CHAPTER 369: CHAPTER 369: THE MONARCH DIES FOR THE NATION

The envoy repeated the words he had just said, with an expression that completely disregarded the Eldest Prince.

The Eldest Prince simply couldn’t bear it anymore. Regardless of the consequences, he was about to punch the man, but Emperor Yongning stopped him, "Eldest, stop..."

The country is on the brink of crisis. What’s the use of worrying about insignificant pride?

All these humiliations are insignificant in the face of national survival.

The Son of Heaven guards the gates of the kingdom, the monarch dies with the community.

Emperor Yongning could endure it.

No matter what emotions the Eldest Prince had, they were subdued by a cold glance from Emperor Yongning.

"Kneel if you must... it doesn’t matter..."

Emperor Yongning stood up from the dragon throne, his eyes warm as he touched the armrest of the throne, pursed his lips, and then walked to the envoy.

He took a deep breath, lifted his dragon robe, and was about to kneel.

But at that moment, a voice was heard.

"I know where the noble lady of the Beast Taming Clan is, I know... let me in, don’t stop me, I really know."

Upon hearing this, the Eldest Prince’s first thought wasn’t that Eastern Chu wouldn’t have to fight this battle or face the threat of demise, but that his father wouldn’t have to kneel.

He hurriedly rushed in front of Emperor Yongning, stopping him from kneeling in front of the Bei Xia envoy.

"Father, there’s news about the noble lady of the Beast Taming Clan."

"Did you hear Anle’s voice just now from outside? She said she knows where the noble lady of the Beast Taming Clan is..."

The Eldest Prince was quite excited, speaking in a rousing manner within those few words.

But in the face of such good news, Emperor Yongning’s expression did not ease. What he was thinking was, as the current emperor, he couldn’t find the noble lady of the Beast Taming Clan; how could his Anle know where the noble lady is?

The little girl must be just saying this to prevent him from being humiliated, right?

Emperor Yongning frowned deeply.

The Eldest Prince personally went out to welcome Jun Ning, pulling her by the hand and looking at her, "Ah Ning, you just said you know the whereabouts of the noble lady of the Beast Taming Clan, is it true?"

All these years, the Eldest Prince had never looked at Jun Ning with such joy, excitement, and anticipation.

Jun Ning felt somewhat uncomfortable.

She coughed a couple of times, broke free from the Eldest Prince’s grasp, and rushed to the side of Emperor Yongning. Seeing he didn’t look well, she held his hand and asked, "Father, what’s wrong with you?"

"Little brat, don’t ask what’s wrong with Father right now, quickly answer my question..." The Eldest Prince was a bit anxious, to the point of blurting out.

As soon as he spoke, both Emperor Yongning and Jun Ning gave him a sideways glance.

What kind of occasion was this?

He actually called her little brat?

"Ah Ning, say it quickly!" The Eldest Prince didn’t care who looked askance at him, he was anxious about the answer, so anxious he was almost stomping his feet.

Just as Jun Ning was about to answer, Emperor Yongning held her hand and whispered in her ear, "If you don’t know, don’t say it. As for what you just said, Father will find a way to suppress it for you."

Jun Ning smiled gently, "Father, I know, you don’t need to worry about me."

"Alright then!"

Jun Ning glanced around at the gathered people and began to speak.

"The blood of the Beast Taming Clan has always been nurtured in our dynasty..."

"When she was six or seven, wandering the streets and being bullied, it was I who saved her, gave her food and dignity, and have nurtured her ever since."

"If it wasn’t for her accompanying me to the Black Forest to find medicine for my Grand Empress Dowager, where her blood caused the lions to retreat and bow down, I would not have known she was of the Beast Taming Clan blood."

"I only learned about the Beast Taming Clan’s ability to tame beasts after a trip to Sairu City, from my Crown Prince brother, and thus confirmed her identity."

These things Jun Ning said about the lions retreating and bowing were exactly like the abilities possessed by the noble lady of the Beast Taming Clan.

There was no doubt this person was indeed the noble lady of the Beast Taming Clan.

And Jun Ning was not making things up; she truly knew the whereabouts of the noble lady of the Beast Taming Clan.

Emperor Yongning, while shocked, felt a bit regretful. Why did he keep this search from the little girl, causing her to not know and delaying such important information for so long, almost leading Eastern Chu to the brink of ruin?

It was his fault!

His fault!

The Bei Xia envoy was genuinely surprised, "Princess Anle, you actually know where the noble lady of my Beast Taming Clan is."

His expression of surprise also carried a hint of disappointment.

It seemed he didn’t really want to find the noble lady.

Or perhaps, right from the beginning, asking Eastern Chu to help find the noble lady was just a guise by Bei Xia; their real intention was to use this as a pretext for war.

Otherwise, Lan Xihe with such distinctive features, blue eyes, and golden hair, had a name that never changed, yet Bei Xia never mentioned these.

Instead, they only gave Eastern Chu a vague concept of the noble lady, and then let Eastern Chu search.

If they couldn’t find her, it would lead to war.

Finding someone with just a vague notion of a noble lady from the Beast Taming Clan would be bizarre.

Fortunately, Jun Ning found her.

Jun Ning sighed in relief.

Emperor Yongning, beside her, watched the Bei Xia envoy meaningfully.

Undoubtedly, the thoughts Jun Ning had were also what Emperor Yongning had considered.

He hadn’t anticipated that Bei Xia truly wanted to use this chance to destroy Eastern Chu!

Fortunately, his little Anle helped find the person.

And the noble lady of the Beast Taming Clan was far more valuable and noble than a princess of Bei Xia.

Helping them find the person was a tremendous grace. With such a tremendous grace, Bei Xia would not initiate conflict for the next few years.

The two countries could have a period of peace.

Emperor Yongning exhaled a sigh of relief and held Jun Ning’s hand tighter.

Little brat, truly his little lucky star, truly the lucky star of the entire Eastern Chu!

"Father, it’s all settled now." Jun Ning comforted Emperor Yongning.

Emperor Yongning nodded with relief.

After a brief surprise and disappointment, the Bei Xia envoy began to inquire, "May I ask, Your Highness, where the noble lady of my Beast Taming Clan is now? My Bei Xia needs to bring her back immediately."

Jun Ning responded, "Her name is Lan Xihe, she’s staying at the home of a friend of mine outside the palace. I will bring her into the palace on an appointed day."

"Please have your country send another envoy to sign a ceasefire agreement with my Eastern Chu before taking the noble lady back." Jun Ning had no intention of releasing her easily.

Releasing her came with conditions.

That condition was the signing of a ceasefire agreement.

Some things are not enough as bilateral tacit understandings; they need to be written in black and white.

"... What, is the Princess distrustful of me?" The Bei Xia envoy was a bit displeased; he could personally bring back the noble lady, so why was there a need for another envoy?

This was not trusting him, and also belittling him!