Qin Shangzhi rose and bowed deeply to the Crown Prince: “I beseech Your Highness not to hesitate—this battle is unavoidable!”
Old Fang gave Qin Shangzhi another sideways glance, stroking his goatee with a smile as he played his trump card: “Master Qin’s words are not without merit. Your Highness should enter the palace to ask His Majesty’s opinion before making a decision.”
The Crown Prince nodded in deep agreement: “Tomorrow morning, I will enter the palace to request Father’s instructions!”
Bai Jinzhi sighed inwardly—that’s it… No hope now!
That old emperor was addled, only thinking about seeking immortality. If there were money, it would go to building the Nine-Tiered Platform. What war would there be?!
Qin Shangzhi could only pray silently in his heart, hoping the Emperor would understand that seizing Great Liang was crucial for Jin.
When Qin Shangzhi emerged from the Crown Prince’s study, he inexplicably thought of Yan again. Actually, until now… Qin Shangzhi still wasn’t clear about Yan’s true national strength.
As Princess Zhenguo had said through Princess Gaoyi, if Yan were a weak Kingdom, how would it dare send troops to assist Beirong against Nanrong?
If Great Yan were a strong Kingdom, would Emperor Yan be frightened nearly to death by just Great Liang and Wei attacking from both sides?
He lowered his gaze, walking down from the high steps where lamp shadows and light danced, when suddenly his steps halted. He looked up at the brilliant starlit sky, and a thought occurred to him…
Could it be that Great Yan was using Emperor Yan’s critical condition as an excuse merely to recall Prince Murong Li?
But why would Yan want to recall the prince?
Qin Shangzhi’s steps stopped completely.
“Brother Qin, why have you stopped here? Do you have more to say to the Crown Prince?” Ren Shijie came from behind, seeing Qin Shangzhi standing motionless, and asked with a smile.
Qin Shangzhi’s eyes suddenly widened. Like being enlightened by divine revelation, his thoughts became crystal clear, but… was it possible?
Yan recalled its prince, who was hostage in Jin, to… bare its fangs to the world, announcing that Yan had already risen, but fearing Jin would use the Yan prince to constrain Yan, so… Emperor Yan simply staged a scene of critical illness to recall his son!
Understanding this key point, Qin Shangzhi turned and hurried back to the Crown Prince’s study. Ren Shijie also lifted his robe hem and hurried to follow.
Seeing Qin Shangzhi return after leaving, the Crown Prince looked up with a gentle voice: “Master Qin, don’t worry… tomorrow morning I will enter the palace to request an imperial decree from Father, and try my best to persuade him to send troops against Great Liang!”
Qin Shangzhi bowed deeply to the Crown Prince: “Your Highness, what I want to discuss is not this matter, but Great Yan’s Prince Murong Li, who is a hostage in Jin! Your Highness… that Emperor Yan is someone who has experienced great rises and falls. How could he be near death just because Great Liang and Wei are attacking Great Yan from both sides? This must just be an excuse for Yan to recall Prince Li!”
The Crown Prince looked somewhat puzzled: “If they wanted to recall the prince, they could have said so directly, or sent someone else. Why pretend to be dying? It doesn’t make sense…”
“Your Highness! Yan’s recall of Prince Li is probably because… Yan intends to reveal its fangs in this chaotic world!” Qin Shangzhi said solemnly.
The Crown Prince glanced at Old Fang and chuckled: “Master Qin is being overly nervous. Yan has survived these years by depending on Jin. After reclaiming Nanyan’s lost territories, I admit… Yan’s national strength has greatly increased, and it even dares to send troops to assist Beirong! This already counts as revealing their fangs. How else could Yan reveal its fangs? Surely it wouldn’t dare raise a blade against our Jin?”
“Your Highness, I fear Yan… intends to use Wei’s first attack on Yan as an excuse to attack Wei! Moreover… it will crush Wei completely! Yan fears that such action against Wei would make Jin wary, so while Jin is still unguarded against Yan, they’re using Emperor Yan’s health as an excuse to recall Prince Li, eliminating future concerns!” Qin Shangzhi spoke rapidly but steadily. “When that time comes… Yan will astonish the world, and Jin will have nothing left to control Yan with!”
