Fengyu’s proposal, on one hand, aligned with Dugu Jing’s expectations, and on the other hand, satisfied Xie Jue’s plans for Ningzhou. It was a mutually beneficial solution. Qianling Town was far from Ningzhou City, and the Beiman’s range of activity would not cross the Shaling River. Merging the two towns wouldn’t require joint governance, thereby sparing Ningzhou from many troubles while also accommodating more Beiman people. Fang Chuning thought merging the two towns was a good idea. He had always believed that joint governance would bring a host of issues. Due to the chaos caused by war, many citizens of Ningzhou who previously enjoyed a nomadic lifestyle had moved into the city. After decades, their descendants were now accustomed to urban living and might not revert back to nomadism. There was no need for them to cohabitate with the Beiman. If they did, and war broke out again, such a town caught in the middle would find it hard to survive. However, back then, Ting Feng had proposed joint governance primarily for trade. The Beiman had been years ahead of Yanyang in mineral smelting and mining technology, with abundant mineral resources at their disposal. Now, with the Beiman’s new war vehicles coming into play, Ting Feng was even more eager to obtain their new technology. If the towns merged in a non-joint governance model, it would lose the convenience of mutual trade. As long as Ting Feng wanted the Beiman’s technology, he wouldn’t agree to this. Dugu Jing also desired Yanyang’s agricultural products, weaving techniques, and various economic crops in exchange. However, commercial trade routes would suffice for him to get what he wanted, which is why he was willing to accept Fengyu’s proposal. Xie Jue deliberated for a moment and stuck to his original stance. "After the merger, there must still be joint governance. Ningzhou’s citizens should retain the right to buy, sell, and inhabit houses in the merged town, just as previously negotiated. We will station troops, with the axis of the new town as the dividing line, separating north from south. In the future, if there is intermingling or intermarriage, it will be by the townspeople’s own choice." This was as Fang Chuning had anticipated. If Xie Jue were to garrison Ningzhou in the future, he would undoubtedly find a way to obtain the Beiman’s mining technology and research on new weapons, which were of great interest to him. Xie Jue had always been intrigued by such technology, but regrettably, these were not skills that could be learned in a year or two—they required experts proficient in the craft. The mutual trade arrangement would benefit Yanyang more than it would harm, which is why they had gone through the trouble of establishing a new town. Dugu Jing thought Xie Jue was too domineering. Xie Xun’s suggestion to avoid mixed habitation and joint governance had seemed ideal to him earlier. However, in the current landscape, Ningzhou held the stronger position. Since Xie Xun also deferred to Xie Jue, Dugu Jing had no desire to press the issue. "Fine. I agree!" Dugu Jing closed the matter decisively. Xie Jue said, "As per the ceasefire agreement, if the Beiman dare to launch another raid on Ningzhou, this new town—just as I built it, I’ll raze it to the ground. You’d better keep that in mind." "Second Young Master, there’s no need for such empty threats. This new town will be home to innocent civilians. I don’t believe the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion will truly launch attacks on unarmed people," Dugu Jing replied with bold confidence. "Dugu Jing, if I had been in power in the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion three years ago, you would never have left the Beiman alive. Unlike my father—who bore compassion for the world and fought to protect the weak—I couldn’t care less about the lives of the Beiman. To me, you’re akin to the wolves of Sha Ling Tian Mountain: not of my kind, to kill is to kill. You dare invade, I’ll dare to slaughter your towns." Silent and sparing with words, Xie Jue wouldn’t waste time arguing. Anyone he wanted to retaliate against, he would strike without warning—just as he intended with Han Ziqi. There would be no forewarning. He always believed that threats were the mark of the weak. The strong never feared their enemies’ plots and schemes—they countered soldiers with soldiers, water with earth. Making threats betrayed weakness. Once spoken, it meant you were bluffing. But the upheaval three years ago had taught him that some things needed to be said aloud. A hunter with bow and arrow feared not the lone silent wolf but the pack, baring