“By the way, there’s also Sima Ping… have A’Jue go check on him for me!” Bai Qingyan said with a smile to Bai Jinxiu. “This time, he was purely implicated by association. But if we don’t beat him or punish him, it might affect the blood-forged brotherhood among his comrades.”

“Elder sister, rest assured. If Xiao Si hadn’t gone first this morning, A’Jue would have already gone…” Bai Jinxiu said with a smile. “A’Jue felt it wouldn’t be good to visit too frequently, so he decided to wait a bit.”

Just as Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinxiu finished speaking, a young eunuch came to report that the Great Yan eldest prince, second prince Murong Ping, and Xie Xun had arrived at the palace gates, asking whether Bai Qingyan wished to grant them an audience.

“Please let them in!”

Seeing the Great Yan eldest prince leading the way, bringing Murong Ping and Xie Xun as they respectfully entered the great hall and properly paid their respects to Bai Qingyan, upon seeing Bai Jinxiu, the eldest prince quickly turned to look at Murong Ping.

Murong Ping quietly said, “The Auxiliary Duke!”

“Auxiliary Duke…” The Great Yan’s eldest prince bowed deeply to Bai Jinxiu.

Bai Jinxiu also smiled and rose to return the courtesy.

“Wei Zhong, grant them seats…” Bai Qingyan looked at the Great Yan eldest prince with a smile and said, “The eldest prince, the second prince, and General Xie came to Great Zhou to establish an alliance between our two kingdoms. We should have hosted a banquet for the three of you upon your arrival, but unfortunately, with so many matters at hand, it was delayed.”

These were all diplomatic pleasantries that everyone understood. The Great Yan’s eldest prince, who had just taken his seat, immediately straightened his back and bowed deeply to Bai Qingyan, saying, “A nation’s affairs are countless and complex. Your Majesty naturally cannot spare the time. Fortunately, the alliance between our two kingdoms has now been established. We came to the Great Zhou to demonstrate the Yan Kingdom’s sincerity and to better solidify our alliance. If we three were to delay Great Zhou’s state affairs, that would not be Yan Kingdom’s intention!”

“By the way!” The Great Yan’s eldest prince raised his head with a beaming smile. “The residence Your Majesty had prepared for us ministers is extremely magnificent and exquisite. It shows that Your Majesty does not regard us three as hostages. This minister is deeply grateful and will engrave it in his heart!”

“The three of you traveled thousands of miles to Great Zhou for the stability of our alliance between the two kingdoms. This treatment is only appropriate.” Bai Qingyan smiled and nodded to the Great Yan eldest prince.

“It is precisely because Your Majesty does not hold past grievances and treats us three with such magnanimity that this minister feels even more ashamed and restless… which is why I dared to visit Your Majesty during your busy schedule!” The Great Yan eldest prince’s hands, hidden in his sleeves, clenched tightly. “My mother empress was once deceived by treacherous people and betrayed the Great Zhou, nearly harming the Duke of Zhenguo. After my mother empress learned she had been deceived by villains, she felt deeply guilty. Therefore, before this minister came to Great Zhou, my mother empress specifically instructed… that this minister should apologize on her behalf!”

With that, the Great Yan’s eldest prince turned to look outside the great hall. “My mother empress knows that the Duke of Zhenguo suffered severe injuries and specially ordered people to bring our Yan Kingdom’s royal secret medicines, as well as precious treasures from our royal family that are highly beneficial for healing!”

Outside the great hall, six eunuchs carried in three treasure chests.

One of the treasure chests contained Great Yan’s secret medicines. However, these secret medicines were originally prepared by the Yan Empress Dowager for her sons. But with the incident of military officers gathering at Great Zhou to request troops be sent against Yan Kingdom, the eldest prince felt that dedicating these secret medicines to the Great Zhou Emperor and the Duke of Zhenguo would be more useful than keeping them by his side.

Bai Qingyan didn’t believe for a moment that the Yan Empress Dowager would admit her mistakes. That Yan Empress Dowager always felt that others owed her something.

