“Jintong is here…” Bai Qingyan set down her brush, took a handkerchief from the black lacquered gold-decorated square tray nearby to wipe her hands, “Please sit!”
“This servant and Chun Zhi will go brew tea for Third Miss and bring some refreshments.” Chun Tao smiled as she stood up, bowing with Chun Zhi before withdrawing.
Bai Jintong knelt and sat across from Bai Qingyan, looking at her with concern: “Elder Sister, you… Are you with child?”
Bai Qingyan nodded, handing Bai Jintong the message that had been rushed back from Han City: “This is news that Xiao Si and Master Cai sent someone to deliver.”
Bai Jintong received it and read it carefully: “That small island nation that was previously a tributary of Great Liang sent people to pay tribute to Great Liang. Xiao Si had the Third Prince of Great Liang receive them. I’ve been to this island nation – it’s a tiny place… even inferior to the former Shu Kingdom.”
Bai Qingyan nodded, placing the damp handkerchief aside and adding: “This small island nation is nothing to fear. Master Cai is probably thinking that since Great Liang is gone, they want to submit to Great Zhou and come pay tribute to Great Zhou. He believes… this time he can naturally have the King of Han City accompany these tribute envoys to the capital, then keep the King of Han City in the capital. This way, those petty people who still plot to restore the Liang Kingdom will settle down.”
After hearing Bai Qingyan’s words, Bai Jintong nodded and carefully finished reading the secret report in her hands, then heard Bai Qingyan say: “Jintong, Elder Sister wants you to go to Yan Kingdom…”
Bai Jintong looked up at Bai Qingyan: “Elder Sister, please speak plainly.”
“That richest merchant in the world, Xiao Rongyan, is the Ninth Prince of Great Yan… Murong Yan.”
Bai Jintong’s expression changed, her gaze unconsciously falling to Bai Qingyan’s abdomen.
“Our Great Zhou and Great Yan have different governing philosophies. We have agreed beforehand that in matters of great importance, personal feelings are not to be mentioned. Elder Sister wants you to remember… treat Great Yan and Murong Yan as worthy opponents to be respected and feared.” Bai Qingyan solemnly reminded Bai Jintong, “Great Yan and Great Zhou, due to disagreements in national policy, will inevitably be the greatest obstacle to future unification. You must never be careless.”
Seeing her elder sister speak so seriously, Bai Jintong straightened her back: “Jintong understands!”
Hearing Elder Sister speak this way, Bai Jintong suddenly felt relieved and understood that Xiao Rongyan’s marriage and subsequent death were merely a way for him to escape. This way, she didn’t have to worry about Elder Sister keeping her grief bottled up inside.
At least the person Elder Sister cared for was not dead.
But Bai Jintong also understood that since Elder Sister could speak to her this way, she must have firm resolve – official matters would not be affected by personal feelings. As Bai Jintong, she should naturally be the same.
“Now, your advantage is that Great Yan and Murong Yan don’t know your identity. You can still use Cui Fengnian’s identity to conduct business and travel to the Yan Kingdom. We’ve already made some arrangements in Yan Kingdom beforehand, and I’ll hand over all the people to you later… but they don’t all need to be incorporated into the Cui family merchant house!” Bai Qingyan spoke steadily, giving instructions, “Naturally, since Murong Yan once used a merchant identity to shuttle between nations, establishing intelligence networks for the Yan Kingdom, he will naturally be extra strict in investigating merchants. You must be extremely careful!”
Bai Jintong nodded.
“Our people sent back news that although Yan Kingdom doesn’t particularly lack grain, the people’s food rations, relying on Nanyan and Great Wei, are just barely enough.” Bai Qingyan looked intently at Bai Jintong, “Although Xi Liang has already gone to Tianfeng Kingdom for aid, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst – the food problem must still be solved.”
Bai Jintong nodded again.
“So you can use grain… to penetrate Great Yan.” Bai Qingyan said quietly to Bai Jintong, “The prices must be high, putting on the full appearance of a profit-seeking merchant.”
