Bai Qingyan was not opposed to mutual trade between the two nations. Mutual trade was beneficial for the people, and through Bai Jintong’s letters, she knew that Tianfeng Nation surpassed Great Zhou in many aspects and was worthy of Great Zhou’s study.

“Bai Qingping…” Bai Qingyan called out to Bai Qingping.

Yesterday, upon receiving the ink powder formula sent by Tianfeng Nation, Bai Qingyan had Wei Zhong deliver the formula to the Imperial Armory, having Bai Qingping ask that a master craftsman from Tianfeng Nation examine whether this ink powder was the formula commonly used by ordinary households.

Bai Qingping personally oversaw this matter and, like yesterday, had stayed up all night without sleep. At dawn, he changed into official robes at the Imperial Armory and hurried over, nearly arriving late.

Upon hearing Bai Qingyan call him, Bai Qingping stepped forward and, after respectfully bowing, said: “Regarding the matter Your Majesty instructed this humble minister to investigate in detail, this humble minister has already inquired thoroughly. The ink powder formula given by Tianfeng Nation is somewhat better than the ink powder formula commonly used by ordinary households. This humble minister and others plan to quickly forge new weapons, and after completion… we can test whether this ink powder is the same as that used on the elephant army’s armor.”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “Good, you’ve worked hard. I entrust this matter to you!”

“Your Majesty, please be at ease!” Bai Qingping bowed deeply.

Bai Qingping hoped to work harder to share Bai Qingyan’s burdens. Since he couldn’t be like the other Bai family sons who could charge invincibly across battlefields, he wanted to help ease Bai Qingyan’s worries in other ways.

Moreover, after returning home, those clan members would certainly come knocking to ask him to find opportunities for their children. Bai Qingping didn’t want to abuse his official position, so hiding in the Imperial Armory would be good.

Yesterday, when Pu Liu sent someone to deliver food to Bai Qingping, she had the person tactfully mention to him that now that he held a fourth-rank official position, the clan members had developed ambitions. They thought that since Bai Qingyan had enfeoffed the cousins in the capital as princes and marquises and promoted Bai Qingping, the next step should be promoting other Bai clan members.

Some people even sat in the Bai residence praising Bai Qingping to the skies, hinting between the lines that they wanted to ask Bai Qingping to find lucrative positions in the Imperial Armory for their children or relatives.

Although Pu Liu didn’t say it explicitly, she was also afraid these people would interfere with Bai Qingping’s work for Bai Qingyan, so she meant that if Bai Qingping was busy, he needn’t hurry back home. She would have people send him three meals a day and clean clothes. Presumably, if those people couldn’t see Bai Qingping for a long time, they would eventually give up such thoughts.

·

When the Yan Empress Dowager heard that they wanted to send her flesh and blood, the First Prince, as a hostage to Great Zhou, she became like a madwoman.

“Has Murong Yan gone insane! Not only leaving your uncle in Great Zhou, but also sending your elder brother to Great Zhou! I don’t agree! If you want to take your elder brother away, you’ll have to kill me with a sword first!” The Yan Empress Dowager’s face was streaked with tears, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at Murong Li, protecting her eldest son behind her.

“Mother… going to Great Zhou as a hostage, your son is willing!” The First Prince approached the Yan Empress Dowager, grasping his mother’s trembling shoulders with both hands, helping her sit beside the soft couch. Kneeling before his mother, he looked up at her: “Now that Yan has signed the national wager agreement with Great Zhou, it was agreed that… your son must go as hostage to Great Zhou. Your son must go! Otherwise, the Great Zhou will immediately march west, and our Yan capital will be in danger!”

The First Prince’s features resembled Murong Li’s closely but appeared more rounded. He lowered his eyes and grasped his mother’s hands: “Your son… is the most useless person in our Yan Nation—inferior to A’Li in scholarship and to A’Ping in martial arts. A’Li was once also a hostage in another country. Moreover, with A’Ping and General Xie Xun accompanying your son to Great Zhou, no matter what happens, General Xie will protect your son and A’Ping’s safety!”

