20: Chapter 20 Trading Time for Space!
In the early morning, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds and spilled onto the golden Formation light barrier in front of the Su Family's main gate.
The main gate, which had been tightly shut for three full days and nights, finally opened slowly amidst a low humming sound.
Outside the gate.
The Grand Princess of Great Zhou, Wu Qin, wore a frosty expression.
Although her crimson gold battle robe was still magnificent, having been blown by the cold wind for three days, it had long since lost the imposing majesty it possessed upon her arrival.
She stared fixedly at the crack, the knuckles of her hand gripping her sword turning white.
"She's out!"
A beautiful figure wearing a light purple fairy dress walked out, her Face beaming with joy and her steps light, under the murderous gaze of Yan Ling'er.
Ying Yue'e deliberately paused and, right in front of Wu Qin, elegantly adjusted her collar and hair, which were not messy at all. With a look of complete satisfaction, as if she had just received some immense nourishment, she practically had the word 'smug' written all over her Face.
"Oh my, Sister, you're still here?"
Ying Yue'e covered her mouth and chuckled lightly, her eyes darting around:
"The autumn dew is heavy; to think you've become this haggard just waiting for me, Sister? It truly breaks my heart."
"Ying! Yuee!"
Wu Qin gritted her teeth, each word squeezed out from between them:
"You stayed inside for three days and three nights! A lone man and a lone woman! You are shameless!"
Facing Wu Qin's rage, Ying Yue'e was not angry at all. Instead, she set aside her girlish demeanor, her expression turning solemn as she instantly switched back to the majestic Aura of the Grand Princess of Great Qin.
She took a step forward, her spiritual power surging, and her cold, firm voice spread across the entire scene:
"Wu Qin, put away your display of impotent rage."
"This Princess will only say one thing today."
"The Head of the Su Family and I hit it off immediately and had a very pleasant conversation. After three days of all-night talks, we have reached a consensus."
Ying Yue'e swept her gaze across the crowd, finally piercing Wu Qin like a sharp sword:
"From this day forth, the Su Family is a 'close ally' of the Great Qin Imperial Dynasty! The Head of the Su Family is, moreover, my... intimate friend."
"If your Great Zhou wishes to use force against the Su Family again and deploy iron cavalry to flatten this place, it will be a declaration of war against Great Qin!"
"At that time, Great Qin's million-strong Black Armored Army will surely cross the border to assist! To the death!"
Boom!
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire scene was in an uproar.
The Heavenly Dragon Guards behind Wu Qin looked at each other in dismay, their hands gripping their weapons trembling.
To think Great Qin would go so far as to launch a national war for a tiny Su Family?!
"You are insane!"
Wu Qin looked at Ying Yue'e in disbelief.
"You would go to war with Great Zhou for a commoner Family?! Does your brother know about this?!"
"That is no need for you to worry about, Sister."
Ying Yue'e's expression was indifferent, even carrying a touch of unbridled certainty.
Since she dared to say this, it was naturally because the value Su Feng had displayed was worth Great Qin placing this bet!
A twenty-year-old at the Mid-stage Golden Core!
Although she hadn't managed to pry out Su Feng's background in these three days, what had been revealed was enough to prove Su Feng's extraordinariness.
Great Qin would definitely protect such a potential asset, and moreover, this was the best opportunity to cause trouble for Great Zhou; how could she miss it?
"You!"
Wu Qin was so angry she drew her sword to strike, but was held back firmly by the old Consort behind her.
"Your Highness! You must not! You absolutely cannot be impulsive!"
The old Consort, covered in sweat, urgently sent a voice transmission:
"The Su Family already has an unknown Formation for protection, making them a hard nut to crack. Now, with this connection to Great Qin... if a fight really breaks out, we will be attacked from both sides, and our national Luck will be in jeopardy!"
Wu Qin's chest heaved violently; how could she not understand this logic?
But that rebellious Dragon was right before her eyes, and that Aura devouring the Great Zhou's national Luck was inside!
As a Princess of Great Zhou, how could she endure this? How could she retreat?!
Just as the situation reached a stalemate.
