On this journey back, Elder Sister had very little time to rest, spending almost all her time handling the governmental affairs that Chancellor Lu had sent by swift riders to reach Elder Sister. She had hardly seen Elder Sister rest properly, and even her meals were taken together with the soldiers, making do with whatever was available.

Now that they had returned to the Capital City, Elder Sister didn’t pause for even a moment. After settling Grandmother, she immediately summoned several important officials from the court, whom Elder Sister planned to rely heavily upon for discussions.

If this continued, Bai Jinxiu worried that Elder Sister’s body wouldn’t be able to endure it.

Bai Jinxiu stood beneath the covered walkway, her brows tightly furrowed. Soon, a shadow guard hurried over, bowed to Bai Jinxiu, then lowered his voice to report: “The several feudal princes saw the family members of Prince Anxi’s mansion and Prince Shuofang’s mansion outside the city. Each one looked tense. Prince Guang’an, the eldest, said nothing and left with Prince Baishui. Prince Hedong, however, after his initial shock, smiled and greeted the families of Prince Shuofang’s mansion and Prince Anxi’s mansion. Prince Anxi lost his temper with Princess Anxi and the heir apparent, but was stopped by Prince Hedong. Only then did he join Prince Shuofang in taking their own families to settle in first.”

After listening to the shadow guard’s detailed report about the reactions of the five feudal princes outside the Capital City gates, Bai Jinxiu’s hands, folded in front of her lower abdomen, rubbed together slightly. So it seemed… this Prince Hedong was rather interesting.

Bai Jinxiu turned to glance into the study, seeing through the open window lattice that Bai Qingyan was discussing something with Chancellor Lu. She asked the shadow guard: “The people Elder Sister sent before her departure to investigate the detailed situations of these five feudal princes in various places—have they returned yet?”

“Reporting to Second Miss, they returned three days ago. Seventh Miss has already met with them,” the shadow guard replied, looking up at Bai Jinxiu before asking, “Should I summon them to personally report to the Master and Second Miss?”

Bai Jinxiu shook her head: “I’ll ask Xiao Qi later. You may go… Have people keep close watch on the movements of these five feudal princes and report at any time!”

“Yes!” The shadow guard received his orders and departed.

Bai Jinxiu gazed at the pure white lanterns and plain silk banners swaying in the wind at the Bai residence, faintly hearing waves of sorrowful wailing from the mourning hall ahead. Compared to that day… when Grandfather, uncles, Father, and younger brother were not present and the Bai residence was cold and deserted, the louder these cries became, the more Bai Jinxiu experienced what could be called the coldness of human nature.

When the Bai family first encountered disaster, with twenty-three coffins arranged in the courtyard, almost all the noble families said the Bai family would have no place to stand in the Capital City in the future. Considering the Emperor’s displeasure with the Bai family, they dared not come to pay their respects. Only the common people wept quietly outside the residence, genuinely shedding tears for the Bai family.

Now, with Grandmother’s great mourning, because Elder Sister was about to ascend the throne and become the Female Emperor of Great Zhou, these nobles in the Capital City came in endless streams to pay their respects. Those distinguished ladies wailed more sorrowfully than the last, their crying echoing throughout the capital. But among the common people watching the excitement outside the residence gates, how many would genuinely shed tears?

Bai Jinxiu felt she couldn’t leave Xiao Qi alone in the front mourning hall, keeping vigil for Grandmother. Just as she was about to go to the front mourning hall, she heard the gatekeeper woman report that Second Madam Liu Shi had returned, bringing Qin Lang and Wang Ge’er with her.

Since March when Prince Liang rebelled and forced his way into the palace, when Bai Jinxiu had ordered Cuibi to carry Wang Ge’er and take Liu Shi to follow Shen Baizhong to find Qin Lang, until today, Bai Jinxiu hadn’t seen Wang Ge’er for three months.

As a mother, how could she not miss Wang Ge’er? Her eyes moistened, and she hurried outside.

In the study, Honglu Si Minister Dong Qingping was discussing with them the arrangements for envoys from various countries who had come to congratulate Bai Qingyan’s ascension.

Bai Qingyan was covered in dust from travel, with severe dark circles under her eyes, yet she still sat upright with proud and noble bearing.

