Not even a cloud, the sky was pitch black, except for the remnants of the lights of joy and despair somewhere.

The sound of wheels crushing bluestone slabs was heard on the road. Many sedans came from the southern city and gradually converged on the straight road in front of the imperial city.

Some of the cars stopped, and the officials lifted the curtains and looked at each other in silence, or whispered, speculating on each other's thoughts and, more importantly, His Majesty's.

In fact, in the current situation, many officials, including scholars and ordinary people, have already had that idea in their hearts, that is, surrender.

Under the siege of Qin and Zhao, it is impossible for the Chu State to support it, not to mention that now even the last camp in the west is gone. Emperor Qin is brutal and abnormal, Eunuch He is cold and perverted, if the State of Chu really persists and angers these two, I am afraid that there will be a picture of rivers of blood, and such a tragic thing as slaughtering the city may happen.

Now the vanguard of the Qin State is the army of the King of the South, many of them are Chu people, it is better to surrender to them than to surrender directly to the foreigners, and it is impossible for the King of the South and his subordinates to be too extreme. The Qin side even had to help the Chu people block the Zhao light cavalry on the other side of the Western Daying, if they still wanted to unify the world.

No matter how you look at surrender, surrender is the only choice for Chu at present, and the sooner you surrender, the better the result.

This thought lingered in the minds of all officials.

But they didn't say it to their colleagues, they didn't say it to their friends, and even those closest to them didn't know what they were thinking. Because whoever proposes to surrender first will be a sinner in the history of the Chu State, and no one wants to die with such a reputation - it is better to die directly in the wine vat of the Qinglou.

There is also the most important question, that is, what should His Majesty the Emperor do?

Negotiating surrender with King Nan was the best option for the State of Chu, but King Nan would definitely kill His Majesty to avenge his son......

With all sorts of ideas and speculations about the emperor's thoughts, the officials entered the palace in silence like fish about to suffocate, and lined up in two lines on the palace.

On the royal chair at the top, the man was wearing a bright yellow imperial robe, and his black hair was simply tied behind his head with a cloth band, revealing his beautiful face.

The picture that has not been seen for a long time reminds some ministers of the bloody palace change five years ago, some are pale because of fear, and some people are hopeful because of this, and two blushes appear on their pale faces, such as Zhou Daxue who was about to be drained by government affairs and war, and did not return home for fifty days.

Su Qingming's gaze swept over everyone's faces.

He saw fear, it was the military officials who were afraid of being ordered, he saw the excitement, it was the imperial doctor who thought he was going to drive the expedition in person, he also saw the fear, it was the guy with bad intentions who was afraid that the bloody story would repeat itself again, what he saw the most was numbness, that was the boredom after despair and resignation.

The hall was silent, and there was no sound, until he spoke, "Draw up the decree, I have it." ”

The ministers were astonished, and looked at each other speechlessly, not understanding what His Majesty meant, what is this decree, what do you want to approve?

"You can talk about it as much as you want, but don't talk to Cangzhou, let Xianyang come."

After Su Qingming said this, he got up from the imperial chair and left the main hall.

The hall was still silent, and it wasn't until the bright yellow figure disappeared into the depths of the hall that the officials realized what they had heard.

Your Majesty...... That's it...... Surrender?!

The officials were shocked and speechless, giving birth to countless mixed emotions, looking at each other, not knowing what to do.

Scholar Zhou sighed, his eyes full of pain and guilt.

He felt that he had lived up to Xu Xiang's high hopes, and he was sorry for the people of Chu State, and it was even more impossible to redeem his majesty for putting him in such an embarrassing situation.

He knew why His Majesty would convene a court meeting and say this to the courtiers.

The state of Chu was undoubtedly defeated, and surrender was the best option, but no courtier dared to make such a decision.

Just like those stories in history, everyone knows that when the two countries are at war, the courtiers and the people can surrender, but the emperor cannot surrender...... His Majesty's initiative to surrender is because he does not want the ministers of the court to assume historical responsibility and resolve the current chaos as soon as possible.

