Prince Shu listened as Liu Danai spoke in a measured tone. "Your Highness, killing a petty man like me is naturally easy, but... are you willing? Can you accept it?"
Prince Shu sneered. "Since you are a petty man, let the great man of your household come negotiate."
The great man he meant was naturally Cao Yiyan.
Liu Danai composed his expression and bowed again. "The Prince's Residence is a dragon's pool and tiger's den, so my lord dared not come... Yet in sending this petty man, my lord has also shown his sincerity."
As he spoke, he presented a rolled sheet of parchment, clearly covered in writing and drawings.
Naturally, Prince Shu would not allow Liu Danai to hand it over directly. When the map was fully revealed, so too was the dagger; within three steps, even a king was no more than grass and mustard. Everyone understood this principle. Ma Youliang hurriedly took it, inspected it briefly, and only after finding no problem did he pass it to Prince Shu.
Prince Shu unfolded it and immediately fell silent.
Ma Youliang did not know what the prince had seen, but the moment Prince Shu fell silent, his heart leapt into his throat.
The envoy who had delivered the item, on the other hand, remained calm.
To be honest, Ma Youliang rather admired him. Such calmness made it seem as though the life and death held in the prince's hands did not belong to him at all.
At last, Prince Shu spoke again, his tone somewhat gentler this time. "This king has seen your lord's sincerity."
Their "transaction" had been one-sided from the beginning. Cao Yiyan had not even asked Prince Shu for anything in return; he seemed merely to want to see Great Zheng descend into chaos over the