“Exactly…” Shen Tianzhi added fuel to the fire: “It’s just about wanting grain – why bother with stationing troops, relocating Tianfeng citizens, and hiring our people! How troublesome!”

Sa’er Khan: “…”

“What does Yan think?” After speaking, Liu Rushi looked toward the Yan court ministers, seeking their opinion while completely disregarding what Tianfeng might think.

The corners of Murong Yan’s lips curved into a smile as he picked up his teacup. Great Zhou’s eloquent Liu Rushi truly never disappointed. No wonder Great Zhou’s Minister Shen sat there drinking tea so calmly without the slightest worry.

“Lord Liu speaks correctly!” Yan’s court ministers also nodded: “Such a simple matter – why make it so complicated with their troops stationed and us sending soldiers!”

Sa’er Khan glanced at Liu Rushi, feeling quite displeased: “Leasing land… whether facing natural disasters or man-made calamities, whatever grain is harvested is entirely our responsibility, but if buying grain…”

“Buying grain, regardless of natural disasters or man-made calamities, we’ll give you however much you want – isn’t that Tianfeng profiting?” Liu Rushi countered: “Tianfeng’s sovereign’s insistence inevitably makes people suspect that Tianfeng’s desire to lease our Great Zhou cities has ulterior motives.”

Yan’s officials nodded along, increasingly convinced Liu Rushi was right.

“This alliance is simple to establish!” Liu Rushi clasped his hands in his sleeves and straightened his back: “Tianfeng’s relationship with Xiliang appears exceptionally good now. If Xiliang is willing to lease cities and land to you, our Great Zhou won’t interfere! But… Tianfeng’s troops absolutely cannot cross our Great Zhou’s borders by half a step! Each year, we’ll choose a day to deliver grain to the border and hand it over to you – money and goods exchanged cleanly and efficiently.”

“Well said…” Yan’s officials looked toward Murong Li and Murong Yan: “What do Your Majesty and the Ninth Prince think?”

Murong Yan’s fingers rubbed against his teacup as he smiled: “This prince thinks… excellent.”

“What does Your Majesty think?” Liu Rushi also requested Bai Qingyan’s instructions.

“Excellent!” Bai Qingyan nodded.

“If Tianfeng’s sovereign also finds this acceptable, let’s redraft the alliance!” Liu Rushi declared.

If Tianfeng only wanted grain, this method would be best for them. If Tianfeng was unwilling to redraft the alliance, it would sufficiently expose their ambitions, and neither Great Zhou’s nor Great Yan’s officials present were fools.

Sa’er Khan was searching for a solution, his lips pressed tightly as he turned to look at the great shaman’s disciple.

The great shaman’s disciple’s gaze fell upon Bai Qingyan, staring intently at her. He silently muttered something, feeling that Bai Qingyan seemed like the master chosen by the gods for this land… yet also seemed not to be.

Sa’er Khan’s eyelid twitched as he raised his eyebrows to question the great shaman’s disciple, then saw the disciple look toward Great Yan’s Ninth Prince.

The great shaman’s disciple gripped his robe tightly – this Ninth Prince gave him… the same feeling.

The great shaman’s disciple’s back was already soaked with sweat. Could he tell His Majesty that he couldn’t determine which of Great Yan’s Ninth Prince and this Great Zhou Empress was the master chosen by the gods for this land?

He felt that perhaps… they were the parents of this land’s master? Their offspring might all become masters of this land?

That wasn’t right either…

The great shaman’s disciple fell into confusing thoughts.

The god-chosen master must have already appeared, otherwise… the great shaman wouldn’t have received the warning.

Could it be that this land’s master was related to the Great Zhou Empress and Yan’s Ninth Prince, but hadn’t arrived today?

Li Tianfu had been sitting there silently. She glanced at Sa’er Khan and sneered inwardly. She had long told Sa’er Khan that rather than dawdling here, making alliances through gradual erosion, he should directly rely on the elephant army to attack the Great Zhou. Only cities and land conquered by one’s military forces could truly be grasped in hand.

Now look – Great Yan and Great Zhou had signed an alliance. Attack one nation, and the other would surely intervene.

Li Tianfu stood up and looked at Bai Qingyan: “Bai Qingyan… you surely haven’t forgotten your three-year agreement with Yun Poxing?”

Bai Qingyan nodded.

“And I’ll never forget the great vengeance for Lu Tianzhuo. Xiliang and the Great Zhou must have a battle!”

Bai Qingyan looked at Li Tianfu with calm indifference, appearing to listen attentively.

“Xiliang Empress…” Sa’er Khan frowned deeply.

Li Tianfu ignored him and turned to look at Murong Li and Murong Yan: “Previously, Yan and the Rong tribes had an alliance – within three years, you’re not allowed to interfere with Xiliang…”

Hearing this, Bai Jinzhi couldn’t help but laugh. She looked at Li Tianfu: “The Rong tribes are gone, now incorporated into Great Zhou… doesn’t Princess Xiliang know this?”

“I don’t care! But… since Yan previously signed such an alliance with the Rong tribes, within three years, you cannot move against Xiliang!” Li Tianfu declared stupidly but imposingly.

Sa’er Khan clenched his fists tightly, barely able to contain his murderous intent. How could such a stupid woman as Li Tianfu exist in this world – more hindrance than help. Had Xiliang’s former emperor given all his intelligence to Li Tianjiao, leaving only indulgence and stupidity for Li Tianfu?

Unable to restrain his murderous intent, Sa’er Khan took out a jade cicada from his sleeve, gripping and rubbing it in his palm, unwilling to participate in Li Tianfu’s stupidity.

Bai Qingyan raised her eyes to look at Li Tianfu, a faint smile barely visible at the corners of her lips.

Bai Jinzhi was so angered by Li Tianfu’s “I don’t care” that she laughed aloud.

“You want to manage it, but who’s letting you manage? What gives you the right to manage? Is it because Xiliang people are shameless?” Bai Jinzhi truly didn’t know what Li Tianfu had eaten growing up: “Think everyone’s your mother to indulge you! Still saying ‘I don’t care!’ If you want to throw tantrums… if you want to act spoiled, roll back to Xiliang! Don’t disgust people here! This is the great tent of a four-nation alliance – matters of state and diplomacy. Is this the place for your tantrums?”

Li Tianfu’s expression was ugly. Looking at Murong Li like a soft persimmon, she asked: “Is the Yan Emperor planning not to honor the alliance?”

Before Murong Li could speak, Murong Yan spoke first…

“Alliances are mutually binding. Now that the Rong tribes are gone, how does Princess Xiliang think… this alliance could still unilaterally bind our Great Yan?” Murong Yan’s cold, stern gaze looked toward Li Tianfu as he mocked: “Borrowing a phrase from Great Zhou’s noble gentleman, this prince would like to ask Princess Xiliang – could it be… because Xiliang people are all shameless?”

Xiao Rongyan’s already low, cold voice carried mockery that was so piercing Li Tianfu wanted to draw her sword and strike down this Yan Ninth Prince.

Furious beyond measure, Li Tianfu sneered coldly: “So Yan has clung to Great Zhou’s coattails and wants to join forces with Great Zhou to bully our Xiliang!”

Sa’er Khan gripped the jade cicada tightly, his murderous intent uncontainable. He closed his eyes – an alliance meeting… had been turned into a farce by Li Tianfu.