Chapter 12: Persuasion

Returning to the Central Army Tent, Qin Yu asked Luo Shangyu for a pen and paper. 

She sat at Luo Shangyu’s desk and began to write.

Luo Shangyu walked up behind Qin Yu, peering at the content on the paper.

Qin Yu leaned forward, hurriedly shielding the writing from view, clearly not wanting Luo Shangyu to see.

“What? Are you writing something scandalous?” Luo Shangyu asked, resting a hand on Qin Yu’s shoulder.

“It’s nothing like that…” Qin Yu turned her head slightly, looking up at the towering Luo Shangyu.

“Then why can’t you let me see?”

“If you really want to look… then go ahead…” Qin Yu straightened her back, exposing the letter to Luo Shangyu.

“This is…” Luo Shangyu leaned over Qin Yu’s body, scanning the letter.

It was addressed to Zhu Xun, detailing several precautions the Chengji Empire’s army should take during their withdrawal.

“Hmm…” Luo Shangyu nodded slightly, “This is indeed very detailed.”

“Of course! My ability to lead troops is quite formidable!” Qin Yu puffed out her chest and spoke with pride.

“And yet, weren’t you still captured by me?” Luo Shangyu patted Qin Yu’s head, adopting the posture of a superior.

“That… that was an accident!” Qin Yu’s face flushed red.

It wasn’t just Qin Yu being stubborn. 

According to her original plan, she had intended to rely on her side’s endless supply line to battle Luo Shangyu for ten to fifteen days. 

Dragging the conflict out would have surely exhausted her opponent.

However… man proposes, but God disposes. 

The current Emperor, Qin Yu’s father, Qin Ling, had suddenly fallen gravely ill. 

Coupled with the news of Qin Yi leading troops into the Capital City, Qin Yu’s plans had been thrown into chaos. 

She had been forced to hastily withdraw her troops to the Capital City to prepare for Qin Yi.

“Is that so? You sent troops to ambush my army while you were retreating. That doesn’t exactly look like ‘accidental’ behavior, does it?”

“…”

Qin Yu was speechless. 

After all, her explanation of it being an “accident” was far too flimsy.

How else could she explain?

‘I shouldn’t tell Luo Shangyu about the dire situation I’m facing within the Chengji Empire.’

But then she reconsidered. 

‘If I don’t confess my situation to Luo Shangyu and use it as an opportunity to persuade her to let me go, then my position as Crown Prince might truly be lost…’

Luo Shangyu looked down at Qin Yu. 

Seeing her head bowed in silence, Luo Shangyu could only see the top of her hair and could not guess her internal monologue.

‘It seems I took the joke too far…’ Luo Shangyu thought Qin Yu’s feelings were hurt. 

Realizing that mocking Qin Yu’s defeat might have wounded her pride, she began to search for words to apologize.

But Qin Yu seemed to have made a firm resolution. 

She spoke to Luo Shangyu in a heavy voice, “You said you trusted me, right?”

“Yes.” Luo Shangyu nodded, tossing aside the apology she had just formulated. 

She was curious about what Qin Yu had to say.

“The reason I had to retreat was because… something has gone wrong inside the Chengji Empire.” Qin Yu looked up, staring directly into Luo Shangyu’s eyes with a sincere tone.

“Oh?” Luo Shangyu’s interest was piqued. 

She had already guessed that Qin Yu’s retreat must have been caused by some irresistible external factor.

She pulled a chair over and sat beside Qin Yu.

“Go on.”

“My Father Emperor is critically ill, and my uncle, Prince Zhenping Qin Yi, has led his troops into the Capital City with the intent to seize the throne. Although my Teacher is struggling to hold things together in the imperial court, he is ultimately outnumbered and overwhelmed.”

“If my Father Emperor passes away and I am not in the Capital City, the outcome will be disastrous…” Qin Yu lowered her head, staring at the tips of her boots.

As she imagined the consequences of her failure, her voice unintentionally choked up.

“Sss…” Luo Shangyu took a sharp breath.

By her reasoning, capturing Qin Yu was equivalent to controlling the future of the Chengji Empire; she was the greatest trump card in her hand.

Luo Shangyu had intended to use her to deal with the fatuous and suspicious new King of Yiyong. 

But now, Qin Yu was telling her that this trump card was about to become worthless?

