“His Majesty even condescended to go among the people to gather physicians and went together to treat the plague victims! He ordered that no one should eat and drink with patients or use the same vessels.” The shadow guard captain raised his head to glance at Xiao Rongyan’s iron-slate face, then continued, “The Empress Dowager has ordered all cities to be sealed, and entry and exit from the cities is forbidden unless necessary! But the people are filled with panic…”

Since ancient times, whenever there was a great plague, countless people would die.

Moreover, throughout history when cities were sealed due to plague, in the end… if the great plague could not be cured, they would either be locked up and left to fend for themselves, or if the epidemic came too fiercely, the patients would be buried alive or drowned. Naturally, the common people were afraid.

He could understand that his sister-in-law was drawing on the methods Jin had used to handle epidemics in the past, controlling the movement of people and merchants within the cities from the very beginning. But it was still somewhat inappropriate, at least… members of the royal family should be sent to oversee the situation, even staying in the cities with the people, only then could the people’s hearts be settled.

Moreover, his sister-in-law’s behavior at this time—not hesitating to sacrifice the lives of those Yan people to create trouble for the Great Zhou—made Xiao Rongyan’s teeth cold. A’Li didn’t know how these people had endured hardships together with Yan when the country was in difficulty. Could it be that his sister-in-law didn’t know either?

At that time, the Great Yan royal family ate only two meals a day, while the common people… even one meal a day was difficult. Yet they donated all their possessions, asking only that the royal family lead them in preserving their country. Had his sister-in-law forgotten all of this?

“Who gave the Empress Dowager this advice?” Xiao Rongyan’s eyes were filled with murderous intent. He steadied his mind and asked, “Who does the Empress Dowager rely on now? Did the ministers in court not speak out against targeting the Great Zhou? Or… was this matter ordered privately by the Empress Dowager?”

“Regent Prince, apart from Minister Meng in the court, the other ministers have no voice at all. This subordinate cannot see His Majesty or Lord Wang Jiuzhou, but I’ve heard rumors that… it seems the Empress Dowager intends to make Minister Meng’s daughter, Concubine Meng, the Empress. So Minister Meng now follows the Empress Dowager’s every command. In court, Minister Meng dominates alone, whether openly or secretly, it’s the Empress Dowager and Minister Meng who make the decisions.” The official kowtowed to Xiao Rongyan, “Please, Regent Prince, quickly return to the country to oversee the government!”

Although Concubine Meng and A’Li had a considerable age difference, now, without Zhong Xingxiao, Empress Dowager Yan might indeed do such a thing to seize power.

After all… Xiao Rongyan was increasingly unable to understand this sister-in-law of his.

Once, when his elder brother was alive, his sister-in-law was just a gentle and docile woman. But now his sister-in-law… he didn’t know whether it was because she was too eager to preserve the kingdom that his mother had conquered for his brother, or whether she had been corrupted by power and become a different person.

“Minister Meng…” Xiao Rongyan rubbed his fingers against each other, lowering his eyes in thought for a moment, then looked up at the shadow guard captain. “Where did you hear the rumor that the Empress Dowager intends to make Concubine Meng the Empress? Has this matter spread throughout Yan Capital?”

The shadow guard captain was startled, then nodded and said, “It hasn’t spread throughout Yan Capital, but it has already spread among the court officials and nobles. Because I was urgent to come and report the government affairs to the Regent Prince, this subordinate didn’t investigate in detail.”

Xiao Rongyan’s rubbing fingers paused. After a moment of thought, he looked at Yue Shi and said, “Yue Shi, personally take a fast ship to pursue Great Zhou’s fleet. Tell the Emperor of Great Zhou that this prince will handle this matter properly and give Great Zhou an explanation! Go immediately!”

After speaking, Xiao Rongyan added another sentence: “Take generous gifts!”

“Yes!” Yue Shi clasped his fists in response and turned to leave. He understood Xiao Rongyan’s meaning—his master was having him take the birthday gifts intended for the eldest Miss Bai.

Yue Shi couldn’t help but feel sorry for his master. Originally, their master should have set out to pursue the eldest Miss Bai’s fleet, then accompany her for her birthday. But with such a major incident in Yan, this separation between the couple would leave them not knowing when they could meet again.

Xiao Rongyan looked down at the shadow guard captain who had come to deliver the message and said, “The source of these rumors must be investigated thoroughly!”

“This subordinate understands!” the shadow guard captain responded.

“Order General Guo to return to the country at full speed.” Xiao Rongyan knew that this time he had originally planned to secretly head toward Great Zhou’s warships to celebrate Bai Qingyan’s birthday, but with the incident in Yan’s court, Xiao Rongyan would have to disappoint Bai Qingyan.

He knew what Bai Qingyan cared most about were the Great Zhou soldiers and people in the cities within Yan. If he didn’t return quickly, who knew what his sister-in-law might do?

If things truly reached an irreversible point, the strategy of wagering the country that he and Bai Qingyan had initially discussed and decided upon would lose all meaning.

Xiao Rongyan could somewhat guess his sister-in-law’s thoughts. Whether it was the Great Zhou’s introduction of government bonds or their advantages in the Dongyi affair, they had already taken every advantage. But heaven seemed to favor the Great Zhou, causing Yan to suffer from plague at this time. His sister-in-law was unwilling to accept this, so she wanted Great Zhou to fall into the same dire straits as Yan.

However, after the Great Zhou received the news, they were already prepared, sealing their borders and not allowing Yan merchants and goods to flow into the Great Zhou, to prevent the Great Zhou people from contracting the plague. His sister-in-law took advantage of this situation by also forbidding Great Zhou people from entering Yan and not allowing Great Zhou to transport medicine to Yan’s Zhou territories for emergency relief, wanting to use this to force Great Zhou to open its doors. After this period, letting more people in the Yan Zhou territories contract the plague would require the Great Zhou to expend more manpower and resources for treatment.

Meanwhile, their Yan cities in the Great Zhou could remain safe and sound—after all, the wager was over these few cities.

Xiao Rongyan closed his eyes. Before Xiao Rongyan had come to know and love Bai Qingyan, he considered himself a ruthless person who would use any means to achieve his goals, without scruples, not caring about using any conspiracies or schemes to destroy his opponents or uproot those who obstructed him. But even then, he would never have wronged these… Yan people who had endured the most difficult times with their Yan.

Everyone said his sister-in-law was gentle and kind, but when a kind person was tainted by power, could they also become unrecognizable?

Xiao Rongyan closed his aching eyes. He believed… regarding the country wager, his deceased brother would also hope Yan could win, but his brother would never want to win the country wager by sacrificing Yan’s people.

Previously, Xiao Rongyan had great respect for his sister-in-law. Even later, when his sister-in-law treated him that way, he had never spoken harshly to her. For his brother’s sake, remembering how his brother couldn’t let go of his sister-in-law before he died, Xiao Rongyan had mostly shown tolerance toward his sister-in-law, hoping she would reflect on herself.

But now it seemed that leaving his sister-in-law unchecked, who knew what greater troubles she might brew.

After returning to Yan Capital this time, Xiao Rongyan would have a thorough conversation with his sister-in-law. If she remained unrepentant, Xiao Rongyan could only disappoint his brother and confine her for life.