bookcurios Chapter 2281 Threat!
Chapter 2281 Threat!
The canyon fell silent; even the wind seemed to subside slightly, and everyone's attention was focused on the veteran.
"Your Highness,"
Xue Huaide continued, his tone calm, as if stating a predetermined ending.
"The matter has come to this point, the outcome is decided, and the will of Heaven is clear. His Majesty's divine might is overwhelming, and his divine and decisive actions are beyond human control."
"Your Highness's troops are also citizens of our Great Chu. They have been fighting bitterly for days, with countless dead and wounded, all because of Your Highness's one wrong step."
"Now, with no way forward and no reinforcements behind, Your Highness, can you bear to let these soldiers who followed you here make another pointless sacrifice, staining Luoyan Gorge with their blood and dying far from home?"
He did not make harsh accusations, nor did he flaunt his military power.
Instead, it begins by addressing the issue from the perspective of "the people of the Great Chu" and "unnecessary sacrifices," carrying a compassionate yet undeniably realistic consideration.
These words were not only addressed to Chu Xuan, but also to the remaining Youzhou soldiers behind him, directly pointing to their deepest desire for survival and their fear of meaningless death.
Chu Xuan stood stiffly upright, his knuckles white from gripping the sword hilt.
Xue Huaide's calm words made him feel a chilling sense of powerlessness, even more so than Ma Chao's angry rebuke.
He opened his mouth, wanting to refute and maintain his last bit of toughness, but found his throat dry and he lost his voice for a moment.
Xue Huaide paused, his gaze seemingly glancing almost imperceptibly at the heavily guarded carriage.
He then refocused on Chu Xuan's face, his tone becoming more forceful, carrying an undeniable admonition and a sense of finality:
"Your Highness is of noble birth. Even if you have made a thousand mistakes, His Majesty, considering the bond of blood and the well-being of the ancestral temple and the state, may grant you a sliver of leniency."
"However, if Your Highness remains obstinate and insists on driving the remaining troops to fight like cornered beasts, causing Mr. Su Tingmei to suffer any mishap, and causing this place to be awash in blood."
"Then, I fear that not only will Your Highness be in danger, but your posthumous reputation will also be jeopardized, and many lives will be lost."
"At that time, even if His Majesty has a forgiving heart, the laws of the country and the discipline of the army will not tolerate it."
He raised his voice slightly, each word clear and resonating through the valley: "I have come here on His Majesty's orders, and my primary duty is to ensure Mr. Su's safety."
"Secondly, I request Your Highness to cease hostilities and return with me to meet the Emperor."
"If Your Highness is willing to lay down your weapons now and order your troops to surrender, I guarantee with my life that I will restrain my soldiers and not kill a single person indiscriminately. I will also immediately petition His Majesty to explain Your Highness's decision to pull back from the brink."
"This is the only way to survive, and also the way to preserve some dignity. I hope Your Highness will think carefully before acting, lest you ruin your own life and the lives of so many others."
Xue Huaide's persuasion to surrender was subtle yet insidious. It offered a way out while also highlighting the worst possible consequences, and directly linked Su Tingmei's safety to the cessation of resistance.
He stood there, with a torrent of steel behind him and a desperate rebel king before him, unhurried and calmly stating the pros and cons, awaiting a decision.
This calm and composed demeanor is more imposing than the cold glint of any sword.
Among Chu Xuan's remaining troops, some had their eyes gleaming, and their grip on their weapons began to loosen.
All eyes were focused on Chu Xuan's violently heaving chest and his ever-changing expression.
Xue Huaide's seemingly gentle yet forceful persuasion to surrender was like a cold tide, drowning out the last glimmer of hope in Chu Xuan's heart.
However, desperate situations often breed extreme madness and a desperate counterattack.
Chu Xuan's fear, humiliation, resentment, and extreme desire to survive, under Xue Huaide's calm gaze, did not transform into submission, but instead twisted into a venomous and raging evil fire.
"Xue Huaide!"
Chu Xuan took a sudden step forward, his voice becoming sharp and piercing due to the extreme emotional impact, completely shattering the last shred of his feigned composure.
He raised his hand and pointed at the steady, veteran general opposite him, his fingertips trembling violently from the force of his gesture.
"You...you are nothing but a surrendered general of my Great Chu, who, like a stray dog, begged for mercy when the Great Zhou Dynasty was defeated!"
"A former official of the Wu Zhou dynasty! How dare you presume to act as if you're deciding life and death before me? How dare you speak to me in such a tone?"
He attempted to undermine Xue Huaide's prestige and morale in the most scathing and revealing way.
He was trying to make a last-ditch effort to legitimize his identity, seeking a twisted foothold to support his collapsing will.
"The blood flowing through my veins is the pure and unblemished Chu imperial bloodline passed down from the founding emperor! I am one of the rightful heirs to this great Chu empire!"
"You, Xue Huaide, a remnant of the Wu Zhou dynasty, what right do you have to block my path? What right do you have to persuade me to surrender on behalf of that brat Chu Ning?"
Chu Xuan's face appeared ferocious and distorted under the torchlight, his eyes were bloodshot, and his words were like poisoned daggers, lashing out madly.
"If you know what's good for you, immediately order your men and that Xiliang barbarian Ma Chao to clear the way for me! Otherwise..."
He stopped abruptly, took a deep breath, and the breath seemed to carry the smell of blood.
Then, with a desperate, almost screaming determination, he unleashed his last trump card, the only one he truly believed in:
"Otherwise, once a fight breaks out, swords and spears have no eyes, and the first to die will be Su Tingmei! I will make him pay with his life right now!!"
Upon hearing this, not only Xue Huaide and Ma Chao, but even some of the generals behind Chu Xuan himself showed astonishment.
This is a blatant and reckless ultimate threat.
"Chu Xuan! How dare you?" Ma Chao shouted sharply from the other side, the veins on his hand gripping the knife bulging.
"You'll see if I dare!"
Chu Xuan let out a wild laugh, but the laugh was filled with a desperate and shrill sound.
He stopped looking at Ma Chao and stared intently at Xue Huaide, as if he wanted to pour all the pressure onto the veteran general.
"Xue Huaide! Listen carefully! You know how much Chu Ning values Su Tingmei's life!"
"If Su Tingmei dies here because of your obstruction, because you refuse to give way... do you think Chu Ning will let you off the hook?"
"How will he view you, an incompetent old minister who drove a hostage to his death? Will you be able to keep your head? And how will your family face the consequences?!"
He attempted to preemptively pin the crime and responsibility of killing important hostages on Xue Huaide, employing the most vicious psychological coercion.
What are we waiting for?
Before Xue Huaide could respond, Chu Xuan turned around abruptly and roared at his trusted generals behind him.
"Go! Bring Su Tingmei to the front lines! Let General Xue and General Ma see clearly what the consequences will be if they don't make way!"
Upon receiving the order, a commotion arose within Chu Xuan's ranks.