Ever since Bai Qingyan learned of this Tianfeng Kingdom, she had always maintained a wariness toward it…

This Tianfeng Kingdom could forge invincible weapons, yet for so many years had remained peacefully within its borders. This could be said to indicate a ruler content with the status quo. But now knowing that Tianfeng Kingdom had an elephant army, and had begun preparing fur coverings for the elephant army long ago, and at a time when both Great Yan and Great Zhou were eyeing Western Liang covetously, they sent their elephant army to Western Liang – what was their purpose?

Could it be that they were willing to pay such a great price to fight for Western Liang just for the small benefits Western Liang could offer? Was Tianfeng Kingdom’s ruler a sage… or were all the court ministers sages?

Bai Qingyan had Yue Shi deliver the message to Xiao Rongyan so he could prepare in advance, though perhaps she was worrying too much – with Xiao Rongyan’s intelligence network, he might already have received the news.

“Go!” Bai Qingyan said to Yue Shi. “Deliver the message as quickly as possible. If we’re late, Tianfeng Kingdom’s elephant army might already be in motion!”

“Yes!” Yue Shi clasped his fists, withdrew from the hall, and hurriedly departed to deliver the message to Great Yan.

After Yue Shi left, Bai Qingyan called out: “Someone, come!”

Wei Zhong entered upon hearing: “Your Majesty…”

Bai Qingyan lowered her gaze, spread out a piece of parchment, and dipped her brush in ink: “Have Lu Ping come quickly!”

“Yes!” Seeing Bai Qingyan’s grave expression, Wei Zhong immediately sent someone to summon Lu Ping urgently.

Bai Qingyan sat behind the desk, contemplated briefly, wrote the final characters on the parchment, and had just placed it in a message tube when Lu Ping arrived breathlessly.

“Uncle Ping…” Bai Qingyan rose and walked around the desk to Lu Ping, handing him the message tube. “Uncle Ping, I don’t trust anyone else. Take our Bai family people and quickly go to the Rong barbarians to find Ah Yu. Tell Ah Yu… the time has come for him to return home!”

Hearing these words, Lu Ping’s eyes suddenly moistened. He took the message tube and gripped it tightly: “Yes! This subordinate will immediately take people to find the Fifth Young Master! First Miss is now with child, please take care of yourself. When going out, be sure to have Wei Zhong accompany you!”

Wei Zhong’s martial arts skills were unfathomable – only with Wei Zhong protecting Bai Qingyan could Lu Ping feel at ease.

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing,” Bai Qingyan said.

Watching Lu Ping depart quickly, Bai Qingyan’s fists clenched at her sides. The situation had changed – the previous strategy toward Western Liang could no longer be used. Only by letting Western Liang and Tianfeng Kingdom know that the Rong barbarians were already Great Zhou territory would they have to consider carefully if they wanted to move against Great Zhou, the strongest power.

Afterward, Bai Qingyan quietly left the palace in plain clothes, taking a carriage to the military camp to examine these giant beasts.

Grand Commandant Lu, Minister of Education Shen Jingzhong, Minister of Works Dong Qingping, Minister of War Zhang Duanning, and Minister of Revenue Wei Bugong appeared one after another outside the capital’s gates. After greeting each other, they inquired… all were completely puzzled, knowing only that His Majesty had summoned them to the military camp, but not knowing what for.

Before long, they saw a luxurious six-horse carriage emerge from the city gates. Bai Jinzhi, Fu Ruoxi, and Xie Yuchang in plain clothes rode at the front with Wei Zhong, while armed guards in brown clothing rode alongside the carriage for protection.

Bai Jinzhi reined in her horse and approached. The officials quickly bowed to Bai Jinzhi.

After dismounting and returning their courtesy, she said: “Grand Commandant, Minister of Education, Minister of Works, and both Ministers – His Majesty requests that you five gentlemen board the carriage. There’s still some distance to the military camp, and His Majesty has important matters to discuss with you gentlemen along the way.”