Thinking of the Yan Empress Dowager, Bai Qingyan’s eyes grew cold, but toward Murong Yu’s biological son, the Great Yan eldest prince… she still maintained that amiable demeanor. “Thank you for the trouble, eldest prince and second prince, for bringing these thousands of miles! I… will accept them on behalf of the Duke of Zhenguo!”

The Great Yan’s eldest prince breathed a sigh of relief.

“The second prince and General Xie have both fought alongside me on battlefields, jointly resisting the Tianfeng Kingdom. Speaking of it, our friendship is truly extraordinary!” Bai Qingyan’s gaze fell upon Murong Ping and Xie Xun.

Both immediately paid their respects.

Meeting Bai Qingyan in the palace was different from being on the battlefield for both Murong Ping and Xie Xun…

It seemed that when Bai Qingyan sat in that elevated position, she created a distance between herself and them. Especially within this resplendent golden palace, it made Bai Qingyan appear all the more majestic and imposing.

Upon leaving the palace, both the eldest prince and Murong Ping couldn’t help but turn back to gaze at the magnificent multi-tiered palace with its vermilion lacquer and azure tiles, the stone carvings with gold-painted upturned lotus foundations, the thick red pillars, the carved beams and painted rafters… so magnificent. Even climbing the white marble steps felt as if they were ascending to a celestial palace.

This… was the Great Capital Imperial Palace that their grandmother had once ordered to be built, and today they had the fortune to witness it.

Both Murong Ping and his elder brother couldn’t help but feel moved in their hearts. This Great Capital Imperial Palace was far more imposing than the current Yan Capital’s palace. Such a resplendent golden palace should rightfully house the ruler of all under heaven!

Whether it was Murong Ping, the eldest prince, or Xie Xun, all hoped that this palace built under the supervision of Yan Kingdom’s Empress Ji would someday house… their Yan Kingdom emperor, not the Great Zhou emperor.

“Elder brother, let’s go…” Murong Ping called out softly to the eldest prince.

The eldest prince nodded. “Let’s go!”

·

Regarding the incident where Guan Zhangning instigated the brainless Lu Yuanpeng, Cheng Yuanzhi, and Du Sanbao to cause trouble at Wude Gate, Bai Qingqi did not publicize it. He kept Guan Zhangning, this deeply embedded Western Liang spy, to use him to draw out those remaining Western Liang remnants… those who still harbored thoughts of restoring their kingdom or sought revenge against the Great Zhou.

Otherwise, leaving them unattended, who knew when they might cause major chaos for the Great Zhou.

But beyond Bai Qingqi’s expectations, Guan Zhangning couldn’t contain himself and went to Princess Yunjing’s mansion today.

Guan Zhangning had somehow become familiar with the young general on night duty guarding Princess Yunjing’s mansion. Carrying a jug of wine and having bought roasted goose from the Capital City’s Yanque Tower, he went to find that young general.

Normally, drinking while on duty was forbidden, but that young general had a good relationship with Guan Zhangning. Moreover, the roasted goose from Yanque Tower wasn’t easy to obtain, and Guan Zhangning was a general of the Bai Family Army… equivalent to being directly under the current emperor. Therefore, he indulged himself and drank with Guan Zhangning.

Bai Qingqi had just coaxed little Xiaoba to sleep at his mother’s place – Bai Family’s Fifth Madam Qi Shi – and listened to his mother’s lengthy chatter while she showed him portraits of several noble daughters, wanting Bai Qingqi to choose one for marriage. He had coaxed both Xiaoba and his mother and had barely managed to leave his mother’s courtyard when his secret guards came to report that Guan Zhangning had entered Princess Yunjing’s mansion.

“General Guan Zhangning and the guard watching Princess Yunjing’s mansion entered the gatehouse and came out after half an hour, saying that the guard had drunk too much and fallen asleep. It happened to be patrol time, so he took the guard’s place and entered the mansion to patrol!” the secret guard reported.

Bai Qingqi remained silent for a long while before speaking. “Continue having people watch him. Don’t alert him to our surveillance.”

“Yes!” The secret guard acknowledged the order and withdrew.