“Now that the fertile southern lands have been recovered, relying on Mother’s new policies, in just two or three years, the granaries of the southern fertile soil will be sufficient to enrich the people. Only when the people are wealthy can the army be strong, only when the army is strong can the nation be strong! Only when the nation is strong can great enterprises be undertaken!” Xiao Rongyan gazed deeply at Murong Yu. “For the sake of stability, if the elder brother thinks it feasible, send a hostage prince to Jin. With sufficient sincerity shown to Jin, we can at least secure two or three years of peace for Great Yan.”

A hostage prince…

Murong Yu furrowed his brows, pondered for a moment, then nodded: “A’Yan speaks correctly. Great Yan is weak with poor people – our actions indeed require greater caution and stability.”

As soon as Murong Yu finished speaking, a wave of dizziness struck, and he felt the world spinning around him.

“Elder brother!” Xiao Rongyan quickly supported Murong Yu, calling out loudly: “Someone come! Come quickly!”

“It’s nothing, don’t alarm others.” Murong Yu gripped Xiao Rongyan’s hand tightly, forcing himself to lean against a pillar between the corridors. “A’Yan, just help your elder brother sit for a while.”

Xiao Rongyan’s entire body tensed as he carefully helped Murong Yu sit on the stone bench, his teeth clenched and eyes reddening.

Feng Yao, who had hurried over upon hearing the commotion, quickly took out a medicine bottle from his sleeve and fed Murong Yu a pill.

After Murong Yu recovered somewhat, he spoke: “March twenty-eighth is the emperor’s birthday. This time… I will personally bring my second son to celebrate the Jin emperor’s birthday and send my second son as a hostage to Jin.”

“Your Majesty! This must not be! Your Majesty’s precious person – if you encounter danger in Jin!”

“This broken body of mine, how can it compare to Great Yan’s importance!” Murong Yu looked at Xiao Rongyan. “If I encounter danger, this Great Yan… I entrust to A’Yan!”

Xiao Rongyan lowered his eyes thoughtfully. With the alliance treaty between Western Liang and Jin signed, the Crown Prince would surely return to the capital before Jin’s emperor’s birthday, so the Physician Hong, who accompanied Bai Qingyan to Nanjiang, would return to the capital as well!

He looked up at his elder brother’s sickly, haggard but gently smiling face and nodded: “Now that Nanjiang is settled, I’ll go ahead to the capital to make arrangements for elder brother, in case of unforeseen circumstances! Moreover, there’s a very capable physician in the capital who can examine the elder brother. If we can cure Elder Brother’s ailment this time, it would be Great Yan’s blessing!”

After Xiao Rongyan finished speaking, he looked at Feng Yao: “Uncle Feng, rest assured, I would sacrifice my life to protect elder brother’s safety.”

That same day, Xiao Rongyan departed with a merchant caravan, purchasing Nanyan specialties like furs and rouge along the way to transport to Jin.

Great Yan’s Emperor Mingde Murong Yu sent a secret edict back to the capital, ordering someone to bring the Second Prince to meet him at Linchuan, then go together to the capital to celebrate the Jin emperor’s birthday.

Yue Shi arrived at Kuangping travel-worn and dusty. Learning that Xiao Rongyan had already departed with the merchant caravan, he originally wanted to pursue him, but was brought before His Majesty by Feng Yao.

Looking at the pale and gaunt Murong Yu, Yue Shi imitated those scholarly literati with their flowery speech and bowed solemnly: “Yue Shi respectfully inquires after Your Majesty’s sacred health! Is Your Majesty sleeping peacefully? How much are you eating?”

Yue Shi had been found and brought back by His Majesty and his master. Because he was found on a night of the full moon, his master gave him the name Yue Shi.

“Good, I sleep very peacefully! My appetite is still acceptable!” Murong Yu looked at Yue Shi, who had grown into an adult, his eyes full of gratification. “I summoned you today to ask – do you know… which Kingdom and which family the young lady your master favors is from?”

Feng Yao looked at the dumbfounded Yue Shi, who raised his head, and poked Yue Shi’s forehead: “His Majesty is concerned about our young master’s lifelong happiness. You’re with our young master day and night – don’t tell me you don’t know either?”

