Here, the act of raising a blue flag meant the other side wanted to negotiate or to parley.
The messenger immediately told the news to Xi Xun, who was studying the locale map with his officers in the tents.
“Negotiation?” The middle-aged man who had been on the battlefield for many years had a dignified appearance, but his voice revealed the dullness of years of military training, “Are you sure the news is correct?”
The messenger replied, “It is indeed a blue flag!”
The surrounding soldiers immediately looked at each other, and the Lieutenant beside Xi Xun murmured, “We have already arrived up to this point, so why would they want to have a parley now?”
Xi Xun pondered for a while before he strode out immediately, “We’ll find out more when we talk with them.”
When he got to the bank of the River Huai, Xi Xun saw a boat anchored in the middle of the river.
Standing on the boat was a tall man that was adorned in a set of black armour. Due to the far distance, Xi Xun couldn’t see his appearance clearly— the river breeze blew up only the scarlet cloak on his shoulders as the sound of laughter echoed towards the bank of the river,”General Xi, I have admired you for a long time. I consider myself very honoured and lucky to be able to meet you today. Your reputation is well-deserved, indeed.”
It was the Song Emperor himself on the boat!
Even though they were rather far from each other, his voice was extremely clear, and echoed across the river towards the troops on the bank. The Lieutenant next to General Xi remarked in a low voice, “I heard that Emperor Song has high martial skills and an exceptional command over his internal energy. It seems like the rumours were true, after all.”
Xi Xun looked intensely at the figure on the boat in the middle of the river as the Song army crowded behind the boat and on the other side of the riverbank. He raised his internal energy and said in a deep voice, “If Emperor Song has anything to say, please speak directly without euphemism.”
Song Jinglan pointed behind him with his hand and asked with a smile, “General Xi, can you see the 100,000-man army behind me?”
Xi Xun replied, “This General is indeed old, but not to the point of being blind. However, I assure you that I still have the strength to fight!”
Song Jinglan continued to speak leisurely, “General Xi, you’ve sorely misunderstood. The fact is, I’m leading 100,000 men in person not to fight with you,” He paused before his smiling voice drifted into the ears of every soldier of the Great Lin Empire on the riverbank, “This Emperor here merely has a marriage proposal.”
For a moment, Xi Xun thought that he was truly getting old and may have misheard.
He turned his head and glanced at the soldiers around him, but everyone looked equally confused and shocked. Only Xi Xingjiang, who was beside him, suddenly widened his eyes and had a look of disbelief on his face.
There was an eerie silence on both sides of the river.
It took Xi Xun a long time to regain his internal energy before he asked in a deep voice, “What do you mean, Emperor Song?”
The man on the boat smiled and cupped his hands from a distance, “General Xi, go back and inform Your Majesty that Princess Yong An is the one I want.”
The wind blew the reeds on both sides of the River Huai as the white reed flowers fluttered throughout the skies and scattered all over the water.
Before Xi Xun could react, Xi Xingjiang growled and murmured a slur of profanities before he drew his sword and rushed out.
Xi Xun was taken aback as he immediately shouted, “Xingjiang! Stop!”
And why would Xi Xingjiang ever listen?
He was about to advance toward the centre of the river when Xi Xun shouted, “Stop him!”
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