Ying Yue'e's eyes flickered, and she suddenly changed the subject, offering a seemingly reasonable way out.
"Sister, I also know your difficulties. The conflict of Imperial Dynasty Luck is a great taboo, and you must give an account to Great Zhou's national Luck."
"Since you cannot fight, and you cannot tolerate them... why not change your thinking?"
"Take a step back, and the sea and sky will be vast."
Ying Yue'e walked a few steps closer and said softly in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Why not issue a decree immediately to designate this Azure Cloud City as an autonomous restricted zone, legally severing it from the territory of Great Zhou."
"It is like cutting away rotten flesh to preserve the whole body. Since you cannot control it, you might as well throw it away; out of sight, out of mind."
"In this way, the Su Family's Luck will no longer belong to Great Zhou, and naturally, it will no longer conflict with Great Zhou's national Luck. It preserves your Great Zhou's Golden Dragon of Fortune, saves the Su Family's Face, and avoids a war between the two nations... wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
Severing territory?!
Wu Qin's pupils contracted sharply.
This was ceding land! It was the greatest insult to an Empire! It was a disgrace to the nation!
"You want me to cede land?!" Wu Qin looked at Ying Yue'e, her eyes filled with humiliating rage.
"This is absolutely impossible!"
"Then let us go to war."
Ying Yue'e spread her hands, not yielding an inch.
"Anyway, Great Qin's army has already gathered at the border. If Sister wants to test which is tougher, the Su Family's Formation or Great Qin's iron cavalry, this younger sister will accompany you to the end."
"You!" Wu Qin was shaking with rage.
After a long while.
Under the almost pleading gaze of the old Consort, and under the aggressive Aura of Ying Yue'e.
Wu Qin closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
The hand gripping the sword finally hung down powerlessly.
She understood that in the current situation, a head-on clash would only benefit other nations.
"Fine..."
When Wu Qin opened her eyes again, they were filled with humiliation and unwillingness, her voice hoarse:
"I will report the matter of Qingyun truthfully to the Emperor!"
"Before the Emperor's latest decree is issued... the Su Family... shall be temporarily deposited here!"
After saying this, which nearly drained her of all her strength, Wu Qin turned her head sharply, staring fixedly at the direction of the Su Family courtyard, as if she wanted to see through the Formation to the detestable man inside.
"Su Feng! And Ying Yue'e!"
"I have noted this debt! The green hills will not change, the green waters will flow on!"
"Withdraw!"
Following the order, the Nine-Dragon Chariot turned around and retreated in a sorry state, amidst the unwilling gazes of the Great Zhou entourage.
The majesty that had blotted out the sky upon their arrival now became the biggest joke.
...
Inside the Su Family courtyard.
Su Feng stood with his hands behind his back, silently watching it all.
From beginning to end, he had not shown his Face.
"Whew..." Yan Ling'er beside him let out a long sigh of relief.
"Finally, we've sent this group of plagues away."
She glanced at Ying Yue'e, who had not yet left outside the gate, and pouted.
"That woman, although annoying, certainly has a good brain. This move of ceding land directly abolished Great Zhou's legal basis."
Su Feng nodded slightly, but his expression did not relax; instead, it became even more profound.
"This is just a delaying tactic."
"Trading time for space."
Su Feng knew very well that the reason Ying Yue'e protected him was because she valued his potential; this was an exchange of interests. The reason Wu Qin retreated was because she feared the Formation and Great Qin; this was forced by the situation.
The so-called alliance was as fragile as paper in the Face of absolute interests.
The so-called peace was nothing more than a respite granted by the strong to the weak.
"The current Su Family is like a child holding gold bricks while walking through a busy market."
"It seems to have a Formation and an ally, but in reality, its Foundation is not yet stable."
"This illusion cannot last long..."
But even if the Golden Dragon of Fortune clashed with the Great Zhou Empire, he would absolutely not yield.
There was no way around it; the benefits were simply too great. The current Su Family only lacked time!
Su Feng's gaze crossed over Azure Cloud City, looking toward the direction where Lin Qingxue was, and he muttered.
"Lin Qingxue's belly should be getting hard to hide soon!"