their fangs and bristling with murderous intent. He wanted Dugu Jing to know where the line was drawn! "I’ll remember that." Dugu Jing chuckled, unperturbed. He had grown far more tempered than three years earlier. "Civilians just wish to live in peace and prosperity. If they are well-fed and clothed, who would willfully incite war?" "Not necessarily. Sannan is wealthy, yet, despite their full bellies and fine clothing, didn’t they still stir up war and attack the Twelve Prefectures?" Fang Chuning spoke with a wry smile. "Ninth Prince, think more long-term. Don’t just fixate on the picturesque lands of Yanyang. Speaking of wealth, Sannan has an advantageous geographic location, thriving in agriculture and livestock. If you lead the Beiman to attack Sannan, I can even persuade the Second Young Master to open the gates of Ningzhou City and let you pass." This remark was pure provocation and mockery. The temper Dugu Jing had managed to suppress flared up again. "Thank you for the suggestion, General Fang. I’ll give it some thought." "A teachable youth," Fang Chuning retorted coldly, his disdain dripping with sarcasm. He and Xie Jue were both simmering with anger over their recent losses, making their tolerance for Dugu Jing in these negotiations razor-thin. "Since we’ve agreed to a ceasefire, why don’t we discuss how you’ve been collaborating with Sannan?" "I provided troops to attack Ningzhou. They attacked the Twelve Prefectures. North and south coordinated to trap you in Ningzhou, forcing you to seek aid from the imperial court," Dugu Jing revealed their strategy without concealment. It could have been a flawless assault. Fang Chuning’s expression turned icy. "Did the King of Sannan tell you how exactly he planned to take the Twelve Prefectures?" "No," Dugu Jing replied tersely. "Our relationship with the Sannan people isn’t that close." Sharing a glance, Fang Chuning and Xie Jue both suspected Dugu Jing might be truthful on this matter. The Beiman’s combat style was indeed entirely different from Sannan’s. With a slight smile, Dugu Jing added, "We Beiman are also skilled in poisons. If the Second Young Master needs, I can have a priest bring a few poison experts to accompany you to Jiangnan." "Such generosity?" Fengyu blurted out, "The weasel paying respect to the hen." "What do you mean?" Though fluent in Yanyang speech, Dugu Jing could not grasp the idiom. "It means you’re being kind-hearted!" Fang Chuning replied coolly. "As for the war in Jiangnan, we’ll handle it ourselves; we don’t need the Beiman meddling." Neither Fang Chuning nor Xie Jue had any intention of letting the Beiman intervene in this matter. With the major points settled, it was time to discuss reparations and troop withdrawals—matters of lesser importance. Xie Jue, unreserved as ever, made exorbitant demands. He asked for more gold, silver, cattle, and sheep than he had three years ago. "One final condition: the Beiman’s violation of the ceasefire and raid on Ningzhou has caused me to lose all trust in you. I don’t believe you. Therefore, I must ask the Ninth Prince to accompany me back to Ningzhou City and reside there for three months." Xie Jue dropped the pretense, revealing his true aim. Everything they’d negotiated thus far had been as gentle as a spring breeze compared to this clause. This was where the real fight began! Neither Fengyu nor Fang Chuning had anticipated such an audacious move. There was no way Dugu Jing would agree! To the Xie brothers, Dugu Jing was a mortal enemy. If he went to Ningzhou, calling it a three-month stay was putting it mildly. To put it bluntly, he’d be imprisoned. If Xie Jue and Xie Xun wanted him dead, he wouldn’t make it out alive. "Then the negotiations are off!" Xie Jue sipped his tea leisurely, his face blurred by the swirling steam, cold as ice. "If the ceasefire agreement can be broken once, it can be broken a second time. Why should I trust you? How do I know that, after the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry are sent to Jiangnan, you won’t raid Ningzhou again? Dugu Jing, I do not trust you!" Enraged, Dugu Jing snapped, "Xie Xun, are you just going to let him run rampant?" Fengyu spread her hands, feigning helplessness—after all, she wasn’t truly Xie Xun. Fang Chuning propped his head lazily, smiling brightly at Dugu Jing, though his words reeked of rogue-like audacity. "If you agree, your soldiers will think you’ve acted valiantly, loyal to your nation. If you don’t agree, we’ll just take you by force. Ningzhou and the Beiman can keep fighting—we don’t mind." ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝕟𝕖𝕥