“But Father has already agreed to Murong Li’s return—the imperial decree has been issued…” The Crown Prince’s brow furrowed. Deep down, he had never taken Yan seriously.
Old Fang, sitting under the lamp, thought carefully for a moment, then cupped his hands toward the Crown Prince: “Your Highness, regardless of whether Master Qin’s words are true, since Yan has suddenly recalled Prince Li, why not have Your Highness dispatch skilled fighters… ostensibly to escort him along the way, but actually to monitor him secretly. If Yan truly makes any unusual moves, have them capture that little prince and bring him back to guard against Yan!”
For the first time, Qin Shangzhi wholeheartedly agreed with Old Fang, quickly saying: “Old Fang speaks truly!”
The Crown Prince sighed: “Since both Old Fang and Master Qin say so, then… I will dispatch secret guards to escort him all the way!”
“Your Highness is wise!” Qin Shangzhi bowed to the ground.
“The secret guards Your Highness assigned to protect Princess Zhenguo’s mansion are all skilled fighters. Why not reassign them? Princess Zhenguo returns to Shouyang tomorrow, so there surely won’t be any danger!” Old Fang said.
“Good, Old Fang will arrange it!” After the Crown Prince spoke, he also ordered Quan Yu to bring two more lamps and sat at his desk to continue reading memorials.
·
When Bai Jinzhi returned to the Bai mansion, she told Bai Qingyan about the events at the Crown Prince’s mansion, couldn’t help rolling her eyes: “With the Crown Prince being so afraid of the Emperor, I think… when the Crown Prince ascends the throne in the future, he might fear Consort Yu just as much as he fears the Emperor!”
Bai Qingyan was not as impatient as Bai Jinzhi. She looked up at Bai Jinzhi’s indignant expression: “Forget it. You’ve delivered the message. As for the outcome, it’s not something you and I can influence. Let it be! Go rest! Tomorrow morning, we still need to return to Shouyang.”
Not long after Bai Jinzhi left, Lu Ping came to report that the Crown Prince had withdrawn all the secret guards stationed outside Princess Zhenguo’s mansion. Lu Ping had kept watch and sent people to follow them, only to discover that the Crown Prince’s secret guards had ridden swiftly out of the city.
Bai Qingyan chuckled softly—Qin Shangzhi’s reaction was rather slow.
She had Bai Jinzhi go and say so much, thinking Qin Shangzhi would immediately realize and advise the Crown Prince to detain Murong Li.
She hadn’t expected that Murong Li had been out of the city for so long… before the Crown Prince finally sent people racing out of the city to pursue him.
Bai Qingyan quite liked that little fellow Murong Li. Though he was the legitimate son, at such a young age, he dared take his half-brother’s place as hostage in Jin, and even befriended those Jin dandy boys.
This truly impressed Bai Qingyan.
Speaking personally, Bai Qingyan hoped that the child could safely reach Great Yan. Speaking publicly… Bai Qingyan was from Jin and didn’t want to sit by and watch Great Yan grow strong.
Therefore, Bai Qingyan took a middle path and didn’t have Bai Jinzhi explicitly suggest detaining Murong Li. As long as Bai Jinzhi delivered the complete message, pointing out that Great Yan was no longer yesterday’s Yan, otherwise it wouldn’t dare send troops to assist the Rong, Qin Shangzhi would surely understand the key points.
Bai Qingyan guessed that the Crown Prince’s people couldn’t catch up to Murong Li.
Don’t underestimate that little fellow Murong Li—he was someone who could be ruthless with himself, and would certainly… travel day and night without rest, racing toward Great Yan.
Just as Bai Qingyan had predicted, when the Crown Prince’s people pursued out of the city, they caught up to the Yan envoy’s carriage but saw no sign of Murong Li.