The Jialou Kingdom’s diplomatic delegation was indeed lodged in the Qing Garden — and for some unknown reason, Gao Xining had a particular fondness for the character “Qing,” feeling it carried a most auspicious meaning.

And so the largest garden in Chang’an City had been named the Qing Garden, situated right beside the Weiyang Palace.

However, what the Western Regions people had misunderstood was this: the Qing Garden was not, in fact, any sort of imperial garden.

The Qing Garden was divided into two sections. The inner garden was not particularly large — this was where more important guests were housed.

But the outer garden, which was considerably larger, was under normal circumstances open to anyone who wished to visit and enjoy it. As long as visitors carried the identity credentials issued by the Great Ning government office, they would be allowed through after inspection.

The Jialou Kingdom’s delegation was housed in the inner garden. As the delegation was no small affair — numbering in the hundreds — it was the largest of all the Western Regions delegations.

Not only were many of the Jialou Kingdom’s important officials present, but also a considerable number of merchants who had come with the delegation.

The Jialou Kingdom’s natural resources were extraordinarily abundant, but the one glaring exception was grain — their crop yields were shockingly low beyond belief.

Over the years, in order to feed the entire population of the kingdom, the Jialou Kingdom had had to either wage war to seize grain, or acquire it through trade.

During the years when trade between the Western Regions people and the Central Plains had been severed, the Jialou Kingdom had no choice but to wage constant wars against other Western Regions kingdoms to plunder grain and supplies.

Fortunately, the Jialou Kingdom had been lucky enough to produce a prince of outstanding military prowess. Ever since Mu Yan and Mu Di had taken command of their forces, they had not lost a single battle.

Yet the grain yields of the Western Regions kingdoms had always been modest to begin with, and fighting on like this — even with unbroken victories — still offered no way to sustain lasting national strength.

Restoring trade relations with the Central Plains as quickly as possible had thus become the Jialou Kingdom’s most pressing priority.

Viewed in this light, it was genuinely necessary for the Jialou Kingdom’s emperor to send a minister of such stature as Mu Yan and Mu Di personally to lead a delegation to the Great Ning.

The Jialou Kingdom was rich in jade, precious gems, and fine warhorses. Most importantly, the Jialou Kingdom also possessed significant iron ore deposits.

These were all things the Great Ning was naturally interested in.

Trading grain for military materials — for the Central Plains, this was a business arrangement that could continue indefinitely.

At this very moment, the Great Ning’s Minister of Rites, Gui Yuanshu, was in the Qing Garden with Prince Mu Yan and Mu Di of the Jialou Kingdom, discussing the matter of resuming trade.

Mu Yan and Mu Di’s status within the Jialou Kingdom was roughly equivalent to Tang Pidi’s status within the Great Ning.

Originally, the Jialou Kingdom had not been considered a powerful nation among the Western Regions — it was entirely through the extraordinary abilities of Mu Yan and Mu Di that the kingdom had come to possess a formidable military that was almost undefeated.

In front of the Jialou Kingdom’s people, Gui Yuanshu did not carry himself with quite the same attitude he had adopted outside the city gates when dealing with the other Western Regions delegations.

For the Jialou Kingdom had displayed sufficient humility, assuming an extremely deferential posture — which called to mind the old saying that one does not strike a person who is smiling and bowing.

Mu Yan and Mu Di said with a smile: “Is the Minister saying His Majesty will come to the Qing Garden within two days?”

Gui Yuanshu gave a slight nod: “Indeed. His Majesty still has some relatively urgent state affairs to attend to, so please bear with us, Your Royal Highness, and wait a few days.”

“There is no rush at all.”

Mu Yan and Mu Di immediately replied: “Whether His Majesty summons us to the palace, or whether His Majesty comes here himself, we feel it to be the highest of honors regardless.”

Gui Yuanshu smiled and said: “As for the matter of trade that Your Royal Highness raised, I may first discuss it with you on His Majesty’s behalf — only I am not certain whether Your Royal Highness has full authority to act on behalf of the Jialou Kingdom’s emperor, to make decisions independently?”

Mu Yan and Mu Di nodded: “His Majesty the King has instructed that I may represent him in discussing trade matters with the Great Ning, and I have full authority to decide.”

Gui Yuanshu gave a slight nod: “Very well.”

He beckoned, and his subordinate handed over a bound document with both hands.

Gui Yuanshu pointed to the document: “This is the trade proposal Your Royal Highness previously submitted to the Ministry of Rites. The Chancellor has already given his review and response. Please take a look, Your Royal Highness.”

Mu Yan and Mu Di rose immediately, receiving the document with both hands.

Gui Yuanshu smiled: “I still have quite a lot to attend to. I was penalized by His Majesty for a mistake I made a couple of days ago… ah, the duties of the Ministry of Rites are truly not easy.”

