𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲'𝐬 𝐇𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝 || 敵の旦那様 (𝐁𝐋) ✔ [COMPLETE]

57. Tribute

The declaration of war was instigated not long after the departure of the seventh prince from the plains of Blazing Sun; an emissary composed of a few dozen soldiers, the minister of war and one of the lieutenants headed in the direction of Silver Mountains as early as the crack of dawn with the edict of war at hand.

The emissary was tasked with deliberating Silver Mountains to choose between the two: submission or battle confrontation. News was acquired that Silver Mountaineers received the emissary at the head of the moat, once again perfectly concealing their entryway.

Inside the military affairs room, under the dim lighting of a glass globule containing a swath of fireflies, four ominous shadows scoured over a map laid on the table pointing at various locations. The map made of sheep hide curled at the edges and had the entirety of Kanglun stitched into it with red threads.

"We go for an offensive formation from the opening of the moats while another troop," said General Haoran, "will go hunt the entryway. I will handle the offensive and will take a combination of both infantry and cavalry deployed under my command because our arrival at their entryway is unprecedented and they will have to amass all their resources at the direct face off beyond the moat."

"While a troop under my command would take the lead in discovering the entryway,"

Lieutenant Shen Ye spoke thoughtfully, "and we besiege the inner Empire from within while their entire manpower is occupied with you."

"Right." General Haoran's eyes now met Lieutenant Bing Ze. "You have any questions?"

"None." Bing Ze saluted with a rather heavy note flitting his gaze. "I hope to enjoy the face off with the General to the utmost of my ability."

"It's an excellent plan," came a softly regal voice from behind, the person who assumed a silent role all this while finally speaking. "However I'd suggest the classification add another troop to the entryway hunting regiment too."

Haoran bowed his head before he spoke. "Why do you say so, Your Majesty?"

"About that." The Emperor smiled like a beguiling serpent. "I find the information a tad bit hard to disclose in the audience of so many military personnel. I do not wish for their safety to be implicated upon the hearing of something that shouldn't be heard after all."

Bing Ze and She Yue tailed out of the room like the wind they breathe caught fire.

It was unknown how long a time passed before a knock came on the door and a ruler-subject duo looked up from their conversation. "What is it?" asked the Emperor briefly.

"The emissary dispatched to the Silver Mountains has returned." The servant who knocked on the door said and paused. "It seems they've also brought with them an ambassador of the enemy country, Your Majesty."

"An ambassador?" General Haoran asked before the Emperor could. The General's heart, tightly caged all this time, began to thaw.

Ambassadors consigned to enemy territory for negotiations, especially for military or war pertaining to negotiations, were often ones that were reckoned to have won the favour of the enemy terrain. And given the circumstances that enveloped the two countries, who else could be a better candidate of ambassadorial success than... General Haoran's face had lines drawing in them from clenching too tight.

"Who is it?" the Emperor pushed his brows together. "A prince, Your Majesty."

As he stumbled his way across the black limestone, General Haoran with the Emperor before him had him catching his breath for reasons unknown. The path to the royal hall was especially long that day, the draperies and splendour of its everyday fire lighting a complete blur. The hall,

laden with black and gold, seemed too spacious and massive as it housed a lonesome man standing in the middle of it.

General Haoran felt disappointed. It wasn't Fu Lin.

The man fiddling about with a chest on his hand, stepped forward when he saw the Emperor and bowed as deeply as he could. He said, "It is the Crown Prince of the Silver Mountains greeting his Imperial and Royal Majesty on behalf of the Silver Mountain Emperor and Empire, bearing its message."

The Emperor with his fluttering capes paid no heed to his bow. "Rise," he said curtly. "Why are you here? There exists no message that you couldn't reply through my emissary, surely."

"Your Majesty." He fell to his knees once again, his voice dropping. "It is because we have come seeking an alternative other than war, Your Majesty."

"Submission you mean." Emperor Guang tapped his fingers impatiently.

"Not submission either." The tapping stopped abruptly but the crown prince forced himself to go on.

"My Empire and Emperor alike have come to realise during this time of volatile peace how wonderful a thing it is. We seek no more bloodshed and acknowledge our mistake while also asking of you to agree to a coexistence of peace even if the marriage sanction is over. In lieu of this."

He opened the chest before him and displayed it to the hall. Within it was a gem that sparkled with the light of a thousand stars, coloured a beautiful red. "This tribute has been sent forth. It is the pride and symbol of the monarchical sovereignty of the kingdom and we would like for the Emperor of Blazing Sun to maintain it as a keepsake and memento of peace until your esteemed self could trust us."

A heavy silence descended upon the court. Emperor Guang gazed at the man before him, bowing and almost shrivelling, with a lethal probe lacing his eyes. War was not something he wanted either. In fact, it was the last thing he wanted for his Empire. It drained the country of its resources and manpower in a manner that couldn't be recovered and, though Blazing Sun was naturally endowed; and prospered in the last few decades, he didn't know how long that'd last.

However, the problem was exactly what the crown prince pointed out: Trust. He could give up the notion of war and had no need for the acquisition of another country or revenge. And yet, he couldn't let his own desire cloud him into complacency and let the enemy Empire subjugate his own country when he least expected it. He couldn't trust the Silver Mountains.

A few moments passed as he sat in silent contemplation. Then he spoke, "I shall consider–" "Please do not, Your Majesty!" Haoran Immediately bowed, a storm brewing in his eyes.

"Do not stop the war."

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☆ ～('▽^人)  Here's another update! Phew, I hope you enjoyed. 

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