820 The White Flag in the Rain (1/2)

The Night Hall was very silent and the candlestick within it swayed lightly. Ning Que looked into the Empress' eyes and said, ”Shame will bring courage and anger. If this anger can be released, then what has been left will be courage. You said it and I quote, Your Majesty. What we need to consider now is who would bear the Tang's anger.”

The Empress did not answer.

Ning Que continued, ”Ceding the Xiangwan Plain, and the the war-horses issue will be settled by the Academy.”

The Empress shook her head and said, ”No matter how strong the Academy is, it cannot create something from nothing.”

Ning Que replied, ”Everything I lost, I will take back.”

The Empress did not understand why he was so confident, but in the end, she was convinced by his determination. After a moment of consideration, she said with a grave expression, ”Since this is so, I will sign it.”

Ning Que said, ”You can't sign it because I cannot allow you and His Majesty to bear the anger of the people.”

The Empress replied, ”But you have once said that the Academy cannot sign it because we will renege on this agreement.”

Ning Que said, ”The West-Hill Divine Palace has made sufficient preparations, and will definitely request that I or even Senior Brother do the signing. As for the imperial court, Ye Hongyu was right, we still have one more way out.”

The Empress was very intelligent and immediately understood what he meant. She said in agreement, ”The one on the throne is my son, so I have to bear the relevant responsibilities and do the tasks. There won't be any difference whether it's me or anyone from the Li family to sign the agreement.”

”At least it will form a certain buffer,” said Ning Que. ”As a member of the Li Royal Family, you can only die to pay for signing this agreement that will shame our nation. This is the only way to appease the anger of the people. And in such a current situation, you cannot die.”

”The Academy is more and more closely bound with the human society, and Mr. First has agreed to mentor my son. The Royal Court is no longer fighting. Now that we think about it, I am no longer important to the Tang Empire.”

The Empress smiled and said, ”Furthermore, to me, death is no longer frightening.”

Of course, Ning Que would not push the Empress to do it. He rushed to the prince's residence in the night.

The candles in the study were dim but Li Peiyan was just as handsome. He smiled warmly, but there were many more wrinkles by the corner of his eye. His eyebrows which were once sharp as swords had become extremely gentle.

”I do not have much ambition in my life. I just want to make up for what my royal brother is lacking. I want to represent the royal family in bettering the relationship with Haotian Taoism, and at the most, wanted to be known in history as a good prince.”

Li Peiyan looked at Ning Que who was sitting across him. He smiled self-mockingly, ”Now that I think about it, if I had not been born in the royal family and been sent to a county to be a prefecture governor, I might've been more useful than I am now.”

”This is where your Highness' problems lay.”

Ning Que said, ”You think of things that are too trivial in the grand scheme. And over the years, you have given the Divine Hall too many concessions. His Majesty does not like it and neither does the Academy or the people.”

Li Peiyan said, ”It seems that I am indeed useless.”

Ning Que said, ”This aligns with the role your highness will play, so I think you can still make some contributions to the Tang royal family before leaving the world.”

Li Peiyan looked at the candlestick on the table and looked at the wax streaming down the candle. He sighed and said, ”You have ignored me ever since you killed Xiahou. I always thought it was the Academy that put pressure on you on behalf of my royal brother, or that you had killed enough people and your resentment subsided. Or you just wanted me to be trapped in the fear of not knowing when I'd die, but I didn't expect you to be here waiting for me.”

”No one can work out what will happen years or even decades later like Haotian. I can't think so far out in the future either. But just like what my Third Sister once said, some people are more useful alive than dead.”

”They are useful... in dying at the right time?”

”Indeed.”

”Ning Que, you are indeed the most cold-blooded person in the world.” Li Peiyan lamented, ”The Tang Empire is in danger now, and it needs someone who's cold-blooded and practical like you to protect it.”

Ning Que said, ”Everyone but you has the right to say that I'm cold-blooded, your Highness.”

He had not slept for a night, not because he was tossing and turning in bed, but because he was wandering within Chang'an City.

Ning Que left the prince's residence and went back to the house at Yanming Lake to meet Ye Hongyu. He said, ”Neither the Academy nor the royal family can go to the West-Hill Divine Palace to pay homage to Haotian.”

Ye Hongyu said, ”Yes, they can. You can send a diplomatic envoy.”

Ning Que said, ”No.”

Ye Hongyu thought about it for a moment and said, ”Just like what you have done for the South Jin Kingdom, letting the House of Red Sleeves dance at the Divine Hall.”

Ning Que answered, ”That might work, but they have to do it without any official representation. I also have to ask if they are willing.”

Ye Hongyu said, ”Go on.”

Ning Que continued, ”We can agree to all other conditions, but the Divine Hall has to guarantee the absolute safety of the Great River Kingdom. No matter whether it is Yuelun or the South Jin Kingdom, if they take a step across the great river, we would deem it as them reneging on the contract.”

Ye Hongyu answered, ”That is not a problem. And to reciprocate, the Tang Empire has to guarantee the safety of Qinghe County.”

Ning Que said, ”The Divine Hall's had already made that requirement.”

Ye Hongyu shook her head and said, ”It is the safety of everyone in Qinghe County. That includes the people of Qinghe who stayed in Chang'an during the war. The Tang Empire has to release them.”