Bai Qingyan nodded and turned her head to signal Wei Zhong to lead the others out. Feng Yao, who had not yet settled in his seat, also stood up, bowed to Bai Qingyan once more, and withdrew together with Wei Zhong. A’nu, who was beside Empress Dowager Yan, also bowed and withdrew.
“If the Empress Dowager has something to say, please speak freely,” Bai Qingyan said with a smile.
Empress Dowager Yan sat upright with proper posture, her gaze falling upon Bai Qingyan’s abdomen as she said, “I am A’yan’s sister-in-law. Since I already know that the child in Emperor Zhou’s womb is A’yan’s flesh and blood, I dare to presume… to regard myself as Emperor Zhou’s sister-in-law. May I ask Emperor Zhou… now that you and A’yan have a child together, when the Western Liang war ends, will A’yan fake his death to escape and reunite with Emperor Zhou and the child?”
Bai Qingyan quietly gazed at Empress Dowager Yan…
Since Murong Yan and Murong Li had not told Empress Dowager Yan about the future unification of the two countries, and Murong Li’s original intention was for their Yan Kingdom to propose it, Bai Qingyan saw no need to reveal everything to Empress Dowager Yan at this time.
She shook her head and said, “The Empress Dowager is A’yan’s sister-in-law, and the wife of Yan’s late emperor, the birth mother of the current Emperor of Yan. You should know… whether it was Yan’s late emperor, or A’yan, or the current Emperor of Yan, all have harbored the aspiration to unify the realm! And I was born into the Bai family, whose generations-old grand wish has been to see the day when the realm is at peace and the seas are calm!”
Bai Qingyan steadily gazed at Empress Dowager Yan, whose complexion was gradually growing pale, and continued, “A’yan and I each have our ambitions and aspirations. We once agreed that when faced with matters concerning our two countries, we would prioritize the interests of our respective nations above personal feelings.”
Empress Dowager Yan was so shocked that she stood up, “You mean that in the future… when Western Liang is pacified, Yan will seek to unify the realm, and Great Zhou will also seek to unify the realm! Perhaps you’ll even fight each other? But… but you’ve already married A’yan! You are A’yan’s wife and carry A’yan’s child—why… why can’t you yield and allow the realm to be unified?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Empress Dowager Yan knew she had spoken most inappropriately.
Bai Qingyan was now Emperor of Great Zhou—how could she possibly yield and allow the realm to be unified under her son’s rule? This was impossible…
Everyone has selfish desires, just like herself. Even though she knew A’yan had contributed more to Yan than little A’li, even though she knew A’yan might be more suitable as emperor than A’li, she still didn’t want her late husband’s Great Yan kingdom to fall into someone else’s hands.
Bai Qingyan was not angered, only smiled as she said to Empress Dowager Yan, “Then why couldn’t Great Yan be the one to yield and allow the realm to be unified? Empress Dowager… do not impose upon others what you would not desire. My bond with A’yan is genuine, and A’yan and I indeed have a child together, but these are my personal feelings, not matters of state—they are not reasons for all of Great Zhou to yield.”
“But you’ve already married A’yan!” Empress Dowager Yan said this with no confidence whatsoever.
Bai Qingyan’s eyes remained calm, still wearing that unperturbed expression as she said, “When the late Emperor of Yan was still alive, he once asked me this same question—if one day only two countries remained, how should I balance state affairs and my bond with A’yan. Today, when the Empress Dowager raises this with me again, I give the same answer: personal feelings are personal feelings, and national affairs between the two countries are decided without regard to personal feelings. In this regard… Murong Yan has done very well, and I can do the same without any burden on my conscience!”
Empress Dowager Yan looked at Bai Qingyan in disbelief. From what Bai Qingyan was saying, A’yan had never considered personal feelings when discussing state affairs.
“Besides this, I wonder if the Empress Dowager has any other guidance for me?” Bai Qingyan asked with a gentle smile.
Coming here today, Empress Dowager Yan had originally thought that in the future, Bai Qingyan would surely force A’yan to fake his death and escape to Great Zhou. She had never expected to receive such an answer—that the two countries might still fight in the future over who would become master of this realm, unable to form a peaceful alliance.
This was even worse than having A’yan fake his death to escape to Great Zhou!
Speaking of warfare, this Bai Qingyan was the “God of Slaughter” whom even her late husband Murong Yu had praised, and Great Zhou had numerous elite troops and capable generals. If they truly came to blows, Yan would likely be no match for Zhou with its deeper foundations.
Looking at Bai Qingyan, Empress Dowager Yan truly couldn’t understand how a woman’s heart could be so ruthlessly decisive. Having feelings for A’yan and bearing his child, yet still wanting to destroy A’yan’s Kingdom—how could a person be born so utterly without regard for kinship?
“Aren’t you afraid that in the future, when the child learns you fought against his father’s Kingdom, he will resent you?” Empress Dowager Yan stared wide-eyed.
“I don’t understand what the Empress Dowager means by this.” She smiled and lowered her gaze, gently caressing her abdomen. “This child belongs to Xiao Rongyan, the righteous merchant who has shown kindness to my Bai family. What does it have to do with Yan’s Prince Nine? Unless someone who knows that Prince Nine of Great Yan is Xiao Rongyan wants to root out all the intelligence networks that Yan has buried everywhere under the guise of… merchant associations, actually transmitting information for Yan, otherwise no one will know that Xiao Rongyan is Prince Nine of Yan.”
“Are you… threatening me?” Empress Dowager Yan’s heart pounded violently. She had originally come today to plead with Bai Qingyan, begging her to remember that she and A’li were a pitiful widow and orphan, and to persuade Murong Yan not to abandon Yan and leave them as a widow and orphan. Who would have thought she’d not only learn that Bai Qingyan was utterly without regard for kinship, but also be threatened by her?
“Is this how you treat A’yan’s sister-in-law?” Empress Dowager Yan’s eyes reddened with moisture, and even her voice couldn’t help but choke up. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell A’yan?”
“Everything I’ve said to the Empress Dowager today is the truth, and A’yan knows it all.” She made a gesture of invitation to Empress Dowager Yan. “The Empress Dowager is welcome to speak directly to A’yan.”
Empress Dowager Yan clenched her hands into tight fists. She understood… Bai Qingyan was the Empress of Great Zhou, and she had nothing to fear. She was different from those women who lived by depending on men.
Even more so, this Bai Qingyan had no genuine feelings for A’yan—she had only married A’yan because she learned that Xiao Rongyan was Prince Nine of Great Yan. She knew A’yan was deeply devoted and righteous, so she wanted to use the child in her womb to control and constrain A’yan at the appropriate time!
Thinking of this, Empress Dowager Yan’s scalp tightened. She suppressed the stinging sensation in her eyes and looked at Bai Qingyan with wariness, saying, “I will not let you harm A’yan!”
“Empress Dowager, I have no intention of harming A’yan. I’m not trying to use the child to control A’yan, or… coerce A’yan into doing anything,” she said, supporting herself on the chair’s armrest as she stood up. “What I’ve said today is only to tell the Empress Dowager that we two have long reached a consensus to put the Kingdom first. Please rest assured, Empress Dowager!”
Tears welled up in Empress Dowager Yan’s eyes. She was A’yan’s sister-in-law—if this Bai Qingyan truly had deep feelings for A’yan, even if she didn’t treat her with utmost respect, at least she wouldn’t speak to her in such a manner!
“If the Empress Dowager has no other matters, Great Zhou’s army is about to depart, so I won’t detain the Empress Dowager any further.” Bai Qingyan smiled and made a gesture of invitation to Empress Dowager Yan.