Bai Qingyan gazed at the great hall with layered eaves facing Wude Gate. The glazed tiles reflected golden brilliance and radiant light, as if this hall had not been disturbed by the fires of war in the slightest. Majestic and grand, it sat amid the myriad rays of rosy clouds, magnificent and imposing. No matter how dynasties changed or imperial power alternated, it remained calm and composed, serene and tranquil.

Chancellor Lu led the officials standing in the square before the great hall. When they saw Bai Qingyan raise her hand, the orderly army obeyed orders and prohibitions, their movements identical, instantly becoming silent as death. One could only hear the fluttering sound of banners in the wind, which was extremely shocking and intimidating.

Suddenly, violent winds arose, and the sky that had been blazing with brilliant sunlight gradually darkened.

An official pointed at the sky and cried out in alarm: “Look!”

Everyone raised their heads to look at the sky above, only to see that the golden sun was missing a piece. Black was slowly and steadily devouring the blazing sun hanging high in the sky, and darkness also quietly enveloped the capital…

After a long while, only a brilliant ring of light remained in the sky.

This rare spectacle that occurred once in thousands of years had actually appeared at this moment. Officials from the Imperial Observatory pushed their way out, knelt on the ground, and cried out: “When a state lacks proper governance and does not employ virtuous people, it brings upon itself calamity from the sun and moon!”

Chancellor Lu’s brow twitched. A solar eclipse was not a good omen.

Bai Jinxiu looked up at the solar eclipse, her fists clenching at her sides. Solar eclipses had always been omens of a ruler’s lack of virtue. If the ruler lacked virtue…

In that case, what was wrong with the virtuous replacing him?

It seemed… even Heaven was assisting eldest sister. Even Heaven could no longer bear to watch such a filthy imperial family as the Lin Dynasty.

All the officials knelt one after another, kowtowing and weeping toward the sun in the sky.

Soldiers on the city walls beat drums and blew horns…

Gradually, the black that had covered the sun slowly moved away, and the capital became bright again. The piercing golden light forced everyone to lower their heads. Within the officials’ field of vision, everything was mottled green. Amid this green heaven and earth, they could only see that silver-armored woman standing beside a white horse with an upright posture.

Before long, the sunlight blazed brilliantly, once again coating the capital with a layer of golden radiance.

Bai Qingyan grasped the sword at her waist and stepped toward the high stairs.

Xie Yuchang helped Chancellor Lu, whose vision was filled with green spots, to stand up, saying in a low voice: “Chancellor Lu, it’s Princess Zhenguo!”

Chancellor Lu seemed to awaken from a great dream. Supported by Xie Yuchang, he led the officials hurriedly down from the high stairs to greet Bai Qingyan, who had come with her soldiers.

“Princess Zhenguo!” Chancellor Lu’s throat was choked with emotion as he led the officials hurrying toward Bai Qingyan to bow.

Having taken Hancheng, the capital of Great Liang, and returning to the capital in such a short time, calculating the time, Bai Qingyan had probably led her troops here without sleep or rest.

But it wasn’t worth it… for such an emperor who treated the people like grass, such a cowardly Crown Prince without any backbone, it wasn’t worth it!

Dong Qingping couldn’t help but smile at Bai Qingyan, nodding repeatedly. A thousand words were contained in silence. He quickly gestured for Bai Qingyan to help Chancellor Lu up first. Bai Qingyan nodded and stepped forward: “Chancellor Lu need not be so courteous! Everyone need not stand on ceremony!”

“Report…”

Just as Bai Qingyan had helped Chancellor Lu to his feet, a soldier came galloping into Wude Gate on horseback.

Before the horse stopped, the soldier leaped down, holding an urgent report with both hands and presenting it before Bai Qingyan: “Reporting to Princess Zhenguo, an urgent report from Fenping. On the fifth day of the fifth month, the Fenping Prefect and garrison commander led troops in rebellion, refusing to hand over fifty boys and girls. The messenger soldiers, seeing the chaotic battle in the capital, dared not enter the city. The news has been delayed by one day.”

