"This isn’t about testing the waters. You and I both know, even if the Heir Apparent was made Emperor, he would only further factional division within Qian State. Ultimately, the Crown Prince would abdicate and, at best, be granted a lordship."
"Ah, as you should know, according to our Yan custom, the title of Lord is the highest for those not of the royal bloodline. Even with the special grace of the Emperor of Yan, at most he could bestow a princely title."
"But that would rely make him a nominal prince. Minister Zhong, what is he really after?"
"If he truly cares about such honors, isn’t it far easier for our Emperor to directly make Minister Zhong the Prince Pingxi?"
"Such a move could provoke the court’s suspicion of my father and the West Army Division."
"It might indeed have that effect, driving a wedge between the ruler and ministers. However, I have noticed that not all the ministers in the Qian court are foolish."
"Especially now, in the heat of a national war, if this move were made, regardless of how the ministers or the Qian Emperor perceive it, on the surface, they would instead lavishly bestow titles upon the Zhong Family. Simultaneously, they would grant the Zhong Family more power and overt trust."
"All things considered, this would be a net loss for our Yan."
The queen’s hands stilled.
Zheng Fan continued, "Thirdly, it’s not that I, the Yan barbarian in your eyes, am being arrogant. While I admit the West Army Division is a capable force, I don’t believe it can truly stop our Yan iron cavalry. Since we can resolve this with blades, why bother with such roundabout thods?"
The queen’s face paled.
She was a clever woman, but her perspective was still very limited.
Zheng Fan closed his eyes, his fingers tapping lightly on his thigh. He was giving the queen ti to ponder.
There was a reason he chose to et the queen in this room, a reason he so willingly shared his thoughts. He wasn’t trying to find excuses to reject her; rather, Zheng Fan had his own sches in mind.
「After a mont」
The queen looked up, watching Zheng Fan. Her tear-filled eyes and heart-wrenchingly lovely appearance stirred pity. She said, "Please guide , General."
Zheng Fan opened his eyes. When he saw her sorrowful expression, he truly felt a pang of pity.
However, feelings were feelings; business was business.
Zheng Fan said, "As for our Yan helping the Crown Prince ascend the Qian throne, the ti is not yet ripe. I can responsibly tell you that neither the two Lords personally leading troops this ti nor our Emperor, who is far away in Yanjing, would do such a thing at this mont."
"We Yan people place more faith in the sabers in our hands than in these empty, convoluted sches."
"What you envision is only possible after our Yan offensive suffers a setback."
"But then another problem arises: if our Yan offensive suffers a setback, without the protection of our Yan iron cavalry, even if the Crown Prince ascends the throne, can he hold onto that dragon throne, still warm from its making?"
The queen bit her lip so hard it nearly bled.
Zheng Fan reached out, twirling a lock of the queen’s hair gently between his fingers.
The queen looked at Zheng Fan, her expression mournful.
She was filled with hate right now.
Zheng Fan, having spent much ti with seven capricious demonic lords, was adept at observing such details.
He saw the hatred in her eyes.
He had killed her husband,
and yet she had to deliberately try to charm this very man.
However, what she sought had completely crumbled beneath his words.
She hated how her husband had died so inexplicably,
she hated how her husband, to avoid court suspicion, had crippled himself early on, retreating completely into the Royal Mansion,
she hated how now, apart from her still-youthful body, she seed to have no other leverage that would make this man give her a second glance.
"You are a clever woman," Zheng Fan said. "And a very beautiful one too."
The queen watched Zheng Fan, waiting for him to continue.
"Also, let tell you one more thing. At the latest, the day after tomorrow, our army will withdraw from Chuzhou City."
This wasn’t much of a secret; departure was imminent. Even if the queen decided to leak this information, it would be of little value.
Perhaps by now, other Yan cavalry divisions were already penetrating deeper into the Qian State heartland at an even faster pace.
"Most importantly, you need patience."
Zheng Fan stood up from his chair and continued, "You and your son must live, and live well. Only by surviving can you await an opportunity, can you earn the right to wait. Currently, your son has no chance of ascending the throne, but that doesn’t an he never will."
"I believe that day will not be too far off, as long as you trust ."
Zheng Fan said "trust ," not "trust Yan."
"General..."
"I can promise you this opportunity. When the ti is right, you can wait for to co. I will put your son on the throne."
Zheng Fan smiled.
"Of course, you can choose not to believe , since I am rely a Commander right now. But all you need to do is wait and see; it won’t cost you anything. Consider today’s eting as us getting acquainted, laying the groundwork for our future cooperation. You could, of course, find another general and tell him your thoughts. But believe , you won’t get the results you desire. Instead, you’ll lose my patience. I think... there was a reason your husband died at the hands of my n."
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