The Glory After Rebirth [重生之尊荣]

Chapter 274- 276

Chapter 274: The Oncoming Return to the Capital City of the Team

With a calm look on his face, Yuwen Tong said, "You may cut to the chase with me, Your Highness. I don't like it when people beat around the bush."

The King Yu, not offended at Yuwen Tong's bluntness, responded, "I like your straightforwardness, Marshal. My intention is very simple – I wish to strike up a friendly relationship with you."

He didn't say anything about wanting Yuwen Tong's help. He just said he intended to cultivate good relations with him.

"And how do you want to do that?" Yuwen Tong looked at him.

Eyes on Yuwen Tong, an earnest expression on his face, the King Yu replied, "Marshal, I think you know very well that although you've ceded half of your military power, there's no guarantee you and your family will be safe forever. I hope you'll give more consideration to your escape route. Actually I invited you to meet me here today because there's a particular thing I want to tell you about – the sole reason why my father set out to eliminate you so soon was that the Wan Kingdom's emperor, in order to ensure Shan Congwen's safe return from the Great Yue, had agreed to prolong the period of validity of the non-aggression treaty to twenty years!"

Yuwen Tong's brows briefly twitched, his eyes flashing towards the King Yu.

Seeing that there was finally an expected expression on Yuwen Tong's face, the King Yu secretly felt a slight sense of relief and continued, "Think about it – the non-aggression treaty will last twenty years. Such a long time is more than enough for my father to put the North-western Army under his command, turning them into an imperial guard, which will, naturally, render you redundant."

The King Yu had made it very clear – what with this twenty-year peace treaty, Yuwen Tong had become the emperor's greatest threat, and on no account would the emperor let Yuwen Tong live; if Yuwen Tong wanted to survive, he must find a way out, and offering him a way out was exactly why the King Yu had come here.

"I've always been holding you in high regard and admiring you, Marshal. When I was a young boy, what I heard the most often was battlefield report about where you, who was then still a general, had won yet another victory. So since childhood, I've been looking up to you as a hero of the Great Yue, the incarnation of the God of War. I never believed that you'd ever do anything traitorous. If I'm enthroned, I'd want to see you remain the marshal of the Great Yue."

The King Yu, having expressly made his point, fixed Yuwen Tong with a gaze, waiting for him to make a decision.

Yuwen Tong didn't make a reply immediately. After a while, he rose to his feet. "Thank you for your advice, Your Highness. Consider your efforts to cultivate good relations with me successful. As for what might come next, we shall have further talks about it."

Inwardly the King Yu was very satisfied. Yuwen Tong's positive response to his overtures was a good start!

"Sure. You don't have to rush into any decisions. I arranged this meeting merely because I wanted you to know about the cause of that unfortunate incident, so that you'd be more aware of the situation."

Having achieved his ends, the King Yu didn't try to persuade Yuwen Tong to stay longer when Yuwen Tong expressed his intention to return.

"Your Highness, do you think Yuwen Tong will agree?" said the King Yu's henchman, watching Yuwen Tong's receding back.

The King Yu replied in a deep voice, "He will agree."

"Well, if by any chance the King Duan..."

"Zhou Mingyuan?" the King Yu sneered. "Impossible. Back then when Yuwen Tong and Ling Zhang were on their way to this city, Ling Zhang was almost poisoned in Wu City, for which Peng Fang was the one responsible. Although at that time Peng Fang hadn't openly taken Zhou Mingyuan's side, Yuwen Tong has definitely found out about the truth, and even if he hadn't, we'll have to figure out a way to make sure he's informed. Everybody knows how protective Yuwen Tong is of Ling Zhang. You think he would still choose Zhou Mingyuan after this matter comes to his knowledge?"