Xiao Rongyan calculated the timing of when the Ghost-Faced General appeared in Nanrong, noting that his swordsmanship and archery were both extraordinary. After Bai Qingyan had come to inquire that night and left, Xiao Rongyan could already vaguely guess at some connections.
Since Xiao Rongyan spoke frankly, Bai Qingyan didn’t hide anything either, her eyes full of amusement: “Perhaps so! I’ve already sent people to Nanrong to investigate.”
“Then I congratulate Miss Bai first,” Xiao Rongyan said with genuine warmth.
Each member of the Bai family was an outstanding military talent. When they were all together in Jin, it wasn’t apparent, but now with one supporting Jin and another having gone to Nanyan, only now did it became clear how skilled the Bai family was in warfare and conquest.
Xiao Rongyan couldn’t help but sigh inwardly—how wonderful it would be if such a family had been born in Great Yan.
“Now that Nanrong and Beirong are at odds, with Yan assisting Beirong, we’ll inevitably clash with the Ghost-Faced General. Especially if Princess Mingcheng truly dies this time, Xie Xun will likely become irreconcilably opposed to the Ghost-Faced General, swearing to take his life.” Xiao Rongyan paused in his steps and bowed deeply to Bai Qingyan. “Therefore, I have a request—please, Miss Bai… mediate on our behalf, so that Princess Mingcheng can remain in Dengzhou to recover and save her life.”
Xiao Rongyan spoke with utmost sincerity. Princess Mingcheng had decided to marry for the sake of Yan’s diplomatic alliance, and regardless of anything else, Xiao Rongyan wanted to protect her.
But this was Dengzhou, and Xiao Rongyan hadn’t yet established his network here, making it difficult for him to act effectively.
However, Bai Qingyan was at her maternal grandfather’s home, making it far more convenient for her to take action than for him.
Bai Qingyan stood facing Xiao Rongyan, looking at him as he made his sincere request: “Although Princess Mingcheng is from Great Yan, I greatly admire her courage in voluntarily agreeing to the marriage alliance and her loyalty to her homeland! But if we keep Princess Mingcheng here for treatment and she cannot be saved, the Emperor will surely blame my uncle in the future! I’m not afraid to bear responsibility… but I cannot let my uncle bear it. Do you understand this point?”
Xiao Rongyan straightened and looked at Bai Qingyan’s clear, bright features, understanding that her words were true.
“However, keeping Princess Mingcheng here is not entirely impossible. The success or failure of this matter depends entirely on Great Yan… and doesn’t require me to intercede with my uncle on Great Yan’s behalf.” Bai Qingyan’s voice was calm. “Princess Mingcheng hasn’t yet married the Beirong King or performed the wedding ceremonies—she’s still your Great Yan princess. Great Yan has sent a hostage prince to Jin, and our two countries are on good terms. You need only be willing to humble yourselves and request that Princess Mingcheng be allowed to remain for treatment, while offering Jin’s Emperor sufficient benefits. These benefits must be substantial enough that my uncle cannot refuse them on the Emperor’s behalf!”
Xiao Rongyan frowned, thinking carefully.
“If Yan can do this, my uncle naturally won’t be put in a difficult position. If Jin receives benefits too substantial for my uncle to refuse on his authority… he’ll have to memorialize the throne for instructions. Even if the Emperor refuses, with correspondence going back and forth, nearly a month will pass. The only question is whether Yan is willing to sacrifice for Princess Mingcheng, this marriage alliance princess.”
Xiao Rongyan wasn’t unwilling to cede cities to Jin in exchange for letting Princess Mingcheng remain for proper treatment. After all, lost cities could be recaptured, but if a person died, they were truly gone.
But Xiao Rongyan wasn’t Bai Qingyan and didn’t fully understand Dong Qingyue. He feared that even if Yan voluntarily ceded cities to keep Princess Mingcheng in Dengzhou for treatment, it might backfire, making Dong Qingyue suspect Yan’s impure motives—that they intended to spy on Dengzhou’s defenses—and refuse to keep her.
