Checkmate
Mo Yan after listening to Shiyou replies with anger and guilt dripping from his voice "Shiyou...though you don't blame me...but somewhere it was my fault...there is without a doubt a traitor among us...who leaked of our plans...if not how can they appear with such large army at such short time..
It boils my blood and burns my heart for we fell in their trap and lead by our nose...now with such pressing matter we don't even have time to find the traitor nor the true information that happened...that scum always manages to weasel his way out with a hairs breadth...
I am ashamed and would gladly die by your sword after I brief what would possibly happen as it won't be pleasant for your ears...till then even though poisonous hear me out...
We could indeed persist with blaming everything on general Tao..but with the damage and loss they have suffered they will press on with the evidence they have in their possession...If my guess is right then Pei Jin would place outrageous demand which we definetly won't approve of...
The reason behind is simple...he wants this chance to battle with us and rightfully claim huajin...he is ambitious like us and shares the same vision as us...it won't be strange for him to want to pocket the entire world for himself...not to forget Qing will take this opportunity to support Nanling as by now they are more than sure of who was behind their emperors poisoning...
I gave a lot of thought and the only way to escape from this situation is to cede our resourceful territory to Nanling...beside that we have to propose paying tribute to Nanling as our apology...we will assure them that for the next five years we will not develop our military might and to prove it they can place a envoy near our barracks to keep tracks...
If they don't agree to these conditions then we have to prepare for war...but even if they win Nanling will be seen as domineering country with a tyrant man hungry for more power...Pei Jin sooner or later will face several rebellions with such impression...and he is far to clever to land himself in such situation...
It pains my heart like being stabbed when saying these words but Shiyou this time we don't have much to choose from...and it was us who met the checkmate...I advise you to prepare for escape route to escape from huajin if things go south...as long as there is life so will exist our dream...
I will always be there for you and vow to never let that scum be happy and worry free if we are to face such situation...no matter what currently you are the legal heir of Huajin and if they are to mercilessly attack you none of the other emperors would feels at ease...
I have already send a letter to my subordinate who will take you to a safe place...you will not suffer nor slighted...Pei Jin and his men won't be able to locate you..I will make sure that our trusted ones are also safe so that later we can regroup and kill that scum...
If he insists on war then have Cheng Qian battle with Lin army...pull General Hao to battle with Chen army and take that time to escape...use the secret passage of the palace...at the end my men will be there to receive you..."
Shiyou was emotional from hearing Mo Yan, he though had very few but still had reliable friends like Mo Yan who were loyal to him and cared for him. Who understood and shared the same dream as his. He pats his hands and replies " don't worry..if that time indeed arrives it won't just be me...you including the trusted ones will also be escaping together with me...I have set aside funds for critical situations in various locations...
Like you said even though I have siblings but I am the only legitimate heir...and beside Xiuzhi no one is capable nor mature enough to replace me....for now I am curious about that scums demands...
I will follow your suggestion and place my offerings...if they want more than that then I would rather destroy this land than to have him engulf it as his own...mo Yan simply escaping would be rather to their advantage hence I have decided...
If our negotiation with Nanling fails then I will order our new recruits and remaining suicidal squads to perform mass murder disguised as nanlings men...with the wrath of remaining ones Pei Jin will not be able to step in huajin unless he kills the last one standing...let's see if he have the guts to be as ruthless as me and step on countless lives to achieve the most desired dream..."