Hearing Bai Jinzhi’s words, Grand Commandant Lu nodded and led the other four officials aboard the carriage. After bowing to Bai Qingyan, they all knelt and sat across from the desk.

Seeing this, Bai Jinzhi called out loudly: “Move out…”

The carriage slowly began moving. Chun Tao, kneeling to one side, quickly served tea to the officials, then obediently knelt behind Bai Qingyan in a respectful posture.

“For Your Majesty to summon us so urgently, has something happened in Nan Jiang?” Grand Commandant Lu was extremely perceptive.

Bai Qingyan placed the letter that Bai Qingqi had sent back on the desk, pushing it toward the officials: “Gentlemen, please look at this. It was sent back by Ah Qi.”

After the officials huddled together to carefully read the letter, they were quite surprised. Grand Commandant Lu looked up at Bai Qingyan: “This old minister has heard of Tianfeng Kingdom, but… this elephant army – can elephants truly be trained into military units?”

“Naturally, they can…” Bai Qingyan nodded. “I received word as early as the beginning of September that Western Liang’s Female Emperor had gone to Tianfeng Kingdom for assistance. Tianfeng Kingdom not only possesses invincible weapons but also has a massive elephant army. So I sent word to Han City requesting that Duke Auxiliary send elephants and elephant trainers. They’re now at the military camp, which is why I’m taking you gentlemen to see them.”

Grand Commandant Lu stroked the letter in his hand and said: “Now that the elephant army is hovering along our borders, does this indicate impending war?”

“This subordinate doesn’t think so…” Shen Jingzhong spoke up. “Great Zhou is currently the strongest among Western Liang, the Rong barbarians, and Great Yan. I estimate… Western Liang fears the Rong barbarians will attack Western Liang while Great Zhou takes advantage of the chaos. They’ve requested Tianfeng Kingdom’s assistance, using the elephant army to intimidate Great Zhou! After all… what does Western Liang currently have to offer Tianfeng Kingdom?”

“Land, population, and fine horses!” Minister of Revenue Wei Bugong frowned as he spoke. “Isn’t that what nations fight wars for? Especially given Tianfeng Kingdom’s location – though separated by snow mountains and deserts, unlike Western Liang, they have no farmland, and even less… plains like our Great Zhou and Yan Kingdom.”

Wei Bugong had become interested in this Tianfeng Kingdom after hearing about it and had researched it extensively: “I fear… with Tianfeng Kingdom’s elephant army having entered Western Liang territory or even reached our Great Zhou borders, Western Liang is no longer a Western Liang that the Female Emperor and Western Liang’s eight great families can control!”

Since ancient times, those who held military power were the strong ones. Wei Bugong also guessed… the Western Liang Female Emperor had probably invited a wolf into her house. After all… with the elephant army now in Western Liang territory, seizing Western Liang would be a matter of moments for Tianfeng Kingdom.

“Therefore, this subordinate believes that perhaps Tianfeng Kingdom already views Western Liang as their possession, intending to use their elephant army to forcibly seize other nations’ fertile lands and people!” After Wei Bugong finished speaking, as if fearing Bai Qingyan wouldn’t believe him, he added: “After all, if Tianfeng Kingdom had no intention of conquering other nations, why would they expend such great effort on an elephant army? For defending cities, elephant armies are useless! Unless it’s for battlefield confrontations requiring elephant armies to break formations and breach cities.”

Wei Bugong looked at Bai Qingyan: “But even so… maintaining an elephant army requires enormous resources. Just for self-protection against other nations’ aggression, they certainly wouldn’t maintain too many! Tianfeng Kingdom is wealthy, but their location determines that food… isn’t that abundant! Yet Tianfeng Kingdom maintains a massive elephant army, providing them with armor and fur coverings! Their intentions are clear.”

Zhang Duanning also nodded: “Elephants are such massive beasts – making fur coverings for them… and providing armor. If you say such a nation has no intention of conquering other countries, this subordinate wouldn’t believe it either!”