If Xi Liang knew that the Rong and Di intended to attack Xi Liang within three years, while Yan had already signed a pact promising non-interference for three years, and now Great Zhou dominated alone, Xi Liang would inevitably lean toward Great Zhou, seeking national survival.

Murong Yan shook his head: “Great Zhou’s… The Empress once made a three-year agreement with Yun Poxing. With only nine months left until the three-year deadline, Great Zhou’s Empress… is someone who keeps her word. She gave Yun Poxing three years, and after three years, she will attack Xi Liang! So even if Xi Liang wishes to ally with Great Zhou, Great Zhou’s Empress probably won’t accept. Even if she could accept… she would likely demand Xi Liang hand over Yun Poxing, and Xi Liang’s Empress doesn’t seem like someone who would wrong important court ministers for national survival.”

“Therefore, Xi Liang’s best option now would be to ally with the Rong and Di, joining the weak against the strong. Unfortunately… that Ghost-Faced Prince of the Rong and Di is a Bai family descendant, Great Zhou Empress’s brother.” Murong Yan spoke extremely slowly.

“Then… then did Ninth Uncle have someone inform the Rong and Di King of this matter?” Murong Ping asked with great anxiety.

Even as stupid as Murong Ping was, he knew that now Great Zhou had destroyed Liang, and if the Rong and Di were also in Great Zhou’s hands… Yan would find it difficult to contend with them!

Especially if the Great Zhou also gained Xi Liang, then Yan… would face the danger of national destruction.

Murong Yan shook his head. After meeting the Rong and Di’s Ghost-Faced Prince in Xiangliang, he had sent people to the Rong and Di territory trying to contact the Rong and Di King, only to discover… the Rong and Di King was completely under this Ghost-Faced Prince’s control, and his people had no opportunity at all.

“This Ghost-Faced Prince’s methods are extraordinary. The Rong and Di King are entirely under the Ghost-Faced Prince’s control. In my view… even if this Ghost-Faced Prince killed the Rong and Di King and took his place, the Rong and Di people probably wouldn’t object.” Murong Yan’s gentle, mellow voice continued slowly: “After all… the Rong and Di customs value strength above all, never caring about bloodlines.”

Murong Li also grew nervous, lowering his eyes in thought for a moment before saying: “Ninth Uncle… could we inform Xi Liang that the Ghost-Faced Prince is the Great Zhou Empress’s brother? With Xi Liang on guard, they would secretly lean toward Yan, seeking aid.”

“Xi Liang’s Empress is no fool—she’s clever… so she knows Yan’s ambition is to unify the world, and unification would certainly mean destroying Xi Liang.” Murong Yan’s profound eyes gazed at Murong Li, who was about to become Yan Emperor: “Moreover, clever people are all conceited, so… if Yan told Xi Liang that the Ghost-Faced Prince is Great Zhou Empress’s brother, Xi Liang’s Empress would likely suspect Yan of sowing discord and guard against Yan. Everything has limits, and relations between nations are the same… stop at the right point, going too far… easily becomes gilding the lily.”

Murong Li straightened his back and bowed to Murong Yan: “A’Li will remember Ninth Uncle’s teachings.”

Murong Ping also hurriedly bowed to Murong Yan: “A’Ping will also remember Ninth Uncle’s teachings.”

Mentioning Great Zhou’s Empress, Murong Yan couldn’t help but think of Ninth Uncle’s infatuation with the Bai family army’s young commander. Now the eldest Bai daughter had ascended the throne as Great Zhou’s Empress, with the same ambition to unify the world, placing her in opposition to Yan.

Murong Li looked at Murong Yan—could Ninth Uncle still marry the eldest Bai daughter?

“Ninth Uncle…” Murong Li said quietly to Murong Yan: “Great Zhou’s Empress will hold her coronation on the twentieth of June. Envoys from various nations should go to offer congratulations. Who does Ninth Uncle think… would be suitable to send?”

Murong Yan’s expression remained calm and unmoved, but his hands resting on his knees slowly clenched tighter…

He had once promised A’Bao that after Wei was pacified, he would formally request her hand in marriage. Now Wei was indeed settled, and A’Bao had even pacified Liang… had already replaced Jin’s Lin imperial power, but his elder brother could no longer go to propose marriage for him.

