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25: Surrender

"Young master, you're finally back!"

Qiu Xing and Dong Chen were eyeing him tearfully, anxious. Ye Yin chuckled. "What's wrong with you two? I'm completely fine, what are you crying about?"

Qiu Xing bit her lip. She finally couldn't hold back her tears. "Young master, how could you do that?" she sobbed. "How could put yourself in such danger? You scared us to death! How could you visit the Zhi (郅) city lord without telling us!"

"Alright, alright. I'm fine, stop crying. If you keep on crying, your eyes are going to get swollen and ugly," Ye Yin teased. But Dong Chen clenched a fist, gritting her teeth.

"Alright, I promise that next time I'll tell you beforehand."

"Young master, we don't care whether you unify the country or not, we only wish for your safety. There cannot be a next time."

Ye Yin sighed, holding his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. I promise there won't be a next time, is that fine?" Ye Yin sighed again, then muttered to himself, "I spoil you all too much."

"Young master," Qiu Xing started to say, "You have already acquired the Mong troops and everything else has been prepared. Why did you put yourself in danger?"

Ye Yin patted his clothes and sat down. "I am not going to use the Mong troops to attack. There is no way to assure their safety if I do. No matter how strong they are, they are still human. I cannot be so selfish to have the Mong people sacrifice for our sakes. Not only that, if any are injured, they will start to question the authority of Aman and will be bound to become traitors. They will also become hostile towards Zhi (沚) nation, which will be dangerous and evolve into an international conflict." 

"Then why did you risk your safety to go to borrow troops?"

"Boost morale!" Ye Yin smiled at the two befuddled girls. "Before we had entered West Zhi (沚), I had already thought of an idea on how to obtain Zhi (郅) city, that is for them to surrender!"

"Surrender?" Dong Chen echoed.

Ye Yin nodded. "Yes, surrender!"

"Young master, you said before that Zhi (沚) nation's city lords are all essentially small emperors, unwilling to hand over their authority, so why would they surrender and hand over their power and troops?"

"I was talking about East Zhi (沚). And who said the city lord had to hand over his power? He is one of the generalswe are going to use. What is he going to use to fight with if he hands over all his troops? Am I going to lead troops instead?"

"Not going to hand over his authority? But in order to firmly control Zhi (郅) city, his authority must be handed over, otherwise..." Dong Chen was puzzled.

Ye Yin raised a brow, smiling yet not smiling. "Among the city lords and county lords of Zhi (沚), there are also those who truly wish for for Zhi (沚) to grow strong, for example Shi Xia, or even the Zhi (郅) city lord, Zhu Ziliang."

He stood up and opened the window, breathing in fresh air. Ye Yin felt completely free. Although he had been on the move the entire night, achieving his goal successfully left him feeling refreshed. He looked back at the two girls, then smiled. They were watching him anxiously.

"Zhu Ziliang is quite a talent. Under his leadership, Zhi (郅) city has been in good order, thriving much more than other cities. However, this is not what he wants. What he wants is to lead soldiers into battle and see East and West Zhi (沚) reunite and see it grow strong. He is also one of the few to recognize the danger the four surrounding nations are, so he doesn't care who becomes the emperor or the position of Zhi (郅) city lord. He only wishes that when it comes to war, he will be able to command soldiers."