As he said this he rose, and Mu Yan and Mu Di also rose: “Then allow me to see the Minister off.”

As he stood, everyone on the Jialou side also rose to their feet.

“You don’t all need to come and see me off.”

Gui Yuanshu pointed at the document: “Rather than spending that effort seeing me off, you would do better to look at the Chancellor’s review first. You will also need to quickly deliberate among yourselves, since His Majesty will be coming in two days.”

Mu Yan and Mu Di turned back to look at his subordinates: “You don’t need to follow. First review the Chancellor’s response, and when I return, I will expect you to have considered how to revise things in accordance with the Chancellor’s notes.”

The Jialou Kingdom’s officials all immediately bowed in unison.

Mu Yan and Mu Di followed Gui Yuanshu toward the exit. After walking some distance, Gui Yuanshu noticed there was no one else around.

He smiled and asked: “Your Royal Highness seemed to be holding something back while we were speaking just now — is there something that was not convenient to say?”

Mu Yan and Mu Di replied with a look of embarrassment: “You saw right through me at a glance, Minister… I truly have no other options at the moment, so I could only look for a chance to speak with the Minister in private. Fortunately, the Minister’s discernment is keen enough to see through my little intention at a glance.”

Gui Yuanshu asked: “You are a prince and everyone in this delegation is your people — and yet there are things not convenient to say?”

Mu Yan and Mu Di lowered their voice: “Before coming here, I was already suspicious that among the people in our Jialou Kingdom delegation, there may be some who cannot be trusted.”

“They all came to the Great Ning with me, but the personnel roster was not drawn up by me personally — it was the result of deliberations among several high ministers of the Jialou Kingdom.”

Gui Yuanshu’s brow furrowed slightly: “Your Royal Highness is saying… there are spies within your own ranks?”

Mu Yan and Mu Di said: “I suspect so. Among the Western Regions delegations, the Heiwu people appear to be pulling strings behind the scenes. Even my own delegation has likely been infiltrated by them — not only the merchants who came along with us, but even the officials at my side may have been bought.”

Gui Yuanshu said: “You came out here with me because you want to tell me… that if His Majesty comes to the Qing Garden, there may be danger?”

Mu Yan and Mu Di said: “They may not necessarily have the audacity to truly move against His Majesty, but they are very likely to disrupt the great matter of trade between the Jialou Kingdom and the Great Ning.”

With that framing, Gui Yuanshu understood immediately.

Mu Yan and Mu Di lowered their voice further: “So my thought is… it would be best if His Majesty did not come to the Qing Garden. If His Majesty has instructions, he may summon me into the palace instead.”

Gui Yuanshu said: “I will relay your words to His Majesty. However… if Your Royal Highness suspects there are spies within your own delegation, why not simply root them out?”

Mu Yan and Mu Di shook their head, seemingly harboring some unspoken difficulty.

Gui Yuanshu did not press for an answer, simply nodding: “Since Your Royal Highness has difficulties, I will not ask further. I will go back and report this matter to His Majesty first — Your Royal Highness, please wait in the Qing Garden for my news.”

“Many thanks!”

Mu Yan and Mu Di clasped their hands in the Central Plains style and bowed in farewell.

After taking his leave, Gui Yuanshu carefully turned over Mu Yan and Mu Di’s words in his mind as he walked, recalling the look of difficulty on Mu Yan and Mu Di’s face.

A prince renowned for his military achievements, second in standing within the Jialou Kingdom only to the king himself — how could a figure of such weight still be in such a difficult position?

Upon returning to the Weiyang Palace, Gui Yuanshu sought an audience with His Majesty and repeated Mu Yan and Mu Di’s words verbatim from beginning to end.

After listening, Li Chi looked toward Xu Ji, who was seated to one side: “What do you make of it?”

Xu Ji bowed and said: “In response to Your Majesty — the Jialou Kingdom may now be regarded as the foremost power of the Western Regions, and the only nation that can barely match it is the Xiaoyueshi Kingdom.”

“Among all the Western Regions nations, they must unite together aside from the Xiaoyueshi Kingdom just to contend with the Jialou Kingdom.”

Xu Ji said: “The reason the Jialou Kingdom was able to rise within just a few short years and become the hegemon of the Western Regions is precisely because of Mu Yan and Mu Di’s martial prowess.”

“Now that the Jialou Kingdom stands as the strongest in the Western Regions, yet the Jialou Kingdom’s king has still dispatched Mu Yan and Mu Di to serve as special envoy to the Great Ning…”

Xu Ji organized these premises and looked toward Li Chi: “Your Majesty, this minister believes that while the people in the Jialou Kingdom’s delegation appear to be Mu Yan and Mu Di’s subordinates, the vast majority of them do not share his loyalties. They are most likely people sent by the Jialou Kingdom’s king to keep watch over Mu Yan and Mu Di.”

