never seen how Xie Jue truly felt about Fang Chuning. Second Brother’s emotions were too restrained, and he really did not show his joys or sorrows in front of others. But with that fleeting glimpse just now, she wondered if she was overthinking it. Although at times, Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin, as well as Zhou Liyu, seemed to indulge each other too, when it was time to fight, they would fight fiercely as well. Thinking of it this way, perhaps it was quite normal. After all, they grew up together as childhood friends, and their bond was so strong, what’s wrong with indulging a bit? She absently threw stones into the river. Seeing her restlessness, Feiying couldn’t help but ask, "Miss, is something on your mind?" The personal guards were far away, unable to hear their conversation, so Feiying wasn’t as cautious. Fengyu said, "Second Brother and Fang Chuning... Are they too close?" ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝕟𝕖𝕥 "Junior General Fang and Second Young Master have always been like that," Feiying said. "Second Young Master was frail and sickly in his youth, and his status was awkward. It was Junior General Fang who protected him as he grew. They are closer than others. Second Young Master’s time spent with Junior General Fang is longer than with his own Lord, and they know each other very well." "So, Second Brother considers Fang Chuning a brother too?" "Yes!" Feiying carefully chose his words, "Perhaps... in his heart, Junior General Fang is as important as the Eldest Young Master." Fengyu thought of her and Fang Lingjun. She liked her sister and loved her dearly. But she was also willing to spend a fortune and give her life to protect Fang Lingjun. Such a bond, though not one of blood, was equally important. Perhaps she was overthinking it! Fengyu was originally waiting to watch the sunrise, but instead of the sunrise, a troop of Beiman cavalry emerged from the end of the Shaling River. The Shaling River was about twenty zhang wide (around 60 meters). The battle was to the east of the Shaling River, and across from it was the territory of the Beiman in the Sha Ling Tian Mountain. It was relatively safe to the east of the Shaling River, and Beiman generally dared not come to spy, unless a cavalry raid was happening, crossing the riverbank suddenly. This troop only had over two hundred men, and it didn’t seem like a raid. Leading them was Dugu Jing, riding a sturdy, jet-black Ferghana horse, tall and formidable, clad in armor fashioned from red sandstone, exuding a killing intent and coldness. Like a lone wolf lurking in the snowy mountains, leading his pack to hunt everywhere. Dugu Jing instantly spotted Fengyu on the opposite bank, quickly took up his bow and shot an arrow at Fengyu. Dugu Jing was patrolling the riverbank with his cavalry, and didn’t expect to see Xie Xun on the opposite bank. The battle between Beiman and Ningzhou was fought hastily, with severe losses, and his most beloved brother also died in this campaign. Although a truce had been internally agreed upon, Dugu Jing bottled up a grudge, wanting to get back at the Xie brothers, and seeing Xie Xun was simply a heavenly chance. The Beiman were passionate, impulsive, fierce, and reckless, caring little about the ongoing peace talks. Seeing Xie Xun, he instantly bent his bow to shoot at him. If the commander of the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry were shot dead, the army’s morale would undoubtedly falter. When Fengyu saw the arrow flying towards her, she wasn’t flustered at all. Feiying was by her side and deflected the arrow with his sword. As Dugu Jing sent a second arrow flying, the personal guards rushed in to shield the commander behind them, and Dugu’s second arrow went astray. Dugu Jing realized that his opportunity to kill Xie Xun was slim. Even if Xie Xun appeared alone by the river, it wouldn’t be easy to shoot him dead. Xie Xun, even when gravely injured, could easily dodge the arrows, moreover, with Feiying and numerous personal guards beside him, they had no wings to cross the Shaling River to engage Xie Xun in close combat. If they could cross the Shaling River to fight Xie Xun in close combat, he would have definitely taken Xie Xun’s head. Dugu Jing’s two arrows missed, and he reined his horse to a stop. The generals beside him also recognized Xie Xun, their battle spirit soared, but alas, none could cross the Shaling River. Fengyu gestured with her hand, and Feiying and the personal guards made way. She smiled leisurely and said, "Dugu Jing, during the Beiman’s request for peace talks, you attempted to kill me, it seems the sincerity of Beiman in the peace talk isn’t much." "Prince, you are overthinking. I was patrolling my territory, just happened to see you, and came