Chapter 438: Even if you sleep with me, I will never compromise!
Lin Beifan chuckled and said, “Princess, you actually know that I have some master friends. We have an unbreakable bond! I can arrange for them to help you, and then you won’t owe the Empress anything!”
Princess Ziyue’s eyes lit up. “Yes, why didn’t I think of that?”
Whether it’s spending money or not, he would still owe the Empress morally. But if he let his strategist ask for help from master friends, then he wouldn’t owe the Empress anything, just a favor to the strategist.
But the strategist is one of her own, her beloved, and her future husband. What does owing a favor matter between husband and wife? There’s no need to keep accounts.
Princess Ziyue became happier the more she thought about it. “Then I’ll trouble the strategist!”
But then she worried, “But, strategist, by doing this, will it harm the interests of the Great Wu Dynasty, and will it offend the Empress?”
Lin Beifan said with great righteousness, “For the Princess, even if I offend the Empress, what does it matter?”
What he’s doing now, although it may harm the interests of the Great Wu Dynasty to some extent, in reality, even if the dynasty doesn’t go to war or expand its territory, it won’t gain much anyway. It won’t harm it much.
He’s in a high and powerful position now, and his achievements are outstanding. The entire court won’t impeach him for such a trivial matter.
Besides, the Empress is infatuated with him and his extraordinary looks. She should be lenient in such a small matter.
Lin Beifan touched his own fair face and nodded confidently.
Yes, there’s absolutely no problem!
“Strategist!” Princess Ziyue was deeply moved and started getting touchy-feely again.
Lin Beifan panicked, “Princess, let’s stay calm for now; we haven’t finished discussing the main issue!”
Princess Ziyue didn’t understand, “I’ve let you solve my biggest problem. What other important matters do we need to discuss?”
“Of course, there is!” Lin Beifan said earnestly, “Princess, you see, I’ve helped you solve the master problem. Can you give me those 20 million taels now?”
Princess Ziyue: “…”
“You see, you spend 20 million taels to invite one master from the Great Wu Dynasty. But here, I can invite two, and if that’s not enough, I can add one more. It’s absolutely cost-effective, a fair price you can’t get even if you break bones!” Lin Beifan said enthusiastically.
Princess Ziyue: “…”
What a guy! After all that, it’s about money! I was just touched for nothing!
“Strategist, so it turns out that all of this is about money. I really misjudged you!” Princess Ziyue gritted her teeth.
“Princess, do you really think I’m just after money?” Lin Beifan asked.
“Isn’t it?” Princess Ziyue responded.
“I’m after you!” Lin Beifan declared loudly.
“For me?” Princess Ziyue was very puzzled. “You took 20 million taels from me, and you’re saying it’s for me? What kind of bizarre reasoning is that?”
“It’s not just for you; it’s also for me and our future!” Lin Beifan explained.
“Hmm?” Princess Ziyue was even more confused.
“Princess, think about it. If I return empty-handed from this negotiation, I will undoubtedly face difficulties from the court and disapproval from the Empress! I currently hold a prominent position, and any slight mistake could become a weakness for everyone to attack!” Lin Beifan explained.
“But if I bring back 20 million taels, it’s a different story,” Lin Beifan continued in a hushed tone. “I will put the money into the Empress’s purse. This way, the Empress hasn’t paid anything, but she gains a substantial sum of money. Do you think she would be happy? Moreover, the money belongs entirely to the Empress, not in the national treasury, so she can use it as she pleases…”
Princess Ziyue understood; it was essentially bribing the Empress with money. If the strategist did something against the interests of the court, the court officials would undoubtedly make things difficult for him. But if he used money to bribe the Empress, and she was satisfied, then all problems would disappear. It might be a straightforward and rough method, but it was undeniably effective.
“Strategist, I didn’t expect you to think this way. I misunderstood you just now,” Princess Ziyue apologized.
“Princess, as long as you understand,” Lin Beifan said with relief.
“Strategist, can you reduce the amount? 20 million taels is too much!” Princess Ziyue pleaded.
Lin Beifan smiled bitterly. “Princess, I can’t reduce it; the landlord doesn’t have any surplus grain!”
Princess Ziyue looked at Lin Beifan’s distressed expression as if she saw through his true intentions. While he would indeed take the money back to bribe the Empress, he would undoubtedly take a significant cut in the process.
Without saying a word, she unexpectedly embraced Lin Beifan and planted a kiss on his cheek.
“Strategist, can you reduce it now?” she asked.
Lin Beifan stood resolute. “I can’t!”
“Say it again!”
Lin Beifan roared, “Even if you sleep with me, I will never compromise!”
Princess Ziyue got so angry that she kissed Lin Beifan on the lips.
However, Lin Beifan remained steadfast in his beliefs. He wouldn’t yield, no matter how she treated him, even if she slept with him.
In the end, Princess Ziyue compromised. If giving 20 million taels to the strategist was what it took, she’d do it. It was better than giving it to that woman, and she could consider it as keeping a man for herself.
With the money in hand, Lin Beifan was full of energy and immediately sent messages to the Sword Immortal and the Saber Saint, asking them to come and help.
Not long after, these two grandmasters arrived, dusty from their journey.