Gui Yuanshu bowed and said: “What Xu Daren has said is also what this minister believes… this minister observed the words and conduct of Mu Yan and Mu Di, and feels that his warning of danger to Your Majesty was a pretense, while seeking Your Majesty’s help was the truth.”

Li Chi gave a slight nod: “What you two are saying is that the one Mu Yan and Mu Di believes to be in danger is not me, but himself?”

Gui Yuanshu said: “He has achieved such great merit that it overshadows his sovereign. Within the Jialou Kingdom, the army follows his commands with immediate obedience — even the king’s orders might not be carried out without delay. King Le Ye Ku Xin fears that Mu Yan and Mu Di harbors ambitions to seize the throne…”

Xu Ji said: “What Gui Daren says is exactly right. Of course, Le Ye Ku Xin cannot directly kill Mu Yan and Mu Di — to do so would inevitably lose the hearts of the people.”

“And if it truly came to that, those troops loyal to Mu Yan and Mu Di would very likely rise in rebellion.”

Xu Ji said: “Therefore this minister believes Mu Yan and Mu Di has already perceived his elder brother’s intentions, which is why he wishes to seek Your Majesty’s help…”

He paused briefly before continuing: “Le Ye Ku Xin understands clearly — he wants to kill Mu Yan and Mu Di, and the Western Regions nations want to kill Mu Yan and Mu Di even more.”

“If Mu Yan and Mu Di dies, Le Ye Ku Xin can rest easy, and those among the Western Regions nations who were thoroughly beaten by Mu Yan and Mu Di can also rest easy.”

“So this minister believes that among this Jialou Kingdom delegation, there is every chance that people planted by various other Western Regions nations are present — and these people may even have been deliberately allowed in by the Jialou Kingdom’s own high ministers, since those ministers are naturally acting under Le Ye Ku Xin’s orders.”

Li Chi murmured in agreement: “So if I go to the Qing Garden, these people will feign an attack on me — whether they succeed or not, they can at minimum eliminate Mu Yan and Mu Di.”

“Yes.”

Xu Ji said: “As long as they act, and Your Majesty emerges unharmed, the matter alone would be weighty enough…”

Gui Yuanshu said: “If Le Ye Ku Xin truly intends to eliminate his brother, then once the assassin affair comes to light, he would immediately beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness and ask Your Majesty to personally execute Mu Yan and Mu Di, or he would send people to kill Mu Yan and Mu Di himself.”

Xu Ji shook his head: “If it were only that, it would be far too shallow.”

Gui Yuanshu said: “I ask for Xu Daren’s guidance.”

Xu Ji rose and said: “What Gui Daren just described is only the first layer. If Le Ye Ku Xin has no other solution and merely kills Mu Yan and Mu Di then begs Your Majesty’s forgiveness — would that truly stop the Great Ning’s border armies from launching a punitive campaign against him?”

Gui Yuanshu shook his head: “No, it would not.”

Xu Ji smiled slightly and continued: “Therefore, Le Ye Ku Xin must have a second move prepared — a second layer of arrangements.”

“If I am not mistaken, the moment Mu Yan and Mu Di dies, the Jialou Kingdom’s people will immediately present fresh evidence to Your Majesty.”

“Evidence proving that Mu Yan and Mu Di was framed — framed by the Western Regions nations, who sought to frame both Mu Yan and Mu Di and the Jialou Kingdom in order to sabotage the diplomatic relations between the two countries.”

“At that moment, Le Ye Ku Xin would perhaps rush here himself, or dispatch a high minister — and then miserably inform Your Majesty that the Jialou Kingdom was plotted against and has lost a prince, yet the Jialou Kingdom remains filled with reverence and awe for Your Majesty the Great Ning Emperor. To demonstrate their sincerity, the Jialou Kingdom would be willing to send troops, joining forces with the Great Ning to eliminate those evildoers together…”

Xu Ji looked at Gui Yuanshu: “The people were deliberately planted into the delegation by them all along — naturally, they would have ample evidence to prove that Mu Yan and Mu Di was wrongly accused.”

Li Chi said: “By this point, the wool having been pulled over my eyes, I suddenly see the light — and feeling remorse over having killed Mu Yan and Mu Di, I am all the more wrathful toward the Western Regions nations.”

Xu Ji said: “Of course Le Ye Ku Xin would love to see such a situation. With Your Majesty angered into sending troops, and Le Ye Ku Xin personally leading an army in coordination, the joint forces of the Great Ning and the Jialou Kingdom would sweep through the Western Regions… at that point, the trade between the Western Regions and the Great Ning would be his alone to monopolize. How splendid for him.”

Li Chi suddenly smiled: “Strangely enough, I find myself thinking… if things were to proceed according to Le Ye Ku Xin’s plan, I have to admit it’s actually tempting.”

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