He found it somewhat difficult to fathom what Bai Qingyan meant by returning the jade cicada. Was she not interested in time reversal… going back to the Southern Frontier battlefield to save her own relatives?

“Thank you!” Sa’er Khan took the jade cicada in his hand, smiling and nodding to Wei Zhong, his gaze falling upon Bai Qingyan.

He noticed that Bai Qingyan seemed happy about the finalization of the alliance treaty with Yan through their national wager. She had drunk several cups of wine and was watching the song and dance in the great hall, her hand resting on the round cushion, gently tapping in rhythm with the beat.

Sa’er Khan lowered his eyes, his thumb caressing the jade cicada in his hand, then raised his gaze again to look at Bai Qingyan. He thought the Great Sorcerer’s suggestion seemed quite good after all. Sa’er Khan had been around all kinds of women—when he went to Western Liang, others had presented him with Western Liang women, Great Zhou women, and Yan women, each with different flavors. But he had indeed never encountered a woman like Bai Qingyan.

Sa’er Khan had never harbored any frivolous thoughts toward Bai Qingyan—what he felt was admiration and appreciation. But this couldn’t continue… he had to obtain the jade cicada.

Xiao Rongyan watched Bai Qingyan’s fingers tapping intermittently on the round cushion and roughly guessed that she was thinking about her brothers and sisters returning home, which was making her happy right now. Nothing else would make Bai Qingyan’s mood so joyful that it showed externally.

Just as Xiao Rongyan had surmised, Bai Qingyan’s happiness was indeed not due to anything else—it was because the matter of the two nations’ wager had been settled, and A’Yu, A’Qi, A’Jue, A’Yun, Jinxiu, Xiao Si, Xiao Wu, Xiao Liu, and Xiao Qi were all coming back.

Finally, the time for the family reunion had arrived.

From the Southern Frontier War until now, whenever their family gathered together, there would always be one or two missing. This time… as long as she knew they were still alive, they could all return.

Mother could also properly hear A’Yu say… “We have returned home safely.”

“This jade cicada was originally one of a pair!” Sa’er Khan spoke as if talking to himself, looking at the jade cicada in his hand. “I heard that Your Majesty’s Imperial Consort once also had such a jade cicada. During these days when the jade cicada was in Your Majesty’s hands, I wonder what differences Your Majesty noticed between this jade cicada and the one belonging to Great Zhou’s Imperial Consort?”

Bai Qingyan’s gaze turned toward Sa’er Khan. As expected, he had still come for the jade cicada.

“I didn’t notice any particular differences, but unfortunately, the Imperial Consort’s jade cicada has been lost. Otherwise, we could have compared them.” Bai Qingyan showed a regretful expression.

Sa’er Khan’s hand gripping the jade cicada tightened slightly. Could it be that because that jade cicada was lost, Bai Qingyan hadn’t thought to try the method of time reversal?

“I have already sent people to search for the Imperial Consort’s jade cicada. If it is found and the ruler of Tianfeng Nation is still in Great Zhou at that time, I hope Your Majesty could lend us your jade cicada for observation.”

“This time, I came personally precisely for the matter of improving relations between our two nations, so naturally I should comply. Originally, if Your Majesty liked it… Our Tianfeng Nation should have presented the jade cicada in our possession to Your Majesty. However, this jade cicada is a national treasure of our Tianfeng Nation, so we dare not present it casually.” Sa’er Khan spoke with a smile, simply taking this opportunity to bring up the matter. “Although Tianfeng Nation and Great Zhou are separated by a snowy mountain, we are neighbors and should get along harmoniously, opening mutual trade for common prosperity.”

As soon as Sa’er Khan finished speaking, the Great Sorcerer stepped forward and took out from his sleeve the gift list that Sa’er Khan had brought this time.

Wei Zhong hurriedly walked down from the high platform, received the gift list from the Great Sorcerer’s hands, then quickly walked to Bai Qingyan’s side, unfolding the gift list and placing it before her.

