Chapter 224

Chapter 224: Using Hongliang for an Alliance? This Princess Would Rather Die Than Marry!

“Silence!”

Suddenly, Emperor Han roared angrily.

His eyes widened as he glared at Hongliang and Han Fei.

He had been doubtful before.

Even with Han Fei there, Qin wouldn’t have let Hongliang go so easily.

Han Fei had gone to Qin as a state official.

But Hongliang had been “captured.”

There was an essential difference.

The Seven Empires all knew how much he adored Hongliang.

Even if he hadn’t exchanged her, Qin should have held her hostage.

Letting her go so easily, what was Qin thinking?

Now he knew Qin’s intentions.

They wanted them to come back and persuade him to surrender!

Emperor Han’s anger flared up.

His furious roar left Hongliang bewildered!

It was the first time she had seen Emperor Han so furious, and she was instantly frightened.

Han Fei, however, remained persistent, advising, “Father, as I was leaving Qin’s border, I saw their army preparing for war.

If we do not surrender, Han will fall into ruin!”

Emperor Han slammed his palm heavily on the table.

He stood up abruptly.

“Scoundrel!”

“Since you are employed by Qin, why didn’t you dissuade them from attacking us? Instead, you come back to persuade your own country to surrender?”

“Does Qin promise to make you Emperor of Han if we surrender?”

“Han Fei, I knew all along you had treacherous intentions. Now your true colors are finally revealed!”

Hearing Emperor Han’s rebuke, Han Fei stood dumbfounded.

Suddenly felt as if his heart was being torn apart, in extreme sorrow.

“Father, I never thought of that.”

How could the father think of him in this way?

He worked hard, striving for reform, wanting to save Han from disaster.

Even though the Emperor of Han treated him that way, he never thought of usurping the throne.

This time he came back to persuade surrender, because he knew the situation was already settled, and Han was doomed.

If the Emperor of Han could surrender, the people could remain in peace.

The royal family’s bloodline could be preserved.

All his thoughts were for Han, yet in the Emperor’s heart, he became the traitor!

Hongliang and Hanfei were close siblings since childhood.

She knew Hanfei’s character and ambitions well.

Now hearing the Emperor defame him so, she immediately became angry and defended him.

“Father, I can prove that the prince truly never intended such a thing.”

“You don’t need to speak for him, you are all birds of a feather, truly a pair of worthy offspring!”

The Emperor of Han was furious, glaring at Hongliang.

His eyes full of intense disappointment.

Just now, Hongliang had spoken the most vehemently.

Hongliang wanted to argue further, but the Emperor waved her off.

“No more words!”

“I can pretend I didn’t hear what was said before, but if surrendering to Qin is mentioned again, don’t blame me for treating you harshly.”

“You have traveled far, rest for now.”

The Emperor of Han didn’t want to see them any longer for the moment.

He even preferred they stayed in Qin and never returned!

The siblings walked out of the study, heads hanging,.

They stood at the door, looking at each other.

Both sighed.

They knew it wouldn’t be easy, but didn’t expect the Emperor wouldn’t even listen to them.

“Let’s go, come sit with me for a while?”

Hongliang hadn’t married yet, still living in the palace.

When Hanfei was previously confined, all his household members had been ordered to leave by the Emperor, the house was probably already dusty now.

It was only after the two left that the Emperor of Han felt some relief.

Looking at the expressionless Li Wu, he hesitated and asked, “General, will Qin really send troops against us?”

As someone well aware of the frontline situation, General Li Wu surely understood it most.

Although the Emperor scolded Hanfei and Hongliang earlier, he was anxious inside.

Li Wu’s face looked calm, expressing indifferently: “The Qin army is indeed preparing for war.”

“The people of the fifteen cities of Nanyang have leaned on Zhao, Qin won’t swallow this anger.”

“To attack Zhao, sending troops from Han is the best option.”

“But they also worry that Han might unite with Zhao against them.”

At this, the Emperor suddenly grew agitated: “I never thought of that!”

Li Wu glanced at him.

A flash of disdain crossed his eyes.

Your son hasn’t thought of usurping you, but does that stop you from suspecting him?

Qin doesn’t care what you think.

The only fault is Han blocking their way!

This alone is reason enough for war.

The Emperor of Han, anxious, gathered civil and military officials for a discussion that day.

He did not want to surrender, nor become a sovereign of a fallen state.

If Qin indeed attacked, Han could only hold out for a short time at best.

The study of the Emperor of Han was filled with gloom.

Everyone frowned, deeply worried.

Do you think they were worried about Han?

In truth, they were worried about themselves!

“My ministers, won’t you say something?”

Seeing that no one had a plan for a long time, the Emperor almost begged.

As the head of the military, Li Wu sat on the chief seat on the left.

She maintained a watcher’s perspective.

Without a stance from Limo, she wouldn’t easily voice her opinion.

On the right, led by Zhang Kaidi, were the civil officials.

Apart from a few exceptions, most were thinking of ways to flee.

Who had the mind to ponder methods to save the state?

Finally, Zhang Kaidi, the prime minister, stood up with an idea.

