Prince Guang’an had troops under his command—what was there to fear? What he feared was losing his ancestral domain. Without his ancestral domain, what was the point of living? Those with nothing to lose fear nothing! If Bai Qingyan insisted on reducing the feudal domains, she was forcing them to go barefoot, and would they still fear mutual destruction with Bai Qingyan?!

Prince Hedong looked at Prince Guang’an, whose face showed confusion and even anger. Prince Baishui had always followed Prince Guang’an’s lead, but this time, judging by Prince Guang’an’s expression, he seemed completely unaware of the situation.

Just as Prince Guang’an finished speaking, Bai Family Army elite soldiers escorted Prince Baishui, dressed in imperial robes and crown, into the hall. Seeing Prince Baishui’s appearance, Prince Guang’an was so shocked he stood up abruptly, staring fixedly at Prince Baishui in his imperial regalia.

“Kneel!” The Bai Family Army soldiers forced Prince Baishui to kneel on the ground.

“Prince Baishui ambushed Qiankun Hall, bringing Western Liang assassins with the intent to commit regicide. Have you already reached some agreement with Western Liang?” Grand Marshal Lu asked.

Whether it was Grand Marshal Lu, Minister of Works Shen Jingzhong, Minister of Education Dong Qingping, or the ministers of the Six Ministries, they were all officials Bai Qingyan relied upon. They naturally understood that Bai Qingyan was now bringing Prince Baishui forward to reduce the feudal domains.

It was this foolish Prince Baishui who, at such a critical moment, actually wanted to rebel, literally placing the blade for reducing feudal domains into Bai Qingyan’s hands. Not reducing the feudal domains would be letting down all their troublemaking efforts.

“Bai Qingyan, you are the rebellious traitor who commits treason against your superiors. A woman wanting to ascend the throne as emperor is bad enough, but you even want to reduce the feudal domains—go have your pipe dreams! I’m not afraid to tell you… Right now, the armies of us five great feudal princes are gathered outside the capital city. With just one command, we can immediately attack the capital and kill all these running dogs who have betrayed the Lin Dynasty of Jin!”

Fool! Prince Hedong pressed his lips tightly together. He could have taken this opportunity to claim that this set of imperial robes was put on him by Bai Qingyan just to legitimately reduce the feudal domains. That way, the other four feudal princes would have had a role to play! Everything could have been salvaged!

But this fool, the moment he appeared, revealed his hand completely, and did so without knowing what cards the opponent held, dragging all the feudal princes down with him.

Prince Hedong closed his eyes. No… it wasn’t that Prince Baishui was foolish, but that he was greedy!

The fool is not worth consulting!

The other four feudal princes had never thought of competing with Bai Qingyan for that position, because… they knew clearly in their hearts that no matter who sat on that throne, this Kingdom would fall apart, because they were not Bai Qingyan—not the Bai Qingyan who had pacified Great Liang and stabilized Jin.

If they sat on that throne, those surrendered generals from Great Liang would be the first to rebel.

But Prince Baishui no longer cared. He considered himself descended from Emperor Gaozu’s direct lineage, so he thought he was qualified to sit on that throne.

But he hadn’t even consulted with the other four feudal princes before daring to act on his own, and he wanted to drag them down with him!

Prince Hedong would not let Prince Baishui drag him down like this, especially when Prince Baishui had dared to collude with the Flame Prince of Western Liang—charging him with treason would not be excessive.

Prince Hedong’s mind was very clear. Since Bai Qingyan dared to bring Prince Baishui in and show no mercy, she probably had further moves prepared. He had roughly understood this Great Zhou female emperor’s past actions and knew that this Great Zhou female emperor acted extremely meticulously and was definitely not someone who acted impulsively.

In just a moment, Prince Hedong hurriedly rose from behind his low table and knelt in the center of the great hall, solemnly kowtowing to Bai Qingyan: “Your Majesty, please discern clearly! This subject knows that I am a feudal prince of the former dynasty’s royal clan. Your Majesty’s implementation of new policies to reduce feudal domains is inevitable. This time, I sent people to bring troops to the capital to surrender military authority to Your Majesty, to demonstrate that this subject… swears to support the new policies unto death! Please give this subject a chance to assist Your Majesty in implementing the new policies!”

