Within ten years, the world’s power structure would presumably undergo earth-shaking changes, starting from the state of Yan.
“In that case, this subject believes it would be better for Your Majesty to dispatch envoys to inquire what the Emperor of Great Wei intends… whether he wishes to declare war on our Kingdom. At the same time, Your Majesty could mobilize troops and station them at Chun Mushan on Great Wei’s border, making a show of wanting to fight Great Wei, to intimidate the Emperor of Great Wei. Great Wei will certainly be wary.”
“What if Great Wei truly wants to fight?” the Emperor asked slowly.
The Emperor squinted his eyes, his fingers tapping intermittently on the wooden desk before him: “Now that the Rong Di are in internal strife and cannot restrain Great Wei, our Jin Kingdom’s fertile fields and rich soil are all in the area south of Chun Mushan. Great Wei has been coveting them for a long time…”
“This subject speculates that, at least for now, Great Wei doesn’t dare to fight!” Bai Qingyan’s voice was measured.
“I would like to hear the details. Please enlighten us, County Princess.” Zhang Duanrui clasped his hands respectfully toward Bai Qingyan, his attitude extremely deferential. After all, he had fought bloody battles alongside Bai Qingyan and fully recognized her capabilities.
Bai Qingyan walked to the map that the eunuchs had unrolled and displayed vertically, pointing her finger at Hong Queshan…
“The reason Great Wei stationed troops at Hong Queshan rather than elsewhere is probably because they’re waiting. Great Wei is waiting to see whether Your Majesty will assist or not when the Rong Di come begging to Jin. If Your Majesty permits Jin to send troops to assist the Northern Rong, when our Jin’s main forces are all trapped among the Rong Di, Great Wei can take the opportunity to catch Jin off guard!”
Bai Qingyan withdrew her hand and hid it in her sleeve, nodding toward the Emperor: “If Jin accepts the Nanrong’s treasures but wishes to remain neutral, then Great Wei will justifiably send troops to assist the Northern Rong, and it will be just as this subject and His Highness the Crown Prince previously advised – they will completely occupy the Rong Di’s natural horse pastures.”
The Emperor didn’t know what Bai Qingyan had advised the Crown Prince, so he looked toward the Crown Prince, whose back was immediately drenched in sweat.
Vice Minister of War Shen Jingzhong looked at the map and nodded. What Bai Qingyan said made sense.
“However, Great Wei probably didn’t expect that this time… Great Yan, which the various nations have never taken seriously, would agree to send troops to assist the Rong Di in restoring orthodoxy.” Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes, having almost spoken her thoughts.
“Then, when Yan sends troops to assist the Northern Rong this time… I’m also worried whether Great Yan might have the same intention?” Zhang Duanrui frowned as he looked toward the Emperor.
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed, and he leaned back, resting against the auspicious cloud-patterned golden dragon pillow, deep in thought.
The atmosphere in the entire hall became heavy.
The Crown Prince recalled Bai Qingyan’s previous suggestion, which he had rejected at the time. Afraid the Emperor might blame him, he quickly said: “After all, Great Yan has held hostage their prince to our Jin, and has depended on our Jin for so many years. Before the Yan Emperor left the capital, Father Emperor told him… If he wanted to assist the Northern Rong, he could seek benefits, but he couldn’t swallow up the Rong Di, otherwise, our Jin would not sit idly by.”
The Emperor pressed his lips together without speaking.
“After all, even if Jin had the heart to swallow up the Rong Di, Great Wei is still watching. Once Jin sends troops to the Rong Di, Great Wei will pounce. Minister of Revenue Chu is right – our Jin just experienced the Southern Border war and temporarily has no money to fight, but soon Xiliang’s reparations will arrive, and then we won’t fear a battle with Great Wei.”
After the Crown Prince finished speaking and saw that the Emperor’s expression hadn’t changed, he sighed quietly: “Although we gained the cities that Xiliang ceded, the Southern Border battle caused heavy losses. We should properly rest and recuperate.”
