Rebirth of a Lost Nation: Princess, Please Respect Yourself

Chapter 264 Zhaohua must die

Han Zhuo stood below, also with his head down, feeling extremely nervous.

After all, he was the one who instigated this night attack. He originally wanted to kill Sheng Ling by surprise, and also to regain some of his face after being beaten badly by Ning Yunxiao several times.

Who would have thought that he would not only lose the rice but also lose face.

Embarrassment is secondary. The important thing is that there have been heavy casualties this time. I'm afraid I won't dare to confront Sheng Ling head-on for some time.

Emperor Nanchu's gaze slowly swept through the tent, finally stopping on Han Zhuo. He snorted angrily and spoke.

"Is this the surprise you gave me?"

Upon hearing this, Han Zhuo quickly knelt on the ground. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was Ning Yunxiao who was too cunning and schemed against our army. I am guilty of failing to understand the enemy's situation, which led to this defeat. But please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will make amends and redeem myself to restore the reputation of Nanchu."

Emperor Nanchu said disdainfully, "Ning Yunxiao? He's just a young man who just came of age, is he worthy of your fear? If you can't take on the position of military advisor, why not find someone else as soon as possible!"

Han Zhuo despised the Emperor of Southern Chu in his heart. How could a man who only knew how to hide in the tent and enjoy himself when the king was here in person have the qualifications to teach him a lesson?

The Emperor of Nanchu was lucky to be reborn into a good family, otherwise, with his limited abilities, he would have died countless times!

No matter how disdainful he felt in his heart, Han Zhuo still maintained a proper kneeling posture and spoke in a humble tone.

"Your Majesty, although Ning Yunxiao is young, he is a man of deep scheming and should not be underestimated. Otherwise, just think about it, how did he, a prince from a poor royal family, who was once bullied by everyone in the capital, rise step by step to his current position of being second only to the emperor and above everyone else? Emperor Sheng Ling is a shrewd man, so how could the heir he chose be just an ordinary person?"

The Southern Chu Emperor waved his hand impatiently. "According to you, as long as Ning Yunxiao is here, this war can't be fought? Then what use would you have for me?"

"Your Majesty, please allow me to report that although Ning Yunxiao has some abilities, he is not without weaknesses. It's just that..."

"Just what?"

Han Zhuo kowtowed and performed a great ceremony, then said with embarrassment, "I do have a plan that may be able to break this deadlock. However, it involves the princess, and I am... terrified!"

Emperor Nan Chu was stunned. "Princess? Which princess?"

"Princess Zhaohua," Han Zhuo replied, then analyzed, "Princess Zhaohua married Sheng Ling. Ever since she was granted marriage to Ning Yunxiao last year, I've heard their relationship is very good. Ning Yunxiao is completely obedient to Princess Zhaohua. If we can use Princess Zhaohua to control Ning Yunxiao, we can naturally mobilize fewer troops."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Nanchu's eyes flashed with a complex expression, and he hesitated.

"But Zhaohua is my own flesh and blood after all, and she is serving as an envoy to Nanchu for marriage. If anyone knew that I was using her as a bargaining chip, I'm afraid everyone in the world would criticize me!"

Han Zhuo said, "Your Majesty, those who achieve great things do not dwell on trivial matters. Moreover, isn't Princess Zhaohua's purpose in marrying Sheng Ling also for the prosperity of Southern Chu? Now it's just a change of form. I believe Princess Zhaohua will also be willing to contribute to the country. As long as Princess Zhaohua is willing, this beautiful opportunity of conquering the enemy without fighting, Your Majesty, why not give it a try?"

Emperor Nanchu pondered for a moment, his eyes flickering in the dim candlelight in the tent. After a long time, he slowly opened his mouth to ask.

"How are you going to do it?"

A hint of triumphant smile flashed in Han Zhuo's eyes, but he remained respectful on the surface.

"That's quite simple. In a few days, I will lead my troops to attack Longcheng again. This time, I will gather my forces and pretend to attack the city gates, waiting for Ning Yunxiao to lead his troops to meet the enemy. Our hidden accomplices in Longcheng will split into two groups. One group will burn down the Shengling granary, while the other group will quietly abduct the princess and take her back to the Nanchu military camp. By then, Longcheng will be in chaos, and by the time Ning Yunxiao realizes what's happening, it will be too late. After the princess returns to the camp, we can ask her for cooperation and have her persuade Ning Yunxiao to withdraw his troops. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Moreover, even if the princess can't convince Ning Yunxiao, with the granary burned down, he will have to consider whether he has enough supplies in the rear if he wants to fight again. Without the granary, Your Majesty, how arrogant can his Shengling army be?"

"Alright, you handle this matter yourself and make all necessary preparations to prevent any unexpected events." Emperor Nan Chu thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. After a moment's thought, he added, "Make sure Zhaohua's safety is guaranteed."

Han Zhuo bowed and agreed, "I will obey your command and will not let your majesty down."

After dealing with this matter, the Emperor of Southern Chu was already tired. He waved his hand impatiently, and Han Zhuo understood and left the tent with a group of ministers.

As soon as he left the sight of Emperor Nanchu, Han Zhuo curled up a cold smile, then sent away the others, avoided everyone and went into another gorgeous tent in a roundabout way.

Inside the tent, the flickering candlelight illuminated a magnificent scene.

In the center of the tent stood an intricately carved agarwood table, a light gauze fluttering in the wind. A woman in gorgeous palace dress stood quietly in front of a gilded bronze crane incense burner. The peaceful scene formed a sharp contrast with the chaos outside the tent.

Hearing the sound of light footsteps outside the tent, the woman raised her head slightly, saw Han Zhuo, smiled, and called him "Brother" affectionately.

That’s right, the person in the tent is Han Zhuo’s biological sister, Concubine Han, who is currently the most powerful concubine in the Nanchu harem.

"Hmm." Han Zhuo replied coldly, glancing at Concubine Han with dissatisfaction. "It's already this hour, and Her Majesty still has the mind to burn incense? She's really in a refined mood."

Concubine Han curled her lips and said, "Everyone is idle. How can women like us influence the government?"

Han Zhuo was so disappointed that he said, "Don't think that you can live in peace and security just because Empress Xu has gone to the temple. In this harem, mothers are honored by their children. You are childless now, but Empress Xu's two children are still alive and well!"

Concubine Han disagreed. "Her son has been deposed as Crown Prince and sent to Sheng Ling as a hostage. Her daughter is just a showgirl. Why should she be afraid of her?"

"Oh, all show? With the enemy at our doorstep, His Majesty just said he would take good care of Princess Zhaohua's safety!"

"so what?"

Concubine Han snorted softly, "Your Majesty, isn't your brother aware of this person? He wants her, but he's afraid of losing face. So this time, after your brother brings Zhao Hua back to Nanchu, Your Majesty will definitely not see her, lest others find out and accuse him of being too cruel to eat his own cubs. If Zhao Hua falls into our hands, she'll suffer! Besides, safety? On this battlefield, who can guarantee absolute safety? If Princess Zhao Hua dies, what business will it have on us? With so many people watching, it won't be difficult to push someone out to take the blame."

After hearing this, Han Zhuo's face finally showed a hint of satisfaction.

"Then Princess Zhaohua will definitely not be able to leave Nanchu alive, but if she dies, her death must be meaningful."

Concubine Han raised her eyebrows, "What do you mean, brother?"