Bai Qingqi nodded and was just about to rise and bow his farewell when he heard the Xiliang Empress ask: “Since Your Excellency intends to sow discord within the Xiliang court, may I ask… whom did you originally plan to tell me the eight great families wanted to support as emperor? Could it be… Prince Yan Li Zhijie, who is far away in Great Zhou?”

Bai Qingqi smiled faintly: “The late Emperor of Xiliang’s flesh and blood is not limited to Your Majesty alone. If they were to pull Your Majesty down from the throne, supporting Princess Pingyang would naturally be reasonable. If Your Majesty presses the matter… this minister would naturally say Princess Pingyang.”

The corners of the Xiliang Empress’s lips curved in an extremely faint smile, and she nodded.

Watching Bai Qingqi’s retreating figure leave the main hall, the smile on the Xiliang Empress’s face finally faded.

The more candidly Bai Qingqi admitted that he had come to sow discord, the more suspicions arose in the Xiliang Empress’s heart.

Yun Poxing came face to face with Bai Qingqi as he emerged from the main hall. Seeing Bai Qingqi, Yun Poxing’s palms tightened as he slowly stood up from his chair.

Though not wearing battle armor, Yun Poxing’s dignity was not diminished in the slightest. That was the iron-blooded, steel-forged martial bearing of a soldier, tempered in mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Even though illness made his waist slightly hunched, it could not be concealed.

Bai Qingqi’s gaze fell on Yun Poxing. After several years of not seeing him… Yun Poxing had aged considerably compared to his appearance on the battlefield. Perhaps for Yun Poxing, the battlefield… was more suitable than this treacherous and unpredictable Yunjing. Here… Yun Poxing, as a noble minister of Xiliang, came from one of the eight great clans, yet was also a supporter of the Xiliang Empress’s new laws.

Yun Poxing was caught between the eight great families and the Xiliang Empress, carefully balancing the sensitivities of both sides. This path was more treacherous than his life-and-death struggles on the battlefield.

For Bai Qingqi, his conflict with Yun Poxing was personal. He hated Yun Poxing’s despicable tactics on the battlefield, especially regarding Seventeenth Brother… Bai Qingqi wished he could skin and dismember this Yun Poxing.

But for Xiliang… Yun Poxing was a loyal minister. Though he couldn’t be called perfectly upright, in Xiliang, he used his aging body to support the Xiliang Empress’s back, allowing her to straighten her spine.

On the path of loyalty, Yun Poxing deserved Bai Qingqi’s respect. Though his eyes couldn’t hide their hatred, he still bowed to Yun Poxing.

Yun Poxing was somewhat surprised. In his bewilderment, before he could return the courtesy, he saw Bai Qingqi had already straightened and followed the young eunuch down the high steps.

He had thought that with the Bai Family’s hatred toward him, Bai Qingqi should have wanted to devour him alive. The look in his eyes clearly showed this, and he had assumed that even if Bai Qingqi couldn’t attack him in this Xiliang imperial palace, or curse him, he would at least treat him as if he were invisible.

He never would have imagined that this surviving descendant of the Bai Family from the southern frontier battlefield, even though Great Zhou now held absolute advantage and had complete capital and qualification to attack him, still maintained his dignity.

Compared to what he had once done to the Bai Family descendants, especially… that Seventeenth Son of the Bai Family, the guilt that occupied his heart day and night had never been more heart-wrenching than at this moment.

Yun Poxing clenched his fists, took two steps forward in pursuit, and called out loudly: “General Bai! Regarding the matter of the Bai Family’s Seventeenth Son, Yun Poxing… here and now, begs forgiveness!”

As Yun Poxing spoke, he bowed deeply to Bai Qingqi in apology. Due to his back condition flaring up, he nearly fell, fortunately caught by quick-acting Xiliang imperial guards.

Yun Poxing’s voice came from behind. Bai Qingqi did not turn around, his palms tightening…

Seventeenth Brother’s revenge could not be dissipated with a mere apology. The revenge for Grandfather, Uncle, Father… Seventeenth Brother’s revenge—Bai Qingqi would reclaim it honorably on the battlefield. Only thus could he comfort the spirits of Seventeenth Brother and Grandfather in heaven.

Yun Poxing watched Bai Qingqi walk away until he disappeared, then turned around and said to the eunuch at the main hall entrance: “Please inform His Majesty that this old minister requests an audience!”

“General, His Majesty has already gone to the rear palace to see Princess Pingyang,” the young eunuch said respectfully. “His Majesty said to have this servant first invite General Yun to rest in the hall.”

Yun Poxing felt somewhat uneasy. The Empress had gone to see Princess Pingyang immediately after meeting the Great Zhou envoy. Could this Bai Qingqi have also told His Majesty something about Princess Pingyang?

Before Yun Poxing could step into the main hall, he saw two teams of sword-bearing imperial guards hurrying toward the rear palace. He suddenly felt something was wrong, his heart feeling as if covered by dark clouds.

“General, please…” the young eunuch respectfully invited Yun Poxing inside.

Yun Poxing frowned tightly and stepped into the main hall.

·

Li Tianfu’s Huaixiang Palace was adjacent to the fragrant Orchid Garden, which was planted with various precious orchids. Whenever the wind blew… the delicate fragrance would drift into Li Tianfu’s Huaixiang Palace with the breeze. Huaixiang Palace was named for this reason.

Perhaps due to the noon hour, under the scorching sun the orchids’ fragrance became even more intense, like thick, fermented wine, drifting into the hall with the wind, making people drowsy and intoxicated.

Everyone knew that Li Tianfu and the Xiliang Empress were sisters from the same mother, highly favored. One could understand this was no empty claim just by seeing the luxury of Huaixiang Palace.

Li Tianfu had dismissed the palace maids and eunuchs, staying alone in her bedchamber, holding Lu Tianzhuo’s old clothes against her face, silently shedding tears.

Soon, very soon… she would be able to sit on the throne and avenge Lu Tianzhuo!

Li Tianfu sniffed, then placed Lu Tianzhuo’s clothes on the windowsill, carefully smoothing them with her hands. Her throat ached unbearably as she whispered: “It won’t be long now. I will definitely… kill Bai Qingyan, destroy Bai Qingyan’s Great Zhou nation, and avenge you!”

Hearing the slight sound of someone lifting the pearl curtain, Li Tianfu quickly pulled a thin quilt over Lu Tianzhuo’s clothes and scolded loudly: “Didn’t I tell you to wait outside the hall? Which dog-boldest servant dares to barge in?!”

Through the water-colored brocade gauze, Li Tianfu vaguely saw someone lifting the layers of light gauze curtains hanging from the nanmu crossbeams, walking toward her, completely unaffected by her scolding.

Li Tianfu reached under the pillow embroidered with makara patterns and grasped the dagger that Lu Tianzhuo had given her, which she always kept under her pillow.

Only when she could make out the Xiliang Empress’s vague silhouette did Li Tianfu release the dagger and stand up, calling out: “Elder Sister?”

The last layer of brocade gauze was lifted. The Xiliang Empress took one deep look at Li Tianfu, then stepped toward Li Tianfu’s bedside…

The Empress sat down beside Li Tianfu’s bed. Li Tianfu nervously glanced at the area covered by the brocade quilt, then showed her usual charming smile: “It is Elder Sister. Elder Sister, why did you come at this time? Weren’t you supposed to be meeting the Great Zhou envoy in front?”

The Xiliang Empress glanced sideways at the disheveled brocade quilt, then looked at Li Tianfu… her sister still had that seemingly innocent appearance with a touch of charm from her memories.