“Elder Sister, rest assured, Jintong understands!” Bai Jintong nodded.
“You just returned, and really shouldn’t have to trouble you with another journey…”
“Great Zhou is at a time when it needs people. Since my identity as Cui Fengnian has some use and can contribute to the Great Zhou’s path to unification, Jintong is very happy!” Bai Jintong’s lips curved in a smile, but thinking of the Bai family sons in Nan Jiang, her eyes reddened. “Being able to see the brothers alive and complete the Bai family’s aspirations with my own family, Jintong is very satisfied!”
Bai Qingyan reached out to pat Bai Jintong’s head. Regarding Bai Jintong, Bai Qingyan had no concerns whatsoever.
“Today, spend time with Third Aunt properly. Depart tomorrow. I’ll have people prepare grain for you, as well as the cloud mist tea that was once popular in Great Liang, and other goods that Great Yan doesn’t have.” She said gently to her third sister.
“Mm!” Bai Jintong responded.
On the eighth day of the ninth month in the first year of Yuanhe, Bai Jintong, who had just returned to the capital, once again set out for Great Yan under the identity of Cui Fengnian.
On the twentieth day of the ninth month in the first year of Yuanhe, Princess Gaoyi Bai Jinzhi rode back to the capital alone, while General Zhao Sheng was still leading his troops in a rapid march and had not yet reached the capital.
While in Han City, Bai Jinzhi had heard that on the day Elder Sister ascended the throne, Third Brother Bai Qingqi, Seventh Brother Bai Qingjue, and Ninth Brother Bai Qingyun had all returned. Upon receiving this news, Bai Jinzhi locked herself in her room and wept uncontrollably.
Later, when Second Sister Bai Jinxiu arrived, Bai Jinzhi couldn’t wait and rode toward the capital that very night, not even waiting for Zhao Sheng, instructing Master Cai to return to the capital with Zhao Sheng and the troops.
Bai Jinzhi’s return was quite dramatic. Upon entering the city that day… thinking that Bai Qingyan was carrying her little nephew or niece, as the fourth aunt she certainly couldn’t arrive empty-handed.
After entering the city, she went to select gifts for the child in Elder Sister’s womb. By coincidence, she encountered several men grumbling and expressing dissatisfaction that women could now study and take imperial examinations. Bai Jinzhi was so angry that she argued with those men. They happened to be pedantic scholars full of classical expressions, and since Bai Jinzhi wasn’t well-read, she drew her whip and gave them a good beating, alarming the city patrol.
The one currently leading the city patrol was none other than Lu Ping…
When Lu Ping arrived with the patrol soldiers, curious onlookers had surrounded the scene three layers deep. He saw the guards that Fourth Miss had brought back surrounding the shop entrance, while Fourth Miss stood inside the shop, blocking the doorway, wielding her whip with great skill, trapping several pedantic scholars inside the shop. Her whip, seemingly soft, wound around lacquered pillars with perfect precision to strike those men’s faces.
While marveling at how Fourth Miss’s whip technique had become even more advanced, Lu Ping quickly stepped forward to intervene.
After much persuasion, he managed to restrain Bai Jinzhi, who angrily pointed her whip at the pedantic scholar covering his face and crying out in pain, saying: “You can’t accomplish anything, yet you dare to complain about this and that! Why should only men be able to become officials? Then why don’t you say only men can fight wars? When it’s time to fight, you hide in the back; when it’s time to risk your lives, you hide in the back. My Elder Sister conquered the realm… women can even become emperors, so what’s wrong with being an official?! If you have the ability, go take the imperial examinations and outperform the women! Don’t give women the opportunity to become officials!”
“Enough, Fourth Miss! Let’s go see Elder Miss first!” Lu Ping lowered his voice to persuade, “If you use your whip on common people, be careful that Elder Miss will punish you with family discipline!”
Bai Jinzhi: “…”
Uncle Ping was bringing up the very thing she didn’t want to hear.
But since she had already started, she still had to finish what she was saying.