The moment Mihan Mude’er spoke, the Xiongnu king shot him a warning glance to be silent, then reprimanded him quietly, “You don’t understand, so keep quiet. If Great Zhou’s prince sat as an equal with the rulers of other nations, that would mean those nations are vassal states of Great Zhou — placing Great Zhou’s emperor a full rank above the other rulers!”

Hearing this, Mihan Mude’er fell into sullen silence, well aware that in a setting like this, given his standing, a single wrong word could bring shame upon the entire Xiongnu nation.

Still, he genuinely hadn’t understood such subtleties of seating and rank. He asked quietly, “Father, but Jun Beiyue is sitting in the seat reserved for a host of honor, isn’t he? How is that ‘equal standing’?”

“He is the host here today — that seat is rightfully his to sit in!” the Xiongnu king said, displeased.

By all rights, even a peace summit convened by a victorious nation, when inviting the rulers and crown princes of other nations, ought to be a lavish, high-formality banquet. And yet here, Jun Beiyue’s whole arrangement made his intentions plain to anyone with eyes to see — this was a deliberate show of force, cutting straight to the point.

If the rulers took their seats, it meant acknowledging Great Zhou’s position as Longyuan’s supreme power and submitting to it; if they refused to sit, it meant open defiance.

The banquet had barely begun, and already Jun Beiyue had handed everyone present this impossible dilemma. How could the shrewd monarchs not hesitate?

Just as everyone stood there hesitating, Jun Beiyue rose to his feet and said with a smile, “My esteemed guests, this prince, as your host, has failed to properly welcome you — I beg your forgiveness. Please, be seated.”

The moment for decision had arrived. Choosing to sit meant submission — and whatever demands Jun Beiyue made afterward would be difficult to refuse. But refusing to sit — heaven only knew what difficulties Jun Beiyue might create in response!

The assembled rulers had each prepared their own carefully rehearsed arguments to counter whatever Jun Beiyue might propose — but before any of them had even sat down, Jun Beiyue had already outmaneuvered them all, leaving them caught in an impossible bind.

And yet, circumstance outweighs personal will, and raw power decides everything. However reluctant they might be, however aware that Longyuan’s official historians stood nearby witnessing every detail, ready to record it all, stroke by stroke, into Longyuan’s annals for posterity — one by one, the assembled rulers took their seats regardless.

Jun Beiyue settled slowly into his throne, both hands resting on the armrests of the Nine-Dragon Seat, his bearing magnificent and imposing, every bit like a divine sovereign, untouchable and beyond reproach.

The peace summit formally began. Ziqing did not attend — warfare was her strength, negotiation was not. At that moment she was hidden away in her chambers, absorbed entirely in studying Lishang.

Seeing her so focused, Xiong Bao didn’t dare disturb her. He slipped quietly out through a side door, climbed onto Zizhu the Great Beast’s back, and sped straight off toward Baili Weisheng’s courtyard.

Back in the Poison Beast World, Xiong Bao had once given Baili Weisheng quite a runaround — but ever since the man had spoken up for him that one time, he’d been utterly attached to him.

These past few days, he’d spent nearly every waking moment with Baili Weisheng. Though the scholarly uncle couldn’t move a muscle, that mouth of his alone, spouting endless bits of ancient wisdom, could keep him entertained for a whole day. If not for being used to having Mommy nearby, he wouldn’t even have wanted to go home at night — he’d have wanted to sleep right there beside Baili Weisheng instead.

The moment he arrived, Xiong Bao leapt down off Zizhu’s back and dashed over excitedly. “Scholar Uncle, I’m here again!”

Baili Weisheng, eyes closed, couldn’t be bothered to respond. Within moments, Xiong Bao had already climbed onto the bed, straddling him, beaming down at him with a dazzling grin.

Only then did Baili Weisheng lazily crack his eyes open, raising an eyebrow. “Who told you to call me Scholar Uncle?”