“The reason our Tianfeng Nation’s weapons are invincible is because we add ink powder to them…” Sa’er Khan said with a smile. “This time, among Tianfeng Nation’s gifts is the formula for this ink powder. We hope the Great Zhou Emperor will accept it with a smile and feel our Tianfeng Nation’s sincerity in seeking peace… seeking mutual trade.”

Mutual trade…

Bai Qingyan smiled faintly, roughly able to guess what Tianfeng Nation wanted to trade: “Tianfeng Nation… needs grain.”

“Exactly—grain, tea leaves, silk, medicinal materials. Tianfeng Nation lacks many things; we need everything!” Sa’er Khan stood up, speaking with a smile. “We hope the Great Zhou Emperor can permit mutual trade between our two nations, allowing the people of both countries to share in peace.”

Previously, they had spoken of leasing cities, then they were driven back beyond the snowy mountains by the combined forces of Great Zhou and Yan, and now it was mutual trade again.

“I won’t hide it from the Great Zhou Emperor—our Tianfeng Nation’s land is being devoured year by year by the desert. Grain and medicinal materials within our borders are also decreasing annually, which truly worries all of Tianfeng Nation. And now Yan… their surplus grain probably won’t be available for external trade either, so we can only come to seek Great Zhou’s help.” Sa’er Khan spoke with an appearance of complete honesty. “Please, Great Zhou Emperor, grant permission for mutual trade between our two nations.”

“Since the ruler of Tianfeng Nation has already come in person, there’s no rush for this moment. How about leaving the specific matters to Minister Liu?” Bai Qingyan smiled as she asked Liu Rushi. “Minister Liu has just finished the alliance negotiations with Yan. Would you be willing to work hard once more?”

Knowing that Bai Qingyan was willing to discuss mutual trade with Tianfeng Nation, Liu Rushi straightened his back and bowed: “Mutual trade is beneficial to the people of both nations. This humble minister is willing to facilitate this matter.”

Bai Qingyan signaled Wei Zhong to put away the gift list sent by Tianfeng Nation. Listening to the thunderous drum beats and pipa music, her peripheral vision fell on Xiao Rongyan. Even to this day, she still felt that these past few years, as the Bai family reached their current position, she had lived as if in a dream, afraid that upon waking, she would discover that everything now was just her beautiful dream.

She watched the song and dance performance before her eyes, saw Chun Zhi refilling her wine cup again, and Bai Qingyan’s lips curved in a gentle smile. She could feel the change in her entire mindset after grasping great power and sitting in a high position.

Once she had a mountain pressing down on her back, so she was like standing on a precipice in the dead of night.

Now she occupied the supreme position, so she was confident and composed, as if she could handle anything with ease.

Now, she even dared to drink wine.

Wine was most likely to cause trouble, and her alcohol tolerance wasn’t good either—she shouldn’t drink. It was just that today, thinking of her brothers and sisters about to return, she had become carried away with happiness.

Bai Qingyan waved her hand, signaling Chun Tao to remove the wine and bring a cup of hot tea instead.

Chun Tao understood and replaced Bai Qingyan’s drink with a cup of red date tea.

Holding the warm tea cup, Bai Qingyan remembered her mother’s words… “At Jingxi’s rocky rapids, people are cautious, and throughout the year, no capsizing is heard. But in the smooth currents without rocks, we constantly hear tales of sinking and drowning.”

Whenever Bai Qingyan’s mood relaxed, she would use this poem to remind herself not to think that just because she had now ascended to the imperial throne, everything would be fine. Unifying the realm was still far away.

After several cups of wine, she became lightly intoxicated and tipsy, and she realized that wine was indeed a good thing—it truly could make one’s mood pleasant. Even the depression that Shen Sikong Shen Jingzhong’s unwillingness to serve the Great Zhou and his resignation to return to his hometown had brought to Bai Qingyan was dispelled by this feeling of slight intoxication.