Liu Pinggao gripped the sword at his waist, grinning with both pride and honest satisfaction: “Our Anping Army finally managed to steal the limelight from the Bai Family Army. Being able to accompany His Majesty on this expedition, we naturally must do everything well to be worthy of His Majesty’s regard.”

Bai Qingyan smiled and nodded.

“Your Majesty! They’re coming!” Liu Pinggao spotted dust clouds rising in the distance with swift horses approaching. The foremost banner was their own Great Zhou flag, and he pointed it out to Bai Qingyan.

This location had already been heavily fortified by the soldiers Liu Pinggao had brought.

Xiao Rongyan, cloaked in a great cape, rode swiftly forward. Upon seeing Bai Qingyan’s slender, upright figure standing before the great tent, he raised his hand to signal the guard army following behind him to halt, bringing only Yue Shi as he prepared to meet with Bai Qingyan.

“Regent!” The captain of the guard unit spurred his horse forward with concern. “Great Zhou’s heavy troops surround the tent. For you to go forward with only Yue Shi might not be safe. Perhaps… we should ask the Great Zhou Emperor to speak with you in an open area where we can see and provide protection at any time.”

“Unnecessary. The Great Zhou Emperor is not a treacherous person!”

Having said this, Xiao Rongyan spurred his horse’s flanks and galloped toward the tent.

“My lord!” The guard captain failed to call back Xiao Rongyan, his face full of worry.

Bai Qingyan stood with hands clasped behind her back before the tent, watching Xiao Rongyan approach her. Her hands, hidden behind her back, couldn’t help but clench tightly.

Today’s meeting with Xiao Rongyan was both for personal and official reasons.

Just moments ago, before entering Anshun City, Bai Qingyan had received news that the Yan army stationed in Dongyi seemed to have had conflicts with the local people. Dongyi had sent troops to protect their citizens, and both sides had clashed. Dongyi was furious, claiming that as they were now a vassal state of Great Zhou, they refused to pay further reparations to Yan and had officially declared war against the Yan garrison.

Bai Qingyan didn’t know whether this was Tuoba Yao’s scheme or if the Yan garrison had truly had conflicts with the Dongyi people, prompting Tuoba Yao to seize the opportunity.

However, from the letter, Bai Qingyan could see that Tuoba Yao had indeed already grasped control of Dongyi’s court. The important court ministers who had been planted long ago had used the reasoning that the harem should not interfere in politics, and that the young emperor’s exceptional wisdom made him fully capable of bearing great responsibility, to request that the Empress Dowager rest assured and go join the late emperor.

It was still the young emperor who stepped forward to protect the Empress Dowager, saying he would follow the late emperor’s edict and only request the Empress Dowager to join the late emperor after he came of age. The entire court praised the emperor’s filial piety. The Dongyi Empress Dowager was completely abandoned by the court ministers. Tuoba Yao had her strictly confined under house arrest in the harem and spread news that the Empress Dowager was gravely ill and bedridden.

Perhaps because Dongyi’s current situation was similar to Yan’s most difficult times, plus their young emperor, though young, was very decisive, Dongyi’s court rarely showed such unity. Wherever the Dongyi emperor’s sword pointed, the entire nation would follow without hesitation.

Given Tuoba Yao’s temperament, if the Dongyi Empress Dowager remained obedient afterward, he might spare her life and perhaps allow her to meet with Dongyi’s true Seventh Prince in the future. But if the Dongyi Empress Dowager caused more trouble… he probably wouldn’t spare her!

Bai Qingyan had witnessed that child’s determination for revenge. For the sake of vengeance, he could be ruthlessly cruel even to himself, let alone to the Dongyi Empress Dowager.

Bai Qingyan wondered if she could find out from Xiao Rongyan today whether he planned to divide his forces to Dongyi.

“Whoa…”

Xiao Rongyan, eager to see Bai Qingyan, rode like the wind. As he approached, he swiftly reined in his horse. The black steed reared up on its hind legs before stopping, and the martial figure on horseback leaped down, walking toward Bai Qingyan.