As soon as Dong Qingping finished speaking, Chancellor Lu said to Bai Qingyan: “I heard that the Yan Emperor has issued an edict passing the throne to Prince Li, who was once a hostage in the capital. The coronation ceremony is set for July 19th. With Yan having a young ruler ascending the throne, when the ruler is young, the Kingdom is in doubt. Therefore… this old minister believes that Prince Jiu of Yan, who rarely appears in public, personally coming this time, aside from congratulating Your Majesty’s ascension, likely also intends to ally…”

“Not only Great Yan, I’m afraid Xiliang also has this intention. The Xiliang envoy who came to the Capital City this time is still Xiliang’s Prince Yan Li Zhijie, along with Yun Poxing’s eldest grandson… According to Li Zhijie’s meaning, this eldest grandson of Yun Poxing has come to apologize!” Dong Qingping had nothing to hide from Bai Qingyan, so he mentioned Li Zhijie’s gift-giving, “This Prince Yan has been sending gifts everywhere since arriving in the Capital City… The gifts sent to the Dong residence were especially generous!”

Lu Jinxian nodded: “Prince Yan also sent generous gifts to the Lu residence. However, following my father’s instructions, I have already accepted Xiliang’s gifts and will hand them over to the national treasury later…”

“Even I received gifts from Prince Yan, and Lord Shen Jingzhong also received them! Oh… the Chen residence also received generous gifts. Although Chen Zhaolu was ordered to go to Han City to oversee the new governance matters, Prince Yan still prepared gifts for Chen Zhaolu. I heard… it was the ‘Treading Snow in Search of Plum Blossoms’ painting that Chen Zhaolu had long sought but couldn’t obtain!” Lu Jin’s speech was slow and measured, with implications: “Oh… he also sent gifts to Li Mingrui, whose father followed Prince Liang in rebellion.”

Bai Qingyan understood Lu Jin’s words. Li Zhijie had sent gifts to everyone whom Bai Qingyan was entrusting with important responsibilities. She nodded: “It seems… this Xiliang Prince Yan’s information network in the Capital City is quite well-informed.”

“Great Wei was destroyed by Yan and is now incorporated into Yan territory. The wealthy Wei merchant Xiao Rongyan has also become a Yan citizen. This time, he came to the Capital City with Great Yan’s Prince Jiu Murong Yan. Prince Yan Li Zhijie even condescended to meet Master Xiao, presumably because he knew Master Xiao once showed kindness to the Bai family and wanted to curry favor…” Dong Qingping looked up at Bai Qingyan, seemingly trying to judge from her expression whether Bai Qingyan had feelings for Xiao Rongyan.

Seeing Bai Qingyan with lowered eyes, completely unmoved, in a contemplative state, Dong Qingping continued: “This Great Yan Prince Jiu bringing Master Xiao along is probably also because he knows of Master Xiao’s past kindness to the Bai family. Speaking of which… this Prince Jiu Murong Yan and Master Xiao Rongyan have such similar names. Now that Wei has been incorporated into Yan, yet Prince Jiu hasn’t required Master Xiao to avoid the taboo and change his name. If it’s not because the two have a deep friendship, then Great Yan’s Prince Jiu intends to use this Master Xiao.”

Chancellor Lu nodded in agreement. When he heard that Great Yan’s Prince Jiu had brought Xiao Rongyan along, he had the same reaction. Later, learning that Xiao Rongyan’s business in Yan had been under Prince Jiu’s protection, it seemed there was some friendship, but also some intention to use Xiao Rongyan’s gratitude toward the Bai family.

Xiao Rongyan’s elder brother had just passed away not long ago, and now her grandmother was also gone…

The pain of losing family members—they all understood.

Bai Qingyan’s expression darkened as she suppressed the aching sensation in her eyes.

They had once said that when Yan destroyed Wei… Xiao Rongyan would come to propose marriage.

But now, neither she nor Xiao Rongyan had the heart to speak of marriage matters.

Great Zhou was in ruins, waiting to be rebuilt, Yan had a young ruler ascending the throne, and both countries were still unstable…

She was about to ascend the throne, and Xiao Rongyan certainly couldn’t abandon Yan either.