Those former nobles who had deep roots in the Jin Dynasty were filled with anxiety during Bai Qingyan’s ascension, only seeking to preserve their lives…

Those vassal princes originally thought that since Bai Qingyan had just ascended the throne and needed to stabilize the overall situation, they could compete with her. Instead, they were cleanly eliminated by Bai Qingyan. To this day, Bai Qingyan has never supported new nobles in court. Naturally, there’s no need to mention Bai Qingyan’s maternal family, the Dong clan. Her aunts also restrain their own maternal families, not daring to let their natal families grow too powerful.

Since Bai Qingyan’s ascension until now, she has only recently enfeoffed her younger brothers and sisters. This was partly planning to grant them royal titles after destroying Western Liang, and partly for show to court ministers, to give her aunts an excuse to suppress their maternal families when they sought official positions from the aunts.

Now, Bai Qingyan was well aware that because she had enfeoffed her brothers and sisters as princes and marquises, those “relatives” in her aunts’ families had all stirred with ambition.

However, Bai Qingqi and Bai Qingyu’s princely titles were earned through risking their lives on the battlefield. Her aunts could easily deflect this, saying that since Bai Qingyan treated her blood siblings and cousins equally, if they wanted official positions, they should go earn them through battlefield combat themselves. Since Bai Qingyan was also of military background, she naturally wouldn’t shortchange military officers.

But these several aunts of Bai Qingyan, to be able to marry into the Bai family, their family backgrounds were all distinguished. Since they could let their descendants enjoy benefits based on ancestral achievements, how could they bear to send their precious ones to the battlefield to suffer and seek fame?

Therefore, whenever the aunts’ maternal families brought up these matters, as long as the aunts spoke of military merit, they could still suppress such talk. However, inevitably, the maternal families would mention past care they had shown the aunts when they were still at home, and the aunts would inevitably have to part with some wealth. But as long as it didn’t affect the greater picture, in Bai Qingyan’s view, these were secondary matters – she could make up for it behind the scenes for her aunts.

It could be said that throughout the Great Zhou, very few major events occurred that went against Bai Qingyan’s wishes.

But Xiao Rongyan was surrounded by incompetent burdens who held him back, yet he couldn’t move or touch them. This showed that Xiao Rongyan’s life in Yan wasn’t as comfortable as rumors suggested, but rather constantly frustrating, with no one to confide in.

“Pass down the order to set up checkpoints at every level. We must capture this Yan National Uncle. If we let this Yan National Uncle assassinate our Great Zhou court ministers on our Great Zhou territory and come and go as he pleases, wouldn’t that make our people think our Great Zhou is too disgraceful!”

Wei Zhong acknowledged the order and was about to send someone to relay it when he saw Bai Qingyan’s face darken as she spoke again: “Within three days, I want to see the person, dead or alive!”

“Yes!” Now Wei Zhong knew that Bai Qingyan was truly furious and hurried off to relay the orders.

Who knew that after Wei Zhong sent people to deliver the message, before the wanted posters could even be issued, there was another dramatic turn – this Yan National Uncle had returned.

He went to the Supreme Court, saying he wanted to personally confront the assassin, and his previous escape wasn’t an escape at all. Rather, he had been confined to the embassy, knowing nothing, and wanting this matter to be resolved quickly so they could discuss the great affairs between the two nations, he had his guards escort him out of the embassy. But he wasn’t fleeing for his life – he wanted to come to the Supreme Court to assist with the case.

Upon hearing this, Bai Qingyan smiled. This was probably Xiao Rongyan’s handiwork. Only Xiao Rongyan could bring back this cowardly Yan National Uncle. Presumably, Xiao Rongyan had informed this Yan National Uncle that the assassin was dead, having Zhong Xingxiao pretend ignorance and go to the Supreme Court demanding confrontation.

Bai Qingyan, who was reviewing memorials, smiled when Wei Zhong reported this matter: “Since the Yan National Uncle has delivered himself to our door, then let’s detain him!”

This could be considered Zhong Xingxiao’s good fortune – he preserved his life. Originally Bai Qingyan’s intention was… to bring back the corpse would suffice.

Since Xiao Rongyan had intervened to save this fool’s life, Bai Qingyan would let this Zhong Xingxiao live a few more days and enjoy his time in the capital city.

The Bai family’s eighth daughter, Bai Wanqing, secretly hid behind a pillar, stealing glances at her eldest sister. She watched as her eldest sister wiped her hands with the hot towel Chun Tao handed her, picked up her teacup, lowered her eyes, and sipped tea in small mouthfuls. Her brows carried a faint smile, indescribably elegant and composed, her movements extremely pleasing to watch.

Bai Qingyan set down her teacup, picked up her brush to review memorials, and smiled as she spoke: “I wonder when a little mouse snuck into this great hall…”

Bai Wanqing, having been raised by Qi Shi after all, immediately knew upon hearing these words that her eldest sister had discovered her. She quickly emerged from behind the red lacquered golden dragon pillar and pattered over to her eldest sister.

The little one used her hands and feet to slip through her eldest sister’s arms and, just like when she was small, sat securely and properly on Bai Qingyan’s lap: “Eldest Sister, my mother asked Great Aunt to lend Nanny Qin to teach me etiquette. I heard that Eldest Sister’s etiquette was taught by Nanny Qin. Will Nanny Qin be particularly strict?”

The little girl placed her small hands on Bai Qingyan’s arm, looked up with grape-like big eyes, gazing hopefully at Bai Qingyan, her pupils carrying some apprehension.

“Nanny Qin is the gentlest there is, different from other teaching nannies!” Bai Qingyan set down her brush, held Bai Wanqing in her embrace, raised her hand to smooth the loose hair by Bai Wanqing’s temples, and patted the two small buns on Bai Wanqing’s head, smiling, “As long as Little Eight learns according to what Nanny teaches, nothing will go wrong. Moreover, our Little Eight is already clever – if Nanny Qin explains something once, Little Eight will certainly learn it all!”

Children of this age also love to hear praise. She immediately beamed, losing that apprehension: “Of course!”

Bai Qingyan looked up at Chun Tao, who stood nearby with a smile, saying: “Didn’t you say Mother just had Nanny Qin send over a cup of goat’s milk? Bring it over and add a plate of bird’s nest steamed cakes.”

“Yes!” Chun Tao smiled and went out to prepare.

The bird’s nest steamed cakes were sweet and soft. Bai Wanqing had a sweet tooth. Fifth Aunt, seeing Bai Wanqing’s rounded figure and fearing that indulging her daughter’s appetite now would lead to regret when her daughter reached the age of loving beauty like flowers, deliberately restricted Bai Wanqing’s gluttony. But Bai Qingyan felt that little girls looked better with some roundness. When she grew taller and truly began practicing martial arts, the current roundness wouldn’t matter at all – Little Fifth was a living example.

“Eldest Sister, the flower banquet is the day after tomorrow. Mother said she’ll also invite children from ministers’ families of my age into the palace. I can choose a study companion for myself – is this true?” Bai Wanqing was somewhat eager to try.

Children always want to play together with other children. Though this palace was large… There were young maidservants to accompany Bai Wanqing, and she was doted upon by so many elders and her eldest sister; those maidservants inevitably felt apprehensive before her, and she had to mind her manners before the elders. Bai Wanqing inevitably felt lonely.

Though there was still Wang Ge’er in the palace, Wang Ge’er was younger than Bai Wanqing, and Bai Wanqing always found him annoying.