With the assistance of the two grandmasters, Princess Ziyue led her rebel army with renewed confidence and staged another uprising. On that day, over 500,000 regular troops advanced toward the capital, Dàyuè. In addition to the 500,000 regular troops, there were millions of peasant rebels following their lead.
“For a just cause, we stand against the tyranny of Dàyuè!”
“Overthrow the old regime, establish a new dynasty!”
“We, the common people, can also take charge!” Flames of rebellion were once again ignited in Dàyuè.
Emperor Dàyuè stood atop the city wall, gazing at the sea of rebel forces. His heart burned with anger, and he roared, “You bunch of rebels! You were scattered to the winds after our last battle, and now you dare to return?”
“Why wouldn’t we dare?” Princess Ziyue removed her purple veil and declared loudly, “Your Dàyuè has become corrupt, causing the people to suffer and become homeless. Our actions today are for justice! We will overthrow the decadent Dàyuè Dynasty and establish a new era where everyone has food, shelter, and clothing. It’s absolutely inevitable!”
“I’ll be governing a new nation where everyone has clothes to wear and enough to eat! Emperor Dàyuè, if you have any sense, abdicate now and let a wise ruler take your place! Open the city gates and welcome us in, or else…”
“That’s right! Abdicate now!”
“Don’t force us to take action!”
“Otherwise, you will face dire consequences!”
The rebel forces at the base of the city wall were shouting.
Emperor Dàyuè was furious, shaking with anger. “Dare they threaten me like this? Unbelievable, utterly unbelievable…”
He turned to a black-clad elder standing beside him and said respectfully, “Grandmaster, I request your assistance once again in driving away these bandits. If you can eliminate their leaders, all the better!”
This black-clad elder was none other than the grandmaster of the Dàyuè Dynasty – Wolf Fang Yue. He nodded and spoke with a calm demeanor, “Yes, Your Majesty. I will take action, and they will find no escape.”
Emperor Dàyuè was delighted. “Thank you, Grandmaster!”
With that, the black-clad elder’s eyes flashed with a hint of cunning. In the blink of an eye, he had leaped down from the city wall, covering a hundred yards in an instant, carrying an overwhelming aura of death as he charged toward Princess Ziyue.
“…” Princess Ziyue thought, “This is the greatest crisis I’ve ever faced.”
But she didn’t panic in the slightest.
Suddenly, there was a “swish, swish” as a sword and a saber flew in from nearby.
The sword was a divine sword, and the saber was a divine saber, both carrying a chilling intent as they came towards the black-clad elder. The black-clad elder’s gaze sharpened, and in the blink of an eye, he retreated several dozen feet, avoiding the edge of the sword and saber.
Then, following the momentum of the sword and saber, he focused his gaze and saw two young men who appeared carefree and unrestrained, calmly approaching. They caught the flying sword and saber.
“Are you… the Sword Immortal and the Saber Saint?” In the world of martial arts masters, they were well-known, so they recognized each other.
“That’s right, it’s us!” they both said in unison.
“Why have you come, and why are you interfering in my affairs?” the black-clad elder asked.
“We’ve been entrusted by someone, and when you’re loyal, you have to help,” the Sword Immortal said with a smile.
“Yeah, our little brother rarely asks us for a favor, so we rushed over to assist!” the Saber Saint added with a laugh.
“Who entrusted you?” the black-clad elder inquired.
“Naturally, it’s me!” Lin Beifan strolled over with a smirk.
“You are…” The elder found the young man in front of him somewhat familiar, thought for a moment, and exclaimed in surprise, “You’re Lin Beifan, the Prime Minister and Supreme Commander of the Great Wu, the Brave and Loyal King?”
Lin Beifan nodded with a smile, “That’s right, it’s me!”
With this revelation, the entire scene was shocked.
“The Prime Minister of the Great Wu is here?”
“And he’s brought two martial masters with him!”
“Does this mean that the Great Wu intends to intervene in the affairs of Dàyuè?”
The black-clad elder asked, “Is the Great Wu planning to intervene in this matter?”
“That’s right! Back then, your Dàyuè led 500,000 troops into our territory, threatening the Phoenix Mountain Range and our rule! This enmity will not be forgotten, no matter how many years pass!” Lin Beifan declared loudly. “Now, it’s time for revenge! Brothers, help me kill the Grandmaster! After the battle, we’ll celebrate in the Grand Palace!”
The Sword Immortal and the Saber Saint burst into laughter.
“Well said! After the deed is done, we’ll celebrate in the Grand Palace!”
“We won’t return until we’re drunk!”
With that, they each took up their sword and saber and advanced towards the black-clad elder.
The black-clad elder turned and flew outward, saying, “This place is not suitable; let’s fight outside!”
“Agreed!”
The three martial masters quickly disappeared from view.
With no martial masters to threaten them, Princess Ziyue raised her arm and shouted, “Soldiers, follow me! The martial masters have left; now is the time to storm the imperial city! It’s time for a change of dynasty!”
“Storm the imperial city, charge!” “It’s time for a change of dynasty, right now!” “Fight for a new life!”
The morale-boosted rebel army surged forward in a massive wave, charging into battle.
