Dong Shi exhaled a long breath, suppressing the anger in her heart. She pulled out her handkerchief to dab at her tears, speaking without good humor: “Since that’s the case, then let’s choose a day for the wedding! Using Xiao Rongyan’s identity, the imperial consort will die of illness. When the world is unified someday, you can return to A’Bao and the child’s side using Xiao Rongyan’s identity, but the identity of Xiao Rongyan absolutely cannot be used again!”
“A’Yan thanks Mother!” Being able to gain Dong Shi’s consent, Xiao Rongyan was grateful to the point of tears. He kowtowed again: “Mother, may A’Yan speak a few words with A’Bao?”
Dong Shi glanced at her daughter, then at Xiao Rongyan, still kneeling on the ground. She put away her handkerchief and said, “Since you two are still unmarried after all, don’t spend too much time alone together. In a moment, I’ll have someone summon Grand Secretary Dong into the palace to discuss and begin preparations for this matter. As for the Xiao family relatives… Great Yan created this false identity, so Great Yan must figure out a solution!”
Xiao Rongyan hurriedly kowtowed to Dong Shi: “Mother, rest assured!”
Seeing Dong Shi rise and leave with a flick of her sleeves.
Xiao Rongyan straightened his back, kneeling respectfully to see Dong Shi off. Only after Dong Shi crossed the threshold did Xiao Rongyan lift his robes and rise. Seeing Physician Hong sigh and also preparing to leave, Xiao Rongyan quickly bowed deeply to him: “Physician Hong, I wonder if A’Bao carrying this child now will have any major impact on A’Bao’s health?”
Hearing Xiao Rongyan ask this showed he still cared about Bai Qingyan, which made Physician Hong feel somewhat better. He said, “There will naturally be impacts. Not to mention that our eldest miss has had a weak constitution since childhood – even women with strong bodies are affected when pregnant.”
“Physician Hong…” Xiao Rongyan bowed solemnly to Physician Hong again: “May I ask, will it endanger A’Bao?”
“It won’t be life-threatening, but now that Great Zhou’s new dynasty has just been established with everything needing revival, how busy our eldest miss is can be seen by all. This child… if the eldest miss continues at this level of exhaustion, it will increase the burden on her body.” Physician Hong frowned deeply, looking toward Bai Qingyan, who was watching him.
This child was truly beyond Physician Hong’s expectations. Even though Bai Qingyan’s cold constitution had improved somewhat, in Physician Hong’s view, it would be very difficult for Bai Qingyan to conceive in this lifetime. If they didn’t want this child, Bai Qingyan might never be able to conceive again in her life.
Moreover, abortion medicines were mostly potent and extremely cold. The eldest miss’s cold constitution had just begun to improve… one dose of medicine would eliminate the child, but the eldest miss’s health would also be ruined.
Physician Hong was also caught in a dilemma. If the eldest miss were in good health, everything would be fine, but the problem was that her constitution was already poor.
Hearing this, Xiao Rongyan clenched his fists at his sides, lowering his eyes in hesitation for a moment before bowing to Physician Hong again: “Physician Hong, I cannot always stay by A’Bao’s side. If A’Bao can successfully carry this child, that would be good, but if it harms A’Bao… please, Physician Hong, you must prioritize A’Bao!”
Bai Qingyan’s hand, covering her lower abdomen, tightened slightly.
Physician Hong looked at Xiao Rongyan and suddenly thought of Qin Lang for some reason. He remembered the first time he heard someone say to prioritize the wife over the child was when Qin Lang told him this. At that time, Second Miss had premature labor with a breech presentation, and Qin Lang grabbed him, asking him to prioritize Second Miss no matter what.
Physician Hong now found Xiao Rongyan much more agreeable. He nodded: “That goes without saying!”
Xiao Rongyan respectfully escorted Physician Hong out of the hall entrance, then turned back with reddened eyes to look at Bai Qingyan.
