From birth, members of the imperial family have their words and actions governed by rules and etiquette – these things are absorbed into their very bones. This is something that those without long imperial cultivation could never possess. Just when did the Great Zhou Emperor begin planning this affair?

Could it be that this Great Zhou Emperor possessed the ability to foresee the future?

As the Dongyi Empress was helped away by palace attendants, her eyes remained fixed on Tuoba Yao…

A bold conjecture suddenly formed in her mind – could it be that what the Tianfeng ruler said about time reversal was true, which was why Bai Qingyan had been prepared all along?

Before the Empress could think further, the palace guards had already escorted her away. Her mind was in complete chaos as she thought about the three other jade cicadas that the Second Prince had previously requested from Great Zhou.

The Dongyi Empress’s mind was in utter turmoil. No matter how she forced herself to calm down, she could not achieve tranquility…

She couldn’t help but keep thinking about time reversal, feeling that unless Bai Qingyan had experienced these events before, how could someone her age calculate everything so thoroughly? Was she some kind of demon?

Thinking further about the news she had received earlier – from the Bai family’s misfortune in Jin, to Bai Qingyan’s invincible victories on the Nan Jiang battlefield, then the war with Great Liang where even a renowned general like Xun Tianzhang was defeated to the point of coughing blood and dying, her overthrowing the Jin dynasty to ascend the throne, conquering the Rong and Di, destroying Xi Liang…

If Bai Qingyan didn’t possess the ability of time reversal, hadn’t this journey been far too smooth?

Now that the city defenses of the Dongyi imperial palace had all been taken over by the five thousand men led by Shen Liangyu, Bai Qingyan could move about safely within this Dongyi palace.

Just as Bai Qingyan descended the high steps of the Dongyi main hall, she saw Shen Liangyu leading a group of soldiers approaching at speed. Seeing Bai Qingyan, he quickly took a few running steps and stood before her to salute: “Little Commander Bai, all the spies who received the message have arrived and are now in the barracks at the south gate of the Dongyi palace. The city defenses are all manned by our people – secure! As Little Commander Bai instructed, those who didn’t immediately come or attempted to flee have all been dealt with cleanly. All the Dongyi imperial guards, as well as miscellaneous palace attendants and maids, have been gathered in several courtyards under the pretext of investigating who among them was the treacherous Second Prince’s people, and they’re being examined one by one!”

Bai Qingyan nodded, walking swiftly with Shen Liangyu toward the south gate of the palace while asking: “Have Xiao Ruojiang and Xiao Ruohai returned?”

“Just now, Seventh Young Master sent someone to say they saw the people Xiao Ruohai left behind. After leaving the construction plans for this Dongyi capital and the palace, they said the two went to scout the terrain,” Shen Liangyu replied.

Bai Qingyan nodded and asked again: “Where has Great Yan’s Regent reached?”

“Old Cheng hasn’t sent anyone to report, but I estimate he should have arrived by now!” Shen Liangyu said.

“Good!” Bai Qingyan glanced at Shen Liangyu. “Have someone from Cheng Yuanzhi’s side send word immediately upon any news!”

“Yes!” Shen Liangyu responded.

Those spies who had once been placed in Dongyi by Great Liang, upon receiving Shen Liangyu’s message, hardly dared to hesitate… Taking advantage of the chaos, each found excuses to come to Shen Liangyu’s designated location.

But when they all arrived, they discovered that not only were they there, but also other court officials, and even eunuchs and palace maids from the imperial palace…

Previously, they had all maintained single-line contact – even if two people were both spies, face to face, neither would know the other’s true identity!

Only when Liu Rushi had come previously, contacting several people to gather information together, did those few people learn of each other’s existence.

The person who had summoned them earlier said that the Great Zhou Emperor had learned their identities from Prince Han Cheng and was calling them for a secret meeting. They had all thought it would be a private meeting, but hadn’t expected all the spies to be gathered together. Their hearts were pounding – could this mean they were being taken back to Great Zhou?

The Assistant Minister of Revenue stood in a corner, sweating profusely. He truly hadn’t expected there to be so many Great Zhou spies in Dongyi.

There was even an Assistant Minister of Works!

Although he was also a Great Zhou spy, he had already betrayed the Great Zhou. Now that the Great Zhou Emperor was gathering all these people together, could it be… because she hadn’t discovered his betrayal of Great Zhou?

The Assistant Minister of Revenue’s mind raced with calculations. Generally speaking, spies not meeting each other was the best protection for their safety. Now that everyone was meeting so openly, there was only one possibility – Bai Qingyan was going to destroy Dongyi and then take all these spies back to Great Zhou!

Not only did the Dongyi Assistant Minister of Revenue think this way, but the others also thought the same. Some were moved that they could finally go home, while others had already established families here and worried about how to explain to their wives and children if they went to Great Zhou now.

They paid careful attention to observing the people around them. No one stepped forward to strike up conversations; each stood in their spot, carefully examining the people gathered here today, and also observing the Great Zhou Bai family army soldiers guarding the doors outside.

Before long, they saw Shen Liangyu enter first and sit in a chair. Those who had been sitting quickly stood up, then saw Shen Liangyu lift the curtain and step aside, clearing the doorway…

Bai Qingyan, in her silver battle armor, entered from outside with her hands clasped behind her back.

As these Great Zhou spies stood at a loss, someone, no one knew who, was the first to kneel and kowtow to Bai Qingyan, and the spies all followed suit, kneeling and bowing to her.

Bai Qingyan looked at everyone without speaking, then turned to ask Shen Liangyu: “Which one is the Assistant Minister of Revenue?”

Hearing Bai Qingyan call out his official position, fine sweat broke out on the Assistant Minister of Revenue’s forehead. He quickly crawled forward on his knees and kowtowed heavily: “This… this official is he!”

Bai Qingyan looked at this traitor who had turned to the side with the Empress, her eyes cold and deep as she glanced at Shen Qingzhu.

Shen Qingzhu’s face was stern as she drew her sword. The sound of metal made people’s hearts tremble with fear, and the Assistant Minister of Revenue’s spine went rigid, not daring to move an inch. He felt the blood-stained sword tip pressing against his jaw, forcing his face upward.

The Assistant Minister of Revenue didn’t dare to breathe heavily, only following the force of Shen Qingzhu’s blade to slowly raise his head, not even daring to swallow his saliva, afraid that any movement of his Adam’s apple would cause this gleaming, sharp blade to cut his throat.

“Didn’t your guard go to report to the Great Zhou envoys that the Second Prince was plotting treason and rebellion… and massacre your entire family? How is it… You’re now kneeling here perfectly fine, returned from the dead?” The calm depths of Bai Qingyan’s eyes were unfathomable, making the Assistant Minister of Revenue unable to see clearly, and it was precisely this calmness that made his spine tremble uncontrollably.

“Your betrayal allowed the Dongyi Seventh Prince to reach Great Zhou safely, but caused Prince Han Cheng and countless naval officers and soldiers to die in battle!” Looking at the trembling Assistant Minister of Revenue, Bai Qingyan saw not a trace of courage in him, and immediately lost even the interest to investigate why he had betrayed Great Zhou.

Bai Qingyan said to Shen Liangyu, “Take him out and kill him! Don’t pollute others’ eyes!”

Hearing these words, the Assistant Minister of Revenue’s eyes widened: “Your Majesty, spare my life! Your Majesty, spare my life!”