The Third Prince pondered the consequences: if he detained the Su brothers now, Su Huai might refuse to withdraw his troops without their support. What if they faced another defeat?
Wouldn't his imperial authority be undermined?
Ultimately, the Third Prince opted to summon the Su brothers instead. He sternly rebuked them and imposed a fine of fifty thousand taels of silver, warning, "Repeat this offense, and the punishment will be severe!" Reluctantly, he compromised with Su Huai.
Approval for the ladders and catapults was granted, but they were escorted by trusted aides. Additionally, Su Huai was barred from independently deploying troops to Hangzhou City; he needed prior approval from those he dispatched.
Furthermore, if Su Huai failed this time, he would forfeit his military authority.
The Su brothers accepted these terms without objection.
They received the siege equipment and focused on winning the upcoming battle before addressing further concerns upon their return.
