Ren Shijie gently crushed fish food between his fingers and scattered it into the lake: “I previously tested this, Master Qin…”

“You want to bring this Master Qin into Yan?” Xiao Rongyan gazed at the carp in the lake, asking in a measured tone, “Is this person truly that capable?”

“This person is indeed a great talent! So your subordinate took the risk to try, thinking that if I could bring this Master Qin into Yan to serve Great Yan, it would count as a merit for Great Yan. But I was nearly exposed by Qin Shangzhi and had to suppress the matter to avoid ruining things.”

Ren Shijie cherished talent and felt it was a pity to let Qin Shangzhi waste away like this, squandering his abilities. After thinking, he suggested: “If my lord could devise a way to tame this person, he would surely become a capable minister to support our Great Yan.”

Xiao Rongyan lowered his eyes and handed the handkerchief back to Yue Shi without speaking.

Great Yan desperately needed talent, but this Master Qin… although Xiao Rongyan hadn’t had much contact with him, he knew this person had deep feelings for his motherland and would never betray his Kingdom to go to Great Yan and work against the Jin Kingdom for Yan.

Anyone with great ability had their pride and principles. This Qin Shangzhi was no different—otherwise, he should have entered the Bai family’s service long ago.

Xiao Rongyan still remembered how Bai Qingyan had seen Qin Shangzhi off outside the capital. Although he had been quite far away and didn’t know what Bai Qingyan had said to Qin Shangzhi, Xiao Rongyan could see Qin Shangzhi’s emotionally stirred appearance. He believed… Qin Shangzhi had harbored thoughts of following Bai Qingyan.

As for why Qin Shangzhi later chose the Crown Prince instead, Xiao Rongyan didn’t know.

Perhaps Qin Shangzhi wanted to take a shortcut, or perhaps he thought Bai Qingyan was just a woman.

“The relationship between lord and minister in Yan’s court emphasizes mutual willingness. Those brought by trickery and deception probably won’t serve Yan’s court wholeheartedly. Forget it! Your safety is most important—don’t put yourself in danger for one Qin Shangzhi.” Xiao Rongyan turned to look at Ren Shijie. “I know in my heart how difficult your journey has been. Now that Jin’s court is already in complete chaos, just protect yourself.”

“Then your subordinate wishes Great Yan an early recovery of the capital and unification of the world.” Ren Shijie couldn’t bow to Xiao Rongyan in this place, but his eyes were full of respect and determination.

Xiao Rongyan smiled and patted Ren Shijie’s shoulder: “Be extra careful around the Crown Prince.”

Ren Shijie nodded.

This hidden piece, Xiao Rongyan, had been planted beside the Crown Prince long ago, even before he had come to the capital. How many people had given their lives to pave the way for Ren Shijie to reach his current position?

Over the years, Xiao Rongyan avoided using Ren Shijie when possible, both for his safety and so he could play a greater role someday.

Now, although Yan Kingdom desperately sought talent, it hadn’t reached the point where not finding great talent would mean the Kingdom’s destruction. Between great talent and Ren Shijie’s safety, Xiao Rongyan would choose Ren Shijie.

The news of Ren Shijie meeting Xiao Rongyan at the night market reached the Crown Prince’s ears within an hour.

But the Crown Prince didn’t take this matter seriously. Xiao Rongyan had originally said he wanted to visit the night market, and encountering Ren Shijie, who hadn’t returned home in years and wanted to see his hometown’s scenery, wasn’t surprising.

The Crown Prince also heard that after touring Fenping’s night market, Xiao Rongyan had returned to Dengzhou with his guards, so he went to bed.

On Bai Qingyan’s side, Lu Ping personally escorted Qin Shangzhi back. Seeing Qin Shangzhi’s pale complexion under the lamplight, he said: “Our eldest miss is doing this for your good. Think it over carefully!”

Lu Ping was about to leave after speaking.

