“Stop!”
He turned back to the Empress. Her confident composure had not once changed. She still carried herself like the ruler of a nation, even on a battlefield that would not bend to her will.
She fixed Yulena in a hard gaze. “I’m not here to turn myself in. I’m here to negotiate a deal with you. And that deal is off if my bodyguard dies.”
Yulena lowered his sword slightly. “I’m not quite sure I follow, Empress. As I see it, you’re in no such position to be making deals-”
“The peace treaty your Lord Zhike has with Lu Bei,” she spoke over him. “Lu Bei intends to violate it.”
Yulena’s eyes narrowed but he remained silent.
“Lu Bei promised the hand of Princess Yu Mire in a political marriage to Lord Zhike because she would serve as a good hostage for the Tufan in the event of a Han invasion.” She paused to let her words sink in. “But that’s only if I’m on the throne. Princess Yu Mire means nothing to Lu Bei and he would let her and her bloodline die without a second’s thought. In other words, she is useless to the Tufan.”
That sharp mind was what made her the Empress, Yulena mused to himself. Even without knowing any prior information of the peace treaty, she must have pieced the details together somehow. But it was also because of her agile mind that made her words more tinted with suspicion.
“How do I know that what you say is true?” he retorted.
She gestured to the North end of the town. “Even right now, Lu Bei’s men are setting fire to this town and killing your people. Is that not proof enough?
Yulena threw his head back and simpered, “They’re just savages. We can deal with them after we’ve dealt with you.”
The corner of her lips curved up in the slightest at his words. “You can’t,” she said simply. “Their leader Pan Ke is one of Lu Bei’s strongest soldiers. And with the number of soldiers you have, you don’t stand a chance. Either way, they just need to hold the townsfolk hostage to coerce you into surrendering.”
He pursed his lips together, refusing to admit out loud that she was right.
“The fact that Pan Ke is here means that Lu Bei is terrified. Terrified that I’m still alive,” she reasoned. “In doing so, he has slipped up and allowed his men to decimate your people, revealing that his intention is not that of peace.”
Yulena mulled over her words. Despite agreeing with her reasoning, he was not ready to accept it yet without first understanding the most crucial thing.
“That does not explain why you have chosen to show yourself.” He thrust his blade forward, his voice taking on a darker edge. “Or why I should not just cut you down right now and save myself the trouble.”
Unconcerned by his threat, she only moved closer until her neck was barely an inch away from the tip of his sword. “I’m suggesting an alternative. I want to bring peace to both our countries. War has stretched both nations too thin and I think we can come to an agreement.”
He raised an eyebrow. “And what makes you think you can do that?”
“Zhike seeks a solution to this war with the least bloodshed and I am of a similar opinion.” Folding her arms behind her back, she declared firmly. “I do not believe that political marriages are the foundation of a peace treaty. The bond between nations should be forged through trust, common goals, and shared resources.”
“Lofty goals and words,” he scoffed and pointed his sword at her. “Especially coming from one who has not achieved any such thing after years of endless war.”
His words seemed to have touched a nerve for a barely perceptible wince crossed her features. Yet she maintained her impregnable stance. “That is because I have perceived Zhike in an unfavorable manner all these years. But from what I’ve gleaned through various sources over the course of these few days, my perception has changed.”
“That’s a very short time for you to have changed your impression of our Lord so quickly,” he remarked, his voice a mix of curiosity and wariness.
Ignoring his veiled question, she laid out her cards. “We have very common enemies like your leader, who I believe Zhike has ambitions of overthrowing. As well as the Menggu tribe whose values and aspirations do not align well with Zhike nor the Han. I can lend the might of our troops and the expertise of our spies to help you eliminate both.”
It was an audacious proposal. One that took him off-guard completely. The ramifications of such a deal was far-reaching and Yulena knew well that if it came to fruition, it would pave Zhike’s way to the throne. Yulena lowered his sword and chose his words carefully. “Why should I trust you?”
Meeting his gaze head-on, she had her answer ready at hand. “Why else would I still be standing here instead of escaping to the border?”
“You are a smart man, Commander Yulena,” she addressed him formally. “You’ve been on the battlefield for too long a time. You have the instincts to know when someone is being sincere… and when someone is not.”
She summed it up simply.
“I’ve made my move. It’s time for you to make yours, Commander.”
Comments (6)
See all