“Report…”

Another soldier came galloping into Wude Gate, leaped off his horse, and knelt to present an urgent report with both hands to Bai Qingyan: “Reporting to Princess Zhenguo, on the tenth day of the fifth month, there was severe ground movement at Chongluan Ridge. The dam at Shuijiang Pass collapsed, flooding Shuijiang City and fertile farmland and homes. Muddy water and stone flows continue, with countless civilian casualties!”

Chancellor Lu and others were greatly shocked. The chaos in the capital had not yet been settled, and now there were earthquakes, dam collapses, and muddy stone flows…

Bai Qingyan quickly took the message tubes and opened them. After roughly reviewing them, she held both urgent reports and called out loudly: “My lords, the disasters are urgent. Please follow Bai Qingyan quickly into the hall for discussion!”

Chancellor Lu nodded and quickly agreed.

The Jin court officials who had previously been stripped of their official robes by Prince Liang and faced life-and-death situations couldn’t be bothered to tidy their appearance. Disheveled, they followed the blood-stained silver-armored Bai Qingyan into the great hall.

The officials passed around the memorial from the Shuijiang City Prefect, discussing with many voices how disaster relief should be conducted. Bai Qingyan stood on the jade-carved high steps of the great hall, looking down at the urgent report sent from Fenping…

The reason the Fenping Prefect rebelled was because of the emperor’s forced conscription of a thousand children.

According to the nationwide conscription of children, Minister of Revenue Chu Zhongxing, based on population numbers, demanded that Fenping surrender eighty boys and girls. When the prefect’s wife learned that the emperor wanted these children to use their lives for alchemy, she was furious and argued with the envoy Prince Liang had sent to Fenping. The envoy, embarrassed and angry, drew his sword… and thrust it into the chest of the Fenping Prefect’s wife.

The Fenping Prefect’s love for his wife was known to all. He beheaded the envoy and raised the banner of rebellion.

“The Shuijiang City Prefect has already sent people to warn neighboring counties and dispatched people to evacuate civilians. It’s estimated that the flooding will continue. Currently, casualty numbers cannot be calculated, and the granaries have been flooded…” Chancellor Lu addressed Bai Qingyan. “Princess Zhenguo, the urgent matter… is still to first dispatch troops for disaster relief!”

“But Minister of Revenue Chu Zhongxing, that traitorous minister, has disappeared without a trace. Quite a few officials from the Six Ministries were involved in following Prince Liang’s rebellion. We still need to first promote and appoint new officials before disaster relief matters can be settled. Otherwise, we won’t know whom to seek for related orders and directives!”

“In urgent matters, authority must be exercised. There’s no time now to re-examine and appoint positions. Each ministry temporarily… according to rank, wherever there are vacancies in the Six Ministries, can temporarily be filled by successive promotion, taking over superior positions.” Bai Qingyan spoke quickly and steadily. “Where are the Ministry of Revenue officials?”

Several Ministry of Revenue officials stepped forward to bow.

“Now, how much grain and money can the Ministry of Revenue mobilize for disaster relief at Chongluan Ridge?” Bai Qingyan asked.

The several Ministry of Revenue officials looked at each other, calculating in their hearts. After all, this year there had first been the construction of the Nine-Tiered Platform, then funds allocated for building the Guanghe Canal, plus the plague in Huayang City. The Ministry of Revenue officials were thinking about where they could transfer money from.

A Ministry of Revenue inspector, covered in blood and completely disheveled but with a composed demeanor, stepped forward and cupped his fists: “Reporting to Princess Zhenguo, when Prince Liang usurped the throne and rebelled, he stockpiled grain in the palace. This humble minister roughly calculates it should be enough for twenty thousand people for ten days! The Ministry of Revenue this year built the Nine-Tiered Platform and then built the Guanghe Canal, so there isn’t much movable money available. But… this humble minister dares to boldly request opening the emperor’s private treasury for disaster relief!”

These words were extremely bold. The emperor wasn’t even present… yet asking Princess Zhenguo to decide to open the emperor’s private treasury. If Princess Zhenguo opened it… How could they handle the emperor’s blame later?

“What is your name?” Bai Qingyan asked.