“Aiyo! Brother, don’t pull… my ear is about to fall off! Help…”

Hearing his young master’s wails, the attendant bowed toward the courtyard again, hoping Young Master Yuanqing would soften his heart upon seeing the injuries on his young master’s buttocks and be gentler.

In the front hall of the Lu Mansion, having just met the most promising child among his grandchildren, Grand Marshal Lu finally put that troublesome Lu Yuanpeng out of his mind. He was just about to comfortably pick up his teacup for tea when someone reported from outside that an imperial messenger had come from the palace… His Majesty was summoning Grand Marshal Lu to the palace.

Grand Marshal Lu quickly rose, ordered his official robes to be prepared, changed clothes, and hurried to the palace.

Upon entering the palace, Grand Marshal Lu happened to encounter Bai Qingyu and Bai Qingqi. After the three exchanged greetings, Grand Marshal Lu quickly inquired: “Prince Zhenguo, Prince Huguo… do you know what urgent matter His Majesty has summoned us to the palace for?”

“It seems to be about the former Great Liang territories. Come… we’ll know once we see Elder Sister!” Bai Qingqi made a gesture of invitation to Grand Marshal Lu.

As soon as the three arrived, Bai Qingyan handed them the memorial sent by the Han City Prince to review.

“This Han City Prince has only been in the former Great Liang territories for a short time, yet he’s already requesting troops…” Grand Marshal Lu looked up toward Bai Qingyan. “Your Majesty, there may be problems. We must be on guard!”

Just as Grand Marshal Lu finished speaking, the tightly closed hall doors were pushed open, and Bai Jinzhi poked her head out: “Elder Sister…”

Bai Qingyan looked up to see Bai Jinzhi grin sheepishly, squeeze her body into the great hall, close the door, and patter toward Bai Qingyan, Bai Qingyu, Bai Qingqi, and Grand Marshal Lu.

“Elder Sister, Eunuch Wei didn’t stop me!” Bai Jinzhi said, bowing to Grand Marshal Lu and her brothers before sitting close beside Bai Qingyu, craning her neck to look at the secret memorial in Bai Qingyu’s hands.

Bai Qingyan had originally thought Little Fourth was impulsive and it would be better not to let her know about this matter for now. Since Little Fourth had come, it would be fine to let her see.

Bai Qingyu handed the memorial to Bai Jinzhi, letting her read it slowly.

Little Fourth was no longer young—it was time for her to start learning to share Elder Sister’s burdens and learn to take care of her younger sisters.

Seeing Bai Jinzhi frown as she read the memorial, Bai Qingyan continued speaking to Grand Marshal Lu: “Regardless, Sa’er Khan of Tianfeng Kingdom staying in Dongyi Kingdom is indeed a signal worthy of our vigilance. Originally, not detaining Sa’er Khan in Great Zhou was to avoid complications during the gambling of nations period, but Sa’er Khan is unafraid. He’s probably thinking that since our Great Zhou and Great Yan are busy with gambling nations, he can repeatedly test our Great Zhou’s bottom line…”

“Regarding Tianfeng Kingdom, we might push our Great Zhou’s defense line further toward Tianfeng Kingdom’s direction!” Bai Qingyu’s expression was cold and clear, his hoarse voice rising. “This would serve as a warning. We should also send envoys to the Dongyi Kingdom—whether through threats or inducements, we must make the Dongyi Kingdom more cautious. What does Elder Sister think?”

Bai Qingyu’s intention was still to avoid opening hostilities while the two nations were gambling. According to the signed covenant, once war began and taxes were raised, the gambling territories would also have to raise taxes like the homeland territories, which would be entirely disadvantageous for Great Zhou winning this wager.

Fighting was possible! But it should be done after winning the gambling of nations, otherwise it would be making wedding clothes for others—what was the point?