Murong Ping, who had already changed into a prince’s attire and was prepared to depart, stepped forward, knelt, and kowtowed, saying to the Yan Empress Dowager: “Mother, even if A’Ping must sacrifice his life, he will certainly protect elder brother’s safety. Please be at ease, Mother!”

The First Prince was flesh that had fallen from the Yan Empress Dowager’s body. Even if his qualifications were mediocre and he excelled neither in scholarship nor martial arts, he was still her flesh and blood! If her brother’s involvement in assassinating Great Zhou’s important court officials meant he was temporarily detained by Great Zhou, she could understand that. But hadn’t their Yan Nation already sent the Second Prince and the Grand General as hostages to Great Zhou? Wasn’t that enough?

She had once betrayed Great Zhou—could her son have good days as a hostage in Great Zhou?

Even sending Xiao Rongyan as a hostage to the Great Zhou would be better than sending her son. At least Xiao Rongyan had once had feelings for Bai Qingyan, at least… they had children together!

But the Yan Empress Dowager was also afraid that if she suggested sending Xiao Rongyan as hostage to Great Zhou instead of her son, from then on… Xiao Rongyan would become cold-hearted and assist Great Zhou, and Yan Nation would likely be devoured alive by Great Zhou!

The Yan Empress Dowager knew Xiao Rongyan’s capabilities well.

“A’Li!” The Empress Dowager looked at the cold-faced Murong Li, tears flowing like broken strings. “Can’t you think of another way? Must your elder brother go? Mother once betrayed Great Zhou, and I fear that when your elder brother goes there, Bai Qingyan will privately seek revenge and fabricate some assassination case to frame your elder brother. Then your elder brother won’t be able to return… A’Li!”

“Mother, if not for your betrayal of Great Zhou back then, there wouldn’t be today’s situation with Yan Nation’s main forces detained and Great Zhou’s armies stationed at our borders. If I could take… A’Li would gladly go to Great Zhou as a hostage in his elder brother’s place, to admit fault and repent for Mother! But now with the two nations’ national wager determining the realm’s fate, A’Li can only trouble elder brother!”

The young Murong Li already showed initial signs of imperial bearing, sitting upright across from the Yan Empress Dowager, yielding not an inch.

“You…” The Yan Empress Dowager was so angry her chest ached. She bit her lower lip tightly, tears competing to flow out.

“Enough, Mother!” The First Prince’s voice was thick with emotion. “Since birth, your son has enjoyed the stability and abundance the imperial family provided. It’s time to shoulder responsibility. Just three years… after three years, your son will certainly return safely and fulfill filial duties at Mother’s knees! Mother, don’t blame A’Li and Ninth Uncle. Now our Yan Nation is in mortal danger—your son and A’Ping becoming hostages in Great Zhou is unavoidable!”

The Yan Empress Dowager’s lips parted, but before she could speak, she saw the First Prince retreat on his knees and kowtow to her, then turn toward Murong Li, saying: “Your Majesty, take good care of Mother!”

“Elder brother, rest assured!” Murong Li looked at his elder brother with moist eyes.

The First Prince had always felt he was the most useless person in the Great Yan imperial family. Now, becoming a hostage in the Great Zhou for the Yan Nation, he was somewhat happy in his heart, at least this proved he wasn’t entirely without use.

“When elder brother and second brother return, younger brother will be able to enfeoff both elder brothers as princes based on their merit!” Murong Li said.

The First Prince nodded, and together with the Second Prince Murong Ping, they bowed once more to the Yan Empress Dowager, then turned and left the great hall, immediately setting out for Great Zhou.

The Yan Empress Dowager watched her son’s departing figure through eyes blurred with tears, suddenly standing up: “My son! In Great Zhou… be careful in all things! If you encounter any difficulties, you must send word back! Mother will stand up for you!”