The hand holding the reins remained tightly gripped, without a hint of relaxation.

His eyes, cold and sharply fixed on Cang Mo, left no room for negotiation and revealed nothing of his true thoughts.

"Release her, and I’ll immediately withdraw the troops from Cangyue Country, or else you should know the consequences," Chu Yuxiao threatened indifferently.

Cang Mo sneered at these words, "Chu Yuxiao, my terms remain unchanged. Withdraw from Cangyue Country and announce to the world that you will not invade for five years. If you do not agree, I will have no choice but to bring your Empress down with me."

"Do you think I would abandon my grand plan of unifying the Six Kingdoms for a single woman?" Chu Yuxiao suddenly smiled and retorted.

Cang Mo’s smile faded, indeed uncertain of his grasp over matters.

He only knew that Chu Yuxiao liked Su Yan, but not how much—how profoundly he liked her.

Being willing to abandon a captured city for Su Yan was already the greatest concession.

If it were up to him, he might not even have managed to do that.

However...

It was not enough. After retreating, they could attack again, so this condition was moot at best.

No matter the place Su Yan held in his heart, he could not yield, or Cangyue Country was doomed with no room for turning back. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

His eyes flashed with a hint of coldness as he sneered, "Perhaps the weight of one woman is not enough, but what if I add your first heir?"

Chu Yuxiao’s pupils constricted sharply again, his gaze instinctively turning towards Su Yan’s belly...

In that instant, a mix of complex and indecipherable emotions flitted through his eyes.

Su Yan smiled bitterly in her heart; she knew Cang Mo would surely use the child to threaten Chu Yuxiao.

Now she could do nothing but watch as events unfolded.

"One year. I can agree to not invade Cangyue Country for one year," Chu Yuxiao slowly said.

Every word was forced through his teeth, as if it took him immense resolve to say them.

"Your Majesty!" Someone immediately protested.

Chu Yuxiao raised his hand to stop them, his eyes fixed on Cang Mo, as he repeated, "Only one year."