“No, Elder Sister!” Bai Jinzhi was the first to become agitated. “This Han City Prince harbors ulterior motives! He’s only been at the coast for how long, yet he’s already asking Elder Sister for troops again! After getting troops… he’ll demand provisions and supplies, then surely rebel!”

Bai Jinzhi threw the memorial aside: “Elder Sister, although this Third Prince of Great Liang may appear chubby and honest, he must be an extremely decisive person inside, otherwise he wouldn’t have carried the imperial seal out of the city to surrender to me!”

“Elder Sister, such a person… Little Fourth thinks General Cheng, General Shen, General Liu, Lu Yuanpeng, and Sima Ping’s concerns are correct. We should revoke his military authority!” Bai Jinzhi solemnly cupped her hands toward Bai Qingyan. “Little Fourth requests permission to go and capture the Han City Prince alive!”

Bai Qingyan looked at Bai Jinzhi’s flushed face, so angry that her chest heaved violently, then turned to Bai Qingqi: “What does A’Qi think?”

Bai Qingqi lightly rubbed his fingers, and only after a long while did he speak: “This Han City Prince—your brother has had no contact with him and cannot speculate, but… A’Yu’s method is feasible. Push the defense line toward Tianfeng Kingdom as deterrence, and send envoys to Dongyi Kingdom to suppress this jumping flea. Didn’t they say Yan Kingdom’s little emperor has already sent envoys to contact Dongyi Kingdom? It’s nothing more than… secretly providing Dongyi Kingdom with weapons and grain to plunge our Great Zhou into the fires of war. This time, sending envoys can also probe Dongyi’s true strength and see what attitude Dongyi Kingdom has when directly facing our Great Zhou, so we can prepare accordingly.”

After Bai Qingqi finished speaking, Grand Marshal Lu also said to Bai Qingyan: “If so, Your Majesty could suppress the Han City Prince’s memorial and wait for news from the envoys sent to Dongyi Kingdom before making a decision.”

Bai Qingyan shook her head: “The Han City Prince requests troops—give them! At the same time, send envoys to Dongyi Kingdom, which also applies pressure to Dongyi Kingdom.”

Grand Marshal Lu was somewhat puzzled. He glanced at Bai Qingyu and Bai Qingqi, carefully chose his words, then slowly said to Bai Qingyan: “Your Majesty… do you trust the Han City Prince so completely?”

Bai Qingyan’s expression carried a slight smile: “This Han City Prince was severely suppressed under the old Prince Liang. He has no ambition for the throne, but he very much wants to achieve something. This time I’m giving him this opportunity—he’ll do his utmost to excel! The Han City Prince… won’t throw eggs against rocks.”

“Your Majesty, when you initially had the Han City Prince lead the naval forces, the court was already in heated discussion. Now giving the Han City Prince more troops, and during the gambling of nations period…” Grand Marshal Lu pursed his lips and thought before continuing, “Currently, for our Great Zhou, gambling nations are the top priority! I fear court officials will worry and think Your Majesty is showing favoritism and blind trust toward the Han City Prince!”

Regarding Bai Qingyan’s gambling with nations, many court officials disagreed.

However, after Bai Qingyan ascended the throne as emperor, it seemed that even when they opposed her decisions, they were still smoothly executed. After execution, they discovered… Bai Qingyan was indeed correct. So this time, when Bai Qingyan decided to gamble on nations, court officials were gradually persuaded and came to believe in Bai Qingyan; this emperor, who had turned many impossibilities into possibilities, could truly achieve peaceful unification through this method.

The military generals later compromised because they thought: winning would be best, but if things really went badly and they lost, at worst they could refuse to acknowledge it and just conquer Yan Kingdom anyway—it had always been victor takes all.

Only ministers like Chancellor Lu, who deeply trusted Bai Qingyan, knew that Bai Qingyan truly put the people first. But if this were said to those who didn’t understand the Bai family, didn’t understand Bai Qingyan, or whose minds hadn’t reached Bai Qingyan’s level of broad-mindedness, they probably wouldn’t be able to comprehend it.