Chapter 300: Devoted Defender (1/2)

“What? Are you going to deny that?” The old general scoffed, his eyes steely. “I told you not to try to sway me.”

“You should know what I was trying to tell you, general,” Nan Xun said earnestly. He hadn't uttered any lies. “It's not up to you and me to decide whether Northern Qi is at fault here. It's a matter between our two nations. Northern Qi has always been honest. If we were the one who cast the first stone, I wouldn't have sought you out. Your emperor, on the other hand, is a different story. I'm sure you know that as well.”

The old general had been doubting the third prince's words since he arrived at the border. People from Northern Qi in the area had often mentioned how Eastern Wu didn't honored their promise. It couldn't have been a simple rumor for so many people to believe it.

The old general coughed in the chilling wind. He was old. No matter how healthy he was, he wasn't how he'd been when he was young. Nan Xun looked at him for a while before sighing. “Are you loyal to Eastern Wu, or its fool of an emperor? If it's the emperor you serve, this conversation can end here. However, I hear that the general is a man of integrity. I don't believe you are someone who'll be blinded by power. Am I wrong to a.s.sume that, general?”

Nan Xun bluntly voiced his thoughts. He didn't want to waste too much time. They risked getting into trouble if the conversation dragged on and the soldiers realized their general was missing.

The general frowned in deep thought, which gave Nan Xun hope that he'd said something right. He added, “You know better than anyone what kind of a man your emperor is. Are you willing to keep helping a tyrant exploit the regular folk? Do you want other countries to end up like Western Que? Overtime, you'll be nothing but a weapon for Eastern Wu. It's going to serve you better to join us. Northern Qi values talents. And our beliefs align with yours. It's better - ”

“You're just trying to get me to surrender,” the general sneered. “Do you think I'll let you? The emperor isn't a good leader, but I was born and raised in Eastern Wu. It's my duty to guard this country. Do you expect me to raise my weapon at my own people?”

Nan Xun huffed. He didn't expect the general to be so stubborn. His response was cut short by noises coming from afar. The old general knew it was his men. He opened his mouth to call out for them to capture Nan Xun, but suddenly a sword was at his throat, the cold metal touching his skin.

“The general should know that I wouldn't have spent the time talking to you if I wanted your life,” said Nan Xun. “Since you've decided to serve an immoral master, I'm not going to keep up with this talk. We'll meet again on battlefields. Of course, I hope you'll think about what I said today. Farewell.”

He sheathed his sword and disappeared into the woods with his shadow guards.

A few Eastern Wu soldiers had finally found the general. The leader of the group asked worriedly, “General, are you alright?”

The general nodded but didn't tell them the truth of what had happened. He claimed to be getting some fresh air.

Ji Bo was waiting outside when Nan Xun and the guards returned to the camp. He walked up to them and sighed in relief once he made sure Nan Xun wasn't hurt. He dismissed the other soldiers and followed after Nan Xun.

Nan Xun was in a dark mood. He'd wanted to recruit the general, but the man refused to see reason. He felt as if there was a weight over his chest he couldn't get rid of.

Ji Bo laughed when he heard Nan Xun described what had happened. “Your Highness should consider if the general would be worth recruiting if he readily agreed to your offer. It's a good thing that he turned you down.”

“So you knew the general wasn't going to say yes?” the second in command approached them and asked. “Then why did we seek him out?”

Ji Bo turned to Nan Xun with a smile. After some contemplation, Nan Xun said, “This is a test. We've exposed the emperor's true nature and made the general question his decision. Then it'll be easier to do what we're gonna do.”

“That's right.” Ji Bo was pleased. The admirable thing about Nan Xun was that he never let anger cloud his judgement.

“But he's only a general. There are countless talented people in Northern Qi. We don't need him. It'll be bad if he surrenders but harbors ulterior motives.” The second in command was still worried, his forehead creased. Clearly he'd been agonizing over this issue.

Nan Xun shook his head. “No, he won't submit to us so easily. Once he does, he'll devote all of himself to us. He's a principled man who's gained a lot of respect from other people. He considers it beneath him to lie to us.”