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Tuoba Wen, the envoy from Western Kang, stood outside Gao Yuan's main camp with a heart full of trepidation.

This time, he had come on the orders of the Sovereign, Li Yuanhao, to negotiate for peace.

News would occasionally trickle out of the city; their horses were nearly all eaten.

Tuoba Rui and Tuoba Jun had also attempted to break through the siege, but the result was heavy losses and a fruitless return.

Therefore, his purpose in coming this time, regardless of anything else, was at least to ensure the people inside the city did not starve to death.

Hearing that someone from Western Kang had arrived, Gao Yuan was not at all surprised.

"I didn't expect these Western Kang people to be so inefficient. I've been so idle I'm about to grow mold. Bring him in."

After a thorough body search, Tuoba Wen finally met Gao Yuan.

Upon seeing Gao Yuan for the first time, he was somewhat astonished. Was such a delicate and beautiful person truly that cold-blooded commander?

But on second thought, considering Gao Yuan's nickname, "Jade-Faced Yama," it seemed understandable.

"Tuoba Wen, Minister of Rites under the Emperor of Great Kang, pays his respects to the Commandery Duke of West City of Great Qian."

"The honorable envoy has come from afar. I wonder what your purpose is? Have you seen the situation clearly and are prepared to have your entire nation submit to my Great Qian?"

A stampede of ten thousand alpacas ran through Tuoba Wen's heart as he cursed inwardly, yet a smile remained on his face.

"The Commandery Duke must be joking. His Majesty instructed me to come in the hope that the Commandery Duke will show mercy and let the soldiers in the city go."

Gao Yuan feigned an expression of indignation, slapping the table and shouting loudly,

"Let them go? They invaded the territory of my Diannan Circuit, killed my people, and destroyed my fields. They want to leave without paying a price?"

"Naturally, naturally. Our Majesty also knows that his generals' unauthorized actions caused considerable harm to your noble country;"

"Look, how about this? Our country will compensate the Commandery Duke with five hundred warhorses and ten thousand yaks."

"Are you treating me like a beggar?"

Gao Yuan stood up angrily, looking down at Tuoba Wen from a height.

"In this battle, our side's casualties exceed a thousand men. I have to pay out a hundred thousand guan in pensions alone. What can your measly compensation do?"

Tuoba Wen was startled, knowing that Gao Yuan was about to make an exorbitant demand.

But the situation was stronger than the person; now that he was the fish on the chopping block, what else could be done?

Secretly gritting his teeth, Tuoba Wen braced himself and said,

"Please, Commandery Duke, give us your instructions!"

Gao Yuan had once been in sales, so he naturally understood the principle of asking for the moon and settling for the earth. He immediately opened his mouth for a massive demand.

"Three hundred thousand dan of grain, fifty thousand yaks, eight hundred wagons of furs, and two thousand warhorses."

Tuoba Wen's mouth fell open in shock, and he stood there stunned, not knowing what to say.

After a long while, he finally reacted, hurriedly bowing with a fawning expression.

"Please, Commandery Duke, show some understanding. Our Great Kang's land is barren and our population is sparse. The conditions you've set are more than our entire annual revenue."

Gao Yuan waved his hand dismissively.

"They aren't my subjects, so what the hell does that have to do with me?"

Tuoba Wen continued to argue his case, but Gao Yuan would not yield an inch.

Helpless, Tuoba Wen could only settle for the next best thing.

"The Commandery Duke asks for too much; I cannot decide. I ask the Commandery Duke to wait a few days."

"No problem, you go ahead and ask for instructions. I can afford to wait."

Gao Yuan waved his hand with a smile, then added,

"However, I must remind the honorable envoy that every day my great army stays here, it consumes a day's worth of rations."

In his heart, Tuoba Wen had already cursed Gao Yuan's entire family eighteen times over, but his face still wore a fawning smile.

"Naturally, naturally. There is one more thing I would ask the Commandery Duke to grant."

"What is it? Speak."

"The soldiers in the city have been besieged for several days and are starving. Could you perhaps allow us to send some grain inside?"

"That's easy to discuss. As long as they hand over all their weapons, armor, and horses, our army can let the grain transport team enter."

"Commandery Duke, this..."

Gao Yuan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and glanced at Tuoba Wen.

