Her appearance softened Lin Suisui’s heart. She knelt down beside her, saying, “Your Highness doesn’t need to blame yourself. Who hasn’t made mistakes when they were young? You are now so kind, good to the people, and excellent to your attendants. You are also graceful and lovable. Your mother, in heaven, would surely be proud of you.” 

Shen Yinlai looked at her with teary eyes, her voice choked with emotion: “I know Mother wouldn’t blame me, but I miss her so much. If I could just hug Mother again and listen to her stories, I would do anything.” 

Lin Suisui didn’t expect her to cry so easily. The scene reminded her of her own parents. She had been in this place for some time now, and hadn’t contacted her parents for so long. They must be worried. 

Lin Suisui stayed with Shen Yinlai at the mausoleum for the afternoon, until they were both tired and got up to return. 

“Damn it.” As Lin Suisui stood up, she realized her legs had gone numb, almost causing her to fall again. She couldn’t help but curse inwardly. 

Shen Yinlai quickly supported her, apologetic: “Suisui, are you alright? I shouldn’t have let you kneel for so long.” 

“It’s fine, I’ve knelt for longer,” Lin Suisui insisted stubbornly. 

Shen Yinlai blinked, then turned to Yin Manlin: “Then, I’ll have General Yin send you back?” 

“No need, Your Highness.” Lin Suisui almost couldn’t catch her breath. If another random mission was triggered, she would really die of embarrassment. 

She pointed to a distance: “That’s my carriage. There’s no need to trouble General Yin.” 

“Report! Your Majesty, the Beiping army has arrived at the city gates. Our soldiers have suffered heavy casualties, and the disparity in strength is significant.” A soldier rushed in to report. 

The person on the dragon throne sighed deeply. Before he could speak, several people in military uniforms entered the hall. 

Although victory was in sight, Yin Manlin still maintained a respectful demeanor, bowing to the old king: “Your Majesty, our Emperor has sent instructions, wishing to negotiate peace with you. What are your thoughts?” 

Pei Zuyuan knew that continuing the war would only harm Donglin, and the chances of victory were slim, so he said, “Since your country has such sincerity, I would be delighted. State your terms, General.” 

Yin Manlin replied, “We arrived in a hurry today, and the Emperor hasn’t had time to draft an official document. Let me convey the Emperor’s oral message.” 

“Our Emperor’s terms for peace are very simple. Donglin only needs to offer twenty thousand cattle and sheep annually, two hundred thousand taels of silver, and send your prince to marry into Beiping.” 

Pei Zuyuan’s veins bulged, his hand involuntarily clenching the armrest. 

“Audacious…” A nearby guard was about to object, but was rebuked by the king. 

“Forget it, forget it. Go back and tell your old king, the silver and the person will be sent on the appointed day.” 

As soon as Yin Manlin and her group left, Cen Rui couldn’t help but sigh: “Your Majesty, you shouldn’t have agreed to them. That’s two hundred thousand taels of silver, and you’re sending the prince to suffer. These tens of thousands of soldiers were born in Donglin and will die for Donglin. As long as the people are alive, the country won’t perish. Why did you agree to their surrender?” 

Pei Zuyuan patted his shoulder, saying, “Cen Aiqing, I’m old, I can’t fight anymore. If we continue fighting, it’s the people of Donglin who will suffer. The treasury isn’t empty yet, we can afford the silver for the next two years. Let’s see how long we can last. The people need some peace and quiet.” 

“As for Aheng, he is my only bloodline, how can I bear to send him alone to the enemy country? But he is not only my son, but also the prince of Donglin. Everything he does should be for Donglin, for the people of Donglin, to be worthy of his identity.” 

Seeing that he was determined, Cen Rui stopped persuading him, only thinking in his heart that Donglin’s hundred-year foundation might be destroyed. 

“Father, did you call for me?” Pei Zhiheng had just finished treating his wounds from the battlefield, and hearing that Pei Zuyuan had something important to discuss with him, he hurried over. 

Pei Zuyuan looked at him, his eyes filled with helplessness and sadness. After a long silence, he said, “Aheng, surrender.” 

Unexpectedly so sudden, Pei Zhiheng felt as if a thunderbolt had exploded in his ear. He almost thought he had misheard. 

“What did you say?” 

Pei Zuyuan had prepared himself before Pei Zhiheng came, but seeing his only son’s disbelief and disappointment, his heart still ached. 

Pei Zuyuan briefly explained what had happened in the hall, saying, “Aheng, I understand your bravery and patriotism, but we can’t let the people suffer any longer.” 

For the first time in twenty years, Pei Zhiheng felt that his father’s heavy and kind words were like knives cutting into his heart, more suffocating than the hand grenades flying towards him on the battlefield. 

Cen Rui saw the unwillingness in Pei Zhiheng’s heart and hurriedly said, “Your Highness, we can’t surrender, we can’t surrender! Quickly persuade His Majesty…” 

“Mr. Cen,” Pei Zhiheng interrupted him, “His Majesty is right. If we can’t bring peace to the people, then I, the prince of Donglin, will have no face to meet our ancestors.” 

He turned to Pei Zuyuan, performing the most formal and respectful bow he had ever done since childhood, saying, “Your son accepts the order. I will go to Beiping in three days. Please take care of yourself, Father.” 

Lin Suisui was awakened by the system’s frantic alerts. 

【Host, wake up! The system has detected that the next mission point is about to open. Please prepare yourself.】 

She was forced to get out of bed, looked at the sky that hadn’t fully brightened, and felt hopeless: “It’s not even dawn yet. You’re exploiting workers.” 

【The plot of Pei Zhiheng entering Beiping is about to begin. Host, are you really not going to act?】 

Oh, my god. She sat up with a jolt: “Why didn’t you say so earlier?” 

System: …Didn’t you tell me not to? 

In the original work, Pei Zhiheng secretly colluded with Yin Manlin after arriving in Beiping. The two of them worked together to overthrow the Beiping court, and Pei Zhiheng developed feelings for the female general as they spent more time together.