Chapter 39: A Haven of Comfort

The man in black raised his head, a flicker of confusion crossing his eyes at these words.

"Transmit my order," Li Jingcheng said, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Send someone to secretly contact the Great Nan delegation. Tell them I am willing to cooperate. As long as they are willing to send troops to assist me in this undertaking, once the situation is stabilized, I, Li Jingcheng, will cede territory and divide the lands of the Great Desolation with them equally."

Upon hearing this, both men in black were struck with shock.

"My Lord Chancellor!" one of them ventured, attempting to dissuade him. "Collaborating with an enemy nation carries immense risk! If news of this leaks, His Majesty will surely show no mercy—"

"Shut up!" Li Jingcheng struck the table, his gaze piercing the man like a blade. "If I do not make a move, how could His Majesty ever tolerate my existence?"

"The Great Desolation is currently beset by internal strife and external threats. The north has suffered years of drought, and the people are destitute. Though our military is strong, it cannot endure for long."

"If I can borrow the strength of Great Nan to succeed, how could this empire remain solely in the hands of Cheng Lingyu?"

The man in black broke into a cold sweat, daring not to speak further.

"Remember, there must be no errors in this matter," Li Jingcheng said coldly. "If the Great Nan delegation agrees to cooperate, their army must bypass our borders from the north, avoiding the regions where our elite forces are stationed."

"As for the military deployment, I will arrange it myself."

"Understood." The two men bowed and retreated, vanishing into the shadows of the secret chamber.

Li Jingcheng leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes to contemplate. His fingers tapped slowly against the table as he calculated every step to come.

"Cheng Lingyu... do you truly believe that by supporting a man like Chu Nan, you can secure your throne? It will all be in vain."

Within the encampment of the Great Nan delegation, the atmosphere was stifling.

The members of the delegation wore grim expressions, some even muttering curses under their breath; yesterday's crushing defeat had left them utterly humiliated. They had arrived intending to flaunt their power, only to be thoroughly outclassed by a man of "merchant origins" like Chu Nan.

Inside the tent, Liang Li sat at the head of the table, his face dark. His attendants stood to the side with lowered heads, none daring to be the first to speak.

After a moment, Liang Li slammed his hand against the desk and roared, "A bunch of useless trash! Ten men surrounding one, and you still managed to be completely wiped out! You have brought nothing but shame to Great Nan!"

An attendant carefully replied, "My Lord, the armor and weapons worn by that Chu Nan were clearly no ordinary items; there must be some hidden mystery behind them."

"If not for that, our warriors could never have been defeated so miserably..."

"Hmph!" Liang Li sneered, his brow furrowing deeper. "Do not make excuses! What armor? What crossbows? Do you think I am unaware?"

"It is nothing more than the Great Desolation playing tricks behind our backs."

He stood up and paced back and forth, a cold glint finally appearing in his eyes. "This place is no longer safe to remain. The Empress of the Great Desolation appears indifferent, but yesterday I saw it clearly—her eyes were filled with hostility toward our Great Nan."

"If we continue to stay here, disaster will surely strike sooner or later."

The attendant quickly agreed, "My Lord is absolutely right. The might of the Northern Camp has already been demonstrated, and after the humiliation of yesterday, dragging this out will only work against us."

Liang Li’s expression was icy. "Pass the order to prepare for departure. We shall take our leave today and return to Great Nan to report."

Liang Li and the Great Nan delegation knelt before the Golden Throne. Their demeanor was no longer the arrogance of the previous days, but rather an unmistakable sense of awkwardness.

"Your Majesty, I have fulfilled the mission entrusted to me by my Emperor."

"Now that state affairs in my country are pressing, there are matters requiring my attention. I humbly request Your Majesty’s permission for our delegation to depart immediately."

Liang Li spoke with a bow, his tone carrying a hint of probing caution.

Cheng Lingyu sat upright on the throne, her eyes as calm as still water. She did not respond immediately, instead glancing slightly toward the Chief Eunuch at her side.

"Convey my decree: if the Great Nan delegation wishes to leave, I have no objections."

Cheng Lingyu’s tone was ripple-free, devoid of even a trace of emotion.

Liang Li, whose heart had been hanging in suspense, instantly let out a breath and lowered his head. "I thank Your Majesty for your grace."

"However..." Cheng Lingyu’s voice rose again, and Liang Li’s heart tightened once more.

"Upon your return, inform your Emperor that the Great Desolation has always treated others with courtesy."

"But if anyone dares to use diplomatic protocols as a pretext to bully my people, then no matter how many thousands of miles away they may be,"

"My armies will ensure they learn the meaning of regret."

Cheng Lingyu’s voice was cold and clear.

Liang Li looked up, intending to offer a defense, but was silenced by a frigid glare from the Empress. He bowed his head and acknowledged the order, beads of cold sweat trickling down his forehead.

As soon as Liang Li’s figure vanished outside the Golden Throne Hall, Cheng Lingyu stood up and stretched slightly. With the departure of the Great Nan delegation, the tense atmosphere within the hall finally dissipated.

A trace of relief flickered in the Empress’s eyes, and a rare, faint smile touched the corners of her lips.

Shangguan Ya'er, standing to the side, said with a sly glint in her eyes, "Your Majesty was truly majestic in court today. That Liang Li from the Great Nan delegation was so frightened he didn't even dare to speak. I’m sure his face must look even worse now than it did last night!"

Cheng Lingyu chuckled at the jest but remained silent, stepping down from the throne. She waved a hand nonchalantly, signaling the attendants to withdraw.

Seeing this, Shangguan Ya'er followed closely, lowering her voice with a laugh, "Your Majesty seems to be in such good spirits today. Is it because you have gained a capable official like Chu Nan?"

Cheng Lingyu paused in her stride and glanced back at her, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "A capable official? Ya'er, you certainly have a way with words."

Shangguan Ya'er performed a playful bow and continued, "I am not speaking nonsense. Once Master Chu made his move, he not only dampened the arrogance of the Great Nan delegation but also boosted the morale of the Northern Camp. Such a feat is not something just anyone could achieve."

"Furthermore, I have noticed that Your Majesty holds Master Chu in high regard."

Cheng Lingyu raised an eyebrow slightly and said indifferently, "He has talent, so I will naturally make use of him. However, this man is a bit too clever for his own good."

She paused, a playful note entering her voice. "Sometimes, such a person is a double-edged sword."

"Your Majesty means..." Shangguan Ya'er was slightly stunned.

"Ya'er," Cheng Lingyu turned back, her gaze profound. "Go and invite Chu Nan to the palace. I wish to speak with him."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Shangguan Ya'er replied immediately and hurried away.

Elsewhere, Chu Nan sat lazily behind the shop counter, a cup of warm tea resting on the table before him.

The fire in the hearth burned brightly, filling the room with warmth, a stark contrast to the biting winter wind outside. He idly flipped through a magazine he had brought from the modern world, his eyes scanning the pages without much interest.

The "military review" and "duel" at the Northern Camp yesterday had exhausted a fair amount of his energy.

Now, he only wanted to return to the modern world in peace to rest and, incidentally, purchase some new supplies.

"The good life in the modern world is truly my sanctuary..."