Chapter 82: The Choice of the Annual Tribute Ceremony

Helian Chuan asked curiously, "What does this have to do with Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu? Why did they come to seize the Great Square Cauldron?"

He Chunhua interjected, "Sun Fuping conspired with the Grand Marshal in a rebellion and was personally stripped of his National Preceptor position by the King afterward. That's why he didn't use the Decree of the State at all in the Coiled Dragon Desert. As for the Prefect of Xunzhou, he originally belonged to the Grand Marshal's faction and had a deep private connection with him. However, he has remained inactive and hasn't openly rebelled yet. I speculate that if Nian Songyu could retrieve the Great Square Cauldron for him, it would be an incredible bargaining chip, allowing him to easily align himself with either side."

Sun Fuping, as shrewd as he was, chose the wrong side this time, paying the price with his life in Coiled Dragon City.

In power struggles, one misstep can be fatal.

He Yue said clearly, "The sweeping main battlefields are in the north and central regions. Blackwater City and the Coiled Dragon Desert are merely small ripples caught in the tide."

He Chunhua and his eldest son exchanged glances.

Their thrilling, near-death adventure seemed insignificant in the eyes of those high-ranking officials strategizing for the greater picture.

Helian Chuan searched his mind for a moment before giving up. His original self usually only cared about eating, drinking, and having fun, and had no concept of national affairs. He barely remembered any of the prominent figures his second brother mentioned.

Madam Ying, who had been listening in, finally spoke, "So, the trip to Coiled Dragon City yielded no gains? On the contrary, many lives were lost."

She rarely interfered when the men discussed national affairs, but the He family father and son had narrowly escaped death, and out of two hundred men they took, only a few dozen returned.

They returned empty-handed, and the deceased still needed to be compensated. Was her husband's adventure not worth it?

He Chunhua chuckled heartily upon hearing this, "Madam, that's not how you calculate the balance!"

"Although we didn't acquire the Great Square Cauldron, we eliminated Nian Songyu and Sun Fuping. That's the biggest gain from this trip!" He grabbed a full cup of wine and drained it in one gulp. "Sun Fuping was one of the principal instigators of this rebellion, considered a grave threat by the Royal Court. By killing him, I've not only relieved the King's worries but also boosted military morale. This is a great achievement."

He Yue added, "Sun Fuping served as National Preceptor for many years, privy to countless secrets. He was also deeply cunning and possessed formidable skills. His attempt to seize the Great Square Cauldron in Coiled Dragon City, whether to aid the Grand Marshal or defect to others, was deeply feared by the Royal Court. By eliminating this future trouble for Da Yuan, we have effectively participated in the major war against the rebellion. We might even be rewarded for our merits afterward."

Helian Chuan chuckled, "Killing Sun Fuping was to relieve the nation's worries, and killing Nian Songyu was to eliminate a problem for our second brother. If we had died in the desert, he would surely have come after you later."

Madam Ying asked curiously, "What business would he have with Yue'er?"

He Yue's face paled, and he said unhappily, "Don't listen to my elder brother's nonsense. However, the Prefect of Xunzhou didn't get the Great Square Cauldron and lost a son in the process. I wonder what his next move will be."

He Chunhua sneered, "I'd been pondering how to explain the deaths of Sun and Nian to the Royal Court, but it turns out I worried needlessly. Tomorrow, I'll send word to the Royal Court that the Prefect of Xunzhou and Sun Fuping conspired to seize the Great Square Cauldron. After that, he won't have time to bother me anymore."

Helian Chuan recalled his father's worried expression during the past ten-odd days of desert travel, and seeing him now, beaming with light fierceness in his brows, knew that he had finally let go of his regret over missing out on the Great Square Cauldron.

He Chunhua asked He Yue, "Let me test you: if the news of Nian Songyu's and Sun Fuping's deaths reaches Xunzhou, what will the General Who Conquers the North do?"

Helian Chuan retorted, "Father, why don't you ask for my opinion?"

"Then tell me."

"Rebel," Helian Chuan said with a smile. "Any defense would be useless; he has no other choice but to rebel."

Prefect Nian Zanli of Xunzhou was already closely aligned with the Grand Marshal, but he wasn't present when the Grand Marshal rebelled, and afterward, he kept his troops hidden. While others didn't know his intentions, the Royal Court was certainly displeased: not deploying troops to fight the Grand Marshal was seen as a lack of loyalty.

Now that the news of Nian Songyu and Sun Fuping plotting to seize the Great Square Cauldron has spread, the Prefect of Xunzhou is truly in a predicament. No matter how he defends himself, the Royal Court won't believe him. Furthermore, he was already ill-intentioned.

Isn't this just forcing him to rebel?

"Not necessarily," He Yue countered. "Nian Zanli still has other options. Besides rebelling with the Grand Marshal, he could also defect to the Northern Demon Kingdom!"

Helian Chuan was taken aback. "He's called the General Who Conquers the North, hasn't he fought many battles against the Demon Kingdom?"

It seemed he really needed to find a chance to catch up on this knowledge.

"Actually, the Nian family has managed quite well in the north," He Yue said. "After Father came to Qiansong Commandery, he also fought foreign enemies every few days for ten years. But look, now our border trade is flourishing, and our relations with many nations are good."

"That's because we're separated from foreign enemies by the Coiled Dragon Desert. As long as we hold Blackwater City, they can't get in..." Helian Chuan chuckled. "Alright, alright, I know what you're trying to say: Nian Zanli might surrender to the Northern Demon Kingdom."

"Then his gesture of surrender to the Northern Demon Kingdom would be Xunzhou, which is under his jurisdiction," He Yue said gravely to He Chunhua. "He wouldn't suffer a loss, because the Northern Demon Kingdom would still appoint him to continue as the head of the province. Using a surrendered general for a surrendered province is a practice from ancient times."

"So he has only two choices left: follow the Grand Marshal or defect to the Northern Demon Kingdom," He Chunhua mused. "Although the Grand Marshal recently suffered a defeat, his foundation is strong. With the added assistance of someone like the Prefect of Xunzhou, the domestic chaos could prolong indefinitely. If he were to defect north, the Northern Demon Kingdom would certainly be pleased, gaining another province without shedding a drop of blood. Moreover, Xunzhou's terrain is strategically vital. Once occupied by the Demon Kingdom, it would be followed by vast plains and fertile lands, easy to attack but difficult to defend."

"In other words, no matter what the Prefect of Xunzhou does next, it will be a brutal and bloody blow to Da Yuan," Helian Chuan yawned. "If I were the King, I'd rather maintain the status quo."

He Chunhua frowned deeply upon hearing this.

Helian Chuan wiped his mouth and was about to leave the table when he suddenly remembered something. "By the way, Father, Sun Fuping's staff isn't obeying me. Do you have any instructions for it?"

After losing its master, the beast-headed staff reverted to the appearance of a vajra, remaining silent no matter how he tried to activate it with his true power.

"That staff isn't really suitable for you. Why don't you sell it?"

Madam Ying also spoke up, "Now that you've returned from this adventure, there are many more expenses. Not to mention, think of how much silver will be spent on compensation alone! It would be better to sell it and use the money to cover the deficit."

Helian Chuan crossed his arms over his chest. "This is my reward for saving dozens of lives, and Father personally gave it to me. Why would I give it back?"

Trying to trick him? Family compensation comes from public funds, not the He manor's coffers.

He Chunhua looked thoughtful. He casually pulled a booklet from his robe, flipped through it, then tore out a page and handed it to him. "Here, the instructions for that staff are all written on it."