eurekapd Chapter 364: Initial Expedient Measures
Chapter 364: Initial Expedient Measures
The tents in the camp were tinged with a faint golden hue by the first rays of morning sunlight. The air was fresh and filled with an undeniable sense of tension. Ye Wan stood in the center of the camp, surrounded by the busy team members, who were preparing for the upcoming confrontation. Xie Linchuan stood beside her, his eyes deep, as if silently pondering the upcoming situation.
After a night of careful consideration, Ye Wan decided to take a temporary measure - temporarily compromise with the court generals in order to buy more time and lay the foundation for a future counterattack against the court. She knew that this game was not just a confrontation with the generals, but also a race against time.
"I've decided to put forward a condition." Ye Wan suddenly spoke, breaking the silence in the tent.
Xie Linchuan looked sideways at her, his brows slightly raised, as if he had guessed her thoughts. "What are you going to do?" he asked, his tone tinged with curiosity and concern.
Ye Wan took a deep breath and spoke calmly, "I intend to propose a temporary submission to the imperial court, but on the condition that the court does not interfere in our daily lives. Our team will still retain its autonomy and will not be disturbed."
This sentence was like a stone dropped into a lake, stirring up ripples. A flash of surprise crossed Xie Linchuan's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. "This is to buy time, right?"
Ye Wan nodded, a determined glint in her eyes. "Yes. For the time being, we will maintain a superficial cooperation with the court to buy more time to think about countermeasures. I don't want them to act immediately. We need to buy time until we are fully prepared."
Xie Linchuan was silent for a moment, then whispered, "This is a dangerous bet. You know, generals don't easily accept compromise."
Ye Wan's eyes were firm, as if she had already made preparations. "I know. But if we keep refusing, they'll probably just take action. With Xie Linchuan's status, the pressure from the court will be even greater, and the danger will be even greater. This compromise, while not perfect, at least gives us a glimmer of hope."
Her tone was filled with unquestionable determination, and Xie Linchuan said nothing more. He knew that Ye Wan's decision was not hasty, but the result of careful consideration. She never gave in easily, but once she chose a path, she would go on without hesitation.
At this time, Li Chen walked over with a serious expression. "Sister Ye Wan, what's the situation? We are ready and can respond to further instructions from the general at any time."
Ye Wan turned to him, a gentle glint in her eyes. "Don't worry for now. I'm going to personally talk to the general and propose our terms."
Li Chen nodded. Although he couldn't see through Ye Wan's thoughts, he always believed that she could make the most appropriate decision. "We will be ready to deal with changes at any time."
Ye Wan, along with Xie Linchuan, walked towards the general's tent. Although she felt a little uneasy, she knew this was the first step she had to take. The pressure from the court and Xie Linchuan's status forced her to be cautious. Even the slightest mistake could lead to irreversible consequences.
When Ye Wan reached the general's tent, she stopped, took a deep breath, straightened her clothes, then pushed open the curtain of the tent and walked in.
The general was sitting at the table, a report he had just received spread out before him. He raised his head, his gaze as sharp as a knife, looking at Ye Wan and Xie Linchuan, his face expressionless. "Ye Wan, you've arrived just in time."
Ye Wan smiled slightly and said in a gentle tone: "General, I am here to discuss the issue of surrender with you."
A flicker of doubt flashed across the general's eyes, but it quickly vanished. "Oh? Are you finally willing to compromise?"
"It's not a compromise," Ye Wan said. "To avoid unnecessary conflict, we're putting forward a condition that we hope the court will consider."
The general raised his eyebrows slightly, motioning for her to continue.
Ye Wan continued, "We agree to temporarily submit to the imperial court, but on the condition that the court does not interfere with our daily lives and that our team retains its autonomy. We hope to continue to live and work peacefully on this land without any external interference."
The general was silent for a moment, his face slightly displeased. "Your demands are far too high. How could the court allow you to claim self-government? You are merely a group of hidden individuals. How can you possibly be qualified to negotiate terms with our court?"
Ye Wan remained calm and composed, "General, do you understand how important Xie Linchuan's identity is to us? If the imperial court oppresses us, Xie Linchuan will inevitably become a victim, and our team will have to pay the price."
Xie Linchuan stood aside, his gaze calmly fixed on the generals, unfazed. Ye Wan was right; if the court revealed his identity, the consequences could be disastrous. He had long been prepared to face the pressure from the court, but Ye Wan's words moved him even more—she always considered the team, even when it came to the most difficult decisions for herself.
The general hesitated for a moment, looking at Xie Linchuan, seemingly wavering. "If Xie Linchuan's identity were reported to the court, it would be something the court couldn't ignore. I can consider your proposal temporarily. However, you must understand that the court will not easily tolerate your autonomy."
Ye Wan smiled faintly, a hint of confidence in her tone: "General, we don't ask the court to completely let go, we just hope to give us some breathing space. As for the specific implementation method, you can report it to the court, and we are willing to cooperate with the court's arrangements."
A flicker of hesitation crossed the general's eyes, but he quickly made a decision. "Alright, since you're so insistent, I'll reluctantly agree to this condition. You can maintain your autonomy for now, but you must obey the court's instructions. As for the specific implementation details, I will report to the court and await further instructions."
Ye Wan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but remained expressionless. She nodded slightly and said, "Thank you for your generosity, General. We will act according to the agreement."
The general said no more and turned to deal with the documents at hand, seemingly no longer caring about what Ye Wan said. Ye Wan and Xie Linchuan looked at each other, nodded in tacit understanding, and turned to leave.
Leaving the general's tent, Ye Wan felt a little more relaxed. While the general wasn't entirely satisfied, at least they had bought time. The coming days would be a tug-of-war between the team and the imperial court, and she was ready for any eventuality.
"Xie Linchuan," she whispered, "We've finally gotten a temporary respite. In the days ahead, we must be more cautious and wait for the right opportunity to strike back."
Xie Linchuan nodded, his eyes as bright as a torch: "No matter what the future holds, I will fight alongside you."
Ye Wan gave him a deep look, her heart filled with gratitude. She knew her decision was not only for the team, but also to give Xie Linchuan a fighting chance. No matter what the future held, she would continue on with determination, because she was no longer alone.