Chapter 1076: Chapter 1070: Out of Line
"Originally, it was an alliance treaty signed between Rong and the Yan Kingdom. Now that Rong has been destroyed... the treaty naturally has no binding force. If the Princess of Xiliang intends to use this treaty as a leverage, then she must first seize Xiliang from my Zhou and re-establish Rong."
Liu Rushi paused here and then chuckled, "I forgot, even if Rong was re-established, it wouldn’t count unless the King of Rong who originally signed the alliance with Yan was still in power! How about... the Princess of Xiliang first tries to lead her troops to Dadu City to abduct the King of Rong who has settled down there?"
Li Tianfu’s face alternated between blue and white: "Ah, so now Zhou and the Yan Kingdom are in cahoots! Does this mean Xiliang has no allies? Xiliang has formed an alliance with Tianfeng Kingdom, and when you bully Xiliang, be ready for the joint army of Xiliang and Tianfeng Kingdom to strike!"
After speaking, Li Tianfu turned to Sal Khan: "Monarch of Tianfeng Kingdom, after forming an alliance with Xiliang, we opened our gates for you Tianfeng troops, providing for your entire army, offering treasures and beauties, pleading for your aid, treating you as our closest ally. Now that Zhou and Yan have allied, they are bound to wage war against my Xiliang, and I... hope Tianfeng Kingdom will honor its promise to assist Xiliang."
Murong Yan’s fingers twitched as he held the teacup, realizing... Li Tianfu wasn’t as clueless as she appeared.
She was using her unsophisticated demeanor to draw Tianfeng Kingdom onto the same front line with Xiliang.
This was Murong Yan’s first direct encounter with Li Tianfu, but Bai Qingyan had previously dealt with this Princess of Xiliang during peace talks after the southern border battle, knowing full well that Li Tianfu was not a brainless, spoiled person.
On the contrary, Li Tianfu was adept at using her spoiled nature to achieve her objectives.
For instance, during the previous southern border peace talks, she used her immaturity to avoid marrying into the royal family of Jin Kingdom.
And today, she employed this bratty demeanor to underscore how Xiliang had already gone to such lengths to open its gates and provide for the nation of Tianfeng. At this moment... if Tianfeng Kingdom refused to stand alongside Xiliang, who would dare to ally with them again?
Xiliang is now threatening to go to war with Zhou, while Zhou has signed a joint-war treaty with Yan...
Li Tianfu is relying on her bratty nature to ensnare the Tianfeng Kingdom, which was trying to use the Four-Nation Alliance to establish a foothold in this land.
Sal Khan paused in his fondling of the jade cicada, feeling a chill from head to toe, glancing sideways at Li Tianfu. He had been careless... he underestimated a woman like her as she schemed.
What Sal Khan regarded as a pocketed Xiliang reversed the situation to trap Tianfeng Kingdom, hoping to disrupt Tianfeng’s original plans to wage war with Zhou for Li Tianfu’s grand revenge scheme.
Li Tianfu, this madwoman consumed entirely by revenge...
Sal Khan gritted his teeth, the smile gone from his face: "Back when the Empress of Xiliang sent envoys to Tianfeng Kingdom seeking alliance and aid, it was in fear of a joint attack on Xiliang by Zhou and Rong. Tianfeng Kingdom was asked to deploy the Elephant Army to guard Xiliang! If... another country bullied Xiliang, Tianfeng Kingdom would naturally not stand by, but... if Xiliang provocates on its own, Tianfeng can’t just volunteer as their foot soldiers, right?"
"Uncle Nine... is Xiliang and Tianfeng Kingdom quarreling among themselves?" Murong Li whispered to Murong Yan.
"Good!" Li Tianfu nodded, "As we approach the three-year term agreed upon by the Emperor of Zhou and our Auxiliary General Yun Poxing, the Empress of Zhou will inevitably attack Xiliang to avenge the Bai family. At that time, I still hope Tianfeng Kingdom will assist Xiliang!"
After speaking, Li Tianfu seemed to be provoking Bai Qingyan, fearing she might be intimidated by the Elephant Army, and deliberately asked, "The Empress of Zhou wouldn’t retreat just because she knew Tianfeng was aiding my Rong, would she?"
"If Xiliang truly wages war with Zhou, delivering grain to Tianfeng, which is so closely connected with Xiliang, would be like delivering grain into the hands of Xiliang people! Zhou... can’t afford to invite such trouble!"
Upon hearing Bai Qingyan’s words, Sal Khan pursed his lips and said, "Indeed, Tianfeng has an alliance with Xiliang, and we came because of Xiliang’s invitation. But it was stated back then... that Tianfeng only helps Xiliang defend and would never assist in crossing the national borders."
Sal Khan looked at Li Tianfu and said, "I hope the Empress of Xiliang understands."
Li Tianfu feigned a look of shock: "Our entire Xiliang is providing for Tianfeng, and that’s how they treat their ally?"
"It seems the Four-Nation Alliance cannot be signed, but at least... this trip wasn’t in vain, as Yan and Zhou have already signed an alliance!" Bai Qingyan smiled as she leaned on Bai Jinzhi’s hand to rise, "As for the matters between Xiliang and Tianfeng, Zhou will not get involved, so we shall take our leave..."
The court officials from Zhou followed suit and rose to their feet.
"Then Yan Kingdom will also take its leave!" Murong Yan was the first to stand up, followed by Murong Li, with the Yan court officials hesitating no further.
Sal Khan looked again at the Great Shaman’s disciple, whose pale face was covered in sweat, weakly nodding at him. Only then did Sal Khan rise, making a gesture to escort Bai Qingyan, Murong Yan, and Murong Li, maintaining a graceful smile. "I shall see off the Emperor of Zhou and Emperor Yan..."
Perhaps finding it easier to deal with women rather than men, Sal Khan walked alongside Bai Qingyan, raising the curtain of the tent for her, and said, "Empress, might you consider renting cities and lands to our Tianfeng? Silver coin is no problem; everything can be negotiated."
"Then I might as well be frank with the Monarch of Tianfeng Kingdom..." She bent down to step out from the tent and walked slowly towards the carriages of Zhou amidst the falling snow, speaking slowly, "As Tianfeng’s land is swallowed year by year by the desert, reducing the land area, if cities are leased to Tianfeng... when Tianfeng is ultimately engulfed by the desert, how will we handle Tianfeng’s people remaining on the land of Zhou?"
Sal Khan clenched his fist: "Even in ten years, the desert will not completely engulf Tianfeng; once the ten-year lease is up, if Zhou is unwilling to continue, we can also withdraw from Zhou."
"The Monarch of Tianfeng might be thinking... using the ten-year lease period as a pretext to first occupy the city and lands of my Zhou. When Tianfeng’s land is consumed by the desert, they will send more people to the rented cities, and Zhou will have no right to intervene!" Bai Qingyan did not relent, smiling slightly while her words were sharp, "Zhou is a nation of etiquette, and in ten years, as long as you do not overstep, we shall not forcibly expel you!"
"Ten years is more than enough time for the people in the city to be assimilated by those from Tianfeng." Bai Qingyan pointed out cynically.