Chapter 415: Ridiculous Terms
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Princess Shan Yu's expression changed countless times in the short span of a few seconds.
When Fang Zhengzhi had asked about the 50,000 Demons, she had been rather frustrated. However, when Fang Zhengzhi mentioned the Blood Shadow City...
She was rendered speechless.
As a Princess of the Southern Region and the commander of 80,000 elite soldiers, she knew what it meant.
It was a sword!
A sword with the Southern Region's name on it.
It was just waiting for the opportune moment to strike. For the longest time, the Southern Region had concentrated its soldiers in Nan Ling Settlement.
It was to guard against this sword.
However, ever since the Crown Prince had decided to ally himself with the Demons, the citizens became complacent and forgot about this threat.
In the beginning, the Southern Region still kept their guard up. However, as time passed and their relations became closer, the Demons gave large amounts of aid to the Southern Region. They even sent some of their elites to train the soldiers of the Southern Region.
Furthermore, they also provided raw materials to build weapons. The Southern Region soldiers were now better equipped than they ever were.
This also caused them to let down their guard. Finally, they forgot about this looming threat that was waiting to take their head.
"Fang Zhengzhi, you say that the Demons will strike from the Blood Shadow City. Do you have any proof? Aren't they afraid that we will strike back?" One of the generals spoke up after much thought.
These generals knew the result of such an attack. However, they refused to believe and accept that this would happen.
"Strike back? Haha... you need time to be able to assemble your troops!" Fang Zhengzhi smirked.
"What do you mean?"
"If I am correct, the Demons have already set off from the Blood Shadow City. On the other hand, your troops still have to pass through the Icy Monkey Settlement if they are to reinforce the Sagely Mountain City. The Icy Monkey Settlement is under the control of the Great Xia. You won't reach the capital in time!" Fang Zhengzhi scorned.
"You..." The general's expression changed instantly. Even though he was furious, he had no retort.
All of the other generals fell silent as they looked at each other worriedly.
Fang Zhengzhi was right.
They had no time to recall their troops even if they wanted to.
This was why Yun Qingwu chose to attack the Sagely Mountain City now. This was the perfection of her plan.
Even if they figured out what was happening...
It would be too late!
They would be unable to stop it! That was the most terrifying part.
"Fang Zhengzhi, if the Demons are already on their way, then my 80,000 soldiers would not do much. What... what other ideas do you have?" Princess Shan Yu grit her teeth and asked as she looked at her generals.
"Of course I have other ideas." Fang Zhengzhi replied.
"Then say it!" Princess Shan Yu replied agitatedly. She was in no mood for any more delays.
"Oh..." Fang Zhengzhi dragged his voice. He sat down at the head of the meeting and placed his legs on the table, "You aren't killing me?"
"You! Fang Zhengzhi, do you not see what is happening? This is an urgent matter, out with the plan! This doesn't only concern the Southern Region! If we fall, the Great Xia will fall as well!" Princess Shan Yu's expression turned ugly when she saw Fang Zhengzhi defile her seat and table. However, she swallowed her anger.
All of the other generals glared at Fang Zhengzhi when they saw him sit on the golden leather. However, before Fang Zhengzhi told them the plan, they had to tolerate it.
Fang Zhengzhi looked at Princess Shan Yu and the generals, beaming as he did so.
Every time he had entered this tent, Princess Shan Yu was the one in a position of power. She always seemed rather aloof.
As a man...
Someone who had ambitions... someone who did not even kneel to the Emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty... how could he be suppressed by a Princess of the Southern Region?
This was a chance at redemption.
This was a moment that he had dreamt about.
Previously, he had not tried to wrestle back control because the time was not right. Now that the opportunity presented itself, he would be a fool not to take it.
"Is that so? The Emperor of the Great Xia would have to worry about the fate of the empire. I am just a lowly rank four official. The affairs of the state have little to do with me. As for you... a princess... you will no longer be able to retain your position." Fang Zhengzhi added.
"You... Fang Zhengzhi, you... I will kill..."
"You want to kill me again? Come on, I promise I will not move. However, can you have someone come over and wash the blood off my neck first?" Fang Zhengzhi replied scornfully.
"Urgh, urgh! You will be the death of me! Fang Zhengzhi, what the hell do you want?" Princess Shan Yu was furious. She was on the verge of going insane.
"We haven't even made a deal yet." Fang Zhengzhi replied calmly.
"A deal?" Princess Shan Yu finally realized what was going on. The Southern Region's survival had nothing to do with Fang Zhengzhi.
Shameless!
How dare he take advantage of the situation?!
Princess Shan Yu cursed in her heart.
The other generals were equally infuriated. However, they had no other choice but to listen carefully to what Fang Zhengzhi had to say.
"What do you want?" Princess Shan Yu suppressed her anger.
"Gold!" Fang Zhengzhi replied without hesitation.
"Gold? Hahaha..." Princess Shan Yu chuckled, "I was wondering what kind of terms you had in mind? You are just a greedy mercenary. No worries, we have vast resources and have no lack of gold. How much do you want? 100 taels? 1000? Haha... why don't you just ask for 10,000. I can even give you 20,000!"
"Haha... is that so? What if I want the gold mine?" Fang Zhnegzhi chuckled. He liked people like Princess Shan Yu, who had vast amounts of wealth.
She was just making herself even bigger of a target for Fang Zhengzhi.
In essence, she was just...
Dumb!
"Gold mine?! No way! The gold mines have always been controlled by the royal family! Even the leaders of the six major settlements have no part to play in the mining. How can we give one to you?" Princess Shan Yu's smile froze as she paled.
The Southern Region had plenty of resources.
They also had quite a few gold mines.
Even so, Princess Shan Yu would never give the mining rights to anyone outside of the royal family. That represented the control and power the royal family had.
Fang Zhengzhi smirked when he saw Princess Shan Yu's determined look.
He knew exactly what the gold mines meant to the people of this world. It was akin to a money printing machine. No country would ever give an outsider control of its treasury.
But Fang Zhengzhi wanted that to happen.
In fact, after he figured out Yun Qingwu's plan, he knew that he could not solve this by rushing things.
Not only could he not panic.
He had to be stable and composed.
In fact, in order to foil Yun Qingwu's plan, everything had to work in perfect harmony. He had to eliminate all doubt for a chance at success. Failure at any point would result in defeat.
As such, he needed Princess Shan Yu to calm down.
Furthermore...
There was one other important factor.
Princess Shan Yu had to have complete faith in him. She must be willing to sacrifice everything to carry out every part of his plan.
This was why he wanted the gold mines.
If a rich person bought 10 miracle pills, ate three of them and didn't notice any effect, he may decide to just take three more. If there still wasn't any effect, he would probably throw the remaining four away.
But...
What if he spent his entire fortune?
He would definitely finish eating all 10. He wouldn't even leave a morsel behind.
That was the difference between the two scenarios.
"I am not done. I want 10 gold mines, the 10 largest gold mines!" Fang Zhengzhi added, almost as if he did not hear what Princess Shan Yu said.
"10 gold mines?!"
"Is he crazy? We won't even give him one and he is asking for 10?! And he wants the 10 largest ones? Doesn't he know that we only have 50 gold mines in the entire Southern Region?"
"Daydreaming! He must be daydreaming!"
All of the generals could not suppress their anger any longer. They pointed at Fang Zhengzhi and began berating him.
"Fang Zhengzhi, stop dreaming. I won't give you a single gold mine!" Princess Shan Yu fumed.