Chapter 27: A Formidable Presence

"How can this be? The soldiers must be threatening you, forcing you to say such things!"

Lei Ying felt as if his world were collapsing. He suddenly realized that the situation inside the mountain stronghold might have been leaked by those very merchants. Over the years of trade, they had gradually lowered their guard, even allowing merchant caravans to enter the stronghold, at which point the details of their defenses must have been scouted. A chill ran through Lei Ying; could it be that the imperial court had spent years plotting their eradication?

Li Ye addressed them: "Do not overthink it. The merchants were neither threatened nor did they spy on your intelligence. Once I, this Prince, understood the situation at Bald Eagle Mountain, I decided to provide you with necessary supplies. I simply want the people in the stronghold, especially the children, to live a better life."

Li Ye paused, letting them digest this information before continuing: "The imperial court will never allow Bald Eagle Mountain to persist; sooner or later, they will find the time to finish you off. If the court takes this seriously, you have no way to resist. I hope you will consider this carefully. For the sake of all the people in the stronghold, for the sake of those children—do you truly want them trapped in these mountains for generations? They could be in school, reading and writing. They could lead carefree lives and have bright futures. Do you really want to see them wiped out by the imperial army one day?"

It was not just Lei Ying; the others in the stronghold felt their resolve wavering. The Sixth Prince before them had first laid out the means to breach their stronghold, then offered them a path to surrender, promising a stable life for everyone. Otherwise, once the imperial army arrived in full force, their destruction would be inevitable. Their resistance had lost all meaning.

"Why should I trust you? If we surrender, what if you settle the score later? We would have no recourse!"

Li Ye had been waiting for these very words. He tapped his horse and moved forward. The generals beside him were startled. They had been listening so intently that their hearts were in turmoil, shocked into speechlessness. They had assumed the Sixth Prince was merely going through the motions and would return once the grain supplies were exhausted. They never expected him to be so well-prepared, intending to take the bandits without losing a single soldier. Most importantly, he had identified the bandits' lifeblood and truly possessed the power to annihilate them. They could no longer describe the shock Li Ye had brought them. Was such a Prince even human? He was a monster of intellect!

He held everything in his grasp, striking directly at the opponent's weakness. Such a man was truly terrifying; becoming his enemy would be an exercise in despair. Realizing Li Ye was walking toward the range of the enemy's archers, they panicked and tried to stop him.

"Your Highness, you cannot go forward! It is too dangerous!"

"Stand down! I know what I am doing," Li Ye commanded coldly. The generals, intimidated by his aura, stood frozen in their tracks.

Li Ye walked slowly until he reached the gate of the stronghold. Every arrow was aimed at him, yet he remained fearless, looking up to meet Lei Ying’s gaze.

"I stake my life on this: if you abandon Bald Eagle Mountain and surrender to the court, I guarantee the safety of all your people and that the past will not be held against you. Furthermore, I will settle everyone’s lives. All children will be able to attend school. Those who wish to farm will be given land. Those who wish to join the army and seek glory may do so. For those who want to earn a living, I will make arrangements: those skilled in martial arts can escort goods, and those with crafts will be given workshops. For those with no skills, that is fine too; I will send people to teach you. If you do not trust me, you may kill me right here."

Lei Ying was utterly stunned. A Prince, taking such a massive risk, had come to them in person to urge surrender. He had clearly mastered their weakness and could destroy them in due time, yet he had cast his life aside to win their trust. No matter how resolute Lei Ying was, he could not maintain his composure. He could not imagine what kind of person this Sixth Prince was.

Facing Li Ye’s unwavering gaze, Lei Ying’s heart was no longer firm.

Li Ye held up three fingers. "Your decision is of great consequence; it is hard to decide in an instant. After all, it involves the fate of ten thousand people in the stronghold. You cannot decide alone. I give you three days to consult with the elders and respected figures of the stronghold. Whether you are willing to become subjects of the Dayuan Dynasty or remain enemies—give me your decision in three days."

Without waiting for a response, Li Ye turned his horse and rode away.

The generals behind him were drenched in cold sweat, fearing the bandits might suddenly attack and shoot Li Ye down, leaving them all unable to escape the blame. Only when Li Ye returned safely to their side did they breathe a sigh of relief. One general said, his voice trembling, "Your Highness, please, never take such a risk again. If anything were to happen to you, the entire army would surely be buried with you."

Li Ye chuckled. "I am not afraid, so why are you? Enough. Order the entire army to fall back and await their decision for three days!"

"Yes!"

The generals no longer harbored any doubts about Li Ye’s capabilities. Having served in many campaigns, they had never seen a commander with such audacity. Moreover, his meticulous planning and ease in manipulating the enemy were nothing short of terrifying. Fortunately, this Sixth Prince was on their side; if he were an enemy, they would not know how to defeat him. They executed his orders without reservation or question, no longer doubting that Li Ye had completely broken the enemy’s psychological defenses. They suspected this campaign might truly end with the surrender of the Bald Eagle Mountain bandits without the loss of a single soldier.

Back at the stronghold, once Li Ye had returned to his camp, Lei Ying finally relaxed, panting heavily, his face covered in sweat. He had never encountered such an oppressive enemy, one who made him tremble from the depths of his soul. He had proven his ability to breach the stronghold, offered them hope for survival, and risked his life by appearing alone. Though Lei Ying knew that a single command would mean the Prince's death, he lacked the courage to give it, entirely subdued by Li Ye’s overwhelming presence.

Looking back at his men, he saw they had lost all will to fight. In their eyes, he saw both the fear of the imperial army and a yearning for freedom. Most importantly, they had families and children; they did not want to be trapped here for generations. The future Li Ye had painted was something they had never dared to imagine. But once the hope had been planted, they no longer wished to remain trapped in the mountains. At the very least, they did not want their descendants to be like them—doomed to be bandits on a mountain, forever unable to leave.