The decision was wise and clear, the question was what emperor would be willing to do so?

What can be thought of by Scholar Zhou, who among these smart officials in the DPRK and China would not have thought of it? After a long silence, several cries suddenly rang out in the main hall.

Even if the official who didn't cry at this time, his eyes were red, his face was full of apologies, and he was in pain, although he didn't know whether it was true or not.

Taichang Siqing Huo Ran turned to stare at these useless officials, and shouted: "Crying and mourning! Your Majesty is still alive! ”

Zhang Dagongzi's mother passed away four years ago, and he is now an old man, full of silver hair, but his majesty is far greater than that of the past, and even hides his father's legacy.

Under his loud drink, the crying in the palace finally stopped, and the ministers woke up and looked at Scholar Zhou one after another.

Scholar Zhou's lips trembled slightly, and he squeezed out a sentence with difficulty: "Negotiate peace with the Qin people, and the forbidden army will all be transferred in the direction of the western camp." ”

Then he stared at the officials with the most stern eyes and said in a cold voice.

"No one is allowed to say it outside, don't tell me any nonsense that can't be hidden, if you can hide it for a day, do you hear it!"

……

A Qin delegation secretly entered the capital of Chu.

According to the requirements of the Chu side, the king of the south did not appear, but there were still many old Cangzhou people in the mission. Some officials in the imperial court had a lot of ideas, and tried every means to get in touch with those people, whether they were in the same year or in the same country, in order to protect themselves, and even hope to get a good position in the new court in the future.

Those old people in Cangzhou were all officials of the Chu State, but they were personally selected by Tong Yan, the prince of the Southern Wang, and they were in contact with the officials in the imperial court without smiling, and only when their eyes fell on the palace would they show a sense of coldness and hatred.

No matter how secret the mission was, it was impossible to hide it from everyone, and the news gradually spread in Kyoto, and a storm gradually arose. Scholar Zhou, who is known for his leniency, finally had some of the courage of Xu Xiang this time, and killed the three ministers extremely toughly, which can be regarded as temporarily stabilizing the situation.

The so-called peace talks are surrender, the Chu side has no confidence, the Qin side is advancing step by step, it is difficult to talk clearly in a short time, but there is one thing that does not need to be discussed, both sides know it, that is, the emperor of Chu must abdicate.

There are no two days in the sky, and there are no two lords in the country.

Emperor Qin wanted to become the co-lord of the world, so naturally he would not allow Su Qingming to still sit on the throne.

Su Qingming's best ending in the future is probably to get the false title of a county king, be heavily guarded, and when the people of Chu gradually forget him, he will be slowly poisoned or starved to death, or accidentally fall into the water and die, just like his father.

At this time, a decree suddenly came out of the deep palace, and His Majesty the Emperor wanted to talk to the Qin State delegation in person.

As soon as the decree came out, many officials and those old Cangzhou people in the Qin State Mission were ashamed, thinking to themselves, do you, the king of the fallen country, still want to ask for some good conditions at such a moment? Bigger house or silk satin? Or maybe it's a sixteen-year-old concubine with a house full of wine?

Early one morning, several officials from the Qin delegation entered the palace and came to the quiet hall.

Su Qingming waved his hand and motioned for all the eunuchs and palace maids to retreat.

Those Qin State officials thought about some rumors, their expressions changed slightly, and then they thought that even if you killed us all, what would be the use?

At this time, a very ordinary-looking Qin State official suddenly said, "You all retreat first." ”

Those Qin State officials looked a little uneasy, but they didn't dare to object, and withdrew from the hall according to their words.

Su Qingming looked at the Qin State official and said, "I didn't expect it to be you. ”

The Qin State official raised his head, lifted his disguise, revealed his beautiful and lovely face, and looked at him with a smile.

"If I don't come this time, I don't think I'll ever see you again."

"It's over."

Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind the pillars.

This time it's no longer lazy, but a little angry.

Shen Shenfei walked out, looked at Su Qingming and said angrily: "Since it's her who came, let's quickly pack our luggage and go." ”