Chapter 592: Chapter 592

"What’s this? You want to emulate Yuwen Jing and cede those three cities in Ningzhou to us?" Dugu Jing sneered, as though questioning whether Xie Xun would follow in Yuwen Jing’s footsteps after ascending the throne.

"Dugu Jing, the only condition for your people to cross Ningzhou’s borders and enter Beining is Beiman’s surrender and allegiance to Beining. I am not Yuwen Jing—I will not carve up our territory for you. However, if Beiman’s lands fall under Beining’s dominion, I promise to treat you equally. Should Beiman’s people wish to migrate elsewhere, I will not stand in their way."

"Dream on!" Dugu Jing burst into anger. Becoming brother nations was already his limit. To surrender and submit would mean eternal disgrace for him, branding him the perpetual enemy of Beiman.

Condemned for generations!

"I will never betray Beiman, nor lead them into surrender to live a life under someone’s thumb. Don’t even think about it, Xie Xun. I’ve already fallen into your hands—kill me or chop me into pieces as you please!" Dugu Jing’s resolve was unyielding; he refused to discuss surrender with Xie Xun.

Xie Xun had predicted this, and laughed softly, saying, "You may be betraying the Beiman of this generation, but you would benefit Beiman’s descendants in the long run. Besides, how can you be certain that Beiman’s people want to continue living behind Sha Ling Tian Mountain for generations? If they truly did, then why have you repeatedly raised armies across generations, seeking to push past the mountains and enter Beining? I won’t kill you, nor will I force you to surrender. Dugu Jing, I could even grant you freedom, allowing you to roam Beining at will. That way, you could see for yourself the lives of Beining’s people."

Xie Xun paused and spoke earnestly, "My second brother once lived among the Beiman people for two years and wrote a thirty-thousand-word report on Beiman. I only read a hundred words before tossing it aside, but after ascending the throne, I picked it up again. My second brother said the conditions beyond Sha Ling Tian Mountain are harsh, with extreme weather phenomena such as rain, snow, and sandstorms all occurring in a single day. Most of Beiman’s lands are unsuitable for human habitation and survival. Your water sources rely entirely on the melting snow from Sha Ling Tian Mountain. While you do have abundant mineral resources, including rare ones, you cannot transform them into wealth because they merely sustain your lives. In reality, you lack food—and food is the key to survival. I’m not interested in ruling over Beiman’s territory, and if Beiman surrenders, I will not treat your people as slaves. When I say ’equal treatment,’ I mean it. I will provide you land, houses, cattle, and sheep, so that you may live on our territory and build a shared home together. Who would be interested in a land plagued by constant sandstorms and snow? I’m willing to accommodate you. First, I hope to gain access to Beiman’s mineral resources; I won’t deny that. In exchange, I will offer you a new and warm homeland. Second, I don’t want Beiman and Beining to remain trapped in endless warfare, sacrificing innocent lives. You’ve been fighting for years and lost countless lives—all to provide your people with shelter. You should carefully consider my proposal." Newest update provıded by NovєlFіre.net

Dugu Jing’s fury began to subside; he was no longer as enraged as when Xie Xun had initially brought up surrender. He recalled several years ago, when he went to Yanyang for negotiations, how impatient and forceful Xie Xun had been.

The young lord from back then spoke with even more assertiveness and temper than the emperor now. After becoming the emperor, Xie Xun reined in his aggression entirely, presenting himself as a mild-mannered ruler. Yet no matter how refined his disguise, Dugu Jing still remembered the Xie Xun who had chased him thousands of miles to cut him down, and the one who sat at the negotiation table, ready to end his life with a single strike.

"I don’t trust that you’ll treat Beiman’s people fairly."

"Why not trust me? I didn’t even exterminated the Yuwen Royal Family. I only killed Yuwen Jing and the Empress Dowager. I’m even raising their children properly at Qiushan. When they come of age and prove they harbor no rebellious intent nor ambition for war, I will grant them freedom," Xie Xun replied calmly. "I’ve fought in wars for many years and witnessed the toll endless military campaigns take—how soldiers die in their prime on the battlefield. I desire peace, not just for Beining but also for Beiman. Once you have a place to call home, there will naturally be no cause for war, and the peace everyone yearns for will naturally follow."

"If you truly desire peace, then why don’t you have Beining surrender?" Dugu Jing sneered. "I could make the same promise—that I’d treat Beining’s people kindly."

No matter how reasoned Xie Xun’s words were, or how gentle his tone, Dugu Jing remained antagonistic, refusing to believe a single word. Xie Xun already had the upper hand in terms of timing, geography, and public support.

Beiman was in decline, and once the Sannan conflict was resolved, Xie Xun would only need a few years to recuperate before launching a full-scale invasion to defeat Beiman with military force. Moreover, the fact that he was negotiating under favorable circumstances clearly suggested ulterior motives.

Memories of the negotiations years ago and Xie Xun’s pursuit across thousands of miles were still vivid to Dugu Jing. He believed that character is hard to change; Xie Xun’s assertiveness and aggressive nature couldn’t possibly fade just because he had ascended the throne.

Gaining the throne and wielding imperial power would only amplify his arrogance and confidence, making him worse—not transform him from a decisive and ruthless general into a benevolent and compassionate ruler.

"Think carefully about this—do you find your own words amusing? Beining’s people already have a place to call home; they’ve been born into the majestic Beining and lived on these flourishing lands their whole lives." Xie Xun was still the irritatingly confident Xie Xun. "We’re simply lucky, aren’t we? I suppose we can only blame the heavens for that, can’t we?"