“A’Bao…” Xiao Rongyan slowly walked to Bai Qingyan’s side, kneeling on one knee by the footstool. He held Bai Qingyan’s hand and gently kissed it, then raised his hand to cup the back of her neck, pressing their foreheads together. With eyes closed, he choked out an apology: “I’m sorry! I’m sorry…”
“Even without you by my side, I will take good care of myself. You needn’t feel guilty. We both have too many things to do and no time for melancholy sentiments.” Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes to look at her abdomen: “Since the child has come, regardless of the timing, I will be responsible for the child. This is also the consequence of my momentary lack of self-control, and I must bear responsibility for my own mistakes.”
She raised her head to look steadily at Xiao Rongyan, her voice calm and serious: “Not disturbed in heart, not trapped by emotion, not lazy in body, not drowning in mistakes, not fearing the future, not trapped by the past. A’Yan… the road we must walk is still very long. The world now doesn’t consist of only Great Zhou and Great Yan – I’ve said before… the Western Liang Female Emperor must not be underestimated.”
More importantly, Great Yan was bound by its alliance with the Rong barbarians and couldn’t move against Western Liang. This was a good opportunity for the Great Zhou to free its hands to strike at Western Liang. This was also why A’Yu had not yet brought the Rong barbarians to merge with the Great Zhou.
What Bai Qingyan was waiting for now… was for Bai Qingqi to safely bring Bai Jintong away from Western Liang, then she would strike at Western Liang – both for revenge… and for unifying the world.
Bai Qingyan had handed all authority over the Bai family army’s deployment to Bai Qingqi, hoping that… as soon as Bai Qingqi and Bai Jintong crossed the border between Western Liang and Great Zhou, they would begin preparing for the coming war.
Now, sitting in Great Zhou, Bai Qingyan was waiting… for Xiao Si to return, waiting… for Bai Jinxiu to successfully implement the new laws in Han City.
As long as the new laws were implemented smoothly and national governance operated entirely according to legal principles, even if she, the Female Emperor, was not present, the nation could still function normally.
The second day of the second lunar month was the day Bai Qingyan had once trapped Yun Poxing and then let him go. It was also the day Bai Qingyan had set for formally declaring war on Western Liang – not a day later.
Therefore, Bai Qingyan had set the deadline for fully implementing the new laws and making them operational throughout the Great Zhou as before the second day of the second lunar month next year.
Once the three-year agreement arrived…
All surviving descendants of the Bai family would rush to the southern border battlefield to fulfill… the promise Bai Qingyan had once made to the Bai family army to lead them in revenge.
Previously, under pressure from all sides, Bai Qingyan had chosen to spare Yun Poxing to secure a path of survival for the Bai family army and the Bai family.
But now, she would seek revenge against Yun Poxing honorably on the battlefield.
Xiao Rongyan gazed at Bai Qingyan’s resolute eyes, feeling for a moment that her inner strength was even greater than his own. Perhaps it was because the Bai family’s upbringing of their descendants differed from ordinary families, and even more so from imperial families.
Xiao Rongyan embraced Bai Qingyan’s slender waist: “After the world is unified, regardless of whether Great Zhou, Yan kingdom, or Western Liang ultimately wins the world, I will lay down power and marry into the Bai family. The Bai family’s moral character is admirable – I deeply envy and respect it. I hope our child, whether male or female, can be like A’Bao, inheriting the Bai family’s noble character and becoming someone who stands tall between heaven and earth.”
Hearing Xiao Rongyan’s words, Bai Qingyan’s features took on a faint smile: “A gentleman’s promise…”
“Never to regret!” Xiao Rongyan declared solemnly.
·
Dong Shi and Physician Hong stood at the entrance of the great hall discussing the matter. Dong Shi’s intention was to have Physician Hong reside near Bai Qingyan in the coming days to be prepared for any eventuality, lest another incident like this one catch them off guard.