“Mommy calls you ‘wretched scholar,’ so I’m calling you Scholar Uncle!” Xiong Bao said, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Baili Weisheng immediately rolled his eyes. “No manners at all!”

Xiong Bao thought it over for a moment, then said, “Then… I’ll call you Uncle Baili instead!”

“Uncle…” Baili Weisheng mimicked his drawn-out tone, stretching it out impossibly long, rolling his eyes again.

Xiong Bao burst out laughing at that, giggling helplessly, discovering that playing with a human was completely different from playing with poison beasts — far more fun.

He immediately leaned forward, small hands pressing against Baili Weisheng’s chest, grinning. “Baili Weisheng, uncle…”

Baili Weisheng’s expression finally turned cold and serious. “Brother Baili!”

Xiong Bao wasn’t the least bit intimidated, sticking out his tongue and making a huge face at him. “Nope, Uncle! I’m always calling you Uncle!”

There was nothing Baili Weisheng could do besides roll his eyes, and rather than bother arguing further, he ordered, “Go wash me some fruit — big brother’s hungry.”

Xiong Bao actually obeyed, hopping straight off the bed, climbing onto Zizhu’s back, and vanishing in a flash.

Truthfully, jokes aside, these past few days Baili Weisheng had given the child whatever he asked for, following his lead without exception, obeying like a little sidekick.

Watching the now-empty doorway, Baili Weisheng found himself suddenly hoping Jun Beiyue and Ziqing would stay busy forever like this. But he knew perfectly well that was impossible.

Once they weren’t so busy anymore, Xiong Xiaobao surely wouldn’t cling to him quite so much anymore, he thought — and found, to his own surprise, that he was actually a little reluctant to let that happen.

But soon enough, a self-mocking, cold smile curved at the corner of Baili Weisheng’s lips as he muttered to himself, “He’s not even my own kid — why the hell am I getting attached?”

His own kid?

What a strange thought to have. He didn’t dare think about it any further — what was wrong with him, had he gone dizzy from lying around too long?

The peace summit ought to be nearly finished by now. Could the Gu Nanny actually save him or not? Lying in bed day after day, he’d practically grown moss at this point!

Soon, the sound of footsteps came from outside the door. At first Baili Weisheng assumed it was Xiong Bao, but listening more closely, something felt off right away!

These footsteps…

Before he could puzzle it out further, the person appeared in the doorway — none other than Meng Duo’er.

Over these past few days, Baili Weisheng had administered the antidote three separate times, finally curing Old Fifth Meng of the human-gu poison entirely. Of course, throughout that whole process it had been Yingzi who came to collect the antidote each time — ever since that blush-and-flee incident, Meng Duo’er herself hadn’t shown her face here again.

If Meng Duo’er hadn’t appeared now, Baili Weisheng would never have given the woman a second thought — he genuinely was that heartless a fellow. But the moment she appeared in the doorway, he found himself instantly on edge.

This foolish girl — what was she doing here?

Meng Duo’er lingered in the doorway for a moment before stepping inside, and the instant she entered, she shut the door behind her and even bolted it. That gesture put Baili Weisheng on guard at once!

He stared fixedly at her, his heart suddenly racing.

Having shut the door properly, Meng Duo’er turned to face Baili Weisheng — not just look at him, but begin walking toward him, step by step.

Gone was her usual gentle, amiable expression; her small face was shrouded in dark clouds, ominous and unsettling.

At first Baili Weisheng managed to keep his composure, but as Meng Duo’er kept silently advancing, step after step, he finally couldn’t take it anymore, crying out in alarm, “Young lady — a man and woman alone together — please, open the door!”

After all, the guards were in the middle of a shift change right now, Xiong Xiaobao wasn’t around, and there was no one else in the room. He couldn’t move a muscle — if this girl decided to hack him into mincemeat, no one would ever know!

Having tormented Old Fifth Meng three times running these past few days, could Baili Weisheng really not feel the least bit guilty, the least bit afraid?