"Let them eat their fill so they can pick up their weapons and fight their way out again?"

Tuoba Wen knew Gao Yuan's concern was justified and could only nod helplessly.

"I understand. Then I shall enter the city now to discuss this with General Tuoba."

"Mhm, go on then."

Inside the city, Tuoba Rui ended the life of his beloved warhorse with a single blade strike. This was the last horse in the city.

Several thousand Western Kang elites were eating only one meal a day; by now, every one of them had thinned considerably, and their morale had plummeted to the absolute bottom.

Tuoba Wen's arrival gave everyone a glimmer of hope.

However, the conditions Tuoba Wen relayed made Tuoba Rui fly into a fit of rage.

"No, absolutely not! Giving up our weapons and armor—what's the difference between that and being prisoners?"

"At worst, I'll reorganize the troops tonight and charge out to fight the Han people to the death. At worst, I'll die on the battlefield."

"That's right! Charge out and fight them to the death! Killing one breaks even; killing two is a profit!"

"That's right! We'd rather die than suffer such humiliation!"

A group of soldiers was incensed, shouting loudly and wasting their meager remaining strength.

Only Tuoba Jun remained silent, waiting for the scene to quiet down before speaking.

"The soldiers we have here and those who were captured are all elites of the Tuoba clan, the troops of His Majesty's own kin."

"If our entire army is wiped out, how will His Majesty and the Tuoba clan continue to suppress the other eight tribes?"

Tuoba Jun's words caused everyone to fall silent instantly. Tuoba Wen also nodded and said,

"This is why His Majesty would rather suffer a loss to ransom you all out;"

"The nine tribes of the Dangxiang are led by our Tuoba tribe, which relies on absolute strength;"

"If these few thousand of you, plus the ten thousand-odd prisoners held by the enemy, are all lost, our Great Kang will be unable to launch an offensive for at least ten years."

Having clearly analyzed the situation, Tuoba Rui finally lowered his proud head and accepted Gao Yuan's plan.

Just by clearing a path, Gao Yuan gained over a thousand sets of intact leather armor, over a thousand sets of damaged leather armor, and a large quantity of weapons for nothing.

Gao Yuan wished for more of this kind of work.

Watching over a thousand laborers enter Lijiang City with wagons, Gao Yuan tilted his head toward Liu Rengui beside him and said,

"Zhengze, on the return journey, do you think these unarmed laborers might run into some accident and vanish without a trace?"

"That shouldn't..."

Liu Rengui was about to deny it when he immediately caught on and also revealed a sinister smile.

"My Lord's words are reasonable. This humble general also shares this concern."

The next day, this Western Kang transport team encountered an 'accident' on their return journey.

Over a thousand people, along with hundreds of ox carts, disappeared without a trace.

Tuoba Wen, Tuoba Rui, and the others in the city immediately understood what had happened and couldn't help but burst into curses.

"This Gao Yuan is truly shameless!"

"If it weren't for the lack of weapons, I would love to charge out and hack him into eight pieces!"

"I want to poke ten thousand holes through him!"

"Me too!"

Unfortunately, as they were currently unarmed, they could only be 'keyboard warriors' of the mouth.

In Luoxie City, the Western Kang Imperial Palace, Li Yuanhao was also getting a massive headache looking at the document in his hand.

He tossed the document onto the desk, rubbing his temples as he asked,

"I presume all you beloved ministers have seen this document. Let us discuss it."

An official stood up.

"Your Majesty, the Han people are asking for the moon. I believe we should resolutely refuse and mobilize the main army to fight the Han people to the death."

"That's right! The main force of our great army is still intact; we should fight a decisive battle to recover the lost territory."

For a time, the main hall was filled with clamor as these ministers were each filled with righteous indignation.

How could Li Yuanhao not understand their thoughts? It was simply that they didn't want their own interests to be harmed.

Li Yuanhao looked toward Tuoba Tao, who had already returned.

"General Tuoba, what is your opinion?"

Tuoba Tao had lost the battle and originally wanted to be invisible, but now that the Emperor had asked, he could only brace himself and speak.

"Our great army has lost a large number of elites. Even if we were to win a decisive battle against the Qian Army now, it would surely be a pyrrhic victory;"

"In that case, even if our Great Kang recovers Lijiang and Dali, it would take at least twenty years to recover our strength."