Yue Shi thought of the Bai family’s Fourth Miss… couldn’t help but furrow his brows. The Bai family’s Fourth Miss was like a crazy girl, and didn’t seem quite suitable for their master, but what could be done if master liked her?

“Which family’s young lady is it?” Murong Yu asked with a smile.

“It’s… Jin’s Duke Zhenguo’s mansion, the Bai family’s Fourth Miss.” Yue Shi answered honestly.

Murong Yu was stunned. Duke Zhenguo’s mansion…

Murong Yu recalled when he was young and accompanied his uncle on campaign, he had seen the imposing and dignified Duke Zhenguo Bai Weiting from afar. When four countries pressed at the borders without yielding, he fought one battle and consecutively beheaded six generals, crushing the four countries’ morale. Covered in blood, he sat on horseback beneath the black banner with white python, truly with proud and unyielding bones.

Jin’s Duke Zhenguo Bai Weiting was renowned throughout the four seas, with his heart devoted to family and Kingdom, iron bones clanging, truly the backbone of Great Jin. The Bai family army was even called the invincible divine soldiers.

There had been rumors among the countries… that Jin’s century-old military family, Duke Zhenguo’s mansion, never produced worthless people, and all seventeen sons of the Bai family stood tall and upright.

In this Nanjiang battle, when the Bai family’s ten-year-old son was about to be beheaded by Yun Poxing, he sang the Bai family army’s military song loudly, fearless of life and death, which made Murong Yu admire him even more.

Such a family with clear family traditions and proud character – no wonder they could raise such an insightful young lady.

Murong Yu smiled slightly. Since A’Yan liked her, when he went to Jin this time, he would ask Jin’s emperor to betroth the Bai family’s Fourth Miss to A’Yan.

If someday he truly was no longer here, a like-minded wife would surely be helpful to the great enterprise A’Yan planned for the future.

On the fourth day of the third month, Jin’s returning army passed through the war-torn Feng City, which was being rebuilt, under the blood-red setting sun.

Western Liang Princess Li Tianfu lifted the curtain of her fragrant carriage to look outside. Along the journey, she saw that both sides of the official road were blackened ruins left by fires, and the prosperous Feng City recorded in storybooks now had only a few scattered shops open.

The people of Feng City, regardless of age, were doing their utmost to carry stones and earth to rebuild their homes. There were sturdy Jin men who, in weather that hadn’t completely warmed up yet, were bare-chested shouting “one, two, go!” as they lifted huge timbers.

Lu Tianzhuo, who was riding behind Li Tianfu’s carriage as escort, spurred his horse forward a few steps and said in a lowered voice to Li Tianfu: “Princess, don’t look anymore – it’s polluting your eyes!”

Bai Jinzhi had just finished buying sacrificial supplies and was preparing to ride quickly to the outskirts to find her elder sister. After paying respects to their uncle, they would go to Luofeng Gorge to pay respects. When she passed the advancing procession and heard Lu Tianzhuo’s words, she raised her eyebrows, reined in her horse, and said: “Polluting the eyes? Ha… Yes indeed! Look at how polluting the sins your Western Liang committed are! If you still have any sense of shame, you should repent daily!”

After saying this, Bai Jinzhi spurred her horse and galloped away. Li Tianfu angrily dropped the curtain and sulked inside the carriage: “Any random cats and dogs dare to bark in front of this princess now!”

Though she said this, Li Tianfu also knew the reality that defeated nations had no dignity.

Just as Bai Qingyan had said, she was a marriage alliance princess sent by the defeated Kingdom. If Jin gave her face, she was a princess; if they didn’t, she was nothing.

Li Tianfu’s eyes welled up with tears as she bit her teeth. When Western Liang recovered, she would repay today’s humiliation.

Late at night, they finally reached Tianmen Pass.

Probably because Western Liang’s army had once been stationed at Tianmen Pass, Tianmen Pass wasn’t as devastated as Feng City and Feng County.

The new garrison commander of Tianmen Pass appointed by Jin’s court, along with several generals, personally came out to welcome them outside Tianmen Pass.

The carriage and horse procession slowly stopped in front of the relay station. The main army had returned to camp with General Shi Panshan for rest and reorganization, leaving only a few squadrons to guard the Crown Prince and Western Liang’s Flame King and Princess.