Yue Shi followed closely behind Xiao Rongyan, unable to hide the smile on his face.

“Your Majesty…” Xiao Rongyan performed a deep bow to Bai Qingyan.

“Yue Shi pays respects to Your Majesty!” Yue Shi quickly followed with his bow.

“Regent, please rise!” Bai Qingyan smiled and nodded to Yue Shi. “Yue Shi, following the Regent, are you well?”

Yue Shi understood that in front of others, he was still the guard of the Bai family’s eldest daughter’s husband, Xiao Rongyan. It was natural for the Bai family’s eldest daughter to show concern for him first, so he cooperated with Bai Qingyan’s performance: “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Regent treats Yue Shi very well. Miss need not worry.”

Bai Qingyan nodded and made an inviting gesture to Xiao Rongyan: “Regent, please…”

“Your Majesty, please!” Xiao Rongyan’s voice couldn’t hide his joy as he exchanged pleasantries with Bai Qingyan as usual. “Your Majesty appears to be in very good spirits.”

“Indeed! The epidemic in the cities under the Great Zhou’s jurisdiction has been brought under control. I believe… this is Heaven’s favor upon Great Zhou. Heaven also believes that the Great Zhou’s unification of the realm is the general trend, so the Great Zhou’s government is clear and bright. From the Empress Dowager above to the common people below, all work together with one heart. This is unlike Yan, which makes the Regent work so hard and travel so laboriously. It’s truly taxing!” Bai Qingyan’s voice carried a light smile. “The Regent must understand that Heaven’s mandate cannot be defied! Great Zhou… is where Heaven’s mandate lies!”

Xiao Rongyan understood everything Bai Qingyan was saying.

Indeed, as Bai Qingyan said, the Great Zhou was a newly established dynasty implementing new laws, in a time of building momentum and preparing to surge forward.

While Yan… the imperial clan’s influence in the court was deeply entrenched, and Yan hadn’t dared to make large-scale moves to reduce feudal powers like the Great Zhou had. Any action inevitably had to consider various concerns and was subject to constraints! This was unlike Bai Qingyan, who held complete control over Great Zhou’s military authority and whose word was law!

Moreover, he and A’Li, because of their soft hearts and consideration for the Empress Dowager, couldn’t bring themselves to drive the Empress Dowager away from Yan’s capital. As a result, from the moment Yan betrayed their alliance with Great Zhou during the Western Liang campaign, they had made one wrong step after another. Their current struggles were all like those of a cornered beast.

If he hadn’t encountered Bai Qingyan, Xiao Rongyan wouldn’t have developed such reverence for life. He would surely have acted to eliminate the clan when A’Li ascended the throne, taking advantage of A’Li’s coronation ceremony to kill the feudal princes, even if it meant killing every last one!

Yan’s internal politics should have been broken first, then rebuilt.

But ever since Jin’s destruction, with Great Zhou as such a powerful enemy at their side, Xiao Rongyan didn’t know whether Great Zhou would give Yan time to rebuild after such destruction.

It was this moment of hesitation and his reverence for life that prevented him from making the ruthless decision…

And the wheels of history never give anyone time to hesitate. They always roll forward relentlessly, carrying everyone involuntarily along. If you can’t seize the opportunity, you’ll never be able to grasp it again.

Perhaps, without Xiao Rongyan even realizing it, his heart had already acknowledged that Great Zhou’s national policies and governance were more beneficial to the people than Yan’s.

Because the new policies Bai Qingyan implemented and the changes she made were the very changes his mother, Empress Ji, had wanted to make but couldn’t… didn’t dare to make.

Not only Xiao Rongyan, but even his nephew, little A’Li, must have felt the same way. Otherwise… how could A’Li have sent people to Dongyi?

Before the two could enter the tent that Liu Pinggao had ordered set up, they heard the rapid sound of approaching hoofbeats.

The galloping horse was stopped by the Great Zhou soldiers. The general in Yan’s army armor pulled on the reins to halt his mount and urgently called out: “Regent! Regent…”