#543 - Peace Talks (Part 1)
Soon, Wu Ding left the prison as ordered.
Ning Yongnian looked at the somewhat dazed Li Wutong with a smile and slowly said:
“Princess Wuping.”
“As the saying goes, a ruler's words are not a joke.”
“Since I am the Emperor of Da Ning, I will definitely do what I promised. You don't need to doubt it, and you don't need to seek death so desperately.”
“Of course, I won't make things difficult for you.”
“...”
As he spoke, Ning Yongnian lightly waved his arm, unlocking all of Li Wutong's sealed acupoints.
Then, he drew his sword and threw the Son of Heaven Sword in front of her with a “clang”.
“I'll give you ten breaths.”
“If you still want to kill yourself, then do it. I won't stop you.”
“But if you don't want to die now, then be a little more obedient, and maybe I can talk to you about the future of Da Feng...”
“...”
After saying the last sentence, Ning Yongnian stopped talking, his expression without a trace of emotion.
In stark contrast was Li Wutong's extremely struggling expression.
She bit her lip tightly, trembling as she clenched the Son of Heaven Sword in her hand and slowly raised it.
The sharp blade slowly pressed against her neck, positioned just below a shallow scar that had recently healed.
This scar was left behind the last time Li Wutong forced Wei Changtian with death in Shu Prefecture City.
Only ten days apart, seeking death twice, but the purposes were completely different.
Thinking about it, her actions were undoubtedly very ridiculous.
And somewhat lamentable.
“...”
The pain in her eyes had reached its peak, and the jade-like smooth blade reflected a faint cold light.
Li Wutong trembled all over, her knuckles even turning pale from exertion.
However, this sword was delayed in being swung down.
At such a distance, if Li Wutong really wanted to commit suicide, even Ning Yongnian, a Second Rank cultivator, would have difficulty stopping her in time.
Just like Wei Changtian had no confidence in stopping that dagger before.
Therefore, Wei Changtian's situation at that time was actually quite similar to Ning Yongnian's now.
But the two men's attitudes towards Li Wutong were vastly different.
In order not to let Li Wutong commit suicide, Wei Changtian, no matter how irritable he was in his heart, eventually let her leave.
And Ning Yongnian had no intention of stopping her at all.
Of course, as an important bargaining chip to threaten Wei Changtian, Li Wutong was still very “important” to him, and Ning Yongnian naturally did not want the former to die like this.
Therefore, the reason why he was so calm at the moment was simply because he had long expected that Li Wutong would not really commit suicide.
It was not that Li Wutong was greedy for life and afraid of death, but that she had not really given up on that last glimmer of hope in her heart.
Hehe, if that's the case...
“Princess Wuping, it seems you also know that you shouldn't die like this.”
Reaching out, the Son of Heaven Sword returned to its sheath with a “clang”, and Ning Yongnian looked down at Li Wutong at his feet.
“Since that's the case, then I'll talk to you about what's next.”
“What's next?”
Suddenly raising her head, Li Wutong asked urgently: “You, you will really withdraw your troops?”
“Withdraw troops?”
A sneer appeared on the corner of Ning Yongnian's mouth: “Princess, if you had done what I told you to do before, then I would naturally keep my promise and withdraw my troops.”
“It's a pity that you didn't abide by the agreement between you and me, so how can I withdraw my troops?”
“I, I did what you said!”
Li Wutong's pupils suddenly dilated, looking extremely embarrassed: “You, you asked me to come to you, I did it, I did it...”
“You didn't.”
Shaking his head, Ning Yongnian interrupted with a smile: “Princess, if I remember correctly, the deadline I gave you at that time was thirteen days.”
“But even according to the time you appeared in Jiunan County, it has already exceeded this deadline.”
“...”
Indeed, when Li Wutong left Fengyuan, Wu Ding had said that Ning Yongnian would wait for her for another thirteen days.
However, when she appeared in Jiunan County, fourteen days had already passed.
So strictly speaking, Li Wutong did “exceed the time limit”.
“I, I didn't deliberately delay it!”
“It's just that I was taken to Shu Prefecture after being sealed off, I, I already...”
Her expression instantly became horrified, and there was even some pleading in her tone.
Li Wutong eagerly wanted to explain why she couldn't appear within the “stipulated time”, but Ning Yongnian obviously didn't want to listen to these things.
“Princess, no matter what reason you have, in short, if you couldn't do it, then you couldn't do it.”
“And since you didn't keep your promise first, why should I fulfill my promise?”
“I think you should understand this principle.”
“...”
Staring at Ning Yongnian in despair, Li Wutong's chapped lips opened and closed several times, looking like a fish out of water.
Only one day away...
Li Wutong certainly knew that this was just Ning Yongnian's excuse.
Even if she had appeared within thirteen days, the latter would definitely have other reasons.
Or maybe no reason was needed at all.
So Wei Changtian was right, Ning Yongnian would really not give up Da Feng because of her.
Not even the slightest possibility...
Her head lowered little by little, and the hands supporting her slowly clenched into fists.
Li Wutong only felt that all hope was lost, and at this moment, Ning Yongnian's voice rang out in her ears again.
Like the whispers of a devil.
“Princess, I am not the kind of person who doesn't know how to be flexible.”
“I am very pleased that you could come.”
“So although I can't withdraw my troops for the time being, I still haven't killed your father.”
“In fact, I don't necessarily want your Da Feng to be destroyed.”
“...”
Hearing the last sentence, Li Wutong's movements suddenly froze.
She tremblingly raised her head and stared at Ning Yongnian until the latter slowly completed his sentence.
“Princess, for your sake, I will negotiate peace with your father.”
“As long as he can meet a few small conditions of mine, then not only can you and he survive, but Da Feng can continue to exist.”
“You must know that I have done my best to get to this point.”
“I hope I didn't disappoint you.”
“...”
On the other side, the north gate tower of Huailing City.
Just as Ning Yongnian formally expressed to Li Wutong that he would negotiate peace with Li Qi, the latter had just been taken down from the high pole.
Having been hung for half a month, even if an ordinary person didn't die, they would at least be inhuman.
But although Li Qi's cultivation level was not high, he was still a cultivator, so his current state was fine.
“Your Majesty, I have offended you a lot before.”
Looking at Li Qi's silly face with a smile, Wu Ding cupped his hands without any respect: “This general is ordered by the Holy Emperor of my dynasty to take Your Majesty into the city to rest. Please follow me, Your Majesty.”
“Go! Go!”
Clapping his hands with a silly smile, Li Qi was about to step forward, but his legs had been bound for too long and had not recovered his strength. In the next second, he fell to the ground.
Seeing his embarrassed appearance, not only did none of the surrounding soldiers step forward to help him, but there were even faint sneers.
“Your Majesty...”
Wu Ding did not stop the soldiers from ridiculing Li Qi. Instead, he bent down and squatted in front of the latter, saying softly with a half-smile:
“Don't worry, just lie down and take your time.”
“Don't worry, the Holy Emperor of my dynasty has always been benevolent. Not only will he not treat you like this again in the future, but he may also negotiate peace with you.”
“Oh, right.”
“Do you know how this opportunity for peace talks came about?”
“Hahaha, this is all thanks to your daughter, Princess Wuping...”
“...”
The cold wind was like a thorn, blowing Li Qi's tattered dragon robe in the dazzling sunlight.
The latter was lying on the ground, his body twisting like a worm, as if he wanted to stand up.
His face was down, so Wu Ding couldn't see his expression clearly.
That kind of expression full of despair and pain.
Tong'er, you are so silly...
