General Mu Man did not break his word this time.
That very evening, a large contingent of Turkic soldiers marched from the restaurant directly towards the city gates.
The Turkic envoys who followed behind pointed fingers at the Turkic general, shaking their heads in disapproval.
They could have easily ended the matter on a high note, but instead, they had escalated it to a point where it was now irretrievable. If this issue were to reach Emperor Yu Lin, he might personally dispatch someone to the Turkic Khan to demand an explanation.
At that point, everyone in the world would likely perceive the Turkic people as ruthless in their dealings.
Henceforth, they would be wary of them.
Inside the carriage, Princess Ashiya, clutching the corpse of Mu Shizhen, once again fainted into sobs.
General Mu Man, sitting beside her, felt a pang of sorrow as he gazed at his son, who had died with his eyes wide open.
He had initially believed that after the battle of Luoyi, he could retire and live out his remaining years in peace.
Instead, he was now facing the sorrow of a white-haired parent sending off a black-haired child.
Of course, General Mu Man did not believe he had done anything wrong.
War between nations was a contest of strategy and cunning. Had he emerged victorious this time, the situation would have been entirely different.
Ultimately, he had underestimated his opponent.
He had never expected the Ji family to harbor such a formidable young woman; she was truly not to be underestimated.
General Mu Man had to admit that Ji Zizhao was the second person, after Ji Zhengyong, to send shivers down his spine.
The procession ahead suddenly came to a halt.
Immediately, a soldier reported, "General, there is a carriage waiting at the city gate. They say it's here to see you off."
General Mu Man frowned slightly.
He doubted that anyone in Luoyi would still offer him a pleasant farewell.
However, after a series of defeats, General Mu Man found it difficult to maintain his assertive stance. To prevent any further complications, he had no choice but to push open the carriage door and alight himself.
Outside the city gate, a single carriage stood isolated in the darkness of the night.
General Mu Man tightened his grip on the broad axe slung across his back and walked towards the carriage alone.
"May I ask who wishes to see me?" he inquired, stopping before the carriage.
In the quiet night, no one replied.
However, as General Mu Man finished speaking, the closed carriage door was pushed open.
A slender figure disembarked from the carriage, moving at a leisurely, unhurried pace.
In the dim light of night, her delicate skin was bathed in a faint silvery glow.
Her demeanor was relaxed, her beautiful eyes darted about, and her rosy cheeks held an enigmatic smile.
Even though she was still dressed in men's attire, it could not conceal her naturally elegant and refined aura.
Upon clearly seeing the person before him, General Mu Man's guard immediately intensified. "Ji Zizhao!"
Hearing General Mu Man's address, Ji Zizhao showed no signs of anger. "Now that there are no outsiders, has the Turkic general abandoned even the last vestiges of courtesy? That is acceptable."
She had not come to posture or feign politeness in the first place. Openness and honesty between both parties were naturally best.
It saved time and effort.
General Mu Man narrowed his eyes, fixing his gaze on the person before him. "What do you want?"
The confident certainty he once possessed had vanished, replaced by deep suspicion and wariness.
Ji Zizhao calmly replied, "Coming here late at night, I am, of course, here to bid farewell to the Turkic general."
General Mu Man: "..."
He wondered if he had misheard something.
"You were born in Yu Lin, and I serve the Turks. I personally witnessed the sons of the Ji family fall victim to schemes and reaped the benefits… Given all this, I do not believe there is any sentiment of farewell between us." As much as he hated Ji Zizhao, she hated him just as much.
Although they were on opposing sides and could not cooperate, their confrontation in Luoyi had already made them mortal enemies in this lifetime.
Ji Zizhao did not deny this. "On a public level, you mobilized troops to seize the city, harmed the people of Luoyi, and disregarded the lives of the Ji family's men who defended the city with their lives. On a private level, you desecrated the corpses of my Ji family's men and plotted against me… In light of all this, forget about camaraderie; I wish I could personally lop off your head and offer it to the spirits of my fallen Ji family!"
Upon hearing this, General Mu Man silently tightened his grip on the axe handle behind his back.
"However, if we continue to fight, not only will no one gain the upper hand, but we will also harm ourselves and gain nothing. I believe that inflicting a thousand wounds on the enemy while sustaining eight hundred on ourselves is not a scenario the Turkic general wishes to see."
General Mu Man, seeking revenge against Ji Zizhao, would undoubtedly incite the Turkic Khan to continue finding opportunities to wage war against Yu Lin.
The Khan, having considered peace talks, desired a truce. However, due to the Turkic general's military authority, outwardly he would continue to support him, but in secret, things were uncertain...
How many people who threatened the Emperor could survive?
The Ji family was the best example.
Mu Shizhen was dead, and if General Mu Man were to perish, the Mu family would be utterly extinguished.
On the Yu Lin side, once the Turks launched an attack, the Emperor would undoubtedly blame those who had gone to Luoyi for the incident.
Not only Ji Zizhao and the entire Ji family would bear the responsibility, but the Seventh Prince would also, under the instigation of other princes, become the reason for Yu Lin's defeat.
In such a scenario, not only would the Seventh Prince's merits be nullified, but he would also be pushed further away from the throne.
Therefore, if Ji Zizhao and General Mu Man continued to harbor hatred for each other, and even extended this hatred to their nations, neither side would gain any benefit.
This logic was not simple, but a Turkic general who had wielded military power for half his life would understand it.
However, regarding Ji Zizhao, General Mu Man also did not believe her. "So… what exactly do you want to say?"
Despite having already guessed her intention, he still pressed for details.
What a wily old fox.
"Naturally, it is to make a deal with the Turkic general."
General Mu Man waited for her to continue.
Ji Zizhao added, "I hope that upon returning to the Turkic homeland, the Turkic general will no longer launch attacks on Yu Lin."
General Mu Man genuinely scoffed. "Ji Zizhao, are you foolish, or do you think I am? Do you truly believe that after you killed my son, I would show leniency towards Yu Lin?"
"The Turkic general also publicly displayed the corpses of my Ji family's men on the city walls to insult us. Did I not still stand here?"
General Mu Man: "..."
"My grandfather, father, and uncles all died in battle. The Turkic general's son is also dead. Although I do not wish to call it even, and the Turkic general does not wish for it to be even, if we continue to fight, it will only result in mutual destruction. Knowing the outcome yet plunging into a fiery pit is not bravery, but foolishness."
Looking at Ji Zizhao before him, General Mu Man chose to remain silent for the first time.
Ji Zizhao, sensing a flicker of hesitation in General Mu Man's eyes, continued, "There are many ways to seek revenge. The Turkic general is intelligent and brave; why would he insist on one path until the end? Of course, the accounts between myself and the Turkic general are not yet settled. At that time, we can confront each other with swords, and the victor becomes king, the vanquished becomes the bandit, with no regrets."
General Mu Man's eyes trembled; it was impossible not to be shocked.
Ji Zizhao's words were clear: private grievances would be settled privately. As long as the nation was not involved, she was ready to face him at any time.