to say hello, please don’t take offense." Having not met for three years, Dugu Jing’s Yanyang dialect had become very fluent. Fengyu smiled with a faint disapproval, "Your way of greeting is quite unique." "In Beiman, we have the custom of befriending through martial arts and greeting with arrows. Prince, if you have the time, do visit our Beiman Imperial Court." Dugu Jing sat arrogantly on his horse, seeming as if the person who stirred the trouble this time was not him. "Dugu Jing, it has been less than three years since Beiman and Yanyang signed the peace agreement. We were all recuperating, why the urgency in attacking Ningzhou? You were unprepared for the attack on Ningzhou, Beiman suffered massive casualties, the battlefield littered with corpses. This storm you stirred on a whim, how many souls are now wandering above the Shaling River, unable to rest in peace," Fengyu disagreed with Dugu Jing’s betrayal, clearly tearing up the ten-year non-aggression pact had harmed countless people. "This matter... wasn’t my wish, why don’t you ask the Emperor of Yanyang?" Dugu Jing sneered coldly, "I am merely a prince of Beiman’s Imperial Court, obeying orders to send troops. If we Beiman have done wrong, it should be someone who gave us false information causing our misjudgment, leading to defeat." "Defeated means defeated, don’t make excuses," Fengyu mercilessly taunted, "You and the Beiman King, being twins, are deeply affectionate, but everyone knows you hold the real power. You are the Regent King of Beiman, even your brother listens to you. Now you blame him for misjudgment, really quite disgraceful!" Fengyu knew how to prick someone’s pain point. Dugu Jing might have deployed his troops upon orders, but to say he didn’t wish to attack Ningzhou is absolutely dishonest. Dugu Jing still harbored a glimmer of hope, hoping the split of Ningzhou Iron Cavalry from Yanyang would drastically reduce their strength. Sannan could also cooperate to attack the twelve provinces, making Xie Xun and Xie Jue too busy to take care of themselves. Alas, although Yanyang’s regime and territories were divided, the military authority remained united. Regardless, the north and south are united only in resisting foreign enemies, not in waging civil wars. "Prince, what you said is reasonable, it was my oversight. I underestimated that after Yanyang and Ningzhou split, they could still resist the enemy with one heart. Yuwen Jing was truly useless, I trusted the wrong person from the beginning." Dugu Jing knew he was hopeless in shooting, so he switched faces, "Prince, shall we talk? The battles in Sannan and Jiangnan are not looking optimistic, and you don’t need to spend time with me here. I lost this battle, and I accept it." "You want to fight, then you fight. You want to negotiate, then you negotiate. You think Ningzhou is your backyard?" Fengyu sneered, thinking about Dugu Jing’s dominance and ruthlessness at Xiyanshan, with a suppressed resentment in her heart, during this negotiation, Dugu Jing was like an eagle with clipped wings, no longer able to be aggressive, "Negotiations come with a price." "Name it!" Dugu Jing was unexpectedly good-natured! "My Second Brother said, if you want to negotiate, first hang your head on the Ningzhou City wall for three days as a public display, then he will consider negotiating." Fengyu leisurely asked, "Prince, for the sake of thousands of Beiman citizens, are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the country?" Dugu Jing sneered, "The prince doesn’t sincerely want to negotiate, just making things difficult on purpose, aren’t you?" "Who is making things difficult? Who was demanding Second Brother’s head all those years ago during the peace talks?" Fengyu’s hands were clasped confidently behind her, "The wheel of fortune turns. Back then, you were so arrogant in the negotiations, wanted anything, got anything, didn’t you foresee the current predicament? We have a saying in Yanyang, leave room for maneuver, so that you may meet again well. But you have done everything utmostly, so how will you repay the many lives of our Marquis Zhenbei Mansion now? If there’s no compensation, how could you have a negotiation with me?" Fengyu was deliberately making it difficult, but it was also her heartfelt words. Second Brother agreed to negotiate, taking into account Sannan’s battle situation, unwilling to compromise in heart. Therefore, his attitude had to be expressed. Even if negotiations were to proceed, they should still strip Dugu Jing of a layer of skin. "What do you want to do?" Dugu Jing’s face slightly darkened, the times are indeed different. Fengyu chuckled lightly, "I am temperamental, impulsive, difficult to maintain the poise of a great nation, naturally my Second Brother will negotiate with you."