“Your Majesty, the Qin state’s attack on Han is inevitable.

“Regardless of whether we surrender or fight, the result won’t be favorable.”

“There’s only one strategy now that could save Han.”

The Emperor of Han immediately brightened.

He eagerly pressed, “Oh? Prime Minister Zhang, please share.”

Zhang Kaidi earnestly replied, “The Qin state attacks Han to assault Zhao.

“If Han falls, Zhao State will face the same fate. This principle, they must understand.”

“The best way now is to ally with Zhao State against Qin.”

Han’s national strength is weak, but Zhao State is relatively stronger.

Moreover, this time Qin is targeting Zhao.

If Zhao’s support can be obtained, relying on the strategic advantage of Hangu Pass, it would not be difficult to block the Qin army outside the pass.

Emperor Han felt a moment of great enlightenment.

His eyes lit up, and he loudly praised, “Brilliant plan!”

Li Wu looked at Zhang Kaidi with a calm expression.

This old man still has some tricks up his sleeve!

Zhang Kaidi seemed to have sensed Li Wu’s gaze towards him.

He asked, “General, if this plan succeeds, how many troops do you think we need to defend Hangu Pass?”

Li Wu replied without hesitation, “Three hundred thousand.”

This number was not something she said casually.

Qin currently has two hundred thousand troops at the border, and another two hundred thousand in Nanyang.

Moreover, this is not all the forces Qin can muster.

Even so, three hundred thousand was still a conservative estimate from her.

But even so, everyone gasped.

Han cannot muster twenty thousand soldiers even if the city guards of Xinzheng are included!

While Qin can easily mobilize four hundred thousand troops.

This disparity in national strength was truly disheartening.

Emperor Han’s face darkened, “So, we need Zhao State to send twenty thousand troops to support us!”

Han could only mobilize the hundred thousand troops under Li Wu’s command.

Excluding the forces in Xinzheng, other regions combined could barely gather twenty to thirty thousand at most.

But another problem arose.

If Zhao State sent twenty thousand troops, what if they turned against them after Qin withdrew?

And twenty thousand is not a small number.

Would Zhao State agree to it?

If they suspect Han of colluding with Qin to trap them, what then?

Zhang Kaidi pondered for a moment and suggested, “If we propose a marriage alliance with Zhao State, perhaps it would ease their doubts.”

Emperor Han’s gloomy face brightened once again.

“Yes! Why didn’t I think of it?”

“Han and Zhao are like family. If we establish a marriage alliance, it would strengthen our ties.”

“A marriage alliance, yes, that’s a good idea.”

Emperor Han mulled over Zhang Kaidi’s proposal, muttering to himself.

He had already started selecting candidates for the marriage alliance.

Li Wu glanced sidelong and a name popped into her mind.

Hongliang!

In terms of status and age, Hongliang was the best choice.

Although Han had other princesses, the older ones were already married off.

At Hongliang’s age, she should have been married long ago.

But Emperor Han had always doted on her, allowing her to remain unmarried until now.

In these times.

Others her age were already mothers!

It wasn’t just Li Wu.

Almost everyone present had the same thought.

In Hongliang’s palace, having just finished dinner, Hongliang had already forgotten about Emperor Han scolding her earlier.

She dragged a frowning Han Fei, insisting he accompany her for a stroll.

But at the palace gates, Han Fei sensed something was wrong.

There were more guards outside Hongliang’s palace.

His heart sank, and he had a bad premonition.

Hongliang, oblivious, dragged Han Fei hurriedly towards the exit.

But they were stopped by the guards at the gate.

“What’s the matter, are you blind? Do you want to lose your head?”

Hongliang instantly became like a bristling hedgehog.

How dare you block this princess from leaving?

As the guard extended his hand, Han Fei knew something was amiss.

It seemed his guess was right!

Emperor Han had put them under house arrest.

“Forgive us, Princess, the Emperor has ordered that without his permission, neither of you can leave.”

Hongliang blinked in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

Han Fei sighed and looked at her.

“Father has put us under house arrest.”

The guard looked at him and explained, “Qin is eyeing Han covetously. The Emperor is concerned for your safety.”

Han Fei gave a bitter smile.

Such an excuse wouldn’t even fool a three-year-old child.

Hongliang finally came to her senses.

Isn’t this just house arrest?

Just like the treatment Han Fei received before!

She immediately shouted: “Get out of the way, I want to see my father!”

The guard hesitantly said: “The king has instructed that neither of the two Highnesses can leave. If the princess has something to report, I can convey it for her.”

Hongliang, with her fiery temper, was not so easy to talk to.

She immediately cursed: “Convey my foot!”

“Get out of the way, I want to see my father!”

The guard had orders not to let Hongliang and Han Fei take a single step outside, so how could he let her pass so easily?

Seeing that they disobeyed, Hongliang’s small face turned purple with anger.

She grabbed a flowerpot beside her and threw it.

The guard was so scared that cold sweat broke out on his back.

He had often heard that Princess Hongliang was unruly, and today he finally saw it for himself.

No matter how tough he was, he did not dare to catch a flowerpot as big as his head head-on!

