sbdcsierra Chapter 920 Learn to Save Yourself
Chapter 920 Learn to Save Yourself
He Lianjue had no doubts when he heard Lin Wuji's words. With the two countries in a standoff, the question of whether to negotiate or fight to the death was of paramount importance, and no mistake could be made at this time.
Since Crown Prince Chongwen was sent as a hostage, Great Yan has always held a superior position in the relationship between the two countries. However, after the defeat in Qinzhou, if peace talks are desired, the first priority is to send the hostage back to the country.
If something were to happen to Crown Prince Chongwen at this time, peace talks would be virtually impossible, and the conflict might even escalate rapidly.
The Empress Dowager's most trusted person now is her "adopted son." Others may not know, but he knows some inside information. This so-called "adopted son" is actually the Empress Dowager's biological son. The "adopted son" title is just a cover-up.
It's not surprising that the Empress Dowager would send him to protect Crown Prince Chongwen.
“The hostage was once my teacher and is also my queen’s uncle. Now that our two countries are at war and the people are suffering, I have come to visit the hostage and would like to hear his thoughts.” Helian Jue said to Lin Wuji, “I will take the queen inside first.”
Lin Wuji stepped forward. "Since you've come for the sake of peace between our two countries, I'll go and listen to what you have to say. Surely Your Highness won't object?"
Helian Jue frowned.
Lin Wuji laughed and said, "It is my duty, Your Majesty, please do not take offense."
Helian Jue had no choice but to nod: "In that case, Prince Lu, please come along."
Helian Jue pulled Li Duan inside, and Li Duan followed silently. Lin Wuji glanced at Li Duan a few times, which made Li Duan impatiently curse, "What are you looking at? If you look again, I'll gouge your eyes out!"
"Showa!" Helian Jue hurriedly called out.
Li Duan ignored him completely and instead asked Lin Wuji, "I heard that Prince Lu grew up in Da Zhao. It is said that the soil and water of a place nurture its people. I wonder which soil Prince Lu ate? I am reluctant to return to my homeland, but Prince Lu is eager to come and talk about the sand. Look at him, it has only been a few days, and his face has become much rougher!"
Lin Wuji: "..."
Lu Yangyang had never said that her best friend was so secretive!
Is she really not afraid of messing things up by going all out right in front of Yi Wang?
I heard that she is the only daughter of the eldest princess, the emperor's niece, and Mingruo's younger sister.
But her personality is completely different from Ming Ruoke's.
"Why isn't Your Highness speaking? Has my words fallen flat?" Li Duan asked aggressively.
Lin Wuji felt a headache coming on.
Someone come and save him!
How should he answer in a way that would neither mislead her nor fail to express his goodwill?
Seeing that Li Duan's words were becoming increasingly absurd, Helian Jue had no choice but to speak up again to stop him: "Showa, let's go see the hostage first."
Having arrived at the entrance of the tower, Li Duan indeed quieted down.
Outside the pagoda stood layers of guards, but inside there were neither guards nor monks, only middle-aged men with disheveled hair and wearing shackles and handcuffs.
They were emaciated, with gray hair, and their age was almost impossible to guess.
Some were wandering aimlessly, some were lying on the ground wiping the floor again and again, and others were writing furiously.
Inside the tower, only these faint noises could be heard; there were no voices. These people, who lived together and should have known each other well, could hardly hear a word from one another.
Li Duan's face was expressionless, her eyes were wide open, and she was looking up.
The center of the tower is empty. Looking up, it's like being in a dark, sunless cage, with an upside-down abyss in sight.
There is no end.
In the past three years, Helian Jue had brought her here twice. The first time she saw this tower, she understood Bo Zi'an's helpless despair. He had been living in this tower until he was exhausted, unable to return to his homeland, unable to see his lover, and unable to see a glimmer of hope.
That was the person her mother longed for day and night. She waited for him for twenty-two years, but before she could even say a word of longing, they were separated forever.
His pain was as great as his mother's.
Helian Jue released Li Duan's hand and walked towards the innermost bookshelf.
Crown Prince Zong Huai sat behind the bookshelf, holding a book and reading. His hair was mostly gray, but he was still as handsome as ever. The years had turned into fine lines at the corners of his eyes, but they could not take away the light in his eyes.
Even in prison, he remained calm and composed, and even his faded monk's robe was spotless.
“Sir,” Helian Jue bowed respectfully before sitting down on the prayer mat opposite Zong Huai.
Lin Wuji watched this scene from afar without stepping forward, but he looked at Zong Huai with some curiosity.
This was his third time meeting Zong Huai. The first time was shortly after he recognized Empress Dowager Dugu, when, due to his doubts and curiosity about this Crown Prince Chongwen, he begged Empress Dowager Dugu to allow him to meet Zong Huai.
This is the second time.
But before that, he had visited the tower once before, though he stood outside and did not go inside.
He received the emperor's letter, by which time he already knew his true identity. He wanted to see Crown Prince Chongwen not because he hesitated or wanted to kill him, but because he longed to hear the voice of this sage during that moment of confusion for him. Yet, he ultimately did not go in. Since he had no such intention, would stepping inside also signify his hesitation? So, in the end, he turned and left Wanguo Temple.
While Helian Jue chatted with Zong Huai, Li Duan did not step forward. In fact, she could probably guess that the reason Helian Jue brought her to see his royal uncle was not to let her reminisce with him, but to use her to make his royal uncle feel compassion and send her, a princess who was not even a bargaining chip, to see the people who were deeply mired in war.
Helian Jue had studied under Zong Huai for several years and had also studied under a great Confucian scholar and recruited strategists. For him, the current situation between the two countries might not be a dead end, but an opportunity.
In recent years, the Great Yan Dynasty has been controlled by Empress Dowager Dugu. Even the emperor is just a figurehead. What's more, the princes who don't even know if they can successfully ascend the throne are also scheming. Whether to continue being Empress Dowager Dugu's puppets or to seize the opportunity to fight for power is a question that not only Helian Jue is scheming about, but many others are too.
And wasn't she taking advantage of this opportunity as well?
People can't wait for help to come to them forever; to survive, they must learn to save themselves.
Li Duan seemed to be wandering aimlessly in the tower, but in reality, he was secretly observing the people in the tower. Over time, almost every once in a while, a few people in the tower would disappear. As people get older, they have all sorts of problems. Of the group of people who followed Prince Chongwen back then, only a few are left. Those who remain are either crazy or stupid.
Their eyes were cloudy, their faces were covered in stubble, and they were almost unrecognizable.
Li Duan walked up to them and looked at them one by one. Suddenly, she stopped.
She suppressed her wildly beating heart and rammed herself hard into the man.
He successfully handed the note hidden in his palm to the person.
Sheng Junyi was knocked to the ground, her hand pressed against the ground, and she quietly slipped the note into her sleeve.