Chapter 37: Revealing the Truth

Xiao Cui looked stunned. "Your Highness, how can I not understand what you are saying? Shouldn't the people be celebrating and showing their admiration after a victorious return from battle?"

"For others, it is indeed a cause for celebration, but for me, it is not a good thing. I only wanted to finish the task and go back to my business to make money. If everyone thinks I am a great military commander, what will I do if they force me to lead every future campaign?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Cui suddenly realized. "If you put it that way, it is indeed a good thing. War is far too dangerous, and facing an enemy nation's army is not as easy to negotiate with as the bandits on Vulture Mountain. It is much better for Your Highness to stay in the capital."

"Hmph! I happen to think that even if Your Highness led the army against an enemy nation, you would still win. At the very least, you are far more capable than Qin Qingxue," Linyue said coldly.

"One cannot say it like that. War is dangerous and holds no real benefits. Our Highness is not short of money, so why bother with such things?" Xiao Cui said earnestly. In her eyes, Li Ye's safety was the most important thing.

"Xiao Cui is absolutely right; that is exactly what I think," Li Ye agreed.

News that all the bandits on Vulture Mountain had surrendered soon spread throughout the capital. Some suspected that it was not Li Ye who led the troops, but rather other armies working in the shadows. However, the court officials and military generals were very clear that no other troops had gone to assist. The surrender of the Vulture Mountain bandits was indeed entirely to Li Ye's credit. Everyone was left bewildered, unable to fathom how he had accomplished it.

Crown Prince Li Zheng, in particular, was livid upon hearing the news, his face turning pale with rage. "This is impossible! With those five thousand weak and crippled soldiers, how could they take Vulture Mountain?"

The Crown Prince's mentor was equally suspicious. He had planted informants within the military, but the troops had just returned, and the information had not yet been passed on. "I heard that there was no battle at all; the bandits simply surrendered. It is extremely strange!"

"It infuriates me! By achieving such a great merit, Li Ye's standing in Father's heart will surely rise significantly. Could it be that he, too, harbors ambitions for the throne?" Li Zheng fumed.

"That is impossible! You are the Crown Prince, and the position of heir has long been settled. Furthermore, Wu Shuang of the Yunlu Pavilion stands with you. He represents the Yunlu Pavilion, the world's number one sect, which holds massive influence within the imperial court. The Crown Prince's position is unshakable and cannot be swayed by anyone."

After listening to his mentor, Li Zheng's anger subsided slightly, and he became immensely confident again. "The mentor is right; with the support of the Yunlu Pavilion, no one can threaten my position."

"However, one cannot be too careless or underestimate the Sixth Prince! Regardless of how he took Vulture Mountain, it is clear that he is not as simple as he appears, acting only as a merchant. He must be studying military strategy and harboring designs on the throne. We must continue to suppress him! Anyone who poses a threat to the Crown Prince's position must not be spared," the mentor said with a solemn expression.

"I know that, of course. I will certainly not let Li Ye off," Li Zheng sneered. "Li Ye, you fool, what does it matter if you have some ability? You have already offended Wu Shuang, and the Yunlu Pavilion will surely suppress you."

As various factions stirred, all eyes were fixed on Li Ye. No one cared about a defeat, and even a victory might have been accepted, but the fact that Li Ye had forced the entire Vulture Mountain to surrender without losing a single soldier or weapon felt deeply unsettling. The Sixth Prince, usually the most inconspicuous, suddenly appeared unfathomable in the eyes of the officials. Everyone wanted to know exactly how he had persuaded the bandits to surrender.

In the main hall, officials stood on both sides. Li Xuantian sat high upon the throne, watching as Li Ye walked toward the center of the hall.

Li Ye bowed. "I pay my respects to Father. I have successfully fulfilled the mission; all the bandits on Vulture Mountain have surrendered to the court."

Li Xuantian remained expressionless, his inner thoughts unreadable. He spoke, "I heard that you did not send troops to attack Vulture Mountain. How did you manage to make them surrender?"

"Answering Father! I first identified the lifeblood of Vulture Mountain and then sent people to persuade them to surrender. I promised each of them five acres of fertile land and arranged for their livelihoods. Any able-bodied young man could earn at least five taels of silver a year..." Li Ye did not hold back and explained all the conditions he had promised.

The faces of the officials in the hall shifted instantly. The Minister of Revenue stepped forward immediately and said, "These conditions must not be agreed to! According to the newly counted numbers, there are over sixteen thousand bandits on Vulture Mountain. To provide them with work, land, and housing—the court simply cannot afford it. They are merely bandits; how can they be granted such favorable conditions?"

Other officials began to whisper among themselves. "This is simply preposterous. If one can offer such terms to bandits, anyone could succeed in persuading them to surrender. Why have we sent troops so many times?"

"Land and houses are one thing, but how can the court afford to pay them so much money every year?"

"If the treatment for bandits is this good, what will our soldiers and our people think?"

Qin Qingxue and Wu Shuang stood to the side, looking elated. They had been shocked when they first heard the news of the surrender, finding it incredible and far from what they had anticipated. But after hearing the reasons for the surrender, they were inwardly overjoyed. Spending so much money to make bandits surrender was a disgrace to the court. It was not a victory earned by true skill and would only increase the pressure on the national treasury.

As expected, Li Xuantian's expression turned grim. He immediately rebuked, "Who gave you the authority to promise these conditions to the bandits? The terms for imperial surrender are fixed; how can you increase them at your own whim?"

The Crown Prince looked at Li Ye with schadenfreude. He had feared Li Ye might become a threat, but he never expected him to commit such a foolish act. He had become a laughingstock of the court and brought shame to the royal family once again.

Li Ye replied, "Father, please calm your anger and listen to my explanation. I did not increase the terms of surrender without authorization. The Ministry of Revenue only needs to provide the standard allowance of money and land as prescribed. Because my business requires a large number of hands, I can make use of the people from Vulture Mountain. Ordinary people can work in my workshops, and the able-bodied young men who know martial arts can serve as armed escorts. The court does not need to arrange work for them. I believe this is a mutually beneficial arrangement and does not violate any imperial regulations."

Hearing Li Ye's explanation, Li Xuantian was stunned. He had not expected such a solution—turning all the bandits into his own employees and labor force. Such a thing was unheard of. Yet, upon closer inspection, the arrangement seemed highly reasonable and ingenious. It satisfied the bandits' requirements for surrender while providing Li Ye with sufficient labor for his business—a perfect win-win situation.

The other officials felt the same, unable to find any more faults. However, although Li Ye's victory was perfect, this method was one that only Li Ye could utilize, as no one else had the means to implement it.