He dodged it by stepping aside.

Before the flowerpot hit the ground, it suddenly split into two halves.

Then, with a loud crash, it shattered into pieces when it hit the ground.

“The princess’s temper really is fierce; it will need to be changed when she marries into the Zhao Empire.”

Li Wu calmly sheathed his sword and said.

“Greetings to the general.”

Seeing her, the guards quickly raised their hands in salute.

Hongliang was already angry about being placed under house arrest by the Emperor of Han, and hearing Li Wu’s words made her explode instantly.

“What nonsense are you spouting? Who’s marrying into the Zhao Empire?”

Beside her, Han Fei’s face changed dramatically.

Hongliang might not understand, but he certainly did.

He looked at Li Wu in shock: “Is our father planning to forge an alliance with the Zhao Empire?”

Hongliang turned her head and asked him: “Alliance for what?”

Although Li Wu did not answer, it was as good as telling Han Fei the truth.

Han Fei took a deep breath.

He looked at Hongliang sorrowfully.

With a face full of guilt, he said, “Hongliang, it’s your brother who has wronged you.”

Hongliang blinked her eyes in confusion.

Han Fei’s face looked grim.

He had thought that the Emperor of Han had placed them under house arrest because of the matter of persuading them to surrender.

But now it didn’t seem to be the case.

The king was worried that once Hongliang knew she was being used for an alliance marriage, she would run away.

“Father wants to ally with Zhao against Qin, so he intends to use your marriage to gain the trust of the Zhao Empire.”

If he hadn’t brought Hongliang back, the Emperor of Han wouldn’t have had the chance even if he had the idea.

If Hongliang were in the Qin Empire, without Li Mo’s approval, even the Empress Dowager of Qin couldn’t touch her.

Han Fei was filled with guilt.

Sister, it’s your brother who has wronged you!

Hongliang’s expression became dazed.

Her face turned deathly pale.

She took several steps back and nearly fell to the ground.

“Alliance… marriage?”

“I don’t want an alliance marriage, I don’t want it!”

She kept shaking her head, her face full of panic.

Li Wu said indifferently: “It’s a marriage with the eldest son of Zhao Empire. He may become the Emperor of Zhao in the future, and then you would be the queen, even more honorable than a princess.”

Hongliang gave her a fierce glare.

She shouted: “Then you go marry him!”

What nonsense about the eldest son, she hadn’t even met him.

Even if she had met him, she wouldn’t marry him.

She didn’t care about being a queen.

Forget about being a queen; even being a king was not as important as her freedom.

To Hongliang, the happiest thing in the world was not to be a princess, nor a queen.

But to be as free as a bird in the sky.

Li Wu’s face remained calm, and she said in a cold tone: “That’s not up to the princess. Being born into the imperial family, the princess should have known this already.”

Hongliang was furious: “Was it you, this damned woman, who made my father do this?”

Li Wu replied indifferently: “It was the king’s own idea.”

In her heart, Hongliang was already designated by Li Mo.

She wouldn’t be foolish enough to give such a suggestion to the Emperor of Han.

“I don’t believe you, I will go find my father!”

Li Wu slightly moved aside to make way.

She said in a relaxed tone: “By all means.”

Hongliang glared at her harshly: “I will definitely report this to my father!”

“The princess is welcome to do so.”

Li Wu was utterly indifferent.

For Hongliang’s childish threats, she didn’t take them seriously at all.

When Li Wu spoke, the guards naturally did not dare to stop her anymore.

Hongliang brushed past her shoulder.

Han Fei hurriedly followed.

With Hongliang’s little temper up, who knows what kind of trouble she might cause.

He had to go up and keep an eye on her.

Just a little over half an hour later, Hongliang came back looking devastated.

Han Fei followed by her side, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

He wanted to comfort her, but didn’t know how to start.

When the two returned, Li Wu had already left.

Hongliang walked back like a soulless puppet.

After entering her room, she sat down stiffly.

In a daze, completely devoid of her previous aura.

Han Fei saw this and his heart ached.

“Hongliang, don’t worry, if you don’t want to marry, I will find a way to help you.”

Hongliang didn’t respond, as if she didn’t hear him.

The cold and stern attitude of the Han Emperor earlier had dealt her a heavy blow.

The red training snake slithered to Hongliang’s feet.

It climbed up her trouser leg and onto her shoulder.

Perhaps sensing its owner’s distress, it nuzzled her face soothingly.

Hongliang was awakened from her stupor by the coolness.

In a daze, she said, “What can we do? We can’t even leave the door.”

Han Fei thought for a moment and said, “Let me see if I can send a message back to Qin to Mr. He must have a way.”

Hongliang looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears.

“Really?”

Han Fei pursed his lips.

“We’ll just have to try.”

It turned out the siblings were overthinking it.

They couldn’t even speak a word without being overheard.

They couldn’t send a message back, but that didn’t mean others couldn’t.

Li Wu held her orchid fingers, rolled up the secret letter, and stuffed it into a bamboo tube.

Then she whistled.

A hawk circling in the sky swooped down immediately.