After all, ceding cities for the safety of a marriage alliance princess was unprecedented. If Xiao Rongyan were Dong Qingyue, he would naturally be suspicious too.
But if Bai Qingyan were willing to step forward, the matter could be accomplished.
Xiao Rongyan bowed deeply to Bai Qingyan again: “Thank you, Miss Bai, for your assistance. Regardless of whether Princess Mingcheng survives this time, I will remember this great kindness forever. I will signal General Pei of Yan to cede cities, requesting that Lord Dong allow Princess Mingcheng to remain in Dengzhou for treatment, and we absolutely won’t put Lord Dong in a difficult position.”
“Master Xiao is too kind!” Bai Qingyan nodded. “Yan’s magnanimity in ceding cities for a marriage alliance princess is truly admirable.”
Xiao Rongyan straightened and looked steadily at Bai Qingyan: “In this world, loyal and brave hearts must not be betrayed.”
Loyal and brave hearts must not be betrayed…
Bai Qingyan softly repeated these words, her features taking on a faint smile.
Yes, loyal and brave hearts in this world must not be betrayed. Unfortunately, Jin’s imperial family didn’t understand this principle—they had failed the loyal bones of the entire Bai family and chilled the hearts of countless loyal ministers in court.
So now Jin’s court, from top to bottom, was filled with servile flatterers who compromised their integrity.
A once-mighty superpower that had stood as one of the great pillars was beginning to decline.
But Great Yan, acting this way—with ruler and ministers united in heart, willing to sacrifice cities for a loyal and righteous woman—would surely gather the hearts of the entire nation and return to the glorious prosperity of Empress Ji’s reign.
That very day, in addition to presenting treasures to Dong Qingyue, General Pei of Great Yan indeed proposed that Great Yan was willing to cede four cities of various sizes in the Huyi region to Jin, requesting that Princess Mingcheng be allowed to remain in Dengzhou to recover.
Dong Qingyue truly hadn’t expected Yan to make such a move. For a moment, he didn’t dare refuse outright. After thinking it over, he summoned his advisors, Dong Changlan and Bai Qingyan, to his study to discuss the matter.
Great Yan’s generous offer to cede the relatively prosperous cities of the Huyi region in exchange for letting Princess Mingcheng remain in Dengzhou to recover made Dong Qingyue suspicious that Great Yan was using substantial benefits to deceive Jin, intending to remain in Dengzhou to spy on its defenses.
“If we let the Great Yan and Beirong people withdraw outside the city and Princess Mingcheng meets with misfortune, our Jin will have no way to explain ourselves!”
“However, Yan has offered four cities. If you refuse rashly, I fear the Emperor will be displeased. Even if the Emperor cannot directly rebuke the General for failing to secure these cities for Jin, he will surely rebuke you for damaging diplomatic relations between our two countries!”
Both advisors frowned deeply.
Dong Changlan was also extremely vexed—Great Yan had suddenly thrown them a hot potato that was neither easy to accept nor refuse: “The most difficult thing is finding the right balance—not letting Yan and Beirong spy on our Dengzhou’s military strength and defenses, while still securing these cities for the Emperor.”
“Didn’t they say Princess Mingcheng couldn’t hold on?” one advisor said. “Then use delay tactics—drag it out until Princess Mingcheng doesn’t make it, and the matter will resolve itself.”
Bai Qingyan looked down at the clear tea in her sweet porcelain cup, gently closed the lid, set the cup aside, and spoke: “Uncle, this matter… isn’t difficult to resolve. Since Great Yan has given such generous gifts, you should simply petition the Emperor! Write a memorial clearly stating the pros and cons, tell the Emperor that you don’t dare decide on His Majesty’s behalf whether to accept the cities, and that you fear Great Yan’s offer to trade cities for a marriage alliance princess’s safety is intended to spy on our Jin’s border military deployments! Therefore… you can only temporarily house the Beirong and Great Yan people in Dengzhou, first placing both countries’ people under supervision, then send fast horses to deliver the memorial to the capital and request the Emperor’s explicit instructions.”