After Wei Zhong returned to the palace, he reported to Bai Qingyan when Sa’er Khan’s group had arrived in the capital and repeated Sa’er Khan’s words verbatim. Quite worried, he said: “Your Majesty, this Tianfeng ruler comes with ill intent. I fear he’s targeting Your Majesty.”

“Could it be that he’d abandon his Tianfeng to come be an Imperial Consort in our Great Zhou?” Seeing Wei Zhong’s serious expression, Bai Qingyan chuckled lightly, using her brush handle to tap the jade cicada at the corner of the table. “Most likely, he’s after that jade cicada in Imperial Consort Xiao Rongyan’s possession.”

Wei Zhong thought about it and agreed. After all, Sa’er Khan was the ruler of Tianfeng – surely he wouldn’t give up his throne to someone else to come be an Imperial Consort in Great Zhou. Their eldest miss certainly wouldn’t abandon Great Zhou to become Tianfeng’s empress either. He had been overthinking.

It was just that Sa’er Khan’s earlier words were too ambiguous and suggestive, talking about marriage alliances and deep longing. Wei Zhong couldn’t help but wonder if Sa’er Khan harbored improper thoughts about Bai Qingyan. After all, apart from Bai Qingyan’s imperial status, her beauty was also unparalleled in its refined elegance.

Minister Shen had received news that Bai Qingyan was employing Prince Han, had already sent him to the coast yesterday, and had even entrusted Prince Han with the naval elite forces that the former Auxiliary Duke had experimentally trained. Before dawn, he was at the palace gates requesting an audience.

Bai Qingyan had only slept briefly after reviewing memorials until the middle of the night when she heard the young eunuch outside speaking quietly with Wei Zhong about Minister Shen requesting an audience.

Her sleep had always been light – the slightest sound outside the window could wake her.

“Wei Zhong…” She sat up.

Hearing Bai Qingyan’s voice, Chun Tao, who was keeping night watch, quickly approached and lifted the bed curtains: “Miss is awake…”

Hearing this, Wei Zhong quickly entered. Through the nanmu wood landscape screen, he could dimly see Bai Qingyan sitting on the bed edge wearing an outer robe. He quickly bowed: “Your Majesty… did we disturb you?”

“Minister Shen has come?” she asked while getting dressed.

Bai Qingyan could roughly guess why Minister Shen had come – probably about Prince Han leaving the capital for the coast.

“Indeed, he said he’s been waiting outside the palace since before dawn.”

“Quickly invite him in!” Bai Qingyan also instructed Chun Zhi: “Go have the small kitchen prepare hot soup noodles and bring them to the study shortly.”

“Yes!” After helping Bai Qingyan put on her shoes, Chun Zhi rose to leave.

The eunuchs and palace maids serving Bai Qingyan’s morning routine entered in single file, carrying basins and pitchers, bowing as they brought washing implements to serve Bai Qingyan – washing her face and rinsing her mouth with fine salt.

Chun Tao helped Bai Qingyan change into court robes, feeling sorry that her young lady had barely slept before having to rise. But knowing that as emperor, her eldest miss bore the welfare of all the realm’s people, she could only keep her sympathy to herself.

After Bai Qingyan dressed, since morning court hadn’t yet arrived, she didn’t wear the imperial crown. When she reached the study, Shen Jingzhong had also just arrived. Seeing Bai Qingyan enter, he immediately knelt and bowed: “This subject greets Your Majesty. I’ve disturbed Your Majesty’s rest.”

“No matter. Morning court would begin soon anyway.” Bai Qingyan made a gesture to help Shen Jingzhong up. “Minister Shen, please sit. Coming so early, you surely haven’t had breakfast yet. Join me for some – we can talk while eating.”

“Yes!” Knowing Bai Qingyan’s nature, Shen Jingzhong didn’t refuse.

Eunuchs brought in a table, placed it before Shen Jingzhong, and served hot soup noodles.

“Minister Shen, please make do and have some with me…” Bai Qingyan made an inviting gesture to Shen Jingzhong. Shen Jingzhong bowed to Bai Qingyan and voiced his inner doubts, speaking earnestly: “Your Majesty, Prince Han was formerly Great Liang’s Third Prince. Once he controls military power, if he develops different intentions, I fear he’ll become a serious threat.”

“Minister Shen, since I dare use this person, I have my reasons for daring to use him. Prince Han is not someone who fears death or is incompetent. Minister Shen mustn’t be deceived by Prince Han’s seemingly honest appearance!”

“Your Majesty, this subject fears Your Majesty has been deceived by Prince Han’s honest exterior!” Minister Shen was extremely anxious.

When Minister Shen received this news, he went to find Grand Commandant Lu, but after hearing everything, Grand Commandant Lu didn’t take it to heart either. He only said that Bai Qingyan’s ability to judge people had long been proven, so there was no need to worry too much – if Bai Qingyan dared use Prince Han, she could certainly control him.

Minister Shen was persuaded to return, but tossed and turned all night. Finally, unable to bear it, he decided before dawn to find Bai Qingyan and speak with her about this matter before the morning court.

“Minister Shen, since my ascension to the throne, you have never come to discuss court matters with me as actively as today. I’m very pleased that you’ve come today!” Bai Qingyan looked at the anxious Minister Shen and spoke slowly. “I never do things I’m not confident about, and I never employ people I doubt. Minister Shen… you and I have been sovereign and subject for quite some time. I hope this time Minister Shen can trust me, and I hope Minister Shen can show his true abilities – not for me as emperor, but for this court, for… the people whose taxes support Minister Shen. I hope Minister Shen can be like Prince Han and make a difference.”

Shen Jingzhong looked up at Bai Qingyan, who sat in the center with a calm expression. Her words had essentially exposed the fact that he hadn’t brought out his true abilities to assist Bai Qingyan as emperor.

Regarding Bai Qingyan, Shen Jingzhong admired her and had even been swayed by her several times. But… he had never given his all to assist her like Grand Commandant Lu and the others.

Sitting in the position of Minister of Public Works, Shen Jingzhong felt guilty.

“I originally thought… Your Majesty was a loyal subject of Jin’s deposed Crown Prince and would eventually help the Crown Prince ascend the throne! But Your Majesty drove away Prince Liang, yet ascended the throne yourself. Having served as an official in Jin for over ten years, this subject still cannot adapt to this.”

Though he couldn’t adapt, Shen Jingzhong also didn’t want to see this hard-won peace among the people destroyed. Originally, he had planned to resign once the realm stabilized, but Bai Qingyan’s various actions… implementing new policies, establishing the goal of unifying the realm for Great Zhou – all of this made his blood boil.

Shen Jingzhong felt he was perhaps too pedantic. Meeting such a rare good sovereign as Bai Qingyan, he should serve with his full strength. But every time he gathered his energy to prepare to give his all, he would toss and turn at midnight, unable to overcome that barrier in his heart.

Today, having broken through this barrier with Bai Qingyan, Shen Jingzhong felt much more at ease. He rose and walked to the center of the study, lifted his robe hem, and performed three grand bows to Bai Qingyan, requesting to resign from office.

“This subject holds his position but cannot share Your Majesty’s burdens, holding a position while doing nothing, failing Your Majesty and failing the people! Please allow this subject to resign from office and return to his hometown…” Shen Jingzhong kowtowed again.

Bai Qingyan gripped the soup spoon in her hand, slowly placed it on the lotus-carved white jade spoon rest beside her, took the hot cloth Chun Tao handed her and wiped her mouth without showing any emotion, then signaled for Wei Zhong to help Shen Jingzhong up.