Xue Qian shouted again, "Brother, let's charge straight in and avenge our uncles!"
The adults who had been feeling reassured just moments ago fell silent. Avenge them, my ass! They're not dead yet!
Compared with the others, Consort Xue was hardly restrained at all. She stood there with the guard watching her a meter away, as though her actions were telling everyone that she was not a hostage, but someone on Chu Xuanzhi's side.
"I hate being threatened," Xue Pingyuan said.
Yet Chu Xuanzhi's brows relaxed, and that tiny trace of unease dissipated. He chuckled, a teasing look in his eyes. "Then why didn't you reply after reading my letter?"
"Nor did you make your true allegiance clear. Xue Pingyuan, I can tell you plainly that as long as you submit to me, your position as grand general and your military authority will remain yours."
"I won't touch any of it."
Xue Pingyuan saw the unmistakable resolve in his eyes.
Chu Xuanzhi was confident. He knew Xue Pingyuan was a clever man, and he liked dealing with clever people.
Xue Pingyuan had neither replied to his letter nor declared his true allegiance simply because he was afraid that after submitting, he would be thrown into the Heavenly Prison and stripped of his military authority. Then... Chu Xuanzhi would give him his word. As long as Xue Pingyuan submitted, not only would he leave him entirely untouched, he would also let him remain grand general and retain command of his troops.
With that, what reason could Xue Pingyuan possibly have to keep opposing him?
After all, the supposedly legitimate Crown Prince of Great Chu whom he served was not truly legitimate, and Chu Xuanzhi had already captured him and locked him in the dungeon.
The Crown Prince Faction had fallen. Anyone