Xiao Rongyan slowly told Bai Qingyan about the events that had occurred day by day…
That day, Murong Li knelt sitting across from Xiao Rongyan and said to him: “Now that Sister Bai has Ninth Uncle’s child, that child… carries the bloodline of both Great Zhou’s and Great Yan’s royal families! Ninth Uncle’s flesh and blood! A’Li received this imperial throne from Ninth Uncle, and A’Li has always been thinking… that someday, I should pass the throne to Ninth Uncle’s child! But… A’Li knows that Ninth Uncle has deep feelings for Sister Bai, and Sister Bai has difficulty bearing children, so… I’ve been worried about this for quite some time!”
In Murong Li’s view, this Great Yan throne was originally meant to be passed to Ninth Uncle by his father, but Ninth Uncle had given the throne to him instead… and willingly became the villain to achieve Great Yan’s strength and to fulfill him as Great Yan’s emperor. This was the sacrifice Ninth Uncle made for Yan Nation and himself. With his pure and kind nature, Murong Li was also willing to hand over that future powerful Yan Nation to Ninth Uncle’s flesh and blood.
“A’Li believes that Sister Bai’s pregnancy this time is a sign from Heaven to our two nations, so… what Sister Bai said to Ninth Uncle about the two nations merging and unifying the realm, with Ninth Uncle and Sister Bai’s flesh and blood ascending to the throne in the future… is not impossible!”
Although Murong Li was young, his magnanimity was something Xiao Rongyan admitted he couldn’t match.
In Murong Li’s view, what Bai Qingyan said was indeed correct – the Murong family was not born to be emperors by nature, having originally seized the Yan Nation throne from others.
Now their Yan Nation had the ambitious aspiration to dominate the world, aiming to establish eternal foundations, but it was also for world peace and for the people to live and work in contentment.
Murong Li’s gaze was pure and upright as he calmly said to Xiao Rongyan: “If the two nations determine victory by whose national policies can make the people prosperous and strong, avoiding the suffering of war for the people and uniting as one nation, this would certainly be remembered throughout history! After all, no emperor has ever had such magnanimity. If Yan Nation and Great Zhou dare to set this precedent, they will surely be revered for ten thousand generations, and the Murong family… will also be remembered by posterity for their magnanimity!”
“Ninth Uncle, this realm… has never belonged to one family name! Who among us dares guarantee that our Murong family won’t be replaced by another surname in the future?” Murong Li looked solemnly at Xiao Rongyan, his voice grave. “But if the two nations unite for the people’s prosperity, establish a new dynastic name, and have Ninth Uncle and the Great Zhou Female Emperor’s flesh and blood inherit the throne, this realm will have the people’s support and will surely last much longer! The longer the peaceful days… the more the people will remember the merit of the two emperors who decided to unite for the people’s sake!”
After hearing Murong Li’s words, Xiao Rongyan gained a new understanding of his nephew.
Although Murong Li was young, his magnanimity and far-sighted wisdom… now even surpassed his own by much.
Perhaps it was because the burden of “Great Yan” on Xiao Rongyan’s shoulders was too heavy, always treating Great Yan as his own family’s, caring too much about his own gains and losses.
While Murong Li, young as he was, had been more influenced by the books left by his mother, Empress Ji, in the palace. At his tender age, he had witnessed the suffering of the Yan Nation’s people. Though he was a prince, he had also suffered alongside the people, seen what kind of price Yan Nation’s people had paid to preserve their nation, because the people believed that Yan Nation’s policies could give them good lives!
Murong Li had established his aspiration from childhood to let all people live good lives.
Seeing that Xiao Rongyan remained silent, Murong Li added: “Moreover, Ninth Uncle, A’Li also has this confidence – I believe that we Murong family have been royalty for generations, and our Yan Nation’s policies… must certainly be better than the national policies established by Sister Bai, who became emperor halfway through!”
Murong Li’s gaze was firm: “Therefore, A’Li is willing to gamble with Sister Bai on victory or defeat!”
If Yan Nation won, then in the future… wouldn’t it be even better for Great Zhou to belong to Great Yan? Murong Li would still hand this throne to Ninth Uncle and Ninth Aunt’s flesh and blood, so the Great Zhou court officials probably wouldn’t have any objections.
Xiao Rongyan looked at Murong Li’s confident appearance and said to him: “A’Li, your confidence is good, but… precisely because Qingyan became emperor halfway through, she works harder and more diligently than anyone else, and… the Bai family’s tradition of protecting and serving the people has long been ingrained in the Bai family’s blood, so… Great Zhou’s new policies will certainly start from the people’s interests. Do you understand this point?”
“I understand, and I understand the Bai family’s traditions, and I understand Sister Bai even more…” Murong Li’s voice paused as he looked up at Xiao Rongyan, then smiled and corrected himself, “I understand Ninth Aunt’s magnanimity and heart for protecting the people even more. But… looking through history books and the books left by Grandmother, just as Grandmother once said, the governing methods Grandmother left behind are too advanced for the current times! They may not truly be implementable, at least not in Yan Nation!”
“So, if Ninth Aunt truly implements new laws in Great Zhou and makes Great Zhou prosperous with wealthy people and a strong nation, then uniting with Great Zhou would also be good for Yan Nation’s people!” Murong Li said frankly. “A’Li would lose willingly – after all, it’s the people who benefit.”
Since that conversation with Murong Li, Xiao Rongyan had been contemplating this matter. Coming to Great Zhou today was also to discuss this matter more thoroughly with Bai Qingyan.
Bai Qingyan had indeed underestimated Murong Li. She hadn’t expected that, though he was born into the imperial family, at such a young age… he would be willing to stop warfare for the people’s sake.
She lowered her gaze to look at her own belly, then asked Xiao Rongyan: “You came this time also to discuss this matter with me?”
Xiao Rongyan nodded: “Little A’Li has confidence in Great Yan’s policies, and he also feels sorry for the people…”
There was also another reason – Murong Li wanted to return the throne to Xiao Rongyan’s child in the future.
“So, I have an idea. Let me tell A’Bao about it…” Xiao Rongyan sat down beside Bai Qingyan, grasping her hand and gently massaging it.
Bai Qingyan nodded.
“Zhou and Yan… why don’t we set a date for an alliance meeting at the border between our two nations? The Great Zhou Female Emperor would bring Great Zhou’s important ministers and all officials, while the Yan Nation Emperor and the Ninth Prince would bring Yan Nation’s officials to establish a covenant at the junction of our two nations, setting a timeframe of several years… and how to determine whose nation is more prosperous and strong after those years!” Xiao Rongyan said earnestly.
Hearing Xiao Rongyan speak this way, Bai Qingyan’s heart beat rapidly several times. She truly hadn’t expected that Murong Yan and Murong Li would make this decision.
“But will Great Yan’s court officials agree? Will Great Yan’s royal family agree? Once this matter is proposed… the opposition in Yan’s court will certainly be enormous, and perhaps… it will shake Yan Nation! The same goes for Great Zhou!” Bai Qingyan said.
Initially, Bai Qingyan intended to do this after both nations were stable, but hearing Xiao Rongyan’s meaning, he wanted to settle this matter quickly.
Xiao Rongyan nodded, indicating that he understood Bai Qingyan’s concerns, and said: “So we need to perform! Whether it’s Yan Nation or Great Zhou, being able to take down another strong nation without bloodshed – it’s human nature for an emperor to be tempted!”