Zhao Yang's train of thought was actually quite simple. When the Empire resolutely rejected their tribute, declared them rebels, and mobilized a massive army to suppress them, he finally realized how foolish it was to try and establish an independent principality within the Sun Moon Empire.
By this time, Grand Duke Huihuang's faction had long since lost its composure. Today, they had spared no expense in dispatching their scarce soul engineer corps and tens of thousands of troops, pursuing them relentlessly. Their true target was Juzi—the future Crown Princess whose whereabouts he had learned through an insider.
He had never intended to harm Juzi; rather, his plan was to capture her alive and use her as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Sun Moon Empire. Naturally, he knew that Crown Prince Xu Tianran was the one orchestrating this war. He had already prepared a way out for himself, and his demands were not exorbitant: he was willing to surrender and hand over military command, provided he could keep his fiefdom and wealth.
Chapter 527