allonlinenovel Chapter 259 Negotiation
Chapter 259 Negotiation
The morning mist had not yet dissipated, lingering wisps around the palace's vermilion walls and golden tiles. Ling Xuan, clad in a black robe, stood against the wind, his figure slender like a pine tree. The delicate patterns on his robe appeared and disappeared with his movements, as if whispering of past glory and vicissitudes.
His face was stern, and beneath his sword-like brows lay deep, melancholy eyes, like a bottomless ancient pool. Within this calm, he lurked endless power and emotion. The occasional flash of pain seemed like the unnoticed struggle of a past forgotten by time. His black hair was neatly tied back, highlighting his neatness and determination.
Yun Mengting arrived shortly afterwards. She looked like a fairy emerging from the mist, dressed in white, pure and flawless.
Her long black hair cascaded down her shoulders, a few strands of it rustling across her face, adding a touch of grace and tenderness. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, her brows slightly furrowed, her bright eyes shone with solemnity and determination, like a cold star twinkling in the night sky, radiating its light with unwavering determination.
Although she doesn't know magic, she comes from a family of medicine. The calm temperament she exudes from the inside out makes people know that she is by no means weak and helpless.
"Your Highness, it's time for us to set off." Yun Mengting's voice was soft but firm, breaking the moment of silence.
Ling Xuan nodded slightly, then walked forward, followed closely by his trusted followers. With steady and powerful steps, they stepped out of the palace gate and headed towards the city.
Outside the city, the wilderness was boundless. The withered and yellow weeds swayed and trembled in the morning breeze, making a rustling sound, as if welcoming this unusual team.
The howling wind seemed to sweep everything in the world into it, casting a thick shadow over their journey. The promised land was like a giant beast hidden in the darkness, waiting for their arrival.
Soon, dust and smoke billowed in the distance, and a frontier general rode towards them on horseback, followed by well-trained and well-equipped guards, looking as imposing as a dark cloud covering the sun.
The general was wearing heavy armor, which shone coldly under the scorching sun. His stern face and sharp eyes showed the majesty and solemnity of a veteran on the battlefield.
When the two sides stopped several feet apart, the air seemed to freeze and the tense atmosphere was about to explode. Only the fluttering flags in the wind seemed to reveal the undercurrent of unease.
Ling Xuan's expression was solemn. He spoke first, his voice as resounding as a bell: "General, if war breaks out, there will be devastating loss of life and our beautiful country will be shattered.
"Although the palace has its flaws, they can be gradually reformed without resorting to war. If the general withdraws now, His Majesty will certainly treat him well, preserving his wealth and fame, and leaving a lasting legacy for posterity."
Upon hearing this, the general sneered in disdain, and raised his head proudly in response, "Hmph! The palace has long been corrupt, with treacherous officials rampant. This general has long seen through it. How can my ambition lie in mere glory?
"Only by replacing him, with my own ability, can the world be brought to order and the people to enjoy peace and happiness." With these words, a fiery ambition glittered in his eyes. The two sides exchanged words, neither giving in, and a fierce war of words began.
At this moment, Yun Mengting stepped forward, her red lips parted slightly, her tone gentle but firm: "Wait a minute, General. The chivalrous men in the Jianghu all take saving people from danger as their mission.
If we go to war, the people will suffer greatly, the fields will be reduced to ruins, and there will be starving people everywhere. Is this what the general wants to see?
"The general has great ambitions and should prioritize the well-being of the people." His words were sincere and heartfelt. After hearing them, the general's expression wavered slightly, his brows furrowed slightly, as if he was weighing the pros and cons in his mind, but doubts still lingered in his eyes.
The general narrowed his eyes, examining Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting, and said in a deep voice, "Don't think a few empty words will change my mind. You are all aware of the court's past actions. I command a large army, and the soldiers will serve me. Only by conquering the world can we completely eradicate this filth."
Ling Xuan stepped forward, clasped his fists in salute, and said calmly, "General, His Majesty is determined to reform the court. If we start a war now, regardless of victory or defeat, the victims will be innocent civilians."
"Although the general has many brave warriors under his command, war is cruel and not something that can be easily endured. Furthermore, the power structure of the imperial court is complex and deep-rooted. Even with the general's powerful army, it will be difficult to pacify the situation in a short period of time."
Yun Mengting echoed, "General, there are many martial arts sects, and none of them want to see the flames of war. Although they are far away from the court, they are concerned about the safety of the people. If a war breaks out, the martial arts world will not be able to remain immune and will inevitably be involved, resulting in heavy casualties and bloodshed."
The general snorted coldly, "Martial arts sects? How could this general be afraid of them? My frontier cavalry gallops freely across the land, how could they be stopped by the rabble of martial arts?"