Luo Shangyu realized she had to take appropriate countermeasures. 

Now, the only way for Qin Yu to be of any use was for her to remain the Crown Prince!

“Is there any news from the court right now?” Luo Shangyu took a deep breath and asked calmly.

“No, I haven’t received anything yet.” Qin Yu shook her head.

“Hmm,” Luo Shangyu nodded and said, “How about you write a secret letter to your Teacher first and ask him about the situation?”

“That is exactly what I intended,” Qin Yu said.

Luo Shangyu stood up and walked out of the Central Army Tent, giving Qin Yu private space to write the letter.

Before long, Qin Yu finished writing. 

She called Luo Shangyu back into the tent.

“I’m finished.” Qin Yu pointed to two neatly folded sheets of paper on the desk. 

“How do I send them out?”

“That’s easy.” Luo Shangyu summoned a messenger from the army and requested a Messenger Dragon.

Qin Yu looked at the Messenger Dragon Luo Shangyu brought, finding it quite novel.

Although Qin Yu usually used Messenger Dragons, they were typically ordinary breeds. 

The one Luo Shangyu brought was about the size of a small dog, just like the common ones, but it appeared much stronger than any she had seen before.

“This one is specialized for secret communications. Their strong bodies prevent letters from being intercepted mid-flight.” Luo Shangyu placed Qin Yu’s letters into the transmission tube fastened to the Messenger Dragon.

Watching the Messenger Dragon fly high into the sky, Luo Shangyu felt conflicted.

‘If Qin Ling had already passed away, then Qin Yi had likely already ascended the throne. In that case, Qin Yu would be no more than a useless person to the Chengji Empire.’

Suddenly, Luo Shangyu felt a warmth in her chest. 

She looked down to see Qin Yu leaning into her embrace.

“Luo Shangyu…” Qin Yu’s voice was full of humility and piteousness.

“Yes?” Luo Shangyu asked while stroking Qin Yu’s head.

“Let me go, please?”

Luo Shangyu looked at Qin Yu’s pleading eyes and said nothing.

“You could also come back to the Chengji Empire with me. I could title you the Regent.” Qin Yu was starting to push her luck.

“Oh? Not only do you want me to let you go, but you also want me to defect with you?”

“Yes…” Qin Yu nodded, “If we work together with one heart and one mind for a great cause, we will surely look down upon all rivals and rule over the world!”

“As tempting as that sounds, it won’t work!” Luo Shangyu said with a smile. 

“I cannot betray the Kingdom of Yiyong. The previous King of Yiyong treated me well; I cannot be ungrateful and treacherous.”

“That was the old King, wasn’t it? The current King has nothing but endless suspicion for you, does he not?”

“…”

Hit right in her sore spot, Luo Shangyu pursed her lips and said nothing more.

Seeing that her words were having an effect, Qin Yu struck while the iron was hot. 

“A wise bird chooses its tree, and a talented official chooses their lord. If you can help me stabilize the situation and secure my position as the heir before Qin Yi takes the throne, it would be for the best. You would be leaving that fatuous new King of Yiyong behind!”

“Alright, stop.” Luo Shangyu covered Qin Yu’s mouth and said, “I will consider it.”

Although Luo Shangyu managed to stop Qin Yu from speaking, the influence of those words continued to expand in her heart.

At that moment, the Chengji Empire’s army on the opposite heights was retreating in an orderly fashion, and the Kingdom of Yiyong’s army was also breaking camp, preparing to withdraw.

Looking at the organized retreat around her, Luo Shangyu couldn’t help but begin to think about her future course of action.

Seeing that she had failed to defeat the invading army of the Chengji Empire for so long, the King of Yiyong had already sent his trusted subordinates to reinforce Luo Shangyu’s troops. 

Now, what Luo Shangyu had to do was join forces with them and return to the capital.

Luo Shangyu knew very well that these so-called “reinforcements” were more about “supervision” and “surveillance”—an attempt to force her to attack quickly so she wouldn’t profit from maintaining a stalemate with the enemy.

Thinking about how to deal with the people the King sent to watch her, Qin Yu’s words rang in her head once more: ‘If we work together with one heart and one mind for a great cause, we will surely look down upon all rivals and rule over the world!’

‘A wise bird chooses its tree, and a talented official chooses their lord.’