“Lu Ping, you once served in the Bai family army. Do you know… what was the original purpose of establishing the Bai family army?” Qin Shangzhi suddenly asked.

Lu Ping, who had already walked down the steps, turned to look at Qin Shangzhi with some confusion. Almost without thinking, he answered: “To quell internal rebellions and external wars, protect and secure the people.”

Protect and secure the people, not protect and secure the Kingdom.

Qin Shangzhi pressed his lips tightly together. He understood… what the Bai family had been loyal to for generations was not the ruler, but the people!

The Bai family had more of a ruler’s bearing than the Jin’s Lin imperial family—this had been true for generations. Yet despite holding military power for generations, the Bai family had never sought to replace the dynasty and willingly submitted, because… counting back several generations of Jin rulers from the current emperor, though they couldn’t be called enlightened rulers, they were at least virtuous ones. So the Bai family never harbored rebellious thoughts, and their loyal and righteous reputation spread throughout all nations, earning universal admiration.

Seeing Qin Shangzhi close his eyes, Lu Ping, carrying his lantern, walked back and asked: “What’s wrong?”

“You may go…” Qin Shangzhi’s throat moved as he opened his eyes to look at Lu Ping, speaking calmly and firmly: “Lu Ping, you and I were once friends, but those who follow different paths cannot work together. Go back and tell the eldest miss that I will remain by the Crown Prince’s side, striving to correct him. Even if the Crown Prince lacks great ability, even if he’s not an enlightened ruler with grand ambitions to expand territory, I will make him a virtuous lord, make him a ruler with a sovereign’s bearing who keeps the people in his heart.”

As long as the people could live peacefully… and with peace of mind, given the Bai family’s loyalty to the people, they would certainly not rebel.

Qin Shangzhi was willing to stay by the Crown Prince’s side, willing to work hard to maintain the balance between the Bai family and the imperial house, thus sparing the people from warfare and keeping Jin Kingdom stable.

He, Qin Shangzhi, originally had great ambitions and heroic aspirations—he wanted to pacify the world! But Jin’s ruler was not virtuous, the heir apparent’s character was unstable, and treacherous people constantly whispered poison in his ear.

At least for now, Qin Shangzhi believed the Crown Prince hadn’t reached the point of being beyond salvation. When truly desperate, even if Qin Shangzhi had to violate his principles and nature to kill that Old Fang… it wasn’t impossible. As long as no Old Fang was poisoning the Crown Prince’s mind, he firmly believed he could straighten out the Crown Prince and prevent him from using those despicable conspiracies and schemes, making him follow righteous and open strategies instead.

By having Lu Ping convey these words to Bai Qingyan, Qin Shangzhi was also telling her that he wouldn’t reveal the Bai family’s plans and thoughts to the Crown Prince—he would keep them in his heart. He firmly believed that as long as the court didn’t push the people to rebellion, given the Bai family’s heart to protect and secure the people, the Bai family would only be loyal ministers protecting Jin’s state and ancestral altars, never becoming traitorous rebels who would replace the Lin court with the Bai surname.

Seeing Lu Ping about to speak and persuade him, Qin Shangzhi raised his hand to stop him: “Go back! My mind is made up!”

After speaking, Qin Shangzhi turned and went back to his room, closing the door.

Lu Ping, carrying his sheepskin lantern, looked deeply at the closed carved screen door, shook his head, and walked back.

When Lu Ping returned, he saw the window lattices of the eldest miss’s room wide open. The eldest miss sat by the window under the lamp, holding a book and reading. On the small table sat a three-legged gilt auspicious beast incense burner with light smoke curling up. The yellow lamplight outlined the eldest miss’s exquisitely beautiful profile, beautiful as if she had stepped out of a painting.

This lodging was specially found by Quan Yu knowing Bai Qingyan would come. Quan Yu had also carefully selected all the books in the room—chess manuals and similar texts, privately thinking Bai Qingyan would surely like them.