Zhang Duanrui frowned and thought for a moment before nodding, feeling the Crown Prince’s words also made sense.
Bai Qingyan stood quietly to the side, watching. Xiliang, which had once stood as a powerful rival to Jin, was now probably no longer considered a threat in Jin’s eyes.
Wasn’t this a change in the world’s fortunes?
Xiliang currently appeared indeed not to be feared, but who knew about the future?
“Let’s do it this way! While stationing troops at Chun Mushan to intimidate Great Wei, dispatch envoys to ask the Emperor of Great Wei what he intends by mobilizing troops to our two countries’ border – whether he wants to fight our Jin.” The Emperor made the final decision.
“Your Majesty is wise!”
“Your Majesty is wise!”
The Emperor half-closed his eyes, looking at Bai Qingyan, who was kneeling and kowtowing while praising his wisdom, inevitably thinking of Bai Suqiu again…
“You may all withdraw. Bai Qingyan, stay behind… I have something to ask you,” the Emperor said.
“Yes!” After she responded, she turned to look at Minister of Revenue Chu Zhongxing, who was about to bow and exit the palace: “Minister Chu, are you leaving the palace now?”
Chu Zhongxing, who had no particular connection with Bai Qingyan, was quite surprised to be suddenly called out by Bai Qingyan in front of the Emperor. He glanced at the Emperor before saying to Bai Qingyan: “Since His Majesty has no further instructions, we naturally must leave the palace. Does the County Princess have business?”
“I trouble Minister Chu to wait a moment. I have something to tell you.” Bai Qingyan said.
Chu Zhongxing glanced at the Emperor again, quickly nodded in agreement, and withdrew from the hall.
“What do you need to tell Chu Zhongxing?” the Emperor asked casually.
“This subject’s maid said her mother found her a marriage prospect and came to request this subject’s grace to redeem her freedom. Upon inquiry, I learned that a steward from the Minister’s mansion had approached this subject’s mother, saying they wanted to elevate this subject’s maid to be a proper concubine in the Minister’s mansion. This subject thought that the Minister’s mansion is a noble household, and for this girl to become a proper concubine would be her good fortune, so I agreed.”
The Emperor frowned, apparently thinking that Chu Zhongxing wanted Bai Qingyan’s maid as a proper concubine.
The Emperor’s brow tightened. Did Chu Zhongxing have some strange preference? Why did he specifically want Bai Qingyan’s maid as a proper concubine? Was this causing trouble for Bai Qingyan, or was there…
Some conspiracy?
Before the Emperor could figure it out, Bai Qingyan continued: “Who would have known that girl would secretly steal a ruby hairpin that Grandmother had rewarded me with, behind this subject’s back. She didn’t know that the hairpin was a relic of the late Empress. This subject had always kept it in my chest because I couldn’t bear to wear it. That girl thought this subject had forgotten about the hairpin and stole it to use as her dowry! This subject thought that since it’s the Minister’s mansion wanting a proper concubine, and she’s leaving my household, I should still inform Minister Chu to avoid any future misunderstandings, lest Minister Chu think this subject doesn’t know how to discipline people.”
The Emperor looked at Bai Qingyan with her lowered brows and compliant eyes, and in a trance seemed to see Bai Suqiu. The previous image of Bai Qingyan being confrontational before him had blurred, leaving only her current, clear, and beautiful appearance.
His throat moved, and after adjusting his sitting position, he asked: “Have you met Miss Lu, whom your grandmother wants to adopt as a goddaughter?”
Bai Qingyan guessed that the Emperor had kept her alone to inquire about Miss Lu, so she said: “In response to Your Majesty, I have met her.”
“Does she look very much like your aunt?” After the Emperor asked this, he felt he had asked the wrong person, since Bai Qingyan was still young when Bai Suqiu left.
“In response to Your Majesty, this subject thinks she looks quite similar to my aunt in the portrait. According to Nanny Jiang, this Miss Lu is skilled in medicine like my aunt and is very much favored by Grandmother.” Bai Qingyan replied.