Bai Qingyan looked with seeming amusement at the respectfully kowtowing Prince Hedong. This person… was truly clever and cunning!

Even though everyone present knew Prince Hedong was speaking falsehoods, Prince Hedong had bowed down and given Bai Qingyan a way out. Unless Bai Qingyan insisted on annihilating Hedong’s forces, otherwise… she would have to accept Prince Hedong’s gesture of goodwill and even give him an official position.

“Prince Hedong!” Prince Guang’an stared with wide, clouded eyes.

Prince Shuofang’s family members were now all in the capital city, and he was naturally timid. At this moment, seeing Prince Hedong had already bowed to Bai Qingyan, remembering his father’s words that Prince Hedong the smiling tiger was the most cunning, he hurriedly crawled out from behind his low table on his knees, kowtowed to Bai Qingyan, and suppressing his fear said: “Your Majesty, this subject still doesn’t know whether Shuofang’s troops have arrived or not. This subject, like Prince Hedong, knowing Your Majesty wants to reduce feudal domains, wishes to surrender military authority. Please give this subject a chance to assist Your Majesty in implementing the new policies!”

“Prince Shuofang!” Prince Anxi looked at Prince Shuofang, who had always followed his lead, almost crawling out from behind his low table, clenched his fists tightly, feeling deeply betrayed by Prince Shuofang.

“Traitorous scum selling out ancestors for glory!” Prince Guang’an angrily stood up, furiously cursing Prince Hedong and Prince Shuofang. “The feudal domains are ancestral heritage—you just give them away like that! One hundred twenty thousand elite troops are right at the capital’s gates. What are you afraid of? Spineless things! How do you deserve the blood flowing in your veins? Do you deserve to bear the surname Lin?”

Bai Qingyan straightened her posture, the corners of her lips curving up, speaking unhurriedly: “One hundred twenty thousand elite troops? Why doesn’t Prince Guang’an send someone to scout outside the city and see what condition the troops from Hedong, Guang’an, and Baishui are in right now? Then send someone to investigate… whether the great armies of Anxi and Shuofang have passed through Tianxia Peak Pass.”

The kowtowing Prince Hedong immediately felt his spine grow cold, cold sweat covering his forehead. Bai Qingyan indeed had further moves prepared—fortunately he had reacted quickly.

Lin Kangle also couldn’t help but glance at the trembling Prince Guang’an, stepping forward and saying: “Your Majesty, when this subject returned to the capital, I passed through Hedong and heard that the Princess of Hedong and the Heir of Hedong missed Prince Hedong. So this subject invited Prince Hedong’s entire family to come along. Upon returning these past few days, with so many matters to attend to, I forgot to mention it. I wonder if we should summon Prince Hedong’s family members into the hall now?”

Prince Hedong’s palms suddenly clenched tight, hastily kowtowing again: “This subject thanks Your Majesty for your consideration!”

Saying this, Prince Hedong forced himself to remain calm and cupped his hands toward Lin Kangle: “Thank you, General Lin!”

“You’re welcome!” Lin Kangle accepted Prince Hedong’s thanks without ceremony.

“Arrange seating for Prince Hedong’s family members,” Bai Qingyan instructed Wei Zhong.

“Yes!” Wei Zhong turned and signaled to a young eunuch to arrange cushions for Prince Hedong’s family members behind him.

Bai Jinxiu glanced at Bai Qingyan, rose, and cupped her hands in salute: “Your Majesty, Lord Shen Tianzhi has annihilated the rebel forces of Anxi and Shuofang at Tianxia Peak Pass, capturing the Heir of Anxi and fierce generals from Anxi, as well as fierce generals from Shuofang. They await outside the hall. Shen Qingzhu has also been ordered to invite the family members of Prince Guang’an and Prince Baishui. They await Your Majesty’s summons.”

“Summon…” Bai Qingyan said.

Prince Anxi nearly collapsed back onto his cushion. Could it be that Bai Qingyan possessed divine powers? How could she predict their actions so early?