He truly had not expected that this Great Zhou Emperor was so formidable… she had already seen through his identity, and even… noticed the intense hatred and desire for revenge in his heart. He thought that since following Bai Jinse, he had hidden it very well.

Bai Jinse had shown him kindness. At first, when he didn’t know Bai Jinse’s identity, he thought that since his country had fallen, he would stay by Bai Jinse’s side to repay her kindness.

Later, when he learned of Bai Jinse’s identity and knew she was the younger sister of Great Zhou Emperor Bai Qingyan, he thought… since Yan and Great Zhou were allies, as long as he stayed by the Great Zhou Emperor’s sister, he would surely have opportunities to meet the Yan Emperor and Regent in the future, and then he could carry out an assassination.

Later still, when he learned that the Great Zhou Emperor had sent troops against Yan because her brother, Prince Zhenguo, had been betrayed by Yan, he couldn’t hide his excitement. Who knew… later, the two countries would put this matter aside and begin the national gamble.

He understood that Yan’s proposal of the national gamble was merely seeking survival from certain death, but he didn’t understand why the Great Zhou Emperor would agree.

Later, he learned from Bai Jinse that the national gamble had been first proposed by the Great Zhou Emperor, because she had ambitions to unify the realm but couldn’t bear to see the people displaced by war or watch soldiers die in vain. But at that time, Yan had not agreed.

The shock in his heart was indescribable. He had never seen an emperor like Bai Qingyan, who, after ascending the throne, did not build imperial tombs but instead had the Ministry of Revenue save money to build schools. The new laws she promoted… harmed the interests of great families to benefit the common people, yet she had the foresight to cleanly deal with the vassal princes before implementing the new laws, forcefully paving the way for their implementation.

Furthermore, she could disregard whose family name ruled the realm and propose the national policy gamble, seeing whose national governance and policies could make the people prosperous, and the realm would use that family’s policies and laws.

Such breadth of mind filled him with admiration. He admitted he could never reach the level of the Great Zhou Emperor. Moreover… if he hadn’t followed Bai Jinse and learned about so many things, he couldn’t have believed that families with such pure integrity as the Bai family truly existed in this world, much less that there could be emperors who truly sought welfare for the people… rather than to consolidate their imperial power.

After all, this was very different from the teachings they had received since childhood. What they learned was the imperial arts of balance and controlling the people to preserve their ancestral realm!

Later, watching Bai Qingyan use methods he had never heard or learned from his imperial tutors and imperial grandmother… to unite the hearts of court ministers and win the people’s hearts, he didn’t understand how the Bai family, generations of ministers and military generals who could fight and win every battle, he could understand. But Bai Qingyan was also a woman – where did she learn… these methods of uniting ministers’ hearts, winning people’s hearts, and governing the country and world?

It wasn’t until he had followed Bai Jinse for a long time and heard many stories about the Bai family that he learned of the Bai family’s ancestral teachings… the Bai family’s protection of the legitimate line by collateral branches, the responsibilities and burdens of legitimate sons and daughters, and the Bai family’s generational aspiration to assist rulers in unifying the realm, making the world peaceful and prosperous, ensuring eternal peace for the people. Only then did he understand… Bai Qingyan wasn’t using any arts of balance or controlling the people – she simply firmly remembered… those four words “the people are the foundation of the state,” taking the people as her starting point for everything.

He was moved by the Bai family and felt it wasn’t worth it for the Bai family to have once served Jin loyally. Later, he came to truly admire the Bai family’s traditions because they had produced a legitimate eldest daughter like Bai Qingyan.

No wonder Master Min Qianqiu, the great scholar of their Wei nation, was unwilling to write biographies for their Wei royal family, but willing to write books and biographies for the Bai family – the Bai family deserved it.

He seemed to have made up his mind as he stepped forward, knelt, and kowtowed to Bai Qingyan: “Tuoba Yao greets the Great Zhou Emperor.”

Though Tuoba Yao was as young as the Wei Emperor, he still possessed the pride that royal family members should have.

Previously, when acting as Bai Yusheng, his bowing and kneeling had nothing to do with the Wei Emperor – it was the proper attitude for a pitiful creature dependent on others.

But today, using his real name to kneel and bow to the Great Zhou Emperor represented Wei’s submission to the Great Zhou Emperor, even though Wei no longer existed.

Tuoba Yao thought that if Bai Qingyan could truly unify the realm in the end, he would be convinced and willingly submit to her, even willing to contribute his strength to her grand enterprise.

Apart from his private grudge against Yan, Tuoba Yao believed… only an emperor like Bai Qingyan who truly cared for the people could bring the people truly prosperous and peaceful days when ascending the throne.

Moreover, based on the current situations of the people in Western Liang divided between Great Zhou and Yan, and the circumstances of the former Great Liang people, Tuoba Yao believed that with the Bai family’s integrity, they truly treated the former Western Liang and Great Liang people who had been incorporated into Great Zhou as their people. In the future, when the former Wei people were incorporated into the Great Zhou, he was even more confident that his people could also enjoy the same prosperous life as Great Zhou’s people.

If this could truly be achieved, he would have done right by Wei’s people and by… his ancestors.

Bai Qingyan looked at the sincerely kowtowing Tuoba Yao, understanding that his use of his real name to meet her meant… this child had thought things through clearly.

She stepped forward and personally helped the half-grown child to his feet: “Good child, get up! There’s no need for such a grand ceremony! I knew King Xihuai, and you’ve shared life and death with Little Seven – we’re family now.”

Tuoba Yao was helped to his feet by Bai Qingyan. Looking up at her, he bowed deeply again: “Miss Bai Seven saved Yao’s life, and the Bai family showed shelter and kindness. But Yao never showed his true face to his benefactors – this is Yao’s fault.”

“Your identity is special – it’s reasonable that you couldn’t reveal your name,” Bai Qingyan gestured for Tuoba Yao to sit on the soft cushion Lu Ping had already prepared.

Seeing that Bai Qingyan had knelt and sat down, Tuoba Yao followed suit, kneeling opposite her.

“Qingzhu must have explained the situation clearly to you. This time, you’re to pretend to be Dongyi’s Seventh Prince and ascend to the Dongyi Emperor’s throne. Because you and Dongyi’s Seventh Prince are similar in age and both of royal birth, you inherently possess the imperial bearing of a Wei king that others cannot match. Secondly… Wei and Yan have grievances, and Yan stabbed Great Zhou in the back this time, wanting to share in the spoils when Great Zhou sent troops to destroy Dongyi. Great Zhou naturally cannot let this pass lightly.” Bai Qingyan didn’t hide anything from Tuoba Yao, speaking to him with complete honesty. “Placing you in the position of Dongyi Emperor will ensure Great Zhou’s stability.”

Tuoba Yao straightened and bowed to Bai Qingyan before speaking: “Yao understands. Your Majesty, rest assured… since Miss Shen told me about this matter, I’ve been learning the Dongyi language. I dare not claim fluency, but I can manage with Dongyi people for a short time without revealing flaws. Yao will intensify his studies and absolutely won’t become a burden!”