Old Fang raised an eyebrow and looked toward Bai Qingyan: “I would like to hear the County Princess’s instruction.”

“As Old Fang said, if our Jin Kingdom joins forces with Great Wei to destroy Yan and partition Yan’s territory, with Nanyan’s fertile soil going to Wei and Yan’s barren northern lands going to Jin, it would indeed be of no benefit to our Great Jin! But Great Wei said one thing correctly – over these years, Great Yan has secretly built up its strength without revealing its true capabilities. No one among the nations knows what level their national power has reached. Isn’t this frightening? Think about when Empress Ji was in power, implementing new laws that the various nations disdained. At that time… Great Yan was also concealing its true strength like this. Ten years later, their new army suddenly appeared. Great Yan’s elite soldiers were invincible, with none daring to oppose their might, destroying small countries and swallowing other nations’ fertile lands. If the Emperor of Great Yan hadn’t later awakened to take power and abolished the new policies, with Great Yan’s national strength at that time, destroying the remaining nations and achieving unification… would have been just around the corner!”

Bai Qingyan looked toward the Crown Prince: “Does Your Highness remember that when returning victorious from the southern frontier, I once suggested that Your Highness send troops to assist the Rong tribes to seize the natural pastures, laying the foundation for future unification? At that time, Your Highness and His Majesty felt that the Jin Kingdom’s military strength had been greatly depleted from warfare and should focus on rest and recuperation, so no troops were sent to the Rong territories.”

Bai Qingyan’s words contained flattery for the Crown Prince and Emperor, but were spoken with utmost sincerity. The Crown Prince quickly nodded: “Yes!”

“But Great Yan sent troops to assist the Rong at this time!” Bai Qingyan said methodically. “Your Highness must not forget that Great Yan’s Emperor Murong Yu is Empress Ji’s son, raised and taught by Empress Ji. He has never forgotten Empress Ji’s grand ambition to unify the world! He took advantage of the chaos to recover Nanyan and reclaim the fertile ancestral lands, assisted the Rong tribes against the Nanrong to covet the Rong tribes’ natural pastures! All of this is laying the foundation for future unification…”

“The territory our Jin Kingdom occupies, though it holds the heartland, faces enemies on four sides in a situation of being surrounded by four nations. If we can destroy Yan this time, when we seek to conquer the world in the future, we can avoid being constrained by Great Yan on the western front, and the Jin Kingdom won’t need to divide its forces to the west. Though this battle offers no immediate benefits… in the long term, it can lay the foundation for our future great undertaking.”

Qin Shangzhi nodded repeatedly: “Your Highness, what the Duke of Zhenguo says is right! Great Yan intends to covet the world. Though destroying Yan would bring no immediate profit to our Jin Kingdom, in the long term, destroying Yan would remove the greatest obstacle to our Jin Kingdom’s future unification of the world!”

“Master Qin’s words are somewhat exaggerated. A small Yan Kingdom, now weak in nation and poor in people, could become an obstacle? Master Qin thinks too highly of Yan Kingdom!” Old Fang looked disdainful as he glared at Qin Shangzhi, then cupped his hands toward the Crown Prince. “Even if, as the Duke of Zhenguo says, Yan Kingdom harbors great ambitions for the world! But Your Highness… Yan Kingdom’s national strength cannot keep up with Yan Kingdom’s ambitions! Unifying the world is an extremely difficult undertaking. With Yan Kingdom’s shabby appearance, do they dare speak of unification?”

The Crown Prince lowered his eyes in thought and unconsciously nodded.

“Therefore, this old minister believes that our Jin Kingdom should guard against Yan Kingdom, but at present, there’s no need to send troops to make wedding clothes for Wei Kingdom! Your Highness can inform the Great Yan prince Murong Li, who is held as hostage in Jin Kingdom, about Wei’s secret mission to Jin with intentions to conspire with Jin to destroy and partition Yan. Let him relay this news back to his mother Kingdom, and let Yan Kingdom fight with Wei Kingdom! Our Jin Kingdom can observe from the sidelines and reap the benefits, while also seeing what Great Yan’s true strength is.” Old Fang bowed to the Crown Prince after finishing.

“Yes, we should inform the Great Yan prince. After all… Great Yan sending their legitimate heir as a hostage to Jin shows tremendous sincerity. Our Jin Kingdom cannot chill Yan Kingdom’s heart!” The Crown Prince seemed very satisfied with Old Fang’s strategy, his eyes full of pleased smiles.