Ling Xuan shook his head slightly and sighed, "General, you are wrong. The Jianghu is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and there are many peerless masters. If they join forces with the court, even if you win, it will be a miserable victory. Moreover, the world has been through war and has been severely damaged. The road to recovery is long and difficult."
The general fell into deep thought. After a moment, he said, "What you say may have some truth. But how can I trust the court's promise? If I withdraw my troops and the court plots against me, wouldn't that be courting death?"
Yun Mengting said softly, "General, the prince and I are willing to guarantee with our own reputations that the palace will abide by this agreement. If there is any violation, we are willing to bear all consequences."
The general stared at Yun Mengting for a long moment, then said slowly, "You two are quite courageous. However, I still need to consider this matter."
At that moment, a dark figure suddenly emerged from the surrounding bushes and rushed towards the general like a ghost. The mysterious assassin was dressed in night clothes, his face masked, revealing only his cold eyes.
Blades in hand, each strike deadly, the target pointed directly at the general. Instantly, the scene descended into chaos, with cries of killing emanating from all directions. The general's guards reacted quickly, drawing their swords to protect their master and forming a defensive circle. Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting also didn't hesitate, leading their trusted followers into the fray.
Ling Xuan's swordsmanship was supreme, his blade flashing and gleaming, a bloody mist filling the air wherever the cold light passed. His nimble and agile form moved him effortlessly through the throng of assassins, shouting, "General, be careful! Protect me!" His gaze was sharp as he parried the attacks while simultaneously detecting the assassins' weaknesses.
Although Yun Mengting does not know magic, she helps Ling Xuan in the chaos with her calm mind and agility.
She nimbly moved among the crowd, and with her familiarity with the human body's meridians, she skillfully instructed Ling Xuan and his confidants to avoid the assassins' deadly attacks. At the same time, she took out some homemade medicine powder from her sleeve, and when the time was right, she sprinkled it on the approaching assassins. Once the powder entered their eyes, the assassins immediately lost their composure.
During a lull in the fierce battle, Ling Xuan caught a glimpse of a distinctive marking on the assassin's body, resembling the insignia of a certain imperial faction. He was startled. However, upon closer inspection, he noticed several other anomalies. The assassin's attack methods and tactics were definitely not typical of imperial factions. Instead, it seemed as if someone had deliberately imitated the imperial style in an attempt to frame him.
The general also noticed the assassin's mark and his face suddenly darkened. He determined that it was a palace trap. His eyes widened with anger and he shouted, "How dare you! You use such despicable means. Today, I will fight you to the death!" After that, he wanted to lead his troops to charge towards Ling Xuan and others.
Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting hurried forward to explain, emphasizing that the palace had nothing to do with the matter. Ling Xuan said loudly, "General, calm down. There must be something fishy going on here.
If the court has such intentions, why did they come to negotiate? Someone must be deliberately instigating this, hoping to profit from it. We propose that we jointly track down the true culprit behind this and prove the court's innocence."
The general snorted coldly. Although he didn't react immediately, he still had doubts. At this time, some sects from the martial arts world who came to support the palace had a conflict with the palace guards due to a misunderstanding.
In the chaos, the jianghu people mistakenly interpreted the palace guards' defensive actions as attacks, while the palace guards believed that the jianghu people were trying to take advantage of the situation to harm the general. The two sides exchanged words and then fought. For a moment, the situation became increasingly complicated and difficult to unravel.
Ling Xuan was extremely anxious, knowing that if the misunderstanding was not resolved in time, the situation would completely get out of control. While trying to appease the general, he sent people to stop the conflict between the martial arts sects and the palace guards.
Yun Mengting, disregarding her own safety, squeezed into the crowd. Using her gentle demeanor and eloquence, she urged both sides to calm down, shouting, "Everyone, please don't act rashly. Our common enemy right now is the conspirators behind the scenes, not us killing each other."
With Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting's diligent mediation, the conflict between the martial arts sects and the palace guards gradually subsided. However, the general's doubts remained. He gazed at Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting and said in a deep voice, "Since you promised to track down the true culprit, I will trust you for once. But if you find nothing, don't blame me for turning against you."
Ling Xuan clasped his fists and said solemnly, "General, rest assured. We will give it our all. This conspiracy concerns the peace of the palace and the border, and even the peace of the world. We dare not slack off in the slightest."
Thus, amidst the chaotic battlefield, everyone discussed a plan to track down the true culprit. Drawing on his keen insight and extensive martial arts experience, Ling Xuan analyzed, "This assassin's appearance was too abrupt. While their attack was fierce, their retreat was orderly, demonstrating a well-organized and premeditated plan. We can follow their retreat and trace their whereabouts."
The general nodded in agreement, and everyone reorganized their troops and slowly followed the assassin's retreat route.
Along the way, the atmosphere was solemn and depressing. Everyone knew that the conspiracy hidden behind it might be far beyond their imagination. Whether they could solve the mystery and prevent the outbreak of war was still unknown.