Xiao Rongyan’s foundation in Xiliang was not solid, which was related to his previous lack of focus on Xiliang… and his never having spent time cultivating influence there. Previously, Great Yan’s top priorities had been stabilizing Jin, recovering Nanyan, and then destroying Wei, so Xiao Rongyan had devoted most of his energy to these matters.

Speaking of which… Xiao Rongyan’s current foundation in Xiliang was not even as strong as that young merchant named Cui Fengnian. That Jin person called Cui Fengnian somehow caught the Xiliang Empress’s eye after going to Xiliang. It was said that the Empress often addressed Cui Fengnian by his courtesy name… Gongxing, showing their relationship was extraordinary.

“In Xiliang, I think… there’s one person you could send someone to contact, who might be won over for our use!” Xiao Rongyan looked up at Bai Qingyan.

Bai Qingyan looked at Xiao Rongyan with an attentive expression, ready to listen.

“There’s a merchant from Jin named Cui Fengnian… courtesy name Gongxing. This person somehow caught the Xiliang Empress’s eye. It’s said that the Empress often summons this Jin merchant into the palace to hear him describe Jin’s customs and scenery, and she addresses him by his courtesy name, showing their relationship is extraordinary.” Xiao Rongyan’s rich voice continued steadily, “Now that Jin has been replaced by Great Zhou, and he’s not currently within Great Zhou’s borders, if you could send someone to make contact and give this merchant some reassurance, let him return to Great Zhou smoothly, and promise him great benefits, you might be able to win him over. Naturally… Great Yan will also try to win this person over. Whoever can succeed, A’Bao… we’ll each rely on our skill.”

Bai Qingyan lowered her eyes in silent contemplation…

Cui Fengnian was Bai Jintong.

But Bai Qingyan did not tell Xiao Rongyan about this. With Xiliang’s situation unclear, the fewer people who knew about Jintong’s circumstances, the better, lest it ruin Jintong’s arrangements and plans.

Xiao Rongyan’s words did give Bai Qingyan some useful information—the Xiliang Empress… liked to summon Jintong into the palace to hear about Jin’s customs and scenery, and addressed him by his courtesy name…

It was only moments after Xiao Rongyan had finished changing clothes when Bai Qingjue came seeking an audience.

Xiao Rongyan could only reluctantly kiss Bai Qingyan’s forehead and bid her farewell, urging her to rest well.

She nodded, also reluctantly grasping Xiao Rongyan’s hand. Remembering today’s matter of Great Yan’s envoys seeking a marriage alliance for Yan’s newly enthroned emperor Murong Li, she said: “I cannot agree to Yan’s marriage proposal. If I let my younger sisters marry far away, it would certainly make my aunts sad. The matter of the Bai family’s sons perishing in Nan Jiang during the Xuanjia years has already left my aunts’ hearts broken… My original intention in taking this position was to protect them, so… I absolutely will not let them be hurt again.”

Before coming, Xiao Rongyan had anticipated this result. After all, Bai Qingyan was protective of her own. Someone who loved her younger sisters so much—how could she let her sisters marry far away alone?

Yan was now also a strong nation. For such a marriage alliance, the Yan court would certainly not want some Great Zhou official’s family member as their empress. What they wanted… was Bai Qingyan’s sister, preferably… her blood sister, the Bai family’s Seventh Miss.

“I know…” Xiao Rongyan nodded, “Before coming this time, I could already predict this result.”

For Yan, this was exactly the result Xiao Rongyan wanted.

The entire Yan court eagerly hoped that the Great Zhou Empress’s sister could marry into Yan as empress, to consolidate Murong Li’s position, and thus… to counter the Ninth Prince Murong Yan who controlled the government and suppressed Murong Li.

If this time they could not obtain the Great Zhou Empress’s blood sister, after returning, if word spread… that Great Yan’s Ninth Prince Murong Yan had sabotaged this marriage proposal, then… Yan’s court ministers and even Yan’s subjects would know that the young emperor Murong Li had been oppressed by Regent Ninth Prince Murong Yan since childhood, and that Murong Yan did not want Murong Li to become strong.

Only this way, when Murong Li dealt with him in the future, others would believe without doubt that Murong Li had truly turned against Murong Yan, truly disagreeing with Murong Yan’s various national policies.

Privately speaking, A’Bao was his wife…

If A’Bao’s sister married his nephew, how would they address each other in the future? Surely they couldn’t have little A’Li call A’Bao elder sister?

Bai Qingjue had already entered the hall with Wei Zhong. Only then did Xiao Rongyan rise and properly bow to Bai Qingyan, then turn to bow to Bai Qingjue.

Bai Qingjue returned the bow with a deep salute: “Master Xiao.”

“Since the Seventh Young Master has arrived, Rongyan will not disturb further and takes his leave…” Xiao Rongyan bowed again.

“Master Xiao, please!” Wei Zhong made a gesture of invitation to Xiao Rongyan and led him out of the hall.

Before stepping out of the hall, Xiao Rongyan couldn’t help but look back at Bai Qingyan. Seeing her eyes filled with smiles and her deep gaze full of warmth, he then lifted the hem of his robe and stepped out of the great hall.

Bai Qingjue’s hands, clasped behind his back, tightened slightly. He noticed that Master Xiao’s clothing, though largely similar to what he had worn when entering the palace, had many different details.

Though Bai Qingjue didn’t understand matters between men and women, he wasn’t completely dense either. From hearing that at today’s palace banquet, Xiliang’s Prince Yan Li Mingrui had said that Xiao Rongyan and his elder sister were already engaged, and that elder sister had not denied it, he knew… elder sister and this Master Xiao had probably already pledged their hearts to each other.

And then, this Master Xiao had been summoned into the palace by elder sister, staying until now… and had changed his clothes.

Bai Qingjue watched Xiao Rongyan’s retreating figure with cold, deep eyes. This Master Xiao was eloquent and looked like someone who knew how to charm people.

If it was just… spilling tea and changing clothes, that would be one thing. But if he dared to take liberties with his elder sister before they were married, even if he was their benefactor… Bai Qingjue could not let it pass lightly.

“A’Jue…”

Hearing Bai Qingyan call him, Bai Qingjue came back to his senses and turned to bow to Bai Qingyan: “Elder sister…”

Bai Qingyan raised her hand to indicate that Bai Qingjue should sit across from her, asking: “Have you properly settled all the troops of the various feudal princes?”

Bai Qingjue lifted the hem of his robe and sat across from Bai Qingyan, nodding: “They’ve all been properly arranged, placed under General Cheng Yuanzhi’s command. General Cheng Yuanzhi, General Wei Zhaonian, and General Shen Liangyu have all returned. Originally, they wanted to come pay their respects to their elder sister, but with the palace gates heavily guarded, when they arrived and heard that their elder sister was sleeping, they didn’t come to disturb.”

Living in the imperial palace was naturally not as convenient as living in the Bai mansion outside the palace.

Hearing these names was like hearing the names of family members for Bai Qingyan. Her eyes filled with warm smiles, and her eyes grew moist: “I’m waiting for them. A’Jue, you go invite the generals over. I’ll prepare wine and wait for them at the General’s Pavilion.”

Bai Qingjue’s eyes also showed a smile as he rose cheerfully with a deep bow: “I’ll go right away!”

“Wei Zhong…” Bai Qingyan called from the outside of the hall.

Wei Zhong immediately stepped into the great hall with quick steps: “Your Majesty…”

“Prepare a wine feast at the General’s Pavilion, and have someone invite Jinxiu and A’Yun, as well as Jinzhao, Jinhua, and Jinse to come together.”