Qin Shangzhi pressed his lips tightly together, his fists clenched within his sleeves.

If Jin Kingdom didn’t ally with Wei Kingdom, Wei Kingdom definitely wouldn’t act rashly…

As Bai Qingyan had just said, Great Yan had never revealed its true strength. Wouldn’t the Wei Kingdom feel fear in their hearts?

Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes. As a person of Jin… she had already said everything she should advise. As for whether those in power would adopt it, that was the Crown Prince and Emperor’s affair.

Seeing that Bai Qingyan remained silent, the Crown Prince didn’t want to neglect her and asked: “What does the County Princess think?”

“If Your Highness uses Old Fang’s strategy, I think we could add some elements to it.” Bai Qingyan’s voice was calm. “If Great Yan and Wei Kingdom truly go to war and our Jin Kingdom observes from the sidelines, after both sides are wounded, our Jin Kingdom could then ally with Wei Kingdom to jointly attack Yan Kingdom. At that time… which territories go to the Jin Kingdom and which go to the Wei Kingdom would be for our Jin Kingdom to decide!”

Qin Shangzhi’s brow furrowed even more tightly. This could also be considered a strategy among strategies!

But the prerequisite was that the Wei Kingdom would attack the Yan Kingdom without allying with the Jin Kingdom.

“Excellent!” The Crown Prince was in great spirits. “Before the evening meal, I will enter the palace to report to Father Emperor.”

“Quan Yu!” The Crown Prince called toward the door. “Go ask if Master Xiao has arrived. If he has… then begin the feast to celebrate the Duke of Zhenguo’s triumphant return!”

Hearing Xiao Rongyan’s name, Bai Qingyan’s hand paused as she was lifting her teacup, and she pressed her lips together.

The Crown Prince smiled and said to Bai Qingyan: “Yesterday, you were worried about your great-aunt, so you didn’t attend when Father Emperor held a banquet in the palace. Today… we’ll hold a small banquet at the Crown Prince’s mansion to celebrate with you! Rest assured, there will be no singing or dancing… no alcohol, all vegetarian food! You must not decline again!”

Bai Qingyan rose to express her gratitude and accept the command.

·

As Bai Qingyan’s group followed the Crown Prince around the corner of the covered walkway, they saw from afar Xiao Rongyan in moon-white wide-sleeved robes, his tall figure sitting beneath golden osmanthus flowers admiring the blooms, his entire being emanating a sense of leisurely composure.

The distance was too great for Bai Qingyan to clearly see Xiao Rongyan’s features and expression, but she could sense the man’s steady and refined gentle demeanor.

Flowers fell with the wind, and Xiao Rongyan maintained an indifferent posture as he brushed away the fallen petals on his knees.

“Rongyan!” The Crown Prince called out to Xiao Rongyan affectionately.

Hearing his name, Xiao Rongyan rose and methodically bowed respectfully toward the Crown Prince: “Your Highness!”

He then looked toward Bai Qingyan, his eyes containing a smile: “County Princess!”

Bai Qingyan nodded toward Xiao Rongyan, but her gaze fell on the jade hairpin in Xiao Rongyan’s hair…

That jade hairpin was identical to the one Xiao Rongyan had given her yesterday.

Xiao Rongyan raised his deep eyes, his profound dark gaze falling on her face with a calm yet deep look.

The Crown Prince walked to Xiao Rongyan’s side with a smile and said, “After today, we’ll have to address her as Princess! Come… let’s talk inside!”

The Crown Prince intimately pulled Xiao Rongyan’s arm and entered the main hall with him.

“County Princess, please!” Quan Yu held back Old Fang, who was about to step inside, and gestured for Bai Qingyan to go first.

Old Fang felt somewhat displeased but knew the distinctions of rank and status. He waited until Bai Qingyan entered before lifting his feet.

With matchmaking intentions, the Crown Prince arranged Xiao Rongyan’s seat at Bai Qingyan’s lower right.

“Since the Duke of Zhenguo is still in mourning, though today is a banquet celebrating the County Princess’s triumphant return, it’s inappropriate to have singing, dancing, or music, and certainly inappropriate to drink alcohol. This vegetarian feast… with osmanthus dew personally brewed by the Crown Princess, I hope Rongyan won’t find it distasteful!” The Crown Prince said with a beaming smile.

“How could I? Your Highness has thought of everything!” Xiao Rongyan straightened up and smiled at the Crown Prince as he lifted the wine cup before him.