Moreover, with A’Li still young and Yan facing countless tasks of reconstruction, he simply couldn’t spare the time.

And A’Bao… was also about to ascend the throne as Great Zhou’s Empress, presumably managing countless daily affairs.

After pondering for a moment, Murong Yan finally raised his eyes: “I’ll go personally…”

“But Ninth Uncle’s identity—if others notice, the Xiao family merchant establishments spread across the world would…”

“The eldest Bai daughter has always known my identity. When we were in Jin… if not for the eldest Bai daughter’s assistance, this identity would have been exposed long ago. So… the Xiao merchant establishments now openly operating in Jin and Liang territories have probably all been monitored by Jin already, requiring new covert arrangements.”

Xiao Rongyan gazed at the crabapple tree outside the great hall, rustling in the brilliant golden light, and said quietly: “This matter isn’t urgent… must be done slowly.”

They all understood clearly in their hearts that when Xi Liang fell, it would be the moment Yan and Great Zhou stood in opposition.

·

On the seventh day of the sixth month in the first year of Yuanhe, Prince Liang was captured in Luohong City. The deceased Emperor of Jin saw daylight again, restored the deposed Crown Prince to his position, and ordered Prince Liang and Li Mao’s group imprisoned in the heavenly prison, to be executed on a chosen day.

On the tenth day of the sixth month in the first year of Yuanhe, Great Zhou’s Empress Bai Qingyan led troops to Luohong City.

As soon as Bai Qingyan arrived, she was discussing siege strategies with Bai Jinxiu and Lin Kangle.

Lin Kangle told Bai Qingyan that currently defending Luohong City were Qin Shangzhi and Yanwo Prefect Shen Tianzhi. When Prince Liang reached Luohong City and threatened Qin Shangzhi with the Crown Prince, unexpectedly the Yanwo Prefect emerged midway. Prince Liang thought the Yanwo Prefect had come to provide reinforcement and opened the gates to let him enter the city, not knowing that as soon as Yanwo Prefect Shen Tianzhi brought troops into the city, he captured Prince Liang and Li Mao’s group.

Now the Jin Emperor could see daylight again, yet still worried about his Nine-Tiered Platform. He began commanding the restored deposed Crown Prince to forcibly conscript young boys and girls, and also intended to use Qin Shangzhi and Shen Tianzhi’s forces to fight back toward the Nine-Tiered Platform.

Upon hearing Shen Tianzhi’s name, Bai Qingyan’s expression brightened with amusement. Qin Shangzhi’s loyalty to the Crown Prince… could indeed be manipulated by Prince Liang, but Yanwo Prefect Shen Tianzhi wouldn’t be, and Shen Tianzhi was an extremely intelligent person—Prince Liang falling into Shen Tianzhi’s hands wasn’t wrongful.

Before Bai Qingyan could tell Bai Jinxiu and Lin Kangle about Shen Tianzhi’s identity, someone came to report that outside the gate was a eunuch who claimed to serve the Great Jin Emperor, bringing a letter from the Grand Princess to Princess Zhenguo, accompanied by someone wearing a black cloak with a hood that obscured their appearance.

Bai Jinxiu turned to look at Bai Qingyan sitting at the commander’s table: “Previously, Prince Liang always liked to call himself Jin Emperor, and since the Emperor regained freedom, he’s been calling himself the Great Jin Emperor. Who knows what kind of performance he’s planning?”

Bai Jinxiu figured it was because the Emperor knew Eldest Sister had declared herself the Emperor in the capital, and others called Eldest Sister Great Zhou’s Empress, so he called himself Great Jin Emperor.

“Whatever performance he’s planning, if he’s tired of living… I say just behead him directly and send the head back to that Jin Emperor!” Lin Kangle said through gritted teeth.

Bai Qingyan removed the sword from her waist and placed it on the table, smiling: “Then let’s see what performance this Great Jin Emperor’s messenger wants to put on today. Bring them in.”