“Our Yan’s conditions have been laid out—tribute, vassalage, and Yan stationing troops. However, what the new Dongyi Emperor said also makes sense. Since that’s the case, Yan can also step back and not demand tribute and vassalage, but… we must station troops. This is Yan’s bottom line. This prince knows this decision is difficult!” At this moment, Xiao Rongyan no longer had his earlier aggressive posture. “You, Dongyi court officials, can discuss this thoroughly and give this prince a definitive answer tomorrow! The sooner the treaty is signed, the sooner this prince can return home!”

Xiao Rongyan felt he had made his points and, claiming fatigue from the journey’s battles, withdrew first to the residence the Empress had arranged for him to rest. As soon as Xiao Rongyan left, the Dongyi court erupted in discussion.

Bai Qingyan spoke slowly: “Now that Dongyi has become Great Zhou’s vassal state, Great Zhou naturally won’t stand idly by, but… as the Yan Regent Prince just said, the reason I didn’t speak to stop the Yan Regent Prince’s desire to station troops in Dongyi was my concern that it would make all of Dongyi think that our Great Zhou treats Dongyi as our private property, interfering in Dongyi’s court politics at will. Our not destroying Dongyi now… would be seen as Great Zhou keeping a way out for ourselves.”

The Dongyi court officials remained silent, with some officials indeed thinking exactly this after hearing Xiao Rongyan’s words.

The Dongyi Empress’s expression grew even uglier. She glanced at the “Seventh Prince” sitting beside Bai Qingyan, her fists clenching. Now, even the emperor was Great Zhou—could it be that the Great Zhou had exactly this intention?

The Great Zhou Emperor said they would reunite mother and son after three years. Could it be that then… if Great Zhou won the wager, they would swallow Dongyi, and if they lost, they would come to Dongyi?

“Moreover, although Yan stabbed us Great Zhou, in the back when our two nations were allied to destroy Western Liang, when we later signed the wager agreement, we decided to let that matter pass and establish the wager treaty. If Great Zhou spoke to stop this now, involving Dongyi’s national politics, it would inevitably make our ally Yan feel that our Great Zhou intended to cause trouble, wanting to betray the alliance and find excuses to fight Yan to exhaust Yan’s national strength.”

“Great Zhou is a nation that honors its word. If we truly lose the wager… then we will certainly offer Great Zhou with both hands to Yan. Naturally, Great Zhou cannot concern itself with Dongyi’s future.” Bai Qingyan’s tone shifted: “If Great Zhou wins the wager, then… I can guarantee that as long as Dongyi is willing to peacefully serve as Great Zhou’s vassal state, Great Zhou is willing to reduce Dongyi’s tribute payments. All of this can be written into our two nations’ treaty! If you know Great Zhou… you’ll understand that Great Zhou has never been first to betray an ally.”

Bai Qingyan said these words to tell the Dongyi court officials to help Great Zhou cause trouble for Yan properly. When Great Zhou won this wager agreement, naturally there would be benefits for Dongyi.

The Great Zhou honored its word, while Yan… stabbed allies in the back. Let Dongyi weigh this themselves.

After speaking, Bai Qingyan also rose: “This is Dongyi’s national politics. You, sovereign and subjects, discuss it among yourselves. I… will take my leave first.”

Bai Qingyan nodded slightly to the Dongyi Empress, then nodded to Tuoba Yao, who had risen to respectfully see her off, before taking Bai Jinzhi and Shen Qingzhu out of the great hall. Shen Liangyu immediately led his soldiers to guard behind Bai Qingyan.

“Elder sister, are we going to let Yan station troops in Dongyi? Are we not going to intervene?” Bai Jinzhi frowned as she followed beside Bai Qingyan.

“We’ll intervene, but can’t actively intervene. If we actively intervene… that’s interfering in Dongyi’s internal politics.” Bai Qingyan recalled Xiao Rongyan’s eloquent performance in the Dongyi court, her smile deepening. “And as the Yan Regent Prince said… the Dongyi court officials would think that our Great Zhou not allowing Yan to touch Dongyi shows great intention to take Dongyi into our fold! So… even if we want to intervene, Dongyi must beg our Great Zhou to intervene.”

“I’m afraid that after the Yan Regent Prince’s words just now, Dongyi already has a guarded heart toward Great Zhou. Not all court officials in the Dongyi court are truly our Great Zhou’s subjects. If Yan stations troops to intimidate Dongyi next, Dongyi may not dare to cause trouble for Yan anymore! Yan’s purpose would be achieved!” Bai Jinzhi gripped her sword tightly, feeling that her brother-in-law was too crafty.

“What’s to fear about stationing troops…” Bai Qingyan’s smile deepened. “Once troops are stationed, the Yan court’s reach won’t extend that far. If something happens and Dongyi comes begging to Great Zhou, how can Great Zhou not care for its vassal state?”

Bai Jinzhi thought this made sense. As she followed her elder sister down the high steps, she said: “But elder sister… I think with the Yan Regent Prince’s shrewdness, he’ll certainly understand this too! Why don’t we warn that Dongyi Empress?”

“A cornered rat will bite the cat—we can’t push this Dongyi Empress too hard, or it could easily backfire. The Seventh Prince, this good chess piece… must be used at the crucial moment!” Bai Qingyan speculated that perhaps from the moment Xiao Rongyan saw this masked Dongyi Seventh Prince, he would surely suspect this Dongyi Seventh Prince was Bai Qingyan’s person. But the imperial bearing that couldn’t be achieved overnight on Tuoba Yao would certainly confuse Xiao Rongyan. “Next step… the Yan Regent Prince will meet the Dongyi Empress and win her over to Yan’s side.”

“Then I’ll have people watch this Dongyi Empress and the Yan Regent Prince!” Bai Jinzhi said in a low voice. “Don’t let them meet too easily.”

“This palace, inside and out, is already filled with our Great Zhou people—how else can we watch?” Bai Qingyan descended from the high steps, her footsteps pausing briefly, her fingers behind her back gently rubbing together. “Qingzhu, have people keep a close watch on the Great Yan Regent Prince. If he meets the Dongyi Empress, don’t stop them—just listen to what this Regent Prince says to the Dongyi Empress.”

“This subordinate understands!” After responding, Shen Qingzhu added, “Miss, why don’t I personally lead people to watch?”

Concerning Miss’s deployment in Dongyi, Shen Qingzhu was extremely attentive.

“Forget it, you’ve been exhausted for so long…” Bai Qingyan looked at the red bloodshot in Shen Qingzhu’s eyes with great heartache. “You should rest well. Send someone else—the overall situation is still under our control. Moreover… even if you went, you might not hear the conversation between this Regent Prince and the Dongyi Empress.”

Shen Qingzhu agreed with this. Xiao Rongyan’s martial arts were unfathomably deep—so far, no one had ever seen Xiao Rongyan show his true abilities. Shen Qingzhu probably wasn’t his match either. She might be discovered before even getting close, and could easily be fed false information by Xiao Rongyan’s design, which would truly delay Miss’s affairs when brought back.

“Then this subordinate will select a few with good lightness skills to watch.” Shen Qingzhu said.