“Great Zhou is truly formidable. Now the Dongyi court… is essentially entirely under the Great Zhou’s control. Even matters like coronation must heed His Majesty’s wishes…” Xiao Rongyan walked with his hands behind his back alongside Bai Qingyan, his voice steady. “This prince first congratulates His Majesty here.”

Seeing the steps ahead, Xiao Rongyan extended his hand to support Bai Qingyan, but she merely glanced at his hand, kept her hands behind her back as she stepped up, then turned back with a smile to ask Xiao Rongyan: “Now that the Yan Regent Prince has also led troops here, you also wish to share in the spoils, don’t you…”

Xiao Rongyan’s hand, reddened by the setting sun, clenched and withdrew. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at the Yan and Great Zhou guards who had stopped behind them, smiled as he stepped up, and said: “Great Zhou is mighty while Yan is weak. Only through the Great Zhou, His Majesty’s compassion toward soldiers and common people, could we seek survival from certain death and obtain a thread of hope. How dare we share spoils with the Great Zhou? We merely wish to lend support to Great Zhou, and request that Great Zhou His Majesty assist us… allowing our Yan to sign an alliance with Dongyi, preventing Dongyi from causing trouble at our Yan borders.”

The smile in Bai Qingyan’s eyes deepened.

The Dongyi Empress, the Dongyi Seventh Prince, and court officials personally stood at the top of the steps to welcome them. Upon seeing Bai Qingyan and the masked Xiao Rongyan walking side by side, they first froze, feeling that under the slanting golden sunset rays, these two people with upright bearing and extraordinary, otherworldly temperament—both dragons among men—walking shoulder to shoulder created a magnificent sight.

But upon seeing the mask on the Yan Regent Prince’s face, the Dongyi Empress’s heart jumped. Looking again at the smile in Bai Qingyan’s eyes, she suddenly had an incredible thought. She gripped tightly the hand of the personal maid supporting her, hurried to the front, and murmured: “This Yan Regent Prince… couldn’t also be someone from Great Zhou, could he?”

The Dongyi Empress turned to look at her maid, then glanced at the masked Seventh Prince not far behind, asking in a low voice: “Could it be… he’s also someone from Great Zhou in disguise?”

This personal maid knew the inside story about the Seventh Prince. She quickly gripped her master’s hand in return, too frightened to look back, only saying in a low voice: “Master, we heard about this Yan Regent Prince years ago, saying he injured his face and body and had been recuperating in his mansion, unwilling to see people. Later, because Yan had no available generals, the former Yan Emperor forced him to leave the mansion and lead troops. He was already wearing a mask then! Master knew this news years ago—you must be frightened by the Seventh Prince’s situation.”

Hearing these words, the Dongyi Empress steadied her mind. Yes… she was seeing serpents in wine cups.

She gathered her spirits, looked at the smile in Bai Qingyan’s eyes, and said composedly: “This Great Zhou Emperor should be deliberately putting on a show for us Dongyi to see, making us Dongyi think… that Great Zhou and Yan have an extraordinary relationship. The Great Zhou Emperor personally welcomes the Dongyi Regent Prince and treats the Yan Regent Prince with warmth and a pleasant countenance, as if Yan and Great Zhou were very close! The more the Great Zhou Emperor acts this way… the more it proves that the Yan Regent Prince is someone we can win over.”

“Your Majesty, please think thrice! Our Seventh Prince is still in Great Zhou’s hands…” The maid’s voice was extremely low, her gaze darting left and right, afraid the Seventh Prince might catch up with his officials. Her voice carried a sobbing tone: “If anything goes wrong, we cannot afford the gamble.”

The Empress’s fists clenched tightly, her heart surging with bitter sweetness. Thinking of her son made her heart ache as if being twisted by knives, but seeing Bai Qingyan and the Yan Regent Prince approaching, she still had to wear a smile on her face. She stepped forward supported by her maid’s hand and bowed to Bai Qingyan: “I pay respects to the Great Zhou Emperor…”

Bai Qingyan didn’t act superior either, returning the courtesy to the Dongyi Empress: “Your Majesty, the Empress.”

“Regent Prince…” The Dongyi Empress nodded slightly toward the Yan Regent Prince.

Xiao Rongyan maintained his composed demeanor with hands behind his back, nodding slightly toward the Dongyi Empress: “Your Majesty the Empress…”

Tuoba Yao also wore a mask. He stared fixedly at Xiao Rongyan, who stood with hands behind his back in a graceful posture, his fists clenched tightly behind him. The Dongyi court officials standing behind Tuoba Yao, seeing this, thought the Seventh Prince was angry in his heart about the Great Zhou and Yan bullying their Dongyi. One stepped forward and whispered in Tuoba Yao’s ear: “Your Majesty, endure this momentary humiliation—we can make plans gradually in the future.”

Tuoba Yao’s clenched fists suddenly relaxed. He understood in his heart… even the court officials had noticed his hatred, let alone the Yan Regent Prince. He closed his eyes briefly, suppressed his hatred deep in his heart, and let his gaze fall on Bai Qingyan…

Now His Majesty had given him an opportunity, given him a nation… and given him personnel, giving him time to do what he wanted to do. He couldn’t ruin His Majesty’s plans.

Thinking of this, Tuoba Yao let out a long breath, turned to the officials behind him and said: “Let’s go… go greet them.”

Xiao Rongyan saw the Dongyi Seventh Prince, who had been standing far behind the Empress with court officials, now leading the officials toward him and Bai Qingyan. He carefully observed this Seventh Prince who had just been sent back to Dongyi by the Great Zhou. His bearing was elegant and handsome, his steps measured as if calculated, something that definitely couldn’t be achieved in ten days or half a month. He walked both steadily and calmly, his ornamental walking accessories making not a sound—this was the protocol for imperial education of princes.

He withdrew his appraising gaze from the Seventh Prince and looked with a smile at the Dongyi Empress who was speaking.

“The Seventh Prince has returned to the country and will be crowned tomorrow. Time is short, and we have been remiss in hosting the Great Zhou Emperor and Yan Regent Prince. Please forgive us!” The Empress said with a smile, then continued: “Our Dongyi is a small nation, incomparable to Great Zhou and Yan. This palace has already sent people to clean and prepare Prince Lian’s Mansion and Prince Ping’s Mansion. His Majesty and the Regent Prince may retire there afterward…”

“I pay respects to the Great Zhou Emperor…” Tuoba Yao stood beside the Dongyi Empress, bowed to Bai Qingyan, then nodded to Xiao Rongyan: “Regent Prince.”

Xiao Rongyan smiled and returned the courtesy to Tuoba Yao: “I pay respects to the Seventh Prince.”

The Dongyi Empress made a gesture inviting Bai Qingyan and Xiao Rongyan to proceed: “Your Majesty, Regent Prince… please!”

The Seventh Prince also stepped aside with an inviting gesture: “Your Majesty, Regent Prince… please!”

Xiao Rongyan watched this Dongyi Seventh Prince’s flowing movements, natural and seamless, with an innate noble bearing. This made Xiao Rongyan suspicious…

Could it be that A’Bao had sent the Dongyi Seventh Prince back?

Such standard imperial etiquette and protocols, such temperament, and such a large child—this couldn’t be found in just a few months, let alone… trained in such time.

Xiao Rongyan’s profound gaze turned toward Bai Qingyan, seeing that Bai Qingyan was also looking at him with a smile. He smiled and proceeded together with Bai Qingyan, the Dongyi Empress, and the Dongyi Seventh Prince into the great hall.