After the meal, Ning Chen kept the Xuan Emperor company for a while, then left the palace.

That night he still had to go back and attend the bedchamber.

The army was set to march in three days, so he had to spend those three days keeping the An Emperor good company, especially at night.

Every campaign took months at the least, and could take a year.

So he didn't mind giving away everything he had in the meantime.

The shameless days flew by.

The army was ready. At first light the next morning, Ning Chen would lead it straight to Yangzhou.

This time he was taking the Ning'an Army, the modao army and another hundred thousand troops, to retake Yangzhou and the rest in one stroke.

Even if he couldn't wipe out Kang Luo's whole army, he would at least drive it out of Great Xuan territory.

In the study, Ning Chen was working out the march route in detail.

Pan Yucheng brought in a letter!

Ning Chen asked offhandedly, "From Kang Luo?"

Pan Yucheng paused, surprised. "How did you know?"

Ning Chen smiled. "By my count, Kang Luo's reply should be here by now... Don't forget, we're holding thirty thousand Nanyue prisoners."

He took the letter, unfolded it and read.

Ning Chen's face gave nothing away. Curious, Pan Yucheng asked, "What does Kang Luo say? Has he agreed to the hostage exchange?"

Ning Chen gave a slight nod. "He's agreed!"

"Thirty thousand for a hundred thousand?"

"Not quite. If he'd agreed that easily, he wouldn't be Kang Luo... He's offering thirty thousand for thirty thousand. The rest we have to buy back with ransom."

Pan Yucheng blurted, "How much silver?"

Ning Chen's mouth twisted. "Thirty million taels of silver, and a million dan of grain."

Pan Yucheng snorted. "He's got some nerve, opening his mouth like a lion... A million dan of grain is a whole prefecture's harvest for a year. And the treasury's nearly empty. Where are we supposed to find thirty million taels?"

Ning Chen smiled. "The little bastard Kang Luo is just trying to get…